While I can concede that I do enjoy my peanut butter, barbecue sandwiches and couch potato weekends (probably moreso because of a high metabolism), I try to stay at least slightly active.
My gym membership has long expired, but I do aspire to one day get back in the regimen of popping creatine and pumping iron.
But this guy has seemingly got it down to a science. Got a problem with high gas prices? Want a trimmer tummy for the summer months? Stop complaining long enough to watch this. Inspire yourselves, America.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2008/05/30/christian.bike.to.work.kero
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
8:45 p.m.
We're here at the Democratic office (old Alliance Bank Building) near the Chamber.
Several county commissioners are available along with county Democratic chair Jennifer Helton.
They're awaiting voting results.
"It's just always fun on election night to be with our good democrat friends," said Commissioners Chair Jo Boggs. "We're usually at the fire dept. but there's not a lot going on at the fire dept.Just enjoying the evening."
8:30 p.m.
Several area residents have gathered at the Obama headquarters on Washington Street.
Election Day has been an emotional time to at least two residents.
"It's been wonderful, a bit hectic ," said Lawndale resident Pamela Campbell. "It's hard work."
Jane Brothers, a Shelby resident, said a lot of effort has been put in from everyone involved from the local to national level.
"We've worked so hard," she said. "From the very beginning we've had a grassroots campaign."
8:19 p.m.
City Editor Graham Cawthon, photographer Brittany Randolph and I just left Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department in the Shelby #2 precinct.
They have a live stats feed projected on a large screen.
County commissioner candidate Jason Falls (R) was on-hand. He doesn't have to worry about participating in this year's primary. He's focusing his efforts on the election in November.
"It feels really, really good," he said with a laugh.
We're here at the Democratic office (old Alliance Bank Building) near the Chamber.
Several county commissioners are available along with county Democratic chair Jennifer Helton.
They're awaiting voting results.
"It's just always fun on election night to be with our good democrat friends," said Commissioners Chair Jo Boggs. "We're usually at the fire dept. but there's not a lot going on at the fire dept.Just enjoying the evening."
8:30 p.m.
Several area residents have gathered at the Obama headquarters on Washington Street.
Election Day has been an emotional time to at least two residents.
"It's been wonderful, a bit hectic ," said Lawndale resident Pamela Campbell. "It's hard work."
Jane Brothers, a Shelby resident, said a lot of effort has been put in from everyone involved from the local to national level.
"We've worked so hard," she said. "From the very beginning we've had a grassroots campaign."
8:19 p.m.
City Editor Graham Cawthon, photographer Brittany Randolph and I just left Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department in the Shelby #2 precinct.
They have a live stats feed projected on a large screen.
County commissioner candidate Jason Falls (R) was on-hand. He doesn't have to worry about participating in this year's primary. He's focusing his efforts on the election in November.
"It feels really, really good," he said with a laugh.
Voting update
3:24 p.m.
Upon arriving at First Baptist Church Ministry Center in Kings Mountain, few voters were at the polls.
But after only a few minutes, lines began forming.
As of 2 p.m., 367 votes had been cast at the ministry center, according to Chief Judge Evelyn Pressley.
"Census from everybody is (it's going) pretty smooth, but not really fast-paced," Pressley said.
Voter Charles Drewery voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary.
"I just think she's better qualified than Obama," he said. "Him being a young senator, I just don't think he's got the experience he needs."
2:34 p.m.
Just before leaving Boiling Springs Baptist Church, we ran into County Elections Director Debra Blanton.
She said she's been to several polling sites but was more interested in how things were going rather than specific voting numbers.
Blanton said some sites have seen more than 300 voters.
"I'm still afraid we're not going to get to 50 percent (turnout)," she said. "We're programmed by the state board to assume that's what the turnout would be. We're always physically prepared for a 100 percent turnout. Mentally, we're geared for 50 percent. For a primary we normally have about 20 percent."
2:11 p.m.
We're at Boiling Springs Baptist Church and voter turnout is slow right now, according to Chief Judge Glenn Bottoms.. But he said the turnout so far today has been "steady" and better than last fall's elections.
As of 2 p.m., there have been 410 voters and five provisional voters at the church, he said.
"It's been very steady," Bottoms said.
1:30 p.m.
The Leona Smith Neal Senior Center bustled with voting activity as well. At least six people were preparing to vote at one time.
Rachel Gaines voted for Barack Obama because of his promise for change.
"He's talking about changes and I think that's what our country needs right now," she said. "He can see both sides of the political process."
1:04 p.m.
Joe Mullen, a Republican, voted today but not in the Democratic presidential primary. He said neither Democratic candidate appealed to his interests.
"I think they've just made a lot of unrealistic assumptions about the war in Iraq," he said.
12:45 p.m.
Voters are filing in at a steady pace at the Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department polling site.
Residents of all ages are coming out to cast their votes.
Gennie Black, a Shelby resident, said she knew of several people who planned on voting in today's primary election.
"Quite a few people," she said.
Upon arriving at First Baptist Church Ministry Center in Kings Mountain, few voters were at the polls.
But after only a few minutes, lines began forming.
As of 2 p.m., 367 votes had been cast at the ministry center, according to Chief Judge Evelyn Pressley.
"Census from everybody is (it's going) pretty smooth, but not really fast-paced," Pressley said.
Voter Charles Drewery voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary.
"I just think she's better qualified than Obama," he said. "Him being a young senator, I just don't think he's got the experience he needs."
2:34 p.m.
Just before leaving Boiling Springs Baptist Church, we ran into County Elections Director Debra Blanton.
She said she's been to several polling sites but was more interested in how things were going rather than specific voting numbers.
Blanton said some sites have seen more than 300 voters.
"I'm still afraid we're not going to get to 50 percent (turnout)," she said. "We're programmed by the state board to assume that's what the turnout would be. We're always physically prepared for a 100 percent turnout. Mentally, we're geared for 50 percent. For a primary we normally have about 20 percent."
2:11 p.m.
We're at Boiling Springs Baptist Church and voter turnout is slow right now, according to Chief Judge Glenn Bottoms.. But he said the turnout so far today has been "steady" and better than last fall's elections.
As of 2 p.m., there have been 410 voters and five provisional voters at the church, he said.
"It's been very steady," Bottoms said.
1:30 p.m.
The Leona Smith Neal Senior Center bustled with voting activity as well. At least six people were preparing to vote at one time.
Rachel Gaines voted for Barack Obama because of his promise for change.
"He's talking about changes and I think that's what our country needs right now," she said. "He can see both sides of the political process."
1:04 p.m.
Joe Mullen, a Republican, voted today but not in the Democratic presidential primary. He said neither Democratic candidate appealed to his interests.
"I think they've just made a lot of unrealistic assumptions about the war in Iraq," he said.
12:45 p.m.
Voters are filing in at a steady pace at the Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department polling site.
Residents of all ages are coming out to cast their votes.
Gennie Black, a Shelby resident, said she knew of several people who planned on voting in today's primary election.
"Quite a few people," she said.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Clinton speaks at Appalachian State
My fiancee was lucky (or unlucky, depending on your political stance) enough to hear former president Bill Clinton speak at the varsity gymnasium at Appalachian State Unversity, my alma mater.
Apparently this "Democratic presidential nomination" thing is important enough to bring high-profile candidates to North Carolina. Who'da thunk it?
Here are some pictures from the event (notice the "Ron Paul '08" sign admist the mob).
Apparently this "Democratic presidential nomination" thing is important enough to bring high-profile candidates to North Carolina. Who'da thunk it?
Here are some pictures from the event (notice the "Ron Paul '08" sign admist the mob).
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The future of sports videogames
Videogames are getting closer and closer to emulating real life every year - at least in terms of looks.
This is mostly true in sports games. Gawkers are impressed - year-in, year-out - with how far graphics are being pushed. Nobody seems to mind that sports games are generally the same every year, albeit from a few minor upgrades and roster swap.
But how many people honestly care how a game looks? [The answer is "plenty"; have you seen sales figures for sports games nowadays?] Isn't the point of a videogame to enjoy playing it?
Enough with the technicalities. I'll let the videos do the talking for this post.
First up, let's take a look at "Madden NFL 2008," the yearly update to the million-selling series from Electronic Arts' Tiburon studio:
The players run like constipated robots (is that even possible?) and it's just plain boring to watch.
It's the exact same game as "Madden NFL 2001," except with a prettier face and a few extra (negligible) bells and whistles.
But wait, virtual pigskin fanatics, your savior has arrived.
"Backbreaker" is a new football game from NaturalMotion using cutting-edge animation technology.
Granted, you won't be wrapping up LT for a loss or making Eli Manning cry because of the game's lack of an NFL license, but it's the game itself that matters, right?
Right?
Information on the new technology can be found at http://naturalmotion.com/ .
Monday, April 14, 2008
Iron Man scared of Grand Theft Auto?
The Financial Times recently spoke with Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello on two potential spring blockbusters: the silver screen's "Iron Man" and the controversial, fashionably twisted mafioso crimefest, Rockstar Entertainment's "Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA4)."For those not hip to gaming culture, GTA is on the same popularity/financial level as Bungie's "Halo," which recently set an opening-day U.S. sales record (including movies, music, etc.) by bringing in over $170 million.
Iron Man is slated to hit the big screen on May 2, just three days after GTA4's launch on Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's Playstation 3 consoles. Still following? Good.
Now here comes the dilemma: Do you drop $8.50 for a movie lasting an hour and a half, or $60 for 50 hours in front of the idiot box? With the economy nowadays, people probably aren't going to drop money on both (at least within such a close time period of each other).
"The buzz in Hollywood, which I heard from some Hollywood folks...is people are worried whether Iron Man the movie is going to get killed by Grand Theft Auto the game," Riccitiello told the Times.
Is the supposed fear well-founded? Perhaps, especially if the past is any indication.
According to Rockstar, the most recent GTA game, "San Andreas," has sold more than 21.5 million copies as of March 26.
Yep. Be afraid.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
A new car
So this past Friday, I signed away my financial freedom for the next few years and bought a 2006 Pontiac Solstice convertible. Yeek.
For instance, instead of driving my new cherry red coupe to a penthouse suite, I'm driving it to my parents' home where I live rent-free (God bless them). Hey, you save where you can, right?
I also make short movies, which are sold to Web sites like Break.com and ebaumsworld.com. Some of them have been featured on national television. It's like a second job, pretty much.
So no, I'm not selling blood on the side. I don't have an abdominal scar from when I bartered one of my kidneys on the black market.
...but seriously, donations can be sent to davidallen@shelbystar.com.
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