To Boldly Go…

With today being the close of the US Space Shuttle program. I am devising a new space exploration program. The crew of my new vessel is as follows:
Alan Tudyk and George Takei on the helm as co-pilots. LaVar Burton and Jewel Satie will be in charge of engineering. Brent Spiner and Leonard Nimoy will lead off the sciences. Finally William Shatner and Nathan Fillion will be my BAMF shoot first officers. Oh yeah, Wil Wheaton will be on board so I have some one to look at and say “But what does it mean?”

Your White Knight in Tarnished Armor

I have always liked to fashion myself as a white knight, riding in to save a damsel in distress. The difference between me and the stories, Ser Whyte the Chivalrous gets to ride off into the sunset with said damsel. Me? I get to watch every damsel I rescue from the ogre’s keep get herself together and go find a new ogre. How long until the white knight stops polishing his armor and stops caring? For me, it was four and a half years. Though what’s a guy to do? While I may have closeted my armor and put my fiery sword over a mantle, I still ride in when I hear a damsel in distress. Though, to be perfectly honest, it has has gotten harder to help the same people over and over again and watch them go back to their distress over and over again.

My Drink and Sandwich

This post is inspired by a question posed to me on my Formspring.  What follow are the recipes for my drink and sandwich. Most would explain exact amounts, but that’s not how a Nicely or NNJ works. All is made to the cook’s liking. So use these recipes as GUIDELINES! After all, they were developed in a pirate bar…

Nicely

In a regular glass, squeeze or press half a lime, leaving the peels in the glass. Fill the glass about half way with ice, don’t be skimpy but don’t be heavy handed, you’ll thank me later. Pour a generous shot of coconut rum over the ice, it is recommended that one uses a double shot glass and fill it about half way. Fill the glass with coke and stir. Hold the drink in your drinking hand and regale your new friends with a humorous anecdote, whether true or fiction. Sip while the punch line settles in and enjoy with a Mr. NNJ.

Mr. NNJ

Make a roast chicken, using dark, Jamaican rum as part of the basting process. Shred the leftover meat into a Ziploc bag. If one does not want to roast a whole chicken, toss the shreds of leftovers in some dark, Jamaican rum. With these shreds make a chicken salad with some diced celery, diced apple, diced onion, mayonnaise (very little bit), lime juice, spices and jerk seasoning. Toss together and serve between two slices of rum raisin bread, Enjoy while sipping on a Nicely with the company of friends.

“Fear is the path to the Dark Side”: Philosophy of the Force and the First Ku Klux Klan

“Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”  This simple quote from the film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace has rang as a pop culture and geek culture icon for all that is wrong with the human psyche. Jedi Master Yoda (voiced and controlled by puppet master Frank Oz), a wizened Zen master of George Lucas’s Star Wars Universe utters these words to child Anakin Skywalker (portrayed by Jake Lloyd) as a response to Skywalker during a discussion about Anakin’s mother. Although these words have come from a pop culture reference, these three simple sentences can be used to help define a piece of United States history, specifically the period of Reconstruction in the former Confederacy. This, arguably, also gave rise to one of the most prevalent hate organizations in American history, the Ku Klux Klan.

The Ku Klux Klan, commonly referred to as the KKK or the Klan, made its first appearance in the late 1860s following the United States War of Secession. In the war torn south, many people were being forced into a new way of life they did not agree with. Black people, formerly slaves, were now freed citizens of the United States. Southern Republicans came out to build pro-Union governments. Republicans came from the North to support the pro-Union governments and Union soldiers were stationed in major cities in an attempt to ensure the peace.

“Fear leads to anger.” In 1866 the face of the United States was changing. With any kind of change there is always bound to be some people who are afraid. One group of Confederate veterans decided to take this fear head on and formed an organization to assert themselves and their beliefs on the people of the former Confederacy. Thus was born the Ku Klux Klan. For the next 5 to 6 years, the KKK acted out of anger then hatred to fight their fears of the changing nation. Much of this original Klan was made up of veterans of the war, and many were looking for an outlet for their experience in war in a time of peace. Eric Forner mentions in his book Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863–1877 “the Klan was a military force serving the interests of the Democratic Party,” the Democratic Party at that time still being Anti-Federalist in its ideology.

“Anger leads to hate.” When fear has been subsided, and anger has taken hold in a person, yet another outlet is needed for the anger. Anger usually manifests as hate, and in Reconstruction United States, there were many targets of hate for the growing Klan. Members of this first iteration of the Klan had the specific goal of reasserting white supremacy in the South, and with the victory of the Union Armies in the War of Secession, targets of these goals were clear. The blacks, rising up as naturalized citizens of the United States. However, there were also the scallywags, native born Southerners supporting the Union and Republican ideals. The carpetbaggers, Republicans and Northerners moving South.

While directing their hate, towards whites and blacks in the South, the Klan used their reputation and weight to make political statements, commonly through terrorism. Attacks on Freedmen’s Bureau offices and Republican political offices were not uncommon. Just as not unheard of were more gentle threats towards. An example of which where Klansmen stormed a teacher’s home, asked her politely to dress, and as gentlemen requested she leave the county as she was an icon of unfair taxes and equality in the classroom. (Example cited in James F. Rhodes’s History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850 to the McKinley-Bryan Campaign of 1896). More commonly heard about however are the brutally violent attacks of the Klan in the South.

“Hate leads to suffering.” The more famous instances of the Klan in their brief reign of terror in the 1860s are of their brutally violent assaults. Many people might guess that the KKK terrorized the South for decades, when in fact it was only over a period of 5 to 6 years. However this period was no less important to history than the century of hate and violence it would ignite. Over the course of their 5 years, the Klan, trying to exercise their new found rights, would kill thousands of blacks and hundreds, if not thousands, of pro-Union whites.

The 5 year reign of terror of the Ku Klux Klan caused much suffering for those that were the target of their fear, anger and hate. For five years the Klan lynched anyone who disagreed with their ideas and anyone who they saw as a threat to their way of life and the future. Though a series of laws passed in 1871 the KKK was branded a terrorist organization and faded away. However, just 40 years later; fear, anger, hate and suffering will return and persist for a century.

Three simple sentences from a little green alien some how summarize one of the greatest and most prevalent domestic terrorist organizations in US history. Fear leads to anger. Fear of a change of life and a new dawning of a nation. Anger leads to hate. Anger of those who would dare challenge the established order. Hate leads to suffering. Suffering of the targets of a groups anger fueled hate. Yoda’s words seem to ring true throughout history illustrating that fear is the path to the dark side.

References

Foner, E. (2009). Give me liberty!:  an American history (2nd Seagull ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Co..

Sourced as reading material and source of information for this paper

Ku Klux Klan – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved November 13, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan#cite_note-37

Cross-reference with Forner and to double check dates and find more examples

Lucas, G. (Director). (2001). Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace [Motion picture]. USA: 20th Century Fox.

Source of Quote of Thesis

APA formatting by BibMe.org.

For the Veterans…

The following Dedication is taken form the video game “Medal of Honor”

This is a dedication to America’s servicemen. A dedication to the debt we owe to Warriors lost and to all of our military forces who continue to defend freedom around the world. men and women who have honorbly served throughout our nation’s history – who stood and continue to stand fast in the face of a determined enemy nd defeat them with unwavering discipline. Most people don’t know what they experience. they don’t know what these Warriors endure in combat, nor do they understand the selflessness and love of the brothers besides them. men within this community bring the fight to the enemy, engage aggressively and stand their ground. Born unto a different cloth, these men could have chosen a life of prosperity and chased every opportunity afforded by our great nation. Giving life as they live it, they chose to leave these pursuits behind and devote themselves instead to a higher calling, living with indomitable purpose, by simple truths – Brotherhood. Honor. Sacrifice. Words molded into their character, exemplifies by their actions. It is their pinal hour we celebrate – our fallen brothers who shine a light on the greatest attributes of dedicated men. With their sacrifice, legends are born and will live as examples to inspire the heroes that will lead our nation to victory in the years ahead; making our founding fathers proud and acting as a promise to America’s next generation. This is to our fallen brothers. you will honored in our community’s history as the greatest heroes. As men who shouldered our nation’s burdens, you will remain as beacons for our heroic ideals. taughtt to be proud and unbending in failure and humble in success, there are no greater examples for which this nation stands for and which this nation is built from – the ideal of service to country and to others. To all who wear the uniform – Thank you for your service to the nation, and to those in this hour who are still in the fight, keeping our enemies awake at night.

Stellar Empire

Herein lies the list of core government officials in my the First Glorious Solar Empire…
Emperor Jor’dan

Chancellor Davlen, Chief of Staff and Chief Advisor

Archduke Leto, Minister of Media

Lady Strixus, Dean of Academia

General Taurentom, Chief of Intelligence

Admiral Matty, Commander of Imperial Armed Forces

Lord Nobunaga, Minister of Defense

Count Dart, Minister of Propaganda and Finance

Baroness Xai, Sovereign of  Sol System

Baron Farniro

Count Hil’yer, Minister of Technology

Lord Kerius

Meanwhile, in the Justice League Headquarters…

So, seeing how it’s been just over two months since I last wrote, let’s play catch up…

End of August saw the start of a new term at Montgomery College. I picked up Spanish 2 and US History (Pre-Columbus to 1865). Much to my amusement, history was what is called an accelerated course. That means we did a semester course load in half the time. Loved it. Did a nation building exercise as a colony throwing off the shackles of the Mother Country. I was elevated to Lord High Chancellor, and things were good in our little dictatorship of Miraqistan. How can things be bad when our nation has a pink heart on it’s flag? Come on! Spanish is eh. Not a required course anymore. But back to Miraqistan! Remember how history was only half a term? Second half of the term introduced the years 1865 to 1960 and Miraqistan was invaded. To illustrate how the Reconstruction era went, prof split the room in two. One half, the great champions of democracy. The other, me in the jungle deposed of power and my supporters in hiding. Bless the souls of my group. We got way into our role as the pro-dictator camp. With business owners refusing service to the democracy demons and the downtrodden rising up to violence. I was so proud when the professor said we had won.

But you don’t care about my school and social life (or lack there of). You listen to me because I talk gaming. Recently I had the opportunity to go visit Hiko from Warcraft Anonymous and is lady friend the House Cat for a little D&D. I played a Dwarf fighter using only Heroes of the Fallen Lands book from the D&D: Essentials line. It worked out very well and I look forward to using more of them. Also with Hiko, I have joined a weekly game via Skype video chat. It’ a Dark Sun game and I play a Human Warlord with the Templar build. If you listen to Warcraft Anonymous, I sign all my e-mails from that character, Asad, the Lion of Raam.

Outside of D&D I have done little gaming of late. On and off WoW. Just dungeons and a Wintergrasp or two. At the request of a friend I have resurrected my Draenei as a Death Knight and my a warlock as well. Mostly my video game time has been occupied by Medal of Honor, Fallout 3, and catching up on Hulu.

Well that’s all for know. See you on the flip side.

Wow… It’s been a long while…

Hey guys! Back in the blogosphere once again let me fill you in since my last update back in FEBRUARY!

Original Media for Gamers got of to a fantastic start and I quickly got involved being a production assistant for Essence of RP and Just Cool Enough. Back in may Shinoda and I got our own show about table top gaming. Yeah, tune into Difficulty Check at 4 pm Eastern on omfg.fm. Good stuff. However since Shinoda’s been having some issues, I’ve been working with a fantastic group of people as my guests. I really appreciate their willingness to step up and lend a hand. Also part of OMFG, I have been DMing a 4th edition D&D game fairly regularly on Sunday nights. You can catch replays of the action on www.livestream.com/letonator. Also, with Shinoda’s absence, I got to take the hot seat on Council of Six a couple times and unrelated, I got to jump in on a couple episodes of Essence of RP as well. And before you hit the OMFG forums and go “Whaaaaaa?” about the rivalry between me an the Marketing Weasel, Dart, it is just some fun we poke at each other.

Other than OMFG the gaming front the past few months has been stale. I dropped STO pretty quickly and went back to WoW. I played Red Dead Redemption until it was time to but Starcraft 2. OMG. Starcraft 2 is like crack to me. I love playing it, even though I suck at multiplayer. I also picked up Madden 11 to bide the time until Medal of Honor comes out. With Red Box, Medal of Honor, Mass Effect, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Heart of the Swarm all coming down the pipe, my gaming life is gonna get busy. I need a job…

Speaking of which, it saddens me to post that my contract with AmeriCorps is up. It has been an awesome few years, and a fantastic one a Montgomery Housing Partnership. I will miss the kids and I will miss the staff. The summer camp, which took place all through the month of July was a blast, and the kids, I think had as much fun as I did with the activities and field trips. I hope they will have as much fun and be as well behaved for my successor as they were for me.

With my limited free time I have had a chance to go out on the town. Seen some movies and gone down the the Piratz Tavern a couple times. Iron Man 2 was amazing. Expendables was a fun summer action film. Scott Pilgrim vs the World was a fantastic geek culture film. Despicable Me was cute and fun (need to see it in 3d).  Pirahna 3d was so bad it was good. Last Airbender was a let down (way to go M. Night). And Clash of the Titans was comedy of the year. And I now (un)officially have a drink at Piratz Tavern. Recipe below.

Now that I have WordPress on my phone, look for more updates… More often.

Cheers!

Mr. NNJ

Recipe for the Nicely

In a regular glass, squeeze or press half a lime, leaving the peels in the glass. Fill the glass about half way with ice, don’t be skimpy but don’t be heavy handed, you’ll thank me later. Pour a generous shot of coconut rum over the ice, it is recommended that one uses a double shot glass and fill it about half way. Fill the glass with coke and stir. Hold the drink in your drinking hand and regale your new friends with a humorous anecdote, whether true or fiction. Sip while the punch line settles in and enjoy.

Of Life’s Little Charms…

Those of you not in the local news loop, we are recovering from the largest blizzard of the decade. Ok, it was the ONLY blizzard of this decade so far, but whatever. I guess I could have done this then, but I am doing it now. @bwj729 was out visiting @junie131 (Formerly NNJ_Sis) at university as well as his mom, who was in the hospital. I stayed for the weekend to care for the Dog when the Snow began to fall Friday. Fortunately I had braved the weather and crowds to pick up my copy of Star Trek Online with which to entertain myself. Saturday, wind and snow buried the neighborhood in a blanket of white under a gray sky. Sunday, the sun came out, but the temperature was too low to be of any help, so I went out and shoveled. There was one casualty in the family from this storm, our venerable aluminum and wood snow shovel could not hold up the work of three feet of snow and ice. Thankfully the plow came and cleared the middle of the block, easing the labor on the neighbors. Sunday the Saints trounced the Colts in the Super Bowl. Monday @bwj729 returned home and the shoveling began in earnest. Again on Wednesday snow fell, and the rest of the weekend was spent shoveling the new layer of snow. I also picked up a few hours over the weekend and the following weekend at the GameStop.

Time at the GameStop was interesting in itself. Generally a mechanical job got interesting when a customer found it necessary to chew me out, my supervisor out, and call the manager at home to yell at him too. Great. Just what I enjoy. However there were some really nice customers in the mix. Plus I sold 3 XBOX 360 elites. Damn fine show in my mind.

In a final note, I finally took the time to see my grandmother in the rehab center after her hospital stay. I also got to see @junie131. YAY! Also @stefan229 celebrated his 12 and half birthday with a Heaven and Hell cake by @iflifeisall. Second best cake ever.

That’s all for now folks.

Of Happy New Year… Or What We Remember…

Hokay… So let’s do the past month according to Mr. NNJ…

Last I posted we were doing holiday parties at the various properties at work. Such a big success that one of my coworkers ran to tell me that the party was posted on a blog. I had to tell him that said blog was this one. Christmas came swiftly after and the preceding weekend was heralded by a Blizzard. (Pictures are at the Epic Saga of the B Johnsons. http://thebjohnsons.wordpress.com/) Christmas Eve ended early for me, and Christmas Day began late. (as @bwj729 tweeted: “Off to the kitchen to finish making breakfast while we wait for the Young Adults to wake-up. A lot different now then 15/16 years ago…”) But when NNJ_Sis and I finally woke up we opened presents. I got an awesome new Dogfish Head commandante hat and bag, an illustrated set of Lord of the Rings (Alan Lee is win ^_^) and an iPod touch (just to name a few gifts). True to Johnson nature, the festivities did not end there! We went over to the Gillettes, our old family friends (me and my best friend since kindergarten, Rosencrantes, are the 21 year old first born sons. NNJ_Sis and R4zrBurn are thick as thieves and bwj729 and cwj629 hang out with the parents all the time too.) Rosencrantes got me WoW time and I got him a book of life skills with delightful Victorian illustrations. But wait! There’s more partying! Sunday the 27 was the annual Johnson clan Christmas and we did a “Recycled Gift Thieves Christmas”. Yours truly scored a Mr. Beer Brew at Home Brewing Kit. Homemade beer next Christmas! Also mini bottles of Kahlua for all!

Now we come to New Year’s Eve. All I am going to say is that it was alot of fun but the next couple days weren’t. New Year’s Day got together with the Gillettes one last time before Rosencrantes went back to school. Following Sunday we had lunch with family from the Johnson clan at the Red Robin for one last holiday event before going back to our normal lives. On Saturday the 9 NNJ_Sis, bwj729, cwj629, and Mr_NNJ all went out to do our annual “Tourist in our Hometown” Trip. First stop, National Geographic to see the Polar Obession photography exhibit. We need to go back to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. We had a mid afternoon beer and snack break at the Elephant and Castle (Any of my readers and loyal members of the Essence Army, we so need to get together and go there.) Afterward we went to the Air and Space museum and played in the ISS exhibit. It is gonna be so awesome.

To wrap up, back to the daily grind. My DK in WoW is 80. I am in the open beta for Star Trek and loving that. More on that in a future post.

Live long and prosper.