via bryanboy.com

Obviously, the Nazi’s were influential. Hitler was a great man– not a good man, but he was great, and terrible. A lot like Voldemort. Or Sauron. or Emperor Palpatine (to close the fictional circle).

Like celebrity sponsorship has proven, symbols begin associating with those who are great. Things they wear, hairstyles, fashions… become historically embedded into their existence. Hitler and his ‘stache, Mandela and his freedom fist up in the air, guidos and their fists pumping the air… etc.. For Nazis, the swastika has become their brand/logo/symbol– but for many others, the swastika retains an entirely different history.

Bryanboy recently posted on a “Nazi Buddha” temple in Taipei, Taiwan he spotted (it’s right outside Taipei, coming from the airport). The usual confusion ensued, hence “Nazi Buddha”, which is a laughable term in itself–

The swastika rose to importance through the spread of Buddhism during the Maurya Empire (321 – 185 BC) in ancient India. Expansion and trade lead the religion and symbol to Tibet and China. Interpreted as “ALL” or “ETERNITY”, the symbol can mark and/or protect temples, become a token of protection for children with the swastika sewn into their clothes, or even “vegetarian” on food products. The symbol can be used in either (counter/clockwise) direction. Its origin is thought to be in the Bronze Age, when it was referred to as the Sun Cross or Sun Wheel.

via wikipedia

Swastikas were not only used in Buddhist religion, however; many other religions used the same symbol, and it can be found all over the world. The story of the swastika in tandem with the idea of Aryan supremacy has always been marked by the 45 degree tilt.

As Brule would say, “For your health”

Graceee

Check, check, check.... shit

I took Latin for a quarter in sophomore year, but I forgot it all. It’s an intense class. I remember reading aloud in Latin, and enjoying it because it was *so weird* to be practicing a dying language. The pleasure derived from the authenticity of the struggle, and I still don’t remember the five/six tenses that conjugate each word.

Yes!

A new movie about zombies coming out soon, which I’m actually excited to watch: Zombieland comes out October 2nd (the same weekend of Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story documentary on capitalism and the current economic recession) and features funnyman Woody Harrelson and the faux-Michael Cera look-alike Jesse Eisenberg, battling the odds of survival in a world crawling with zombies. Oh, and throw in that one girl from Super-Bad who almost but not really like(d) Jonah Hill. My 12 year old brother recently pointed out that the most satisfying and guilt-less entity to maul in videogames are Nazi zombies. For the following reasons: 1)They’re already dead and 2) the bodies of Nazis are a free-for-all in terms of violence. After Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards, this movie seems perfect for my bloodthirsty, action craving alter-ego…

“Michael Moore has stated that no-one who sees the movie should use currency to do so, and instead should either pirate it or barter for tickets, in order to spark the erosion of capitalist standbys.”

Okay, so it’s sort of missing his point if we’re choosing between a documentary informing us on the failing economic structure in the world and a film on mauling zombies. But which one would you rather watch on the big screen? Zombies getting mauled. SO thanks, Michael Moore, it kinda works out.

Don’t get me wrong, though– I’m still excited to see what he dished out this time.

Which one will/would you see?

Gracie