Yesterday the UFC announced a partnership with Reebok. This partnership allows Reebok to be an official for the UFC and puts to an end fighters being walking billboards for any other sponsor than Reebok. This reminds me of the recent move by the NFL to ban players from wearing Beats By Dre headphones during interviews due to the NFL's partnership with Bose. This move by the NFL has been criticized by players and commentators alike, and this move may end up having a worse affect.
This is due to the fact that NFL players can't wear headphones while they are playing the game. NFL players have a uniform that they have to wear that has to look a certain way specified by the team. NFL players have been reprimanded and fined for writing messages on their shoes, and even wearing the wrong colour of shoes. Fighters in the UFC don't have such uniform requirement. The UFC requires that fighters wear shorts, no shirts unless you are a woman, and no shoes while fighting in the ring. There are no specific regulations specifying a specific colour or style of uniform that fighters must wear in the UFC, outside of needing to wear shorts and a shirt approved by the commission if you are a woman. This lack of specificity has allowed UFC fighters to make themselves walking billboards for any number of different companies and causes. For example:
The current UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson is currently sponsored by Xbox.
The current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is sponsored by Xyience.
This is a picture of Former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. Behind him you can see a banner that is typically unfurled during fighter introductions. On this particular banner you can see ads for many sponsors, including Burger King and Nike.
All of these sponsorship opportunities has the potential of being stripped away because of the new partnership between the UFC and Reebok, and, as a result, so does a potential moneymaking venture for all of the UFC fighters. This is a problem since the average fighter makes, on average, $64,833.33 per fight. Since fighters also have to pay trainers, traveling expenses, as well as for their own lodging, that amount can quickly get eaten away. This partnership with Reebok has the potential of making being a UFC fighter more of a pure passion as opposed to a money making opportunity.
The Ray Rice situation is enveloping the sports world. I'm not going to post a link to the constantly evolving Ray Rice situation due to the fact that the facts behind this case may change by the time that I finish typing this sentence. At times like this you need a release. You need a break. And, since the NFL is seemingly unfit to provide such a release, I turn another violent professional sport: The UFC and their Fight Night event coming up this Saturday.
I read a lot of different kind of news from a lot of different kinds of news sources. I do this so that I can get a wide variety of news, as well as get a wide variety of opinions on the news stories that are going on. Sometimes the difference between how two different sources reports a story is striking.
Take, for example, the story of Elizabeth Phillips. If you read this story written by Shawn Smith for Vice Magazine's Fightland Blog, you get a picture of a strong female fighter who goes against the normal stereotypes that people have for women. You get a picture of Elizabeth Phillips as a modern woman making a name for herself in a predominately male sport, and kicking a lot of ass while doing so.
If you read this story written by Thomas Gerbasi for the official UFC website, you get a picture of a woman who's been through some fucked up shit in the past year. You get stories of drastic weight cuts, horrific fights that didn't go her way, as well as slight references to her life previous to 2014. From Vice you get a full picture of a fighter on the rise. From the UFC you get a small sliver of a picture of a fighter they might be utilizing more if she continues in her success, if. This is why I get my news from multiple sources. Not just so I can get a more complete perspective on the stories that go on in my world, but also a more complete perspective on the people that tell those stories. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to watching MSNBC's coverage of the Ferguson protests. I'd watch Fox News's coverage, but I'm not at the gym right now.
After buying a new laptop and paying that laptop off, I am back to pursuing my top priority, Project Buy A House. As I go forward, I have a better idea of how much money I need to save for a downpayment after talking to a banker.
No, wait, the guy I talked to is not a crook! The banker I talked to works for a credit union, which means he is somewhat more trustworthy. At least I think he's more trustworthy. At the very least, the credit union I talked with is not projecting a sense of being run by slimeballs. However, since I do have a better idea as to how much money I need to save for a downpayment, I now know that amount is bigger than it was when I first started saving.
Yeah, I know, it's frustrating, but it was frustrating before, and now it's just a slightly increased amount of frustration. But eventually this will pay off, right? Right? RIGHT?!? Sigh. Okay, let's do this.
Another payday has come around, and it's time to see just what I could buy with my money if I was not spending it on Project Buy A House. After seeing my paycheck and taking out things like rent, insurance, and other incidentials, I have exactly $287.71 to not spend on myself. Let's see what I am not buying.
My car, which I paid off as a part of Project Buy A House, has an all black leather interior. Cars with all black leather interior tend to become very ward during the Summer months. This is something I should have thought of in advance, but I don't think about the consequences of my long term plans before I make them. Another example of this is Project Buy A House.
The Boston Red Sox sell a car sunshade that can help prevent your car from becoming very very very very hot during the Summer months. Sure this is something that I should have bought in the Spring before the heat started, but shut up. The Boston Red Sox Car Sun Shade costs $21.99, leaving me with $265.72 for me to not spend on myself. Sigh.
UFC 164 is this weekend. You can buy and watch this event online and legally for $54.99. This leaves me with $210.73 for me to not spend on myself. Sigh.
Since I do have a big fucking SUV, I need a GPS system to have in my big fucking SUV in order to pull off the entire "I'm a motherfucking doucebag with money, fuck you" aesthetic. Since I am also tying to pull off this aesthetic on a budget, I need to incorporate things that I already own, like my iPhone. What I need to do this is an iPhone 5 car mount, as well as a long lightening cable for my iPhone. Since Apple doesn't sell long lightening cables, I need to buy a short lightening cable plus a USB extension cable. Altogether, this entire package costs $37.72. That leaves me $173.01 for me to not spend on myself. Sigh.
Franz Ferdinand recently released a new CD called "Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action". This CD is getting generally good reviews, and Franz Ferdinand is one of those bands I really got into during my lengthy college experience. Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action is currently on sale for $9.99. This leaves me $163.02 for me to not spend on myself. Sigh.
There is also a new album coming out from Jack Johnson. I haven't seen any reviews for it or heard any singles, but I fucking love this guy's music. Currently you can get Form Here To Now To You for $11.88. That leaves me $151.14 for me to not spend on myself. Sigh.
Saint Row IV recently came out, and people have been raving about it since it came out. I would have bought it when it came out, but Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Saints Row IV is currently selling for $59.99. That leaves me $91.15 for me to not spend on myself. Sigh.
Let's end things with a list of books for me to not buy for myself that I totally would if not for Project Buy A House. March Book 1, which is the first part of a series of graphic novels about John Lewis and his life and role in the civil right movement, is currently selling for $11.46. Crazy Love is a book that takes an inside look at abusive relationships, how those relationships develop, and why people stay in those abusive relationships. As powerful as Leslie Morgan Steiner's TED talk was, this book appears to be even more powerful. Crazy Love is currently selling for $12.00. Some Ginger is selling another book for $4.88. Hubris by David Corn and Michael Isikoff, which details the manipulating of intelligence leading up to the Iraq War and serves as a cautionary tale for conflicts going forward, is currently selling for $11.45. Tao Lin's Taipei, a book which was mentioned in the recent Rolling Stone article about him, is currently selling for $11.36. Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish, the final book from the unfortunately deceased David Raikoff, is currently selling for $20.05.
That leaves me with $19.95 for me to not spend on myself, which seems like just the right place to stop. Sure I could go on, but my appetite for masochism has it's limit, and I have reached it. Join me in two weeks when another payday will come and, because I've already paid my rent, I will have more money for me to not spend on myself in the pursuit of Project Buy A House.
Another payday is here, and another opportunity to inflict punishment on myself is also here. That's right, this is another list of things that I could have bought if I wasn't putting fat stacks of sweaty cash in the bank in order to save for a house. Unlike last time, this payday I don't have any major bills to pay, freeing up more money for me to not spend on things that will make me immediately happy. After paying some small bills and factoring in other incidentals...
I have exactly $875.89 to not spend on myself. So, let's see what I am not buying this payday.
In the past week, DerrickH, one of the hosts of the popular internet radio program Dead Pixel Live, decided to buy a whole new computer. This decision was driven by his computer spontaneously shutting off when it was asked to do things. Buying a new laptop has been on my to do list ever since my laptop started freezing up when it was asked to do things. Driven by my desire and DerrickH's retail experience, I have decided to see how much computer I could buy for myself if I wasn't putting the money away for a purpose that I have to keep on telling myself will work out someday. Again, this being a responsible adult shit had better work out someday. And by someday, I mean soon. And by soon, I mean RIGHT FUCKING NOW!
Newegg.com is a place where people can buy computers, laptops, and other computer and laptop accessories. There are many other places where people can buy computers, but Newegg has the added benefit of reminding users of the website of breakfast. On Newegg, you can narrow your search to computers that fit into whatever their potential customer's budget is. By utilizing this process, I was able to narrow down my search for potential laptops that I am not buying to a mere 711 products. Not wanting to to try and pick the best from an amount more closely associated with a gas station, I decided to narrow my search further. I won't go into the whole process I went through to narrow my search. Why not try it for yourself and see the fun that you can have seeing all of the fun toys that you can buy and then explain to your wife why you bought a computer instead of food.
The laptop that I would like to purchase for myself if I wasn't putting money away for something that I swear will pay off someday is the ASUS U47A-BGR4 Notebook, pictured above. This laptop has an Intel Core i7 2640M(2.80GHz), 8GB Memory, 750GB HDD 5400rpm, and other shit that I also do not understand. What I do know is that this laptop is better than my current laptop, which also has a bunch of letter and numbers associated with it that I in no way understand. Currently the ASUS U47A-BGR4 Notebook is selling for $494.99. So, after that purchase that i will not be making, I have approximately $380.90 for me to not spend.
On Saturday July 6th, the day that people may actually read this post, the UFC is holding the appropriately named UFC 162. UFC 162 will feature many sweaty half-naked men rolling around on top of eachother trying to assert their dominance over the other. The main event of UFC 162 features Anderson Silva, who is the kind of man I wish I was but cannot be because I do not have the willpower to be a sexy athletic man who demands the respect of both men and women. Also I cannot be Anderson Silva because I cannot afford the scientific device necessary to undergo the process of switching bodies with another person. I can, however, afford the $49.99 it will take for me to watch UFC 162 on my Roku via the UFC.TV app. That is I could afford it if I wasn't not spending money on things that I find to be enjoyable, and I find watching sweaty half-naked men rolling around on eachother enjoyable for reasons that I do not wish to go into right now. So, after that purchase I will not be making, I have approximately $330.91 for me to not spend.
On July 14th, the WWE will hold their WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view event/extravaganza. I would very much like to see this event. However, I very much do not want to see one of the participants in this event.
Recently, the wrestler known professionally as Jack Swagger was convicted of Driving While Intoxicated. This arrest is not why I do not want to see Jack Swagger participate in the WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view event/extravaganza The reason that I do not want to see Jack Swagger is that, as a part of his conviction, Jack Swagger admitted to smoking marijuana before he left the WWE TV taping that he was arrested shortly after. THAT is why I do not want to see Jack Swagger compete at the WWE Money In The Back pay-per-view event/extravaganza. In fact, I want to see Jack Swagger be fired. If I, or most any other person who watches professional wrestling, admitted to what Jack Swagger admitted to, I would be fired and my employer would have just cause to do so.
Okay, since WWE pay-per-view events/extravaganzas cost $49.99, that leaves me approximately $280.92 for me to not spend.
I like golf. I like playing video games about golf. The Open Championships is coming up near the end of the month, and I feel like playing a video game about golf so that I can prepare myself for watching nearly eleven hours of golf coverage in the four days that The Open Championship will be held. Currently, the only current video game on consoles about golf is Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14. I could buy Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 on Playstation 3 for the low low not low price of $38.99. That is I COULD buy Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 for the low low not low price of $38.99 if I was spending money on things that I enjoy. So, after that purchase I will not be making, I have $241.93 for me to not spend.
In the future, I hope to have enough money to buy a Playstation 4. In the future, I hope that me putting money in the bank to buy a house will pay off in time for me to purchase a Playstation 4 at launch. Failing that, I hope to have paid off enough of my credit card debt so that I can purchase a Playstation 4 at launch while also being a responsible adult. $241.93 will greatly help toward that end. Sure it isn't the full amount I will need to purchase a Playstation 4, but stop your goddamn complaining. I'M TRYING!
So there it is, the list of things that I could be buying if I wasn't trying to be a responsible adult and saving money for a house. If this list was not enjoyable to you, don't worry, putting together this list was even more not enjoyable for me. It is my honest hope to be done with this series of blog posts in the very near future, but things rarely go well for me, so I expect this torture to go on for many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many years to come. Sigh.
Take your normal superhero origin story. Guy gets powers, guy realizes he has powers, guy goes out to save the world. Now factor this in: the guy has a score to settle.
Everybody wonders what it is that makes them who they are. The Hawk thought that question was securely answered. However a meeting with a boy in a hospital causes him to question everything. Why he is, who he is, what he is, and even if he is.
Eleven years after the events of Consequences Of Mayorust, The Hawk finds himself dealing with many of the same issues that many of us deal with: A less than satisfying job, co-workers of variant annoyance, and a romantic life is unhealthy at best. Thrust into all this is Madison Medina, a well meaning woman who's adversarial relationship with The Hawk morphs into a kind of friendship. Madison, in addition to learning more about herself and her abilities, help to reveal deeper problems inside the organization both she and The Hawk work for.
In every workplace there is a person. A person who doesn't talk to anyone, has walled themselves socially, and seems openly hostile to everyone. Every workplace has this person, even if you don't know of such a person, they're there. The Black Robin Christmas Carol is the story of one of these people. It delves into who this person is, why this person is, and how this person can change for the better.
There is a story. A story of pain, a story of loss, a story of unspeakable horrors, a story that has not been given it's proper attention. Some are ignoring this story. Some are unaware of this story. Some know of this story but are complicit in it's darkness. This is a story that must be told. Told so that the good can stop it and the bad can feel shame for it.
When I thought up thig blog, the name I first thought up was "Random Bullshit". Quickly I recognized that this name would put some people off. Then I thought of the name "Random Bull****". That seemed to be to much clutter. Then I was inspired with the name that dons this blog today.
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