Random Ramblings and other Non-Sense

Hi-Point JCP 40 S&W review

2013-03-10T09:09:00.000-05:00

Hi-Point gets some pretty bad press in the mainstream, hardcore gun forums. I think this is sad, and mainly stems from an elitist view. I've found that the more someone pays for a gun, the more extreme they become in justifying the huge chunk of change they plopped down. I can understand if you shoot 1,000 rounds a month, or completion shoot, the bells and whistles (and quality) of the higher priced guns might be worth the cost. However, for just a sidearm for the woods, or a home protection piece, this Hi-Point is all the gun you would ever need.

First of all, this is not going to be an in-depth review. I'll let the experts do that, this is a common mans review. I have shot guns since I was 5 years old, and have experience with Rifles, Shotguns, and handguns. But I'm no expert, I'm just the common man. So I'll make this short and sweet.

I want to cover one thing before I start. Hi-Points may be cheap, but they DO come with a lifetime warranty. So if you ever do break it, or wear it out, just send it in, and they'll fix it, or send you a new one. In fact, let me quote it for you.

"Damage, age, and plain old wear and tear—these things happen. When they do, Hi-Point customers enjoy a lifetime, no questions asked warranty. And lifetime means just that— free repairs for the life of the gun, whether you are the first owner, or the third. That service is fast, friendly and expertly performed. Your Hi-Point will be back in action, good as new, in no time."

I can't say how many times I've heard Taurus owners tout the lifetime warranty as the reason to buy a Taurus, but no one seems to point that out with the Hi-Point. In fact, when I bough the gun, the girl behind the counter tried hard to push me to a Taurus, and that was one of her biggest selling points. She didn't even mention that the Hi-Point had a lifetime warranty also, I'm not sure she even knew.

So, to get to it. When I decided it was time to buy a new handgun I went around to all the local shops to see what was out there, I handled quite a few guns. To be honest I settled on the Hi-Point for one main reason, it felt the best in my hands of all the guns I looked at. It just fit right. Also I had owned a Hi-Point 9mm before, so I didn't have any negative preconceived notions against it. It was also the cheapest 40 they had, and was brand new. It was cheaper then even any of their used guns.

Now, about the gun itself... Some think it's ugly, but it's the kind of ugly that grows on you. This isn't some eye-candy type of gun, it's plain and simply a brick. That shoots. It's also heavy as hell, and large. This is one hefty gun. This is due in large to the insane 4.5" barrel, this as about long as you get from a run of the mill semi-auto. A 1911 .45 does come with a 5" barrel, but that also is a massive semi-auto. What that should mean is this gun is more accurate to a much longer distance then your average auto. And I've read some reports from "expert" shooters that they have in fact found this to be true. I'm not a good enough shot to either confirm or deny this. The plus side is that if you run out of bullets you can hit them over the head with it, or throw it at them and do some damage. It also means is THIS IS NOT A CONCEALED CARRY GUN. While I'm sure a large person, in bulky clothes, could carry this as a CC piece, to be honest it's too heavy and large to be a good candidate for CC. Now throw it in your glove box, or under the seat, and that would be just fine. Also at home is perfect, but I'm not ever going to try and carry this monster as a CC. I'm of medium build, and I also must say it's not a great one-hand shooter either, just to heavy. I mean it does OK, but I wouldn't want to shoot it all day one-handed. But it's a great two-hand piece.

The sights are easy to see, thanks to the day-glow markings. It also seems to come up naturally aligned for me. Without trying, wherever I point it I'm already pretty close to lined up, the front sight is right there and just needs a little adjusting before firing off the shot. Some guns seem to be setup well this way for me, some aren't. I've read of others with the same observation of this Hi-Point, so I don't think it's just me . The rear sight is also fully adjustable, I'm still trying to get mine dialed in better, out of the box it shot low and to the left. I made some quick adjustment at the range with a borrowed screwdriver, and got it closer, but I noticed last time I had it at the range it's still a little low and to the left. That's my fault, not the guns, I just need to work on the sights more. I'm still trying to figure out if it's the sights, or me jerking slightly left when I fire.

I've fired several hundred rounds down range with this gun so far, without a single failure. I've got two clips, and neither clip has dropped while firing, or caused any type of jam. The recoil is firm but expected and very manageable. The weight of the gun helps some with recoil. I have no problems staying on target, even under rapid fire situations, and I'm no sharp shooter. The safety is a little cheesy to me, as it's a slide up lever instead of a button, and honestly LOOKS cheap, but it works well, and is easy to get to one handed. It is in a very comfortable place for me, and once I got used to it, it's really a pretty clever design. It serves three purposes. First it's a safety, and will prevent the pin from firing, second it's a slide lock and prevents the slide from being worked while the gun is on safety third it's also is the slide lock for when the slide is open. The down side is that there is no way to un-chamber a round while the safety is on. So if you have a round in the chamber, the only way to extract the round is to take the gun off safety and cycle the slide. However the gun does have a magazine safety and cannot be fired with the magazine removed. So if you wish to manually eject a round, for any reason other then a miss-fire, remove the magazine first On a side note, if the clip is removed the chambered round will most of the time fall out the bottom of the gun through the magazine hole instead of side ejecting. But this in not uncommon with semi-autos, just very common with his gun.

The last piece of info I wish to share is the magazine release, it's in a great location, easy to get to without even looking and works very well. But I do wish to point out, both the safety and magazine release are setup for right hand shooters, and they don't make a left hand model. Just FYI.

Facebook Post turned blog....

2012-10-11T02:28:00.001-05:00

**Started out as a Facebook post, but it got a life of it's own and outgrew the narrow confines of Facebook, so pasted it here. I miss Myspace and the blog type atmosphere it use to have. Facebook has become twitter pro, just little tidbits, but no real meat.**

Since the day I moved out of my parents money has always been in short supply. Many times I wasn't sure where I was sleeping that night, or where I would be when the sun rose....or as was often the case...set. But somehow in my life I manged to only have to live in my car for two nights. I never went hungry, I always had clean clothes, and I always had what I needed, if not always what I wanted. Once Race was born, I always had a home, it may have changed, but I always, always had a place that was mine. Most of my good fortune goes back to the fact that no matter what, I always had a job. Maybe it was McDonald's, and maybe it changed from week to week, but I always worked. I have been on unemployment twice, both times I quit when I found a job that paid more then the unemployment. I'm not dissing unemployment, just saying I always made sure I had what I needed to get by. Once I had a family, I always made sure I had enough to provide for them too, and make sure if they didn't always have what they wanted, we had what we needed. And a little of what they wanted, when we could.

I look around me now, and I have stuff, I have niceish things. It might not always be new, or pretty, but it works. I buy my xbox games 2 years late, when they are under $10, I shop for my clothes at Wal-mart, and if I own a big ticket item, I didn't by it new, and I didn't pay but about 1/10 of what it cost when whomever owned it first bought it. But yet I can't complain, I wouldn't have it any other way. I had lived the life of not knowing, and I wouldn't have traded it for the world, but once I had others to take care of, that was not longer an option. In all things I endeavored to make sure there was a roof over our heads, food on our table, heat and water, clean clothes, and little worry that these things would go away. In fact, somehow I always equated stable with everything being ok, I guess in my own way it was showing love. Not that it translated well that way, but meh.... it is what it is. And I am who I am.

And now with no one here, no one to provide for, no one to take care of... I'm kinda lost. At the end of a work day I could say "That sucked, but I'm doing it for a great reason. I have those at home depending on me." Now when I try to tell myself that it rings hollow in my ears.

Now, I'm not going to go back to my old ways, I have two amazing sons who I'm sure don't want to live in daddies car when they come to visit, but I can't help but feel lack of purpose now... Maybe I should get a cat....or 3..... LOL Seems I have written a novel here, and it went astray, I was just musing and rambled a bit. Times like this I miss old Myspace, I enjoyed writing down my thoughts and sharing them. You never know how something will ring true with another. Back in those days every post was a novel, and may of the users were writers at heart, and poets. You don't see that on Facebook. Twitter,Facebook, and text messages have taught us that life can be summarized in small little tidbits of thought. So constricting, so limiting, so small. It's amazing sometimes how as we've all grown more connected, we also become more distanced. We all want to see and touch the lives of others, but just for a sentence or two. Welcome to the new world I guess. I'll cliff note on Facebook some, but as for my real life, I guess it will have to live here. If it lives anywhere at all.

Wow, ramble on wayward son!

Random Journey's With Autism : Logan's Obsession

2012-08-26T13:29:00.001-05:00

A post over on our new Blog about our son...

Random Journey's With Autism : Logan's Obsession: One of the signs of classic autism is spinning of wheels on toy cars. Logan has always done this and we never realized it was a sign until w...

Random Journey's With Autism : We start our Journey...

2012-08-23T10:23:00.001-05:00

We recently discovered our youngest is Autistic, me and my wife had started a blog we are both authors of to talk about journey.

Random Journey's With Autism : We start our Journey...: Like a growing number of people these days we started to notice that something might not be exactly right with our son's development. He r...

Random Tech Ramblings: 100% CPU usage XBMC in Windows XP and others.

2012-07-26T06:54:00.001-05:00

Child blog post, click on the link so see the full post!

Random Tech Ramblings: 100% CPU usage XBMC in Windows XP and others.: So I recently decided to turn my old desktop, that we didn’t use since the wireless didn’t work anymore, into a HTPC (Home Theater PC). ...

A newbie motorcycle buying/riding guide!

2012-07-15T06:00:00.001-05:00

Child Blog Post, click below to View the Blog!!!!!

Random Motorcycle Ramblings: A newbie motorcycle buying/riding guide!: I have ridden motorcycles since I was five years old. I would not call myself an expert, but I ride well and have ridden a large number of d...

Trying out Live Essentials Writer

2012-07-15T00:43:00.000-05:00

Just trying this out to see how it works! Live Essentials Writer is a tool you can use to write blogs, and it’s free if you have a valid installation of windows.

It seems I can post a picture and have my text be beside it. It took a little work, I had to click on the picture and then in the paragraph section of the ribbon click on the “align text left” then it allowed me to type to the right of the picture. When I first inserted the image I couldn’t type beside it, only under it or on top of it!

Ok, I take that back, when you first insert a picture there is a a format ribbon that opens at the top and allows you to change the layout of the photo’s and text. I hadn’t noticed it the first time I inserted an image. I’m not sure what options change depending on what service you use, I use blogger. When you click on a picture a new option opens up along the top, “Picture Tools” and under that a “Menu” called FORMAT. That takes you to a pretty good amount of picture options.

Something that is currently annoying me is the fact that it keeps reverting back to a much smaller font whenever I add new stuff. So I have to change it back to the font I want. Not a huge deal since I’m just changing the size and not the font itself, but if I was using a custom font it could prove to be somewhat annoying.

Lets see how adding a video works.

Baby Logan can’t Stop Laughing!

This seems to have worked pretty well, you get a special inserting and formatting ribbon for video’s. It’s somewhat more limited then the picture one, but it’s still pretty good. Blogger itself my have these features also, but so far it seems Live Essentials Writer does make things easier to do, and offers a more precise way to put together your blog. Lets see about adding multiple images!

That worked pretty well, I even added a tilt to each just for fun. It

Does seem kind of cramped putting two pictures on the same row. However this is something my wife does on a regular bases, and something I don’t do very often at all. She has her blog set a little wider then I do. But I don’t think I would have any great problems making pictures fit 3 across. Another thing that is kind of nice is the ability to add a watermark to the picture when you put it on the blog, at least if you upload it from your own computer!

Now lets see what this picture gallery option does!

Test Album

VIEW SLIDE SHOW

DOWNLOAD ALL

Well, I have to admit it’s pretty darn awesome! This is one of about 6 layouts you can choose from, the they all are pretty neat! This alone is worth the cost of admission!! Course since this is free software that’s not saying much!! LOL I’m thinking at least for myself I’ll be user Live Essentials Writer for my future blogs!

Random Family Ramblings: Logan and the Terminix Commercial... he can't stop...

2012-04-13T22:27:00.001-05:00

Click to go to the blog!

Random Family Ramblings: Logan and the Terminix Commercial... he can't stop...

Movie Night Thoughts: Blade Runner

2012-04-12T22:32:00.001-05:00

Random Movie Ramblings: Movie Night Thoughts: Blade Runner: Blade Runner sits in my top favorite 5 movies of all time. The list is fluid in exact order, and has had some new additions recently,...

Bobbie Petrino Media Circus..... really?

2012-04-07T01:43:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to figure out lately when the nightly news, news papers, and general main stream news became The Jerry Springer/Nancy Grace shows???? I understand, you have to feed the people what they want, if you don't give them that then you can't keep your job, or have a channel. I just don't understand at what point the public stopped wanting the steak and potatoes of what's going on in the world, and instead just wanted to be fed the fluff and dribble.

I can understand the head coach of a major university team having a motorcycle crash is at least worth a mention on the news. But that's not what we got, we got 5 minutes about the crash, then 15 minutes about motorcycle safety. Never mind the dozens of other motorcycle crashes there have been, just lately, but oh my gosh coach has a wreck, so let's spend the whole news cast on it now.

I don't even care about the "inappropriate relationship", or that he lied to the media about having a girl on the bike with him. I don't give a crap about anyone who lies to the media, heck, I encourage it, the way the media is anymore. He didn't lie to the police, that would be a problem. He didn't lie under oath, like a certain president did. So he didn't tell people he had been having an affair, so what, the only people who's business that is would be his, hers, and his wife's. So he didn't tell his bosses, I wouldn't either. In fact, the only thing I can tell he really did wrong is leaving the scene of an accident.

Now, I'm not saying it shouldn't have been mentioned, maybe deserving 2 minutes if that. On the other hand, if the university didn't look into it, covered it up, or had not acted in the universities, and the states, best interest, then THAT would be news. So if Jeff Long has said he's looking into it, and it seems he is doing so, that should be the end of it till he makes a decision. Now if it seems that decision is against general public opinion, and that the university is allowing a sexual relationship in violation of the university HR polices, then THAT is news.

In fact, as far as the Petrino issue goes, that's the ONLY thing, aside leaving the scene of an accident, he may have done worthy of the news. I don't think personal affairs (no pun intended) are worthy of the news. I understand there is a conduct clause in his contract, but that's between him and his bosses. But if he violated University HR policy, or if she got her current job because of his influence, that's another story. It's still up to the University to decide if he did violated their policies. If it seems he did, and they don't enforce the normal process for situations like this, then THAT is also news worthy. However, if it turns out he didn't violate any policies, or if he did, that he gets the same repercussions as others that have done the same thing, then it's not worthy of anything more then a mention in passing.

I'm somewhat on the fence about the conduct clause, really that's up to his bosses. But they will use public opinion to decide if they will use it to remove Petrino or not. And maybe precedence? I would like to know how they have reacted to others with similar contract in the same situation. That would be news worthy. If this has never happened before for someone with this clause, then I would say they have to follow public opinion. Since it's a public university. If it was a private school, that would be another matter.

Movie Night: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

2011-12-09T08:42:00.001-06:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 I think is the best movie of them all, maybe it's because they've all come into their own, maybe it was the pacing, maybe the action. The special effects where top notch as well, really quite awesome even compared to the previous moves. But whatever it was, this was the best of the bunch. Seems the critics agree across the board as well, and it's rare I ever agree with the critics.

Finally the kids are not kids anymore, and all the sub-plots come to an end, course since it's the last one they had too. All the kids are finally treated as adults, and they fight dirty and hard. If you haven't read the books there are surprises after surprises. They almost waited too long, and the actors all had gotten just a little too much older, but it by no way took away from the movie.

This was by all mean a dark movie, and the series had moved away from being true "kids" stories books ago. It's ruff, it's gritty, most of the actors are dirty and injured somewhat during the whole movie. This movie had a great amount of attitude, and it made for an enjoyable experience. I may even watch it again.

I do wonder how well it would come across to someone who hadn't seen the other movies or read the books. It doesn't spend any time with back story, but just jumps right into the current action. It assumes you already know the story. I think this movie would be 10x better if watched right after the other 7. The amazing thing about this series is that it's the only big budget, blockbuster movie series to feature 8 movies total, all comprising one long story. The closest Epic would be Starwars at 6, and they were made out of order, and the feel and quality from the first three to the last three were vastly different. However I can't say all the Harry Potter movies were perfect either, Part 1 of the Deathly Hollows really let me down, it was far too slow, it feels like 80% of the story and goodness was in part 2, but they had too much for a single movie. So Part 1 got 20% content, and 80% fluff.

Bullying in the modern age....and why kids die.

2011-12-03T16:48:00.001-06:00

Bullying is nothing new. As long as there have been kids bigger then other kids, and as long as there has been kids who needed to make others feel small to make themselves feel big, there has been bullying. I'm not really completely sure if bullying is getting worse, in fact I believe it maybe getting somewhat better then in the past, the difference is how the bullied react as apposed to the past.

Here are some Bullying Statistics you might find interesting. You can follow the link to get the full rundown, but here's a summary. 60% of kids feel bullied, but only 16% of staff at schools feel kids are bullied. Right off the bat we see one of the big problems. Denial by the institutions we send our kids to. The thing is, most bullies have figured out how to do what they do where staff can't see. Out of sight, out of mind. Another problem is many school bullies are not the rough lugs they later become, but in school they are often well liked by the teachers, and are often involved in school sports and other programs. (However the statistics above show they often end up in jail, and even become life time criminals) The staff sees them as outstanding students, but once a teachers back is turned they become monsters.

And the more they get away with it, the more they do it, because they can. They don't pick on just the small, "nerdy" kids, they study the pack and figure out the ones the staff DOESN'T like, and are less likely to believe. Or the ones they can scare to the point they would never tell. The entire school system is prone to ignoring the pleas of "problem" students. When it comes down to the word of the "popular, well liked" student, and the "outcast", who is most often believed? I've seen bullying ENCOURAGED in school by certain staff if it was their star players or students picking on the non-popular kids. Bullies become teachers too, and let it go on under their noses sometimes, it's what they did when THEY were in school and think it's the right of the "upper crust" to keep the "under crust" in it's place.

25% of students felt staff did something when there was bullying, 71% of staff believed they did something. Once again it goes to show just how little the staff of our schools really know and understand what's going on around them. 66% of school shootings have had bullying as a factor. So why has bullying turned so deadly in the last 20-30 years or so??? It's always been there, but why are the bullied now bringing guns to school to settle the score??

The question is a complex one, but one of the main reasons I feel we are seeing an increase in retaliation against bullies and other kids in schools is because of pride and self worth. These aren't a bad thing in and of themselves, but can turn deadly when things are brushed under the rug because it's just "kids". Kids are growing up faster then ever, adults know if they attack other adults there's a chance someone is going to die. But with kids it's assumed it won't get to that point... but why is that??? What makes people think that just because they are kids that they won't try and react as an adult would? Kids are often taking care of themselves now at an early age, having to grow up and learn how to be responsible. Mom and Dad are often at work now, because people just can't live on single incomes anymore. Or even as often, it's a single parent trying to provide like a couple would. Long hours, late nights, and often kids are learning faster, and taking on more at an early age.

In the past, kids who were bullied might try and fight back, till one time they won. Or they might have just taken it, and grown up to be the timid and picked on adult. But the path of just giving in, and letting the bully win is becoming harder and harder for kids to swallow, they have more self worth than that now, and won't live like that. If they can't beat them back with their fist, and if they feel the school or the parents aren't doing anything, they will take care of it themselves. Somehow they will make it stop. However they can. And the next thing you know you have dead bullies. And often others as well, sometimes it's also the kids who stood around and laughed, or just the one's who watched and did nothing who get the busy end of the gun pointed their way. Sometimes it's just random people, because NO ONE helped or did anything to stop the pain. So everyone must pay. Bullying doesn't cause just physical damage, but emotional damage as well. Deep un-healing wounds in some.

The biggest problem is the old school thinking that it's just "kids being kids". It's just simply not that simple anymore, beaten down kids no longer have to stay on the ground eating dirt. It may ruin their own lives, and others as well, but they know they don't HAVE to just take it, if no one else can or will, they can make it stop. They don't have to let someone else make them feel like nothing, make them a laughing stock. They will show them, show them ALL!! And the next thing you know kids are dead.

If schools would just change their thinking it could almost all be avoided. Zero tolerance schools are a good start, but everyone has to make stopping the bullying priority number one. Not even one singe kid should have to live in fear, or should have to be made to feel less then anyone else because of the others ability to "beat them up, or put them down". And if the schools react, and take care of the problems, then no one has to die. They have to be proactive, not every kid is going to report bullying, some will fear retaliation, humiliation, or not being believed. Schools are great about treating students in disrespectful ways, and ignoring what they don't want to deal with.

Parents also need to try and make sure their kids feel safe coming to them with these kinds of things. Parents don't get the chance like teachers do to see it happening, but if your kids are comfortable sharing with you, then they should let you know if this kind of stuff is going on. Sometimes it still may be to embarrassing for the child to admit. Then look for signs of wanting to avoid school, or certain people in school. Depression and sadness could also be hints. If your kid comes to you, or if you suspect, you MUST do something, drastic if need be. If the school won't do anything, pull your kid out of school and demand a review of the board, go to the papers, raise hell. Let your kid know YOU care, even if no one else does, and that it won't be tolerated!!!

And for the 33% of school shootings that AREN'T bullying related? In part you can blame the media, not directly, but indirectly. If a kid is thinking of taking their own life, what better way to be remembered for all time then by going down in a blaze of glory? And they may not have been bullied, but often they are outcast, tormented by other student in other ways then physical, sometimes just by exclusion. Then you add in a broken heart, hurt feelings, rejection, or other extreme emotional pain and there is no telling what crazy stuff a kid might do. Almost all either take their own life directly, or do "suicide by cop". Often after taking as many of their tormentors, or random victims, along as possible.

There isn't much you can do about the emotionally unstable. Almost all teenagers could be considered to fall into the category at one time or another. But you can try and pay as much attention to the triggers of these types of behaviors as possible. You can't stop hurt feelings, and you can't stop teenagers breaking each others hearts, but you can stop the bullying and tormenting. Zero tolerance, even from staff, and a policy of dismissal of any staff that doesn't act on knowledge of possible bullying or tormenting, is a great first step. The best way to make sure people are paying attention is to make sure that not paying attention has too high a cost to risk it. Because in the end it does, for everyone. Unforgivably the death of many kids hasn't been enough cost for the institutions yet, but maybe hitting their wallet would serve better?

From the ashes sometimes Rises the Phoenix

2011-12-01T11:24:00.001-06:00

So many people walk around blind to the truth and brainwashed beyond reason. And far too many walk around claiming to the world how they, and only they, walk in the light, while everything they do cast a shadow across all of mankind. In questions of good and evil, they believe they serve the forces of good, while their actions and all they do sows the seeds of evil.

I walked on the....er... wild side from about 15-27. Aside from murder, theft from individuals, and violent crimes, I've pretty much done it. I was raised very middle class, Christian, and conservative. There is nothing wrong with any of these things, except that all too often it becomes a trap. People seem to start thinking it's the ONLY way, and any other way is wrong, sinful, or criminal. Not that there are not other classes, or views, that do exactly the same thing, but I can only speak to what I know.

My walk "outside" the norms I was raised into really opened my eyes to just how much more there is in the world other then the "truths" I knew and had always been taught. Even though that period of my life was a wild roller coaster ride, I've never regretted a moment of it, or the people I met or the experiences I had, even when they were unpleasant. I've seen the roughest, toughest, most tattoo'd man show the greatest kindnesses I've ever known. Or I've seen those with nothing, give all the have to help another. I've seen those who claim to hate God act more like Christ then any preacher I've ever known. And I've seen the reverse as well.

In my adventures I never harmed another person, except maybe myself at times, is some peoples opinion at least. I never saw any of it as harm, but experiences to help me grow, and expanding of my limited viewpoint. I tried anything that was different, or outside the "norm". I never shied away from any...aids.... in expanding the reality I knew, and tried everything I could get my hands on at least once. If it was a boundary, I crossed it. If it was a wall I climbed it. If it was a door, I opened it. And would do it all again without reservations. All these experiences added up to the person I became, the man I am. And I like this person I am, I'm comfortable in my own skin, and I'm proud of my traveled soul. And I owe it all to throwing away preconceived notions and finding my OWN truths, not another's truths. And the only way to find, is to look EVERYWHERE, if you don't then you haven't looked at all.

I did return more to the values and...calmness... of my early life. I settled down when Race was born, when I was 27. Now my wife says she married "boring" Justin...LOL. She sometimes wishes I still had some of that wild streak, but I'm pretty tame anymore. I sowed my wild oats, and loved every minute of it. But it took too much effort, and was far to hard to be stable while adventuring. Adventuring, and steady work, often conflict. You have to be free to live free, and things like work and money have to take a back seat to the thrill of new experiences, people, and situations. But when you have a family to provide for, the priorities change, at least for me.

I'm still as open minded as ever, and I will always have my broadened horizons. There were nights (it always seemed to be nights) of my life where after the fires died down, I emerged forever a changed person, shaped and tempered by the flames. And maybe a little singed around the edges, but all for the better. Those things changed me forever, and I am now cooled down and molded, but of soft supple steel that can bend and give, not cast of brittle and unmovable iron.

What I've learned in my travels is that there really is no good in black or white, but the world is really best when full of shades of gray. The best place to be is astride the line running down the Yin-Yang, because moving too far from the middle blinds and warps a mind and soul. Some of the greatest evils ever visited upon the earth were done in the name of "good", and some of the most evil intentions have resulted in great "goodness". But once you wander too much from the middle, nothing but pain and misery follow, if not of the one who wandered, then for others, often many others. Sometimes the whole world. All things are best in balance....all things!!!!

I'm not saying my methods would, or even should, work for everyone, or really anyone else. It was my path, and my path alone, even while I shared it awhile with others. Some of those others I've also seen changed and molded by our experiences, and mostly for the better. But it wasn't a path for the weak minded or weak souled, some people are consumed or warped by the flames. You see them sometimes, the broken, the "burned out", the corrupted. Some of the worst become the users, destroyers, the ones we think of as evil, those that have wondered far from the balance. The ones for whom violence is the only answer, or taking what should be others for themselves, the greedy, the lost. Those that climb to the top on the broken backs of others they used up and tossed aside. You see them from the back alleys of the meanest streets, to the offices of wall street, to capitol hill. The warped and lost are not by any means cast to the bottom of society, they also rise to the top..... I often wonder what that says about society as a whole???

Move Night: Super 8

2011-11-25T02:18:00.001-06:00

Maybe it's J.J. Abrams as director, or maybe Steven Spielberg as producer. Maybe it's just brilliantly written, casted, and acted. But this is one of the the best movies I've seen in a very long time. Super 8 is "Stand by Me" meets "The Goonies" meets "The Sandlot". With aliens. I give it a A+. It's your standard coming of age, early teen, "nerdy boy gets hot girl" movie, but with a heart and soul, and characters that move you. Set in 79 it falls story wise after "Stand" before "Goonies" and right around "Sandlot."

The acting in this movie was really great, or once again, maybe just really well directed. There was one scene that will forever stand out for me. It's where Alice is asking Joe how to "play" a Zombie. Then she's looking at him just normal like, and the "zombie" comes over her. She "attacks" him, abet in slow motion, ending with a bite on the neck. Then she draws back and goes back to normal Alice. This almost made the hair stand up on the back of my head, the way her expression slowly changes, and her eyes....it's amazing acting. I think the whole scene was to show off just how good Elle Fanning really is. Since this is a movie, in part, about making a movie, there's another scene they really let her go to town on. It's her first scene in the boys movie, and she's to play the wife. They do a "run through" of the scene, and she just really nails it. You really feel like she's feeling it. Keep an eye out for this girl, she's going places. She's been in quite a bit of films already, but I think she's just coming into her own now.

Not to say the other actors, kids as they might be, are slouches. Most of these guys did a really good job, you can really get into some of them, Joe, Alice, and Charles really shine. Most of the rest of the cast, with the exception of Joe's dad Jac, take a back seat. I think all of them are solid performers in the film, the supporting cast really didn't get enough meat on the characters to really judge their talent. But there was no "bad" acting in my opinion, but with sketchy characters is can be hard to tell what's by design and what's by accident. I did feel the "sexy sister" was hammed up a bit, but that may have been design, and no fault of the actress. The video store clerk, mainly a plot device to get the kids from one scene to another, was also a bit awkward. I think it was the writing, not the acting. He was more a plot device, like the "sexy sister", then a character, they just needed to give him enough flesh to explain him, but they didn't really flesh him out enough I felt, but it worked. Movies are time limited.

It's got a sweet "like" story going on behind the scenes (too young and innocent to be a "love" story), but it addresses deep issues in it's plot. It shakes a finger at human kind and it's fear of the unknown, it shakes a finger at blame, and guilt. As Sci-Fi as the film is, that's almost just a backdrop for this character driven story. It never goes into the Sci-Fi parts, just touches on them in passing. There is no science here at all, nothing is explained. It's not science fiction, but human fiction. It can be a bit campy at times, but unlike in many movies, it all fits with the feel of the movie. If this movie is lacking anything it's the character development could go even deeper and spread wider exploring more of the cast. But J.J. Abrams is always good at pacing, and this moves seems to have that great balance of pace, dialog, and action that makes a good story a great movie. This story would make a great book, then the characters could really be explored.

You see the love("like") story coming a mile off. The plot twist that explains an early scene, and the "Romeo and Juliet" type unexplained hatred between the two fathers, is foreshadowed and no surprise if your paying attention. I think it would have been better served WITHOUT the foreshadowing, I think it would have hit harder, but no one asked me. Anymore, most of us have seen so many movies, and read so many books, there's isn't much new in stories anyway. But just because you see it coming doesn't lessen the impact, or take away from the moment it is revealed. It's even kinda sweet and touching once it unfolds, even though for pacing it's quickly glossed over.. I must admit the scene with the two fathers facing their issues is really good, not because of how big and grand it is, but because of how much it's not. How small and down-to-earth it is.

I must say, one of the things I think I like most about this movie, is how "real" it is. There are a few scenes that seem kinda out there, but mostly is seem like what would happen to normal people, in a normal town, on a normal day. Well, if a very angry, bad ass, alien is set free on that normal day. And it doesn't seem that far fetched to me at all, none of it. It's much like "Stand by Me" and "The Sandlot" that way. And the outlandish parts are not that far off what we see in "The Goonies". It is a touch scarier then the other movies in a few parts, and has a scene or two of gore on the bus. It also has a bit of cussing by the kids, not constant, and mostly justified, but it's there.

If you liked those other films, you'll like Super 8, if you didn't, well then you might not like this one either. I will say "The Sandlot" and "The Goonies" are in my top 20 FAVORITE movies of all time, if not in the top 10. "Stand by Me" wouldn't make my top 20, personally. But if I was to list the GREATEST movies, not just my favorites, it would rank in the top 20. I think I'm a romantic at heart, without the underlying "love" story I just doesn't make the list. And in this one they don't even kiss, or show their growing regard in any physical way, till the very last moment of the movie, then it's very, very tame. This had made the list however, my personal top 10 FAVORITES. It would be in the running on the GREATEST list as well.

And all with a no-name cast.... of course most good "kid" movies are....

Movie Night: Conan, The Barbarian (2011)

2011-11-25T01:32:00.001-06:00

This remake of Conan wasn't that bad really, I'd give it a Solid C+, maybe a B-. I was entertained and it engaged me. I had heard some people remark that Conan shouldn't be that small, but I don't think once your watching the movie you notice he's small at all, he's not a hulk like Schwarzenegger r, but he does come off larger then life in the movie. And really, Jason Momoa as Conan isn't a small guy unless your compairing him to someone as large as Schwarzenegger anyway.

I'm not really sure if it was the writing, or directing, but the female lead, Rachel Nichols as Tamara, come's off very forced at first, like they are trying to portray her as 10 different things at once. But she settles into the role finally. I wonder if those were some of the first scenes shot, or if they were trying to cram about 90 minutes of character development into 10 minutes.

The "evil daughter" of the main antagonist was a strangely written, directed, and acted character as well. That may have been intentional, she's one whacked out girl, but I think they were also trying to make her sexy, and evil, and crazy, and powerful all at once. But pulled none of them off with great success. She's just one crazy B%amp;. There is one scene where she's trying to take "Who's your Daddy" in the incest direction it seems, and it's pretty disturbing.

Ron Perlman as Corin was good, course I'm a big fan of Ron Perlman, so I may be biased. In his case it may have been a case of brilliant casting more then acting or directing. But Jason Momoa did very well in this movie also. I had a feeling the director has a hard time with women, or did in this movie at least, the men he did very well on, but fell short on the women.

It seems this director has a thing for remakes, he's directed 6 films, most of them remakes of classic movies:

ar	Title	Director	Producer
2003	The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
2004	Frankenstein
2007	Pathfinder
2009	Friday the 13th
2011	Conan the Barbarian
2012	The Fly

Also this movie is pretty bloody and gory, not for the weak stomached. In the very first scene there is a field C-section done on Conan's mother. It has about 5 mins of completely topless girls in it also. And one semi-softcore love scene. Those parts reminded me more of 80's skin flicks, but it wasn't a theme through the whole movie. So it's not exactly kid friendly, but you might find this one is your 13 year old boys favorite movies, and you may have to retrieve it from his room a couple of times....then hide it. LOL

It was an pretty good movie really, the story wasn't too bad, the directing was what kept if from being a solid B or B+ movie. I don't think the writing was really good enough to get it to an A. Also I kinda feel some of the scenes were so the director or producers could stare at some naked girls on set for a day or two. I'm sure the crew didn't mind, but they don't get to choose, so we know who the horny teenagers on this film were....LOL.

Movie Night: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

2011-11-25T00:43:00.001-06:00

When I came out of work on Wednesday morning (I work nights) and went to the Redbox in our lobby like I do every Wednesday morning, to get the latest releases, Pirates was out of stock. That's a first. Only employees in our building have access to this machine, so it's always had any movie I've ever tried to get. I then got on my phone and used my Redbox app to search, out of 30+ machines in the area, there wasn't a copy within 25 miles.

Even though I couldn't get copy when I wanted too, this boded well as an omen to how good this movie was going to be. Later in the evening, as people would have been returning their copies, I got on the web site and found one close by, and reserved it.

Honestly, I didn't really feel it was worth the trouble. Johnny Depp still made the movie, but he seemed somehow an older, and calmer Captain Jack Sparrow (not a good thing). I missed the story line, and the actors, from the other 3 movies. Those that returned were ok, but not brilliant. I wasn't engaged with Black Beard near as much as I had been with Davy Jones in the previous movies, or even Commodore Norrington.

I found Penélope Cruz as Angelica was an awkward character though most of the movie, but in the end turned out ok I guess. The pacing of the movie, however action packed it was at time, was slow and the timing seemed off. I think changing directors for the 4th movie was a big mistake, it barley kept our interest.

Overall, it was an ok movie, I'd give it a B-, it would have been better if I hadn't have seen the first 3 movies and already had an idea of how it should have been made. I didn't think the $1.20 I paid was to much, but I'm glad I didn't see this in the theaters.

Motorcycle Journal: Ride to Live, Live to Ride

2011-11-17T08:24:00.001-06:00

There are no words really to describe The Ride. It's something you can really only understand for yourself once you've experienced it. It's something like waking up for the first time, and really seeing the world around you. It's breathtaking like a sunset or a sunrise, and powerful like the ocean. I suspect it's similar to what the cowboys felt in the old west when riding their steeds, or something like the Wright brothers or The Red Barron must have felt soaring with the eagles. It's something like Freedom.

It's all these things really, but then again, it's something more and something all it's own. I've ridden since I was so young I don't remember a time before riding. But I know the difference between driving a car and riding my bike. Even a bicycle can't get close to touching it. Somehow it's the wind on your face, and the feel of the road passing just inches below your feet. It's the smell of the earth, and how the temperature changes from the bottom of the valley to the top of the hill. Even over the noise of the wind and the bike, it's the sounds of the world around you. It's leaning into the curves, and the wild power you've willingly placed yourself on top of.

I've grown used to non-riders never understanding. They go on about the danger, and how unsafe riding can be. They love to tell about someone they know who used to ride and now can't walk, or even talk. And you know what.... I feel sorry for your loss, and theirs, but it's worth all the risk. Everybody dies, but not everybody lives. And I'm not one to think avoiding the former is worth giving up the latter!!!

Maybe that's why it seems it's the risk takers who so often become Riders. Or those that wish they were more outwardly risk takers, the ones with the seed inside, that for what ever reason, never bloomed. The quite, mild, accountant who on weekends likes to ride all over the countryside on his chrome steed. In everyday life he may play the part of the mouse, but on his own time maybe he dreams of being the cat sometimes. It's not that riding makes you some kind of bad ass, but man or woman, you have to have some balls. A bike is somewhat like the sea. You have to not show your fear, be strong and confident, and treat it with respect or it's will consume you. It's also much like a wild animal, never quite tame, unpredictable. I can't tell you how many times a dog, cat, opossum, deer, or raccoon has been waiting right in my path as I round a corner at 50 MPH. Or sand, dirt, leaves, and crazy cage drivers have been laying in wait unexpectedly to send to me to the pavement.

Cool nerves, a level head, quick reflexes and a good amount of skill can save you in most cases. And sometimes you just have to clench your butt hole and ride it out. Even OVER the dog if you have too. And then sometimes nothing can save you. If your lucky you get some road rash and a bruised ego. And sometimes it's worse, but the cost is still worth the payoff.

I've always felt there were non-riders, those that never had the urge and can never justify the dangers. Then there are riders, those that ride because they want to impress someone, maybe even themselves. Or they can't afford other transport, maybe they've done the math and are saving gas, or want to save the environment. But they are not riding to Ride, just to get from A to B, or to impress the guys, or see if it's true that a bike can be panty remover. Then there are The Riders. This group rides for the pure joy and freedom of the ride. For them it's the Journey, not the destination. It's not about getting there, but HOW you get there. It's about The Ride. And if someone is impressed, or panties happen to come off, all the better, but it's about The Ride first. Once you get where your going it's almost sad, because now your going to have to stop.

The wife had never ridden a bike, and she's wasn't exactly happy when I bought this one. At least until I took her on her first Ride. She loved it, even told me it was OK that I had bought it now. SHE's the one who bugs me to go riding when we have someone to watch the baby. SHE's the one who bitches when I get to go somewhere on the bike without her. She's got a taste of The Ride, and she likes it!

But I will admit, sometimes to truly enjoy the ride, you have to have the right equipment. For me I have to have some kind of eye protection. I don't know if it's because I wear glasses, or just the way my eyes are, but I have to wear goggles, I can't see at speed otherwise. I can see better WITHOUT my glasses at speed, but then I can't see anything because I don't have my glasses on. Also I've ridden in 20 degree weather, but I'll admit anything below 50 and you really need some good riding clothes. If your going to ride in below 40 degree weather, you needs some really good winter riding gear, or it's not going to be much fun. Wind chill at 50 mph is insane. But when it gets really cold, if your riding just to get somewhere close by it's easier just to drive a cage. Getting in and out of all that gear, and being comfortable when you get where your going takes a bit of effort and time.

Riding in the rain isn't so bad when it's warm, and isn't bad at all if you have the right equipment. The key here is the right equipment. Eye protection of some sort is really handy in the rain. And if you get to the point you can't see you have to be smart enough to pull over and wait it out a bit. You don't have windshield wipers and cages can't see you as well either. You also can't avoid as easy as on dry pavement. Riding in the rain is more about being smart then being good. Or tough.

And if it's icy out....forget it. Leave the bike at home, walk if you have too. This and the rain are both cases where balls can lead you into trouble. In fact, with ice, the bigger your balls get the smaller your brain. Even if you can keep the bike under you on ice, cages are going to cream you for sure. Their brains seem to shrink around bikes anyway, and on ice they can't even stop hitting other cages. Ice and bikes on city streets just really don't mix. I've ridden in the snow, on the farm, but in the city I don't ride till they have the streets clear and ice free. Not just for me, but because of other people who can't drive worth a hoot on the stuff.

I love to ride, and will ride whenever I can. I wrote this so maybe some non-riders might understand where us Riders are coming from. And maybe one of them will one day become a Rider too. If you Ride, nothing I've said here will surprise you, and may even seem to be understating The Ride, but words just always seem to fall short.

Ride safe, and keep the rubber parts on the ground!

Motorcycle Journal: A Personal History about Life on Two Wheels

2011-11-16T08:41:00.001-06:00

I remember learning how to ride a little Honda 50 Minitrail minibike before really learning how to ride a regular bike. It's exactly like the bike from the picture above, color and all. I have fond memories of puttering around the neighborhood on that little three speed.

I then moved up to a Honda XR80 dirt bike. I rode that thing all over the farm. I think I spent whole summers with more time on the bike then off. It was the perfect bike for running around the farm and having fun on.

Other then the 80 I messed around on friends and a cousins 125s and doing a little motocross stuff. But I never owned a bike during this time myself. To be honest I guess my Dad owned the 50 and the 80.

My step Dad had bought a Yamaha Maxim 650, he planed on buying a Harley but hadn't ever ridden so bought this bike as a learner bike. It was pretty sweet, and he would let me ride it some. He even let me take my motorcycle license test on it.

The first bike I ever owned all on my own was a Yamaha SR250, "thumper". They called them thumpers because of the sound they made, they were a rather large singe cylinder bike. There was a kid in the neighborhood who had it, he was quite the wheeler dealer, and I don't remember exactly how it all turned out but I know over a year we traded a bunch of stuff back an forth for this bike. I think I bought a laptop from him for like $80, then he wanted it back and I traded the laptop to him for the bike. I fixed it up got some problem parts replaced and the next year had problems with it and traded it back for a Playstation 2 and 30 games plus some cash. Or maybe more stuff, he liked to trade stuff. In fact I think he ended up trading this and some more stuff for a Porsche 928 when he turned 16. It was a beater, but he was the only kid with a Porsche! LOL

My next bike was a 1979 Honda 10th Anniversary Limited Edition CB750L. What that meant was every dealership was only allowed 2, that was the Limited Edition part. At the time the CB750K was one of the most popular bikes going, and they had come out in 1969. So in 79 they made the CB750L version for the 10th Anniversary. Pretty much it was a K with custom 10th Anniversary badging and two tone coloring. It also had all chrome bolts and hardware as apposed to the other models. It later became the CB750C "Custom" in later models, mainly that meant all chrome goodies.

I bought that bike in parts for like $200, and put about $1200 into it (tires, chain, brakes, seat, random salvage parts, stator, cables, carb rebuild, etc.), it didn't even have a seat when I bought it. I ran great for awhile but I started having issues with the carbs again and since it was a 4 cylinder it had four very complicated carbs. Only one guy in my area would even touch them, and he retired after the first rebuild. I could mess around with them and get them working for a few months at a time, but they needed all new parts throughout and there was no manual or instructions for doing this on these bikes. So I let it sit...for years. One day I noticed it was gone, I figure the apartments I was living at had it towed, but I didn't bother even looking for it. Those carbs had defeated me. I figured it was a good project for someone with a garage and spare time. I didn't have a place in the apartment to work on it so maybe it went to a better home.

Flash forward about 8 years. I'm sitting at work one day and start thinking "I wonder how much I could save on gas just going to work if I bought another motorcycle?" Turns out if I rode it 8 months of the year (and not including the Saturdays I work sometimes) it came out to about 600-700 dollars a year. So I decided to see if I could find a bike again, one that I could make back the money within one year, or two at the most. So I jumped on Craig's List and.....

this is what I got. This is my actual current bike, a 1985 Yamaha Virago XV700N. 50 MPG and a v-twin. Love it. This is the best bike I've ever owned, and it's a joy to drive and ride. I've already done a lot of work on it, but there is still more to go. I've repainted the tank and the left side cover. The right side cover is missing as shown in the pic, I'll find one sometime. I need to repaint the fenders to match. I went with a more glossy finish, this one did strange things when it got gas on it, and it was somewhat chipped already. I also fixed a bad turn signal and starter relay. Otherwise I've done general tune up type stuff. Some day I'll go through and really restore it and fix it up, when funds allow.

Wheel of Time Jewelry? Is it sad I think this is cool?

2011-11-11T13:50:00.001-06:00

Fantasy Jewelry outlet has a Wheel of Time collection, and for the life of me I can't figure out if it's just really sad I find this cool. They have just about everything you can think of from the books, except for the younglings towers.

Want an Aes Sedai Great Serpent Ring? It's not what I had thought it would look like, but if you go by the description in the book I guess they got it right!

How about Lan's Ring?

Or Matt Cauthon's signet Ring?

Or maybe you want to wear a Dedicated Sword Pin on your collar?

But what if your feeling your more of a full Asha'man instead of just a lowly Dedicated? How about a Asha'man Dragon Pin to show the world you a man who can channel at the highest levels, and you serve the Dragon Reborn!

Maybe you just want to show you serve the Ancient Aes Sedai before the breaking? How about a pendent of the Ancient Aes Sedai Symbol?

Oh, and don't forget, just in case there might be some Aes Sedai about, and you don't feel exactly respectful, you might want to get a Foxhead Ter'angreal just like Matt!!! It's even got the right eyes!!

You can also get the Flame of Tar Valon, and Dragon Fang pendents. Then you might want a Horn of Valere pendent, a Asha'man Dragon money clip, Dream Ter'angreal necklace, or Moiraine's Forehead pendent for ease dropping.

Now, just how cool is all this??!??!

Yeah, I know, means nothing unless your a Wheel of Time fan......

Movie Night: Cars 2

2011-11-11T10:24:00.001-06:00

Cast


Larry the Cable Guy	...	Mater (voice)
Owen Wilson	...	Lightning McQueen (voice)
Michael Caine	...	Finn McMissile (voice)
Emily Mortimer	...	Holley Shiftwell (voice)
Eddie Izzard	...	Sir Miles Axlerod (voice)
John Turturro	...	Francesco Bernoulli (voice)

I had read a blog or story once about Pixar, and how that of all their movies Cars was the one big disappointment. It was the authors opinion that all Pixar moves had a common theme. All their movies are at the core about humans encountering something non-human, or vise versa, and overcoming the prejudiced views both had to find a common ground. He also remarked Cars was the only Pixar movie to exist in a world without humans, or at the least to be set in a human world. I believe he also felt it was a bad movie as well. As for me, I liked Cars, I found it cute and entertaining.

Now we have Cars 2. The Cars hater who wrote that blog would be happy to know that ,at least in part, they have returned to their theme of exploring prejudices and overcoming them. But still there are no humans nor is it even a human world. To be honest I enjoy the movie as much or more then the first. It's cute, witty, good for kids and even has very mild adult themes in the background so the adults are not completely left out. But I have to report the wife couldn't really watch it at all. She likes Owen Wilson, but says she doesn't like him in these films. Once she pointed it out I had to agree, Owen is a strange casting choice, and once you start thinking about Lightning McQueen being Owen the character starts not fitting as well. It's funny how I didn't notice till she pointed it out, and once she did I couldn't get over it for the rest of the movie.

The rest of the cast was great however, Larry the Cable Guy plays a perfect Mater. And Michael Caine does a perfect "James Bond" type British spy with Finn McMissile. Eddie Izzard however I still have a hard time seeing as anything but a cross-dressing stand-up comic. But even that aside it didn't bother me the way Owen Wilson did. Everything Eddie Izzard is in I always expect him to be in drag in the next scene, but I still think he's a fine actor and I enjoy his roles in all the movies and shows I've seen him in. I guess in all his roles there's a part of me who believes the character, whoever it is, must be a closet cross-dresser. I don't know how that works with a car, but there you go! LOL

I would just about agree with IMDB's raiting of 6.5 for this movie. It's ok, and if the kids like it, great. It's isn't bad enough to make it torture for any adult around either, and the story is good for kids, it has a solid moral. All in all it's a thumbs up.

Movie Night: Green Lantern

2011-11-10T12:26:00.000-06:00

So I had heard terrible things about Green Lantern. But I'm a sucker for the superhero movies for some reason, so I rented this on the way out from work the other night. One of the perks in working in a building with 4,000 other people is a Redbox in the lobby! LOL I have to say, I don't get the bad reviews. It's not the best movie I've ever seen, but I would not have called it bad at all.

I'm not one of those guys who was into comics as a child, or even an adult. I had a few fantastic four and some assorted others, but never got into that kind of stuff. So I can't say how much justice they did to the original story, but the idea for the movie wasn't too bad.

"In brightest day, in blackest night

No evil shall escape my sight

Let those who worship evil's might

Beware my power, Green Lantern's light."

In a nutshell, here's the story of the Green Lantern. There are these ugly immortal dudes who took it upon themselves to be the protectors of the universe. They harnessed the power of will (that happens to be green) and feed it into lanterns all over the universe, that in turn feeds it into the rings of the Green Lantern Corps. The guardians themselves are not Green Lanterns, just the creators of it. There are 3600 sectors in the universe, and each has a Green Lantern to protect it. The Green Lantern Corps is over 3 billion years old. Some stories say there are TWO Green Lanterns per sector, but the movie only shows one, and talks about there being around 3600 Green Lanterns total. So it seems they don't follow that convention for the movie.

"Tomar-Re: Actually, I'm a Xudarian. Our DNA does some what resemble your own ichthyological species. I am Tomar-Re, protector of Secter 2613 and home to...
Hal Jordan: 80,012 galaxies, 2.34 million sentient species. How do I know that?"

The sectors are BIG, that's a lot of ground for a single person, even a Green Lantern to cover, my guess is they only involve themselves in big, huge events. The action is pretty good, but character development is lacking. The movie moves pretty fast, but in do so skims over the heart of the story itself, it come off feeling like a light snack rather then a meal. But it was entertaining and I enjoyed the experience. There were several parts where the wife was a bit confused, so it didn't explain itself all that well, but even she enjoyed it. She blogged about it here.

One part I like is where the female lead, Carol played by Blake Lively, makes fun of the mask after she figures out it's really Hal Jordon in just a few moments after seeing him clearly as The Green Lantern.

"Carol Ferris: I've seen you naked! Of course I know who you are! A simple mask is not gonna hide anything!"

Ryan Reynolds, surprisingly, did a very good job. I wasn't hoping for much, but it turned out much better then I had hoped. Of all the characters, his was the most fully developed, but he was the star so that's not surprising. However I felt his back-story was somewhat awkward, as was the whole love interest thing with Blake Lively. They have her being a bit of every-woman. Hot, smart, geeky, business wise, daredevil pilot, unsure of herself, love sick and coy...kinda all at once. It's comes off ok, but she seems like an awkwardly developed character.

The other strange thing they did was the duel "bad guy" roles in the movie. There is one BIG bad guy, and a small bad guy. The role of the small bad guy is almost a total waste of script. The only reason I think the character existed in the movie was to menace the hotty, so Hal could be the knight in shining armor. This would have made much more sense if he hadn't already made up his mind to save the world before he even knew she was in danger from the little bad guy. They could have left him out and the movie would have been fine.

All in all, I enjoyed the movie and would watch it again.

Why Google+ might just take over the world!

2011-07-19T10:22:00.001-05:00

Google has had a spotty track record in the past with creating widely accepted applications. Google search, big hit. Google Calendar, big hit for those who use it. Blogger, big hit for those who blog. Gmail, big hit. Google Documents, super awesome, useful and free, but not so big hit. Google Reader, big hit is certain groups. Google news, big hit. Google Chrome, not much market share, but big hit with those who use it. Want to see just how much Google REALLY has, click here.
There is a pattern here, if you USE the applications, you'll like them. But not many people use them overall. They are useful, if often stark. Function over fashion has always been Google's way. Their tools are powerful, flexible, but overlooked for the flashier, expensive, advertised applications. If fact, most people don't even know that most Google applications exist.
One brilliant thing Google has done is run with their "cloud" idea. Computing in the cloud is in a nutshell a new and different way of looking at the web and computer applications. The idea is that computers, phones, tablets, whatever are really just portals to access the cloud. What you DO on them doesn't really exist on the device itself, but out in the "cloud" (internet). What that means is you start something on your computer, get up and pick up where you left off on your phone, continue working on it on your tablet on the bus, then switch to your work computer without missing a beat. Then on lunch you stop by your friends house and jump on his computer and all your stuff is right there for you. Just like it was on your computer, phone, tablet, and work computer. The only thing you need is a device and a internet connection. Since your stuff exist in the cloud not on the device, no matter where you are or what device your using all your stuff is there, and it's all the same on every device. And if you drop your phone in the toilet, or your computer gets stolen, lost or damaged you lose nothing. That's computing in the cloud.
And that's been Google's whole business model pretty much. But so far the idea has been adopted by only a small part of the market. Android has helped move their market share up some, and more people are starting to take advantage of Google services, mostly because of integration with android. Or because of increased gmail useage due to Android. Gmail is a good launching point for discovering other Google services. And that brings me to my topic of the day. Why Google+ might just take over the world!
One advantage of G+ (Google+) for a die hard Google fan like myself is the integration with many of the things I already use. It sync's up with my Android much better then Facebook, and if you download the G+ android app it also auto uploads any picture or video you take instantly in the background (if you set it up to do so). It doesn't share them, just uploads them to a private folder inside G+. So later if I want to share a picture I've taken all I have to do is go to the instant upload folder in G+ and share it. I don't have to upload it because it's already there, plus if I lose my phone or something happens all my pictures and videos are backed up. Until it's shared the only person who can see them are me, and I choose what to share on a picture to picture basis. I'm sure you can make is so it shares everything... but I can see how that could get awkward in certain situations.
I also like the ideas of circles. Sure, you can do the same thing with Facebook and list, but G+ makes the idea a base for the whole platform, instead of a clunky addon idea or afterthought. You can't even share or start seeing post till you've set up circles. Of course some people will share everything with everyone all the time, like they do on Facebook. But there are things I would like my friends to know that maybe I don't want the boss to see. Or things I want friends to see, but the family may be better off not seeing. G+ makes it a part of everything you post to choose who see's what. It's a good idea. Plus you can add people to any number of your circles, so those family members who also might fit in the friends circle can see what your friends see, but mom can't. But if you want to share something with just the family, they can see that too, but the friends who aren't family can't. Very powerful.
But if people ever really start using G+, and that will be the big test for Google with this, it's got the potential to become the center of most peoples online experience, in a way Facebook could never match. Why? Not because of G+ itself, but because of Google's HUGE library of applications that do just about everything you can think of. If G+ takes off, they will start doing what they do best, and integrate everything together. It would take a healthy market share to really get the ball rolling, but I could see a day where your whole internet experience could be through G+. You could do all you could ever want to do, and never really leave it. And the whole experience would be a unified, seamless flow.
I don't know really if that would be a good thing, or a bad thing. But either way we might be finding out soon enough. Now we'll just see what the people have to say about it, and they will vote with their usage or non-usage. But it took 7 years to get grandma on Facebook, how long will it take to get her to switch???? And the question is, why should she and many other people bother? And who wants to go through years of trying to show them how to use something new again!! LOL.... I'm interested to see how Google fares up against the the seemingly impossible to unseat Facebook..... but if it manages to win the king-of-the-socialnetwork-hill contest, then it might just take over the world.....

Is Green the new Greed?

2011-01-17T16:08:00.000-06:00

All in all no one can deny our American society, or at least the last 100-150 years or so, has been one motivated mainly by greed. Ever since the Railroads/Bankers (Robber Baron's) and Big Oil came into being, the government has been mostly supported by and governed for corporate America. If you want to try and deny that please read our own history and see the power these companies had/have/do wield/wielded at a Local, State, and even Federal level up to this day.

But you see, this isn't necessarily a BAD thing, you just have to get your mind around how to use this to our advantage as a disenfranchised American citizen. We all, as a society, have the most powerful weapon ever made to date, and we can use it to get our wishes granted. No it's not a gun, it's not the Vote....it's the almighty dollar. Where it goes the corporations follow, and then the money hungry congress and other elected officials are never far behind. We have the power to lead them all around by the nose, we can make them beg and do tricks. I bet we could even make them roll over, that's what the power the dollar has over those types.

So why is that such a good thing? Because if we want a better world we can accomplish it much better by pointing our dollars in the right direction, much more so then even by our votes. Because the lobbiest control our government much more profoundly then our votes do. Why did we not have electric cars and 100 MPG fifty years ago? Because that wasn't where the money was going. Do you think Big Oil wanted those things to be available?? Heck no. And don't even try and say they just didn't have the technology! You will never be able to convince me the atomic bomb, and nuclear power, and going to the moon was simpler then an electric car or really good MPG. It's just not where the money was funneled. Big Oil wanted low MPG, and fossil fulled cars. And they had the money and lined the right pockets (we elected many of them, or their sons, or other oil people to run our country, so DUH!).

But thing are changing, I think the internet has much to do with that. Ideas can't be contained or limited nearly like they used to be. We can't be lead around by the nose or herded like sheep nearly as easily as we could Fifty years ago. Some still act like a mindless flock, but many people are waking up and thinking for themselves, and we are lucking out that money is not the underlaying factor of existence for many of the new generation, unlike is has been for the last several. But even so, Corporations will be corporations. And government will continue to be business, and the dollar will continue to point our way into the future, so lets point the right way!

So when I say Green is the new Greed, what I mean is the reasons we are seeing the Prius, the Volt, and solar and wind power, is because people are starting to buy into them, and so the people who can are following the dollars and making the stuff. In short, those that CAN now ARE because there is money there now. Money is the carrot, and it works oh so much better then the whip. Legislation is the whip, and it only works if all else fails. But as long as we apply the dollars correctly then we control our own destiny and our own fate.

BUY GREEN PEOPLE, I know that word has lost some of it's meaning, and it's hard to tell what's really "green" and what's just marketing mumbo jumbo, but I'm not talking about the stuff at Wal-mart. I don't mean green TV's or Green clothes or Green cleaning supplies. I mean green cars, green power. Once we get away from fossil fuels for power, every electric device will be green anyway. But do try and buy stuff made with green power! That encourages more and more companies to use it, and the more it's used the more dollars....and we known where that leads!

But we have to be SMART people. Let's take Sun Chips (Frito-lay, owned by Pepsi) for example. They use solar power to make their chips! WOOT!!! And recently they came out with a bio-degradable plant based bag!!! WOOT WOOT!!! But then people started complaining.....why???? BECAUSE THE BAGS RUSTLED TOO LOUD!!! WTH people???????????????????? So they have stopped making the bag for all their lines but one...... because the bag rustled a bit louder then the normal bag........ EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!!!! REALLY PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!! But they had to do what they had to do to keep in business, so they went back to non-biodegradable bags just like everyone else. They had to follow the dollar, and in this case the dollar was very dumb and stupid.... makes me wanna slap some people. HARD!!!! This was one of the best things done by a major company in years for changing the way our throw-away society impacts...well.... just about everything. And we stomped it down....because the bag was a tad bit loud???? We have to STOP that type of stupid behavior.... So what if it was loud..... it was GREAT FOR THE PLANET you numskulls!!!!!!! That trumps a bit of noise by a huge margin. ARRRRGGGGGGG!!!!!! Get's my goat!!!!!

And if this project had gone well, and money had been given for it, not taken away, Frito-lay, owned by Pepsico would have listened. And as we know that's a lot of power for good right there. They no longer own Taco Bell, KFC, Long John Silvers, Pizza Hut, and A&W. (spun off to what became YUM!, that owns them all now) but they still have lots of power and influence through lifetime exclusive rights agreements with all those YUM! companies except A&W. So what did the public tell Pepsi??? That we would much rather have quite bags than save the planet. And we told this to one of the largest and most powerful end user goods makers in the world.

So anyway, all I'm saying is let the greed do it's thing, and use it to change the word. Just try and point you dollars at the right things, and put up with loud bags if needed.

Torchwood vs. Doctor Who... Or maybe not quite verses...but...

2011-01-16T22:56:00.005-06:00

Ok, so I'm a new Doctor Who junkie. I thought Doctor Who was a Bond villain until less then a year ago. Now I've seen every single episode of the "revived" series (2005-present) and I am starting on the 1963-1989 original series too. What do you call Doctor Who's fans anyway?? Star Trek Fans are Trekkies... so are they Whoies?

Anyway, so I just finally have seen every single episode of the "new" series, up to and including season 5, season 6 is just getting ready to start. But since I've spent at least 3-4 nights a week for the last 8 months watching Doctor Who, I have this hole in my late night TV schedule to fill...

So why not fill it with Torchwood I thought.... It is a Doctor Who spin off, and I liked Jack in Doctor Who, so what the heck! Turns out it wasn't a bad idea, Torchwood it pretty good, but this ISN'T your Doctor Who Capitan Jack Harkness. Well, it IS, same actor, same creator and all that. But this Jack seems much Darker.... Rose making him immortal and living for so many years now has changed him it seems, at least within the story.

But Torchwood is just a whole lot darker, sexier, and dirtier then the current Doctor Who's. Here in the US where Doctor Who is mostly considered G, with some slight PG-13 thrown in, Torchwood is SOLID PG-13, and bits, if not cut out, would get it a possible R. And it's not just that Jack's bi-sexual nature is explored here, where it was just hinted at in Doctor Who, but Gwen and Owen, well, mainly Owen, really spice up the tension... Where Doctor Who hints, Torchwood almost goes so far as to SHOW!! LOL

Well, this is not a complete write up by any means, I've only seen about 5 episodes of Season 3 of Torchwood, but once I've seen them all I'll come back and write more. Just putting some of my initial thoughts down, and if anyone happens to come across this and is a Doctor Who fan that is looking for something else British to watch, now you know a bit about Torchwood!!!

Motorola Droid: The M does it again!

2010-11-24T23:07:00.001-06:00

Motorola started it all, and for years it was pretty much THE name in cell phones...

Then everyone started making them, Motorola fell a bit behind and got lost in the shuffle. But then along came a Droid, and it all changed. The Motorola Droid was born.

I'm not going to review the phone per say, there are about 100,000 reviews of this phone out there. And it's now an older phone, so pretty much I'm just posting up about what I think of the phone in general. The first thing about this phone is it's quite large. It's not for those that like smaller phones, and not being a flip phone it's not the greatest purse phone either. That large screen is just begging to be scratched or broke in a loose bag or even a pocket with change or keys.

That's a good lead in to talk about the screen. In a word....wow! It's stunning. I'm sure there are better screens, but to be honest, I don't think it could matter much. Video, pictures, and everything else is as good as any computer monitor or TV I've seen. My only complaint might be the touch screen, it's.... different. You can't calibrate it, and it seems to me the screen is a bit off. It can be tricky sometimes, it often selects the item before and after the one you want. It can be annoying sometimes, but it's not terrible. It's also a little difficult to judge the correct pressure to use then working with the touch screen. Often it takes a bit more pressure then I think it should, even after 5 months using the phone.

The Android market is awesome, and pretty much every app works well with the Droid. The great thing about the Android market is that just about everything you could ever want ,you can find for free, or for just a couple of bucks at the worse. I have hundreds of apps currently, I think about 180-190 or so. I would say about the only down fall is once you get about 4-5 months into using the phone, you've got all the most popular apps... then it's just a bit of a hunt to find interesting new apps.

If your not a fan of charging your phone, or you want to use it for long periods of time and you can't have it plugged in....then this isn't the phone for you. I'm lucky to get a 10 hours without a charge. Even if not used, like overnight, still lucky to get 12 hours. Course if you turn off auto sync and GPS and what not I'm sure it would last much longer, but why have all the toys turned off? Many apps use the GPS and it's just much easier to leave it on. And auto sync? Once again, why turn it off? So I don't get great battery life, but to be honest it doesn't bother me. It's a small price to pay.

The sound is pretty good on both the external speaker and the headphone jacks. Android doesn't give you much adjustably built in, but the stock sound is pretty darn decent. The built in players are OK, but there are many, many players to meet pretty much any need in you could image. Video is good as long as the source is good. The camera is pretty decent, video is better then average. I would have liked a bit better camera, but I'm not gonna complain too much, does it's job.

It does reset from time to time. The keyboards are a bit iffy. The portrait keyboard is far to small, however the landscape one is ok. The slide out keyboard is really not bad at all, but now that I've gotten used to the auto-correct and complete I can't use the slider as well. Most of those features are parts of android, so not just specific to the Droid, but the slide out keyboard is. It's not perfect, but it's nice if you use it enough to get used to it.

All in all I really like the phone, the call quality is ok, but you don't get a smart phone for calling, calling is an after thought. It an do some really amazing things, but I just want to cover the phone in a general way, not a specific review like the hundreds you can find everywhere.