Dr. Seuss Beat us to the Punch

In the past few years, people have been becoming much more concerned with the enivronment. Even some who are outside of environmentalist groups have begun throwing punches at global warming. Way back in 1971, Dr. Seuss published his children’s book, The Lorax. Apparently, few readers listened to the lesson found in this Dr. Seuss title. Throughout the next three decades, environmental decay had not slowed.

New Blog Intro

I made a new blog intro that is already on the “World of MegaSonic” page under the one for last year. I devoted this blog intro to self-expression, much as I did the previous one but in a different fashion. I use a knowledge of video games and video editing experimentation to tell a sort of short story that describes what I hope to accomplish with this blog. Plus a bit of humor for Chrono Trigger fans.

Top Ten Sonic Zones

This is a list of the best ten sonic stages from the four main Genesis/Mega Drive games in my opinion. I also made a video of this on Youtube some months ago. I sort of redefined a zone as a location. This way the Scrap Brain zone and Final zone are one, sky chase and Wing fortress are one, lava reef and hidden palace are one, and the Death Egg zones from 2 and S&K are one.

10) Metropolis – I didn’t really have a reason. I just couldn’t decide what to put here.

9) Launch Base – I like the boss sequence of Sonic 3 version, but the stage can be fairly bland at times so that’s why it is low.

8 ) Sky Chase/Wing Fortress – This stage is here mostly because of the innovation. Fight from on top of a small plane grabbed my interests, and getting through the Wing Fortress requires a bit more strategy than the average level.

7) Green Hill – The first and, perhaps, the most identifiable zone. Alas, it is too short to move higher on the list, as all 3 acts can fly by in about a minute.

6) Starlight – The music is of this zone is well-liked by many, and the smooth gameplay of the stage allows some high-flying antics.

5) Scrap Brain/Final Zone – Here began the tough decisions. Arrival at the Scrap Brain zone always pumps some adrenaline with the knowledge that Robotnik is near. Speed here is not always wise, as it can result in death. The setting and the traps are memorable, along with the scene after the second act. Then there is the Final Zone. Probably the best name for any zone, but far too easy even without rings, for anyone willing to use the cheating corner.

4) Doomsday Zone – A true boss stage. An epic battle between Super Sonic and the creation of Robotnik. Unfortunately, since it is just a boss fight, it doesn’t quite measure to the following zones.

3) Ice Cap – Great level concept, great music. From the first sight of the snowboard, to the sequence after the boss of pummeling through the snow, this stage has “cool” quality.

2) Lava Reef/Hidden Palace – Again great level concept and great music. What sets this stage apart is the storytelling of the Hidden Palace Zone. To fight Knuckles, and finally understand why, then to team up with him is unforgettable. This is the zone that gives meaning to all of the previous zones, battles, and even the previous games.

1) Death Egg – The only zone to actually appear in 2 games (Three if you count the fact that it is visible in Sonic 3 and a battle commences from under it). The site of great battles; of triumph and defeat; of the greatest significance in the four games. The Death Egg Zone may be stolen from Star Wars, but thievery does not take away from the importance of this zone.

My Notebook

Language is very intriguing. This is a picture of the cover on one of my notebooks. Unfortunately, this is mostly filled with boring notes from lectures, although I do have a couple of writings in it. I actually find covers like this to be inspiring for writing poems and stories.

Citing Fiction

Citing fiction is merely a round-a-bout process of citing non-fiction. That is, the reference to another person’s thoughts, which are real whether fact or opinion. It is certainly a mistake to believe fiction can give us statistics, but to assume information based on the fictional works of a number of authors is not really different from assuming something based on a yes/no poll. In fact, the former may be more useful in a number of situations since yes/no polls offer no explanations, no additional input, and no interpretation on part of the sample. Reality is much more complex than a simple yes or no, and fiction is deeply embedded in reality.

The idea of citing fiction often can easily be criticized as too abstract. One can only try to understand what an author was truly thinking or what a passage  truly meant. Yet, one reason for citing a literary work of fiction or non-fiction is to back up a statment or presented argument. Words and numbers have a strong history of being pulled out of context or twisted. Other proof, aside from the hard facts, other proof must be coupled to make the strongest argument possible. in this way, fiction can be just as effective. And depending on the audience maybe more so, considering the impact of the fictional styles on human emotion as compared to the raw language often used with words of fact.

Mario and Sonic

I knew the man went through the dangers of dark land to save the princess.

I knew the hedgehog came to to the Death Egg to stop evil.

It was no lie.

They were real; I believed they were real; I could feel that they were real.

A man did confront Bowser,

A hedgehog did face Robotnik.

Somewhere a plumber became a hero,

Somehow a blue blur became a legend.

They fought desperate battles and defined determination.

I saw the man pound his way through blocks,

I saw the hedgehog cruise through the green hills.

And for it they gained my admiration —

so that now I seek to make my own storyline.

-By Benjamin Collins

Black in America

July 23 and 24 CNN will be showing its special about “black america.” I am tempted to watch, and may very well do so, but I get the feeling I would be disappointed by the way went about displaying a group of people. The main question I have is if they are going to focus on the negative or the positive. For example, it is true that young black men are often undevoted to their families, but when I volunteered in a hospital pediatric emergency room, I remember seeing numerous black fathers who were completely dedicated to their children. Another concern I have about the show is that it appears to lump all black people together. Amongst the black community there is immense diversity and individualism as amongst any culture. The timing of the show is very good with the recent uprising of racism, but will the show be powerful enough to make people think? Will the show be from a viewpoint that does not destroy established community, but brings multiple communities of people together? Maybe my expectations are too large or maybe I have a misconception of what the show is actually about, but with the publicity they are giving the special…I hope that it is truly deserving of the spotlight.