The Crossing is the price one must pay to get to the promised land . . .

Author D.A. Roberts has recently delivered his third novel in his exciting Ragnarok Rising Saga: The Crossing.

The nightmare continues to the survivors of Nathanial County, Missouri and the battle to keep hope alive rages everywhere.

From the Inside Cover:

You will learn to fear the dark.

After surviving the Freemen, Wylie and the others discover that the damage they took during the fight might have been far more extensive than they knew. With structural problems looming and the lack of arable land, they reach a dreaded decision. They must abandon the Underground.

Looking for a place that is not only defensible but provides the opportunity for long-term survival, they must set out on a dangerous journey to scout a new location. Strange new dangers await them, as they find what they thought was the perfect location. A terrifying new type of zombie stalks the valley where they want to make their home. A zombie that owns the night.

The journey to make their new home safe will take them to the distant shores of Lake of the Ozarks and through the zombie infested streets of Lebanon, Missouri. Wylie soon learns that people he thought were enemies can become friends…and friends can become enemies. A lesson that will cost them dearly.

Their journey to discover the origin of the new undead will take them back to the lake and to a shocking conclusion. Lives will change forever as they must accomplish the impossible in order to secure their new home. The realization that not all of them will survive to see their new community grow will take it’s toll on them. The safety of their new home will be purchased with blood. 

Who will make...The Crossing?

As a reader and fan of Tom Clancy, the author of the "Techno-Thriller," I must tell you that we may have the heir to the creator of the "Techno-Thriller" in D.A. Roberts. In this saga, he creates a wonderfully taught and deep adventure that moves quickly and the pace of action tires the reader with constant action. Before you can take a breath, the un-dead alter the perceived safety of the survivors and reminds them that there is no safety in the Zombie-Apocalypse. The world, as we knew it, has, indeed, ended. Forever.

D.A. Roberts creates dread and drama so deep, that one cannot simply put the book down. You must see it through (the book), not unlike the survivors must assure their own safety. The drama is palpable, the dread is real and you know that the stench of death is just around the next page. At times you dread turning the page because you know that danger lies up ahead.

We are constantly reminded that there is no safety and there is a price to pay. Those that you think will survive - don't and those that you believe will die - will live another day.

The Crossing will exact a price from the reader, but it is one that will gladly be paid because like the survivors, you want to believe that there is hope when the world ends.

Benghazi and stuff.

Yet again, another story that states that most people got the story wrong - again. The fervor related to this one event is astounding when one considers that in the Bush Administration, there were similar events and it turns out that the Administration was culpable in some of those events by not properly preparing and not once, not once, was there an outcry from either side of conspiracies.

Sad.

Anyway, Benghazi, like the Birth Certificate will remain the realm of loons and crazies simply because of the current President.

Sad.

I have noticed that the noise being generated by these crazies has quieted a bit (maybe due to my being disconnected from the internet) and it dawned on me as to why: It is snowing/raining and in many parts of the nation, the weather is bad. So, you ask? Well, as I have sad before: loons and crazies need something to yell at and usually they simply yell at the rain and knowing that winter has arrived, the loons and crazies are doing what they do best: Yell at the rain/snow/wind. Why? It is what they do and in the absence of such weather, they yell at others via conspiracies and such.

Winter, the darkness and still of such, brings peace to those of us that simply require peace. It brings us warmth and a appreciation of all that is good and not so good in the world.

I must admit, without the crazies and loons of the world, and there are many, the rest of us wouldn't be able to appreciate what is good in the world.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Years.

Lord Roger, emperor of all that is NDB Media and related to it (the world).

Christmas comes with dreams.

I woke up on December 26 and my memory was working: I was able to recall three different dreams and I must say, they were varied and full of excitement.

Most recent:

I was driving to some place that I cannot recall, but I stopped near a school and on the opposite side of the street, I spied my ex, well, my first love. As she crossed the street and neared my vehicle, I reached out to surprise her and my youngest was in the car who reacted in a shocked manner. I looked back at her and through my facial gestures, I did my best to place her at ease: "I know what I am doing."

As she neared, I touched the small of her back and she immediately turned to me and recognized me. We engaged in polite conversation and she stated that she was in a rush and had to go. She leaned in through the window for a kiss on the cheek and then, leaned in to receive one from my daughter! Kinda surprised my daughter, but she went with the flow and didn't say a word until my ex left. 

Kinda odd and yet, kinda real at the same time. Funny thing is that my youngest knows of my ex, but in this dream, she had no idea who this person was - kinda like the logic in the most recent Star Trek movie. 

In another dream, I was back working at Carl's Jr. and I couldn't prepare a simple breakfast item: waffles! I would cook the item and yet, when it came time to hand the item to the customer, for some reason, I had to stamp the package and each time, I ended up stamping the waffle. Whatever. 

In the first dream, I was in a zombie apocalypse. FINALLY! This is the dream that I remember least, but I remember most that it was in my new city where were we moved to, but it was all good and I was prepared (it was a dream because in real life, I am not prepared for the zombie apocalypse) for bear and it had a feel of the Ragnarok Rising series by DA Roberts to it. 

All I remember is that the dreams were incredibly detailed and long. 

We've heard this one before.

As you grow in life, or mature, we learn lessons on many things: buying a car, asking a girl out, a job interview - every day we learn something.

If our good friend is enduring something that you have gone through or at least now about, you would tell 'em, right? This isn't a moral dilemma - you help your buddy if it is at all possible. Just this past week, word arrived that talks have been on for a new agreement with the people of the Philippines on a troop-rotation. Rotation? We already have soldiers fighting in the south of the country (Oh, I mean anti-terrorist training stuff) and the Philippine government is already telling their people that it will be for a short time.

Let me see: China is making noise about the Spratly Islands,

Spratly Islands

has been for a short while now. The Philippines sent a ship that was run ashore to certify their claim to the island chain. Everyone in the area pretty much claims the islands and there is nothing on these islands, nothing.

I do recall a U.N. declaration not too long ago about being able to claim parts of the ocean if your continental shelf extends out to sea and where it does so, your country has exclusive gas rights. This is already causing a big issue in the Arctic: Russia is claiming the north pole due to continental shelf extension . . . Canada also lays claim and the United States simply ignores this convention.

Anyway, there could be a great deal of gas under the Spratly Islands, ergo, everyone wants those specs of dirt floating in the South China Sea. This is also a major reason why the governments of China and Japan are dancing around the Senkaku Islands

Senkaku islands

(China refers to them as the Diaoyu Islands) and the same argument also applies here: continental shelf really comes in to play here and this muddies up the claim for China.

So, what is the big deal with the Spratly's? Well, for one, it is called containment. It seems clear that American Foreign Policy is looking to get back in the game in Asia and their old buddy, their poor-old buddy has a potential claim to untold gas riches and they can't take on the big kid in the neighborhood: China.

As in the movie, "My Bodyguard," The Philippines have called on their old colonial buddy and WWII liberator to help fend off the neighborhood's big kid with another, bigger kid. All for the money, potential money.

More troops rotating into the Philippines? You guessed it: we are going there to support our colonial buddies and our troops are going into harm's way. We've seen this before and while the war on terrorism continues or winds down as some are postulating, we are positioning ourselves for the next engagement. 

Ask the Vietnamese about troops rotating in. Ask Europe about our NATO alliance to fend off the Warsaw Pact. Have no illusion, our troops are going in and will go in for a long, long time. This is just the start. To the people of the Philippines: we are coming to stay for a long time. You may wants us on that wall, you may need us on that wall . . . Can you handle the truth about American troops returning to the Philippines?

Images are borrowed from Wikipedia.

Edited on 8/12/2013 9:44 A.M.

Still awake . . .

I can't find the sheep so i can't count 'em. Looks like another long, long night.

Where is Cobalt? Been gone for over five weeks. I hope you are well.

Chink

Dictionary.com entry: CHINK

The article is here.

The word is not offensive. This word is not the n-word where that word has no positive meaning whatsoever. "A chink in one's armor" is a phrase that I have used often, in the past. I am very careful in using it today only because people are so freaking sensitive AND stupid. Why stupid? They are not listening to my use of the word, much in the same manner as I am writing about it right now.

In the article, the neighborhood claims that the use of the word "chink" for "Chink's Steaks" is not racist, it is a term of endearment. The article states that the term was given to the owner due to their "almond eyes."

Yeah, dude, that is racist. Was then, is now.

The owner, of all people, has decided to change the name because they realize how people can perceive the name. The owner is actually being sensitive to their . . . wallet. Smart business, actually. Though business is down 10%, people will return if the food and service is good. This is a temporary blip and we will return to norm, unless the people remain stupid AND that is a very real possibility. Look, we are talking about Philadelphia here.

Amazing that those in the neighborhood are pissed because of a name change and they express their anger at such with vandalism. Philadelphia? Check, that is spot on for the city of 'brotherly love.' Why don't they channel their anger at the murder rate, poverty, political or racial strife? Do something good with your anger instead of wanting to keep the status quo . . . oh wait, that is racism in a nutshell.

World War III

I Just woke from a intense dream/nightmare. We were at war, i mean real war and all around the world. It was specific and clear.

I was at some sort of appointment and on the way home, we learned if the global clash. I remember checking out google maps for locations. I do know that we gathered, family and friends at one of my old homes and we learned of the sinking of the carrier Roosevelt and the battleship Oklahoma. 

The IAF was holding its own. In addition to the Roosevelt, we were mourning the loss of about 10K French (not specific if on the carrier or part of the task force).

We witnessed the attempted bombing of a hybrid cargo ship that supports/supported the Roosevelt by a WWII bomber. That ship was as fast as the SDF-1 avoiding Zentradi missiles. 

I went to my third grade classroom where we gathered to watch a Indiana Jones movie. Ariel was pissed, she had to wait for us outside my old house on Ferguson. 

Lots of crazy stuff. 

At my third grade classroom, my employer was finally conducting its interrogation of my attacker and one of the investigators was giddy because there was proof that i had removed my attacker's name from some list. 

The general feeling was that after the first day, we were winning the war and that we would do so, again, as we had in the last two conflicts over the last two decades - but this, there would be no settlement: we were in it till the end!