RayneNamibia

Harry C.D. Underwood

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Open-Source Government by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Open-Source Government

Open-source....Man, how this term has been buzzing in people's ears since Linux, Mozilla, and quite a few other phenoms first entered onto the computer scene within the last decade or more. Basically, the term itself says it all: the allowance for developer wannabes who, mind you, have the skill, tact, and resources to have their way with the development of a particular computer feature, be it a simple application, script, plugin, extension, or maybe an *entire* operating system. Or, if the guy or gal is *that* ambitious, he/she can use the source code (which has been posted for all the world to gaze upon in awe) as the basis for the creatio

A tribute to NWI by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

A tribute to NWI

Tonight, I'm sad. I'm angry. I'm emotional as hell. NWI, or Newsworld International, probably the only reason for why we (me and my Mom) continue to keep Directv, is signing off as of 12:00 am tonight. I found out a month or two ago the fate of this network. Al Gore (yes, the former VP) heads the group which bought NWI last year. Unfortunately, the group decided not to renew NWI's contract, and decided to replace it with its own news channel, Current.tv. Its a news network which, expressly, will dedicate most of its content to the 18-to-34-year-old audience in the United States. Personally, considering that this is the same group to which i

The Torn-Down Soul by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

The Torn-Down Soul

Ever know of the immediate frustration to your nervous and audial systems which are caused by running your nails (if you have any) across a chalkboard? Ever encountered slower-than-usual traffic jamming, although you may be more than personally familiar with any length of what Lagos, Nigeria natives call "go-slows", even for your own good? Couple that with the fact that you are already late, by the way. Or, let's find something that is more immediate: does your computer, despite its apparent functionality and speed, slow down to a halt because of that one program that you are using? Say, Firefox, which, after using the tabbed browsing featu

A day without an American gun by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

A day without an American gun

Latin America, which consists of all of the former American colonies of Spain, France (sans Quebec and the Mississippi Basin), and Portugal, is a region which is steeped in history and tradition, alot of which extends beyond the reach of Columbus and his "discovery" of the Americas. However, ever since most of these countries gained their political independence back during the 1800's, this region has also been steeped in a mire of political and military tradition and intrigue. Guns and armaments of all possible kinds have been in almost perpetually-abundant supply and distribution for almost 2 centuries in this geopolitical region. Battles,

Long after the thrill is gone by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Long after the thrill is gone

I was listening to NPR the other day, while driving home from Macon. They were interviewing this one psychologist on her views about creativity and how one is supposed to react when his or her creativity has ran down to the point of nil. She explained that, for her own personal example, one day a few years ago, she was minding her own business when all of a sudden, she had an urge to write a book. She followed that urge, and she even turned out a few books within the next four months. However, four months later, the urge that had entered her left as quickly as it came. At that point, she realized that, despite those books which she had writt

The Anti-empire by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

The Anti-empire

"What would happen now? The great imperial system had been completed, Black unity had been achieved among numerous language groups on one of the widest scales in history, from Zambia down to South Africa. cities of stone dotted the land, the Zimbabwe cities north and south were the deathless symbols of a people's greatness.... ....The Emperor Matope also left the country with a great organized religion with a powerful and formally organized priesthood, something unusual in Africa outside of ancient Egypt, Ethiopia, and Abyssinia.... But would there be unity now that the last of the two great personalities around whom unity revolved had sile

Kwanzaa for Dummies by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Kwanzaa for Dummies

Kwanzaa is a festival that lasts from December 26th to January 1st, which celebrates Africa and all things African. It was first initiated by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Black Studies at CSU, Long Beach, in 1966, during the heady days of the Civil Rights Movement. Karenga did several studies on African festivals and celebrations, as he had noticed that there was a dearth of cultural celebrations for the African-American community. In his studies, he noticed that most annual celebrations among most sub-Saharan African ethnicities are what are often termed "first fruits" celebrations, or celebrations of the year's harvest. In these ty

Religious Fundamentalism by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Religious Fundamentalism

In the past several years, the world has witnessed the rise of religious fundamentalism, which, in essence, is the religiously conservative interpretation of government, law, ethics, and society in general. Within the same timelength, we have eyed, with horror, the rise of terrorism and terrorist actions, most of which have been carried out, propogated, or sponsored (covertly or openly) by organizations and/or nations which maintain, for more or less, a religiously fundamentalist agenda or platform. Religious fundamentalism has become prominent and popular in areas or countries where a great deal of the population is either perpetually poor

Ethics and Morals by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Ethics and Morals

A thing that I have noticed in America, especially with the conservative, fundamentalist right, is a frequent tendency to refer to "morals" whenever they offer an explanation of the rightist agenda. How have they used it? To the right (and maybe to the right-leaning centrists), "morals" or "morality" is the standard of human behavior, which dictate that humanity should not do this or that or the other, lest humanity incur the wrath of God, which will pour out upon it's head in the form of natural disaster or plague, among the many possible manifestations of God's anger. Well, I see their point....sort of. People DO have (1) a responsibilit

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'bwack' History by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

'bwack' History

Yes, I have registered myself as a Namibian deviant. But I hate to break the truth to you: I am "black" American. Yes, I am a descendant of slaves from the Southern United States. And yes, I have to deal with ghetto people with a ghetto mentality every day at the school I go to. It sickens me. It sickens me that African-Americans act the way they do, like plantation n!@#$%s. They go to church and shout, sing, speak in tongues, and other religious B.S. It gets on my friggin' nerves to have to be dragged to church every day. It sickens me to listen to these self-made "civil-rights leaders" who say "

Voodoo, or, African Gothic by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Voodoo, or, African Gothic

Just this past New Years Day, Haiti celebrated its 200th anniversary as an independent nation. Throughout its history as an independent nation, Haiti has come through many, many periods of ruthless dictatorship and violent, bloody revolution. And yet, the people have survived. Why do I say so? Well, consider this: Haiti is only the second nation in the Western Hemisphere to gain its independence, the world's first African-ruled republic, and the only nation in the world ever to gain its independence through the world's only successful slave revolt. The people have lost trust in their own government, and have thus relied on their vibrant an

Run Away by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Run Away

While going onto the Internet each day after school, my mind begins to wander around the place that Im in, and peruse my conscience. My mind wanders, whenever I look/read on and marvel at some work of imagination that some similarly lost and tortured soul has drawn and written. I begin the painful, yet poignant ritual of trying to imagine myself in the shoes of these lost souls. I still find situations beyond my control, problems within and without, the present reality at its worst. Then I try to imagine myself in their imaginations. I try to imagine myself as a guy who can turn into a wolf, or a dragon. I try to visualize myself as a tro

In the Dark by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

In the Dark

Whenever I get some time to myself for myself at night, I turn off all the lights in the bedroom, and I make sure that as little light as possible is shining through the windows in the room. And then I begin to do something that I haven't been able to do all day... think. I let my mind wander around the dark room, not that Im seeing anything. Then I come upon something that is of interest to me. Tonight, its lycanthropy. I begin to wonder if I can actually mentally shift into, say, a wolf. Hmmm, I wonder, since there's nothing in here that I can see, then what's stopping me from trying? So then I sit up in the bed, put my hands and my b

Why I Write by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Why I Write

You probably want to know why I am motivated to write the things I write, why I put into writing these ideas with such uncommon directness and detail. Well its simple: Writing is my will to live. Whenever I write, its because I want to get something of my chest and my mind, and put it all on paper. Like when I am angry, sad, lonely, and embittered by whatever I see or feel, I write to take the pain away, to relieve myself of the hurt which I long and desire to let out, by whatever means necessary. Take, for instance, the fact that I am a descendant of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, in which 10-24 million West and Central Africans, over a

The Future is Unwritten by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

The Future is Unwritten

On MTV2's Subterranean, a few months ago, I was watching this video for the late Joe Strummer of The Clash, called "Redemption Song". They had footage from the concerts of the famous British band, as well as a bunch of people in New York composing this wall mural of Joe Strummer. And on the mural was written these words: "The Future is Unwritten" Whatever these words meant to the gifted muralist who made that painting of Joe Strummer, I have yet to find out. However, those words stuck with me for the next couple of months. And I think that I came upon my own interpretation of those words. Ever heard of that adag

Living in two worlds by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Living in two worlds

Ever played a character in an online rpg, and you didnt know exactly who you were playing? Or maybe youve seen .hack//sign on cartoon network. If you have, then I think that it would be easier for you than alot of others to understand what Im about to explain. Right now millions of people throughout the world live in two worlds: the Real and the Digital. The Real World is the one in which we exist for most of our lives. The Digital, on the other hand, is the one in which, through the benefit of the Internet and related systems, we come into contact with people who only reveal themselves as their digital se

File-sharing: my opinion by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

File-sharing: my opinion

I have been watching the news lately, and alot of what I see has been dedicated to the so-called "crime" of file-sharing. The RIAA, the same organization which notifies the public whenever an artist's newly-released record hits "silver", "gold", or the ever-famous "platinum" status, has been slapping subpoenas on ordinary citizens in the United States, Canada, and even Europe, charging such people with "stealing, or tampering with, the copyrights of music artists". First of all, let this be certain: the RIAA is an organization of people who look out for the welfare and prosperity of the music industry fatcats, not for th

Why I admire the cynic by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Why I admire the cynic

There are two people on television whom I seriously admire: Raven (from "Teen Titans" on Cartoon Network) and Daria (that girl with the glasses and brown hair who was first shown on "Beavis and Butthead", and then had her own show on MTV). There is one reason for which I am attracted to them: They are cynics. Cynics have a bad reputation for being the "party poopers" and "downers" on several television shows. But I have to disagree with such misconceptions. "Oh, why would you, Rayne? You know that cynic people don't get anywhere in life! You know that they're so so negative! And nyah nyah nyah!!!" (says the snee

Being in someone else's shoes by RayneNamibia, literature

Literature

Being in someone else's shoes

For the past few years, I think that, in many ways, I have matured more than those around me. I mean, I used to say about people for whom I have a strong admiration, "Man, I wish I was this or that person". Now, growing up, Ive realized this: I wouldn't want to be in another person's shoes. I have a strong admiration for Malcolm X, much to the chagrin of the people around me. But I know I can't say, "Man, I wish I was Malcolm X, because this and that would be what I would do." No, because (1) I wouldn't want to live in the 1960's, (2) I wouldn't really care for living in New York, (3) I wouldn't want to suffer the public scrutiny that was s

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About RayneNamibia

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Namibia
Deviant for 20 years
livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?=rayne_vandunem
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My Bio

Current Residence: Warner Robins (Atlanta, August 30), GA
Favourite genre of music: Anything that fits the mood.

Favourite Visual Artist

Any anthro/furry artist

Favourite Bands / Musical Artists

Sade, Damien Rice, Boa, Lokua Kanza

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RayneNamibia

Sep 27, 2005

4th (5th?) week in ATL

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Hi, Just a few notes on what I've been doing since moving up here (in case you're a bit too lazy to visit the LJ). 1. Went to my first convention on Saturday (Anime Weekend Atlanta). It was amazing (read the rundown at the blog), plus I met Solo and ShadowSaber (https://www.deviantart.com/shadowsaber) (who were terribly kind to lend me a ride back to Oglethorpe since I was lacking in money for public transport via CCT; major, major props to you guys). I also came across gunmouth (https://www.deviantart.com/gunmouth), who explained to me just how much artistry for commissions' sake can be a pain in the ass to pursue on a regular basis. But the con was a blast and a half. As a result of making it there, I'm hop

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RayneNamibia

Aug 23, 2005

Last week in WR

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Well, as I said in my LJ, ladies and gentlemen, the time is almost here. This is my last week in Warner Robins, Ga. *sigh* 13 years in this military town, and now, all of a sudden, here's college? and in Atlanta, of all places? Geez, I don't know what to expect, but then again, such a plight is already somewhat familiar to you all, if you've followed my stuff that long enough. Meanwhile, though, I've been using Ubuntu Linux on my HP Pavilion a317x as an alternative to Windows XP. However, I've decided to go back to XP, since 1) I miss my online media, 2) the graphics for Ubuntu (and Kubuntu, its KDE counterpart) are nothing more than nee

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RayneNamibia

Aug 1, 2005

Sad week

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Well, NWI is gone. College is less than a month away. And I feel like an old man who's looking back over his life, his former interests, and the end of all that was once good. I've already started talking to my roomate, who's in Texas (OMG) right now, and Sis has already given me a few of her stuff in preparation for the big move on the 27th. Summer sucks. At least I won't have to deal with it in the same way anymore. I've just written my tribute tribute to NWI, so check that out. Plus, I'm setting up a new blog at Yahoo 360, so check me out there (if you're on Yahoo, that is). Oh, and I'll be studying "Business Law" at OU, since "politic