Ed Viesturs - No Shortcuts to the Top

Impressive read. Amazing adventures. I think I have an adventurous soul but after reading this I don't have any real desire to climb any extremely high mountains. I think I would be content to say I've done Denali (although that ain't a piece of cake either from what I have heard). I guess to me the strangest part about these trips is the length of time you have to devote to just getting there and getting acclimated. I mean to disappear for 3 months to climb...that is crazy. Another thing that gets me is the sheer emotional detachment you develop when climbing. Altruism be damned. I mean coming to grips with death that seems all too likely really is just daunting. I give Ed credit for his audacity and courage. The detachment really comes through when describing the Everest fiasco back in 96. Realizing you are stuck on a mountain with no chance of rescue and just dying that way...yowser that ain't easy to deal with.

Rox Talk

A 3-3 week against the Giants and D-backs. The Roxs finished at 74-88. Ten games back from division leading Dodgers in third place. Finished 43-38 at home and 31-50 on the road, the Roxs were outscored by its opponents 747-822 (expected wins is 74 versus historical wins at 77). 

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):

Good start to the final roadtrip (we swept the Giants!) but then another sweep at the hands of the D-backs in Phoenix. And that my friends is the Roxs 20087 campaign. 74 wins and only 747 runs scored. Mighty impressive when you consider last year they won 90 games and scored 860 runs! I don't think Matsui counted for 113 runs and he was the only big time non-returning starter. Disappointing is all I can say. 

Last year was a fluke but I didn't think this year was worthy of a 74 win campaign. I really thought a few games over .500 was certainly feasible. You know pitching would come back to reality but the anemic offensive was really what prevented a respectable season. Of course if we hadn't gone 3 - 15 against the D-backs we probably could have had 79 wins which is a whole lot better. I mean the Dodgers only won the division with 84 wins! I don't think 2009 is going to be any easier in the division...the Giants and Padres won't be as pathetic. If we lose Holliday this winter where are we going to find that offensive spark?

This Week in Comics

Flash Gordon #1

Big Flash fan (not the DC running guy, although my greyhound is named Flash for that hero...) and saw this at the store.  Decided to give it a chance and was actually impressed by the first issue.  Pretty good for a none big comic company.  I will have to give a chance although the set up is a bit weird.

Daredevil #111

Hmmm what to think of this.  First off can't believe Matt and Dakota got it on.  Sometimes rebooting a character is not worth the effort.  I mean it certainly gets the attention of the media but does it really help the character?  Since Dakota came into play that is what brought me to the book but we shall see about this new villian (?).  I dont like gimmicks...

New Avengers #45

Okay this secret invasion thing is getting old...where is issue 7?  and when is this going to come clean?  This didn't really explain the whole House of M thing.  And frankly these ads I keep seeing about seeing skrulls and embracing changes worries me a bit.  Not for sure but I don't think I want a post secret invasion keeping skrulls around...we shall see.

 

Captain America #42

Well the long going storyline is finally over.  Looks like we will be heading in a new direction.  Bit surprised how quickly this all came apart.  I expected things to continue on but I guess Brubaker wanted to move in a new direction...wonder if this is a secret invasion thing?  Still great book.

Haiku Wednesday

Birds

Nature's Wright Brothers
They're creatures of the current
Surfers of the sky

The Force Unleashed

The game finally appeared!  Not for sure why this game was delayed for so long.  Heck the graphic novel was supposed to come out in March of this year and then it was delayed indefinitely.  Then the Lego came out and they couldn't release the apprentice's name because it wasn't authorized at that point (his name is Darkstar, by the way).  Anyway was it worth the wait?  

To be honest I am not a huge video game junky.  I was certainly interested in the story and that part of it is great.  From reading the graphic novel it was a fascinating back story.  The whole Vader thing gets more fascinating as the stories keep going.  I have to hand it to Lucas, beyond the fact that the pre-trilogy didn't work as well, he continues to have compelling stories from a well I would think is pretty dry.  Vader is really a great character.  I mean in the original trilogy he was just this masked bad guy, then you find out he is the father of Luke, then he has his moment at the end, the pre-trilogy comes and he turns out to be a whining little kid, his mother dies, and he gets sucked into the dark side.  The poignant part of the end is that obviously Vader isn't all that excited about what happened.  In the Force Unleashed you can tell he hates the Emperor and is just looking for a way to get him.  That is what I think this game is ultimately about.  Anyway game play is fun, the force stuff is good (the throwing lightsaber trick is cool), and the character is good.  Overall a good game, good story, and that is that.

Rox Talk

A 3-3 week against the Padres and D-backs. The Roxs currently stand at 71-85. Ten games back from division leading Dodger in third place. Currently 43-38 at home and 28-47 on the road, the Roxs have been outscored by its opponents 711-797 (expected wins is 70 versus historical wins at 74). On pace for 74 wins with 738 runs scored and 828 runs against.

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):

Well six games left.  3 in San Fran and 3 in Arizona.  The D-backs are 2 back from the Dodgers. Frankly at this point I don't care how bad we've played against the D-bags but let's find our mojo and sweep them in Phoenix so we don't have to see them in the playoffs.  Nothing like keeping them out of the World Series one year and the playoffs the next!  Can we close it out strong, maybe...please...

College Football

Utah visits 3-0 (!) Air Force on Saturday. After last year's AF 20 - 12 win (first in 5 years) the Utes might be looking for a bit of revenge after being denied two chances of scoring from the 1 yard line at home last year. They certainly are coming in hot having scored 42 and 58 against UNLV and Utah St and going into the Big House and beating Michigan. Air Force played in front of 2,500 people last weekend. The game had been moved from Houston to SMU in Dallas. So the high school match up had AF beating Houston without completing a single pass! (7 attempts). Anyway I predicted another loss (after this game a 1-3 record?) and I think this might be the weekend. I think it will be a shoot out..35 - 17. But it is at home so maybe we can squeak one by (4-0 going into the Navy game would probably make us ranked?).

Last week's exciting games included (my opinion) had Wyoming beating North Dakota St (barely), Notre Dame winning, Vanderbilt beat Rice, and oh yeah USC wallowed the Buckeyes. This week's exciting games include Florida and Tenn (beat down of the Vols...), Massachusetts and Texas Tech (Mass has a football team?), and the religious battle of TCU and SMU.

N+

N+ a game I first discovered as a Flash game.  Kind of based on an old Mac game which I played back in 2004.  Sometimes the simplest games are the best.  Nothing wrong with today's game but they are so complicated that it is really tough sometimes not to just lose track of the whole thing.  I mean I am a loser video game player but the only console game I have ever finished was Metal Gear Solid 2.  Go figure...

Haiku Wednesday

Parking

City's secret spots
Hidden gems, guarded spaces
Scorn upon new cars

Those blinking meters
Scavenging change stuck in seats
Parking cop ahead

Magazine Updates

New Yorker

July 28th issue (!) had an interesting article about the brain and creative thought or where does the instant clarity come from when trying to solve something (the got it or eureka moment). A cognitive scientist, Jung-Beeman, insists that insight requires the brain to make a a set of distant and unprecedented connections. It would seem that concentration comes with the hidden cost of diminished creativity. Allowing the brain to wander, to relax allows the cortex to seek out more remote associations. Connections are best made in the morning before the brain becomes structured for the day. The drowsy brain is unwound, disorganized and open to all sorts of unconnected ideals. 

Basically what I like to hear...more time in the shower before I start my day!

Rox Talk

A 1-5 week against the Braves and Dodgers. Not that the Roxs really had a chance to get to the playoffs this year but going into this week they at least had the opportunity to make it interesting...and what did the Roxs do with the chance? Fall on their collective faces once again. Time after time this year the Roxs had the chances to turn it around and time after time when the opportunity was there they let it pass right by (kind of like men in scoring position). Anyway, the Roxs currently stand at 68-82. Nine and half games back from division leading Dodger in fourth place (yup the Giants have passed us...and how sorry are they?). Currently 40-35 at home and 28-47 on the road, the Roxs have been outscored by its opponents 685-763.

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well): 

There went the chance to finish .500 for the season. What a downer of a week. It really makes last year's run all that more improbable. Before their amazing run down the stretch they were really only projected to finish around .500 but instead went on and won 90 games. Hard to swallow that they are only on pace to win 74 this year...yikes a 16 game swing...and imagine the manager and GM still have a job?

Terry Brooks in Person

Okay world's weirdest book signing event.  Of course I went only to relive an old high school memory.  I haven't read a Shannara book in 20 years.  Wishsong was the last one and it has one of the greatest book characters ever...Garet Jax.  Anyway Brooks has a new Shannara book out but instead of reading from it he chose to read from a book not due out until next September (huh?) and it wasn't even a Shannara book.  They briefly did mention what is new book was about and I just cringed.  Supposedly Shannara is our world 8,000 years in the future after some nuclear holocaust...yikes...glad I stopped reading these books.  Anyway very weird.

Man on Wire

Wow what a film.  You know somewhere I remember that a guy had walked between the twin towers in NY but I really didn't know the story.  Wow this documentary puts it together and what a great story!  It was riveting.  I loved the towers and I hated that they were destroyed.  Architecturally the towers were kind of ugly but for their duality it was an impressive sight.  When I see the NY skyline today it just isn't right.  If anyone had balls they'd rebuild and say FU to the people who brought them down.  Anyway this movie is great because they don't dwell on it but they show how amazing of feat and the sheer audacity of it all.  Terrific!

College Football

Well color me stupid.  AF really came out and handed it to Wyoming.  Now granted the game was a bit close and only became a laugher late in the game.  We won 23 - 3.  Now up is Houston from Conference USA.  The game has been moved to Dallas because of the Hurricane.  I have no ideal what to expect.  I thought it might be another loss.  The line in Vegas started at 3.5 (Houston) went to 5 then back down a bit.  So a tight one but I think their QB might be a bit much.  Final score 31 - 24...AF comes home to Utah next week.

Interesting games of the week...last week Idaho won the great potato and Western Kentucky won whatever and well Miami has fallen a great deal.  This week's exciting games include North Dakota St and Wyoming (whew better match up if it had been in November), ohh the loser bowl of Michigan and Notre Dame (can we get a 0 - 0 game), Rice and Vanderbilt (yikes),  and and this little battle between a LA school and one from the buckeye state.

Greg Rucka - Queen and Country Vol 2

Great series.  This definitive edition is a great collection.  I was slowing going through the individual series when this came out.  It fit in perfectly with where I was.  This is just a great art, characterization, and if you read the novels a good backfill of who and what the characters are going through.  Tara is the female 007.  The black and white art is perfect for this series.  Kind of wish Rucka would get back to it but I guess Tara is on hold for a while...

Haiku Wednesday

Green Chile

It's spicy goodness
My burrito craves its warmth
Naked without it

Spicy aroma
Days shorter, weather colder
It warms the belly

Haruki Murakami - After Dark

After the short story experience I decided to give one of his novels a chance. Kind of mixed in my thoughts towards him as a writer. I like his characters, the stories are good, but they aren't enthralling. It's almost as if I like the concept of reading a Japanese writer but beyond that there is very little interest. Perhaps I will give him another chance with one of his more well known books. Again I wonder when the book says Denny's does it mean the American Denny's or is there some Japanese equivalent?

Rox Talk

Another 3-3 week against the Giants and Astros. The Roxs currently stand at 67-77. Six and half games back from division leading Dodger in third place. Currently 39-33 at home and 28-44 on the road, the Roxs have been outscored by its opponents 668-729 (expected wins is 66 versus historical wins at 68). On pace for 75 wins with 752 runs scored and 820 runs against.

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):

Again opportunities presented themselves with the Dodger taking two against the D-Backs.  Just as last week we could have made a run but with 18 games to go we are 6.5 out.  With 6 against the D-backs and 3 against the Dodgers we can make it painful but it might be tough to catch.  14 - 4 to finish .500...

Terminator - The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Wanted to watch this series last year (it did start on my B-day!) but missed it and then didn't want to miss out so basically rented the first season DVD and watched all 9 episodes in a sitting. With the premiere coming out on Monday (9/8/08) and the fact I have a DVR I am set! No more missed shows.

Love the series.  Sarah is kind of a wuss not too happy with her characterization.  John is good but the show is definitely Summer Glau's show.  Plot points are good.  The one point I thought was the best ever was in the first episode when they sent a scientist back to make a weapon and another time machine.  Why don't they do that more?  Anyway good series and with Shirley playing a recurring role what more could you want

College Football

Good 41 - 7 win last week against Southern Utah.  Good starting point for the season.  Facing off against someone besides your own defense and at game speed is always good.  Next up is Wyoming.  We won 20 - 10 last year at Air Force and now hold a 24-20-2 record against the 'Pokes.  Vegas has given the edge to Wyoming starting at 1 and moving to 3 with and O/U at 42.5.  A lot of unknowns in this game which probably means a blow out by someone.  I predicted a lost just because it is early in the season and AF has a lot of young starters.  Wyoming has an untested QB but supposedly has an arm.  Pass defense has never been a strong point with AF.  Anyway when all is said it done I predict a 27 - 14 win by Wyoming.

Interesting games of the week...that in state battle of Idaho and Idaho State (wonder what the bragging rights are there?), Western Kentucky battles Eastern Kentucky (??? wooooo), and probably the only national game of interest would be the lowly Miami Hurricanes facing the Gators. In the past this would have meant something but right now not so much.

Clone Wars

Okay I read the early reviews on Ain't it Cool News, a site I usually consider pretty reliable, and the reviews on Clone Wars were just scathing.  Yikes after the perusal I just was in no mood to see it.  But I had some free time and decided to give it a shot and although it isn't Best Picture quality, I had some fun and frankly that is all that I am looking at for 2 hours of my time and money.

In fact I almost preferred these characters in animation versus real life actors because then I don't have to watch real people try to survive a Lucas written script.  I mean at least silly lines said by crudely drawn characters make a decent match.  I almost wish Lucas had done this with the newer trilogy.

Anyway reading the reviews from those of us who grew up with Star Wars, I begin to find them a bit pathetic.  They whine and moan that it ain't the Star Wars we grew up with and insult Lucas saying he is ruining the franchise but frankly Lucas could careless with us.  He's gotten our money, and he is shooting for the next generation.  My kids loved the new trilogy so why do we let it bother us anymore?  Enjoy the stories, realize it is designed to be for 12 year olds and move.  I do believe that a part of the Lucas empire is keeping us older fans intrigued through its video games.  I mean Force Unleashed is definitely a harder look at the SW universe.  Anyway I am looking forward to the Cartoon network premiere of a weekly SW show.  It will be fun although why is it on at 9 PM on a Friday?  This ain't for adults!

Haiku Wednesday

Patriotism

More than flag waving
Love of country, pride in heart
Would you die for it?

Edgar Rice Burroughs - Warlord of Mars

Quick turnaround on this one because of the cliffhanger in Book 2! Had to determine the status of the Princess! While reading this one, it seemed to me that some similarities with the Star Wars franchise existed. I mean the word "Sith" is mentioned a few times. I wonder if anyone has done a comparison? Anyhoo, the swashbuckling continues and you can tell that ERB probably meant this to be a nice trilogy (Book 4 I believe centers on his son and wife). All the colors of Mar's men are finally established and at the very end our hero is crowned warlord of the world! These books are the essence of sci-fi pulp. Just good fun. These books would make a great movie. I know Pixar is slated to go forth and make an animated film (which could be better) but a real life actress as the esteemed Dejah is just too much to pass up...think Leia's bikini for an entire movie!

Rox Talk

A 3-3 week against the Giants and Padres. The Roxs currently stand at 64-74. Six games back from division leading D-backs in third place. Currently 36-30 at home and 28-44 on the road, the Roxs have been outscored by its opponents 646-703 (expected wins is 64 versus historical wins at 65). On pace for 75 wins with 758 runs scored and 819 runs against.

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):
Well no real movement last weekend to try and make a run. They had two opportunities with the Dodgers beating the D-Backs but the Roxs couldn't beat the Padres. They could have been within 4 of the division but with 24 to play they are still 6 out. At this point they need to go 17 - 7 to finish .500 and finish with some respectability.