Rich *itch

Six Letters that Do Not Go Together BYU & DUI

2009-10-07T19:33:00.003-10:00

As I was looking over the news this morning, I was suprised that someone was kicked off of the BYU football team because of the "High Standards" that the football team had. So a player is part of a drinking party in January and then has a DUI in August and then no one does anything until October? Go figure that one out! Looks like someone was depressed after being over rated againest Florida State and then getting spanked!

Just goes to show that the athletes can get away with anything until the media catches wind of it. They would throw the book at anyone who is driving under the influence and this is no exception to the rule. Give him the maximum penalty already and send a message to those thinking about driving under the influence.

I Lost My Phone Charger

2009-10-06T22:33:00.003-10:00

Well as fate would have it, I lost my USB cable for my phone and I have to order a new one. Well for most phones, this would not be too bad, but I have the Palm Pre. The Pre is a really awesome phone, but you have to charge the phone everyday. The battery life is terrible. Well now that I have placed my Ebay order, I just have to wait for it to come in the mail. In the mean time, I am charging my phone with my car charger. If you can not get a hold of me, then that means that I do not have a charged phone.

A New Funny Video

2009-10-04T21:45:00.001-10:00

I know that we have not posted on here in a while so I will so now. Here is a video that we found today that was kind of funny and it reminds me so much of Evan Fa!!

24 Comes Again

2008-11-06T14:33:00.002-10:00

Here is the Trailer for the 2 Hour Event, 24:Redemption

Here is the latest trailer for the new and hopefully best season of 24

Let's Go Cubbies!!!!!

2008-09-28T16:35:00.003-10:00

With the playoffs upon us, I just have to say that I am as excited as ever and there might be a couple of days that I might be "sick" this month with the Cubs in the playoffs and all. Cubs winning World Series and then 24 coming back is all that I need right now.

BYU Fans

2008-06-16T22:22:00.002-10:00

Rolling Back Prices At Walmart

2008-05-19T08:07:00.001-10:00

So I was at Walmart the other day and couldn't stop laughing at this one. With rising prices on everything in Hawaii, this is how we roll back prices in the 808 state. They are just basically telling us that they did not raise the price on Mac Nuts. Thank you so much Walmart!!

Don't Go To Jiffy Lube

2008-03-24T16:10:00.000-10:00

Watch the video and you will understand.

Movie Review: Jumper 2 out of 4

2008-02-18T21:15:00.003-10:00

As the Presidents Day holiday weekend started to come to pass, I was excited to go back to the movies that I have left baron since the release of Cloverfield. I mean we had Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson re-teaming to play good guy, bad guy a la Star Wars. If people thought that those movies were bad, I would wonder what they would think about Jumper. The concept and the idea looked really good on paper, but when it came down to actually putting a movie together, it failed. The plot, the special effects, and the actors all needed some work in order to make this movie work. The movie was one hour and thirty minutes and I was pretty much over the movie in about an hour. This one might be a good DVD rental, but do not waste your money watching this in the theaters.

24: The Return Comes January 2009

2008-02-17T14:08:00.002-10:00

NEW YORK - Fans of the Fox drama "24" will have to wait until next January to see Jack Bauer again, this season's most prominent casualty of the writers strike.

The network has committed to air a full season on consecutive weeks, and had been planning to start last month. Eight episodes were filmed before the strike, but if Kiefer Sutherland returned to airwaves now, the season finale would not take place until the summer, when TV networks rarely show high-profile programs.

Somewhat implausibly, Fox cited viewer wishes as a reason for the delay. Another reason networks prefer to break bad news via press release: It's easier to keep a straight face

Say Goodbye to HD-DVD

2008-02-17T14:05:00.002-10:00

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp is planning to stop production of equipment compatible with the HD DVD format for high-definition video, allowing the competing Blu-Ray camp a free run, public broadcaster NHK reported on Saturday.

Toshiba is expected to suffer losses amounting to tens of billions of yen (hundreds of millions of dollars) to scrap production of HD DVD players and recorders and other steps to exit the business, Japan's NHK said on its website.

No one at Toshiba could be reached for comment.

The format war between the Toshiba-backed HD DVD and Sony Corp's Blu-Ray, often compared to the Betamax-VHS battle in the 1980s, has slowed the development of what is expected to be a multibillion dollar high-definition DVD industry.

Toshiba was dealt a blow on Friday when Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it would abandon the HD DVD format, becoming the latest in a series of top retailers and movie studios to rally behind Blu-ray technology for high definition DVDs.

Toshiba plans to continue selling HD DVD equipment at stores for the time being but will not put resources into developing new devices, NHK said.

Cheaters Never Prosper: Gaints Win 17-14

2008-02-03T17:34:00.000-10:00

With concerns about "Spygate" and the undefeated season, the Giants put everyones concerns to rest. Tonights game can be considered one of the greatest Superbowl games every played and the Giants pulled off one of the greatest upsets of all time. Congrads to the 2008 Superbowl Champion Giants!!

Gordon B. Hinckley 1910-2008

2008-01-27T17:37:00.000-10:00

From the LDS Newsroom:

SALT LAKE CITY 27 January 2008 President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.

President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.

The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from cause’s incident to age. Member of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days.

Funny Video

2008-01-24T23:25:00.000-10:00

This Kid Get Owned

Movie Review: Cloverfield 3.5 out of 4

2008-01-19T22:55:00.000-10:00

I know that I have been neglecting my blog over the last month or so, but I am back with a movie review. Today, I had the privilege of see the latest J.J. Abrams produced item entitled, Cloverfield. I knew that I was in for a treat even before the movie started. They had a teaser trailer for the new Star Trek directed by J.J. Abrams. That kind of set the tone for the movie.

Cloverfield is a mix between two very successful movies, Godzilla and The Blair Witch Project. Cloverfield is shot from what seems to be a camcorder from the characters as the city of New York is attacked by a monster. The movie does carry a PG-13 rating and I agree with the rating on this one. The movie is a mix between a thriller and a horror movie and it does keep you at the edge of your seat. While there are no major plot twists in the movie, the movie does keep you guessing as to how our characters are going to survive. With the events taking place in New York City, many times the attacks mirror what took place during 9/11. While the movie does take place at night, you cannot help but think of events of 9/11.

The movie is shot in first person, but the camera work is much better than that of the original Blair Witch Project. There was a warning outside of the movie theater telling us that me might get dizzy, nauseated, etc. by watching the movie, but I have too worried about it. Even for a January movie, Cloverfield delivers the thrill and excitement that very few movies in this genre can produce. Cloverfield is best seen on the big screen and if you plan on watching it on your computer, I highly advise against that. Now we have the joy of waiting for Rambo next week.

Movie Review: I Am Legend-3.25 out of 4

2007-12-16T17:28:00.000-10:00

I Am Legend is the latest move from Will Smith and one that I had no idea about before going into the movie. I mostly went to the movie because I love Will Smith and his movies. Over the 1 hour and 40 minutes that the movie took place; it left me thinking in the end. Some people think that it is a horror movie and others think that it is a drama. I would say that it is a mix of the two and the movie is thrilling, emotional, and very reflective. Most of the movie is a thriller and at the end of the movie, it takes on more of a spiritual side. The whole ending really got me thinking about life and the importance of those that are around us. The main ideas are that people’s paths do cross with divine intervention and that we should take a step back and listen. While this is not the best Will Smith movie ever made, one movie is worth checking out.

The Kite Runner-Best Book I've Read In Years

2007-11-10T23:29:00.000-10:00

Over the past couple of days, I have had the chance of reading the book, The Kite Runner. While the book is about 400 pages in length, the book is a very easy read, but yet so emotionally draining at the same time. The movie of the same name is set to release on December 14th, and I for one am excited for this movie to come out. I highly recommend this book to everyone and I will not spoil the details, except to say that I could not put the book down. "For you, a thousand times over" and "Now there is a way to be good again" are a couple of lines that take on so much meaning will stick with you after reading the book. I think that this will be a book that English classes will study for many years to come and will be remembered as a classic of our time. Read the book, then go watch the movie. Here is the trailer for the movie:

The Kite Runner

The Making Of Video

Winston Churchill

2007-11-03T19:12:00.000-10:00

Here is a good clip I found on Winston Churchill.

Guess Who Turns 8 Today

2007-10-28T00:04:00.000-10:00

Today is Tristan's eighth birthday. Congrads on making it this long! I hope that you have many more and remember Uncle Rich is always here for you!

Kanye West From SNL

2007-10-27T23:57:00.001-10:00

Here is a video of Kanye West from SNL. It is one of my favorite songs from Kanye's new album. The track is entitled "Everything I Am.

24 Season 7 Trailer

2007-10-25T17:58:00.000-10:00

This next season of 24 looks AMAZING!! Enjoy the trailer:

Peaceful Sunday

2007-10-20T22:56:00.000-10:00

I thought that I would post a Welsh lullaby entitled Suo Gan as something for Sunday. I think that it is interesting to note that the kid at the beginning looks a lot like my friend Jordan from Aurora. Be the judge yourself and enjoy this wonderful selection!

I Survived BYUH Idol

2007-10-19T21:32:00.000-10:00

Dont' worry, I did not do any of the singing during the finals of this semesters edition of BYUH Idol, but I did get to do some of the judging for the competition. Most of the judges in the past have been very nice the the competitors and have been very flowery in their comments to the contestants. If anyone had any sort of criticism, they would be heavily booed by the crowd. Lets just say that I got more than my fair share of booing, but to be fair, I was very honest with the competitors. I had no shame in telling people what I truly thought of their performance and the crowd disagreed with me. Many comparisons were drawn between me and Simon, but I think that we are both honest. We praise competitors when they do good, and tell them what they need to improve on when they fall short. All in all, it was a great experience and I would welcome the opportunity to be a judge again.

Here is a video of one of the competitors and I am at the end making comments. It is not when they boo me, but at least you will be able to see me. The audio is not the greatest, but what do you expect for youtube?

Cubs Go Down 0-2

2007-10-04T21:43:00.001-10:00

The post season is upon us and we as Cubs fans need to still believe in our team. Let us not be too worried yet because we still have to go to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. I mean they have to win so my friend can go to the game on Sunday. Lets Go Cubbies!

CUBS WIN!! CUBS WIN!!

2007-09-28T19:42:00.000-10:00

The Cubs are going to the playoffs again this year. After enduring a few years of disappointing seasons, the CUBS are back in the post season. We are now one step closer to having a World Series victory.

Latest on Chris Benoit

2007-09-05T12:28:00.000-10:00

ATLANTA (AP) — Canadian Pro wrestler Chris Benoit suffered brain damage from his years in the ring that could help explain why he killed his wife, his son and himself, a doctor who studied Benoit's brain said Wednesday.

The analysis by doctors affiliated with the Sports Legacy Institute suggests repeated concussions could have contributed to the killings at Benoit's suburban Atlanta home.
An Emory University neurologist not involved in the testing agreed that multiple concussions can cause long-term brain injuries, but she stressed that "what types of symptoms that causes is still very unclear."

The wrestler's father, Michael Benoit, told reporters Wednesday that he knows his son had concussions because his son told him so. But he also said he knows of no medical records or records kept by the wrestling league to support the diagnosis.

Steroid use has also lingered as a theory behind the killings, since anabolic steroids were found in Chris Benoit's home. Tests conducted by authorities showed Benoit had roughly 10 times the normal level of testosterone in his system when he died.

The institute, which researches the long-term effects of concussions, co-ordinated the testing using samples of Benoit's brain tissue provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The Waltham, Mass.,-based institute's president is former pro wrestler Christopher Nowinski, who has said he had to quit the ring after a kick to the head. Nowinski still has ties with World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., which runs the league he and Benoit were in.

A lawyer for Stamford, Conn.,-based WWE did not immediately return a call Wednesday seeking comment. The company has argued steroid use did not cause Benoit to snap.
Despite the results of the institute's tests, there was no way to know if Benoit's concussions contributed to the murder-suicide, said Dr. Robert Cantu, a member of the institute who also is chief of neurosurgery service at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass..

"Whether it is the sole factor I believe is speculation and I will not go there," Cantu said by telephone.
However, the level of brain damage Benoit had can cause depression and irrational behaviour, Cantu said.

Benoit's brain showed the same degenerative processes that doctors working for the institute found in the brains of three men who had played pro football and committed suicide, Cantu said. There were abnormal protein deposits caused by trauma to Benoit's brain, he added.
There's no evidence that steroid use causes such protein deposits, Cantu said, though he noted the issue has not been exhaustively studied.

Investigators allowed the institute to test Benoit's brain tissue with the permission of his father, who lives in Ardrossan, Alta., near Edmonton.

Dr. Wendy Wright, an intensive care neurologist at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, said suffering multiple concussions can lead to behavioural changes. But she said, "This isn't something you would expect to see turn on one day and have someone fly into a vicious rage."
Benoit's wife had filed a complaint in 2003 alleging "cruel treatment" and that he broke some furniture in their home, but investigators have disclosed no other evidence of violence by Benoit outside the ring prior to the killings. The wife's complaint was later withdrawn. His father also said the wrestler seemed perfectly normal just a week before the killings.

Michael Benoit said Wednesday that he agreed to the testing because murder-suicide was out of character for his son. He also disclosed that after the killings, he discovered a diary written by his son that showed he was having problems.

"After reading the diary, I would have thought it was written by someone who was extremely disturbed at the time," Michael Benoit said.

He did not elaborate, but did say a friend told him that prior to the murder-suicide, Chris Benoit had been wearing a rosary, which he said was also out of character.

"I think it's the extreme that is in the wrestling industry today," he told reporters. "The human skull is not built to get hit by a chair or something."

The father said he has not discussed with his lawyer whether to take any legal action against the WWE or anyone else in the case.

The lawyer, Cary Ichter, said he will consider later what steps to take in the "legal arena."
Nowinski, who works for the WWE on its initiative to encourage young people to vote, said concussions can happen in pro wrestling even though many of the moves are staged.
"I got four concussions in three years as a professional wrestler," said Nowinski, who works for the WWE on its initiative to encourage young people to vote. "A lot of concussions happen from mistakes."

Prosecutors have said Benoit, 40, strangled his wife with a cord, and used a choke hold to strangle his seven-year-old son. He then placed Bibles next to the bodies and hanged himself on a piece of exercise equipment the weekend of June 22. Authorities have said Benoit's personal doctor, Phil Astin, prescribed a 10-month supply of anabolic steroids to Benoit every three to four weeks between May 2006 and May 2007.
Astin has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two patients other than Benoit.

Forget the Hurricane; Ultimate Tsunami

2007-08-15T13:20:00.000-10:00

Here is another potential problem for the Hawaiian Islands. Enjoy!

New Plate on My Car

2007-08-12T10:52:00.000-10:00

Here is my new plate representing the CHI

Movie Review-I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry-3 out of 4

2007-07-22T00:37:00.000-10:00

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is the latest Comedy from Adam Sandler. The plot of the movie is very simple. Chuck (played by Adam Sandler) and Larry (played by Kevin James) are best friends and firefighters. Larry has lost his wife and he has been trying to turn over his pension to his children, but a rule in regards to timing prevents Larry from doing this. Only a new spouse would be allowed to receive his pension. After saving his friend Chuck, Larry comes of up with the idea that he and Chuck should set up a domestic partnership in order for Larry's children to receive his pension. What first starts off as a idea on paper, turns into a full blown investigation by the city. Chuck and Larry must act like a domestic partnership in every way until the investigation is over. While comedy ensues, there are some gut wrenching scenes put into the comedy. Much like Click, this movie makes you take a step back and makes you really appreciated the people that you have.

Larry has been keeping all of his wife's items and has a hard time of letting go of her. The scene where he finally decides to do so is one that is straight out of an Oscar winning movie. It was really sad to see him in this situation and the comedy started to take on a message. While the critics might not think the movie is all that great, I would say that it is a good movie with a good message. It makes you rethink that way that you treat gays, friends, co-workers, and family. All in all, a good experience.

I Beat Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition

2007-07-08T20:06:00.000-10:00

What I consider to be a sick joke in a way, I am happy to report that I beat Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition. Let me first give you a background of the things that have been going on this week. I have been sick with the "flu" and I have been coughing up blood coupled with a high fever. I thought that it was ironic that the symptoms are part of the virus that is from the game and on top of that, my eyes became bloodshot after playing the game so I can only conclude that it is the games fault. Well now that I have beat the game and eraticated the virus, I want to say that the virus will be out of my body as soon as possible. For those interested in the overall game itself, it is considered one of the best games of all time and I agree that it should have this great distinction.

Movie Review: Transformers 3.5 out of 4

2007-07-03T10:20:00.001-10:00

Last night, I went to the first showing of Transformers shown digitally and I was not disappointed. If you have a digital theater in your area, you must go and watch the movie on one of these screens and you should not download this movie at all. This is an Independence Day weekend action movie that has been lacking for the last few years. Even if you did not like or play with the toys, you are in for a treat with this eye candy.

The opening sequence of the movie sets the stage for the movie. A U.S. base in Qatar is attacked in a long detailed sequence. Michael Bay is known for going over the top with special effects and he does not fail here. If this movie does not win best Special Effects this year, then this is a great travesty of our time. While the movie is advertised as an action movie, there are many laughs to be found throughout the whole movie. There is always some light comedy throughout the movie. There is even one section where Michael Bay kind of rips on his own movie. When the Autobots come to earth, they fall out of the sky like asteroids and one of the extra gives a comment something to the nature of "This is way better than Armageddon" (For those that do not know Armageddon was a Michael Bay filmed release 7/1/98 starring Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck.)

To sum it all up, this is a great summer popcorn movie and should be enjoyed by those wanting a good story of robots saving the world. There is some cheese in the movie, but you would expect that from this movie. Transformers is definitely "more than meets the eye".

WWE Releases Detailed Benoit Timeline

2007-06-26T21:27:00.000-10:00

Detailed WWE/Benoit timeline
Written: June 26, 2007
Below is a detailed WWE/Chris Benoit timeline from Saturday to Monday:
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Chris Benoit was scheduled to appear at the WWE SmackDown/ ECW live event in Beaumont, Texas

3:30pm A co-worker received a voice message from Benoit. The message from Benoit stated he missed his flight and over slept and would be late to the WWE Live Event. The co-worker called Benoit back, Benoit confirmed everything he said in his voice message and sounded tired and groggy. Benoit then stated, “I love you”. The co-worker stated that it was “out of context.”

3:42pm The same co-worker was concerned with Benoit’s tone and demeanor and called Benoit for a second time. Benoit did not answer the call and the co-worker left a message stating “just call me back.”

3:44pm Benoit called the co-worker back stating he didn’t answer the call because he was on the phone with Delta changing his flight. Benoit stated he had a real stressful day due to Nancy and Daniel being sick with food poisoning. They discussed travel plans for the WWE Tour of Texas with Benoit still sounding groggy at this point according to the co-worker.

4:30pm A co-worker who consistently travels with Benoit, called Benoit from outside Houston airport and Benoit answered. Benoit told the co-worker that Nancy was throwing up blood and that Daniel was also throwing up. Benoit thought they had food poisoning. Benoit stated he changed his flight and he would be arriving into Houston at 6:30pm. Benoit told the co-worker to drive onto the WWE event.

5:35pm Benoit called WWE Talent Relations stating that his son was throwing up and that he and Nancy were in the hospital with their son, and that Benoit would be taking a later flight into Houston, landing late, but would make the WWE live event in Beaumont.

6:10pm A representative of Talent Relations called Benoit. The representative from Talent Relations asked Benoit what time Benoit was getting into Beaumont. Benoit responded he was leaving Atlanta at 9:20pm Eastern time arriving into Houston at 9:24pm Central time. The representative from Talent Relations advised Benoit that it would be too late to make the WWE live event in Beaumont. Benoit apologized citing he had a family emergency. The representative from Talent Relations suggested to Benoit that instead of going to the WWE live event in Beaumont, Benoit should take the flight to Houston, rest up and be ready for the Vengeance Pay-Per-View event.

6:13pm The representative from Talent Relations called Benoit to reconfirm the travel plans with no answer from Benoit. The representative from Talent Relations left a voice message to take the flight and rest up.

Sunday, June 24, 2007
Text messages sent to co-workers from Chris Benoit and Nancy Benoit’s cell phones:

Text Message 1 Sent to: Two Co-Workers (the same who had verbal correspondence with Benoit the day before) From: Benoit’s cell phoneWhen: 6/24 at 3:53am from Message: C, S. My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayetteville Georgia. 30215

Text Message 2Sent to: Two Co-Workers (the same who had verbal correspondence with Benoit the day before) From: Benoit’s cell phoneWhen: 6/24 at 3:53amMessage: The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open

Text Message 3Sent to: Two Co-Workers (the same who had verbal correspondence with Benoit the day before) From: Nancy Benoit’s cell phoneWhen: 6/24 at 3:54am Message: C, S. My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayetteville Georgia. 30215

Text Message 4 Sent to: Two Co-Workers (the same who had verbal correspondence with Benoit the day before) From: Nancy Benoit’s cell phoneWhen: 6/24 at 3:55amMessage: C, S. My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayetteville Georgia. 30215

Text Message 5Sent to: A Co-Worker who consistently traveled with BenoitFrom: Nancy Benoit’s cell phoneWhen: 6/24 at 3:58amMessage: My address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayetteville Georgia. 30215

WWE made several attempts to contact Benoit via phone and text messages, as well as, the local hospitals in the Atlanta area. As of 11:00 pm Sunday night there was no contact made with Benoit.

Monday, June 25, 2007
12:30pm WWE was notified of text messages sent to the two co-workers.

12:45pm WWE contacted the Fayetteville County Sheriff’s office and requested them to go to Benoit’s residence

4:00pm WWE received a call from the Fayetteville County Sheriff’s office, advising that they enteredthe house of Benoit and found 3 deceased bodies (a male, a female and a child). The Fayette County Sheriff’s office has secured the house as a “major crime scene” and that the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office had no further information

Chris Benoit-Murderer??

2007-06-26T21:18:00.000-10:00

As many know by now, Chris Benoit is suspected in the murder of his son and wife. The following the a report from Fox News:

"Professional wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his 7-year-old son, placing bibles at their sides, before hanging himself from a pulley in his weight room, authorities said Tuesday. Police ruled the death a double homicide-suicide and are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths. Authorities said they found prescription anabolic steroids in the home among other legal prescriptions. Steroid abuse has been linked to depression, paranoia, and aggressive behavior or angry outbursts known as "roid rage."
"There was a lot of prescription medication that he had received from doctors with what we believed to be at this time legal prescriptions," said Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department.

Police said that Nancy Benoit died of asphyxiation on Friday, said Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard. She was found in an upstairs family room with her legs and wrists bound and blood under her head, perhaps indicating a struggle, he said The Benoits' son, Daniel, died of asphyxiation sometime Saturday morning, Ballard said. He was found in his bed upstairs. Both mother and son had bibles placed at their sides. Authorities found the pro wrestler dead in the basement, hanging from the pulley of a weight machine. He died sometime late Saturday or Sunday, Ballard said. "In a community like this, it's bizarre just to have a murder suicide -- certainly involving the death of a 7-year-old child," Ballard said.

Nancy Benoit filed for a divorce in May 2003, saying their three-year union was irrevocably broken and alleging "cruel treatment." But she later dropped the complaint, as well as a request for a restraining order in which she charged that Benoit had threatened her and had broken furniture in their home. In the divorce filing, she said Benoit made more than $500,000 a year as a professional wrestler and asked for permanent custody of Daniel and child support. In his response, Benoit sought joint custody. "He was like the dad you always wanted to have," Bill Apter, a pro-wresting writer and friend of Benoit, told FOX News. "I just don't get this."
Apter called Benoit pensive and quiet, adding: "Chris Benoit was not the type of guy that you would profile to do anything of what is being alleged to have happened."

The World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler canceled a pay-per-view appearance at the "Vengeance" event in Houston because of "personal reasons" a day before the trio were found dead. The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three separate rooms of the house, off a gravel road about two miles from the Whitewater Country Club. Neighbors said the Benoits led a low-key lifestyle. "We would see Chris walking in his yard from time to time. He wasn't rude, but he wasn't really outwardly warm," said Alaina Jones, who lives across the street.
Jimmy Baswell, who was Benoit's driver for more than five years, placed a white wreath at the Benoits' gate. "They always seemed like they were the happiest people," he said. Whiteside said toxicology tests could take up to a week or longer to complete. Text messages from the wrestler seem to have prompted the police to visit the home.

"The sheriff's department will only confirm that he sent one text message sometime around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, and I know that the WWE is saying that he sent several others, which is what prompted them to contact the sheriff's office to go do a welfare check at the house," Saeed Ahmed of the Journal-Constitution told FOX News. World Wrestling Entertainment said on its Web site that it asked authorities to check on Benoit and his family after being alerted by friends who received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning." The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., said it had been asked by authorities not to release further information on the deaths.

Benoit was born in Montreal. He was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several tag-team titles over his career. He was known by several names including "The Canadian Crippler." "WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the company said in a statement on its Web site. Benoit had maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling. The Fayette County Tax Assessors Office lists the value of the house, situated on more than 8.5 acres, at nearly $900,000.
The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast on June 25.

Benoit's wife managed several wrestlers and went by the stage name "Woman," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. They met when her then-husband, Kevin Sullivan, drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of an ongoing story line on World Championship Wrestling. Sullivan spoke to FOXNews.com late Tuesday and expressed shock and sadness over the death of his ex-wife, who he married in 1985. From his home in Tavernier, Fla., Sullivan said he had not spoken to his ex-wife since their split. “It’s surreal,” said Sullivan, who did not have children with Nancy Benoit. “She was a nice person. We just went our separate ways. She was nice and very loving and I’m sure she was a good mother.”
Sullivan said he did not know Benoit well outside the ring. “I never associated with him, so I really don’t know his personality,” he said. … “[But] I’m sad for all three, especially the child.”
Benoit, who has two other children from a prior relationship, became a standout at an early age among wrestling prospects who trained in the dungeon basement of the house where fellow Canadians and professional wrestlers Owen and Bret Hart trained. Owen Hart was killed during a wrestling event in 1999. "He was like a family member to me, and everyone in my family is taking it real hard," said Bret Hart, a five-time champion with the now-defunct World Wrestling Federation."

R.I.P. Chris Benoit 1967-2007

2007-06-25T14:45:00.000-10:00

In one of more shocking deaths in wrestling history, Chris Benoit, his wife (Better known to the wrestling world as "Woman"), and his son were all found dead. After once sharing the Wrestlemania stage with his friend Eddie Guerrero, the wrestling world has been left to mourn the death of both of these former world champions. While the details of the deaths are not known, Monday Night Raw is dedicated tonight to the life of Chris Benoit and his family. A couple of weeks ago, there was the fake death of Vince McMahon and now Vince was the one to break the news to the world. While inital internet reports were not take the seriously, confirmations from the Sherrifs department brought this grim news into reality. R.I.P. Chris Benoit and family.

BYU-Hawaii Graduation 2007

2007-06-24T10:10:00.000-10:00

The final graduation for President Shumway took place this weekend and I have posted the pictures for the banquet, graduation, etc. Just click on the following links to see various pictures:

BYUH Graduation Banquet

BYUH Graduation

Suprise Party for Bale Tuisavura

Update: 24 June 2007 Keresi's Graduation Pictures can be found by clicking on this link

Bale's Speech at her Party

Manhunt 2: Will It Ever Come Out?

2007-06-20T10:29:00.000-10:00

Various news outlets have reported that the new game from the makers of GTA and Bully might not see a full release here in the U.S. or even around the world. While Rockstar has supported Sony products in the past, the have expanded their horizons to include the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii.

When it was announced that the game would be coming out for the Nintendo Wii, I was intrigued to see what the game was about. Little did I know that most people considered that the game was a murder simulation personified through the Nintendo Wii, but this game still sparked my interest.

The first Manhunt was banned in some European Countries after a killer was "inspired" by the game to go out and kill. While I blame the parents more than anything else, the game was more button pressing than motion sensing technology. The Nintendo Wii version is going to change all of that.

As it stands right now, the game has an AO (Adults Only) rating and is the equivalent of the NC-17 rating in movies. Most retail outlets will not carry this game because of the rating and this would lead to certain doom for the games profitability. While Rockstar would need the game to be released with an M rating, I think that they should just following the movie industry and release the game Unrated. Retail outlets will sell and rent these movies and I do not see why they would not do this for games. All I know is that I plan to pick up this game for the Wii to decide for myself whether the game it all that it is cracked up to be. Until then, the Wii continues to print money.

Star Wars: 30 Years Later

2007-06-07T20:26:00.000-10:00

Lately, I have been in the Star Wars mood. During this past week, I viewed the saga again and I have to say that some of the parts are still very intense and emotional. No matter how many times I watch the movies, I still feel like Yoda is going to defeat the Emperor, Luke will win in the Empire Strikes Back, and that Mace will be still be alive. There are many lessons to learn from these movies and many principles that we can apply to our own lives. Still, I think the best line in the Saga is from Obi-Wan to Anakin after he confronts him on Mustafar when he states, "You have allowed this Dark Lord to twist your mind until now...until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy." On that note, I leave with the best Star Wars commercial ever made. It brought many to tears.

I Got a New Car

2007-05-27T09:27:00.000-10:00

Yes, it is true! After numerous fixes over the past year, I decided to retire the Sable this past weekend and now I have it up for sale for anyone who wants to buy a car. I decided to upgrade to a 2006 Chevy Malibu Maxx and let me tell ya that this car is way roomy. I took a few pictures and you can view them by clicking here.

My New Headphones

2007-04-09T22:56:00.000-10:00

This past week, I invested in some new headphones and they do not disappoint. For the longest time, I was looking at the Bose Quietcomfort 2's, but I did not have the heart to lay down the money or set up a payment plan. I decided that there had to be an alternative to the Bose headphones. After much research and reading about the Bose headphones, I found a competitors headphones that seemed to be just as good if not better than the Bose headphones. I invested some money in some Solitude V3 with Linx Audio. I was able to get a pair for about half the price of the Bose ones and I am not disappointed in the least bit. I think that the audio is awesome and I cannot wait to sample the Bose headphones this weekend. Right now, I am rocking out with my new headphones and they are all so soothing. So far, I highly recommend these headphone to anyone looking for a Bose alternative.

My Computer Crashed

2007-03-20T22:12:00.000-10:00

Over the weekend, something horrible happened. My computer crashed and I lost EVERYTHING that was on my hard drive. This might sound really bad, but I had just backed up my music the day before. Right now I am in the rebuilding process and I am near completion, but I will be getting some new parts this weekend in order make the machine grand and dand again. Some might say that I should buy a new computer, but I am waiting a year before getting a computer with Vista.

Southside of the Chi

2007-03-17T11:25:00.001-10:00

24: The Best Episode This Season

2007-03-12T21:26:00.000-10:00

Day 6 of the non-stop season of 24 continued tonight with many twist and turns and with the return of some favorite characters. I do not want to ruin it for those that have not watch it yet, but we had some twist and turns we have been waiting for this season. I believe that now that the new characters have been introduced and the background plot has been laid out, we can now enjoy the non-stop action of the non-stop season. For those that missed out on 24 tonight, be sure to head over the myspace.com to see the latest episodes.

All You Need To Know About 300

2007-03-04T22:10:00.000-10:00

HBO First Look Part 1

HBO First Look Part 2

Trailer 1

Extended Trailer

Release Trailer 2

My Flickr Site

2007-02-25T11:22:00.000-10:00

My Flickr site is up and running now. I have posted the photos from the Chicago Auto show and from my brothers wedding reception. Just click on the sets on the right hand side. Here is the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/ob1gr81/

Note: If you want to download any of the pictures, click on All Sizes at the top of the photo to select the size that you want.

Movie Review: Amazing Grace-3 out of 4

2007-02-25T10:02:00.000-10:00

Having run the independent circuit, Amazing Grace was given a national release this weekend. While I have to say the movie was a good one, it had the potential to be a great masterpiece. This historical piece follows the life and trials of William Wilberforce from Great Britain. William was one who saw the horrors of the slave trade industry and wanted to have the practice outlawed. While this might not seem radical today, in the 18th century, this was considered very radical. The movie is advertised as the story behind the song "Amazing Grace," but it is more of a story of a man overcoming many trials and obstacles to complete a task that he believes is God given. As a historical piece, Amazing Grace gives a great insight into the past and the lead up to the end of slave trade. Probably the best scene of the movie is the last one as the credits start to roll. I won't ruin it, but I will say that you need a good sound system to truly enjoy it.

Pro Bowl 2007

2007-02-10T23:14:00.000-10:00

Well the Superbowl did not go as planned, but it was not a lost year for da Bears. Even though they could not pull off the victory, it was still an enjoyable year. Today was the end of the year in football live at Aloha Stadium. Although there were not as many Bears players that I like to see, Hester still put on a good show and it was overall enjoyable, especially the end. The NFC tied the game after being down by 2 touchdowns with about 3 minutes to go, but the good news pretty much ended there. The highlight of the days was when they showed a video of Tiki Barber and he got a standing ovation. Even though he played for the Giants, people loved him anyways. Next year is just around the corner.

Superbowl XLI is Upon Us! Go Bears!!!!!!

2007-02-03T22:30:00.000-10:00

For all of the haters, here is a video for ya:

High Winds=No 24

2007-01-30T10:40:00.000-10:00

Yesterday in Hawaii, we had some high winds and the power was on and off all day. While I was at work, the power went off 4 times and I was waiting for my work computer to fry. The internet was working at school so I figured that the same would be true at home. When I arrived home, my internet was not working. Since I have a cable modem, no internet means no cable and no cable on Mondays means no 24. I sat in front of my TV waiting for the show to come on and I all saw was signal free TV static. I finally gave up at about 40 minutes past the hour. It was until about 10 pm that the cable finally came back one. Now I had to download the episode and I have to watch it later today. Don’t worry, Itunes will not get my $2.00.

Bluetooth Guy is Jack's Brother

2007-01-22T22:25:00.000-10:00

Episode 5 of Days 6 has some suprises and some interesting character developments. First, the Bluetooth guy who has caused Jack so many problems in the past seasons has now been identified as Jack's brother. Who would have guessed that Jack would have been sold out by his own brother. Now we just need to know if Jack's father is at anyway involved. Should be very interesting over the next couple of weeks.

One character that I was really suprised with this week was Wayne Palmer. I know that he was thrown to us a President, but it seems like he is really starting to develop into a real leader. I know that he might never be able to fill the shoes of David Palmer, but I believe that by Day's end, he will be a believeable President. I do with, however, that his sister be killed off ASAP. This is worse than the Kim amnesia mountain lion situation. Please writers make me happy. I do have a bad feeling for Chloe this season. She seems very expendible this season. I hope that doesn't happen though. Well one more week in til the we will be 25% of the way through the season.

Da Bears are on Their Way to the Superbowl, Dominate Saints 39-14

2007-01-21T13:27:00.000-10:00

The talk all week has been about how the Saints had the best offense and that they would dominate Da Bears. None of the ESPN "experts" had picked Da Bears to win, but it is a year of destiny for Da Bears. Next we can all get ready for the Superbowl Shuffle in a couple of weeks. All the doubts about the defense and Rex Grossman were answered in this game. The Bears were dominate all around in this game and they are going to be the one's who come home with the hardware next game. Bear Down Chicago Bears!

24 Day 6 Starts With A Bang

2007-01-15T22:20:00.000-10:00

I now have something to blog about. After watching last season and seeing David Palmer assassinated within the first 10 mins of the season, I was expecting much of the same thing to happen this season. The first two hours passed and there were no huge plot twists that were not obvious from the previews. Hour 3 rolled around and there was still nothing major that took place, and then the last 15 min of hour 4 took place.

First, Jack shooting and killing Curtis(a.k.a. Black Jack) took me totally off guard. During last season, many people talked about how he could replace Jack Bauer if he was ever killed off. I, for one, did not think that Jack or Curtis were going to fire their weapons, but Jack keeps surprising me. Jack has to kill his friend in order to do what is best for the country. I hope that I would never have to make that decision. On a side note, some people are unhappy about a black man being killed on Martin Luther King day. Last year was David Palmer and this year is Curtis Manning. Don' t worry activist, it was not intentional.

We have had other seasons with the threat of a nuclear weapons being detonated, but CTU was always there to stop the bombing. Now, one has gone in off in the Los Angeles area and there are 4 more to come. Last season it was nerve gas and now this season are dirty nukes. I had no idea that they would set them off this early and I am glad that they did.

As for predictions for the upcoming season, I think that this will be the final season with Jack and by the end, Tony (click on the Tony link) will be back. (Writers, please make this happen!) With 4 episodes down, we can look forward to 20 more episodes down the line. All we need now is Audrey and Kim to get involved somehow (and preferably blown up) For the new season all we need are three words: Jack is Back!

Movie Review-Rocky Baloba 3 out of 4

2007-01-15T00:08:00.000-10:00

I have to admit that one of my guilty pleasures of movies is the Rocky series. Yes, Rocky 5 was horrible and should never be shown again, but the rest had much more entertainment value. The first Rocky won Best Picture in 1976 and when part 5 came out, all hope was lost for the series.

After nearly 15 years of rejected scripts, Stallone finally had one that would be the send off that everyone wanted. The movie was Stallone's way of saying sorry for part 5 and that Rocky Balboa is a classic character. The latest installment has Rocky in his later years running a restaurant named after his late wife. This was contrasted with his "rocky" relationship with his son. In the end, Rocky gives a great speech and a great fight. Even though many people felt cheated with the outcome of the fight, the last scene at the Mandalay Bay was one of the best in recent sports movie memory. Rocky did not care about the outcome of the fight, but he was with his fans who are never afraid to chant his name.

Rocky Balboa does have some cheesy parts, but overall the movie is watchable. If at nothing else, this movie is a DVD rental type of movie. It will inspire some, but will pretty much entertain all. Stallone has done a great job with his Rocky send off. I hope that he can do the same with Rambo.

Wii Sports: Game of the Year!

2007-01-03T21:41:00.000-10:00

Yes it is true! Wii Sports was elected game of the year by Time Magazine and I can see where they are coming from. During this past holiday season, I had the chance to play Wii Sports with people of all ages. While those that were playing tennis against me are probably tired of hearing "the left team wins," I do have to say that I was surprised at the amount of people that really enjoyed playing the Wii. Everyone from my nephews to my parents enjoyed themselves playing the Wii. It was the first time that the whole family was playing video games since Mario Party first graced the Nintendo 64. I am impressed so far with the Wii and the launch games so far. I am probably going to start Zelda tomorrow so the games seem to be getting better. For all of the PS3 Fanboys, I am sorry that you have not had as much as anyone playing the Wii. Maybe in a couple of years, people will care about the PS3.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T07:51:00.000-10:00

I am chillin over here with the family in the mainland and I am having a great time. Just wanted to tell everyone Merry Christmas and that I will be back in Hawaii after the New Year!

Bears Survive Scare, Clinch Home Field Advantage

2006-12-17T15:45:00.000-10:00

If you only watched the first half of this game, then you would have expected the Bears to totally blow out Tampa Bay. With a 24-3 lead half time lead, the Bears had little to worry about, but things being as they may, the Bucs came storming back in the fourth quarter. At the end of regulation, the Bears were tied with the Bucs, but a field goal in OT changed all that. With a New Orleans loss, the Bears have now secured home field advantage through out the playoffs. February cannot come fast enough. Go Bears!

The Road to the Superbowl Goes Through Chicago

2006-12-11T21:07:00.000-10:00

With all of the quarterback talk that has been happening this week, we might have thought that the Bears were a team who were on the verge of not making the playoffs. All of the Rex haters were put to rest tonight as the Bears showed once again why they are the best team in the NFC. While it was not a pretty win, it was one that moved the Bears to 11-2 on the season and tied them for the best record in the NFL.

Hester has another magnificent performance why he returned to kicks for touchdown and set the single season record of 6 TD's returned. With the way that the Bears were gelling on offense and special teams, the defense could pretty much take the night off. The Bears are not guaranteed to have a bye in the first round and with a couple of more wins, they could secure that every NFC game would have to come through Chicago. We are now one win closer to securing another Superbowl in Chicago.

Movie Review: Apocalypto-3.25 out of 4

2006-12-10T22:10:00.000-10:00

Apocalypto is the latest epic directed my Mel Gibson. While this is no Braveheart, it is still a very good movie. Like The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto is spoken entirely in a foreign language. If you are one who does not read very well, this movie is not for you.

For me, the movie was more interesting than entertaining. Some might go for the gore and war, but the story and the culture is what intrigued me the most. Having lived in a third world country, it was very interesting to see the interactions of people in village life. Everyone knows everyones business and everyone has their own role in the village. The village life does not last long as the village is attacked by another tribe and the adults that do not die in this battle are taken hostage. The children are left behind to fend for themselves and care for their own well being.

We are then taken to the main capital where sacrifices take place. I will just say that it is interesting how far from true religion this society had come at this point. Truly amazing! To put the story in a nut shell, it is one of courage and hope of a family tie that helps them in their survival or a cruel world. In watching the movie, I was pretty puzzled how the movie would end, but now, I understand that this was the down fall of the civilization. I would say that this movie is a least a rental, but it would be better experienced on the big screen.

A Number of Updates

2006-12-07T22:17:00.000-10:00

Well I have not really updated my blog in a while. I have been really busy with other things, but I am going to try to put a some news items.

1. I received my first Wii injury today. Today was my works Christmas party and I decided to bring along the Wii to show everyone and play. Well as usual, trash talking got to be what it was and our Wii Sports game got pretty intense. In trying to return the ball, I have the Wiimote a big swing and nailed the nuckles of my other hand. The are only a tad bit swollen, but I will survive. I think that I need to take a day off in order to heal my wounds.

2. My brother Nate got engaged over Thanksgiving break and is set to get married on February 3. The reception is at our house a couple of weeks later in Michigan. I will be attending, of course, so if anyone wants to come out and show their love for my brother, please feel free.

3. My birthday was November 29th, so that makes me 26 now. Yes it is true, that I am not yet married, but I am having too much fun with life right now. For those that don't know, my favorite color is green and I am hoping to be seeing more green in the near future. My contract is supposed to be up in June, but I there is talk of an extension and more money in the near future. I can only hope.

Well that is all for now. I hope to have more updates in the near future.

Nintendo Wii: Day One

2006-11-19T19:16:00.000-10:00

Well I have just spent that last few hours playing with my Wii and it has been the greatest day of video games in a very, very long time. Let me first tell of my adventure around to get all of the controllers.

For the Wii, there are two parts of the controller that need to be used. The first is the Wiimote and the second one is the Nunchuck. The Wiimote is used for most games, but the Nunchuck is used for games that would have normally used dual analog stick. They are both very hard to find and there have been reports of shortages worldwide. To even get one would have been quite a task to accomplish. No since, I had invited people over to play today, I was informed yesterday of the undaunting task finding three sets to go along with the Wii. Most people had my chances and near zero, but I am very confident in my abilities.

I was presented with my task when Gamestop called me and told me that there was not going to be any extra controllers at launch and that I would have to wait. For a new shipment. This was told to me right before I went and watched Casino Royale (2.5 out of 4. No time for a review). I then went to dinner and then my 4 hour wait at Walmart began. When I arrived there, there was already a long stream of people waiting. I was worried that they were going to hand out accessories vouchers like they were going to do for the system. To my surprise, they did not hand out vouchers and those in line were the greatest thing to ever happen to me.

I will skip ahead to about 10 minutes before midnight. I was hanging around the electronics section when I saw a lady walking with a shopping cart full of Wii accessories and games. I oblivious followed the cart and a small little line had started to form. To my surprise I was about the 4th on back and I was really worried about controllers and such. I was with one of my friends and they had a limit of one of each item per person. Because they were selling the systems in the front, the main line did not make it back until it was too late to really get anything. By having them in the front, this gave me enough time to pick up two complete controllers sets and all I needed was one more for the set; which I picked up the next day at Circuit City.

Now let me say this about the Wii. It is like nothing else before and it a GREAT time. Anyone of pretty much any age can play the Wii. It is serious pick up and play on the pack in game, Wii Sports. With people over today, I spent most of my time playing Wii Sports with a little time for Red Steel. I think that I will get more me time to play Red Steel this week and could give you more of a gauge of things to come. The Wii is the my single favorite purchase in a long, long time. I would highly recommend this for anyone who like to play games with groups. Thank you Nintendo for my Wii.

One New York Team Down, One To Go. Bears Now 8-1

2006-11-12T18:45:00.000-10:00

The game started out close, but there was no doubt Da Bears would lose this game. It was confirmed in the 4th quarter when Hester tied the NFL and Bears record for the second consecutive season with the longest play in NFL history. The Giants did come out to play, but Da Bears showed why they are the #1 team in the NFC. Down at halftime the heart of Da Bears was in question, but they came through in the second half. Da Bears are rolling and we can expect them to roll over the other New York team next week. Da Bears handled Eli Manning and the Giants and now they can take over the Jets next week. The glory of ’85 is not too far away. With the pride and joy of Illinois, Chicago Bears Bear Down!

New Madden Wii Video

2006-11-09T10:13:00.001-10:00

Watch and Enjoy!

Good News: Da Bears Drop to 7-1

2006-11-06T22:28:00.000-10:00

The Miami Dolphins helped every Bears fan remember a greater era in a time in the not too distant past. The year was 1985 and the Bears were undefeated after their first 12 games and then they faced the Miami Dolphins. The Bears got spanked, but then went on to win the Superbowl. So yes Bears fans, it is only a sign that the Bears are going to be doing the Superbowl Shuffle soon enough. Yes, Grossman was terrible, but at least it was against the Dolphins and not the Giants. The Bears get their chance to tear apart Eli and the Giants. The Bears are going to have to light up the score board again. At least their terrible game is not out of the way and the Bears can then roll the rest of the season. Come the New Year, Da Bears are going to be the team to beat.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan-2.5 out of 4

2006-11-05T15:22:00.000-10:00

Let me first say that this movie's humor is very crude and is not for everyone. Borat is more of a glorifed You Tube video, than an actual full motion picture. In watching the movie, I noticed that the video is more of a hidden camera quality than actual full motion picture quality. I think that this was done not only to save money, but to make it seem more like the documentary style they were trying to achieve. It was just too low for my enjoyment.

Borat does have his moments though. Some of the scences are laugh out loud humor, but the movie does seem to drag on half way through the movie. The first half and the end are very enjoyable, but getting there seems a bit winded. Borat is a good dollar movie or DVD rental, but not really worth the full price of admission. Just watch the videos on You Tube and you can pretty much watch everything in Borat.

Zelda Trailer

2006-11-02T19:43:00.000-10:00

The Nintendo Wii is a little more than two weeks away and we are treated to another trailer for the upcoming system. Here is one for the new Zelda game. It looks like the first release for the Wii will be the first classic game for the system also. Enjoy the trailer

Bears Score 41 First Half Points in Dominate Victory over the 49ers

2006-10-29T20:34:00.000-10:00

Another week in the NFL and another victory for Da Bears. The Bears now move to 7-0 on the season and place the Dolphins next week in the space ship. We pretty much know that the Dolphins will be flying out of Chicago with a L. We are one more victory to the Championship

New Wii Trailer

2006-10-29T11:05:00.000-10:00

Movie Review: Catch a Fire-3 out of 4

2006-10-29T00:58:00.000-10:00

This weekend of movies has much to teach in the way of forgiveness. First, it was Saw III, and then it was Catch A Fire. Catch A Fire follows the movement in South Africa and their struggles to gain equality, respect, and independence. The main character works at a coal refining plant and when an explosion occurs, he is blamed for being a terrorist. He is beaten and abused in an attempt to get information, but none is received from him because he was not the one who did the crime. In a effort to see if he was telling the truth or not, his wife is dragged into the investigation and is beaten just like he husband was.

The husband then joins a movement to over throw the white rule. He basically states that his family suffered when he did nothing wrong and now he is going to have a reason for his family's suffering. The movie was an ok movie with a lot of background into the struggles in the African world until the funeral scene.

The whites had sent a strike force to take out the movement and there were loses on both sides. The clash of cultures and ideals were shown during this scene. The Africans were shown celebrating the lives of their fallen comrades. They were dancing, running, and singing in the memory of their friends. They even had shirts printed up with the names and pictures of their fallen friends. The whites, on the other hand, had a medal ceremony and it was more of a somber experience. The whites were honored with awards for their bravery and this scene showed what they were both fighting for.

The story continues with a conflict back and forth and ends with talk about Nelson Mandela. Through all the conflict and blood shed, Nelson basically told everyone that we need to forgive one another. The killing and fighting would never stop until one side stood up and showed that they could co-exist, one with another. Years later, the main character saw the man who has beaten him and his wife. His first feeling was to sneak up behind this person and break his neck. He was walking towards him and he was going to do it, but then he realized that he must be the one to put a stop to the violence. Forgiveness can take a while, but it is one thing that will set the soul free. This was the main message of Catch A Fire. "If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness."-Nelson Mandela

Movie Review: Saw III-2 out of 4

2006-10-29T00:38:00.000-10:00

First, let me say that I gave Saw III 2 stars because it was very predictable and I called the ending coming. The other two Saw movies tried to keep you guessing what was going to happen until the end, but this one took a different direction. It really works on character development and actually had a morale to the story. Jigsaw is still alive, but he has one more game to play. Jigsaw tries to teach people that life is worth living in a sick a twisted way. The one person who is focused on is Jeff. His son is killed after a car hit him while he was crossing the street on his bike. The driver gets what he considers a light sentence of 6 months and vows to avenge the death of his son. Jeff must go through two others to get to the man who killed his son, but the twist is that he must help two people who were part of his pain.

The first person is a woman who was there at the time of the accident. She decided not to testify against the driver and now has been tied up in a freezer with water being sprayed on her to freeze her. Jeff must decide either to let be die or grab a key to free her behind some scolding pipes. I think you know where this is going. The second test is to free a judge who is basically chained down to the bottom of a large container that is filling up little by little of a liquid of some sort. Jeff must get a key, but the twist is that he must burn the pictures and toys of his son that was killed. Jeff does in fact do this and is brought to the driver that killed his son. I will stop there as to not ruin the ending.

The movie did have a morale to though. Jigsaw was trying to say that we cannot stay mad at the world because the only world that suffers is our own. We must find forgiveness in our hearts in order to learn to move on and enjoy live. We cannot shackle ourselves down with problems that we believe others have cause, but we must learn to look past all of that and forgive those with trespasses against us. As a movie, Saw is predictable, but it did have some teachings that could be applied to our own lives.

New Trailer for 24

2006-10-25T22:13:00.000-10:00

For those that missed it, here is the trailer for the new season of 24. I honestly cannot wait for January to roll around for this new season to begin. This trailer is better than most movie trailers, so enjoy!

Preview to Day 6

2006-10-23T20:02:00.000-10:00

24 Day 6 kicks off January 14th and they have a website up for a special preview. The site is 24trailer.com. I, for one, cannot wait to see the preview to the upcoming non-stop season of 24. Enjoy the preview.

Madden on the Wii

2006-10-21T10:57:00.000-10:00

Here is a video explaining how Madden will play on the Wii. It does look incredibly fun.

Da Bears Survive, Now 6-0

2006-10-16T20:11:00.000-10:00

It was a scary day for Chicago Bears fans. Da Bears turned the ball over 6 times and the offense did not score even once and Da Bears still found a way to win the game. The only redeeming factor for the Cardinals is that they get to play the Raiders next week. Matt Leinart played great, but Da Bears defense came and saved the day for the Chi-town faithful once again. Mark your calenders now, Da Bears will be champions once again in Miami on Feb 4th, 2007.

I Survived the Earthquake!

2006-10-16T18:56:00.000-10:00

As we all know, yesterday there was an earthquake here in the Hawaiian Islands. If you are reading this, then you know that I survived the shaking here on the island. I was in my house at the time and it is one of the houses that stands up above the ground with no solid foundation. My bed is the former half of a bunk bed so it is safe to say that I was pretty high above the ground.

As we all know, I am pretty blind and when the shaking was occurring, I was woken up and I thought that it was a bad joke by someone trying to wake me up at 7 a.m. on a Sunday. I was looking around for someone and I was looking for my glasses when it finally donned on me, we are experiencing an earthquake. The shaking seemed short and I was more worried about my new air conditioner than anything else. I did not want it to fall out of the window. After the shaking was done, I went out into the living room of my house to check to see that everyone was ok. Everyone was fine and it seemed like the day would go on as normal.

A few minutes later, the power went out and this is when the day began to get really interesting, it was already raining outside so going to the beach for the day was out of the question. About an hour went by and I realized that the power might be out for a little bit. I got into my car and started to drive around town to see if there was any damage. To my dismay (or relief) there was no visible damage to any structures or roads. I then called home to tell them that I was ok and I was asking them for the news. The weird part about everything was that for a while, I was only getting news about Hawaii from the mainland.

Out of all of the radio stations on the island, there was only one with a generator so they were the only ones who were broadcasting news. Honestly, it was quite hilarious to listen to all of the callers call in. Many people were plugging their stores, shops, and fund raisers that were going on. One guy even called in to tell everyone where they could buy the generators that he was selling. Another guy called in about the Huli Huli chicken sale that was going on and police came and shut it down because of all of the traffic jams they were causing. (Remember there were no street lights.) My favorite person that called in said something to the nature of we know that we have had an earthquake, but all we really care about is the NFL scores. The phone calls were entertaining for about the first two hours, then boredom started to set into place.

Let me remind everyone of the weather that has been taking place over the last couple of weeks in Hawaii. Everyday when I check the weather, it is the same. Sunny with partial clouds and a high of 88 and a low of 76. Mix this weather with the on and off rain and the humidity level was quite uncomfortable. I normally don’t care because I can use my fan or something, but everything was dead over here. The people I really felt sorry for were all of the tourists who were arriving at the airport expecting to fly out, but ended up sleeping at the airport with no way of keeping cool. Most installations were running on auxiliary power if they had a generator and the airport was no exception. All of the luggage had to be screened by hand and the each person had to be hand search one by one. Let me just say that it was not a pleasant day at the airport.

Lunch time rolled around and I did not want to open the fridge, but I was lucky enough to eat at the school cafeteria. They have their own generator and they made soup, sandwiches, and salad. It was the best $5.00 that I have spent in a while. By this time, we received word that the power should be on before 5 p.m., but we knew how things like to run on Hawaiian time. They had to bring the island up little by little and this is a long process. In the mean time, I was having fun starring at trees sway and talkin stories with some of my relatives. As we talked and talked, the day turned into night and there was still no electricity. Night turned into midnight and there was still no power. We did not have full power until about 5:30 in the morning. It was not a very pleasant night to sleep.

This morning I got up for work and more surprises greeted me. The lights were out at work, the phones were dead, and our network was down. There first hour was spent basically looking over paperwork. The day after did not seem to bad until I went to Taco Bell. Their credit card machines were not working and I then had to go the local grocery store. I was going to buy a sandwich, but there was not to be found. All of the meat, milk, and frozen products had to be replaced. They even had the ice cream section marked off preventing people from opening the door. Now that it is all over, life can get back to normal and I can continue to get paid.

Bears Roll, Move to 5-0

2006-10-08T14:39:00.000-10:00

Da Bears showed why they are the best team in the NFL again this week. The latest vicitm; the Buffalo Bills. The final score was 40-7 and the Bills scored near the end of the game after all had been decided. Da Bears only really need to play a half of football in order to win the game. They were up 27-0 at halftime and never looked back the whole game. The Bears offense is nearly as good as their defense so we will be adding another trophy to our collection next year in Chi-Town.

Please Let Me Testify

2006-10-03T22:09:00.000-10:00

Can you see the hidden message? Chi-town 4ever

October Movies

2006-10-02T21:01:00.000-10:00

A new months is upon us and so is the the October movie season. After dealing the Summer Season rejects in September the following for movies that I am looking forward to seeing:

October 6th- The Departed

October 13th- Man of the Year

October 20th- Flags of Our Fathers

The Prestige

October 27th- Catch A Fire

Bears Dominate Seahawks 37-6

2006-10-01T17:23:00.000-10:00

The pride and joy of Illinois continued to show why they are going to win the Super Bowl. In past years, the Bears have not had the offense to complement with awesome defense. This moves the Bears to 4-0 on the season and we can pretty much guarantee that they will be 8-0. The next opponents are the Bills, Cardinals, 49ers, and the Dolphins. November will be a harder month for the Bears, but we all know that the month of October will be a piece of cake for the Bears. Bear down Chicago Bears!

Movie Review: The Guardian-3.25 out of 4

2006-09-30T23:08:00.000-10:00

The Guardian was a movie whose whole plot and premise was shown during the trailer of the movie. Let me first state that the plot is very predictable, but the movie had a more intriguing human element that made the movie enjoyable.

The movie stars Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher who play as US Coast Guard rescue swimmers. They are basically the ones who save victims from the worst possible circumstance. Costner starts as a legend rescue swimmer who meets tragedy on one mission and loses his entire crew. He is then asked to go and teach a set of new recruit. This is where he uses unconventional ways to train his students. I will stop with the plot there because it is all in the trailer.

When the movie is broken down, it is basically a Coast Guard version of the movie Backdraft. Tragedy hits and not everyone makes it. In the end, the ultimate sacrifice is what saves everyone else. The movie is very formulaic, but still an enjoyable September movie. I recommend seeing this one in the theater. This is one movie to see on the big screen to really experience the things that were intended for the movie. Even though the movie has Ashton Kutcher, it still has the soul that Costner movies once had.

The Greatest Game Ever: Street Fighter II

2006-09-28T22:01:00.000-10:00

Recently, I have been able to play some old school Street Fighter II on the Xbox 360 and it has been a blast. Watch the video and remember a time in gaming where you didn't need 10 buttons to play a game. Please Nintendo, bring the Wii to me as soon as possible!

T.O.-On Suicide Watch?

2006-09-27T21:11:00.000-10:00

The sporting news of the day stems from the fact that some Terrell Owens was rushed to the hospital after taking some pain medication. The first report was that it was an allergic reaction to the pain killers that he was taking. Now it is reported that it was possibly a suicide attempt. Some are questioning the Cowboys and the reasons for the keeping T.O. on the team. The simple answer is: he is T.O. With all of the ruckus that this man has caused over the year, it is not like we have not seen this before. If he was playing for the Raiders, I might have believed the suicide attempt, but he is playing for American’s Team-The Dallas Cowboys. (Not the best team; that would be the Chicago Bears plain and simple) In reading all of the media reports, let us keep in mind that he is a professional football player who has passed the drug test and gave an MVP performance for the Eagles in the Super Bowl. May be we should cut this man some slack.

Jon Stewart Being Jon Stewert

2006-09-26T20:48:00.000-10:00

Watch and Enjoy!

Latest Hawaii High School Poll

2006-09-25T23:53:00.000-10:00

Notice who is still #1 and look who keeps dropping down in the poll (Hint: They used to be #2)

Da Bears are 3-0

2006-09-24T12:21:00.000-10:00

Bear down Chicago Bears! Today was more of a battle for the Bears and they did not disappoint the Chicago faithful. The Bears are among the other division leaders who are undefeated. I predicted them to go to the Super Bowl and so far, things look good for Da Bears. Next week, we get Seattle in the friendly confines of Solider Field and this should be the game of the week. Both teams are undefeated and one is known for the offense and the other is known for the defense. Look to next week as Da Bears will be 4-0 on the season and at the top of the power rankings.

Movie Review: Fearless 3.5 out of 4

2006-09-24T12:18:00.000-10:00

This movie has been billed a Jet Li’s last martial arts epic and the movie delivered as an epic. Going into the movie, I was worried that they would dub the movie, but the movie was released with subtitles. The action sequences in the movie are rivaled by very few movies in the modern movie world. Most movies have fights for the sake of fights, but every fight in the movie was there for a reason. Jet Li was at his best with the martial arts action. Even though the movie was a foreign one, the lesson and trials that Jet Li went through could be said of any culture or civilization. Honor, pride, redemption are all traits that can be felt over any culture. I highly recommend this movie to anyone. Go into the movie and get ready to experience the experience that is Jet Li’s Fearless.

Movie Review: School for Scoundrels 1.5 out of 4

2006-09-24T12:13:00.000-10:00

The latest film from the guy who gained fame from Napoleon Dynamite had a sneak preview over the weekend. I went and watched the movie over at Ward 16 and I was expecting the movie to be in one of their main theaters. Boy was I wrong; it was in one of their smallest theaters. After watching the movie, I could understand why. School for Scoundrels tries to be a mix of Napoleon Dynamite and Bad Santa into one movie. Both of these movies were ok at best, but when you put it together, the result is not nearly as satisfying. The movie even advertised a cameo by Ben Stiller. After the movie, I was thinking that any movie that has to advertise a cameo cannot be very good. I will admit that there were a few laughs, but the movie was way too predictable, even for a comedy. They did try to throw in a twist ending, but in the end, the guy gets the girls and is all of a sudden cool. This might be a party DVD rental, but there is not any need to rush to the theaters and watch this movie.

I'm Leaving On A Jetplane

2006-09-22T23:46:00.000-10:00

It has been sometime since I graced the Chi-town area with my presence. I am happy to report that I will finally be leaving Hawaii the night of December 22 and arriving in the greatest city on earth the morning of December 23. It has been a while since I have been in the cold or snow and I hope that it is not too mild of a winter. No worries everyone, I will be there longer than most expect. The bad part is that I am flying Northwest Airlines and each time I have flown them I have had a near death experience of sorts. I hope that this trip runs much smoother than my previous trips on NWA.

Latest Air Travel Problem

2006-09-20T19:12:00.000-10:00

Here is a a report on the latest problem on a plane. You must watch this because this is hilarious.

Free the Dog!

2006-09-19T23:52:00.000-10:00

Well it has been nearly a week since the Dog was arrested and put into federal prision. Tonight, A&E had the family's reaction to the charges stemming from Andrew Luster. Dog went down to Mexico to bring this rapist back and now he, his son, and his blood brother are all in hot water over the incident. Mexico wants them back, but Mexico needs to worry more about their illegals crossing the border. I do not know who the Mexican authorities think they are, but this would definately make me angry and really hate Mexico even more. If Mexico thinks that the minute men are bad at the border, just watch what will happen if the Dog gets sent down. Now America, do the right thing and free Dog or else feel the wrath of the United States and its people. Dog, we are with you to the end!

Ultrazone: Tron for Our Day

2006-09-18T22:36:00.000-10:00

This past Friday, I was able to go to Ultrazone in Waikiki and it was a blast. The whole office went out to go and play laser tag for it to be more of a team building activity, but I think that I had too much fun killing everyone off. Laser tag is so much funner that I ever imagined and the best part about it was that I got paid to play. Oh the joys of working full time. I pretty much worked the whole office and was the highest scorer. Some of the people were way too easy to kill off, but it was fun to kill them for points. I was in the top two for the office so I was also given some free passes to come back and play. So if anyone wants to go, please feel free to contact me and we can set up a time to go and kill each other. Ultrazone is fun for all ages and really brings that video game world to a reality and yes DDR is a good way to have fun and make a fool of yourself.

Movie Review: Gridiron Gang 3.25 out of 4

2006-09-16T21:00:00.000-10:00

Gridiron Gang is the latest movie to come from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and was advertised with the tagline, "Even though you are locked up, you are somebody." In the weeks leading up to the release of the movie, I cracked more than one joke about the tagline and I was thinking that the movie would be just a cheesy as this movie line. The only redeeming factor of the movie was that The Rock was in the movie. While I will admit that the acting is what you would expect from the People’s Champ and Mr. Pimp My Ride, the message of the movie is one that really sticks with the viewers. I feel that this is the most important part of the movie.

Viewing the movie was a good time reflect on how blessed I am to have such great parents and the how awful a life must be to have parents who do not really care about you. The people in the movie are those who have never felt any real encouragement and are stuck in a perpetual situation of violence and poverty. There is no real hope for these kids. At the beginning of the movie, a statistic of that 75% of those who are put in juvenile prisons are either back in or dead by the age of 21. The reason why the system is failing is because there is no support for the kids so they have no reason to raise themselves above the rest. They feel that following the crowd makes them part of a family and this family is not one the can give the emotional support to a child in need.

The movie does show the success of sports and teamwork. Sworn enemies worked together on the football field. I can identify with this concept. Working towards being a winner is much better than life as a loser. Other movies based on true events leaves you with a good feeling at the end of the movie and gives the sense that everything works itself out. This movie was no different, until the credits rolled. The credits were interviews and narrations of what happened to the kids in the program. Some were successful in making a better life for themselves, but other went back to the streets and even one of the most likeable characters was killed in a drive by shooting. This brought the movie back to reality and made everyone remember that people have problems and they will always need support. If only there were as more coaches and role models to care about kids and their well beings, then much of the crime that exists today would not be present. Many lessons can be learned from watching the Gridiron Gang

November 19th: I Am Going To Play With My Wii

2006-09-14T20:22:00.000-10:00

Today was a huge day in the world of electronics. Micrsoft tried to steal the thunder of the day by releasing information on their new iPod killer, Zune. While this may have been big news for some, the biggest news of the days was about the Wii. The final release details about the Wii were released and it has me counting down two months til it's launch. The unit is coming out in the US before it does in Japan and will carry a price tag of $249.99. The system comes with a game and will have me playing for many hours. I am intent on getting Red Steel and Call of Duty 3 on the Wii at launch. The Wii is going to launch with 4 million units before the end of the year and this is much more than the projected 500,000-1 million units that are projected for the PS3 US launch. With all of the news of the day, nothing got me more side tracked more than the release of the Wii. Die Sony and long live Nintendo.

Sorry About The Kahuku Incident

2006-09-13T19:24:00.000-10:00

Well, I have to admit that I have taken some heat for the above picture. I know that it has been said that I am heartless and that the picture was out of line. I have to admit that aftering thinking out the incident, all of this feedback is right on the money. I would now like to issue a public apology about the above incident. I should have never disrespected the #1 team in the state (Punahou), by inserting someone from the not #1 team in the state (Kahuku) into one of their jerseys. It is a great disrespect to Punahou and their long standing traditions. I wish Punahou the best in their quest for the Hawaii state championship and many more victories over Kahuku.

New Casino Royale Trailer

2006-09-10T20:18:00.000-10:00

Finally, a Bond movie that looks really good. After the last two movies, I was starting to lose hope in the series. Casino Royale looks to change all that. (Anyone else think that this should have been released on 07-07-07?)

Some Things To Make You Laugh

2006-09-09T01:15:00.000-10:00

OMG, the Japanese are Frickin Hilarious

Kahuku Player Shows Who Is #1!

2006-08-28T15:21:00.000-10:00

After a defeat that shocked no one, an unidentified Kahuku Football player showed the rest of Hawaii who is #1 in the state for high school football. Over a week ago, the state was treated to a battle of #1 vs. #2 and of course #1 prevailed.

Just Cruisin

2006-08-27T23:02:00.000-10:00

Over the past couple of weeks, my friend Russ has been visiting/working in Hawaii and we have been cruisin all over the island. Today, we finally located one of the most popular shows that have ever been filmed in Hawaii. If you look closely, that is my car in the reflection on the window. So yes, this is an actual location and it is not near the place that we originally though it was. We have always driven a street up and and street down from the street that Da Kine Bail Bonds is located. Now we know where to go when it is time to film a new season of Dog: The Bounty Hunter.

Update: Here is the video from Dog being arrested

Movie Review: Invincible-2.5 out of 4 stars

2006-08-27T00:20:00.000-10:00

The summer movie season is winding down and has been filled with movies that are just ok and not really blockbuster caliber. The latest Disney movie, Invincible, tells yet another underdog story of a sports athlete who made it. While trying to capture that magic of Remember the Titans, Disney fails to really tell a story that is fresh, compelling, and really heart warming. Yes, the main character, Papale, made it to the NFL, but the also emphasizes winning a championship. The end the movie was more of Papale making plays than actually being part of a championship team. The story is kind of a let down.

On the other hand, the cinematography is top notch. The movie really makes you feel like you are on the field and help those watching to understand the sheer scope of playing in an NFL stadium. The cinematography amazed me, but the story was kind of boring to me. Then again, that pretty much sums up the whole summer. Good looking movies with stories of little substance. (Can anyone say Pirates 2?)

Movie Reivew: Snakes On A Plane 3.5 out of 4

2006-08-18T12:04:00.000-10:00

This is post number 100 for me on mu blog and I am happy to post it about one of the funniest movies of the year, Snakes On A Plane. Before going into the movie, you must realize that the plot is retarded and that will probably have many plot holes. Once you realize this, you will be able laugh at all of the chessy, predictable parts of the movie. This is one of those movies that is so stupid that it is funny. I am not going to discuss the plot here, but I will only say that it is best not to think about it. Now I will say that every part of the body get bitten by a snake, by every kind of snake (Even Anaconda Size Snakes. Remember to not think about the plot). Snakes On A Plane is a great movie to watch when you are in the mood to laugh at everything. It is a thrill ride that take you from Hawaii to LA and back again. I can only hope for a sequel next year. (Can you say Snakes On a Train, or Snakes on a Submarine)
Watch The Video

The Poor Cannot Be Free

2006-08-12T00:49:00.000-10:00

During this past week, I have done much contemplation and discussion about a number of subjects. One item that came up in conversation this week is how the gap between the rich and the poor is growing. The poor people are having a harder and harder time making more and more money. They tend to get stuck in the same cycle or struggle and are oftentimes let down. I read this week that the average income in America is $22,000. The means about half make less and about half make more. I can comfortably say that I am in the upper half.

This got me thinking, why do so many people have a hard time moving up to the second half? I came up with the theory that people are too nice and giving many times to the ones on the lower half. The gap between the expectations is growing wider and wider between the two parties. There is one side that believes that they should be helped and that many times, people should bend over backwards to “help” them. One side is willing to give, but oftentimes, they feel used and abused.

I think that the problem with many of the poor is that they expect help and are too dependent on help to set them free of poverty. It is much easier to sit back and collect aid as others work to pay for that aid. Many times the poor have gotten aid for so long that they feel that it is their right and that they deserve to be served. Instead of finding ways to supplement the aid given to them, they go and spend every dollar they have on things that they do not need to have to survive.

People start believing that cable TV, nice shoes, and electronics are necessities that everyone deserves. I believe, on the other hand, that a working person deserves the right to take care of their own wants first before being made to pay for the wants of others who are able to do so themselves, but are not willing to see that their wants are not necessities. At times, the poor spend more time finding ways to remain poor instead of finding ways to better their situation. It is easier to live off of the successes of others, but this will never bring success upon yourself, and this is why the poor cannot be free.