Commissioned Poem for EIMB

Oh loyal readers, I have commissioned the esteemed Poet Laureate of the EIMB kingdom, Gracie Smith to write a poem in honor of the mighty King of rock & roll, Elvis Presley. Although this poem cost me a king's fortune it was worth every penny and was so beautiful it brought a tear to this cynical eye.

So now I present to you for your reading pleasure the poem by Gracie Smith.

EIMB

The moon is out shone in her nighttime fling
By florid lights upon the Vegas Strip
And our Queen hath not the glory'd bling
As does the King, his gold suit pois'd to rip.
Nostalgics young and old that do complain
“The techno age holds not the heart for blues,”
Get merciful relief as we reclaim
Our old-time swag; and don't step on those shoes.
And now, we find, the internet doth know
A place for lovers we of rock and roll:
As science freaks and gamer geeks we go
To our circle of most kindred souls.

As we look toward future flush with power,
We've Elvis here forsooth, tis now his hour.

******************************************

Forgive me for I am quite verklempt.

Action Cam - Daughter takes to the slopes

I love my Veho MUVI action camera. It is small, light and tough. And the video quality is pretty good (640X480). It captures first person POV. I decided to hook the camera up to my daughter and see what it was like to be a nine year old going down a snowy hill for the first time.

Newest EIMB arrives from India

Nik from Hyderabad, India sent this great EIMB picture. He is standing in front of the Charminar (The Great Mosque of the Four Minarets).

A Big Pain

My loyal readers time to serious it up for a bit and talk about pain. I have MS (Multiple Sclerosis) which means that the myelin sheaths around the neurons in my brain are deteriorating and my brain and spine short circuit.

Sometimes this results in strange experiences - like everything smelling like cheese for a week or the spectral creatures that appear at the side of my vision see "Little Gods of Vegas". But the most common and consistent symptom is pain. Specifically my right leg feels like it is on fire. It is a burning, buzzing electrical sensation.

The really strange thing is that the pain does not originate in my leg at all, but in my spine and brain. You could cut my leg off (please don't) and I would have the exact same pain. There are other strange affects like hot water feels cold and cold water feels hot. I get these things I call "oil squirts" which  feels like globs of hot oil are traveling up and down my leg.

Pain is addicting to the brain. The longer the body has pain the more the brain expects to have pain. It's like the pathways of pain to the brain are reinforced and solidified. Also the brain tends to start spreading the pain out from the origin. I notice that my pain has slowly crept up my back.

Pain medication has no affect on this kind of pain and I think sometimes can make it worse. Pain medication for the most part just makes it so you don't care about the pain, more than relieving it

An article in Science Daily seems to back up this theory.  "Placebo Effect Works Both Ways: Beliefs About Pain Levels Appear to Override Effects of Potent Pain-Relieving Drug" states the following:

The study of the placebo effect -- and its opposite the nocebo effect -- is published in Science Translational Medicine. The findings suggest that doctors may need to consider dealing with patients' beliefs about the effectiveness of any treatment, as well as determining which drug might be the best for that patient. - Science Daily, February 26, 2011

 I am such a huge believer in the power of cognitive control of pain. It is just as important to train your brain on how to desensitize itself to the pain signal and to reroute the generalization of the pain area. Pain treatment must not only focus on the physical aspects but must also include the mental - psychological processes.

This showed the volunteers really did experience different levels of pain when their expectations were changed, although the administration of pain relief remained constant - Science Daily, February 26, 2011

My dear, loyal readers - all twelve of you - if you're experiencing chronic pain, it is so important to work on cognitive and behavioral treatment. I humbly suggest CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). CBT isn't some BS, lay on a couch and talk about your mother. CBT is about cognitively being aware of yourself and taking responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and actions. It about letting go of the past and not worrying about the future and just living in the moment.

I've found that my pain decreases when I release the expectation of having pain and stop worrying about what pain I will have in the future.

Okay, enough of the serious stuff .. next time it's all fun - I promise.

Read Science Daily article
Read NACBT article

I'm a World of Warcraft Music Man

My World of Warcraft sheet music arrived today and I am already geeked out about it. Recently I purchased a Casio WK-200 keyboard for my daughter to learn piano on .. Secretly, I also purchased it for myself. It has a MIDI interface .. and you know.

It has been a long time since I played piano and I have hand tremors from my MS, but I thought .. it can't hurt to give it a try ..

The songs included in this Anthology are:

A Call to Arms
Garden of Life
Gatges of the Black Temple
Intro Movie: Seasons of War
Invincible
Karazhan
Lament of the Highborne
Lion's Pride ---> see Youtube video
Mountains of Thunder
Pig and Whistle
The Shaping of the World
Totems of the Grizzlemaw
Wrath of the Lich King (Main Title) Suite.

I looked through it and it doesn't seem too complex .. So, I think I'm going to try one of these songs out .. record it and put it up on the blog.

If you're interested in purchasing this sheet music you can find it at ----> Sheet Music Plus

What has happened to the Wii?

I heard about this new game for the Wii on CNET radio. It's called We Dare by Ubisoft and it's extremely hard to find the game trailer anywhere. After about thirty minutes of searching I found it on Youtube, but with only 4k viewers it probably won't be up for long. From what I hear, the video is taken down not long after it has been posted.

The game is basically a tame Swingers' Party game.  According to Entro news who quote Ubisoft.

"We Dare is a sexy, quirky, party game that offers a large variety of hilarious, innovative and physical, sometimes kinky, challenges."

- yea right. Rumor has it that the game has three modes .. playful, sinful and something called exotic. And unfortunately, it's not going to be here in the USA.

If the Youtube site is down - no worries, yours truly has downloaded the video and presents it here for your viewing pleasure. That is until this post is taken down .. no promises.

***Warning*** This game trailer is definitely PG13 and is only marginally safe for work. Also, it will stick in your brain for a quite a bit. Be prepared to be distracted for at least ten to fifteen minutes after view the video. So, don't view before a big meeting - unless your boss likes to hear a lot of "What -- what did you say?"

See  --We Dare Youbue Video

With that -  I present the newest and possibly the most popular game on the Wii .. We Dare.

What? --- oh okay .. yea well as you can see there are some new ways to use that wand. Although you may want to invest in some good cleaning solution. Just saying.

Read the Entro News article
Read We Dare article on CNET
Read We Dare article on Kotaku

The Raven hanging out ...

I received a few emails requesting a picture of the raven. I did a quick drawing of the raven I see at the corner of my eye from time to time. Once again this only an illusion created by whatever optical damage I have in my right eye. But it can be entertaining from time to time. Especially late at night.

Crow on my eye

Blizzard Theme Park Being Built In China

Seems Blizzard is going the Disney route by creating a World of Warcraft and Starcraft theme park in China. According to the Huffington Post, the WoW park is called Joyland and is in the Wunjin district.

Inside Joyland, the park will be distributed into different regions, and those areas will be themed with various popular anime games, such as “Moore Park”, “Legend of the world”, “Starcraft”, “World of Warcraft” and “Mysterious Island”. - M.I.C Gadget.



Now I have to figure out how to get to China .. without spend any money. I wonder if someone would pay me to do a full report .. a full up close and personal report.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Read the Article at M.I.C. Gadget
Read the Article at Shanghiist
Read the Article at GameBlog.fr

Little Gods of Vegas

Before I was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) I used to see ghosts. In the corner of my vision, shadow figures of men and animals - darting from the closet to the door or the from bottom of the window flowing down the wall and under the bed.

Man with Hat

The most common was the shape of a large man with meatloaf shoulders and a square hat. He would sit behind me to my right wavering in out an out.

Of course when I turned to gaze upon the creature it would vanish. So illusive these spirit beings are.

Then there were the elementals - flashes of light, orbs streaming across the ceiling, black spots - holes in the universe.

And the noises .. knocking and pinging and ringing.

For a long time I ignored that there was something really wrong with my brain. I was scared it was cancer .. I don't fear dying, but I do fear suffering.

My brain still short circuits from time to time. Like a computer with a loose wire or two. Little glitches .. here and there. My old friend with the hat and the ragged woman who perches in the corner .. The black bird by the window arrive in  my back-stepping vision now and then.

I take photographs .. because things still catch in my brain like a leaf stuck on the side of the gutter as the rainwater rushes past. I thought capturing it as a picture would help. It does sometimes.

Lately, I've noticed Little Gods along the side of the road .. in the deserted lots with old "For Sale" signs. Little Gods .. some taller than others .. mostly stacked stones but some with pieces of wood or plastic on top.

And not in just one spot, but for miles down the road. Little Gods here and there .. So I took some pictures of these immortal beings .. I don't know who stacks these stones or exactly why. I think they're guardians, either to keep the demons out or perhaps to keep the demons in.

Bill O'Reily Teaches Science.

Now I usually try to stay out of politics. I know I've not been so good lately with my Ayn Rand comments but I just can't help myself when I hear some talking-head try to explain how God makes science work.

Case in point .. I recently came across an article in Urlesque called, " Bill O'Reilly Fails At Science and Becomes a Meme - You Can't Explain That!" It investigates how the now infamous "Explain That .. " interview exploded into a hug internet meme. And how it spawned a whole cornucopia of - Explain That posters.


What I find amazing is instead of backing off of his ridiculous comments O'Reilly doubled down in his "Backstage Conversation", saying that God placed the moon in Earth's orbit and that none of the other planets have moons .. not Venus not Mars. - I guess Mars technically has TWO moons not just one like ours.

Bill also questions where babies come from. Does he really not how a woman gets knocked up?  He also makes a interesting prediction that there is only life on this planet and no where else.

I think it's safe to say scientist are almost completely convinced there was microbial life on Mars

Here's what I think about extraterrestrial life:

• There is microbial life on Mars now.
• There might be life slightly larger than a microbe on Mars now.
• There may have been life much larger than a microbe on Mars in the past.
• There is probably life under the ice of Jupiter's moon Europa
• There are probably a few intelligent civilizations in our galaxy
• Microbial life travels across vast distances on meteors.
• There is a chance for life that is not based on carbon and oxygen
• Intelligent extraterrestrial life has in all likelihood never visited Earth.  - sorry, just don't think it's possible.

Read Urlesque article on Bill O'Reilly

Neutron Star creates creepy fluid

According to The Daily Galaxy, the dense core of a neutron star has been found to create a weird type of fluid called a superfluid.

"If conditions are right, these neutrons ought to be able to pair up to form a superfluid – a substance with quantum properties that mean it flows with zero friction. Superfluids formed in laboratories can do spooky  things such as creep up the walls of a cup, or remain still even while their container is made to spin." - Daily Galaxy

I've heard of superfluids before and quite frankly they freak me out. They do stuff that makes you question if the universe really exists or if the Native American spirituality were right and everything is alive.

Daily Galaxy Article ---- >  Neutron Stars Create New Exotic Form of Matter Not Found on Earth

Cookie Monster SNL Audition Tape

Sesame Street's Cookie Monster is trying out to be a cast member of SNL. Watch the video and maybe you'll agree with me that he's better than Eddie Murphy.




Support Cookie Monster by visiting his Facebook page.

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer Blocks Yellowstone Bison Slaughter

Cause you know God put bison on this earth to be shot by Sarah Palin
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

New Elvis Picture

I commissioned another Elvis illustration and I have to say this one rocks as much as the last one. Very happy with it indeed. I found the artist, Jake on Fiverr, a website that contracts all kinds of creative work for only five dollars.

If you want to get in contact with Jake you can find him here ------> Jakecamaction

God's Creations

One of the reasons I'm an Agnostic is if God created all creatures then why would he create a spore that eats the brains of insects causing them to become living zombies and incubators for more spores. This video made by the BBC presented by Animal Planet is one of the most creepy things I have ever seen and for some strange reason also beautiful. So enjoy the chill.

Original Story ---> Killer Fungus Eats Ant Brains!

'Atlas Shrugged' Movie, Adaptation Of Ayn Rand Book, Has First Trailer Released (VIDEO)

Coming this fall .. The Ayn Rand musical ... Title Track by ABBA singing Welfare Queen.

You can beg, you can lie
Having medicare save your life
Ooh see that old lady, watch her plead
Dig in the Welfare Queen




Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Ten Most Overrated Artists in Art History

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost before reading this post.

If you really think these artists stink .. then I invite you to get some oil and mix your own colors .. then stretch your own canvas - gesso and paint away. No going to Micheal's or JoAnne's .. or using Acrylic .. no Apple Barrel paints.

Lot's of big talk about how a three year old could do it ..yet .. most of the haters live in a cubicle with dolphin and whales jumping over rainbows as their screen saver.

White House Seeks $53 Billion For High-Speed Rail

If you think about it .. trains are so much better on the environmen­t, traffic, generalize­d noise, safety, efficiency than cars and trucks will ever be. Also .. trains are just cool.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Holy Day of Football

Photo by AP

The Super Bowl isn't about football at all. It's to celebrate the ending of "Man Season". Man season begins with the first preseason game in August. The High Holy Bowler Days of Thanksgivi­ng mark the crescendo and then the gradual decline through winter.

The AFC and NFC Championsh­ip games determine who represents the year and then the final "Fat Sunday" before the long fast. And so this year will either be the year of the Cheese or the year of Steel. Either way I'm glad to see Man Season 2010 pass into history.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Stephen King's 'The Stand' To Be Adapted Into Film

The Stand is one of my favorite Stephen King book ... Great characters and even though it is a long book stay very tense all the way through .. I think it should really be considered an epic.

So, I can't wait until this come to the "Big Screen", especially since the television version was a disappoint­ment. With all the new CG - it's going to be so cool.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Malawi bans gas - the other kind.

According to the BBC, breaking wind, stepping on the duck, cutting the cheese, SBD's are going to be illegal in the African country of Malawi. A new law proposed by the parliment would make it illegal to "rip one" in public. This is an effort to "to mold responsible and disciplined citizens."

But finding the culprit may be more difficult. I suggest the old technique of "Whoever smelt it .. dealt it."

NBC Universal's New Logo Ditches Peacock

This is NBC's new logo after Comcast took over last week.  To me it looks like some fly-by-nig­ht university­.

So here is my message to Comcast:

Dear ComCrud:

I know you think you're creative. I know you think that design and layout are all made-up horse *&^%. But it's not .. really .. just cause you have an MBA and know a little bit about PowerPoint .. doesn't make you a designer.

I know your wife's 15 year old nephew said you don't need Photoshop or Illustrato­r. I know he said that CorelDRAW was just as good. But what does he know .. he still watches SpongeBob.

It's not just the color or that the letters are squished together .. it's the whole thing. You need to spend a few bucks and get a real designer .. and please don't listen to your secretary and change the font to Comic Sans.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Intel Discovers Chip Design Flaw

I've made a lot of mistakes in my life but never a billion dollar mistake .. that's going to affect someone's paycheck. Maybe Intel should call it the Sarah Bridge?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost