Warcraft: Legion Expansion Could Mean the Death of PvP

To Protest the PvP Changes In Warcraft's Legion Expansion go to http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/20743744472#1

According to the "Legion PvP Preview" on the Warcraft site, exciting changes are coming for PvP in Legion. Such as

1. Honor and Conquest will no longer be currencies that you use to buy gear from vendors. One can simply acquire gear via a points system like XP. Which is kind of redundant considering you max out at the same level everyone does, LvL 50. Making you effectively generic.

2. Honor Talents now distinguish your character but only in a generic way to that of every other character/player. There will be no avenues for unique specialization such as gems, enchants or anything that may give you an advantage over a fresh level 100 that bought the expansion 10 minutes ago.

3. How will your equipment contribute to your character's strength in PvP? The answer is... it won't. The stats on your gear will be nullified, and you'll be given a predetermined set of stats that's uniquely configured for your specialization. Any set bonuses, enchants, Legendary bonuses, or trinket effects will be deactivated. No PvP Specific Gear.

4. The only contribution your gear will make to your overall power is through a small modifier based on your average item level. You can continue to grind for gear but it will largely only be cosmetic.

5. The changes to the PvP structure in Legion are designed to put everyone on an "even playing field". Even those who have never once played PvP and only recently level capped will now be as strong as a veteran PvP player. And the veteran PvP player can never advance above this generic state.

See more of these "Exciting Changes" at http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/19994381

The Great Comic Book Blockbuster Bubble

Hollywood is no different than any other big business corporation. Once it finds a potential gold mine it stays with it until the bubble bursts. It’s great while it lasts but woe onto that last move in line that flops at the box office. I use the comic book blockbuster phenomenon as an example because we have not seen the end of more comic book movies in our foreseeable future. As we continue to rush into the theaters to see Spiderman, Superman and Iron Man, Hollywood will continue to give us that over and over again rather than invest in the risk of an original concept.

Superman: Man of Steel earned 400 million dollars making it the highest grossing Superman movie of all time. But this paltry sum pales in comparison to Ironman 3 which generated 300 million domestic and 1 billion worldwide. However, the Dark Knight generated 533 million dollars in domestic sales and over 1 billion worldwide beating both Superman and Ironman as the most popular comic book blockbuster hero so far.

This is not my rehash of the top ten comic book blockbusters. It’s not even a top three list, as my editor breaks his pencil hoping for me to write the next great blockbuster article. My point is that Henry Cavill who played Superman the latest is still building his popularity as an actor. Robert Downey Jr. is an amazing actor and Christian Vale is stratospheric-ally awe inspiring. This is reflected in the box office earnings.

We would love a soup commercial featuring a brooding Christian Vale taking an introspective moment to savor his first spoonful. I own that idea, by the way! Hollywood knows what we want and we apparently want a lot more comic book movies.

We have even more in pre-production as we speak. Wonder Woman, The Flash and Antman among others are being discussed as potential nominees. If history repeats itself, which it often does, the first signs of trouble will be marked by a superhero parody movie. But, for now, with billions in our pockets to spend, the comic book blockbuster bubble shows no sign of slowing down.

References/Sources:

http://comicbook.com/blog/2013/06/23/man-of-steel-now-top-grossing-superman-film-of-all-time-worldwide/

The Advantages of a Shade Tree Mechanic

Almost as important as your personal physician, your attorney and your accountant, your mechanic must be someone you can trust. A personal mechanic is often referred to by the slightly derogatory description as a shade tree mechanic. This mechanic often works for himself in his own back yard rather than a car dealership or typical auto shop. He may also set up a work space in your driveway and work on your vehicle depending upon your relationship with him.

Although a bit tongue in cheek, we will address the very real advantages to finding a good shade tree you can trust. It’s difficult to establish a trusting relationship with an auto shop that works with perhaps ten to thirty cars daily. These bigger shops tend to do a lot of business and they also can be very expensive even for simple auto repair or maintenance. Car dealerships are even less personal. They operate on the corporate level and often will be the more expensive choice for auto service.

Let’s first disperse with the myth that the guy at the auto shop was trained in the ancient art of automotive repair, maintenance and service by monks. It’s not rocket science and the expensive shops and dealerships do not hold the patent on the trade. It’s another myth that simply because a mechanic does not work in a big shop or dealership that his skills are somehow less exemplary. In fact, the contrary is more often the standard. The trick is in finding him.

Same as you would properly vet your physician, attorney or accountant you would also want to make sure your shade tree is knowledgeable and competent in his trade. Word of mouth from your family or friends is often how they get their clients. They perform good work at a reasonable cost and their customers pass the word around. They have developed a relationship of trust and reliability that their customers appreciate.

Supply and demand becomes a factor in the cost and quality of automotive service. Sometimes a shop or dealership can become so overwhelmed that overall service and quality suffers. Rather than a one on one diagnosis of the issue, customers are hurried down the counter to the cash register and out the door with no real understanding of what they actually paid for. Your trustworthy shade tree will ensure you understand exactly what is wrong with your vehicle and what he will do to correct it while also informing you what you can do yourself to extend the life of your vehicle.

It’s common for people to become secretive of their shade tree and will not typically divulge the identity of their shade tree to just anyone. As mentioned, supply and demand can also be a factor with a good shade tree. As his reputation for quality and reliability grows, he becomes busier and you may be put on a waiting list for his services as his work load stacks up. If you’ve never given it much thought try it for yourself. Ask around for a good shade tree and see how people react to the question. You would assume you were asking them for insider stock information rather than a mechanic.

Read more at http://fullofknowledge.com/automobiles/the-advantages-of-a-shade-tree-mechanic/#Zgz94dDHTYJWZfXp.99

Book Review: Where Darkness Dwells

This book kept me a bit off guard in the beginning with its many plot twists. Experienced readers will recognize the author’s writing strategy of providing only enough details in the beginning to make readers believe they know where the story will lead. I found this book to be smartly written, compelling and difficult to put down.

The characters were colorfully envisioned and easily relatable but slightly difficult to identify the main characters. I would have preferred to have remained with the main characters more and less with those on the periphery. To some degree, this led to an overall distraction that caused the storyline to be slightly less frightening than it could have been. In this respect I felt the author left a lot on the table.

Readers like myself, who enjoy not only the character believability but the scenery will appreciate the author’s gentle references to the surroundings that allowed the reader to easily envision the environment. The contrast between the town above ground and the tunnels underneath instantly places the reader in a state of unease.

I found the plot to be disturbing, sadistic and twisted from the very start, which is exactly what I look for in a good horror. It all comes together wonderfully towards the end and nothing is left to the imagination. Be warned, I would recommend this book to my friends who prefer their fear slightly on the deviant side.

Reference:

“Where Darkness Dwells” by Glen Krisch. copyright 2010,2012 by Glen Krisch. Stray King Publishing.

How to Live in a Weakening Economy

While sitting in church before the pastor was to take the podium, members of the congregation discussed the state of our economy. My generation graduating college has learned the opportunities in our fields of study simply aren’t available. And let’s call it for what it is, economic times such as ours create an “employer’s market.” Even if you are fortunate enough to get a job in your chosen field it will typically be a drastic cut in expected salary and benefits, as companies struggle to keep operational costs down. Productivity, innovation and overall prosperity suffer as a result. Economists predict the situation will get worse before it gets better and have no real estimate of when substantial economic growth will happen. For us, this is not encouraging news. This was the topic on our minds at church and on the minds of everyone across our nation.

I have been told for years by my elders that we, the younger generation, have had it too easy. We have, as a society, forgotten what a real trade based economic system means. Again, this term was mention by our church elders. The term trade based economy seemed generic enough, surly I had heard of it in college and written an essay or something on it. I quickly start to click away at my smart phone to look it up but was immediately informed by my uncle, that I would not learn about trade based economy from my tiny magic toy. Feeling more than slightly belittled, I put away my tiny magic toy and listened as my uncle and grand father explained their definition of trade based economy to the church members. As they spoke in the rear of our small church, the entire congregation formed around them.

Paraphrasing, trade based economy is defined very differently by people who are starving than it is by economists. When I think of the great depression I see the image of a Nebraska farm house that appears as if was built in the middle of a desert with tumbleweeds rolling by. I thought of my tiny magic toy as well as all of my tiny magic things and shuddered at the thought of no longer having them. Without rehashing the history books, the great depression was simply the closest America has ever come to becoming a third world country. Our elders explained that even with terrorism, war and environmental challenges; economic collapse has always been America’s only natural predator. And it has stalked us like a hungry beast since we became a nation.

The people of this time did not survive by crunching numbers, analyzing stock market trends or even borrowing from China. They bonded together as a community and relied upon their own skills and talents to help each other. I looked behind me to the long table in the foyer covered with farm fresh produce, eggs, my mother’s homemade quilts and various tools and small appliances. I began to understand.

Countless times that year I had placed my name in a book that sat on a stand at the doorway to volunteer my time to the church. I helped repair roofs, deliver home cooked meals to the elderly in deep rural areas, and cut more grass than I ever had as a kid. I felt I had a real grasp of trade based economy. Then I thought of hurricane Katrina.

Katrina cut a deep scar across communities, cities and townships from the coast and beyond where I live in Mississippi. Even now, eight years later, those scars can still be seen. Many people lost their lives and many of the lost were never found.

The people of my little church came together as a community to help others devastated by the storm with humility and smiling faces. What occurred to me as we listened intently to our elders was that during that time, although hard hit, none of us were without clean water, fresh food, or electricity. The foyer of our little church was stacked to the ceiling with supplies. I had signed the list to volunteer to deliver the food, water and generators to each of the homes on a specified route. The only thing we asked in return was anything that family could spare to help their neighbor even if all they could spare was their time.

We soon realized all of the pastor’s time had gone by. He had sat among us as well to listen to the elders speak. After our unique church service, we all hugged said our farewells and went our separate ways. I realized then that we would be okay. As the economists crunch their numbers and our government weans itself off foreign financing we, as a community, will survive as we always have. I can’t help but to wonder how different our nation would be if real trade based economy as defined by our elders was the official economic system.

Read more at http://fullofknowledge.com/lifestyle-2/how-to-live-in-a-weakening-economy/#hG0Zx3gJaPIu2w07.99

Murder Society

I went to college and studied health sciences because I wanted to help people. I worked for an ambulance service that got forced out by another ambulance service that got forced out by our current ambulance service. And I lost my job along with many others as a result.

I went back school for nursing and worked for East Mississippi State Mental Hospital (EMSMH) and they brought in TB patients without telling us. We were exposed and laid off without notice. Months later, we find out through co-workers we need to get tested for TB. I was exposed and had to take treatment that made my hair fall out. Some of my co-workers have died. We cannot sue EMSMH due to the contract we signed to get the job.

I’ve since taken other jobs that are all similar in nature. I will never be able to save enough to have anything of my own. I only make enough to eat and get myself back and forth to work. These jobs constantly seek to work me overtime but do not want to pay overtime. When I bring it to their attention they become assholes to force me out to replace me with someone who will not complain. So, like many others, I worked and stopped complaining about my paycheck.

But then 9/11 happened, and I watched it as it was happening along with many others. Unlike many others, however I am aware of the back story regarding the Middle East. I have followed the news of Israel and Palestine since I was a child. I am Native American so it matters to me when one people invade a country and take over while forcing the indigenous population out.

You saw 4 planes flown by terrorists hijacked, 2 of them impacting the world trade center and one hitting the Pentagon. I saw 4 events that are statistically impossible happen four times on the same day. I saw two buildings come down with the precision that would have taken professional demolition experts months to plan. I saw a small hole punched into the Pentagon where a large commercial jet liner was to have impacted without one camera in the whole city seeing a low flying jet hovering overhead. I never saw one part of a jetliner in the small pile of debris at the Pentagon.

I see me working my ass off to make other people rich while my tax dollars pay for bombs that kill the children of people I have never met in parts of the world I’ve never been. I pay for this because of the events of that September morning. But, unlike you, I cannot suspend common sense. I cannot unknow that the events of that September morning are a lie. Now I ask you, what the fuck are you seeing?

So I guess we need to have the men in shades to come take me for a drive. We need to send some black SUVs to come disappear my ass. Because I am not paying my gdamned taxes anymore. I am not staying silent anymore. I’m writing books about this. I’m writing articles about this. I’m blogging about this. I’m tweeting it and putting it on Facebook.

With every post I write I am wondering what has made you all so blinded to this blatant lie you live? You work for slave wages leading to taxes, which leads to murdered people and for what? The people of Nazi Germany claimed they did not know. You live on the bones of 100 million slaughtered Native Americans and claim you did not know. If they had been told, then it would not have only been the governments murdering these civilizations. The knowledge makes the people a society of murderers. You wake up, shower and get dressed. You kiss your children and clock in to your shit job and murder someone’s child half way around the world. Do not keep paying your taxes and claim you do not know. I just fucking told you. 

The Hunting Lesson

Some would argue that with our food mass produced and butchered for us, we no longer have a need to hunt and kill our food. But not everything that is done for us serves to benefit us. Have we lost a vital survival trait in our society as a result mass produced food? Some have called the act of hunting cruel and inhumane to the prey animals, even when they are hunted for food.

To be objective, we should address the reason why we hunted before the age of mass produced food animals. First and foremost, we hunted for survival and to sustain our families. This need is met when we buy food from the grocery store. But like so many conveniences we enjoy in society, we pay for that which is readily provided in nature. Then there is the matter in which our food animals are kept and slaughtered.

Few of us could say we have witnessed first hand the poultry farms of the Deep South or the confining pens of the cattle and pig farms. But perhaps a tour of the slaughter houses would be a persuasive argument for hunting. One only needs to see the environment in which a wild deer or boar exists to know that they live much better lives than our livestock. But then there is the cold and brutal act to consider.

When your survival depends upon your food source, you cannot help but have respect for it. You are careful to not waste any part of it. And regardless of your religious convictions, when you give thanks, you are thankful first to the animal that is feeding you and your family. We cannot readily say we gave respect to the animal from which our meat came when we purchased it in the grocery store. Some manner of respect for the beast you killed yourself is unavoidable. We have to learn to not appreciate our prey.

We regain our lost sense of self reliance in hunting our own prey animals. There are many reasons why a nation would ration food to its people, drought, economic depression, a significant natural disaster to name only a few. Can you honestly say what recourse you would have if you were required to provide food for yourself and your family? If this scenario is somewhat removed from you, then simply consider the real fact that you and your family are at the mercy of others for their very sustenance. There was a time when this vital rite of life was in your hands. Regardless what our views may be about hunting, we cannot deny we have lost this independence in our society.

Image Credit : Wikimedia Commons,  This work is in the public domain in Russia according to article 1256 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.