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Happy Birthday me. I brought myself whiskey and self deprecation. I don't really care for presents like I used to. Or celebrating things. Or growing older. I had a hard time thinking of something I needed for Christmas, people had to ask me because they couldn't think of anything. I got a hi-fi that I have since given away.  I don't know. Now I've started collecting graphic novels and whatnot maybe I'll just get really big shiny picture books. Instead of gadgets and video games. I guess Will was right on with the stages of man. Not too long and I'll be back to not being able to see properly and mashing up my food. Not that I'm being nihilistic. I'unno. Read the poem. If you haven't.

So yeah, haven't had a nice grog since ... ahh. Christmas I guess. I got up to go to work and all that, painkillers, water, in the shower, get dressed, have breakfast, feel human. Turns out I was 6 hours early. So yeah. I would've probably just lied in bed all day, its a blessing in disguise. Making myself bubble and squeak with roast leftovers for lunch. Which even thinking about is making me grin. Cannot beat bubble and squeak on a hangover. You can't actually beat it most of the time. I had bagel for breakfast though. Which can almost beat it. If I had to choose between the bagel for breakfast or the bubble for lunch, heck, I really don't know. No sense in sweating that which is beyond your control. Having both. Which means I win. Tuna bagel with avocado and olives. So yeah. big decisions, mint jelly or redcurrant sauce. Hmm. I may even make gravy.

  Martin Freeman

Don't have a lot of law related things to talk about as my course mats still haven't arrived (THE HORROR) but I guess this whole noise abatement, music venue thing is relevant. An acquaintance, Jason Dormon, is having his business threatened because they are building a new block of flats near the venue. Thanks to an excellent and organised local music scene all of the right steps have been taken. The council have been contacted, petitions signed, ultimately everyone is on the side of the venue. Even so. It comes down to law, which I thought was generally that when you move to a property it is your responsibility to check the surrounding area. Very wrong. They have now been directed (by local councillors and friends) that the law would need to change for them to be able to protect the business, if residents move in, they will have a right to complain and the venue simply will not be able to comply with the noise restrictions the council will have to impose upon them. Even if the council don't want to apply the restrictions or let the building be built. Its not that they won't soundproof and install limiters on the sound system, the money they would have to pay to do so is too much of a risk. It only takes one guy to do one thing and even after spending all that money it could just get closed down. May go on the forums here and do some inter-versing with some folks, as my knowledge is out of date. Seems though that its the same sort of right wing culture that has led to the deconstruction of economy in the U.S., business people turn up sensing there is an opportunity in an area and they intend to take it. To make their money. Even if it is a detriment to the local area. Words like, business isn't personal, and competition is part of progress, are utter nonsense in 2014. Sure when you're actually growing villages to towns, you need everyone to be making something and competing to increase the quality of the product, its production and ultimately manage the cost of it. Or so I would think, at least. Those phrases today are rhetoric. As relevant as the idea the world is flat. If they held truth, now, then how did we come to have an enormous global recession? One thing most people in business know is that you must look successful to be successful, which infers the basic principle of business is to lie to people, then cheat them by selling them the worst product at the highest price so as to maximise your profit. Which you will then put in the bank, and take away. So you can eventually sell the business for a lump and retire. All of which is totally accepted modern behaviour. Like the continuing mass production of fossil fuel or McDonalds. I'm not burning my bra and saying its all going down, I just don't understand how we can continue to accept the way we treat each other and think that everything is going to get better before it gets worse. 

/rant

I got invited to play in a football tournament, my wrist is still bad enough I can't risk it. Very frustrating. I did, drunkenly, do my ALS challenge though which is good. Not for ALS. For me. I have to get the video and stuff. Kinda thinking I might go back to football when I can. I'unno. I fixed the homestead which was nice. Is nice. I still have to decorate but I think I have the space how I want it now. I'll have to move in 18 months anyway. Long enough for me to bother though. They re-painted the containers so we no longer have tags all over us now. Yay. We're growing vegetables and having cook outs on the weekend with the produce now, which is nice, they did one Saturday unannounced. It was more hangovers than green fingers. There is a part of last night I can't remember, I just remembered. I wonder if as soon as I actually get around to having a go at making music that I will instantly decide to go back to writing. If I keep changing my mind forever I never have to do anything. 

Been playing Warframe from release as well. Which has been alright. Too many late nights. Finished my Ultimate X-men collection. Like a boss. Oh my days the ending is. Oh my days. Without spoiling the whole series, it basically has every plot-line that you have ever heard of. All the major characters and arcs, except the phalanx, anywho. I kind of thought it was going to leave me feeling glad I got to the end but unsure of what I really feel about the books as a whole. Often the case with comics. But yeah, it is utterly stonking. May have to collect one of the new 52 now. Maybe Lantern or Aquaman. I have issues. The different way people react to me when they find out I like anime and manga has been amusing me lately. A very cool dude who was around mine making music and stuff, who I barely knew, instantly thought I was the man and bust out his manga collection on his phone when he saw my (new) bookshelves. Which have my comics on them. Law books and comics. Such a gangster. A middle aged couple at work think that I am some kind of sexual deviant. Maybe some people in the UK don't know what Otaku means. They probably just think pedophile. Not that I even am anyway. Or that it changes my opinion as a whole. I am going to start reading oneman punch, when I get my phone sorted. What a saga. EE have to go. So I tried to get the phone unlocked, waited days, couldn't. So I have to get a new phone. And a new sim card. With credit. Looked at contracts, which are still an unbelievable rip off. So I'm currently offline and out of touch. When I do get it sorted though I know how to tether hotspots now so I can actually use the internet. On a computer. w00t. 

Work today. Two days off. Going to see the Mother Unit. For to say that it is nice that I had birthday. Now she lives in the town where I was born its gonna be weird. I was so wasted most of the time I remember being there, it'll all look different. I'm trying to sound cool. I wasn't that wasted .. though thinking back I can't remember the last time I was there that I was completely sober. God I don't know. I go now to continue my day with this attitude-

whiskey

- Thanks Lazarus.

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Changing Seasons

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Edited by Joseph Jensen, Thursday, 15 May 2014, 23:48

animated gif of xmen opening

How many people are not X-men fans? I've not met anyone who has said to me, "Nope. it sucks, its a horrible idea and I don't like it". Some people, you know, they don't like the movies so much. Plenty of people haven't read the comics. But somewhere along the line, most people, have seen some iteration of mutant heroism and liked it. This of course may be because Marvel make sure to put out a decent cartoon of it on childrens TV every few years, during peak Saturday morning time. Marketing cynicism asides, It's a great product.

I used to watch the original cartoon when I was very small, but back in those days it was hard to actually follow the story. Some mornings I would be busy playing Street Fighter or watching Transformers videos. It was a stressful time. A couple of years later, around the time I became a teenager, X-Men Evolution came out which I watched judiciously. I saw about three seasons of it. I never really got into comics or fandom (persay) until I as around twenty or so, I always liked anime though and eventually stumbled across Bleach. It was in the top five most searched things on Google at the time, if I remember rightly, Christina Aguilera, Briney Spears and Paris Hilton were on the same list. I watched it all, then heard it was a comic, which I then read as well (online, legally) which led me into wanting to buy the physical work to support the, well I thought it was to support, the artist. I know now that Shounen is probably as big and corporate as Marvel. Interesting factoid, mildly interesting legal note I should say, the big anime/manga products never got licensed in this country until 2010. Which is how things like Bleach, Naruto and One Piece managed to become so huge. Dragonball even re-made the show which they had originally licensed to UK/US/European TV, then didn't re-license it. At the time it was a really big deal, these giant websites with literally thousands of episodes of anime and volumes of manga, whose flagship was Naruto and Bleach, suddenly took all the big products down (along with a few other choice things) and stayed legal. Though still hugely popular, now, there are lot more series that receive recognition than just Bleach or Naruto. Attack on Titan has been this enormous hit, for instance. Strangely, Naruto and Bleach (and One Piece) have become quite inaccessible to the layman whilst other things, like Attack on Titan or Sword Art Online, are really easy to get into and instantly gratifying.

 

xmen premiere cosplayers

Topic?
Me and a couple of friends went to the premiere of the new X-Men: Days of Future Past movie to try and set a world record for the most amount of cosplayers in one place. I think. Now I think about it harder I'm not sure if it was for X-men cosplay specifically, or cosplay generally. Anyways, we had to get 250, which we didn't so sadly we didn't break the record. We got to go into the cinema at Leicester Square though, did a bunch of photos (my friends are photographers too), did a music video and had a swish after-party at a club in Leicester Square. Where we danced to the X-Men theme tune, which was one of the greatest musical experiences of my entire life. We also got prime position for the whole red (or blue as it was) carpet experience, which we declined to take up. We did something much more amazing instead.

We went ..

speedys cafe
... to Speedys.

Which too was pretty freaking epic. Well, as epic as a sandwich shop could be. Maybe it was because I ordered an epic sandwich. When did epic become a good word anyway? Most epic's are horrible, movie wise. Gladiator is good I suppose. I don't know. Maybe I don't hate epics. Whatever the epic. We had lunch there, still in costume, went to Tokyo Toys and then to Forbidden Planet. Where the whole Marvel/DC section was shut for stock take, not just the products but the comic books section as well. The manga section was closed too. I almost bought a hundred quids worth of DVDs in protest. Fortunately my friends were there to remind me, I have an EMA to do!

Which reminds me and brings me back to the actual topic of todays blog. Last summer I was volunteering my way out of a life that had careered out of control and into a car crash. I enjoyed my stints at Amnesty and cooking reclaimed vegan curries, but when I got a job in September and started this degree I thought I was starting to move my life in a better direction. Now I've been in work for quite a while, I can still pass my first year as long as I don't fluff the final essay and its time to move on. The premiere, the end of the EMA and a football tournament (which I shall detail in a moment) are kind of the culmination of a year spent trying to piece my life back together. I was hoping to do the treble but sadly we failed to break the record. Which is sort of like losing the FA cup. If we don't win today, the league cup goes too. As long as I win the league though. Its all worth it.

See what I did there? Always love a football analogy. So as far as moving on goes, I want to find a better, permanent and decent-ish paid job. So that I can move out of the place I'm in now, I'm in no great rush to do that, I would just like to be able to pick where I live now that I know Brighton a lot better. Post end-of-the-season I have some good stuff to look forward to in the summer.

So football. Tournament today. In Lewes. Vay exciting. We've been drawn against Palace in the first round. Which for those of you who don't follow strange rivalries, is a big deal. We're actually playing them in the very first match. No pressure. The word is that we're in with a shot, there are maybe four teams who have played together for as long as we have. So that could be great, if we win it'll be a night out at Lewes fireworks, if not I'll be going to boardgame night at the pub. Which is also awesome. Nearly thirty of us going today. Woo-hoo!

Lastly on the EMA itself, I am pretty intimidated by it but hopeful I can get through it. I scraped by or failed the essays so far, but have steadily been getting better. If I put enough time into the EMA I will be able to piece together enough marks for a pass out of it, I think. I actually really like the topic, which is generally a bad sign, as that gets me rambling generally rather than giving a focused answer. Going to actually go to the last tutorial and get all the advice I possibly can. Rather than nipping out for tennis.

That too is another ambition. I would like to play tennis more than once this year.

If you want to see some photos of the X-Men event:
https://www.facebook.com/SandgoosePhotoandDesign

(Shameless plug too XD)


Next time I'll upload a shot of me in costume. Points if anyone can guess who I was in the comments. I'll send you a muffin.

Speak soon!
Joe

 

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Penal Theory

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I have had a slight problem with procrastination over the course of doing TMA04. I also had a slight problem with it on the last TMA, this time it got worse. I did in fact, not even start the assignment until after 12 on the Thursday it was due. Le shock. 

I really enjoyed the social care question, I am finding that scenario questions suit me for some reason. I don't know why. Somehow its easier to apply the appropriate information on those questions where as as on some of the more general discussion questions I tend to find myself wondering how I am ever going to get the marks. That is the main topic of todays miraculous update.

60 marks for an essay question. Fair enough. 1500 words, 60 marks 20 marks for every 500 words. What my slight, concernation I suppose, was is that I couldn't really form a solid answer from the course materials very easily. I decided that I felt the statement (regarding whether punishment should be equal to the seriousness of the crime) was a little outdated and limited judges to considering retributive sentences above all others. Having decided that I then found it quite hard to base my essay around that idea because the text in the unit is so rigid. I felt it was totally directing my answer, each section (retributive, reparatory, deterrent, rehabilitive and incapacation) seemed to mention that it had some relevance to commensurate sentencing. I got so frustrated trying to find good references and valid arguments from the unit that I ended up basing my essay around what I felt was right and drawing support from parts of the unit. I'm honestly not sure if my answer will gain any marks at all, I just couldn't focus on it enough. I feel that most sentences take far too much time and attention focusing on the defendant, making sure that what happens to them is something the people around the case can accept, rather than basing sentences on what is the greater good. The judiciary are as much responsible for the law and governance of the land as the other bodies that form our constitution, thus I think that they should be able to consider prison places, whether fines are payable and whether rehabilitation or reparation is an option much more widely than they currently do. Its the same reason we don't have more free thinking and decisive politics, the main aim is to placate the many rather than achieve something positive. When playing a game, such as chess, rarely do you win by making obvious moves that simply keep the game going. I know this because I am terrible at chess and thats what I do. Great players win great games because they build opportunities and seize them. Whether its politicians, judges or the police force I think the taupe-coloured, vanilla-flavoured way we govern ourselves will continue to yield the same kind of mundane results it has for the past five years. Miniscule rises in the economy balanced against immigration issues, public sector strikes and international crisis. Nothing anybody is really affected by but just enough so it seems like everyone involved should be busy.

On that, Ukraine, oh my days. The news is such a ridiculous farce it makes me more than slightly irritable. I listened to the radio whilst the protesters won their fight to move the president from his office, it was great, it felt like the people had won a victory. And damn right. Not so long ago Ukraine was painted as one of the least open-minded, forward thinking countries on this planet. Racism and hate towards the LGBT community was well documented, publicly accepted and essentially part of their culture. Post removal, whatever is going on with Crimea and Russia is a second thought. Ukraine is at least trying to stand up for something and the news is just a miasmic globule of random prophetic rambling. Telling us what is going on whilst, obviously, nobody has any clue at all. Why? Because Putin is Putin is Putin. When you consider how China and Russia have acted at the global table, how can anybody really say what reasoning there is behind their actions. Prima facie, it seems like they want to constantly be throwing their toys and food everywhere just so everyone knows they will not be told. Which is fine. Mass global recession, energy crises, the end of fossil fuels, climate change, global warming and the permanent destruction of many enormous natural entities such as icebergs and coral reefs are all issues that don't get put on the table for real discussion because, well hey, we're still making money and we have a larger population. So ner. It isn't even new or interesting, global politics have already changed to allow for the ridiculous behaviour of Russia and China, America too if you want to be snippy. They do at least discuss things, they are dicks about it, but they do talk. Anyway, how the BBC can report what is total conjecture as fact is beyond me. 

On a lighter note. Puddi.

puddi

My procrastinations have taken many forms, working, going out, being hungover or just basic lies to myself. Such as, no I can't do my essay, I need to think about the answer more. I do once again have this vague desire to complete the next assignment before the end of next week so that I can have more time to not worry about doing the next one but honestly I need to re-evaluate my whole approach to the course. At some point.

I've watched season 2 of House of Cards, it's damn fine work. The whole thing. Then, after a long debate at work and asking many fine punters, I have succumbed to the peer pressure and started watching the Breaking Bad. I am undecided as yet, it is certainly compelling, but a lot of TV shows these days are. It's strange because I think that Sons of Anarchy uses a similar mechanism in building up a character just to kill them off in order to get some gut-wrench sympathy going. Neither of them are nearly as guilty of Game of Thrones in that department. I will report my full verdict next blog post.

Last things, sun is out, BOO YAH BABY. Love the sun being out. Not quite ready to rock the shorts yet but its coming. I have work this Wednesday which is a ball sack full of ball bearings, I was meant to be going to a jam night with my new drum things. Ho-hum I suppose, life will go on. I bought a nendoroid, if anyone who reads this knows what that is, you totally win. Its a korean rip off, but its still good. I learned that Kill La Kill is ongoing, I was like, whoa, what just happened. Seriously I think a part of my brain sort of died. That also happened with Ultimo, which is a freaking JIP, the next volume will be out in English in some time this year. First time ever not reading a manga online so I can wait for the UK release. I feel like a recovering alcoholic pirate. Evangelion manga is in Waterstones, which is just, I don't even. It's never been in English, as far as I can tell, £12.99 a volume. It took some will power to not just buy them all straight away, I have read it all before though, it doesn't contain datenroku so .. meh, we'll see. I will probably get Air Gear first. I also found out Ultimate X-men is 9 volumes longer than I thought, which is irritating, buying them is costing me more money because I need to know how it ends. What else? I want to get a tattoo, soon-ish. I just feel the need. Arsenal vs Tottenham today, which is just going to be sad and mean I get double-stick at work. COYS. My electric just gave out too, so I need to pop to the shop. 

Peace yo'

Joe

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