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My Total War: Shogun 2 Impressions: Epically Beautiful, Japanese, Awesomeness!

2012-02-03T03:21:00.000-08:00

With gaming, I’m kind of behind the curve. I am still working through Morrowind, I haven’t finished the original Bioshock, I still haven’t been through all the campaigns in Left 4 Dead 2…and I can’t imagine how many more miles of African savannah I have yet to drive in the beautiful but limited Far Cry 2…so it is with this foreword that I give my late, very late review of the amazing Total War: Shogun 2.

Ooohh..ahhhh...

Not that I’m not aware of what I’m missing, mind you. I keep up daily with all the latest releases, the current favorite ‘it’ games, and the industry ups and downs. I’ve watched in awe at the newest Bioshock: Infinite that will no doubt be their next work of art, and keep a hopeful eye on the newest XCOM game to come out in many years…also [Someday, I WILL enjoy Skyrim…I will...] But being such a busy parent, and working and generally being tired at any of the 20 hours of the day I’m not ‘sleeping’ has kept me from finishing anything in my ever growing PC game library. It doesn’t help that the holiday season on STEAM for gamers on a budget is similar to what crack is to Whitney Houston….er…yeah.

So I took advantage and picked up the latest Total War game I had my eye on for months, as it was on sale for some crazy 50% off. I also took advantage of all the add-on clans that were fairly cheap at the time. After all, assuming someday I would get to play it, I’d have all the little toys to play with, all the factions in the deck. It’s the completionist in me that keeps the money flowing to Creative Assembly.

I was hooked on Rome, with its massive real-time armies engaged in epic battle, AND it’s Risk/Civilization-style campaign map intrigue. Many, many nights I had to work though ‘just one more turn’. I gasped at the beauty of ‘Empire’ with its authentic looking [but hard to micro-manage] boat warfare and revamped graphics on the battlefield. I merely tasted victory with the introductory revolutionary campaign before getting my ass handed to me in a feathered hat by the Prussians as I attempted a Germanic faction campaign. And again, as I tried to expand westward to the trading fields of America in my lowly, underpowered boats by the Brits AND Spanish Armada’s. Perhaps I’ll get back to this one.

The many unique war-boats of Shogun 2, engaged in high-seas battle!

So it is with great anxiousness and trepidation that I attempt the newest, most beautiful and far-east arena of the Japanese conflicts. After all, this is the setting I know least about, having taken much more European history classes than Asian. My first encounter, after the menu screen pops up, oooh, pretty. This game is beautiful, and polished. It is obvious that real thought went into the design of each and every bit of menu/interface. And the music is peaceful, and everything you expect of epic Japanese traditional music. Quiet and Zen-like on the campaign map, and swelling and ambitious when engaged in battle. With either surround sound or quality headphones, all this sounds pure, raw, and uniquely recorded just for the game. Then, the intro campaign. Even though it’s mostly annoying to be retold the same basic advice I’ve mastered since ‘Rome’, I keep the tutorial chatter flowing in hopes to glean some new and unique feature of the game, or strategy that this version has that the previous did not.

There is a lot to appreciate in this, newest iteration. Perhaps this is Creative Assembly’s crowning achievement. They have perfected the formula, improved the A.I. [for the most part] of not only the naval warfare, but also of the enemy land battle movements, and the graphics are simply stunning. I am a sucker for great graphics, more than other important features sometimes, and there are endless moments when I simply pan around at the sky, what looks like a painting of the Japanese red sun setting over smoky mountains and rolling hills. I track like Francis Coppola himself, alongside a formation of Katana Samurai units, marching not quite in unison, from the side, looking down the ranks as if I were marching alongside next to them…admiring the power and majesty of their intent, as well as their amazingly detailed and colorful uniforms.

We've come for Dragon Warrior IX, Shogun! Give it up!

To top it all off, we have the pre-battle ‘pep rally’s’ that were missing for a few of the games. This was one of those great features of ‘Rome’. No matter how many times I’ve heard the various configurations of speech parts, strung together…they still served a small but important role to let you know the conditions of the battle as it may play out. Hey, every little clue is important when the numbers are stacked against you! Are there reinforcements falling in behind? Does the enemy have to march to me? Or do I need to make the first moves as fast as possible. It’s all very stirring, providing a little emotional involvement in the battle, your General and men’s survival, and gives a lot of character to game. I’ve read that there are over 100,000 possible speeches based on the character, their location, and their relationship to the enemy, etc. Wow. It’s all here, though spoken in the native Japanese, of course, so read along with the captions to glorious battle!

Back off spearmen! My horse spits upon your helmuts!

Though the formula is roughly unchanged, there are still plenty of new units to master, such as the Metsuke, who act like the town sheriff while also repelling most monk and ninja attacks. I also love the new ‘hero’ units that each town may possess. Think of them as your go-to ass-kickers that may single-handedly turn the tide of battle, if called upon. Hopefully, these are balanced enough that they aren’t TOO ridiculously powerful, but this seems to be a controversial subject already. There is also an upgrade path for generals in your armies. These units gain extra buff’s and war abilities as they win and survive each battle. It’s like another mini tech-tree, bidding you to take great care in not losing your generals.

Epic Seige battles await!

There is a much more robust multiplayer element here, which you may find yourself playing more than the single player campaign! Shogun 2 features multiplayer battles with up to 8 players as well as multiplayer campaigns involving competitive or cooperative play with 2 players. In a multiplayer campaign, players can be grouped into different clans, so that for each clan, one player assumes the role of clan leader and others take command of armies. The clan leader has the ability to direct other players and assign rewards based on loyalty and performance, introducing clan politics into multiplayer. As a player's army invades an enemy territory or is attacked by enemy armies, the online matchmaker finds a suitable opponent and initiates a multiplayer battle. When a player defeats enemy armies and conquers territories, the player will gain points and other bonuses for the clan. In addition to all this, an achievement system is designed to provide adhering players with unique abilities and cosmetic upgrades.

My favorite new feature? The Avatar conquest mode, of course! Avatar Conquest is a brand new addition to the Total War franchise. It allows you, the player, to create your own Avatar by customizing its uniform, color scheme, clan banner and more. You are then dropped onto the map of Japan, where you move your avatar around the map into different territories and engage in live land and sea battles via matchmaking. Before engaging in battle, it is wise to create and customize your army and navy via the army management button. You'll have a choice between small, medium, large and huge ’funds’ battles. Warning- large and huge battles are better suited for those with more powerful computers.

That's right...I'm a baaaad mutha "shut yer mouth!"...

Once your Avatar has been customized to your liking, and you've put together an army and navy, you can then drop into the battle map and attempt to smash your opponent. Depending on whether you won or lost, you'll receive skill points, which you can use to upgrade both your Avatar and units stats. Some units will gain veterancy if you use them enough in battle.

A major part of Avatar Conquest is also the Clan system. The Clan system features various user-created Steam Groups battling it out to control parts of Japan. The clan with the most victories in a particular territory will control it. There are many territories for clans to battle it out over and various tier's for clans of varying sizes to fight in.

I’m also impressed by a simple, yet genius ‘drop-in’ feature that allows you to let a real human drop into your campaign battle to fight against you, in real-time. Great idea! Though, I’m weary about the possibility of being spanked by every single ‘pro’ player out there invading my game, I’ll have to experiment with this. I don’t like the idea of losing every battle if i’m only an armchair general.

The campaign map is as gorgeous as ever, introducing a 360 degree rotation view option!

Overwhelmed yet? A beginner to the Total War series just might be, but there are helpful tips abound, and if you crave more there is plenty of online help via fan forums and the like at your fingertips. Don’t be afraid to read up on tactics and strategy, there is always much to learn when attempting to master the Art of War. Here is one excellent and extremely well-made guide to get you on your way. HERE

All in all, this is easily the most polished, graphically beautiful, accessible, and involving of all Total War games, and certainly one of the best PC games you can get, period. For anyone interested in history, strategy and empire building, it’s a must-have. Will you be the next Shogun sitting in Kyoto? Go ahead…give it your best shot!

LEGO introduces LADYFIGS playsets aimed at girls - to Controversial Response!

2012-01-13T05:15:00.001-08:00

This is an interesting debate, more about the merits and follies of marketing than anything else. But its implications reach much further than one might suspect!

When I was a young lad, my brother and I, like many thousands of boy's in the eighties, played with Lego's off and on throughout the years. We didn't have a lot of money, so we didn't have the gigantic medieval castle sets, and I never got the Airport playset that I wanted for ages...sniff. Ok.....moving on!
But we did cherish and make the most out of the sets that we did have. And we did so because of one crucial quality that LEGO's have that a lot of toys these days don't...the ability to be merely tools for our own imaginations.

To me, LEGO's are a perfect balance between unsophisticated design, and complex building potential. You didn't have to be an engineering marvel to have a lot of fun, making your lopsided apartment complex, with plants growing out of the roof and horses galloping in the living room. You didn't have to be an aerospace engineer extraordinaire- with your triple-decker space jet with wings that wouldn't lift a hummingbird and so many jet engines sticking out the back that, had it been made in real-life, instantaneous self-combustion would have been the more likely outcome.

Warning-not real me- Image contains simulated representation of my younger self~

The results of our handy-work, were like an extension of our own unique personalities. Literally, we built 3-dimensional representations of our individual personalities, motivations and strengths...all in the palm of our hands. I always strove to create the coolest, sleekest looking spaceships...as I was always a StarWars fan.

My brother, however, created wonderfully tough looking tank-like vehicles, with enormous guns, engines, and big wheels.

Interesting, and of note...I ended up joining the Air Force after high school, with a career fixing cargo and fighter aircraft...and my brother [a ridiculously over-powered gun-nut] became a GM certified mechanic, a Harley bike expert, a Honda crotch-rocket guru, and is now planning on joining the Army Reserves this year! HA... I can just hear Yoda: "SymBOLic...your LEGO building...will become, Hmm?!"

So it is with a skeptical eye indeed that I read about the newest product line from the LEGO corporation, entitled deceptively 'LEGO Friends', it consists of obviously girl-orientated figurines or LADYFIGS as they seem to be called, and likewise stereotypical playsets befitting what the Martha Stewarts of the world would call 'girl-orientated'. Examples include: a salon, a horse academy, a veterinary clinic, and a café. See where this is going? Did I mention the 'Ladyfigs', the newer, ever-so-slightly taller girl figurines, have boobs and curves, whereas the previous minifigs of the existing product line, were fairly neutral in shape, with only textures and designs indicating their sex. Behold, Katy Perry got her own LEGO's!

I tend to agree with the crowd that is yelling...'girls are interested in pink and purple and apron-strings...ONLY because that's what the marketing agencies of the last 100 years has told them they are supposed to want!' When in reality, girls start out in life as blank a slate as boys, with their environment dictating their future strengths, interests and accomplishments. Just read up on the studies yo! Girls don't need shallow-minded, profit-driven Ad agencies nor toy companies in the 21rst century reprehensively placing them into a pink and purple boxes, just to sell toys! Girls were already playing with Lego's, they perhaps just needed more girl figurines, and perhaps a commercial or two with, you know...girls in them!

-not more sexism.

Here is a link to a more in-depth article HERE at themarysue.com.

This is an article about the director of SPARK Movement, Dana Edell, and the problems the people at SPARK and others have with these Ladyfigs. You’ll notice there’s a poll at the side there. As I write this, it is 75% in favor of the new gendered playsets.

You can also sign the petition and read the blogs that started the whole thing.

Meytal Cohen - YouTube sensation and Drumming Extraordinaire does Tool, Led Zeppelin etc.!

2012-01-11T01:47:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this girls you tube videos while watching Tool music videos....all I can say is...Polygamy isn't REALLY illegal.....is it??

...She goes by the name of 'Meytal' Cohen...

This girl RAWKS! I don't know whether to laugh or cry! She makes it look too easy! It's almost as if she's playing the carnival game 'whack-a-mole' or something, her movements just seem so unrefined...but that really is her banging away! Unbelievable.

She covers all my favorites, if you view her other stuff. Perfect Circle, Led Zepplin, Rush, Tool of course, System of a Down....the list goes on. She even has a huge fan page on facebook. Check her out!

HGTV Dream Home 2012 - Giveaway starts December 29, 9am Eastern!

2011-12-14T00:57:00.000-08:00

From the Website HGTV:

"Starting December 29, 2011, at 9am ET, you can enter twice daily — once on HGTV.com and once on FrontDoor.com — for your chance to win the luxuriously furnished HGTV Dream Home 2012, a modern rustic ranch house located near Park City, Utah, plus a new 2012 GMC® Terrain and $500,000!"

Last year, the dream home was valued at $1,500,000! While the final numbers haven’t been posted as of yet for next year’s model, I can tell you, from the looks of the last couple year’s homes, the amount of customization and care that goes into it makes it a very special house!

2012 HGTV Dream Home! Wow...

I did this competition last year, tried faithfully to enter every single day, but probably had more of a 75% ratio when all was said and done. But nonetheless, it was fun…and nice to dream a bit for a month or so…”What IF we won it!?” … “What if YOU won it???”

What I could do with a place like that! Medieval games night anyone!?

As I write this, there are 15 days, 5 hours and roughly 8 minutes until contest green light.

Let the fun begin!

NORAD Santa Tracker 2011 Here! -->

2011-12-05T23:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!
It's that time of year again, to track Santa using our friendly neighborhood NORAD unit!

That's right kiddies, Santa Tracker is up and running now that Santa is out delivering his presents. You can download the Santa Tracker file for Google Earth while at NORAD’s Santa Tracker website and track him on your own. There is now even a smart phone app that you can download to view Santa!

This is a fun site that I first discovered back in the 08' year, there are many options to play with, as I mentioned-like viewing Santa’s journey using Google Earth.

So, without further ado...-enjoy!
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/track3d.html

Black Friday Mayhem! Thanksgiving Shopping Havoc! -It comes early this year!

2011-11-23T04:01:00.000-08:00

Well happy turkey week everyone! That's right, it's my 4th annual Black Friday Post! -wow time is flying by.

This year, I have both Turkey day and Friday off of work, so we will have to plan accordingly. We also are on a fairly tight budget this year, as times have been kind of hard as of late!

But alas, i'm sure we may brave the shopping madness and hopefully score some sweet deals.

I am looking forward to celebrating a whole year in our home, (what a long year it's been!) drinking some nice wine, having some Turkey, ham, and sweet 'tater pie with the kiddos! ....mmmmmmm....pie....

This will be the fourth year shopping on black Friday, so we are going to arm ourselves accordingly. We have high-tech strollers for Rowan and Liam, which will be equipped with an ample supply of snacks, diapers, toys, to (hopefully) curtail the inevitable tantrum throughout the business. We have a list of the family members and a rough idea of a budget to work with. I have my best gel-inlaid sneakers and probably will strap on a powerful set of elbow and knee pads. Hey! It's a JUNGLE out there!

I will take no prisoners.

I fear for the worst, and expect that it will be bumper to bumper roads, and near-misses in the parking lots that day. Good thing we have decent insurance!

"i said that was MY spot!"

A funny thing came up when I was thinking of what I wanted to get for my wife for x-mas. Exactly how would I spy something, get it in our cart, pay for it, and get it into our car without her noticing? I can't. So I think we will have to have two separate carts, I may have to force her to run away until I get something hidden amongst all the kiddy toys etc. or maybe I just jot the items down in a little notepad and when WE have gotten everything for everyone else, I have her check out and go through the cashier and to the car, then I run around like a mad chicken and speed shop my wifes gifts?? sigh, last year I had to go BACK to the stores, and try to grab the stuff I wanted to get her...it wasn't easy. There is also the question this year, of "shall I get her a 'ok' priced gift, and lots o' small ones, or just get her that one big, nice expensive one she's been wanting for years? "[there are multiple options of these as well]

What do you you all think?? Does anyone have any ideas?

I will leave it at that for now, did I mention yet that I luv the holidays? ;/

-And just so I didn't completely waste your time reading excerpts from my personal life, here's a few links to get you on your way. I'm sure they will be happy I led you there.

#1 sites: http://www.blackfriday.info/ and http://blackfriday.com/

http://www.bestbuy.com/

http://www.amazon.com/ (my personal fav)

http://www.target.com/ (my fav local store)

http://www.frys.com/

http://www.fredmeyer.com/ (for you Oregonian/Washingtonians)

http://www.walmart.com/ (if u really have to..ugh)

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.toysrus.com/

http://www.babiesrus.com/

http://www.sears.com/ (for that angle-grinding,circular sawing,super-sanding, Makita-drilling, Tim Allen-worshiping dude on your list)
http://www.oldnavy.com/

-and last but not least!

http://www.tylenol.com/ (the most important one for this holiday season methinks)

HAVE FUN!

Skyrim - So Gorgeous! Youtube Video here! -->

2011-11-23T03:53:00.000-08:00

This game is simply amazing. And this is BEFORE the tons of modders get a handle on the editor, to begin there massive re-texturing work.

I don't have it yet, still have too many games to finish. But I will have this game....Oh yes....It will be mine.

Before the Siege – A Military Poem & Prose

2011-11-17T10:04:00.000-08:00

I am fascinated with great battles in war throughout history, and the common extremes it manifests out of all aspects of life for the those involved. Many of their tales are long forgotten, so I try to honor them with this submission.

Before the Siege – A Military Poem & Prose

Halloween in Minnesota!

2011-10-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

Growing up so far in the northern state of my beloved Minnesota, came with many fun-filled adventures that some in other warmer climates would never experience.
But the night of Halloween came with a gamble: would it Rain? Sleet? Be dry and chilly? D) A mixture of all of the above?
Once such year, it snowed.
Read More:
Halloween in Minnesota!

"...That's NO moon!...That's a giant PUMPKIN!"

St. Louis Cardinals WIN Game 7 - World Series 6-2!

2011-10-28T20:34:00.000-07:00

This just in! -The Cardinals just won Game 7 of the World Series, coming back from 3-2 down in the series - and being a strike away from losing twice in Game 6 - to win their 11th title with another key hit by hometown star David Freese and six gutty innings from Chris Carpenter.

A day after an epic Game 6 that saw them twice within one strike of elimination, the Cardinals captured their 11th World Series crown. After a whole fall on the edge, Tony La Russa's team didn't dare mess with Texas, or any more drama.

Freese's two-run double tied it in the first inning against loser Matt Harrison and Allen Craig hit a go-ahead homer in the third.

Pitching on short rest, Carpenter improved to 2-0 in the Series and 4-0 in the postseason. La Russa won his third Series title.

UPDATE- Hometown hero..David Freese...is awarded MVP! Congrats to him!

Wow! St. Louis Cardinals WIN game 6 in World Series!

2011-10-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

PER AP NEWS:: The St. Louis Cardinals, who have been coming from behind throughout this season, did it again Thursday. The Cardinals came back from two runs down twice to beat the Texas Rangers 10-9 in St. Louis and force Game 7 Friday.
David Freese hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the 11th inning.

The game swung wildly over the final innings. In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Cardinals rallied to tie the score at 7 after Freese's RBI double sailed over Nelson Cruz's head. Josh Hamilton put the Rangers ahead with a two-run home run in the top of the 10th, but St. Louis tied it in the bottom of the inning on a Ryan Theriot fielder's choice and an RBI single from Lance Berkman. Twice, the Cardinals were down to their final strike before rallying back.

Way to go David Freese!

Why I Write...

2011-10-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

When did you first begin writing? What motivated you?
What makes us write, our motivations, origins, and unique character traits that encourage this elusive craft...
While others may paint and create objects, build towering buildings of glass and steel, why do I sit here and ponder, how they ever accomplished this? [Ed-Cause you suck at Math?]
---> Why I Write...

Politics Shmalitics! My list of things to debate that means something!

2011-10-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

Politics Shmalitics! With all the mud-slinging, and electioneering going on, I thought I'd create my own list of debate subjects. Use this as a catalyst to stop that co-worker from launching into another soap-box jaw-flapping session with you when you only wish to go and retrieve the lunch you've been daydreaming about for the last 2 hours.

Just do this, as soon as you hear, " Do YOU think Obama's going to be re-elected? Do you think Ron Paul is too old to be president?" Just smile, enact your best befuddled look and scratch the back of your ear...then fire off one of these tokens of pure legitimate debate fodder! That's right, if you don't instantly get a more amusing dialog going with your foe, at least they may go away and leave you to your lunch! I guarantee it!

I enjoy debating many things, co-worker/friend name here!:

-PC gaming Vs. Console Gaming!

-Apocalypse Now! Original Director's version, Redux, or Theatrical version!

-Global Warming, and other such political/financial motivations.

-Boxed PC games, or Direct Download/Streaming

-Aliens or Avatar - Which is Cameron's most influential movie!

-The only religion worth anything, is Pastafarianism!

-The point of the FDA, ATF, & Dept. of Education?

-Metroid or Zelda - Which was the better adventure game?

-How corn is killing us.

-Our national obesity rate. etc. etc. etc.

-The merits of Nascar Racing!

How about you all? What do you like to debate with friends/family, co-workers?

3 Ways To Avoid Panda 2.3 From Stealing Your Revenue

2011-09-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

Below I have written an article regarding the newest iteration of Google's code change, lovingly titled 'Panda 2.3' and how it affects your sites traffic and search engine status. A must read for online writers whom market their work!

3 Ways To Avoid Panda 2.3 From Stealing Your Revenue

PC vs. Console Gaming - Which side are YOU on?

2011-09-04T01:05:00.000-07:00

It took me a long time to finally get a PS3, and then, for the kids, the Wii...And I can admit now that there are positives to them, compared to PC gaming, which is my bread and butter.

Check out my article on this HERE at HubPages.com.

New outlets for writing! Join Hubpages, Helium, Xomba and express yourself!

2011-09-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, well I thought I'd take a look at what else was out there for writing, and found LOADS more interesting sites, that one can utilize for all their writing prowess.

Xomba is for submitting non-fiction articles on pretty much any subject. You have 6 choices to post your material:

Blog
Bookmark
List
Recipe
Review

They're fun, with Helium, they even have contests to write short fiction and are peer rated to determine whom wins! I like that kind of challenge. Not only does it force you to write, but it actually teaches you to write better. For those that can't seem to rise in ratings, they even have peer helpers of veteran writers that can give you helpful hints and constructive feedback.

My favorite though, has to be Hubpages, an extremely friendly and diverse community whose members really care about helping each other out and learning the ropes. There are little achievements you can get for meeting milestones, which have to do with how much participation you put into the site and your writing there. Did I mention they also offer their own referral program? That's right, you can make money with Hubpages as well, just submit your best, unique, unpublished and quality content and away you go!

They are all quite the time taker-upper as well, so I warn you. Sign up if you want to get more out of your writing, but prepare to dedicate an hour a night, or at least a few hours per week... the more you put into it, the more you get out. Just like life...

LAIKA Studio's Next Masterpiece? - ParaNorman (August 2012)

2011-09-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

It looks like my local studio LAIKA, maker of the amazing "Coraline", is busy making another genius animation film! Here's a quick still and brief on their next stop-animation movie entitled, "ParaNorman".

ParaNorman Synopsis: A misunderstood boy who can speak with the dead takes on ghosts, zombies and, worst of all, moronic grown-ups, in order to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

Norman Babcock is an outcast in his small New England town. When a horde of zombies is unleashed on the populace, Norman learns he must use his paranormal powers to make things right again. That’s not an easy task when you’re only eleven. And you’ve just been grounded.

The release date is set for 08/18/2012... Let's hope that day comes fast!

Short Story: Meeting an Extraterrestrial

2011-09-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

I've recently joined the writers website, "Helium", and wanted to share my first entry to the creative writing category. Let me know what you think! I'm a little rusty, it's been a long time since I took up creative writing in earnest, so constructive feedback is appreciated!
___________________________________________________________________________________

Katherine pressed the dial on her navCom one last time, it responded with a beep and then auto shut off, its tiny display cold and dark.

“Now…it might be OK to worry a bit, Ryan.” She bit the top of her lips, and wiped the layer of sweat off her forehead. Katherine and Ryan had spent the last hour of the fading jungle light crawling through brush and vegetation taller than they could reach. Having lost their military issue machete in the drop, when Ryan’s line got wrapped around a twisting tree limb. He fought that for about 20 agonizing minutes before meeting Katherine back on the sweet ground.

“Wait, there it is again…Shh...” Ryan squinted…turning his head to the sound that raised the hair on his neck. “They told us we wouldn’t have to deal with them; they said this grid was clean!” His voice was low and Katherine detected the first trace of panic there.

“Well, we have to keep our heads on straight; did you see the tower before you hit the tree? We have to get our bearings here.” She would assume leadership now, she thought to herself, she would get them out of here alive. She’d never lost a squad member, and didn’t intend to start no-…
Just then a loud BANG broke the air like lightning, barely a hundred yards to their north. The noise split the air with a deafening vibration, and then was immediately followed by a whining, buzzing sound. It did not make Ryan feel any better.

Katherine: I don’t believe this; it only took them a few minutes?
Ryan: This Jungle is thick…maybe they didn’t see us.
Katherine: Let’s see what we’re up against, maybe there is only the one…
Ryan: OK, yeah OK, I’m taking the heavy stuff with me. If I don’t survive this, you can keep the-
Katherine: Shut it Ryan! We need to stay on task. Let’s go.

With that they crawled through molded jungle earth, rotting leaves, bugs that bit with a fury of 10 suns. They were in the heart of Grid 7, enemy territory. Their mission failing by the moment, they moved as quickly as they could manage to the direction of the crash.
They gained altitude on the hill marked ‘Overlook Point 2’ on their map. This was where they were to meet on evac, but plans were changing fast. The steady hum began low, vibrating the earth under their feet and slowly drowning out the sound of their voices.

“It’s getting hard to hear you, Kat…its close. I’ll go first.” Ryan said directly into Katherine’s ear. He squeezed her shoulder and with a wink, turned toward the top of the hill.
Technical Sergeant Katherine Jennings held her breath for a moment, then, slow crawled to the top of the hill to monitor his progress. Hopefully it was a still-born…like the first one. A smoking tangle of metallic material stronger than metal, jagged bits of debris floating above the felled vehicle like confused, robot flies. The electric tingle in the air as they approached with utter caution. The enemy was found partially in the seat, partially on the jungle floor. Twitching at both locations. If the chrome-like orbs on the side were indeed eyes, they seemed to recoil ever so slightly before they finished the job.

Ryan was now out of sight over the hill. There was a maddening silence that allowed her to hear the thumping of her heart in her chest, pressed to the ground. Just then, Ryan yelled out, “Katherine! GO!” His voice sounded small and desperate. The shock that then came was twice as loud this time. It came quick, and the violence uprooted the trees, the grass, even the dirt in every direction at once. Katherine felt her lungs crush under the weight of her own body, as she landed on a nearby tree. She lifted her head up, and watched in horror as her former squad member, Gunnery Sergeant Ryan Jennings, was no longer a man – but a scattering of rolling pieces on the jungle floor. Just then Katherine caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, the metallic turrets swiveled with the mechanical precision of a surgeon’s knife, fixing directly on her, as she froze in terror.

A million thoughts raced through her mind. A spinning real of film, every day of her life a vivid photo- her father, her lost sister… her first love...her child- left innocent and far away, cast aside into darkness. Her mind became at peace, as the whine of electro-pneudraulic death spun louder from the enemy before her. The hum drowning out all sound of the birds in the trees, the breeze through the grass.

“Ryan…”
[BANG]

Inside the 20th-Anniversary Reissue of 'Nevermind'

2011-08-23T23:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a great article from Rolling Stone talking to Butch Vig, and Krist Novoselic about those long gone days in '91 when they recorded the biggest album in the world:

"One afternoon in April 1990, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and drummer Chad Channing arrived at producer Butch Vig's Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, after driving 1,900 miles from Seattle nonstop. "They rolled up in a van," says Vig, "and they probably hadn't taken a bath or shower in three or four days."
The songs Nirvana began recording that day would eventually become Nevermind, the album that kicked off the alt-rock explosion of the Nineties. Eight of the demos from that week, including ferocious test runs through "In Bloom" and "Lithium," are among the never-before-heard treasures on the 20th-anniversary edition of the landmark album, due September 27th."
Read further HERE

Its very hard for me to believe that it was 20 years ago now, that this album came out. I was such a lost and confused young man of 14. I still remember this being one of two of the very first CD's I bought, in the long cardboard sleeve they originally came in. The other was Metallica's Black album. They were literally like night and day. I hold those albums both dear, for different reasons, but ultimately Nevermind- with its bright, curious, aqua colors, and seething energy of screaming guitars, and pounding drums and playful bass...would intrigue me into a strong reverence for Nirvana, which has yet to wary or falter.


"Wait, we're gonna change the world with this record??"

It appears there will be a few choices of disc sets to choose from when this is released, Sept. 27th. Here are at least two of them. I'm going to start saving my penny's for the big one though, as I want all the good/rare stuff! Maybe my wife will notice I have this on my list for Christmas!

2012 Military Pay Chart - For my fellow military peoples.

2011-08-15T02:31:00.000-07:00

The White House Budget includes a proposed 1.6 percent across-the-board pay raise for 2012. This raise is .2% percent more than the 2011 military pay increase and is among the smallest increases since 1962.

Helpful Link for MYPAY HERE.

The following tables reflect the 2012 Proposed monthly pay based on the 1.4 percent pay raise, which should go into effect Jan. 1, 2012 .

2012 Proposed Military Commissioned Officer Pay Chart
	< 2	Over 2	Over 3	Over 4	Over 6	Over 8	Over 10	Over 12	Over 14
O10
O-9
O-8	$9,683	$10,000	$10,211	$10,270	$10,532	$10,971	$11,073	$11,490	$11,609
O-7	$8,046	$8,420	$8,593	$8,730	$8,979	$9,225	$9,509	$9,793	$10,077
O-6	$5,963	$6,552	$6,981	$6,981	$7,008	$7,308	$7,348	$7,348	$7,766
O-5	$4,971	$5,600	$5,988	$6,061	$6,303	$6,448	$6,766	$6,999	$7,301
O-4	$4,289	$4,965	$5,297	$5,371	$5,678	$6,008	$6,418	$6,738	$6,961
O-3	$3,771	$4,275	$4,615	$5,031	$5,272	$5,536	$5,708	$5,989	$6,136
O-2	$3,259	$3,711	$4,275	$4,419	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510
O-1	$2,829	$2,944	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559
Basic pay for an O-7 to O-10 is limited by Level II of the Executive Schedule which is $14,975.10. Basic pay for O-6 and below is limited by Level V of the Executive Schedule which is $12,141.60. * While serving as Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff/Vice Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff, Chief of Navy Operations, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Army/Air Force Chief of Staff, Commander of a unified or specified combatant command, basic pay is $20,263.50. (See note 1 above).
	Over 16	Over 18	Over 20	Over 22	Over 24	Over 26	Over 30	Over 34	Over 38
O10			$15,647	$15,723	$16,050	$16,620	$17,451	$18,323	$19,240
O-9			$13,685	$13,882	$14,167	$14,664	$15,398	$16,168	$16,976
O-8	$11,968	$12,488	$12,966	$13,287	$13,287	$13,287	$13,619	$13,959	$13,959
O-7	$10,971	$11,725	$11,725	$11,725	$11,725	$11,785	$12,021	$12,021	$12,021
O-6	$8,504	$8,938	$9,370	$9,617	$9,867	$10,351	$10,557	$10,557	$10,557
O-5	$7,763	$7,982	$8,199	$8,446	$8,446	$8,446	$8,446	$8,446	$8,446
O-4	$7,088	$7,162	$7,162	$7,162	$7,162	$7,162	$7,162	$7,162	$7,162
O-3	$6,136	$6,136	$6,136	$6,136	$6,136	$6,136	$6,136	$6,136	$6,136
O-2	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510	$4,510
O-1	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559	$3,559

2012 Proposed Military Officers (with prior enlisted experience)+
	< 2	Over 2	Over 3	Over 4	Over 6	Over 8	Over 10	Over 12	Over 14
03E				$5,031	$5,272	$5,536	$5,708	$5,989	$6,226
O2E				$4,419	$4,510	$4,653	$4,896	$5,083	$5,222
O1E				$3,559	$3,800	$3,941	$4,085	$4,225	$4,419
+Applicable to O-1 to O-3 with at least 4 years and 1 day of active duty or more than 1460 points as a warrant and/or enlisted member. See Department of Defense Financial Management Regulations for more detailed explanation on who is eligible for this special basic pay rate.
	Over 16	Over 18	Over 20	Over 22	Over 24	Over 26	Over 30	Over 34	Over 38
03E	$6,362	$6,548	$6,548	$6,548	$6,548	$6,548	$6,548	$6,548	$6,548
O2E	$5,222	$5,222	$5,222	$5,222	$5,222	$5,222	$5,222	$5,222	$5,222
O1E	$4,419	$4,419	$4,419	$4,419	$4,419	$4,419	$4,419	$4,419	$4,419

2012 Proposed Warrant Officer Pay Chart
	< 2	Over 2	Over 3	Over 4	Over 6	Over 8	Over 10	Over 12	Over 14
W-5
W-4	$3,897	$4,193	$4,313	$4,431	$4,635	$4,837	$5,041	$5,349	$5,618
W-3	$3,559	$3,707	$3,859	$3,909	$4,069	$4,383	$4,709	$4,863	$5,040
W-2	$3,149	$3,447	$3,539	$3,602	$3,806	$4,124	$4,281	$4,436	$4,625
W-1	$2,765	$3,062	$3,142	$3,311	$3,511	$3,806	$3,944	$4,136	$4,325

	Over 16	Over 18	Over 20	Over 22	Over 24	Over 26	Over 30	Over 34	Over 38
W-5			$6,930	$7,282	$7,543	$7,833	$8,225	$8,637	$9,069
W-4	$5,874	$6,084	$6,289	$6,589	$6,836	$7,118	$7,260	$7,260	$7,260
W-3	$5,224	$5,553	$5,776	$5,909	$6,051	$6,243	$6,243	$6,243	$6,243
W-2	$4,773	$4,907	$5,068	$5,173	$5,257	$5,257	$5,257	$5,257	$5,257
W-1	$4,474	$4,611	$4,777	$4,777	$4,777	$4,777	$4,777	$4,777	$4,777

2012 Proposed Enlisted Pay Chart
	< 2	Over 2	Over 3	Over 4	Over 6	Over 8	Over 10	Over 12	Over 14
E-9							$4,709	$4,816	$4,950
E-8						$3,855	$4,025	$4,131	$4,257
E-7	$2,679	$2,925	$3,037	$3,185	$3,301	$3,500	$3,612	$3,811	$3,976
E-6	$2,318	$2,550	$2,663	$2,772	$2,886	$3,143	$3,243	$3,437	$3,496
E-5	$2,124	$2,266	$2,375	$2,487	$2,662	$2,845	$2,995	$3,013	$3,013
E-4	$1,947	$2,046	$2,157	$2,266	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363
E-3	$1,757	$1,868	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981
E-2	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671
E-1	$1,491	$1,491	$1,491	$1,491	$1,491	$1,491	$1,491	$1,491	$1,491
*E-1 With less than 4 Months = $1,379
For the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy or Coast Guard, Chief Master Sergeant of the AF, Sergeant Major of the Army or Marine Corps or Senior Enlisted Advisor of the JCS, basic pay is $7610 Basic pay rate for Academy Cadets/Midshipmen and ROTC members/applicants is $990
	Over 16	Over 18	Over 20	Over 22	Over 24	Over 26	Over 30	Over 34	Over 38
E-9	$5,108	$5,268	$5,524	$5,740	$5,967	$6,315	$6,631	$6,963	$7,311
E-8	$4,394	$4,641	$4,767	$4,980	$5,098	$5,389	$5,498	$5,498	$5,498
E-7	$4,089	$4,209	$4,256	$4,412	$4,496	$4,816	$4,816	$4,816	$4,816
E-6	$3,539	$3,590	$3,590	$3,590	$3,590	$3,590	$3,590	$3,590	$3,590
E-5	$3,013	$3,013	$3,013	$3,013	$3,013	$3,013	$3,013	$3,013	$3,013
E-4	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363	$2,363
E-3	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981	$1,981
E-2	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671
E-1	$1,491	$1,491	$1,491

Metro: Last Light -Turn out the Lights and Hold on to your Butts!

2011-08-02T02:02:00.001-07:00

Random Thoughts - Transformers 3, Kites, Lawn Care, and Life...

2011-07-29T05:27:00.000-07:00

I've been a terrible blogger, as of late. Life is so busy, with such random and varied tasks seemingly placed upon my plate like a fire sale at a bad Chinese restaurant. (no offense Mongolian Barbecue). I really want to be a better blogger=writer, honestly. It's just, every time I sit in front of the pc, I have this sudden, drained feeling...like some mad doctor stuck a negative Ion needle into my arm and sucked the creative juice right out of my brain. Is it exhaustion? Writers block? The feeling that what i'm saying is boring, contrived, or not original enough? Perhaps a little of that. That is the human in me.

I finally had a date with my wife, it was nice. We even had time for dinner before a movie! We were both excited to see Transformers 3 in 3D...which surprisingly, was not eye-rolling OR annoying. To my great relief, it redeemed itself excellently from the somewhat embarrassing 'Revenge of the Fallen', to be more on par with the still excellent first movie. It was pretty sweet, actually. And the 3D was done to breath-taking effect. The scene where they jump out of a crashing Air Force V-22 Osprey [the irony not lost on my military mind] and plunged downward in a dizzying free fall...only to open up their winged flying suits and soar like crazy stuntman to a half-destroyed building below..was an amazing thrill ride, if however short. There were some pretty interesting moments in the whole film, a meeting of Optimus Prime and Neil Armstrong seemed so legit, I actually wondered if it really was him for a second...."naahhh..." There were plenty of site gag's, and background and set pieces of Transformers lore, only a hardcore comic geek could spot them all out.

It was also, simply amazing how seamless CGI tech is now incorporated into film [Is there even film anymore? Oh that's right...no]. The major example being my home town of Chicago, being effortlessly and incredibly broken to pieces under the Decepticon Siege during the almost 40 minute long 'Climax' of the movie. Robots battling among, around, and into recognizable fountains, plaza's, statues and buildings of my windy city was simply so real it almost made me call my gramma up to make sure she was ok! [heh] ILM must really have gotten this all down to a science. It is virtually impossible now to distinguish reality from simulated mayhem in modern movies. That could be a good thing, or scary.

Reason #2 Transformers 3 -The Dark of the Moon was pretty flippin' great, 3 words:

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. I was mildly curious how she would do, compared to Megan Fox, whom hillbilly demeanor or not, is still f'in hot...and my wife and I were pleasantly surprised. Rosie didn't seem to be shy of the camera, or aware of it...she spoke her lines from her pillow-like lips with force and the authority of someone like...well, almost like an actual actress! I had to remind myself that she was 'merely' a Victoria's Secret model, before her luck turned for this stint...but I'm just happy she didn't detract or ruin the movie, she did just fine. And my wife says, she was definitely hotter than Megan. Huh...

*Don't think on this too hard you might get a headache.

There were some cool upgrades to the bots- you know, to keep it fresh and new; -there were some well-chosen characters from my childhood, that I played with all the time-mainly LazerBeak! That thing was in the form of a killer Condor-like avian, that never transformed back into a cassette tape...because that is SO 1983. He was as cool to watch as the cat-like 'Ravage' was in TF2. Also-John Malkovich!, Frances McDormand!? HUH! All in all- it was a pretty amazing movie, not perfect, but a great pop-corn summer movie. One to watch again on Blu-ray when it comes out!

Bonus for me- the eerily accurate-looking scenes regarding the zone around Chernobyl [which of course the plot touches on-in interesting fashion]. Anyone that enjoys the S.T.A.L.K.E.R series of PC games [or Chernobyl history] will enjoy this quite a bit.

Back on the home front, the kids are having birthdays faster than I can buy cards, or cupcakes...we took them to the beach down by Newport, OR and it was a lucky sunny, and warm day there. Little Rowan [3 now] was finally able to fly his kite, which was depressingly fielded in our un-windy rural back yard. As a Dad, I can tell you there is nothing in the world that makes you feel like your lil' mini-you smiling up at his very first Kite on a sunny day at the beach. Everything else just seems to wash away for a few moments, as you reflect on your life, and your children's future.

The wind kept that baby up until he and I both got bored of that, and with his brother Aidan [5], they are off to the sand & rock throwing, and water splashing. It was a good time, half of my face was pink the next day.

The weekend passing fast, back to work and the grind, and my ever-wilding lawn. I tell you, gone are the days of simply mowing your lawn, to be respectable. Nope, perhaps my youthful memory was blinded, it takes much more than that to keep up with the jones's. A combination of rubber gloves, chemicals, and electric edgers are called to duty in order to stave off the soul-less minions of the HOA. [shudder....]

Don't get me wrong, this is MY first real yard, and I love that about it. But she's turning on me already, growing weird, wheat-looking stalks on the edges, dark green here, yellow patches there...and whatever those wide, spikey weeds are...I hate them.. Pull them all out by hand, admire your hard labor and sweat, two weeks later they are back in FORCE. Yeah, switching to happiness through better chemicals to hopefully reign in this beast. I found a spreader on craigslist for 15 bucks! sweet. Now to get my weed and feed and fertilizer groove on...yawn....next weekend, perhaps...I got to get those kids fed n' in bed....

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer!

Adriana Lima ...need I say more?

2011-06-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in life, there are important questions we have. Some go unanswered, some are forever a mystery. After much investigation, hope and faith...I came upon some of the great questions of our world.

How Much Does Adriana Lima Weigh?

She weighs about 120 pounds or 55.5kg

How Tall Is Adriana Lima?

5’10″ or 178cm

What Are Adriana Lima Measurements?

34C-24-35 (86-61-89)

need I say more??

Birth Place: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Date of Birth: June 12, 1981
Heritage: Brazilian

Victoria's Secret

<...gulp....>

"Go the F*ck to Sleep!" Childrens Book read by Samuel L. Jackson. Hilarious!

2011-06-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

For everyone here whom endures the nightly ritual of getting your kids to bed-I offer you this book-read by the ever enigmatic Mr. Samual Jackson of course! (warning-may induce involuntary peeing in pants)
Enjoy!

TNBBC Presents the book trailer (which in essence is the entire book) for Go the F*ck to Sleep. Narrated by the ultra-talented Samuel L. Jackson. Written by Adam Mansbach. To see his audiobook review - visit the blog http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/audio-review-go-fck-to-sleep..... To learn more about the book, visit Akashic Books website - http://www.akashicbooks.com/

10 New Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Screenshots Released! Beautiful!

2011-06-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

This game is gonna rock your socks off, I don't care who you are. You will be playing this for the next 5 years, just like the ones before it. The modding community will continue tinkering with this baby like it's their ol' beloved 69' Camaro.

Bethesda has been generous with their E3 unveiling of the new upcoming Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, already being proclaimed the GOTY for 2011. They've given us 10 more breathtaking screens, unpolished in-game screens...to drool over. 5 more months!

Also, here's a good article on EscapistMagazine online regarding some nice new gameplay changes for Skyrim. Be relieved! They're all better!
For the hands on DEMO of the gameplay, with producer Todd Howard at E3-check out the G4TV page HERE.

The screens show us a close look at a dragon from Skyrim along with one of the game’s new and improved horses, also one nice touch is the bright blue eyes the enemy has in the second image.

If you check out all of the screens you can gain a lot of insight about the upcoming game, one of the pics shows a first-look at a Guardian Stone, what part these stones will play in the game is currently unknown but they look pretty intriguing.
Enjoy fans!

... it's so beautiful....