"The Lord of the Rings" and Despair

One of the many themes we spot on LOTR is "despair".
Basically, "despair" means hopelessness, loss of hope. People who are desperate believe that there's is no reason to live for, that they've lost everything in this world and so they hate their lives. They maybe even hate themselves.
On LOTR despair is clearly reflected on two characters: King Theoden of Rohan and Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. They are both old-aged rulers and they both lost their first-born sons, therefore they believe that their line has ended and there will be nobody to carry on their legacy. Also, they both have other people to take their place (Theoden has a nephew and Denethor a second son) but they don't value them. And, in addition to that, there's a great war they must face, against a strong enemy.
Those men are overrun by despair, both of them. But there is a difference, you know: Denethor is driven mad by despair and commits suicide (sets himself on fire), while Theoden leads his army one last time against a superior force and manages to save the great stronghold and buy enough time on the battlefield until help arrives. Eventually he is killed by a stronger foe, but not before he has performed his bravest and greatest act.
Despair can lead someone to either commit suicide, or perform the greatest and highest deed of his life. One final act of bravery, valor and selflessness. One final atonement...

 

 

Charlie

Last Weekend was pretty good. One of the things worth-mentioning is that HUGE full-moon we had last night. I mean really huge! I don't remember having seen it like that before... Unfortunately I didn't took any good pictures, my phone's camera's good... but not that good.
Another remarkable thing was playing LAN "Medal of Honor" with my pals. Vaggos, Mime, Pike, Mits, Tasos and Mois. I swear, it was the funniest hour of the whole weekend! We did SO much crazy stuff, that we couldn't stop laughing. Seriously!  Saturday was kinda weird, but in the end I went for beer and darts with Gkavos, Vaggos Lakis and Tasos, and later we had a "Mythology" match with Mits. I didn't see Pike Mois and Mime, they were on a "secret" mission. ;)
I also saw Mime's new puppy! What a lovely dog! Really adorable.
And last, but not least, I saw an old friend of ours! Paralis (or Charlie). I met that guy about 5 years ago, at third grade of High School. He is the best artist I ever met, and now he's gone even better! We haven't seen him for years, but now I got his number. You know, I really appreciate those young people who come here from other countries (Charlie came from Germany) and they go to Greek school, fighting harder than anyone else to learn the language, and then they try to do something good, to succeed here. Charlie tried 2-3 times to join a School of Arts, but he wasn't accepted. He even applied to Marvel and DC, but they told him he should learn better English (they did like his art, though). I'm glad to know he is ok and he is trying for a better life. He lost his friends on the goat-village where he lives because they told him to stop studying and drawing and work with the goats. I tell you what, that boy didn't come here from Germany to become a goat-boy! You know... I somehow like people from other countries/cities more than the villagers I grew up with. Most of my friends come from a different country, or another town (Pike and Mois are obvious exceptions). Mime, Asami, Charlie, Steel, Vaggos... they come from another place, and they rock!

Oh, that Exodia was drawn by Charlie within 10-15 seconds, I still got it, after 5 years. Means a lot to me. It's the only thing I have to remember him, but now I got his number too. We are not gonna "lose" him again.
Oh, and by the way, after coming to Greece he got the same name I have! :)

First snow

I woke up early, due to the examination period. After a quick bath and a review of the most important subjects, I was ready to depart. I wore my casual cloth-made shoes (Black with skulls and roses) and I checked on facebook. A colleague of mine wrote that it's been snowing all night long, and the whole place is white. At first I didn't believe her, but after opening my window... "Oh slag!" I said, and changed my shoes instantly (wore my ski boots).
Now it's already melting down, but I did manage to throw a few balls and irritate the ladies. :P
Gosh, girls go easily mad nowadays, they don't know what "having fun" means.
Anyway, snow is fun, at least if it isn't too much of it, that's what I think. :)

Bruce Wayne is coming back

January 26, 2010 - Grant Morrison tipped the entire Batman franchise on its head in 2009. As if killing the Caped Crusader wasn't enough, Morrison brought in a new Dynamic Duo, this one markedly different from the status quo. Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne were immediately established as a "reverse" Dynamic Duo, with Grayson playing the role of a brighter, more optimistic leader and Damian being the fiery, skeptical and aggressive sidekick.

Batman and Robin has dominated the charts since its launch as fans have been glued to the eventual fates of these new heroes. But that's nothing compared to Morrison's plans for 2010. Last December, DC announced Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, a six-issue mini-series poised to bring Bruce back to the modern DC Universe era. We snagged Morrison on the phone to discuss that event as well as his upcoming "Blackest Knight" arc in Batman & Robin. Artist Cameron Stewart is joining the title for a three-issue arc, the first chapter of which hits stores tomorrow.

I am thrilled to read  such incredible news! Because Dick Grayson, although he did the job kinda well, is not "Batman". The cape and cowl is not made just for everyone.

Final Fantasy XIII draws near

On December 2009, Square Enix released Final Fantasy XIII in Japan. But the fresh news is that this year, probably on March, the game's also coming to Europe and USA, for both Sony Playstation 3 and Micrisift XBOX-360. I don't know why it took so long (The first trailer came out on E3, 2006), but I hope it's worth it. Personally I think that after Squarsoft hit bankruptcy and had to unite with Enix, the quality of the games wasn't as good as before. The last Final Fantasy Squaresoft developed was VIII, and it's considered the best of the series, alongside VII. It's also the last Final Fantasy I played.
Anyway, I hope FFXIII will be a nice game, though I have my doubts. Because now the game developers think more about making money, rather than creating something with love and care. Art became business and publishers seem to care only about graphics and effects. If you ask me, I think that 3D graphics is science, but 2D is art!
Anyway, we'll soon know, the hour draws near.

Super Street Fighter IV

On 2009, after many years, Capcom gave us a new Street Fighter game. The only that's actually better than Street Fighter II (Which was considered to be the best, by die-hard fans). Its name's "Street Fighter IV". Now with an outstanding move, Street Fighter IV is upgraded into "Super Street Fighter IV", with special additions, like 8 new characters, new costumes and powerful new ultra combos! Is that impressive, or what?
It's clobberin' time!

Pathology - ROUND I

Today must have probably been the toughest exam-day EVER! Pathology... I have never studied anything more complicated than that! 120 pages with SO many details and info! A lovely and interesting subject, but not if you must learn each and every detail. I admit I didn't answer to all of the 30(?) questions, but I hope I made it... I really don't want to go through this again. Our teacher himself said that even doctors would find it difficult to answer perfectly in all of the questions. Seriously.

P.S. I hope I won't have to go to "ROUND II..."

Men with no honor...

...are no men!
Seriously!
I had nothing to write about today, (nothing serious and worth mentioning, anyway), until I accidentally saw a TV spot about the following story, and anger suddenly filled my heart. It's the story of the former model and TV presenter, Katie Piper.
Katie was born in England, August 25 1983. One day she met a man via facebook, Daniel Lynch, who eventually became her boyfriend. But after two weeks it happened: In a hotel room, Lynch raped and beat Piper, and threatened to cut her with a razor and hang her. But that's only half of the story.
Piper received numerous phone calls and apologies from Lynch. Two days after the attack, Lynch persuaded Piper to go to an internet-cafe to read an email he had sent to her Facebook account. Lynch gave her details to Stefan Sylvestre, who identified her on Golders Green Road. Sylvestre approached Piper, who thought he was going to ask for money, and then threw sulfuric acid at her face! Both Lynch and Sylvestre were sentenced to life imprisonment, Sylvestre with a minimum of 12 years, and Lynch with a minimum of 16 years.
After that incident her one eye is blind and her face damaged. Doctors tried to do their best, but she no longer looks the way she once did.
And now I wonder... what kind of man could do that to a girl? There are certain things that define men. Men are supposed to have chivalry, honor, valor and loyalty. What chivalry is in beating-up a defenseless girl? What honor is in raping a girl? That's the very worst thing a man can do! What pride is in destroying her face and her life? Her career met its end...
Unfortunately this is the world I've grown into... Things like chivalry are long gone...
And then they ask me why I'm not so much into meeting new people... And here's my answer: People made me what I am. I don't say they are all fake and empty, but most of them are.

Comics and kids

Today they told me: "You read comics again? This stuff is only for kids dude, grow up!"
I'll set aside the "grow up" thing, and I'll focus on the "only for kids". I hate people who don't understand certain things. I call them "peasants".
Here are some pictures of various comics, DC all. And then tell me if what you see/read is kid's stuff. You can view them full-size if you click on 'em.
And there are also scenes with more violence and psychological stuff. Clearly not for kids.

 

Η1Ν1 Influenza Vaccine

Attention, please. I know the media are trying to scare people about H1N1. They are desperately trying to make people get shot with the vaccine. I tell you what, the vaccine itself can cause more problems than the flu itself! OK, I agree in the fact that some people probably died because of "swine flu", (as H1N1 Influenza is commonly known), butt trust me, most people who caught the flu survived. Not only that, but some of them didn't even realize they were ill. In fact, a common flu caused more problems to them than the "swine flu". As for the vaccine itself, it can prove lethal. Many people died because of that. I don't blame the doctors, (one day I'll probably be one anyway), I blame the vaccine itself. You know what's in that thing? Formol, Mercury (aka quicksilver), Aluminum and Squaline (I'm not sure how it's spelled, but it consists of sick animals' tissue!). As you probably already known, the above components can prove to be lethal. I cannot force anyone in getting or not the vaccine, but I can tell you that it has more possibilities to kill you than H1N1 itself. The info I'm giving to you comes from "inside", and a trustful source.
Please warn everyone you know. Thank you.