Tag: life

Not only gods…

Why I haven’t been updating

But it appears blogs can die too. As this one appears to be in the middle of, when was the last time I updated DMS? Back on May 20th! Okay, well this isn’t a heal-all by any means, if anything I’m merely staunching the flow of blood. Why have I note updated? Simple, I’ve been very busy with my work at the Capitol. The last two weeks saw a couple of very important deadlines (bills had to be out of their house of origin and the Assembly Appropriations Committee cleared it’s suspense calendar items). If you were following my twitter feed you might have noticed all the talk of bills, I must have read and corrected over 300 analyses this last few days. Good news is that I made it out alive and things will be (should be is more likely) quiet for the time being, at least until July/August.

I haven’t been completely out of things though I wrote a few articles for Gamestooge, one of which also appeared on 2old2play, if you’re curious: here, here, and here. My review of GTA4 will be done in 24 hours or so and going up soon there after, right now I’m saying it’s 66% complete.

What next? I’m going to vote tomorrow. California has its second primary then, this is for those who didn’t want to move up their voting with the Presidential primary. I’d tell you who I’m voting for in my Assembly District but I can’t I work for the Chief Clerk of the Assembly so I have to be impartial. I get to vote but I can’t tell anyone one my views on the subject (check my archives though and you’ll figure it out). After that I’m going to be cleaning up DMS and creating actual content.

Sorry about the lack of updates, more is coming and thanks for reading!

Update or Not

I didn’t want my readers to think I had dropped off the face of the planet, that happens next week, when the California Legislature decides to try and make a budget.  With a $17 billion deficit and no one wanting to budge on whether to raise taxes or cut spending (I think both would be a good idea) it could be a long, poor summer…

Luckily, I get to be right in the middle of it! I can’t wait to see the floor sessions that go on for 9 hours! I’m sure it’s all hugs and kisses then…

I’m still in the middle of playing GTAIV which I’m enjoying but not as much as you would think seeing all those perfect review scores out there… My problem is that the missions in the game are the same ones I was undertaking in GTA3, Vice City and San Andreas. In fact, some of the things that made San Andreas have been taken out (working out, hair cuts, character customization). So far there is a stronger story but much of it seems blank and I have to wonder about Nikko’s decision to jump immediately into the crime world after traveling half-way around the world to escape it, seems to be a disconnect between what the character is saying and what you, the player, are having him do. I’m also not a big fan of the mini-dating simulator in the game, I bought GTAIV to steal cars and do crazy crimes in a big sandbox, not call fake friends on a fake phone and get fake drunk, or play fake pool, darts, bowling, etc… Look for my full review of the game next week (fingers crossed.)

I’m putting together a retrospective on DOS games as well, why they were awesome, some of the best, the trials of getting them to work, and what happened to DOS and its games… I don’t really know when that is going to happen.

I should stop boring you with the things I might be doing or am in the process of doing, you came here to be entertained… Sadly, I don’t have any of that right now stay tuned…

Weekend Update with Kevin Neala… Wait!

Hmm… What did I do this week? I wrote a mediocre post on Holocaust Memorial Day.  A review of Ikaruga that I quite like, mostly because it is more creative than I’m usually allowed to do over at Gamestooge, which is why it is posted here. They wanted something a little more objective, which I gave them and that should be going up in the next few days…

This week is supposed to be a little slow at the Capitol, not that that means anything, no one seems to know what is going to happen over there. Next week is supposed to be crazy and I’ll be working the weekend, which is not something I’m looking forward to, but then no one asked. I’m just the intern 😛

What is in store for this week? If I can get around to it a little first impressions review of GTA4 multi-player, a retro review of an as of yet to be determined game (probably something on virtual console or live arcade), I’m also going to start a playthrough of the Space Quest series for Talking Time, and I think that is quite enough. I also need to finish reviewing two pieces of writing, and start putting down ink on paper for my own stories. If I get it all done I’ll be very impressed with myself. I’m a realist though and expect me to get through maybe half of it… Go Me!

In other news my Warlock on Wow (Elune) just reached level 60 today… 3 1/2 years after I created him! I’m hoping not to take another year to get him to 70. But, then you never know…

Yom HaShoah

is May 2nd, it’s the day set aside by Jews to remember the victims of the Holocaust. On Monday ( 4/28 ) the California Legislature passed Assembly Concurrent Resolution 83, recognizing this week as Holocaust Memorial Week and urged all Californians to reflect on the Holocaust, those whose lives were lost in it, honoring those who survived it, and committing ourselves to meaningfully acting to insure it never happens again…

It was a lovely ceremony with stirring speeches and calls for action. The Chamber full of Holocaust survivors who have made California their home. The phrase “never forget” was said multiple times.

Yet, as they spoke, and I type this, thousands are being killed. In Darfur, Rwanda, Tibet, Ukraine ,aamongIndigenous populations around the globe. While we remember the horrors that were what are we doing to prevent those occurring today? Why do we turn a blind eye to the suffering of our fellow humans? The United States has more than once been referred to as a City upon the Hill, a beacon to the rest of the world, it seems though that we shine too bright, and cannot see the rest of the world dazzled as we our with ourselves.

I’m not writing this to be pessimistic, the pessimist has already given up, he mentions atrocities and pain only to confirm and justify his inaction. No, I mention this so that while we remember we might consider how we can prevent. I alone cannot do anything to stop the genocides across the world. I am small and powerless while potentates and Great Nations do as they please. But, I can be a small light. With my actions, small as they may be, I can make a statement one that I can share with my friends and family in the hopes that through my example they will be inspired to make small changes in their lives. I don’t flatter myself in thinking that my small ripple will ever become a wave. My stand is only a testament to myself, a single finger pointing and loudly declaring that “This is Wrong.”

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