College Classes Teach Each Other

Right now, I'm taking 3 college classes: Intro to Java Programming, Precalculus, and Intro to MS Office. One of my biggest obstacles I've had to tackle is "How can I use this?" Let's go back to high school. Or rather, let's think back to the classes in high school. Not many people actually want to go back. Anyway...

In high school, we came across a number of things that we didn't quite see how it applied to real life. Unless you were going on Jeopardy, why did it matter when the Magna Carta was signed? What did balancing a chemical equation have to do with the price of tea in China? And would someone please tell me when you would ever use the Pythagorean Theorem? All of these were just stuff we were taught in school, and we were rarely given real world examples.

This stuff bored the crap out of me and now I'm facing the same kind of boredom in my current classes. Sure, I'm happy to be learning all this, but it's aggravating. So I found ways to put my knowledge to use. Specifically, I've been using my classes to work with each other.

All my precalc homework is being done in MS Office and exported as PDF, e-mailed to the teacher. I've also been playing with Java and doing some of the calculations with Java programs instead of just a calculator. This actually gives me a connection with each of my classes on how to solve issues, even if it's just to do my homework.

If you find yourself struggling with the "boring" classes, see how you can relate each class to one another. It might just give you a little bit of an edge and make that information stick. Have fun!

Microsoft Office 2010 PC Home And Student Edition

Morals vs. Ethics

I generally thought morals and ethics were interchangeable, and in some instances they are. But like rectangles and squares, it's only in certain circumstances. All squares are rectangles because they all have four 90° angles. Not all rectangles are squares because not all of them have four equal sides.

Morals are personal. Let's get that right straight out of the gate: Morals are PERSONAL. They're something you grow up learning, applying, sometimes changing because you find that one isn't as right as you thought. Your own sense of right and wrong are your morals. They may copy or follow someone else's morals, but they are yours. Morals are generally associated with organized religions, despite being personal.

Ethics are much more social. They are debated, refined, and applied over systems. Ethics may conflict directly with morals or work perfectly aside them. Ethics tend to develop over time and only end up really changing when they are found not to be practical.

This is really a big difference. Morals are personal, simple, and easily changeable. Ethics are social, complex, and difficult to change. The bigger difference is ethics can become laws much easier.

In order for a law to have some bearing, it has to at least pass general consent. A wide variety of morals by their nature disagree with one another because each moral identifies what is good by only a personal point of view. Say a local council is deciding whether to make fishing in the local streams legal or illegal. You can have morals go like this:

• Good: Fishing is relaxing
• Bad: Fishing kills animals
• Bad: Fishing wastes time
• Good: I like to eat fish
• Bad: Fishing is boring
• Good: Some fishing will get me away from the family

Ethics, on the other hand, tackle it from a different point of view:

• Good: It doesn't hurt other people
• Good: it doesn't encroach on others rights
• OK: It would have minor environmental impact
• Good: It could encourage business in the area
• Good: Licenses can be sold, generating revenue and reducing over-fishing

The ethics would say that fishing should be made legal. Is it snubbing those who think fishing is bad? No, because they decide for themselves that fishing is bad.

In my opinion, one of the more famous examples of recognizing morals vs. ethics comes from the Book of Matthew

"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" - Matthew 22:21, Christian bible

This has been interpreted many ways, not the least of which is "You can't say you don't have to pay taxes because of religious reasons." For me, it's puts morals and ethics is the spotlight as well.  A little back story for the quote, Jesus is approached and asked if people should pay taxes. The question was a trap because if he said no, they would turn him over for defying the government. His statement did more than just say "yes", however.

By ethical standards, paying the taxes was the right thing to do because it was the law. From a moral standard, you don't want to give up your money so you think it's a bad thing, thus it's immoral to impose taxes on you. Here's where the disconnect happens: Because you're attempting to apply your moral to someone else's behavior, it's no longer your moral; it is now an ethic, and the ethical thing to do would be to pay your taxes. In this way, Jesus was teaching that it was possible to be ethical and moral at the same time.

Where I've seen a lot of people improperly apply their morals is when dictating how other people should behave. Once you try to apply a moral standard to someone else, it's no longer your moral, it becomes part of an ethic. If there's an ethic in place already, your moral is automatically... I'm not sure what the right word for this is. Vetoed? Trumped? Ignored? In any case, it becomes unimportant.

In that vein, it's impossible to say someone is immoral. If they're doing something, they believe it is moral to do it. On the other hand, if someone is unethical, they're either rude or breaking the law. That sounds about right. Have fun!

Retro Review Relevance

A lot of people are familiar with the Angry Video Game Nerd. If not, here's a simple summary: He reviews old games from the Atari 2600 to the Nintendo 64 (the oldest I recall) which are exceedingly bad. I had a laugh and agreed on quite a few points. But what relevance does that have in today's video game market?

I was doing some cleaning up and decided to hook up the GameCube and play some Wind Waker. And I found myself wishing there were games that used some of these elements.

And then I put two and two together.

A lot of people I talked to see retro reviews as something to just draw in the nostalgia crowd. I'm realizing there are more valuable lessons to learned. In the case Angry Video Game Nerd, it's what NOT to do. The majority of these reviews also point out what worked.

As an example, let's consider Super Mario 64, which was the first game for the Mario franchise to leap from the 2D to the 3D. It's a great game. Are the two related? Not directly. Though 3D gaming was becoming more popular, what made SM64 a great game was it was a great game. I know, a simplistic analogy, but hear me out. The level designs were excellent, the controls worked well, it gave a great challenge, the music fit the game very well (I loved the Metal Mario music!), and it's story, while not monumental, was just right for the game. The graphics were good for when it was released, but by 2012 they'd be considered crap. So why is it hailed still as a great game? Because it is a great game.

Retro reviews only mentions crappy graphics or horrible sound if they are truly awful. They do consider the available technology of the game's time. When they cite bad music, it's because it was badly composed or played inappropriately, such as only having a single ten second track looping endlessly without pause. When the graphics are hit, it from seeing the artists not even trying, especially if you're questioning if something is a gun or a dildo.

Even though they talk about games made 20 or 30 years ago, a number of lessons from those times can still be learned. A good game cannot rely on good graphics alone. If it has no substance, it'll make people ask why they even bothered picking up the game and playing it.

If you can, I invite you to play a couple of yesteryear games and see what made them good and what made them bad. Not for nostalgia's sake, but to make you appreciate all the work that helped make some of the good game what they are today. And on the topic of games, I just lost the game! Have fun!

Java 6 and 7 updated

A short while ago, I wrote about an exploit in Java 7 that made computers, regardless of operating system or browser, very vulnerable. Thursday, an update was released for Java 7 (update 7) that fixes this. An update was released for Java 6 (update 35) as well. Needless to say, it would behoove you to download and install the updates you need.

Myself, I use Java 6 and 7. I have a few older programs that won't work with 7, so I keep 6 around for that very reason. All in all, I haven't been too disappointed with Java. That's the main reason I'm taking college courses to learn Java programming.

Now, a lot of people are still saying if you don't need Java, you should uninstall it still. It's like that weight set you bought and never used; it's just lying there, taking up space, and someone could trip over it. The difference? That weight set cost you money, Java is free. So if you don't need Java, you can uninstall it and install it later if you do need it. Have fun!

Java All-in-one for Dummies from cdsbooksdvds.com

How much money is enough?

I've heard the stories plenty of times. "If I win the lottery, I'm quitting my job!" A lot of us without much money can comment about what we'd do if we had enough money. But it's hard to actually say what we'd do when we actually get that kind of money.

Right now, I have 3 things on my list if I got a lucky break and won a lot of money. They are, in order:

1. Pay off my girlfriend's loans
2. Buy myself a car
3. Buy my best friend a car

Honestly, with $200 grand, I could do that and I'd be happy. But what about funds over that? I honestly don't know what I'd do with anything more. If I win some sweepstakes that gives me a whole bunch of cash, I'd probably be at a loss. Do I save it? Invest it? Do something else that I haven't thought of?

I could see a number of options when I think about it. First would be to make sure the freaking taxes are handled. Depending on how much was left, I could use it to go to school. If it was a whole lot, I wouldn't even have to worry about retiring. It'd be like BAM! no need to work. Get a house, secure my retirement (which would start right away), maybe take a trip. Hell, I could always open that restaurant that I've wanted.

I'm not mentioning charity because I kind of see that as a given. Not for tax purposes either, but because I wouldn't be able to say otherwise; help some of the local food banks or shelters, donate to the Red Cross, even fund cleaning up the parks. I would have options.

Of course, it's easy to say something like that now. Once I actually had the money, will I have a different opinion or do different things? It's hard to tell. I'd like to say no, but then again, I don't have the money now. At least I can dream.

I do know one thing for sure that I would do: big awesome super party! With lots of pizza! Have fun!

Phoney Lottery Tickets from spencersonline.com

Wish I had a car

A little more than a year ago, I had a little blue '85 Chevy S-10. She got me where I needed to go. Then her engine block cracked in 3 places. Needless to say, I was sad.

Now, I mostly rely on foot power and public transportation. I don't mind it, but there's a certain freedom that comes with having a vehicle. Munchies? Drive right down to the burger joint. College? I'll get there at my own leisurely pace. Time for work? Just gotta get in and drive.

There were downsides, to be sure. Gas, insurance, maintenance, all of these cost money. But that's part of the problem of having such a toy; you have to keep it going if you want to play with it.

While I miss my old girl, I do take a little heart in the money we're not spending on the costs that come with it. Maybe instead of driving to the burger joint, we'll order out for a pizza. Have fun!

Java 7 update 6 exploitable

In the last update of Java (v7 update 6) there was a 0-day exploit found and being used. This can affect all computers running Java 7 and all web browsers.

What this means is that there's a big problem in using the latest Java and it could hurt your computer. You can go to www.isjavaexploitable.com to test your computer. The site is run by a reputable computer security company and will show if you're vulnerable to the exploit.

It has been recommended by numerous security companies to remove Java 7 completely, though some are calling for complete removal until Oracle fixes it, and some are saying it's okay to use Java 6 in the mean time. If you use Java 6, be aware that it comes with its own vulnerabilities.

Another option, if you think you're savvy enough, is to request an unofficial patch from DeepEnd Research. They'll e-mail patches on request, but this is not intended for home use. Note that this has not been verified or approved by Oracle.

Now, you may be wondering, "Won't Oracle, who is responsible for Java, patch this as soon as possible?" The answer is "Perhaps not." Oracle usually releases 3 major updates a year in February, June, and October with bug fixes released around 2 months after the major update. The next update is expected to come in October. It is rare for Oracle to update at all outside of this schedule, though the attention might change their minds. To my knowledge and searching, Oracle has not released a comment pertaining to this yet.

If you don't know what version of Java you have, go to a command prompt.

• For Windows, you can press Win-R, type "cmd", hit enter.
• For Macs, Go to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
• For Linux, just go to a shell.

Then type in "java -version" and see what comes up. If you see a version of 1.7 or higher, you susceptible to the exploit. If it says 1.6, you should be OK. Well, as OK as you can be with Java 6 at least.

So be on your guard. Don't go to suspicious websites as usual. Play it safe.

World needs more goofy stuff

You ever play YouTube Roulette? You watch a video and then click on another video in the sidebar. I always go for second to last. Fair warning: If you play this game, you may end up in THAT part of the internet. Again.

Every now and then you win big and find something like this. It's originally from a website called albinoblacksheep.com which itself is host to many more bits of awesome. Have fun!

Good morning and then some!

It's strange how a change can impact you. I ended being burned out from my first day of classes yesterday, but it was a refreshing kind of burn out. The kind of burn out you get for playing at an amusement park all day with nothing but sugar drinks and cheap processed meat for fuel. As soon as I hit that pillow last night, even though I was energetic the whole evening, I was almost out like a light. If I was a kid, Daddy would have been carrying me in to bed while I dozed on his shoulder.

This morning, I woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Well, as much as you could get without being a furry anyway. Usually I have to down a couple Monsters to get that kind of pep. It's nice to be able to get up and go.

Pre-calc is turning out easier than I thought. It's just a case of memorizing the formulas so far. Once I have them down, applying them should be simple enough. Intro to Java should be fun. The teacher seems like he has a case of "Duuuuude, check this out."

Lately, I've felt myself in a slump. Maybe what I needed was something to give me some direction again. This could be just what I need to make a life. I owe most of the credit to my girlfriend. If she hadn't talked me in to it, I would just be bumming around the apartment still. Have fun!

Monster Energy Drink - 24/16 oz. - Energy (Google Affiliate Ad)

First class simple...

I've finished my first class, Pre-Calculus. The class itself was not a problem. Matter of fact, it was easy. Well, as easy as it could be. I find myself more anxious around others. That's what had me so nervous, it was other people.

I had problems in school, due in part to being the "new kid". Never fit in. It was in part responsible for my violent and hostile behavior. Here, it's a new page for pretty much everyone. I can taste the fear in some them and I find it quite enjoyable. For once, I have an advantage socially.

I'm not going to be a bully. I just feel like I don't have to size up everyone for a fight. It's nice to relax and enjoy my classes for a change. Have fun!

Tick tock

Ten minutes to go until I leave for class. Nervous isn't a proper description. Hopefully I can make these classes mine. Also I'm finding I don't like the Blogger app as much as sitting at my desk.

Godspeed Neil Armstrong

It's hitting everywhere. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, has passed away at age 82.

My heart goes out to his family, as anyone who loses a family member will be saddened.

Neil Armstrong will be remembered through history as the first man to walk on the moon. When Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space, his achievement brought forth a real possibility to go further. But with Neil Armstrong's step, I think his epic voyage drove home the idea that what we merely dreamed in science fiction was actually possible. In truth, Neil has been the only person to trump Yuri and until we set foot someplace further away, they will hold their places solid as the first space pioneers.

Mr. Armstrong didn't just make history books however. While Yuri died early, Neil went on to encourage many children to seek the stars, both literally and metaphorically. I think it was the prospect of knowing someone really could set foot on some place as far off as the Moon encouraged my amateur study of astronomy. It also likely encouraged my father who loved looking at the moon. I remember late nights looking through a telescope to observe lunar landmasses.

For many of us who look forward to the future in the stars, you will be missed.

"That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." - Neil Armstrong, July 21, 1969

Godspeed to splash down, Neil Armstrong.

Apple vs. Samsung: Winner is NOBODY!

So the decision is final. Apple "wins". From my point of view, no they didn't really win. It's kind of like a boxing match that goes all the way to the end and a winner gets decided based on points rather than someone getting knocked out.

Apple is starting to act like a stereotypical old man. "Get off my lawn!" The prices show it too. The iPhone 4S prices for $649 or $199 with a two-year wireless contract, even though it's old news. Many of the better Android-based phones are either comparable or cheaper, usually both.

The problem that exists with the iPhone and the iPad is they are starting to be seen as old. Slapping a number or letter after it won't change that anymore. The conceptions I had over each version of the iPhone was:

The first iPhone: "OOOOOOH! ME WANT!"
iPhone 2: "Cool!"
3: "Yay, I guess."
4: "OK..."
4S: "Whatever."

That only reason I wanted one was it was a toy I could play with and not much else. The iPod Touch I had was similar to it. It seemed like an iPhone that couldn't make calls or send texts. And while it had some nice apps, it wasn't anything special.

When I finally did get a smartphone, I shopped around. I read the reviews, talked to friends, compared capabilities, and in the end, I went with the HTC Evo Design 4G. It was offered at a good price and had capabilities that iPhone don't have. The big one being it wasn't Apple. Why was that important? It meant I had more control over my phone. (For the record, I have some Linux experience, so you know what kind of control I'm talking about!)

I think that's the main thing that gets me: Who could say that they could confuse a Samsung made phone for an iPhone? I pick up a phone and I can easily tell the difference from any Apple product. How? Their logo is a dead giveaway. The claim of "rectangles with rounded corners" doesn't belong to Apple. Playing cards have been using them for centuries. The original Game Boy was rectangular with rounded corners. Heck, my old Acer Inspire One is rectangular with rounded corners.

I'm not saying Apple has no case at all. Hardware (not simply design) patents are one thing. If Apple shows that Samsung was using their technology, beat Samsung down with a dirty stick.

Now, feel is trickier. I admit, the first time I saw the "bounce back" feature, it was on my iPod and it was novel, but it didn't register as something major. At first, I actually thought it was a bug; I relied more on the scroll bar. But does it belong solely to Apple? I have to say yes, if they invented it first. Apple does have experience in this matter.

In the end, I think Apple is keeping themselves on life support. They need a new product, and not just a renaming. Right now, all they make are iPhones and iPads. Oh yeah, and those Mac things too. Renaming their phone line to the iBam! is not going to cut it. Siri is cute but nothing new. If they really want to make the claim as the mac daddy of smartphones, they're going to need to be iNnovative.

I do admit, I don't understand every aspect of this case, but if the only things being released are these few bits, then the PR is not doing their jobs. Maybe someone else can explain it better or give a link. Have fun!

Stay Away From the Cubicle!

Let's face it. I'm no expert on prisons. My only visit to a prison was to find out if the eGranary Digital Library was working for the inmates. Cubicle jobs, however, those I know plenty about.

I used to think I could be content to work in a cubicle. Cut off from others. Just me and a computer. How naive of a graduate student. You'd think that after my first year of working in my cubicle (open to three other cubicles) I'd have learned to adjust my mindset to survive and possibly thrive. Almost two years in and I still haven't been able to do it. Why? Because I refuse to be institutionalized.

Over the years I have, perhaps, read too many dystopian future books or watched too many mind control movies to ever be comfortable working a cubicle job. I see the building from afar and instantly my fight or flight reflex kicks in. My job is killing me with stress, paranoia, and a lack of exercise. It is also killing my brain with an overgrowth of the mundane and a shortage of mental workouts. My IQ used to be in the 150's. It's down at least 10 points.

But, of course, it's all my fault. No excuse I provide will ever be good enough for those jackasses who believe that everyone is able to do everything for themselves and those who don't are pansies. Fuck you. After a day at work, trying to survive amongst other people and the threat of unemployment I'd prefer to go back to my cell (apartment) and give my traumatized mind and body a chance to rest up so I can survive tomorrow. There is no more energy to be given to further studies to keep my brain active. The closest I have to that are the books I get from the library. I used to watch the Discovery Channel and whatnot, but can no longer afford cable TV.

I've seen it happen to many times. A person starts out a cubicle job thinking "it'll just be for a year or so until I find another job that is more suited to what I want out of a career." Fat chance sucker. The economy is so deep in the toilet that the only other jobs available are for plumbing. Let's face it, no matter how bad the economy gets, plumbers will always be needed. And now you're wishing you would have taken up a blue collar specialty because, hey, there's a lot of shit, but at least you get to see sunshine every now and then.

So, what do you do? Well, if you've got a cubicle job, chances are VERY good that you've already completed your Bachelor's Degree. Let's hope it was a good one because it's the only one you'll ever get. Why? Because you're already so many thousands of dollars in debt no bank would ever give you another loan to go back and get another degree. And even if they did, you'll never be able to pay off the debt accrued by getting two degrees. I know, I have a BA and and MA. Shoot me now.

As a result of not being able to go anywhere else because you can't afford any more college and your skills are now passe for everything except your cubicle job, you have two choices: go bat-shit crazy and have an incredibly early mid-life crisis or adopt the company persona. I've seen them; the personas. They scare me. They believe they are part of the company, an important part, despite the fact they could be replaced by the next day. The company accomplishes something they were advised not to do but did so anyways because it "looks progressive" and the personas cheer. They believe in the company. They do not see what they have lost to the company: individuality, personality, respect, a fair wage. They see only the company's "progress".

I work for one of the main educational database companies. Which one, I will not say. But there has been no major shift in popularity, income, titles, etc. to favor one company or another. They claim they are in competition with each other, but in truth they are more akin to monopolies. They only complain about the other databases for appearances. In truth, all the corporate databases have universities and libraries wrapped around their fingers. If there is truly a competition, why must the companies charge prices that are easily 50% of the library's budget? I was trained to be a librarian. Now I work for the enemy and I cannot face myself in the mirror.

It is difficult, but I have not surrendered my identity. It has nearly crushed my soul, but the company will not take me. I will find a better job...or win the lottery. Because right now, both have the same chance of happening.

"If you are not a thinking man, to what purpose are you a man at all?" - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

AdSense because why not?

One of the funniest things I encountered was someone complaining about a rock band. They weren't complaining about the music or the songs. They didn't mention their outfits. They complained because their band "sold out".

Well DUH! That's why people start up rock bands. They want to be popular and awesome with thousands of screaming fans, or in other words, have a whole lot of money.

Let's face it, not a lot of people are going to be rock stars. But everyone still has that base desire of earning money. Whether it's just enough to help get by, enough to buy some extra gifts at Christmas, enough to make it their job, or enough to have a mattress stuffed full of Benjamins to flop on each night, people do things for money.

There are opportunities out there for people. They're not always easy to find, but people can stumble across a win now and then. Sometimes they find a potential way to make cash without having a goal. I found that I could create an AdSense account and use it to potentially turn my blog in to something a little profitable.

I started this blog as a way to write down and share my ideas with anyone who might be interested. It has a nice relaxing feeling to it. Considering school, being unemployed, and future plans, I could use a bit of extra cash. So while I may be "selling out", I'm going to feel good about it. It may not be backstage with groupies, but I never wanted to be a rock star anyway.

Now, captain of an intergalactic cruiser, that's a different story. Have fun!

What does writer's block taste like?

I've heard of the term but I've never understood it properly. Then again, I've never been much of a writer. But I understand that a person simply cannot move forward with ideas. This is either from a lack of ideas, too many ideas, or being overly critical of results.

A lack of ideas seems much like a dam, ready to burst. You just have to break the dam. I see how it's difficult to do that, but even something simple like a random phrase generator could be enough to get that dam to at least start leaking.

Too many ideas seems like the opposite where the dam is burst and you can't get a grip on anything because too much is coming at once. It's like swimming against the torrent when all you really need is to dip a bucket in for a little bit at a time.

"An artist is his own worst critic." I've heard that expression time and again, though I don't know who the originator of that expression is. But that one I can easily understand. Some people may be having good ideas and simply dismiss them because they think they aren't good enough. This seems more a personal problem than an artistic one. The writer is simply dashing his ideas without properly evaluating them. In this case, ideas need to be bounced of others. An independent source can give a much clearer indication of quality. The problem is the writer has to realize he's been way too critical.

I've had my own methods of dealing with blocks, though it's nothing like the more serious cases I've heard about. For some people, it interferes with daily life, relationships, or even physical health, all of which may compound the block. It seems akin to phobia where people lash out or react very poorly. It's difficult to manage without help.

Now, I've manage to overcome small blocks myself. Like I mentioned, when I can't seem to get an idea, I hit a random generator such as this one. When I get too many ideas at once, I'll assign some ideas to numbers and roll a die. When I get to a point where I can't properly judge quality of an idea, I'll bounce it off someone. "Hey, does X sound good?" I'll commonly do that with cooking.

Like I said, my cases seem simple compared to what I've read, but maybe it could help someone. If you have any ways getting over those stumbles, trying sharing those ideas. Have fun!

Old vs. New. vs. Who cares?

"That's the way we always did it." I know a lot of people who would say that when asked why a new method isn't being used. I've nothing against tradition, but when something new is introduced, it shouldn't be dismissed simply because it's not the way someone's used to doing things.

"We're doing something new!" Change for the sake of change is not change. The boss who steps in and says people need to work different because he's in charge is going to face resistance. That boss will fail because he doesn't lead, he simply does the "Because I said" that never worked when people were children.

I've seen a lot of people do things differently or the same simply because of their nature. I'll admit, I'm guilty of that myself. When I play Skyrim, I may want to play a certain type of character, like a warrior, but end up reverting to my thief habits of sneaking. Oh sure, I may be using a greatsword to sneak attack, but I'm still sneaking. Then again, I generally play as a thief, so why am I try to play as a warrior?

Whether it's games, business, personal relations, or cooking, it's difficult to balance the new with the old. If you just try to change things just to change things, then what exactly is your goal? It's like you're abandoning what you were originally doing for something completely different.

Evolution is not just something debated in scientific and religious circles. It's gradual change. There are some things that are done the same way simply because something better hasn't succeeded yet. I've seen things that would, in theory, work better, but they were abruptly introduced and failed like throwing a fish out of water. The fish dies because it can't suddenly breath air.

Let's say you're watching Cake Boss and you decide you want to make a cake like he does, with all the detail and flavor. All the cakes you've done before were using cake mix, a tub of frosting, and some candles for a birthday cake. You will likely fail. Because you're incompetent? No, because you're trying to change everything at once. There are skills and knowledge you'll need. Calculating weight, ingredients, knowing your flavors, strength of materials, color coordination, artistry, sculpting, and more. Buddy Valastro does all that and has a business to manage to boot.

What that means is you'll have to start small, not give up. Learn how to decorate simply, such as watching this video on ehow.com. Start getting an eye for details, work your way up, learn how to use fondant, and so on until your skills evolve and you could actually end up working for Buddy. If you get good enough, maybe he'll work for you! But seriously, you start simple and evolve things, discarding what doesn't work and keeping what does.

Now, for the individual, it's easy enough. Going off the cake analogy, let's say you wow your family with an impressive cake for your parents' anniversary and now your cousin Terry is asking you to teach how to do what you did. You know from experience that it'll take time. Terry wants to learn "now". Truth be told, Terry doesn't want to learn, Terry just wants to make a cake like you did. Change for the sake of change. It's not worth your time to attempt as there could be others who want to actually learn the process. That's a key part of evolution too, who will adapt and who won't.

I guess I'm kind of burned out on everyone who wants to be impressive and everyone who just wants to be left alone to do whatever. It's difficult to get people to find the balance that makes learning something different possible. Gradual steps may not seem efficient on paper, but it's better than trying to force everything at once and having people do things differently because you refused to allow them to adapt.

You know, next time I play a thief in Skyrim, I'm going to try for a no-murder playthrough. No people will be killed, but lots of pickpocketing. Have fun!

Pandora: The Land of Oppurtunity

It's coming. The return to Pandora to shoot, grab loot, and occasionally blow things up. Borderlands 2 is on it's way.

Now, I'm not one of those who HAS to have a sequel simply because it's a sequel. I've seen that before. If the original is fun, then I should be able to have the faith that the sequel will be better. I have been burned, so I'm not without experience.

My favorite examples of good sequels are the U.S. versions of Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3, and Super Mario World. Each improved over the last. Granted, these are simple examples, but I have seen these used as examples of what sequels should be. While the graphics improved, these alone don't count as improvements. Each sequel improved the game play over the previous.

Sadly, we also see examples of sequels being worse than their predecessors. It's these examples that have led to the term Sequel Syndrome. One example of how the sequel can be worse is Fable 2 and Fable 3. (Before you pull out the crucifix and nails, this is my opinion, but you'll understand my point in a moment.) Fable 2 was a richer environment and story. Fable 3 felt so much more linear, especially the end. Truth be told, the ending felt very anticlimactic.

The reason I look forward to Borderlands 2 is I loved the basic game play style. Shoot, get loot, shoot some more. Add in each character's abilities and you had variety of play styles and strategies. Borderlands 2 promises to expand on that and add more story to it, something I felt was rather lacking in the first game. They're bringing back old characters and introducing new ones. "GET YOU ONE!"

The premise I hear for the story is rather confusing though. At first, I thought the characters were simply seeking revenge against Handsome Jack, then it turns out there's a SECOND vault, the contents of which should include a new big bad that Jack can possibly control. And along the way, get loot, more loot, and more loot!

Hopefully, they'll keep the multiplayer intact. In the first Borderlands, class mods and certain abilities would help the entire party. I preferred playing as a Soldier using his healing abilities and ammo regen to really aid my team mates. My bother loved playing as a hunter and getting his hands on an Orion and using that as a sniper rifle and a close quarters weapon. He would burn through ammo like it was going out of style. My girlfriend preferred a more balanced load out, but we burned that ammo like crazy. "Oh look, an enemy!" 500 rounds later, "I think it's dead." Couple hundred more, "Yeah, it's dead." A few more rounds, "What? Double tap."

That's not to say I didn't like the single player. In solo campaigns, I'd play as the Siren. I liked having control of the situation, even if it meant choosing when to fight. One Phasewalk when I wanted and I could pick and choose my fights. In 2, I'm looking forward to playing as Maya. All the non-Siren characters seem to have their abilities geared towards dealing MOAR DAMAGE!!1! while Sirens take control. Perhaps Borderlands 2 will balance out those roles a bit more.

Myself, I'm getting the XBox 360 version. It's not going to have the cool special effects you can get with a gaming PC, but I'll be able to play with my girlfriend  and brother who don't have any kind of PC setup capable of playing it. It will be a race to 100% Achievements. When it comes out September 18, try looking me up on XBox LIVE for a match. My gamertag is Fluxxdog Zero. Have fun!

Herpy Derpy Hoogy Hoggle in 2012!

Politics is one of the Terrible Three (more on that another time). But sometimes, we find a person who bring us together to point out what we all can agree on. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Jonnyethco.

I think everyone can agree that this year, when you vote, remember "Herpy Derpy Hoogy Hoggle" in 2012! Have fun!

Up all night

I remember when I was a kid, the USA network had a "show" called USA Up All Night. The movies ran the gamut of material, from corny to risque. I miss that show. Especially now when I'm living the title.

Anytime you stay up WAY past your bed time, you know it's not a good idea, but you stay up anyway. You enjoy that soft feeling of fatigue and that gentle puffiness on your eyelids. You toys with the ideas that dance around in your head. Or you veg out in front of the TV.

I'm not saying it's healthy, but sometimes you get more cross trying to lay down and sleep when you know you won't. Your mind just lays there and tortures you. You think of random things that just bloom from out of nowhere, some of them funny, some of them making you question the amount of medication you're taking.

I'll be honest, the internet is not something to get on when you're tired. Not because you may post the wrong thing in 4chan, but because it requires interaction. You mind has to focus on it. TV, on the other hand, you just turn it on and let your mind devour all the junk that comes out.

Next time, I'm going to see if I can find an old B-movie somewhere on TV and just drift off. Have fun!