Articles written by JohnJaySmith

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About me - JohnJaySmith

I like writing. I also like forest preserves, peanut butter cups, cute girls, and Optimus Prime.

My first novel, "Psychics and Swords: The Amazing and Totally Plausible Adventures of Steve Walton" is available for purchase on Lulu or on Amazon.com. It's a fast

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Relationships & Family > Gay & Lesbian Issues Should homosexuals receive all the rights and benefits of marriage?: 1 of 130
I have never understood why, in this age of reason and compassion, there is even a debate about gay marriage. I personally have never even seen one single debatable point from those who oppose gay marriage. The following is a list of the "stronger" arguments I've seen against gay marriage, and why even these are patently absu... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Consoles & Accessories Console reviews: The Nintendo Wii: 2 of 58
I was lucky enough to snag a delightfully inexpensive Wii console after trading in some old DVDs and games, and man am I glad I did.Video games in general have been trending in one solid direction: prettier graphics, worse gameplay. Every generation, new consoles come out, and we are dazzled by the insanely gorgeous graphics.... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Excuses not to write: 2 of 38
The problem with creative writing is that doing it implies you're creative. And the more creative you are, the more creative you can get with your excuses, even when it comes to something you love. Like that whole "writing" thing."I have no time to write," says a writer you know. "I have to run errands.""I can't write now," y... More..
Computers & Technology > Email Threats Email scam: Dealing with chain letters and virus hoaxes: 1 of 14
Bill Gates will send you a nickel for every person you forward this to! Captain Kangaroo was one of the great unsung heroes of Iwo Jima! Target stores hate Christmas and will club you over the head if you dress like Santa Claus!Fortunately a lot of people have caught on to the utter nonsense of email chain letters and hoaxes.... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Science fiction: 1 of 13
The Downfall of a SpeciesCivilization took a drastic downturn with the advent of wax lips. Well, no one has proof that it was the wax lips, but it was in that general era that planetside mankind took a nosedive from which it would never recover. Some people still hold hope that the planet from which we descended might be reta... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Fantasy: 7 of 79
AND THEN THE PIG FLEWAn extremely indignant look spread across John's face as he stared at the man standing before him."Me? Join you? When pigs fly, jerk!"A pig chose that moment to fly past. John looked up."What the hell?" he asked."Shall I take that as a sign of your agreement, or were you just being metaphorical?" The man ... More..
Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: Science fiction: 22 of 165
Excerpt from "Psychics and Swords: The Amazing and Totally Plausible Adventures of Steve Walton"They dragged us off, unbound but surrounded by guards, and tossed us into a metal room. It was maybe ten feet in all dimensions, and pitch black. We both landed with unpleasant thuds. "That was uncalled for," I said. "We were only ... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Games (Other) Does violence in video games contribute to real life violence?: 33 of 219
It's a situation that often pops up on news and talk shows. "Video games promote violence and are causing our children to go on murderous rampages! They must be banned and and the children protected at all costs!" bellows the populist TV pundit, followed by "Coming up after the commercial break, twenty reasons why we should g... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Superman Returns: 6 of 37
I'll just come right out and say it: Superman Returns is my favorite superhero movie. Period. Yes, Batman Begins was great too. I also really enjoy the first two movies from the Superman, Batman, X-men, and Spider-man series. But Superman Returns does it for me in a way no other superhero movie can.Director Brian Singer took ... More..
Arts & Humanities > British Literature Book reviews: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling: 9 of 48
I spent a few years avoiding the Harry Potter phenomenon. I dismissed the books as kiddie literature, and I did not read them until a friend talked me into it shortly before the first film was released. To this day I don't particularly care for the first two, which are pretty good but really far more kiddie-oriented than the ... More..