David Stern: Real Men of Weakness

In the past two days I have realized a couple thing:
1) LeBron is an idiot.
2) Every team involved with the 3-team trade got screwed.
3) The Hornets worst of all.
4) David Stern has lost control of his situation.
5) Shane Elton is going to lose in Fantasy Football.

My date last night was interrupted by a update from ESPN saying that Paul was to go to the Lakers. I was excited for Paul but not happy because I hate the Lakers. That being said, I kept looking up to see who was going where, rumors of Howard going somewhere, Chandler...blah blah blah. Twitter was blowing up with updates and I thought, WOW, finally the Hornets are going to be able to be a team again with these guys they will pick up.

Not to happen.

The Hornets are league owned. When this happened, Stern told Dell Demps, the GM of the Hornets, he would be able to trade freely amongst the league and run his team. This trade would have benefited the Hornets due to the fact they were getting Kevin Martin, Luis Scola and Lamar Odom and Dragic and a first round draft pick. Since Paul has told the team he will not resign at the end of the year this means one things for the Hornets: They have no one without this trade.

Poor team. Losing arguably the best point guard in the league. Had they lost him in this deal, it would have been great. But Stern was bullied into it by the other league owners. Or maybe he wasn't, maybe he was making a move of his own evil will. Neither way really helps his case. Owners have been vetoing trades since the dawn of time. Why not veto the LeBron deal? That man turned down loyalty to Cleveland AND the biggest stage in all of basketball by not going to New York. Instead, he wanted help, and even with it, he didn't attain perfection. Wade was better off without James.

Now that we worked through this lockout, I thought the drama was over. Small revenue teams now get the chance to bring in big name players and help their teams/sales/whatever. Now? It seems they still get nothing since Overlord Stern has lost all control of his minions. The rich continue to get richer. Think of this: The Lakers just signed a deal with Time Warner for $3 Billion over the next 20 years. That's $150 Million a year! You know how many Kobes, Howards, Pauls or LeBrons they could get with that money? Enough.

What do the Hornets get? What about small market teams?

Is there another word for nothing?

I am back to posting on my blog. Posting some panoramas.

http://ping.fm/6Ppkv

Working on my panoramas

I love taking panoramic pictures. I think what it is, is the pictures kind of give a feeling of what you see through the eyes. I mean, we all have peripheral vision and that's kinda what it is, too. I love them. These pictures are also progressive, as you can see, I have gotten a little better over the past year. Now, I just wish I could get one of the aspens during the fall when all the leaves change.

Aspens

The Cabin

Bridal Falls (whatever it's called).

Utah Valley

Hike from the cabin.

Same hike, during the winter.

Next week, I'm feeling a Transformers marathon is needed.

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What are some of your underrated movies?
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My Underrated Movies List

It occurred to me yesterday; most of my friends have never seen this list of movies I am about to post. I feel that if you all want to lead long, happy, successful lives, you must follow my lead and watch these movies. Now, I know none of you are as perfect as I am when it comes to finding the unheard of movies that will make your heartstrings tingle with jaw-dropping music, adept writing and dynamic dialogue. Don't forget the dubious amounts of psychological thrill rides. A brief explanation will follow and please, feel free to add because I am always looking for new movies. No order either, except the last few as I have strong feelings toward them.

Be Kind Rewind: Feel good story. Fantastic Score. What more could you ask for? Oh, its funny, too.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: I haven't met anyone who has seen this classic comedy. Steve Martin and Michael Caine: need I say more?

The Kingdom: This movie literally put me on the edge of my seat. I was on a date and completely ignored her the whole time. That's pretty normal though, now that I think about it.

3:10 to Yuma: I love this movie. I love the western feel and the story. Remake, sure, classic, probably not but you should still see it.

American Psycho: This movie is psychotic, but Bruce Wayne delivers in this.

Knights Tale: I know most people saw this after he died, but this movie makes me wanna fight dragons.

Equilibrium: Can't get away from Christian Bale and the "perfect society" that he learns is not so perfect.

28 Days Later: Scared the @*#$ out of me. The camera angles make it a completely different story. Danny Boyle knows what he is doing. And the score by John Murphy.....done!

25th Hour: Easily one of Edward Norton''s BEST roles...ever!

Sunshine: Danny Boyle + John Murphy + Cillian Murphy = one of the most epic movies I have ever seen. The score is beyond words. It really messes with your mind too. I absolutely love this movie. It is slowly creeping into my top 10 movies of all time.

Others: A Beautiful Mind, King Arthur, Stranger Than Fiction, Stir of Echoes, Starship Troopers, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Anything I miss?

Some might use my mind for evil.
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Here is another dream of mine!
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World of Dreams Part Deux

This is from two years ago, but it is the most vivid, real, unnerving and memorable dream I have had in my life. This one does not need a title for it would not do the psychotic of it justice. Sorry for the length. I hope you do read it.

It all started on a very beautiful afternoon in what looked to be an area near Cottonwood Heights in Salt Lake. The houses around were really nice. Everything was very new too, and you could tell because the trees were still small. Just a gorgeous day altogether. I was playing kickball with friends or family, this I do not remember. And all of a sudden I just booted this ball almost a mile. Not like Uncle Rico can throw a pigskin over the mountain. In the dream, this literally went over a mile. We were stunned! Of course I did it so I had to get it.

So as I made my trek down the street, the slop began to pick up a bit. I couldn't imagine this kind of hill being safe for little children to ride their bikes on! Who thought of this terrible idea!

Finally, I made it to the spot where the ball had landed. It was a church. Just a very normal church besides the fact that it was huge. I thought it might be a temple/church combo. But it was just a church. Little did I know it held much more.

So I went inside and noticed there was a huge ward party there and a girl I had dated years ago was in there too, along with an old high school buddy. When I saw the girl, she ran over to me and started kissing me. She said how much she missed me and wanted me back. I really didn't know what to say so I went off with my friend to talk about it. What came next actually makes me wonder how my brain could come up with such beauty.

We walked out the back door onto a concrete patio. I thought it weird a church had a patio, but what I saw after that took over my thoughts. The patio overlooked a canyon that was almost 5X the span of the widest part of the grand canyon. This thing was monumental. It was so deep that even the top layers that were touched by the sun were still dark. The immensity filled everything as far as I could see. It went off into both directions. How i didn't notice this on my drive up was very perplexing. The next stop for my eyes were the mountains. They were HUGE! I mean the size of these mountains made Mt. Everest look like the Appalachians. They stretched so far up I could not see the tops. A deep, heavy set purple eminated from them too. Purple mountains. Just like the song.

To top it off, even though it was day, I could see every star in the sky behind them. The Milky Way was a mesh of blue, purple, pink and white that stretched behind the canyons that were between the mountains. The true beauty of it, I feel I am not talented enough a write to describe it. But, go look at any time-lapse photos of the milky way and that will start to give you an idea.

So after I had witnessed this confusing artistry, I turned and saw my friend was gone. The door I came out was locked so went into another door. As soon as I was inside, I saw that it was just one long hallway. No other doors or windows. One door, all the way at the other end and the one I came in. I really had no place to go besides to the next door.

Walking closer I saw a nurse sitting next to a table that had a silver platter with a huge covering over it. She was not a sexy nurse (creepos) but just an old fashioned nurse from around the 50s era. Pretty, but a little weird.

As I made my way near her and to the door, she motioned with her head towards the door as if to ask me if I wanted through. I said I did and she lifted the covering on the tray to reveal a head. Not a human head, the head of a creature, almost wanting to be human. It had a pointed skull, almost like the point of a sword had gone through it but not protruded from the opposite side. It's eyes were red, skin an off white color as if it had taken the color of sour milk. The eyes just looked up at me.

And I woke.

Welcome to my world of dreams!
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The world of Dreams

I think while I am on a writing hiatus till I catch up with all my jobs I have (3 part time jobs) I want to let everyone into my psychotic mind: I am posting some dreams. Some people think they have nightmares. That is a normal occurrence for me. Every night I have at least one "nightmare" but they don't really freak me out anymore. I'm like Stephen King without the talent. This one is my most recent. No title. Maybe Vampires and Divorce.

It was at an abandoned, very old, two-story farm house in the middle of who knows where. Whatever was growing there before, wasn't. There was just a large batch of forest that was the background to this paint-peeling box with windows. I began walking up to the house and could see that the lights were on in every room in the house. My first though was my family decided to waste energy. The stars were bright. I could not believe how vibrant the milky way was. It was a swirl of purple and blue mixed with dots of white.

As soon as I placed my foot on the first step of the stairs up to the deck, I felt the numerous hairs on my neck stand up. That's a lot of hair, too. Suddenly a rush came out of the door and slammed into me. I look around to see what it was and I see the dark blur go around the corner. Conveniently, there is an axe located just next to the steps. I grab it and sprint as fast as I can.

Without thinking, as soon as I turn the corner, I bring the axe up to strike. It just happens to be a vampire. An ugly one. Not the sparkly kind. Every tooth on his already bloody face is a fang. Each is so unnaturally sharp, he had to have taken his own tooth-file to sharpen them. His eyes are wide and dark. There are no whites to them, just the darkness of hell ready to burst forth in a fury of blood and violence. He sees me and lunges with uncanny speed. I guess I am much faster because I bring the axe down and remove his head. It was like cutting through warm butter. No sounds of bone just the sound of gurgling and death. Time to wake up.

More vampires on the roof.

There are at least 20 vampires starring down at me. They are not happy with what I have done. I guess they have friends now? I run into the forest at blazing speed. Who knows where I am going. I sure don't! I just run and stumble upon to my house again, yet it is vampire free. No lights, except in the living room. I rush in with my dripping axe and see my friend, sitting there. He looks as if he is about to turn into a vampire.

"She left me, Alex. She left me. Just decided that it was all done and would send me papers in the mail. She wanted to go to Europe and model. Just. . .left. How. . ." He trailed off, quietly.

I don't know what to do. I hear the screams of the dead reverberating through the forest. They are closer. An axe, a divorcee, and 20 vampires heading my way.

He looks up from the floor, tears streaming down his face.

"What do I do, Alex?"

Suddenly I feel selfish. Here is my best friend in the lowest moment of his life and all I can think about is saving the world from these blood-sucking vultures. That is selfish, right?

At this point I wake up. I don't shoot out of bed, just casually open my eyes and think, "What the hell?"

Looking to update my resume. A lot of new additions but I need pro help.

Get the word out! It's time

It's gone unnoticed long enough. It's time we step up and address the problem. Check the link, donate yourself, help a friend or family member. It's a lot closer than you think.

http://www.fightthenewdrug.org/index.cfm

My life and 4 years of college have boiled down to a 12x15 room with no closet.

Guest Blogger this week: Jeff Morgan
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Weekly Guest Blogger: Jeff Morgan

Jeff Morgan grew up in the land of Logan, Utah. You will see from his entry that he has some things to say about lifestyles of, well you will just have to read it.


"Sometimes, the Closet is the Safest Place to Be"

What does it mean you drive through downtown Salt Lake in early summer and all you can see is rainbows, colorful balloons, topless men and women, and drag queens?  Salt Lake City Pride Festival is going on.

I was in Salt Lake while this happened, and while I didn’t participate in any of the activities, it gave me a lot to think about.  I think seeing it all kind of re-enforced my thoughts that gays are kind of crazy.

Here’s the thing:  They want social change, right?  They want equal rights?  I don’t know if they realize this or not, but they aren’t impressing anyone when they hold their yearly festival that is supposed to be family friendly and supposed to raise awareness of LGBT issues, but they walk around in their underwear (sometimes placed on their head like a 5-year old) or dressed as a Las Vegas showgirl (generally men doing this).  How can anyone take them seriously at their protests and rallies when at all of their other public appearances, they are dressed like slutty clowns?

Watch the beginning of this to see what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r44HrMUM8oY

Another thing I don’t think they realize:  Putting down the dominant cultures beliefs is not going to help create change.  We all know what I’m talking about.  The LDS church.  

I understand some gays are angry with the church.  They feel as though they’ve been lied to.  They don’t like the role the church played in Prop 8, and continue to play in other LGBT politics.  They are angry that some of their family members abandoned them when they came out, and the reason behind the abandonment has to do with religious beliefs.  I understand.  I really do.

That being said, the church and its members don’t like being put down and made fun of and told they are wrong any more than the gays like being called faggots or queers, or being told they aren’t born that way and they just aren’t faithful enough to change; that if they really wanted to, they could overcome it.

The only way social change will really occur is to be understanding.  Everyone needs to be more understanding.  For social change to occur in Utah, the church and the gays need to be more understanding of each other (and if I might say so, I feel that the church is trying harder to be more understanding than the gays).  The church has a stance on homosexuality that cannot be fundamentally changed because it is based on the doctrines of eternal marriage.  Eternal marriage, according to LDS teachings, is essential because it allows a husband and wife to become like God in the next life and part of that is eternal procreation.  This can’t physiologically happen between members of the same sex.  It’s an unchanging doctrine of the LDS church.  

The gays feel shunned from the church.  Many of them have found happiness in the church to some degree, but as they came out, they became alienated.  Many of them tried to fight it for years, only to sink into utter depression.  Out of desperation, they chose to live a life of “sin”: trying to find love with someone they can be with for the rest of their lives.  They were continually rejected by members of the church and members of society.  They were pushed so far that they grew to hate the church that helped raise them.

The church/members see gays as vile sinners (committing the sin next to murder) that are living a filthy lifestyle filled with illicit sex, drinking, and Lady GaGa.  Gays see Mormons as uptight, narrow-minded religious zealots that are out to get them.  I think these thoughts are true to a degree, but only because these groups have decided it would be this way.  If both groups can shift their thoughts to a more understanding point of view, I believe social change will occur.  If the church can really look at how its actions have caused so much hurt and heartache to the LGBT community, learn from that, and move forward in a direction of understanding (ie. No more political involvement, teaching members to love everyone regardless of lifestyle changes, etc.), the LGBT community will be more willing to work with them.  Conversely, if the LGBT community will be forgiving, loving, and helpful to the LDS church and its members, remembering that the church has an unchanging doctrine on homosexuality and that they meant no harm in their actions, they will feel less resistance from the LDS community.  

I really do believe this.  I won’t be surprised if people disagree with me.  I don’t really care though.  I think it will probably make some people angry, even.  If this were to go anywhere and get any attention, I could see some LGBT individuals getting upset and saying that I don’t understand their position.  To them, I would like to say this:  I understand.  I was raised LDS.  I’m an openly gay man.  I want social and political change.  I just believe that if that is going to happen, we have to stop this stupid mudslinging game.  Let’s all put the past in the past, move into the future, and treat each other with dignity.

Oh, and one more thing.  Stop acting crazy.  Both sides.

I am sorry for the layout. I accidentally hit classic template.

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The Lockout Continues!!!!! Read my rebuttal.

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The Lockout Continues!

Here is my take on the lockout, Mr. Jeff. Also, I have reached my 1,000 page viewing. Thank you for supporting my nonsense!

My take on the lock out is parallel of what Mr. Crowther thinks. It’s absurd, stupid, moronic, ignorant, stupid, and just plain stupid. I wish I could grab ahold of Kevin Durant and slap him across his stupid face. Here is what he said in the NY Times when talking about revenue and revenue sharing:

"We're going to stand up for what we have to do, no matter how long it's going to take.”

What does that mean? Does that mean that the league is wrong for taking some of the money of the players to try and give others who actually WORK for a better chance at a more substantial living? Is it wrong to try and lower ticket sales amongst other financial charges around the league?

 

With last year’s big free agency ordeal, over 20 owners of NBA teams lost money. This was because players like LeBron James thought he needed more money because he’s so good. The only thing he needs is a bigger headband to cover his large forehead. I mean, is he going for the black Bret Michaels look here? Hey LeBron, instead of asking for more money, finish a game and earn the money you’re already making. Do any of these players deserve raises?  I’m sure some of them are hard workers on the court and really do deserve a big paycheck. I can think of a few, but amongst the hundreds of players, those are good odds. I am dumbfounded that these players are striving so hard to get more money while EVERYONE around them loses.

Owners want to reduce the players’ guaranteed basketball revenue by less than 3%, which will amount to around $500 million over the next five years. To those players with their large salaries and even some product contracts, this will be just a tiny thing for them. Nothing more than a 1-yard desert in an oasis of money.

As Jeff pointed out, those losing are the people who never make it to the camera (besides the court-cleaning boys) and they have to depend on this money all year round. The players only get paid from November 13 through April 30, so they won’t be missing out on any money. Heaven forbid that some of the most powerful people in the entrainment industry give up less than 1% of their fortune to help people who are already struggling during a crappy economy. Does anyone else find it funny that in one year we have a lockout in the NBA, NFL, and a debit deficit debacle? I am tired of these lazy, good-for-nothing ninnies complaining about only have four cars while their neighbor has five. Holy cow that must be SO hard.

But this isn’t a political issue. This shouldn’t even BE an issue!

NBA players, remember when the game was fun? Remember when you played for the passion? For the fans?

We do. We do.

Jeff Crowther hits on the lighter side of sports.
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Check it out, a new post!

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Hooray a Lockout!

Mr. Jeffrey Gordon Crowther and myself have decided that we should go into business together. That business, you might ask? Well, it's the business of awesome. And a few smart-ass remarks against the other person.


What we want to do is  chat about what we know best. Sports. I know, you were probably thinking relationships or glitter toes but maybe we will save that for another blog. It is basically a point, counter-point type scenario, but for the first one we will both agree on one thing: Lockouts are really cool for the sporting world.

Here is what Jeff has to say:

Professional sports are a joke of a business. Every deal they make to continue
playing is just a postponement of another lockout. The way these leagues are ran
and organized is pathetic in my mind and it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.

The players union is ridiculous and needs to be done away with. Take for example
the NBA. If I were David Stern, I would say fine, we will find other players to play if
you don’t want to play under our rules. Go over to Europe and find somewhere else
to play basketball. They don’t have to play in the NBA if they don’t feel like they are
getting treated fairly.

I am not rooting for the owners in this situation either. Owners need to realize
that it’s a business. Unless you own the Lakers, it’s not a great business to have.
It’s more of a status for billionaires to own a professional sports team. If you are
expecting to make the revenue from the Milwaukee Bucks like you did from your
real estate empire, guess again! I think the owners should do just that. Own their
team. Take care of it, hire and fire people and do what owners do. They don’t need
a say in what goes down with the next collective bargaining agreement, and neither
do the players.

David Stern is the commissioner. He needs to form a group, or a governing body,
or some type of organization that can decide what is best for the NBA. If the owners
don’t like their decisions, they can sell their team and someone else can buy it. If the
players don’t agree with the rules, Lithuania awaits you! Heck, enjoy some vacation
while playing over in Europe. What I am tired of is both owners and players arguing
over billions of dollars saying it’s not fair for their side. They don’t have to play
in the NBA and they don’t have to own a professional sports team. This sense of
entitlement is un-American and is what plagues our nation today.

What the real problem is with these lockouts is that how many people behind the
scenes are losing money because of these morons. The front office workers who
get cut hours because there is nothing for them to do, the professional trainers who
can’t even meet with a player during a lockout, the facility managers who are left
to dry because there are no summer training camps are the ones that are suffering.
The people who actually need the money are the ones being spat on by these silly
lockouts. I pray that college athletes never get paid because then eventually they
will form a union and then we will have a lockout in the only thing worth watching
nowadays, college sports.



My point will come later in the weekend. Will you be surprised by what I have to say? Probably not.

Job interview tomorrow. There are 24 people interviewing for the job....ugh.

Hmmm

I was thinking today if it is worth it to continue my stories on my blog or not. No one really looks at this. Maybe its time to give up on that dream, eh? If I can get 5 people to express interest in the continuation of this, I will keep on keepin on.

If Facebook were to shut down tomorrow, I would invest in ear plugs. I don't want people coming up and screaming in my face, "Do you like this?! Do you?!

The beginnings of an assassin:

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The beginnings of Dante Boromi and his assassin..ness? http://ping.fm/sj24U

Autobiography of an Assassin - The Beginnings Part 1

Long title I know...I'll get more creative later. :)

One might picture my childhood as something a little horrific. That is partially correct. Although I grew up a normal child for the first years of my life, that normality ceased to exist. Due to certain events early on, I matured quicker than any child should have to as adversity spat in the face of my family.

To begin, I was born in New York City in 1895. My father and mother were Italian immigrants and my father wanted to experience the "American Culture" and try to embrace it, though to no avail. He wanted his life of deep, religious fervor and raise me in the customs of his country. He was very devoted to Catholicism and loved to preach and so my mother, enamored by the American lifestyle but loving my father too much to stay behind, spoke to him of missionary efforts in Asia. Many of her friends had visited areas around Beijing and eastern China to bring religion to those parts of the world. My father, delighted by her encouragement to serve, agreed to make the journey and preach the word of the Lord.

I remember naught of the journey. It is a blur in my aged mind. When we arrived, we lived a days walk outside Beijing in what was the small village of Yanquig. The beginning of our sojourn through Eastern China was quiet and humble, yet with no success. The people of China did not like western culture. It was a sin, imperfect, and they were taught by their religion, if they embraced the iniquitous ideals and philosophies, they would surely suffer, not just in the life to come, but in this one, as well. Thus began the Boxer Rebellion.

The hatred of the west was not the only reason for the uprising but also that China was being forced by western leaders to import opium which had caused widespread addiction. Those who feared the country was beginning to be carved by western tools, rose up and fought. At first, only small skirmishes dotted the land. But over the next five years it turned into constant bloodshed. After the conversion of a prominent Buddhist temple to be used by Christians, the Imperialist army decided to join the Boxers. Soon, there was a widespread massacre of missionaries and Chinese Christians. The battle came to our small village and with it, death.

To avoid bloodshed, my family slipped out in the late hours of the night. Imperialists were camped all throughout the small town and its borders. Our payment of passage was to take us through the river and to the surrounding forests. I remember the water being cold, but I knew nothing of the true, penetrating numbness I would soon feel.

We were a small group of just eight people. We made our way down the small river, past the outskirts of the town and made for the surrounding forests. We approached the line of trees and stopped abruptly. Our guide whispered for us to hold still. I can still remember the sound to this day. Incoherent in any situation, yet as loud as an exploding star in my ears. The sound of the arrow whizzed right into my mothers chest in an explosion of dark drops of what could only be blood. Screaming and panic soon followed. The men poured out of the trees, seeking no accord but taking the lives of the innocent with no remorse.

My father sparred no time in our escape. My mother was dead as soon as her body made the agonizing thump on the ground. I don't know how my father managed to escape. I was six years old. My mother was dead and I remember nothing. I was too entranced by the face that was fixed one me. She was dead, yet her stare was as alive as we were.

All I do remember was gaining passage on a small boat back to Italy. We were physically exhausted and our souls wracked with immeasurable pain and sorrow for the loss of my mother. I never cried once. Anger, resentment, guilt of leaving her behind is what filled me. As we drifted on the boat, the water seemingly endless as my agony, my father pulled a paper out of his pocket. It was a newspaper clipping my father had gathered sometime during our stay in China. His look was was stone cold and emotionless.

"Son, I want you to remember this face," as he handed me the clipping.

I opened up the paper and peered at the portrait of the man staring at what seemed to be only at me.

"That is the face of the man who killed your mother. Remember it well."

I still do.

You might think my writing is pointless and droll, but that means we shouldn't be friends. Go vote! http://ping.fm/pfPbM

New story! You can vote on which one you want me to continue writing, or both I guess. http://ping.fm/QuFCg

Z-Day

March 21, 2012

It's Z-day plus, well it's has been over a year at least. Guess the Mayans were kinda close. I am trying to look back into my journal entries to see how many days have gone by but I just don't care. I am tired, worn out, almost ready to give up. Positive thing though, at least I haven't heard one of those ambitious bastards pounding on our doors for a few days now. You hear the pounding at first and it scares you, then it turns into ambient noise, then you get so damn annoyed by them you just go out and put a few bullets in as many as you can, which in turn draws more towards you. I've become an excellent marksman to say the least.

I fear that these might be the last few days for me. Z-day came and continues to trudge forwards, eating up (literally) everyone in its path. There were more of us but, they were a lot more stupid than I was. There are four of us held up in this isolated cabin we now call home. I was hypothetically prepared for this day. My friends and I had played every game, went over every scenario in our heads, and read too many books to count on zombies. It was just for fun but who knew it would turn into something like this, something real. Damn zombies.

I kept journal entries over the past year or so of the people I have met, tried to save, tried to kill me, who I tried to kill, and who I successfully killed. Wow, that was a mouthful wasn't it? I figured zombie killing was easy. Not even close. One thing I have found out though; bullets will fade away, but machetes, swords, or really big knives last a lifetime. You just gotta sharpen them on some bones once in a while. They do the job. A nice 9-iron will do the trick if you wanna gain some space, too. Be careful of your slice though.

Humor is all we have at this point, and food. We stocked up to the brim on our stops on the way up to the cabin. I wasn't dumb. Others, I can't say the same for them. We're cozy for now. More of them keep appearing, which is weird considering how isolated we are. It has to be a smell issue. That's all we've been able to figure out. All I know is that the days are getting longer but life expectancy is growing shorter. Just a few more weeks and we should be home free.

Man, these things are annoying.

Guest Blogger #2 Jeffery Taylor - Nintendo Time

Jeffery Taylor is first and foremost a human being. Secondly, he's the greatest author-artist-musician-baker-paleontologist-customer service representative-quality assurance specialist-freight crew worker-carnie-lover hybrid the world has ever sseen. He lives with his cat Grumpy (9) and his fiancee, Randi, in their exquisite apartment situated amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown Logan, Utah, where Jeffery studies English at Utah State University.

...and he can't stand the sound of a child's laughter.

His rant will come in 3 parts about the E3 conference, first up: Nintendo

"This week marked the 16th annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) video game conference in Los Angeles, California. This trade show is considered the premiere video game convention within the industry, and as such, often features reveals of the newest software titles and hardware in development. 

This week was no exception.

Nintendo – Nintendo started their conference on Tuesday with an orchestra playing music from The Legend of Zelda to commemorate the series' 25th anniversary. Franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto took the stage alongside his translator to let us know that a Zelda game was coming out for all of their current hardware. First, on the 3DS, Nintendo launched a digital shop similar to the Virtual Console on their Wii system where users could download retro games like original Gameboy and Gameboy Color games, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening being the first game available for download. I played this game when it was originally released in 1993 and loved every minute of it. If I h ad a 3DS, I would have a definite interest in this. Coming out next week on the 3DS is the 3D remake of 1998's Ocarina of Time, one of the highest-rated games of all time. Again, I would love to play this, but $300 to play a Nintendo 64 game at this point seems a bit frivolous to me.

Coming to Dsi in the fall is the Legend of Zelda Four Swords, available as a free title downloaded through Dsi ware. I thought that was interesting. A new Four Swords was one of the first titles announced back when the original DS was first announced. Years later, it's finally finished, and it's free? Sounds like a tech demo that never went anywhere to me, but hopefully it's as fun as the original and manages to improve upon its predecessor. Finally, Miyamoto announced that the next Wii Zelda, Skward Sword, would be out by the holidays. I wasn't originally impressed with what I saw of SS (more waggle, ugh), but after hearing that Miyamoto said if it wasn't the best Zelda yet, the franchise would be shelved, I find my interest piqued. Is the Nintendo shelf like the Disney vault?

Nintendo president Satoro Iwata next took the stage to show off some 3DS footage. Iwata invited Reggie Fils-Aime upon the stage to announce specific titles, all of which seemed to be coming by the end of the year. First up was Mario Kart 3DS, which featured new mechanics which saw the inclusion of air and sea travel. Next up was Mario proper, which looked to use the 3D for some interesting platforming mechanics. Also shown were Kid Icarus: Uprising and Lugi's Mansion 2 (there was no release date mentioned on this one.) Finally, Reggie announced some classic titles redone in 3D such as Excitebike, and a 3DS Pokedex.

On to what everyone was waiting for: the reveal of the Wii's successor, the Wii U (really?) This system brings Nintendo into the HD era, with a system that rivals (if not exceeds) the capabilities of their competitors. Nintendo focused mostly on the controller, which features a 6.2” touch screen, in addition to a number of face buttons, and two circle pads, Nintendo's take on analog sticks this go round. I find it funny and kind of sad that many people apparently thought the control was simply a peripheral for the current Wii. Nintendo didn't even show the image of the new console until after the conference. Weird. Besides the tech demo stuff using the new iPadesque control, Nintendo showed a reel of footage of upcoming games, which apparently was taken from footage of 360 and PS3 games. All in all, this presser was a sight better than 2008's infamous vitality sensor presentation. Nintendo is vowing hardcore 3rd party support, but we've heard those promises before for both the Wii and the GameCube, so we'll see. 

I'll wait and suspend my judgment until I get my own grubby hands on it."


Check out the link up above in the title to get the full recap of everything!

Guest Blogger: Jeffrey Gordon Crowther

Mr. Jeff Gordon (the original) is from Malad, Idaho. Growing up in a small town, he had a lot of time to throw alley-oops to myself as well as burn a lot of inanimate objects. His motto in high school was "nard, or nothing." Women have never been able to keep their eyes, or hands, off of him but sorry ladies, he's taken. He currently resides in St. George, Utah with his lovely wife Karissa, is an avid follower of anything sports, and is known as the second hairiest man in the nation. His post today is about the corruption and evil that is beginning to seep down from professional sports through the cracks onto the collegiate level. I present to you:

Future Path of NCAA: Destiny or Demise?

By Jeffrey Crowther

The love of money is the root of all evil.  For the NCAA that root has sprouted and grown into a tree so huge that it provides a shady atmosphere across the whole country.  From Southern California to Connecticut, there is a growing darkness that many of us college sports fans aren’t sure if we want to shine a light upon what has been occurring in the underground of our beloved pastime. 

The most recent bombshell at Ohio State University really symbolizes the state of college sports.  One of the most prominent football schools in the nation has an infestation of NCAA violations that have been going on for almost a decade.  The leader of their team, Coach Tressel, had an image so squeaky clean that he was nicknamed the, “Senator.”  The distortion of that image was so shockingly different to the true visual of this coach that it now brings up the question of, who else is cheating?  Do we really want to know? Do we want to destroy the record books for this past decade?  We already have one national title vacated.  If we look further into this box of Pandora’s, will we wish that we hadn’t?  With all its’ complexities and endless debates, this situation comes down to what is right, and what is wrong? 

            Terrelle Pryor is not a criminal.  Reggie Bush is not a criminal. Coach Tressel is probably an upstanding man that has helped so many people over the years.  Is that our standard nowadays? If you’re not breaking the law then it’s okay?  The law shouldn’t have to dictate our college sports nor our personal lives. Can there not be a higher standard to live by?  When going to college it is referred to as higher learning.  Shouldn’t all of the students be receiving that higher learning without the exception of athletes?  With all the good that Coach Tressel has done for so many student athletes, it is feared that he has done more harm.  As a college sports coach, mentor is one of the most important callings that fall under their umbrella of responsibility.  These coaches are mentoring the future of America.  Bending the rules and making the exceptions are exactly what we see in our politics, business, and many other areas of our country.  How many graduating classes of student-athletes have been taught that because they can perform on the field, the rules off the field don’t apply?    The increasing frequency and intensity of the NCAA violations leads one to believe that the field of college sports is being overtaken with weeds.  The nation and the NCAA now face a monumental, defining fork in the road.  Do we sweep these NCAA violations under the rug by getting rid of them, and thus allowing college athletes to get paid? Or do we hold onto the prestige of integrity that the NCAA once boasted?

            A recent poll on espn.com revealed that the nation was split right down the middle on whether or not college athletes should get paid.  50% said yes and 50% said no.  The NCAA can take a stand or it can go with the flow.  It is pretty obvious by now that to take a stand against these NCAA violations, the NCAA needs a complete overhaul similar to the actions of Major League Baseball against the use of steroids.  Doing so will result with some ugly consequences as we can see in MLB and it’s record book full of asterisks.  National Titles, trophies, and records could be lost but the integrity gained. 

Eyes will be watching the near future decisions of the NCAA.  The house built on integrity is on fire. Do they let it burn to the ground or do they fight to put it out? They can’t sit back on their rocking chair made of gold anymore.  As this fire of immorality continues to sweep across the horizon of college sports, the NCAA will choose. 

Autobiography of an Assassin

I present to you my first installment of something I hope to be great. Please enjoy.               

                 I write this by the candlelight in the stillness of the night. The darkness is overwhelming. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know who to tell, and I can’t push away the demons that have haunted me these many years. This candle, even though it emits light, its warmth I cannot feel.

                 I have no regrets. I have no desire to change the past from anything I have done. Not only do I choose not to, I cannot change the things I have done. They are done and if it is forgiveness I need to seek, the only person I can ask forgiveness of is God, if he will even listen to me. I am certain he has left me in the void, in the deep recesses of my mind that plague me even now. There is no escape from the things I have done, only embrace, only acceptance.

                There was a time in life where I had many friends. When I was younger, popularity followed me wherever I was.  Anything I tried, I excelled at. Even though friends came and went, they at least came. That has ceased now and I haven’t seen a friendly face in years. Any friends I did have, are now long gone; either taken by the conditions of life or by the realization of the malevolent desires and iniquity that was always present around me. This candle is my only friend now.

                I have seen the world! OH how I have seen this world! There are parts of this earth that people can’t even imagine that I have witnessed with my own eyes. Spectacular images that bring even the toughest brigand to his knees. Things that make a person take a step back and realize there has to be a god, which these things are not a victim of circumstance, evolution, or some theory. The beauty I have beheld can only be that of the Almighty, the same Almighty that I soon go to see.

                This beauty continues to fade farther and farther away from me and I can no longer enjoy the creations of God.  My mind only harbors the scourge of faces I have seen taken from this life. They are the faces of sympathetic disappointment and lament. If they had voices, I am sure the howling would drive me to the brinks of insanity. I know this because these are the faces of the people I have killed. It was I who robbed them of the joys of life and in their eyes, no revenge burns against me. Instead it is pity that burns, and it wrenches my soul.

                My name is Dante Boromi.

                I am an assassin.  

Autobiography of an assassin
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Big things coming our way!

OK peoples, here it is. The big news. The biggest stuff you have witnessed since OJ Simpsons was acquitted of his crimes.

Over the next 2-4 days, I will be posting 2 different stories. I want you to pick one you like better and what you wanna read more about and I will pick that story and turn it into a 10-part series over the next 3 months. I am excited about this because I think it might kick start my writing in the right direction.

Remember, though, these are just short qualifying stories. They won't be too long but just enough to hopefully get the ball rollin.

After each story, comment on it. Let me know what you like or don't like and i'll take all things into consideration. Thank you for your help. For those of you who think this is stupid and silly, please defriend me from Facebook and all will be well.

Alex Jenkins

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Does anybody know of any good writing jobs or writing freelance gigs?

Let us all complain about gas

We all complain about the gas prices. Why not? It’s a totally legitimate thing to do right now and for a few days, I thought there was relief ahead. Crude oil is back up to $114 a barrel. I figured America would be able to breathe easy and establish their old day-to-day routines. I was mistaken I guess. The war in Libya has really set things back. There was hope on the horizon before issues flared up over there. Crude oil was beginning to see a decline in price. Obama even said it would only be a matter of “days not weeks.” When has it ever been a matter of days? Nothing comes to mind.

But how many of us actually know what is going on? Americans complain, but the complaints to deeper than what we see on the surface. Here are just a few examples:

Meals on Wheels: Unfortunately with having the fill up their tanks, the exasperating amount paid to do so has caused them to step back and go even more fast food on people. The company has now had to remedy their problem by delivery frozen dinners. “All the convenience of the frozen aisle without the hassle of Wal-Mart weirdos.”

Shop no More: This is one of the biggest ones. I wish people would realize that when gas goes up, everything goes up. Stores are having to charge more money for simple things from milk and bread to shoes and other types of clothing. Wal-Mart, Target, and even the glorious Taco Bell have had to raise their expenses because delivery is getting too much. How do you think local businesses fare? I’m sure you can see for yourself.

Gas Delivery: Just in the last year, the average amount spent on gas delivery to gas stations around the country has rise from $25,000 to $39,000 per year. These owners now have to recover from issues like rent, salaries, and other factors that go into this competition. Needless to say, business is slow.

No more sick, no more fun: In the past 6 months, there has been almost $6 billion in sick leave/vacation days NOT taken. People are working more, stressing out more, seeing family less, and are now seeing the effects taking place. People are going into work sick when they should be home resting. And it’s not just cold sick, it is issues where they could probably see a doctor. People can’t afford to be sick or go on vacation now.

Small and irritating things: Change can be simple or hard. When it comes in the form of getting rid of every day-to-day habit you have acquired, it's hard. The high price of gas has caused people to reformulate their most simple habits in life: savings, entertainment, home improvement costs, eating, and even going to kids sporting events. Missing your kids sporting event?!?! Are you kidding? Lucky for me my high school days saw a price of just over $1.50/gallon.

And so the government continues to turn down domestic energy options. They don’t want to create more jobs for Americans. Why? Well just this year the economy grew at an annual rate of only 1.8%, which is much higher than anticipated. The reason for this is we keep getting squeezed by gas prices and that’s how it will continue to grow. How that works, I don’t know. I’m not an economist but it seems to me that the longer this goes on, the worse we will continue to fall down the ladder of morality.

It is a moral issue too. Trust me. Politicians are corrupt. The leaders of the oil companies are crooked and dishonest.

What does our future hold?

A gun?