W_L

I probably learned this truth long ago, I have been in finance for five years in different companies and across the spectrum. In my last job, I had to fire a lot of people, because the business was losing money. It just built up strain for me as the numbers would never align correctly due to poor management decision making. In my current job, I am preparing a new round of terminations, but unlike my past job, I completely agree with this one, sadly. My current company is profitable and makes a good amount of money with positive cash flow month to month. However, we're expanding by 50% within this year in terms of operations across more profitable areas, i.e. Texas and Illinois. This picture sounds nice, but behind it lies a hidden danger and problem. About 20% of our profits have to be used to offset operational losses in the state of California, the cost of operating our specialty health care services in California is staggeringly higher than Massachusetts and even Texas. The net margins just are not available and we have cut the other expenses down to the bare minimum. The tragic truth is despite being a profitable business on a whole, we can't keep up our expansion project with a cash sink in California. I met a few of the California employees, including a gay office manager, who I just cut his last check for today. He doesn't know that he will be fired on Monday. Why don't I feel more compassion or even sympathy? I know what the numbers say, because I analyzed those numbers myself and I know that without this new round of expansion we cannot keep the ongoing long term contract based on goals with one of our newest clients, who provide a 7% increase in revenue to date and is projected to push 30% increase by years end. That's millions of dollars and over a hundred of new jobs. I can imagine that office manager and others asking themselves, "why is this happening to me?" I don't know why I can't feel sympathy for what is about to happen, but when I look at the big rows of numbers, I see a new set of employees being interviewed for positions in Houston and Chicago. Does that make things better? If the big picture of things is that I am helping to get more people employed in total versus terminations, does that release me from guilt? My conscience is silent, but my mind is racing with the fear that I have become empty, not merely apathetic as I can still feel, but there is no feeling towards this coming event. That's my thoughts right now

No more reviews for today, I just want to add a blurb about seeking out nature in the urban jungle. I've realized that beyond all the technological and lines of financial detail that I go through, I actually enjoy nature. No seriously, I've been walking around the parks and private gardens of Boston and its surrounding areas in the last few weeks. I have climbed up hills to seek out arboretums filled with hundred year old trees and understand why people sought their preservation. There's a stillness in nature that allows you to think, something that a world connected by wireless signals and a social network of billions doesn't allow. Every other moment, I have to look at a new set of numbers, speak with another client/vendor, or fix something, but in nature, I feel like my world just slows down back to a pace that it should be. No, I won't be joining a liberal organization to protect the trees or swamps lands, but I think people need to take advantage of these places around their city and try to spend some time there. Modern life is hectic and running at the speed of light, so sometimes you need to slow down and smell the roses. Hmm...come to think of it, Conservation does have a root from Conserve and if you remove the -on and add -ve, you get conservative

Why the old literary Gods go away? Worshipers and fans may not like the stories or genres anymore, the God may want to change their focus onto some other pursuit (I mean who wants to write "coming out" stories for more than a few years with the same plots and premises over again, repetition can only do so much as an art form), or they might have to deal with something outside their internet life, like reality from Family to natural disaster to terrorism. The literary Gods of one generation disappear in the mist of time, so a new generation of Gods can arise from their ashes. As long as we keep the spirit of those that inspired us to write alive, they'll never disappear completely. Now on the flip side of things, I miss the literary Demons of the past: really dark writers, who probe my inner demons and darkest desires from fetishes to vengeance and destruction. While the Gods disappear, so do their counterparts, no one ever writes dark fantasies (in a meaningful way at least) on plots that don't end well for the characters or where a real ending of alienation/destructive behavior/dread comes over much in gay fiction. I wonder, who among us will be the new Gods and Demons of gay fiction in years to come.

Awesome, I get 2nd place with Krista and a parade, if all goes well. Hey Krista you want me to get you some gear, if we act now, it'll get to your house by the time of the Boston Celebration : However, I am expecting a good series of games with Blackhawks going to game 7 or 6.

Lol ! SWEET SWEEP

Somewhere in the not too distant future, I'll be drinking an iced coffee, not in fear of ice disappearance, but to the absurdity of man's fear in the betrayal of nature.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read on unless you want to get spoiled, which is kind of hard to do for a horror movie that makes fun of the Horror movie genre formula Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon writing a horror movie script together for the first time, since the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. This combination is an amazing classic combination and the results...Meta.... What can you say about a movie that was made to both showcase what the horror genre has gotten right over the years and what it has devolved into. Goddard and Whedon both expressed their contempt for modern horror over-use of gratuitous torture-porn and the dumb down characterizations in order to suit familiar plots. You have the sexy blond whore, the muscle bound jock, the paranoid kid who knows too much, the smart guy that falls for the virgin, and the "so-called" virgin girl. These characters in the movie are the generic bread and butter to modern horror movie, but who are they? What really motivates them beyond their stereotypes? At the heart of this horror movie is a question that haunts every writer like a nightmare, who are you? As I am writing a new story about identity and concepts of self, I also reflect on the horror genre, which has lost its sense of self. Yes, you can claim that a horror movie is "a slasher", "a ghost story", "a vampire story", or "a werewolf story". However, they're stereotypes with obvious plots and obvious characters that keep coming back over and over again. In terms of characterization in the horror genre, the thing is so dead, no Rob Zombie magic formula could get them back to life. Drew Goddard and Whedon saw this truth and wrote around the stories to build a meta-story with a mysterious secret organization that uses monsters, ghosts, and zombies to maintain the old stereotypes of the horror genre. Above that meta story is another layer, the reason behind horror scenarios are due to the need to appease ancient Gods, who hate humanity due to our youth. Now let's add a meta layer on top of a meta layer, there's a line in the movie that connects to this meta on top of a meta from the pot smoking character Marty, who said: He's right in this regard at least, the entire horror genre has been done to death, but people still thirst for it like an old drug habit that never ceases. People desire to feel fear in the unexpected and horrific scenarios, which keep their thoughts on ancient instincts of survival instead of modernity. The development of the Horror genre is like cocaine, you enjoy the first taste then slowly it becomes less of a euphoria and more a habit. The ending is dark like many others in the genre with the ancient Gods rising out of disgust to destroy mankind for a poor showing However, the characters, plus this viewer, agrees that we deserve to be destroyed for trying to maintain a destructive habit in spite of knowing that its time has passed and we should move on to something else (maybe the movie equivalent of Meth or for the nature lovers exotic mushrooms). My rating for the movie: :lugh: :lugh: out of 5 My highest movie review rating PS: I am not so positive on all movies, some movies I think are crap in my list, which hold no rating as they should be considered crimes against human cinema: Biodome- Pauly shore is not funny and you are not "Bill & Ted", which I can respect as a stoner movie with decent acting Battlefield Earth Travotta, you're never going to live that down even if you can pull off 10 Pulp Fictions Highlander II: The Quickening: Aliens, are you serious? Why on earth did you turn a decent "Fantasy" franchise into a "science fiction" franchise? As a sci-fi writer, I feel ashamed and dirty to even mention it. Jack & Jill: Adam Sandler, you should never ever ever do Drag! Robin Williams can pull it off, because he has good motivation and is truly a talented actor. You're not a bad comedian, but you're comedy does not translate into acting. This movie was the worst crap shoot ever, which even Al Pacino's usual brilliance can't bring above its horrible surroundings. Hell, I think this movie tainted Al Pacino's record for quality movies ever since Godfather, which has been a shining star for good acting.

I thought the movie was cult classic material, really bad its good. I'll be writing a review of "cabin in the woods" this week, a big fan of joss whedon. I am a scifi and horror guy, who likes experimenting with the genres.

This is the cutest thing ever, I think those two guys look cute together.

I am rooting for Matt, even if I can't win this one; I'll still win with the parade they'll throw in my city If Pittsburgh can manage to swing it back after two overwhelming losses, I'd be completely shocked.

The Refs were wrong that was a foul Remember this poem from school

So should we launch a few ICBMs at the moon and see if that makes the gravity more uniform In all reality, most of the topographical maps of earth are inaccurate as well due to the uneven nature of our land masses as well. Square area is rounded in many cases, so in order to actually calculate the actual surface, you will need to extract a fractal equation on surfaces.

Aww, that's so cute! Monsieurs et Madames, Votre amour restera forte

I should probably do a series of blog entries dedicated to movies that I watch: Well, up next is a sad movie with a not-so Hollywood ending. While I loved Schindler's List, it was far two two dimensional. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was far more interesting and dynamic. The scenes between Bruno, the german 8 year old boy, and the Shmuel, a Jewish 8 year old boy, really touched something in my heart and soul. The subtext of Bruno's family, a Nazi affiliated military one, with the complex nature of the Holocaust makes it even better. The father saw what he was doing as Patriotism (How the hell can murdering countless innocent people be Patriotic? Well, the movie makes a point on that as well, which frightens me and intrigued me). The Mother at first touts the party line, but eventually grew to hold a conscience about the needless blood. The older daughter was the perfect picture of indoctrination. Parallel to the older daughter's transformation, I can see the reason why the father could see Patriotism in the act of genocide. Indoctrination and a fierce belief in national goals were at the forefront of the story. That is not a defense though and I agree with other critics as well as the Nuremberg Tribunal. Willful delusion is still delusion. You cannot put lipstick on a Nazi and bring him out to a Rocky Horror Movie festival. The loss of innocence was also there, but it held far less note than movies or books like Anne Frank or Night by Eli Wiesel. Instead, I think the writer and movie producer wanted to portray based on perspective of an 8 year old, who still held onto his innocence up to the last moment. Spielberg loses innocence in his films due to environment and reality, but this movie takes the other route and fights to maintain illusion despite reality. This movie was definitely fiction, but it held sentiment. Innocence is at the heart of the plot and I know it is quite unbelievable, but I like the concept, because it's a different kind of warning than the movies of Spielberg about genocide in your backyard or prejudice. Innocence in this story serves as a warning to everyone young and old about the dangers that we share in our lack of knowledge and how naive understanding could lead to tragedy. Innocence in this regard is condemned to death in this film, which I find breathtakingly tragic. It is better that Bruno lies to himself until the very end about the virtue of his father's work, which few other Holocaust movies would even attempt. The ending was not Hollywood material, which was done to the films credit. Hell, if you tried to do the BBC ending for an American movie, you would get your ass handed to you by sponsors and studio heads, because like the Nazi filmmakers of the 1940's whose work was portrayed in the movie to contrast the harsh conditions of the Concentration Camps from the propaganda that actually was there, American audiences just can't handle a bitter pill. On a whole, I see why Critics don't like the movie, it's unrealistic, sentimental, and keeps onto perplexing innocence. However, contrary to those critics, I also view this movie as a Triumph of anti-Climax and a tragic view of truth. The Hollywood, Ballywood, Hong Kong, European New Wave, and even some UK companies operate on the old standards of "happily ever after" for far too long, give people a bitter pill from time to time. WL's Rating :lugh: :lugh: out of 5

Depends on if you have any plans for next few months, outside gnawing on flesh and heads

Okay, a non-controversial subject, Zombie love And no I am not talking about any passion I have with a certain member of GA (Haha!) Seriously, I love this movie, which is unsurprising to most people who have known me or read these blogs for a while. I hold a lot of existential philosophical views and a self-aware zombie, who falls in love with a human would be right up my interests. What caught my interest in this movie was the reviews and the tag line from Dread Central (for you horror movie aficionados, I love that site), they called it the "Anti-Twilight" movie. No it did not simply make fun of the Twilight or spoof it, but instead, the director and producer created a movie filled with human insight, questions about who we are and what makes us alive, and what is love. Twilight deals with romantic notions on its sleeves, but Warm Bodies held intellectual insight from a paradoxical source, a brain dead zombie, who yearns to express more than grunts or moans. While I value romance, I desire far more in love than simple "He is the most beautiful man in the world" or "She captivates me", which may be true, holds nothing more than hollow emotional appeal without a desire to push the limits of love or desire. Also, I love the idea of a self-aware zombie. Seriously, I am getting tired of reading stories about werewolves and vampires. Ghosts are still cold, since they're emotional state is translucent. Horror Romance needs new pairings and a self-aware zombie that loves a human is captivating. Along with that, we also see the zombie struggle throughout the movie with his needs for food/human flesh and his rational mind. He knows that he is slowly losing his humanity and he will no longer be able to reason eventually. The story makes me feel fatalistic, but the ending with his regaining at least part of his humanity through love is what wins it for me. The only flaw in the romance is also probably the ending, which I understand comes far too nicely. Yes, it's sentimental tripe, but I also want to add that Horror movies usually hold dubious dark endings or cliffhanger climaxes, so in this genre, you can get away with sentimental tripe. Don't do it too often, which I know many writers including myself fall into, but at least in the horror tradition, take sometime in giving a story a peaceful place to rest. If the idea of a zombie love story peaks your interests, try out Warm Bodies: :lugh: :lugh: out of 5

Well, a 20 year old guy with a six year old character that acts like he's a 15 year old teenager on pills, so its all legit He's definitely cute

Great to hear that your health is good at least. Not sure what to say about the other piece of news, so I'll keep my mouth shut and my heart open.

My heart goes out to UK soldier killed a few days ago by being run over and hacked to death. The message behind this murder is one we have heard a lot in the past few months, Radical Islam. Hate to say this, but it's an obvious problem that won't go away. Whether it is Boston, England, China, or Russia, a free society or closed society, and varying degrees of religious tolerances, there's a big problem brewing between varying cultures and those that profess a radical line of Islamic adherence. Today another case occured in France, http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/25/world/europe/france-soldier-stabbing/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 This is not an isolated issue No, this is not a blog entry condemning Muslims or Western nations for being in the middle east, or China for holding onto Sinkiang region, or Russia for Chechnya. There is a common problem and common issue between the world's great powers and superpower, but what can be done about it? What I fear the radical adherents of Islam are digging their own graves and the graves of countless others in counter reprisals, if the common interest of every major power is in their destruction. There is a vicious cycle brewing. No one can ignore it any longer. After the bombings in Boston and the news on who was responsible leaked out, my first reaction was anger. If they wanted to attack innocent civilians, we must do everything to eliminate them no matter the cost. I guess I took Churchill's point home of my fellow Americans, "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival." That was my first reaction on the Friday, I was trapped in my house, and it definitely was much more forceful and militaristic in nature due to a bit of cabin fever. As time continued to pass, my next thought was how realistic would it be to seek a peaceful dialogue with them? Even as a conservative, I would not be stupid enough to deny speaking to general leaders of Islam; though, I would never say the same to leaders of the radical factions. I looked around online aimlessly and found many people trying to talk between both camps, but the concept is flawed as people pointed out the logical issue. How do you convince someone with absolute faith in their goals that they are wrong to seek such a course? How do you change an individuals views without violating their right to believe what they do? For the non-western nations, there are no answers: In China, violent protests have been occurring in the last few months as the western province bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan are inflamed. The Chinese unstated solution to militant Islam is an old fashion concept from Imperial China, population assimilation through immersion. The region holds a large amount of new ethnic Han Chinese people, but assimilation is not occurring. Instead violence between Chinese newcomers and the old groups of Islamic followers have unofficially dragged on, only a handful of western news outlets even report this silent quagmire in western China, instead focusing more on the peaceful non-violent protests of "free Tibet". Russia still uses force to maintain its supremacy, but it cannot eliminate militant Islam even with their highly regimented security apparatus. Even with their troops scouring the Caucasus, they are no closer in breaking down the terrorist network of the "Caucasus Emirate" or the many other terror groups operating in the areas bordering the middle east. None of these approaches have worked and a nagging voice from my Libertarian aligned heart keeps saying the simplest solution is "Leave them alone". Can the US/EU/UK leave the middle east alone and abandon Israel, strategic oil supplies, and the "trans-Oceanic Suez Canal"? Can Russia cede and accept breaking off 10% of their territory? Can China divert its population from the developing area in a mass exodus of millions? In theory, all of those things are feasible, but also impractical. I can't believe that the US/EU/UK would accept those terms, nor Russia in giving up territory any further, or China forcefully dislocating millions of people with lives, lands, property, and other things on that land (The Chinese situation is now almost like a version of Israel and Palestine). If you can't talk your way out, can't fight your way out, can't assimilate your way out, or just leave it alone, what can you do? This is the 21st century; we should be beyond this by now.

Yup, they keep the Richard III asides and soliloquy, plus add an interesting character or two. Francis Underwood, is the US equivalent to the BBC character and is equal to the task of manipulative, dastardly, SOB, and all around amoral politician that is fun to watch. I like black humor from local corrupt politics in US districts (the British equivalent are Burroughs and their well-connected constituents), it shows how ugly the entirety of the political process really is, not only in Washington, but also down to our local politics. The "Peach" monument issue was funny.

I wonder if Futbol fans in the US would be more amenable to gay athletes, rather than football fans in the US (Using different spellings to keep them separate, why couldn't American Football have been named Rugball as it's rugby with different rules )

Two words: "Bro' Code!"

Let me just say, someone on this show was definitely a disgruntled Republican and an angry Tip O'Neil democrat House of Cards is a really interesting show. the behind the scenes struggles and corruption haven't been this openly shown to the public, ever. Beyond politicians being scheming bastards, Manipulative reporters and false information are a mainstay in Washington in every administration. Kevin Spacey is always a great standard bearer. The show gets a lot of interesting details about Washington and its division. This is miles away better than "Scandal", which I find just completely unbelievable and impossible to believe. This show I absolute believe as the storyline and information are so focused.

RIP Vic, My heartfelt condolences to everyone that his life has touched. Thank you for sharing a small part of your life with us,

Happy Birthday Myr! Hope your day is magical