A little something

While i did say in my first post that i wouldn’t delve to much into my personal past, i never said that i wouldn’t reveal anything.

True enough i never thought i would write something like this and true enough i am only writing this because i at the time i am writing this, am a tiny bit drunk after being out partying with friends (even though i initially didn’t think i wanted to go out)
I am at the same time a bit tired so i won’t be going on that far, but i thought you should get to know at least a little something about the person you might be reading the blog to.

So who am i and what am i about?

Well to keep it simple, I am a media student, or i want to be a real one someday. I officially only have a High School diploma saying i finished my course in Media and Communications and thats it, but on top of that i have a years worth of experience from NTNU, one of the countrys most respected universities as a student of Media Science (which again basically deals with statistics and the really theoretical studies of media)
While the one year was never really completed and thus never officially recognized, i still count it as i gained a bit of insight as what the study was about, what kind of people take it and what universities in general is about.
I learned that it wasn’t my kind of thing (and thus i dropped out) and i gained a little more understanding not only about myself, but also what i think my path in life is supposed to be.

I love to work practical. My best skills are working with my hands, especially if i got a keyboard and amouse in my hands. Give me a request for an image and a few hours and i will have made you a pretty good image (i think) even though i still consider myself a novice with the awesome program.
I love to draw and i love to write a bit about what i am thinking of every now and then (which is how this blogg came to be)

I also enjoy spending time with my friends doing all sorts of things and meeting new people. But truth be told i also suffer from a mild case of anxiety, which in many cases makes me seem cold and withdrawn, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. If you just take a few moments to really get to know me you will see that i am a rather harmless and pretty welcome guy. I can be pretty chatty and i have alot of thoughts about all kinds of things so there is no shortage in conversation topics.

Other than that, well i love to do things. I have done paintball & softball wars, i have am pretty damn good in bowling from being selftaught and i keep getting better. I don’t hesitate to go to a party even if i only know 1 or 2 people in the entire party and i can throw a pretty good party every now and then myself (bit wild at times but so far only warnings from the cops (bit loud music ))

I must admit that i don’t have alot of steady friends, in fact i only got a handful of regular friends, but in return i can proudly say that i know they are true friends until the end. They will never betray me, i can confide in them and they in me, they will help me if they can and be there in hard times, just as i would for them should the need arise. I owe them more than they can ever imagine and i will always cherish them for what they have done for me (and still try to do)

Other than that, well the thing you might notice pretty fast about me if you ever saw me is that i have a handicap, i am hearing impaired. Personally i don’t let it affect me that much and just try to be the best listener i can be and hope that people can respect me enough to repeat things to me if i don’t get it the first time (which do happen a bit)
its not the biggest loss but its enough for me to need hearing aids to get everything. personally i have been offered help at school up as far as high school but i have always refused it as often as i can. I have always hated feeling different than others and while i have used it ONCE to my own advantage (well one that i really count as a big one) which was getting into the high school study of my choice (media) i have always refrained from using any tools other than the hearing aids i use on a daily basis. Wireless microphones that go directly to my ears i usually turn of and try to listen to what the teachers say directly because it sounds so much better to hear it this way. tele-connection (best word i could find for it) is something i REALLY hate cause it just ends up intruding on whatever thought i might be thinking if the teacher speaks through it when i am working on my own stuff.
I also have tried to stay a bit away from those who share the same disability as me cause i feel that i feel i can’t relate to them since they tend to relate to each other.

Anyway, i think i am a pretty decent guy once you get to know me. I have a bit odd thoughts at times and if you don’t know me that much at first, i can be rather silent (unless i am nervous in which case i will blabber worse than a couple of girl friends chatting) but in the end i think you can get a pretty good understanding of me and i hope that i too will have the same understanding of you.

And by the way, i have a really bad habit of remembering even small details, so even if we meet twice and you don’t remember me at all the second time, just remember this, i will likely remember at least your face and much of what we might have spoken about. Its something i continually surprise people with

Movies

I have already said my opinion on piracy and everything around it so i won’t be talking about that this time, instead i want to focus on one part of what all this fuzz is about, namely movies.

We have all seen one at some point or another, both good ones, bad ones and “ok” ones.
What do they all have in common? They cost millions to produce, they have stars in them that we all like or want to see make it big cause we have seen them do a great job on another set in a different movie.

Being from the 80’s generation (well born in it anyway) i have always liked the older and now perhaps more aging group of actors. Travolta, Cage, Willis, Schwarzenegger, Stalone and the rest of the crowd. Of course i am not saying that i don’t like new movies or the new actors, i am just saying we have all formed a bond of sorts to some actors even if we really don’t have anything to do with them.
A lady friend of mine, a few years younger than me, she prefers Pierce Brosnan as James Bond and can’t really see anyone older playing that role while i prefer Timothy Dalton and thinks he plays that role way better than any of the others (although i don’t think the others are bad, just not as good)

Now when seeing this, and seeing how the old stars just seem to fade away from the movies, some still lingering but doing less acting and more directing instead, others doing something else but all in one way or another fading away i do have to say that i will miss them. To me they made my younger days vivid with their usually actionfilled movies. I’d enjoy watching Van Damme always doing those over-the-top kicks that all always seemed impossible, but always cool. The ladies would just sigh when seeing his pecks just wishing their boyfriends where even just a little more like him. The last new movie i noticed that one of them starred in that was new was Cage in the movie Next but as far as the movie went, i had never heard of it until i just happen to spot it among dozens other dvds at the local supermarket. It probably was a straight-to-dvd movie like so many are but it is still odd that these stars who have a reputation that resounds through the ages and lips of every “commoners” mouth because of their splendor.

The last movie that actually had some publicity with one of them was the newest Die Hard movie (Die Hard 4.0) with Bruce Willis. He does the same deal as with the other movies, but of course his age is taken into account in this one (as it should by all accounts)

I just simply miss hearing about them and seeing them hit the big screen. Its not like before piracy made the public for real that it would be all in the mouths of everyone and only trailers online but no movie unless you wanted to watch it at the cinema or wait until it hit (then) VHS.

perhaps i am a bit oldfashinoned or perhaps i have just started to understand what the elderly speak of when they speak of the good old days. It is simply the time they can remember things being good. I speak of films that made the adrenaline rush while i was just glued to the screen.

The new actors don’t hold the same things as the old ones did. The movies are more modern and in a way cleaner. Many of them miss that “edge” that makes the older ones so much better. Of course a few do pull that off and thank god for that cause they really do follow in the tracks of the legends from my age.

I just miss watching the legends more often in new movies. Reruns on TV do get boring over time, especially when on one week 3-4 tv broadcasters can air the same movie just a day apart.

Piracy and my position on it!

one of the really hot topics in our age is the question of piracy, what it is, when can it be called piracy and why.

I know i am not alone in at least once in my life having downloaded something illegal simply cause i wanted it but either couldn’t afford it or didn’t have access to it or some other reason, but is it really wrong?

From a legal point of view, yes it is wrong. You are basically taking something which otherwise would have cost you a few of your hard earned money, so why do it?

There are many pirates around, i know none among my friends who hasn’t at some point downloaded illegally. I happily admit that when i myself did download it, i did so illegally too, but i had my reasons for doing it. Reasons i believe are justified by what we are facing today.

The situation today with software (games and programs in general), music and video today (and also on the rise, books) is that the prices are going up, and they are going up fast!
In fact the prices are rising so fast that most people who at some point was able to actually buy most of it regularly because it was within their budget can no longer buy it as often as they used to. They are experiencing that the prices of things around them are rising faster than their own salaries and thus we eventually are going to experience an inflation or a collapse in the market because people can’t buy it anyway.

What piracy does is not just working to speed up this happening, but it is also working against it.
That is to say, the true pirates work to this goal, most people sadly just think that they can save much by just sticking to piracy.
i consider myself a true pirate. I wish to speed up this collapse in the market so that perhaps the industry can see firsthand what their high prices cause. Preferably i would like to convince them to create lower prices earlier so that we don’t have to see the market collapse at all but that doesn’t seem likely.
Like all businesses, the industry want to make money and rarely do anyone have the courage to actually be bold and attempt something wild that while in the eyes of the consumers looks much better for both sides, doesn’t look so good for them. The small companies are usually the ones that try but even they are few in numbers that take that step.

So what do we end up with?
We end up with an industry that tries to create DRM (digital right management) to try and stop all the illegal copies from working. It works to some extent, they stop some of them, but usually its the wrong group that gets targeted. DRM has a drawback in that it affects both those who still pay and those who get it illegally. Those who get it illegally usually know enough to get about it anyway and really don’t bother much about it. The fixes to get about it get better and better and easier to implement. They don’t bother about support cause they have illegal stuff and thus they know that they will basically turn themselves in. The legal users get support that in many cases is horrible and they get the DRM that doesn’t work or they have to bother about choosing between the lesser of two evils, because there are different versions of DRM’s floating around the market.

I don’t have any fixed numbers but i can tell you this, the industry makes a whole lot more money than they care to admit and they only want more, that is the core of any major corporate company today. They tend to rig the numbers to show that they are loosing money when they are in fact making more because of piracy. That’s right, piracy has actually increased their income and they still complain.
Unofficially they love it, but officially they hate it cause its in a “status quo” situation. Both sides are at a balance where both have an edge. if one side uses their edge then the other side has to use theirs or all hell breaks loose. if they don’t use it then the balance won’t change and they will be stuck at an uneasy compromise neither likes. (actually no matter what it will end up in a situation that one or the other dislikes)

Another something that has happened that has really brought about a tension unlike any other is the industry’s new approaches to end piracy. They have started to hunt the users and almost randomly started lawsuits against anyone. This approach has been highly debated as it is basically the Salem Witch hunts all over again.

I see really only a few things that can make things better.
One is to lower prices and the fees and taxes that comes on top of that. (to put an example, a car in Norway that can without taxes cost perhaps 100 000 does with all the taxes cost roughly 300 000)
Two is to remodel the industry, something they don’t want to see. Music artists at the very least today can make most of their music alone. The industry can work out something to earn profits from merchandise and concerts etc. While the artists (any anyone whom might work for them) can get the money from the sale of the music itself. Adds, merchandise and concerts etc should be more than enough for them to continue to grow.
Three is more for the other parts (software and movies) The cost of movies and software is generally to high. Many want to buy it but few feel that they can spend over 500NOK for one single thing. If they where to reduce their prices with perhaps 200 – 250NOK to about half the price then they would sell more and they would see that there is a good balance there. (i speak in general but use my own position as the best example i can give)

There are many ways to go about it, but none of them include persecution, near illegal approaches to finding out who is a pirate or even getting the ISPs (internet service providers) to agree on banning whomever is a pirate from the internet.

Circumcision

Circumcision is a hot topic today not only for sex related reasons, but also for the health and religious reasons around it.

But is there really now a GOOD reason for it if you think about it?

Personally i can’t say that i know what it is like to have a circumcision. I live in Norway, a country blessed with christianity as the main religion so i never had to face that problem. But even if it was normal to get circumsized and i hadn’t done it, would i?

The answer is HELL NO! And that for the simple reason it is bloody painful, it has no purpose, we have no proof that there even is a god that wants us to do it and as for health and sex reasons, nothing has really been proven or disproven.

I would also like to mention that while i do think a circumsized penis doesn’t look bad, i am a firm believer in that we should have the option to choose for ourselves.

In the US, it is THE most common surgical procedure done having more incisions a year than boob jobs. Now while it is fairly obvious what the answer is over there (pending on who you ask of course) Women most seem to want it that way, Most guys get it done while still being babies so they don’t think much about it later in life. in fact guys who don’t get it done get more attention because they stand out.

Now let me bring up a rather valid point i think about circumcision. Both sexes used to get it, in some places in the world some still get it. Thats right, women used to get it too, and the reason that was stopped, was because it was looked upon as a violation of womens rights. Now as said, it still exists some places in the more shady areas mostly in Africa (although very little remains) but they are working very hard on eliminating it even there. Now why should it be so different for men and women.

The way i see it, circumcision is circumcision regardless of whom it is done to and it is just as painful for both sides and it holds no mutually acceptable advantage or disadvantage for either side to do it.
And NO, religious motives are NOT good enough, neither are aesthetic reasons.

So why not stop it altogether? As said, i believe in the choice! I said it myself, i think it can look good at times (mostly the times when the penis doesn’t look like a blown up red balloon about to blow) If someone wants to do it and they feel that strongly about it then go ahead, i won’t stop it, but make sure its your desicion and not anyone else or any outside influence that forces you to do it.

There are no health reasons to do it either. Or rather, there aren’t really any conclusive answers on the subject to be more accurate. It all comes down to what papers you read. One will say you will have reduced chances of infections and stuff BY doing it, others will say you will have LESS by NOT doing it.
So who to believe, both or neither?

Both are accurate but both are also false. But lets keep it simple and even include religious reasons.
God no matter what religion you ask, made us who we are today. They shaped you and breathed life into you making you perfect in their image.

Now ask yourself this, does it sound like a god, someone supposedly perfect in any and all ways to make a flaw? Does it make sense that they would want you to cut of something THEY gave you that is a part of you? i don’t think that makes any sense.
True also that i don’t believe in god but that doesn’t make the statement any less valid. (Of course i must admit i also know all to well what believers are willing to say or do to make it seem like they are right when they are wrong, but thats not what this post is about)

Personally i love having foreskin. for all those single guys out there with nothing better to do than watch porn and whatnot, jerking of and knowing i can pinch it shut and keep it there until i get to the toilet rather than messing up the bed, chair, floor or having to go to the toilet every time just to make sure i don’t mess things up is a great relief.
ALL guys should at least be given the chance to reach a sentient age where they can make the decision themselves if they want it away or not.
NO parents should be allowed to make that decision for them.
Neither should any doctor be allowed near a penis without actually enlightening the patient about ALL the facts rather than the ones they like to believe (and conveniently forget the rest)

I don’t want to see something happen by anyone else that i can’t control if it affects me (unless i trust that person to act in my behalf) I want MY choices to be made by ME and ME ALONE. Anyone thinking anything else on this subject i say right now can go shove it!
first and foremost i am a human rights believes and a firm believer in the rights to have my own choices and being able to follow and standing by them at all times.

WarCraft

I never really played WarCraft until i got WarCraft III which was my first real experience with the WarCraft series in general. Of course i had heard of the series prior but i never really knew what was so special about it until i got my hands on my very own edition.

Thats when i got hooked, and i mean really hooked. Not only did i love the graphics, but the story behind the entire series was also amazing. From what i knew then what i know now, this game series has evolved from a game revolving around a fantasy to a game revolving around its own massive lore spanning back to before WarCraft I was released.

Sure it is still a fantasy, but as a really dedicated player of the fantasy genre, this series captivated me like no others and Blizzard which is the producer never really seized to amaze me even more as time passed.
For those who have seen the game they know its detailed and full of fun, not only through all the combat and strategies you get to use against whom ever you are playing be it an AI or a friend (of course its a prerequisite that you like strategy and combat games) but even the intro to the game is able to captivate you. Blizzard really don’t hold back on the details in it. It is as if they are real and you are right there feeling the cold wind shiver down your spine as you look into the eyes of the Antagonist (which is usually portrayed)

I remember the first time i watched it. I felt like a kid cause it was the day i had bought the day and when the installation of the game was complete i was like “yay, FINALLY!” and as the game started i was thinking “WOOOOAH!!!”
I am sure i was only a step away from drooling all over the keyboard at this time, it was THAT exiting.

Sure this to most of you i am a geek, and i happily admit that too. I am a geek and damn proud of it, its one of my best features. And we all know who you have to beg if your computer breaks down on you, thats right, the GEEK!

Anyway, from Warcraft III to World of WarCraft (WoW) is a world of difference. I started playing WoW about a year after its release on an official basis. I had tried it in the beta and i really liked it then, but i wasn’t to thrilled about paying to play it. I thought i had spent enough when i had to buy the game itself. Anyway, my cousin and an exterior cause i will not delve much into got me into it as a fixed subscriber.
Like my cousin i started my first character as a paladin, a warrior of light, and i might add the at the time weakest character in the game (and in many ways still is, but it has improved tremendously and is still improving)

I quickly got a grasp of the game and after a few short months (which ain’t that long for a newbie) i hit 60 and was playing with the big boys. I was running around instances getting better gear, chatting up everyone whom i thought seemed like a friendly face. I made loads of friends in there, mostly from abroad actually, but also some local. The irony perhaps is that none of my real life friends actually played it. In fact they feared getting addicted to it.

Speaking of addiction, i never got hooked like that. True i was hardcore, i played alot and yes i did for a long time spend the better time of my free time playing the game, but also know this, when i quit WoW now almost 2 years ago, i quit on my own. I simply got bored and i was to fixed on endgame content which to me was the only thrill i could find since i really didn’t like PvP (and i was a HOLY warrior so healing was about all my PvP teammates wanted to see of me)

Right now i am just waiting Wrath of the Lich King which is the second expansion of the game. I had a pause lasting a year at the first expansion too, so its not that uncommon for me. I hope i still have friends ingame that will want me on board when i get back cause i sure want to play the game. The reason i wait is simply because i want to get my moneys worth. I am bored of the game at the current state. I have been in almost every place and i got (at least i think i got) great gear on my character. The only thing i regret doing was selling everything on him before i left the last time (i got my moments :p )

But nothing a little time won’t fix. I got a flying mount, i got a spell mount (was the best looking one in the game until blizzard had to mess with it and take away the golden haze surrounding it, making it greenish!)

But WoW still doesn’t compare to WarCraft. I consider it for this reason separate but related to WarCraft. It continues the story, but it isn’t really a part of it as i wish it would be. I hope there will be a WarCraft IV comming out (Diablo got a new chance so why not WarCraft!) and there are still MANY mroe fans of WarCraft than there is of WoW (and WoW nowadays has over 10 mill subscribers, so that is alot)

I also can’t wait for the movie, i just wish they would have made it in CGI like they do with the game intros.

Welcome to my space!

I’m going to keep this short as it is my first blog entry and i really don’t have a reason to spill all my guts in it.

My name is Trond but i usually go by my alias (which is Malcite in case you haven’t understood that yet) online as i care about my privacy and wish to keep my personal stuff just that, personal!

Now as to get to the reason as why i created this blog.

I created this space as a spot where i could post opinions and stuff i have about well, stuff!
Now while i may not have a fancy degree from a university or anything like that i still have what i consider my most helpful tool, a logical sense and a mind that can take advantage of it.
I also read a lot of stuff which gives me an insight to things (true most of it is either fantasy books or stuff online which again can’t always be trusted, but thats a different issue really. As said, my common sense is my tool of the trade here on the blog.)

I believe in many things that many might consider odd, and i also don’t believe in many things that manydo believe in.

I will be talking about these things and i am sure i will raise a few brows here and there and i am sure i will get branded as a complete asshole by some for my beliefs too.

Well i won’t give a shit. I have my opinions and i will let anyone who respects that keep theirs. I respect other peoples opinion as long as they respect mine.
Disrespect me and i will simply put ignore you completely. I have no problem with an open dialog between parties but i do have a problem with people not respecting others opinion. WE ALL HAVE AN EQUAL VOICE!

Anyway, back on track. I will be using harsh language sometimes. I am not afraid to call someone public an asshole. And by asshole i mean like if i really disliked Penn and Teller or something (just an example, i actually love their show Bullshit! and agree with them on alot of issues) But the core remains. Anyone with a sane and logical opinion i will respect. Anyone who just thinks something without actually saying why this and that i see no reason to respect.

Anyways, thats all i have to say for now. I will add more later when i feel like it, but right now i wanna play Pocket Tanks so good night y’all!