Project Palisade

What comes to your mind when you think about bikes? Kids playing in the streets? Hoodlums riding things they shouldn’t? Or professionals competing in the XGames? Either way, you’re right. Bicycle Motocross (BMX) is a sport for all ages and types. From 13 year old Colin Akerman, to 40 year old Ryan Nyquist. It is an open sport. There is riders of all types, of all ages, heights, weights, color. There are very light bikes, there are heavy bikes; bikes more suited for “street” riding, as well as bikes more suited for “park riding”. I myself currently weigh in the 320s with a height of about 5’9. My bike is built with a mix of park and street parts. I ride street more than anything. When I first got into BMX, it was a terrifying thing. The air you can get, the injuries you could face, the ridicule. There is ridicule because no community is without hate. People were against me for my weight and my unique style of riding I acquired from the beginning. I didn’t learn to balance...

This week I’m going to review Shallow Hal , a 2001 film that criticizes society’s perceptions on beauty. Jack Black has a leading role in it, and to say the least, he’s sort of perfect for the role, not to mock the dude or anything but the criteria for what society is looking for in a man is, well, not Jack Black. Yet his character expects himself to win over these ridiculously hot models of the opposite sex. He’s a woman woo-er. We’ve seen these types before. Whether it’s Swingers , or Sideways , it seems like movies really like the motif of two guys wandering around hoping to get laid. Hal, Jack’s character, isn’t perfect, but he expects to find a perfect woman. That’s the irony that sets up the film at the beginning. And there’s actually a psychological reason present in the opening scene when Hal as a child witnesses his father dying and his final words to him was that he wouldn’t settle for less. That’s what built this shallow attitude in him that caused him to go...

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've posted one of these since a lot of stuff was going on in my personal life and I forgot to update you all on the wonderful things going on with Project Palisade! The biggest announcement is that the 2nd Fundraiser for Lasting Hope Ministry has ended, but we were able to raise $465 for them and me and Kisakye Steven are planning on making a tribute to this showing everyone who donated and shared how their generosity made an impact. This is the most we've ever raised for any single fundraiser so this is significant progress. Our Earth Day event a couple months ago got some activity and a very wholesome collage and slideshow made for it at the end. We'll see if we can plan it again next year. One of our members Tyler Burns who was at risk of his home being foreclosed, but thankfully our group stepped in and helped him pay off his debts so he could keep his residence. In return, he's considering working on helping the...