Internet Archives

The Pantomime Theater of Reaction Videos

Internet, Opinion, YouTube | 08 February 2016

Fine Bros reaction to losing their chance at greatness

After that whole issue with FineBros, reaction videos are once again under a spotlight. After looking at comments detailing just how stupid they’re supposed to be, I decided to dig deeper into them. Despite that whole brouhaha about greed and the banality of FineBros’ content, reaction videos are everywhere on the Internet. While I most likely won’t have one on here (at least not with me watching something and contorting my face while making noises), I’d like to talk about them and why they’re oddly compelling. (more…)

Chernobyl in Games and the Internet

by: Sonny Go

Internet, Opinion, Video Games | 18 August 2015

Fallout 4 is coming out later this year, so fans are most likely replaying older Fallout games right now. In the meantime, let’s look at one of the most radioactive places in the world for some inspiration. Chernobyl was nothing short of a complete fuck-up, but it’s now a ghost town noteworthy for some of the most beautifully haunting photographs ever taken and even some games. There’s also a woman who likes to walk around in the damn place like a frolicking school girl while making videos about it. Also, I’m not patient enough to wait for the 30th anniversary of the disaster to post about it. (more…)

Fistful of Bolts: Thoughts on the Robot Duel Challenge

by: Sonny Go

Internet, Opinion | 07 July 2015

Robot Duel Challenge: Suidobashi vs. MegaBots

So that Robot Duel Challenge thing is going viral as of this writing, and I was excited at first. But the cynicism instilled by disappointing video game releases and the realities of adulthood are holding back my childish glee from the potential of seeing two fighting robots duking it out in real life. I started thinking of how they could ever put such a thing together and what has to happen once they do start getting the robots fighting, and some of my friends agreed with my skepticism. Let’s talk a little bit about this; not too seriously but just some fun discussion on what can and cannot happen. (more…)

8 Videos and Films on Financial Disasters

by: Sonny Go

Current Events, Finance, Lists, YouTube | 06 July 2015

Amid financial ruin, Greece just had their bailout referendum on whether they will agree to the conditions set by the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Central Bank (they voted no). Elsewhere, stock markets in China have experienced their biggest plunge since 1992. The last great economic recession we’ve had was back in 2008 with the American housing crash, and we may be in the verge of another one. If you don’t know what any of this means, then perhaps it’s time to learn a bit about financial disasters and how they happen. (more…)

Reddit Blackout and the Bigger Picture

by: Sonny Go

Internet, Opinion | 04 July 2015

Reddit is pretty much part of regular online routine at this point, but it had recently gone even deeper to shit. It’s not the usual mud-slapping like Gamergate and whatever SRS and SJW nonsense going on. This time, it’s a Reddit blackout after the firing of a key personnel and mods went on a mutiny. If there’s one thing wrong with community sites, running them is a perilous balancing act. Users riot under threat of autocratic control, but they also turn communities sour when given too much freedom. That’s pretty much the story in this case as well. (more…)

Learning About World War I with New Media

by: Sonny Go

Guides, History, Internet, Video Games | 30 June 2015

It has been 101 years since the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, paving the way for the First World War. It ended empires and welcomed the modern age; this world we have now is because that happened. This post is also a whole year late, but maybe this is the best time for it as there are now more ways than ever to learn about that piece of history, as well what came before and after it. We now have videos, games, and other new media that shows us what would be the cause for everything else that happened in the 20th century and what’s happening now in the 21st century. (more…)

Killing False Hopes by Fending Off Referrer Spam

by: Sonny Go

Blogging, Guides, Internet | 07 April 2015

This website is admittedly not even a tiny blip on the blogging radar (or at least not yet), but I’ve been finding ways to get there somehow. Perhaps being able to post daily content is the best solution to my current problems, but I’ve also encountered another problem recently that’s quite annoying on its own. It’s not bad enough that the website is trying to get more views, but also that the views from real people and not from referrer spam. The latter has become quite a pain in the neck for many websites lately, especially for the smaller ones like this one. (more…)

POWER/RANGERS: On Darkness and Deconstruction

by: Sonny Go

Internet, Opinion, Television | 22 March 2015

Talk about being late to the party. However, I actually took quite a bit of time to sort my thoughts out on what I think about the short film in order to come up with this post. Perhaps it was good that I posted this only now as Henshincon — a celebration of the tokusatsu genre that had been a part of Filipino childhoods during the 90s — gets underway. I myself grew up with Power Rangers and tokusatsu shows imported from Japan (and translated into Filipino), so it seems apt for me to start off a tribute of sorts by looking into someone else’s tribute. (more…)

Sunstone [Feature]

by: Sonny Go

Comics, Features, Internet, Reviews | 17 February 2015

With Valentine’s Day having passed by and Fifty Shades of Grey becoming this growing mutated mass made of leather whips and rope that has droves of women going to movie theaters and book stores to consume what looks more like a sad example of adult writing, I thought of recommending something more human and heartfelt that still involved whips and rope as part of intimate activities (whatever makes you happy). One of the great things about Sunstone is that you don’t need to shelf out hard-earned money for a ticket — it’s free. (more…)

Cybercrime: My Thoughts on R.A. 8293

by: Sonny Go

Current Events, Internet, Opinion, Philippines | 15 February 2013

It seems that since the beginning of 2013, I have not posted a personal or editorial piece of any sort, which is supposed to be the reason why I put this website up in the first place. I don’t claim to have any authority that makes my thoughts and opinions the most credible stuff you’ll ever read, most likely far from it. However, I see this as an exercise to write more outside of work, especially about relevant issues. For this first full-blown editorial of the year, I talk about a particular bill that has caught quite a bit of attention recently concerning “Cybercrime.” (more…)

Surviving the Cybercrime Law

by: Sonny Go

Current Events, Internet, Opinion, Philippines | 02 October 2012

The Philippines is now under Republic Act No. 10175, more commonly known as the Cybercrime Act of 2012. It’s an unusual law that was enacted in lieu of various online incidents that may have had some politicians scrambling for solutions. Since it seems that the law will become a big part of life in Manila, here are a few suggestions on how to survive the new online badlands. (more…)