David Blane

I have seen David Blane specials in the past. I can't remember on what channel or when, but I have been a huge fan of magic and illusions sense I was young. Magic is a way for the impossible to become reality, that's why I had such a fascination with it. At one time I actually wanted to be a magician myself, but I was no good at the tricks and didn't have the patience to practice.

My favorite illusion from the special was the one where David started the fire by ejecting chrysene from his stomach, and then put it out by doing the same thing with water. I don't really like the stunts where David impaled himself or did thing along those lines, I don't really consider those as great illusions.

For the entirety of the special I was looking forward to seeing the Ricky Gervais scene. Each commercial break hyped up his scene, but it was only till the very end and they only did one trick, so that disappointed me.

On a scale of on one to ten I would give the special an eight. I'm not particularly a fan of David Blane, but I do enjoy magic, and because I'm still mad at the Ricky Gervais thing.

My Top Five

My top five video games of 2012.

5: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (ps3, xbox,pc)

  This faithful remake of the classic early ‘90s strategy game makes tactics accessible to console gamers. Clever strategy is crucial during the turn-based battles, but you’ll have to be just as smart running the bureaucratic side of XCOM and planning what new facilities to build and trying to balance the concerns of numerous panic-stricken nations. It will infiltrate your brain and keep you up at night.

4:Dragon's Dogma (ps3, xbox 360)

Epic role-playing game Dragon’s Dogma is the game that keeps on giving. Hardcore difficulty and epic real time action make this RPG like no other.  It doesn't end where you think it will, growing more exciting as it goes before allowing players to tackle a New Game+ mode that’s actually worth playing.

3: The Walking Dead (ps3, xbox 360, pc)

Telltale’s The Walking Dead is one of the best licensed games of all time because of the way it re-creates the pacing and feel of the comic series. It’s heavy on character interaction and suspense, like the comic and show, and light on puzzles and item hunting. Action sequences are spread out; this is not Left 4 Dead or Dead Island but a character-driven game with action elements only added in when completely necessary.

2: Journey (ps3)

No game has ever been as succinctly named as Journey. That’s all this game is about, my forward momentum as I undertake a mysterious quest. I don’t know why I’m doing it, or what waits for me on the mountaintop, but I know it must be done. In reducing the journey to its most primordial form,Journey attains a universal power. Instead of wilting under this asceticism, thatgamecompany wrings as much as they can out of their self-imposed rules, ending with a surprisingly poignant conclusion that hits an emotional high the rest of their game doesn’t even attempt.

1: Borderlands 2 (ps3, xbox 360, pc)

Borderlands 2 does what sequels are supposed to do, making improvements where it must, and trying hard not to disrupt anything that made its predecessor a success. No doubt it is a superior game to the first, but it’s still all about whetting a primal hunger for the next reward. As you traverse the wastelands with a laundry list of uncompleted mission objectives, a progress bar nearly filled with enough XP to nudge you up a level, and the infinite promise of undiscovered loot, you feel forever on the verge of something great.

my purpose

what is my true purpose in life?

to live in happiness 

to live a life where nothing brings me down

to continue pushing forward, barely hanging on 

to keep my self and the people I care about happy

to find the one person that will keep me happy forever

to push away people who try to bring me down

to keep away the people who try to make things complicated

to be care free, but also serious when it matters

to express myself and show people what I can do

to get my ideas and put them where people can see them

to be praised and and loved all over for the things I do

to use what I've made and done to make people who I will never meet happy 

My purpose in life is to be in a constant state of happiness, and spread that to other around me who need it. 

My Expertise

My expertise is playing the PS3 game Diablo 3. I’ve played the for about 20 hours in cooperative with my friends, and about 15 hours solo. The game is a “hack and slash” “role playing game” where the player and his allies work together to combat countless demon hordes. The game works with a level based system, the higher in levels a player grows the stronger he becomes (the enemies also grow in level).

Skill is required for the later stages of the game, teamwork and communication are crucial. Having different players play as different classes gives your team a wide range of abilities. Learning the patterns  and tactics the enemies use in combat makes it easier to predict their actions and counter their attacks.

Being Charitable

Child's Play is a charitable organization founded by the authors of the popular computer and video games-based webcomic Penny Arcade that organizes worldwide toy drives to children's hospitals. Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins founded Child's Play in 2003 to improve the lives of sick children by donating toys and games to hospitals worldwide. The charity is also seen as a way to refute mainstream media's perception of gamers as violent and antisocial.Through Child's Play, donors have sent over twelve million dollars in toys, games and books to children's hospitals all over the world.

I first became aware of this charity while watching the show X Play.  I like that this charity donates toys  and video games to kids in hospitals. It is also a way to lowers the media’s perception of video games as violent and antisocial.

Prescription Drugs

1.   In 2012 what percent of overdose deaths in orange county involved prescription drugs, such as Vicodin, Oxycontin and Codeine? Answer: 57%

2.   What was the percent of overdose deaths in 1999?  Answer: 37%

3.   How many people in Orange County died from prescription drug overdoses in 2012? Answer: 188

4.   What 4 prescription drugs listed in the article are increasingly being used, and sold, by people seeking a high, often with deadly consequences?  Answer:  Oxycontin, Vicodin, Codeine, and Opana

5.    Who is the executive producer of the film “Behind the Orange Curtain”?  Answer: Natalie Costa

6.   Eventually, the high cost of prescription drugs has also pushed users to try other drugs  to match the high at a cheaper cost.  What street drug do they turn to?  Answer: heroin

7.   Do you know anyone addicted to drugs (prescribed or street drugs)?  Answer: no

8.   Type one statement (sentence) that describes your feeling about drugs.  Answer: People have the choice to do drugs, and if they choose to do so its none of my business.

More Thinking

1)   5

2)  Abe or Dan did it