Random Tidbits

As much as I hate assholes, there is one group of people I hate more: ignorants. Not all, mind you, just stupid people who don't know anything making a fuss and giving opinions as if they do. And it's really not a matter of if I agree with them or not, if they had a well-informed opinion on something and can carry a well-thought out debate to defend their opinions, they have my respect. I have recently ran into this with people of all 3 Far East nationalities (the coveted trifecta/trebel).

I ran into one Japanese guy who denies that the Japanese have committed any atrocities and claims that Americans are much worse. Fair played, if he has put forth effort into such an opinion and can engage in a well-though debate on it, then I would respect him, so that doesn't annoy me that much. But what really irked me was how he called everyone who tried to argue him on points a "pop-corn eating, fat, uneducated American slob". Even when several historians challenged him, he dismissed their points by saying that their study of history is inadequate and stupid (mind you, these are people who have studied WW2 for decades). Did I mention said Japanese is 18, lives in San Diego, and wishes he could "go back in time to WW2 and kill more Americans"? Anyways, it's not always the opinion that bugs me, it's the attitude.

The Korean I dealt with was a football fan who took pride in telling off anyone who dared to claim that Korea was "lucky" (to say the least) to have beaten Italy and Spain in 2002. Anybody who said anything the least bit disparaging about the progress of said team was immediate tagged back with a comment about either his mom or his dog. Once again, as you can see, it's not the opinion that bugs me, it's the total lack of interest in the exchange of ideas.

As for the Chinese, well, let's just say it goes back WW2 again (sorry non-geeks). This time over the matter of whether or not the Chinese "should" forgive the Japanese for what happened in WW2. Needless to say, the number of ignorant and ill-informed Chinese who voiced their opinions on this issue was astounding. One went so far as to claim that any Chinese who forgives must be born outside of China and that anyone who lived or was born in China "wunt" (his spelling) forgive, nevermind that's akin to calling anyone who disagrees with you a traitor, nevermind that is a ridiculous over-generalization. Several different people have tried, within the debate, to bring some sense and correct common misconceptions, but it seems like they are just being ignored as the "we shall never forgive" faction just plows ahead without a care. Very annoying.

Needless to say, I don't like Bush either.

Moving on. I've never been much for reading into dreams, but I must admit that, for the first time in my life, I'm having recurring dreams. Only, the recurrences aren't tightly packed together, once or twice a year, I would have a dream along the same lines, in which my teeth fall out and I try desperately to keep them in by, well, putting them back in and closing my mouth. Of course, I'd brush for 20 minutes the morning after, but I'm at a loss as to why these dreams are popping up and, if they can be called recurring, why they are so far spaced apart.

Anyways, hopefully I can get over all of that the next couple of days because I'm going to Las Vegas! :D Yay! Leaving this afternoon! See ya guys when I get back!