There was love there

Τrue Story:
Their children grew up and had kids of their own. And they lived far away, at their houses. But the couple was happy in the village. They had all they needed, and a donkey, a goat and a cat. But they became ill and old, so their children took them from the village. To be with them in the city. To be near the doctors. The three animals, bred with love, were given in 3 different places around the village. Grandpa's cousin got the donkey, someone else got the goat and another one got the cat.

Well, every day the smart donkey used to remove the stake on which he was tied up, then he was going at the other side of the village to remove the goat's stake. Then the two animals were going together to grandpa's and grandma's house. There they were meeting the cat, who used to wait them. They knew the place well. They were feeling good there. There was love there.

Love and the Arena

It's been quite some time since my last post, at July 25. Many things happened since then. The most important is that I met a girl with whom I used to play  Castle Age and, after 15 days of living together, we decided to forge a relationship, which is progressing nicely and that makes me really happy and in love.
But something bad also happened. The "Arena", our favorite internet-cafe, shut down at the 29th of October. It was our last night there... We enjoyed it by playing  Pro 2011 (It was the first time I've played a soccer game since 2001), Medal of Honor and Age of Mythology. We spent 4 years of fun in that place, and I'm already missing it

The boy and the apple-tree

Οnce upon a time there was an apple-tree…
And she used to love a boy, and every day the boy was gathering her leaves and he was using them to make a crown and play the King of the Forest.
He was climbing on her trunk, hanging on her branches, eating apples and playing. And when the boy was getting tired, he was falling asleep under her shade. And the boy was loving the apple-tree… very much. And the apple-tree was happy.
But the years passed, and the boy grew up. And many times the tree was left alone.
One day the boy went to the tree. She proposed him to climb on her trunk, play on branches, eat apples and sleep below her.
“Nah, I’m too old to play. I need money to have fun, can you gimme money?”
“I’m sorry, but I only have apples and leaves. Here, take my apples, sell them. Then you’ll have money and be happy.”
Then the boy climbed, picked the apples and left with them.
And the tree was happy.

But a long time passed, and the boy didn’t show up, and the tree was sad.
Until one day the boy returned, and the tree trembled, full of joy.
She proposed him to climb on her trunk, play on branches, eat apples and sleep below her.
“I have no time for games, I need a house to live in and make a family, can you give me a house?”

“I don’t have a house, boy. Forest is my house. Here, cut my branches, use them to build your house and be happy.”
And so the boy cut off her branches, and took them with him to build his home. And the tree was happy.

But the boy didn’t show up for a long time, and when he did, the tree was so happy, that she could barely talk. “Come boy, come and play.” She whispered.
“I’m too old and too sad to play. I need a boat to take me away. Can you give me a boat?”
“Cut off my trunk to make a boat, go away… and be happy.”
And the boy cut her trunk, made a boat and went away.
And the tree was happy… but not really.

And after a very long time the boy returned.
“I’m sorry, Boy, but I have nothing left to give you…” said the tree.
“I have no apples.”
“My teeth aren’t strong enough to eat apples.”
“I have no branches for you to hang-on.”
I’m too old to hang.”
“I don’t have trunk, you cannot climb.”
“I’m too tired to climb.”
“I’m sorry”… sighed the apple-tree. “I wish I could give you something. But I have nothing left. I’m just an old log. I’m sorry…”
“I want nothing anymore, just a quiet place to sit and rest.” Said the boy.
“Then an old log is what you need to sit and rest.” Said the tree, flattening her trunk as far as she could
And the boy sat and rested. And the tree was happy.

Just ourselves

Ι've heard people boasting about their ancestors. In ancient times 1.000 lads gave their lives in the line of duty, someone's grandpa got a medal of honor on World War 2, someone's father died at 'Nam, saving 7 of his comrades... maybe even his granny managed to accidentally shoot a Nazi with a hunting rifle. It's good to be proud of our ancestors and of course never to forget our history, but we shouldn't pretend those were our own feats. My friend, even if your father saved 10, 100, 1.000 comrades, even if he is Chuck Norris himself, you are only yourself. What matters is what you do, and that's what people see.
Therefore we shouldn't boast for something our ancestors did. We write our own history, it's our actions that define us, not history or something we got deep inside.
One girl once said to the man she'd been loving since childhood: Deep down you may still be that same great kid you used to be... But it's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you.

Main characters of "Devil May Cry" - Vergil

Vergil is my personal favorite, that's why I mention him last.
Vergil is Dante's elder identical twin brother, though the two are near-polar opposites; unlike Dante, Vergil embraces his demonic heritage. He is a chief antagonist in Devil May Cry 3 as well as a playable character in the game's Special Edition. After he is betrayed by Arkham at the end of the game's second act (the end of mission 13), he temporarily teams up with Dante near the end, before reverting to his villain role. Throughout the game, Vergil seeks to undo the seal of Sparda hidden within the Demonic Domain, and claim the entirety of their father's power for his own, regardless of the effects this will have on the human world. To do so he needed Dante's half of their mother's amulet, so he lured his brother out with the intent of taking it by force. His dialogue at the end of mission 8 indicates that he seeks this power to compensate for being unable to save their mother . Vergil battles Dante three times in the Devil May Cry 3 storyline. Their first battle is on the highest level of Temen-Ni-Gru, where Dante is soundly defeated by Vergil, who then takes Dante's amulet. Their second battle is at the bottom of the tower, where the twins battle to a draw before their battle is interrupted. Their final battle is near the entrance to the demon realm, where Vergil is finally defeated. While Dante escapes back to the human world, Vergil chooses to stay behind. Should the player be able to defeat at least 100 demons before the credits finish, the player is shown a cutscene with Vergil rising to his feet in a lake of blood, and looking into the sky to see three large glowing orbs in the sky – Mundus as he first appeared in Devil May Cry. Vergil decides that if his father was able to defeat Mundus he can too, and then charges at the orbs with his sword ready. Vergil survives his encounter with Mundus, but becomes enslaved and apparently brainwashed. In the first game, he appears as a demonic dark knight, called Nelo Angelo (a mistranslation of Nero Angelo). Dante encounters Nelo Angelo three times in Devil May Cry, and each time Nelo Angelo sees Dante's half of the amulet, he flees the battle. In their final encounter, Nelo Angelo uncovers his face to reveal that he is Vergil. In the end Nelo Angelo appears to explode, leaving his half of the amulet behind.

Main characters of "Devil May Cry" - Sparda

In the Devil May Cry universe, Sparda is a demon that rebelled against his own kind for the sake of the human world two thousand years prior to the events of Devil May Cry. He defeated countless demons and their Emperor, Mundus, before sealing the gateway to the demon world, sacrificing both his own blood and that of a mortal priestess. These actions made him a legend in the human world, gaining him the moniker, The Legendary Dark Knight Sparda though they also incurred a notorious reputation amongst demons, many of which were defeated during his rebellion.
After his death, most of Sparda's power was concealed in the demon realm, sealed inside his sword- the Sparda/Force Edge, and was only accessible with an amulet he took with him into the human world. This amulet, which can be separated into two parts, was also one of the keys needed to unlock the portal. All its abilities are deactivated if the halves are separated. Near the end of his life, Sparda settled with a human wife, Eva, and fathered twin sons, Dante and Vergil. He gave his amulet to Eva as a gift which she in turn later separated and passed to her sons. Both Vergil and Dante received a powerful, enchanted sword from their father, Rebellion to Dante and Yamato to Vergil. In Devil May Cry 4 a cult organization called the Order of the Sword cast Sparda as a god-figure who had ruled over their capital, Fortuna. While it's unknown as to how he died, Dante understands that among the people there is a lot of confusion surrounding Sparda and who he truly was.

Main characters of "Devil May Cry" - Nero

Nero is a lead character of Devil May Cry 4, marking his first appearance in the franchise and sharing a main role with series protagonist, Dante. An orphan that was adopted by the Order, he has grown up to be a Holy Knight in the Sparda-worshipping religion known as the Order of the Sword. He tends to not get along well with others and prefers to work alone, so he is usually given the Order's "special assignments." He wields a sword named Red Queen, a revolver called Blue Rose and the "Devil Bringer" powers of his right arm. By defeating various Demons, Nero is able to increase the power of the Devil Bringer. Nero comes into possession of Yamato, Vergil's sword, which allows him a Devil Trigger which summons a Devil avatar to fight with him.
Throughout Devil May Cry 4, Nero perceives Dante as the enemy, but as the story progresses he realizes that it's the Order who is organizing their own agenda. Nero pivots his role as a Holy Knight to a renegade searching for answers, then into a vengeful demon slayer when the Order captures Kyrie. In the end, Nero and Dante join forces to defeat the Savior, saving Kyrie in the process. Nero and Dante part on good terms with Dante entrusting Nero the sword, Yamato, that was originally his brother's.

Combat "Easter" Arms

Ah, yes! Easter was really awesome this year. I wouldn't say "relaxing", because I barely had any sleep, but... damn, we did have some fun, that's for sure! Spent every night playing Combat Arms with the "Dream Team", eating like an ox, working on the yard and spending time with good friends. Speaking of friends, there is one I was expecting to meet but... well let's not make a big deal out of it. :)
I also met relatives I hadn't seen for ages and I am really  kinda scared about the effect time has on us all...
There was also this moment... You know I was cutting the grass when a small ladybug flew straight to my finger. For a moment I looked at it and felt really free, like there was nothing to worry about and I was the only person alive... anyway, that was only for one stupid moment.

Main characters of "Devil May Cry" - Lady

Before starting I want to mention that Lady is the one who helped Dante name his shop "Devil May Cry", which was something she says while trying to comfort Dante over the loss of his brother.

 Her original name, Mary, was given to her by her father Arkham, but she chose to renounce that name when he murdered her mother. Dante first calls her "lady" when she refuses to tell him her name, and she accepts it as her real name. Like her father, she has heterochromia. While still a normal human, she is an exceptionally skilled firearms expert and extremely acrobatic in close quarters combat. Her most powerful weapon is the Kalina-Ann, a customized missile launcher similar to a MANPADS named after her mother. In the anime series she works as a solo devil hunter who sometimes calls on Dante for help, and sometimes for the money that he owes her.

Main characters of "Devil May Cry" - Trish

Trish is probably the only girl Dante has ever loved, therefore I think she is the one for whom We'll read next.
Trish, who bears a great resemblance to Dante's deceased mother Eva, is a creation of Mundus. As a result of her demonic nature she possesses several supernatural abilities, like superhuman strength and lightning powers. In the first game, she hires Dante to help stop Mundus' plan to conquer the human world by opening a gate to the demon world on Mallet Island. Later in the game Dante learns that she is a servant of Mundus, and that her resemblance to Eva was part of a plan to lure Dante to the island so that Mundus' servants can kill him. However, she develops feelings for Dante and helps him defeat Mundus. In the game's epilogue, she and Dante are shown working together as partners out of the renamed "Devil Never Cry" office. In the anime, she has since gone solo but sometimes reappears to work with Dante, who has given her an open invitation to come back at any time. Trish reappears in Devil May Cry 4 partnering with Dante once again. She disguises herself as Gloria, an executive of the Holy Knights. She reaches this high position shortly after joining the cult by presenting Sanctus with the Sparda sword, for which some members appear to be suspicious of her. She eventually reveals her identity when Sanctus attempts to complete a demonic structure known as the "Savior".

Main characters of "Devil May Cry" - Dante

I decided to start a tribute on the main characters of the "Devil May Cry" universe. therefore I stand with the main protagonist, Dante.
Dante is a mercenary who specializes in paranormal cases, preferring those that call for demon slaying. He is muscular, has white hair and is usually seen wearing red leather jackets/trench coats. Dante's arsenal usually consists of firearms and melee weapons, including "Ebony and Ivory", twin handguns that never have to be reloaded, as well as a variety of swords such as "Rebellion" and "Force Edge" swords. The guns are hand-made with "For Tony Redgrave, By.45 Art Warks" written on them^. He has supernatural powers, as a result of his half-demon heritage^. This gives him the ability to enter a temporary transformation called "devil trigger". In this state, Dante possesses more speed, steady health regeneration, and further abilities with his equipped melee weapon. Dante is confident in his encounters with opponents, and frequently taunts boss characters before battling them.
Dante is one of the twin sons of Sparda, a demonic knight who chose to side with humanity and drive back an invasion of the human world by demons 2,000 years ago. After Sparda's death, Dante and his brother Vergil were raised by their human mother, Eva. When Dante and Vergil were still children, the family was attacked by demons, resulting in Eva's death. This event lead to Dante's commitment to hunting demons in pursuit of those that killed his mother.

Lady's story

You've heard of it, haven't you? The legend of Sparda?
When I was young, my father would tell me stories about it.
Long ago, in ancient times, a demon rebelled against his own kind for the sake of the human race. With his sword, he shut the portal to the demonic realm and sealed the evil entity off from our human world.
But since he was a demon himself, his power was also trapped on the other side.
I never believed it. I thought it was just a child's fairy tale.
But I discovered that the so-called legend wasn't a myth at all. Sparda existed.
How do I know? Well... I met the sons of Sparda. *Both* of them. Though the same blood of their father flowed through their veins, the two battled each other fiercely like arch-enemies. It seems as if they derived some twisted pleasure from this brotherly fighting. But in the end, only one was left standing.

Paperwork and Mountain Bikes

Greetings.
Today was probably the most boring of the "hospital-days" of all time! I spent all of my 3 hours checking files and placing them into their proper folders, alphabetically of course. And that was only letter "M"! I'm glad I didn't have to check all of the files and do all the paperwork myself.
When I was finally done and on my way home, I suddenly felt nostalgia, for my old mountain-bike.
I don't know why (it's not like I saw any bikes on my way home) but I miss it very much.
It was red, you know. And my pals and I used to ride all day, racing each other, chasing the girls, and more...
Dude I miss summer... seriouslah!

Fictional Characters

People who know me know that, although I admire very much certain persons, like Tolkien or King Leonidas, I also admire very much many imaginary characters, and I set some of them as example.
Some may think that this is wrong, because those characters are considered "fake", but this is how I see it. It's all real. Think about it. Haven't Luke Skywalker and Santa Claus affected your lives more than most real people in the world? I mean, whether Jesus is real or not, he's had a bigger impact on the world than any of us have. And the same can be said for Bugs Bunny and Batman and Optimus Prime. They've changed my life, changed the way I act on the Earth. Doesn't that make them kind of real? They might be imaginary but, but they're more important than most of us. And they're all gonna be around here long after we're dead. So, in a way, those things are more realer than any of us.

Symbols

Ye know, alongside my other T-shirts I got 2 very special ones. One with the Autobots' emblem and one with the Caped Crusader's symbol. I used to wear either of them almost every day.
Now I realize that... I'm not worthy. Because, in my humble opinion, being a fan is not enough to make you worthy of wearing those symbols. I must embrace the Autobot ideal to wear the Autobot-shirt, and I must be more... (how shall we say?) selfless to wear the Bat-shirt.
Therefore I hereby declare that I will not wear those 2 T-shirts again, until I've proven my quality.
They are too important to be misused.

No Coin? Oh well... so be it!

Today I decided to search for a replica of Harvey "Twoface" Dent's coin, but since I couldn't find it anywhere I gave up searching and bought me a figure of Twoface himself, for 10 bucks.
Twoface was ranked #12 in IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains Of All Time.
Twoface has recently become my favorite of Batman's enemies, taking Joker's place, who has always been my favorite villain.
I just find some true in what Harvey believes. I find some wisdom and some "normality" in his quotes. Sometimes I feel like him, like my good side fights against my evil one. Unable to decide unless I flip a coin, lol.
Of course I don't want to get his coin to make decisions, I just think it would be a nice addition to my collection.

The figure resembles the character as seen on "The Dark Knight" film, played by Aaron Eckhart

 
 

Power Rings - Green

Last, but not least, my very favorite of the Lantern spectrum. I give you the...

GREEN LANTERN CORPS (WILLPOWER)

In brightest day, in blackest night,

No evil shall escape my sight.

Let those who worship evil's might,

Beware my power...

Green Lantern's Light!

The power ring's most distinctive effect is the generation of green, solid-light constructs, the precise physical nature of which has never been specified. The size, complexity, and strength of these constructs is limited only by the ring-bearer's willpower; whatever the wearer imagines, the ring will create. No hard upper limit to the power ring's capabilities has yet been demonstrated and it is often referred to as "the most powerful weapon in the universe."

In the concluding issue of the Green Lantern: Rebirth mini-series, attention is paid to how the style of constructs varies with the character and mindset of the person creating them. Hal Jordan tends to create solid, workman-like constructs. John Stewart, an architect by trade, creates constructs with carefully-designed internal workings, almost like three-dimensional blueprints. Kyle Rayner, an artist, envisions highly detailed or wire frame constructs. Guy Gardner's ring is constantly sparking, even at rest, and his creations are simple, and often blurred by the excess energy his willpower causes. The alien Kilowog's ring, for reasons yet unrevealed is (according to Hal) "the only one that makes a sound," producing a loud sonic boom upon activation.
When active, a power ring will encase its user in a protective, life-supporting force field. This force field allows the user to fly, travel through inhospitable environments (outer space, underwater, etc.), and enter hyperspace in order to move vast distances quickly. The ring also generates its wearer's Green Lantern uniform: the uniform appears over their normal attire and vanishes at the user's will. The uniform varies from Lantern to Lantern, based on anatomy, personal preference, and the social norms of their race. The only rule in this regard seems to be that the uniform must openly display the symbol of the corps, though even this has been modified based on preference (a vampire-hunting Lantern adapts the symbol into a cross, and a blind Lantern with no concept of light or color uses the image of a bell).
Power rings also appear to be highly advanced computers; they are able to talk to and advise the wearer as to various courses of action, as well as act as a universal translator. Power rings are capable of generating electromagnetic radiation at various frequencies. This radiation can be focused by the wearer into a beam, similar in appearance and effect to a powerful laser. The ring can also scan for energy signatures or particular objects. Less frequently used capabilities include splitting atomic nuclei and manipulating subatomic particles (thereby transmuting chemical elements). A power ring is also capable of creating fully-functional duplicates of itself. While power rings have to be worn to be effective, at several points Green Lanterns have shown the ability to summon the ring to them from a distance (even if someone else is wearing it) or order it to carry out commands automatically after being removed. Some power rings have been shown to be genetically keyed to the wearer, like Kyle Rayner's, though villains have circumvented this this through various means. For instance, Manhunters use tissue samples to make Kyle's ring think it is still on his hand. When a Green Lantern is slain, their ring will automatically seek out a suitable replacement

Power Rings - Black

Ah, yes. It's the "lovers' day". The most appropriate time to write about the Black Lantern Corps.
Indeed.

BLACK LANTERN CORPS (DEATH)

The Blackest Night falls from the skies,

The darkness grows as all light dies,

We crave your hearts and your demise,

By my black hand--The dead shall rise!  

In the concluding issues of the Sinestro Corps War story-arc, Superboy-Prime hurls the Anti-Monitor into space. He crashes onto the dead planet of Ryut and is encased within a Black Power Battery of unknown origin. The symbol on black power rings (a triangle pointing downwards, with five lines radiating upward from the base) is the same symbol used by Green Lantern super-villain Black Hand. It is also the symbol of the Hand family's mortuary. Black Hand becomes the first Black Lantern after killing his family and committing suicide. Scar comes to him and regurgitates the first black power ring. It places itself on his finger and bids him to rise. Scar then explains that Black Hand is the living embodiment of the Black Lantern Corps as Ion, Parallax, and the Predator are to the green, yellow and violet lights of the emotional spectrum respectively. Black power rings are wielded by the deceased. In addition to the abilities granted to them by the rings, Black Lanterns retain any superpowers they may have had in life.If the ring bearer's body is severely damaged or destroyed, the black ring will partially reconstruct the body, restoring it to a working state. During the creation of Blackest Night, Johns wanted to resurrect the Black Lanterns in a way that seemed horrifying and emotionally disturbing to the living characters they encountered. To accomplish that effect, the Black Lanterns have personalities and actively seek out those who will be affected by their appearance. Well known DC characters resurrected as Black Lanterns include: Earth-Two Superman, the Martian Manhunter, and the original Aquaman and Firestorm. The first black power rings possess no charge, but each time a Black Lantern kills someone and removes their heart, .01 percent power is restored to every ring in the Corps. The exact limitations of black power rings have not yet been fully explored; however, even at low power levels, black rings enable their user to fly and create black energy constructs. They are also immune to magic. Black power rings are capable of regenerating typically fatal injuries inflicted upon their users (including decapitation). Black Lanterns are also able to read the emotions of the living as a colored aura that correlates to the emotional spectrum (red for rage, violet for love, etc). The black rings produce a tar-like substance that "roots" them into the host body, making it nearly impossible for them to be removed through physical force. In Blackest Night #2, Ray Palmer shrinks himself to a size where he is able to observe that black power rings are composed of a similar material to dark matter. During the Blackest Night event, heroes theorize that the members of the Black Lantern Corps aren't the dead revived, but rather their black power rings are using their forms to attack. This is confirmed in Doom Patrol #4, when the ring resurrecting Celsius intones "memory download complete" upon her conversion to the Corps. This is repeated when black power rings state the same while converting Ted Kord and Terra in Booster Gold #26 and Outsiders #24 respectively. Black Lantern rings appear to be vulnerable to assorted methods. The most effective means is that of an intense white light, called "white light of creation" by the Guardians. This can be created not only by assorted light-based heroes (such as Doctor Light, but also when the green, yellow, violet, blue, orange, red and indigo lights are combined. Dove also seems to naturually give off this light since the death of Hawk. The Black Lanterns are also weak against powerful light emotional manipulations like Psycho Pirate's mask., and the intense power of love strengthened by the Greek Goddess Aphrodite. The Indigo Corp's power also seems to cause the Black Lanterns pain. Also, if a creature is frozen, the Black Lanterns are incapable of sensing their emotions, leaving them essentially 'blind'

   

Power Rings - Violet

I was saving it for Valentine's day but... slag it! I don't believe in it! There is no special day for "love". If you love it's for all 365 days of the year. If you don't... better. :P

STAR SAPPHIRE CORPS (VIOLET)

For hearts long lost and full of fright,

For those alone in blackest night,

Accept our ring and join our fight,

Love conquers all-- With violet light!

At the conclusion of the Mystery of the Star Sapphire story-arc, the Zamarons realize that the power of the Star Sapphire is too great for them to control and forge a violet power battery and power ring out of the Star Sapphire gem, using the bodies that originally sparked the star sapphire as a mediator. It is later revealed that the sapphire's power originally came from the love of Khufu and Chay-Ara. This allows them to distribute its powers throughout an entire Corps of Star Sapphires. The first new recruit to the Star Sapphires was Miri Riam of the planet Lartnec, who had just lost her husband to an attack by Mongul. Established Green Lantern characters have also been inducted into the new Corps, including Fatality and Carol Ferris.
Violet power rings are fueled by the emotion of love, one of the two emotions (the other being rage) that most influence their user. At present, members of the Star Sapphires have only been depicted as being female; however, during the Blackest Night panel at Comic Con International 2009, Geoff Johns explained that "anyone can join, but most men are not worthy." A unique ability of violet power rings is the power to encase their targets in violet crystal. While trapped within these rehabilitation crystals, members of other corps have been shown to be slowly converted into Star Sapphires. During the process their rings are drained of their original abilities and replaced by the violet light. Violet rings are able to detect when true love is being threatened, can create a connection to an embattled heart and use it as a tether, and are also shown as being able to show others their greatest love. The aura of the violet ring is asymmetric and ornate, reminiscent of vines and feathers. The Star Sapphires are shown as being connected to an entity called "the Predator", which exists as the physical embodiment of love.

 

God save the books

This day was very tiresome, but not without some fun. I slept at 930 and at approximately 1130 my bell rang. It was a colleague of mine, she came for a book I promised her. After that, and since I was already awake, we went down-town with some coffee (I had chocolate) with some other pals. The only boy in there was I, so I got really very bored. They were talking for girls' stuff only.
Later, after kindly taking my leave, I went to a bookstore. Got many amazing mangas, comics and loads of good books.
I bought me an anniversary Asterix comic issue and two fantasy novels.
at checkout the salesman put the stuff into a plastic red bag, with the words "GOD SAVE THE BOOKS" written on.
Well then I begun having thoughts about the greatness of books, and the way a book can affect mankind and history itself. Books mostly have a good influence, and make us better people. Reading a book not only gives you knowledge and information, but it can also entertain you, or give you stuff and ideas to think about. Books are also legacy, passing through generations. And of course a well written book is always a good subject to discuss about. I could imagine a world without TV (I barely watch, anyway) but never a world without books. Or comics, or manga, or... whatever.

Power Rings - Indigo

Normally I'd write about Violet and Love, but I'd rather save it for a more... appropriate day.

INDIGO TRIBE (COMPASSION)

Tor lorek san, bor nakka mur,

Natromo faan tornek wot ur,

Ter lantern ker lo Abin Sur,

Taan lek lek nok -- Formorrow Sur!

(Translation not available)

The Indigo Tribe, wielders of the indigo light of compassion, make their first extended appearance in Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1 (July 2009). Very little is known about them and they are considered to be unknown within the DC Universe at large. Indigo and her tribe are first shown speaking a language that is unable to be translated by a green power ring (which has a full catalog of all known languages). Ethan Van Sciver, who created the initial design for the Indigo Tribe, explains that members of the group abandon everything and devote themselves to compassion. As such, their uniforms have a basic, hand-made appearance, their bodies are adorned with the Indigo Lantern symbol in body paint, and they carry carved, lantern-like staffs with them. This corps exists to spread goodwill throughout the universe. The Indigo Tribe is led by a pale female alien named Indigo-1, and Ganthet and Sayd have said that the Blue Lanterns must seek out and form an alliance with the Indigo Tribe.
The Indigo Tribe has the unique ability to absorb the energies of other rings through their staffs. The energy is then channeled into their ring and (depending on the motivation behind the energy) turned against its source. When Indigo-1 encounters a mortally wounded Green Lantern who attempts to keep her from getting involved in his battle with a Sinestro Corps member, she uses his power to provide him with a mercy killing. When the Sinestro Corps member subsequently attacks her, spouting banter meant to intimidate her, Indigo-1 uses his power to create an enormous, monstrous, yellow light construct that scares her attacker away. The exact function of indigo power staffs and their relationship to power rings of all colors is still unknown. During the Blackest Night, the Indigo Tribe use their staffs to combine Hal Jordan's green light with theirs, which has the effect of separating Black Lantern rings from their bearers.

BAFTA Game Award 2009 - Vote your favorite

For the second year running, GAME have joined forces with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to honour the greatest achievements in gaming over the last twelve months! The GAME British Academy Video Games Awards will be taking place at the London Hilton on Park Lane on 19 March 2010 - and once again you'll get to vote for the title you think deserves the coveted GAME Award.

So, click on the link and vote! Personally I voted for "Batman: Arkham Asylum", though it was a tough choice, since I'd also like to vote for "Spirit Tracks": The newest ZELDA GAME!
http://www.baftagameaward.com/awards/index.html

Power Rings - Blue

First of all I'd like to thank my friends and family for the wishes they gave me. I really appreciate what's given to me, even if most of the time I don't want the others to know it. And now, let us proceed to the main post.
Normally I'd write about Indigo and Compassion, but I think that right now the blue light of Hope kinda seems more... useful. So, here we go.

BLUE LANTERN CORPS (HOPE)

In fearful day, in raging night,
With strong hearts full, our souls ignite,
When all seems lost in the War of Light,
Look to the stars-- For hope burns bright!

As the Sinestro Corps War comes to a close, in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25, former Guardians of the Universe Ganthet and Sayd are shown using the emotion hope to create the first blue power ring. In their discussion, they mention the formation of their Blue Lantern Corps. The first Blue Lantern introduced is Saint Walker, who comes to the aid of the Green Lanterns after they were ambushed by Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps. It's learned that Saint Walker is from Sector 1, and he locates their second recruit (Brother Warth) in Sector 2. In this way, Warth recruits a new Blue Lantern from Sector 3, and so on.
Though Saint Walker describes the blue light as being the most powerful, Atrocitus reveals that without an active Green Lantern in their proximity they are only capable of the default flight and protective aura abilities. While inside of the proximity of a Green Lantern's influence, a blue power ring has the ability to heal wounds, neutralize the corrupting effects of a red power ring, recharge a green power ring to twice its maximum power level, and can drain the power from yellow power rings. If the Blue Lantern wishes it, it can also dampen the hunger caused by the orange light. A noteworthy ability of blue rings is the power to scan a target's psyche and create illusions based on their hopes. A blue power ring is capable of feeding off the hope of other beings, eschewing constant recharging while still performing impressive feats, including reversing a dying sun's age by 8.6 billion years. The home planet of the Blue Lanterns and the Blue Power Battery is the planet Odym, an idyllic planet orbiting the star Polaris.

Power Rings - Yellow

I wasn't planning to mention "yellow" next, but since it's my name-day I'll post about this, 'cos it's one of my favorites.
 SINESTRO CORPS (FEAR)

In blackest day, in brightest night,

Beware your fears made into light

Let those who try to stop what's right,

Burn like my power*... Sinestro's might!

The first yellow ring was acquired by Sinestro following his banishment to the anti-matter universe of Qward, and could only be recharged by fighting a Green Lantern. Years later, after losing the ring to Guy Gardner and reacquiring it, Sinestro created the Sinestro Corps. The yellow rings used by the Sinestro Corps are fueled by fear, and Lyssa Drak explains that members of the Sinestro Corps are chosen for their ability to create great fear in others. Through a string of Green Lantern stories titled Tales of the Sinestro Corps, she describes the numerous ways in which Sinestro Corps members spread fear through the universe. At the conclusion of these tales, she explains to Amon Sur that in order to become a member of the Corps one must free themselves from a small prison. With their yellow power ring completely drained of its energy, they must provide it with the spark it needs to accomplish this feat by facing their own greatest fear. According to Ethan Van Sciver, the ring's symbol is based on ancient carvings made by beings who had looked into the gullet of Parallax and survived. It has the same basic capabilities as a Green Lantern power ring (i.e. solid light constructs, flight, force-fields e.t.c.), but is drained of energy in the presence of a Blue Lantern ring.
Yellow rings select individuals who "have the ability to instill great fear". 

Exams and Mental illness

Today, while I've been waiting outside the classroom for the students of a lower semester to finish writing (so that my colleagues and I could enter for our exam) I heard a strange voice, across the corridor. It was a man, about 30 years old, mentally ill. He was trying to sell some pictures of saints. He was knocking on office doors, trying to convince other students and teachers... Nothing. Then he entered the classroom and started moaning and talking. Pretty loud. Students where complaining but the teachers did nothing to deal with it. Then I decided to do the job myself. I entered the classroom, told him to follow me. He asked me only if I support a certain football team. I answered yes (I lied, but some times people deserve more than the truth...) then and only then he decided to follow me, and I closed the door behind us. I know it's nothing special, I didn't do anything brave or something to be proud of, but I did what I felt was right, to give the students time and let them focus on their exam. Normally the teachers should do that but... whatever.

Power Rings - Orange

LARFLEEZE (AVARICE)

The oath required to recharge Larfleeze's ring has not been heard despite rumors of it being the word "mine" (a demand regularly made by both Agent Orange and his Orange Lanterns).


An orange ring is powered by avarice. According to Ganthet, "the orange light of avarice will be discovered and manipulated by a being whose greed knows no bounds." Unlike the other Corps, Larfleeze (primarily known as "Agent Orange") is the only individual to wield the power of the orange light. The story of how he came to be the sole owner of the orange power battery is detailed in the Agent Orange story-arc running from Green Lantern (vol. 4) #39-42 (April-July 2009). The Guardians of the Universe are described as making an agreement with Larfleeze long ago in return for a box containing the fear entity: Parallax. The agreement allows him exclusive control of the orange light with the condition that he remain in the Vega system. During the Agent Orange arc, Larfleeze attracts the attention of the Guardians again through an act of terrorism prompted by an intrusion from the Controllers on his home planet, Okaara. A Green Lantern force confronts him, and (after being unable to decide between releasing him and destroying him) create another deal with him at the expense of the Blue Lanterns.
Even alone, Larfleeze is a formidable opponent for the Green Lantern Corps. The power of the orange light allows Larfleeze to steal the identities of those he kills, transforming them into an Orange Lantern construct. By being in constant contact with his main power battery, Larfleeze has become one with his power source. This allows him to maintain a power level high enough to support an entire Corps of orange light constructs even when separated from it. The orange light does have a severe drawback: whoever wields it is in a constant state of hunger, unable to be satiated or to rest. Larfleeze and his constructs are shown to be resistant to magic and the abilities of green power rings, but do not retain the same protection against blue or violet rings.

Power Rings - Red

After the tribute I've made about bat species and the soundtrack of "Batman Begins", I didn't know what tribute to start next. Well, the main themes of LOTR is a good idea, but I think that I should first make something more comics-related. So I decided to write about the various Lantern Corps of the DC comics universe.
RED LANTERN CORPS (RAGE)

With blood and rage of crimson red,

Ripped from a corpse so freshly dead,

Together with our hellish hate,

We'll burn you all--That is your fate!

A red ring feeds on the rage of its user and anyone nearby, and is charged by the blood of those the user kills.Contrary to Green Lantern rings, which provide helpful commentary, red rings are depicted as constantly emitting violent commands ("Kill," "Rage," "Pain," "Hatred," etc.), driving their wearers insane with rage and reducing them to little more than snarling beasts. However, Saint Walker states that the rings are deliberately set to select beings with uncontrollable rage. The energy of red rings replaces the user's blood, which can then be regurgitated through the bearer's mouth in a highly corrosive form. The red ring's energy is also capable of corrupting the energies of other power rings, preventing them from functioning properly. The aura of a red ring is savage and rough in comparison to a green ring, but can be used similarly with sufficient focus, as Hal Jordan demonstrates by creating green lantern-like constructs when temporarily possessed by a red ring. The Blue Lanterns' energy is the only known power source capable of neutralizing the Red Lanterns' influences, and in combination with the Green Lanterns' energy can destroy the red ring. Removing a red ring without a blue ring present to heal the bearer results in death due to blood loss.

At dawn look to the East

I was not used in drinking coffee, kinda gives me stomachache. But there are times when exceptions must be made.
Well here's the story, it's been A LOT of time since I last saw the sun rising so (after A LOT of coffee) I stayed up all night just to have a look at it.
Well, it was pretty cloudy, but I did manage to see the sun rising and take a picture of it. Some of you may want to know why I did this... Well it's just... you know, we complain about things we don't have, instead of enjoying our lives. Even the simplest and natural thing, like sunrise or sunset (Personally I choose sunrise, because "falling" is not my thing) is worth a minute of our life to enjoy it.
Coffee gave my nasty stomachache, but I don't care. Some sacrifices are worth making, especially when the prize is what you expect, or even more.
Therefore I'll end this post with one of my favorite quotes of LOTR (the book)
"Good Morning!" said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green.
Now that I see the picture, sun's barely visible but... whatever, it's there. :P

 

Batman and Anime

Once I used to believe that Batman could never fit in the Japanese art and point of view. I believed that an anime about Batman would be horrible. I was wrong. Because I hadn't watched "Batman: Gotham Knight".
Batman: Gotham Knight is a 2008 animated direct-to-DVD anthology film of six animated short films set in-between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It depicts Batman battling against the mob of Gotham City, as well as other villains. Although the producers have acknowledged that it is not necessarily meant to be canon to the "Nolanverse" and indeed any of the six segments could easily fall into almost any Batman continuity. Although all based on Japanese Anime art style, each segment has its own writing and artistic style, just as the works from the DC Universe, and with the same style of The Animatrix although some segments are connected.All six films of the feature star Kevin Conroy, reprising his voice role as Batman from the DC Animated Universe.

Carnival

Today some pals and I celebrated carnival alongside thousands of people on the great Aristotle's square of Thessaloniki. I got dressed as a mix of Batman-Samurai-Drakula-whatever-thing. I don't have a picture to show, but try to imagine: Black clothes, Batman symbol on my chest, a black Drakula cape on my back and a utility belt with foam-spray bottles and a Katana.
My cape was the best defence I had against enemy sprays, but eventually a kid (dressed as Superman) pulled it away because he couldn't get a clear shot at me with his spray. After that I spent most of my time indoors, on a nearby cinema, with a VERY beautiful girl (a colleague of mine). I can't reveal her name but she comes from Poland and she was dressed as an Indian goddess. Very beautiful girl. I got some pictures of her, but I didn't ask her if she'd like me to post them here. Well she asked me to post them on facebook, but blogging is a different story, so I won't take that risk.
We spoke about old love stories. And we are both singles now, you know but... I just don't feel like flirting. At all. I'm a lone-ranger, ye know...

Whatever, it was a funny day, filled with foam and music and laughter, and that's what matters.

J. R. R. Tolkien

Today I feel like making a tribute to Tolkien. The man who created Middle-Earth and the founder of modern Medieval Fantasy. Info copied from wikipedia and personal comments follow.

Born	John Ronald Reuel Tolkien 3 January 1892 (1892-01-03) Bloemfontein, Orange Free State
Died	2 September 1973 (1973-09-03) (aged 81) Bournemouth, England
Occupation	Author, Academic, Philologist, Poet
Nationality	English
Genres	Fantasy, High fantasy, Translation, Criticism
Notable work(s)	The Hobbit The Lord of the Rings The Silmarillion The Children of Húrin
Spouse(s)	Edith Bratt (1916–1971)

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE (3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973), was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.
Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University from 1925 to 1945 and Merton Professor of English Language and Literature there from 1945 to 1959. He was a close friend of C. S. Lewis—they were both members of the informal literary discussion group known as the Inklings. Tolkien was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 March 1972.
After his death, Tolkien's son, Christopher, published a series of works based on his father's extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts, including The Silmarillion. These, together with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, form a connected body of tales, poems, fictional histories, invented languages, and literary essays about an imagined world called Arda, and Middle-earth within it. Between 1951 and 1955 Tolkien applied the word legendarium to the larger part of these writings.
While many other authors had published works of fantasy before Tolkien, the great success of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when they were published in paperback in the United States led directly to a popular resurgence of the genre. This has caused Tolkien to be popularly identified as the "father" of modern fantasy literature—or, more precisely, of high fantasy. Tolkien's writings have inspired many other works of fantasy and have had a lasting effect on the entire field. In 2008, The Times ranked him sixth on a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".

In my humble opinion Tolkien is one of the greatest authors ever lived. Medieval Fantasy has always been one of my favorite themes in cinema, TV, games and books. Every human being who likes Medieval Fantasy owes Tolkien A LOT, because every single story is inspired by Tolkien's books. There are so many RPGs and films and books nowadays that deal about Orcs and Elves and Dragons and similar stuff. There are many fantasy worlds, like the Forgotten Realms, that are inspired by Tolkien's Middle-Earth. Even Star Wars was inspired by Tolkien's books.
But it's not just only about "Medieval Fantasy", there are other, deeper themes into Tolkien's books. Themes like friendship and loyalty, despair, selflessness and sacrifice. Themes like war, like industrial age and how it affects nature. Themes like love and treason as well.
Tolkien is probably my favorite author.