350th Article at The Other Shoe – Conclusion

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[caption id="attachment_2203" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Daniel Hanning of The Other Shoe[/caption]

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                         Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today I am here to culminate my celebration of the publication of Three Hundred-Fifty articles published at The Other Shoe.  I am deeply moved by the huge number of ‘Likes’ the five parts of this series received. Not since my publication of ‘The Story of Daniel’ and my first publications of ‘The Mars Report’ have I seen traffic this brisk, and enjoyment this marked. I work tirelessly, each and every week, on the publications here at The Other Shoe. Most times I work having eaten little, for weeks at a time. Every day I write in spite of terrific pain. Regardless of my hunger and regardless of my pain I work because I value you, My Dear Readers, and I value your time and your consideration.

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It is not often that one person can find a creative outlet that brings happiness and enjoyment to so many other people, at no cost to them. I work, every day I am able, to find new and different subjects to write. I want to try and meet the reading needs of as many people as is humanly possible. People love to read. I have always loved to read and the more differing subjects the better. I do my best to write without judgment, and for the most part I succeed at that goal.

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Today I come here to present the conclusion of the celebration of my achievement, 350 articles published here at The Other Shoe. Through sickness and through pain. Through hardship and through mounting hunger, I have pressed myself to goals most see as unobtainable. I do it all for you, My Dear Readers, and I do it out of love. For, over the past four years, you have stood beside me and given me the strength to continue. Strength even to excel at writing for the future, and holding a bight light against the past.

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This series, ‘350^th Article at The Other Shoe’ was presented in five parts. Honestly, I could have presented six, or seven… as many as ten. However, my work was gravely cut short. I was not cut short by a lack of; desire, creativity, nor material with which to present. Rather Indeed, I was cut short by dire and upsetting news of my health. I, thankfully, have been prescribed a better and stronger pain medication. After ten years of taking my current medication, without ever abusing the medication once, my doctor saw the severity of my pain due to a degeneration of my health. I am very thankful that he trusted me so much as to give me a very powerful pain medication. It is bringing me much needed sleep, and more time spent with less severe pain.

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Now that my pain is better managed, I am ready to write and publish this conclusion to the celebratory series of articles. I will present this conclusion as a review of the five articles that made up this series. Much like my ‘A Week in Review’ I will present each of the five articles, in order, with links to the article and a synopsis of their content. At the end of this review I plan on sharing a little about the future of The Other Shoe.

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Now, without further adieu I bring you ‘350^th Article at The Other Shoe – Conclusion’:

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• ·        350th Article at The Other Shoe – Part One: “I welcome this milestone in my publishing/writing career at this time. Lately, I have been writing articles… strong articles back in the political vein. Unfortunately, I know that there are some of you, My Dear Readers, that do not like my political works. I understand that this group of readers are, sometimes, even offended by what I write. That you feel my political work is not fairly balanced and that I lack objectivity. Whereas I respect your opinion? I fear that the case may be made that this may not be entirely true... Early on I was setting a tone and raising the bar of journalistic integrity. I refused to merely kowtow to Democrats and lambaste Republicans. I had a deep desire to treat, My Dear Readers, with honesty and integrity from the onset.” In this first edition of this series, I take you back to my very first article. I share with you, My Dear Readers, the reason I started writing this blog, hyperbolic rhetoric to sew the seeds of hyper-partisanship. I explain that I desire to be a quite and credible counterpoint to the radical fervor of the ‘Far Right’ (soon to be known as the ‘Tea Party’). I want to write political works that truly are fair and balanced, but not only that I want to shine a bright light on the hypocrisy of this ilk and the overt greed. I feel that I could be a genuine alternative source, for some, from this hypocritical and bigoted machine of hyperbolic rhetoric. I knew then, as I know now, that taking a stand against avarice will make me a target. Some will stoop to use friendship, like a hammer. Reasonable support and assistance, merely a reward for parroting like-minded rhetoric. My Dear Readers, I do without food to stand my moral ground. I refuse the accusations that any words, not offered as kowtowing, are harsh judgments and my thoughts but insults. I am eternally thankful that all of you, My Dear Readers, know better.
• ·        350th Article at The Other Shoe – Part Two : “Yesterday I did my very BEST to convey my innermost feelings about the political work that I publish. I did my level best to communicate that the political articles I do publish I do not want to offend or upset Americans of either stripe. I conveyed that I am a ‘Reagan-Democrat’ and that I am proud of my political beliefs. I shared with you that my beliefs are complex and that I do not merely parrot another person’s rhetoric and call it my won thoughts. I genuinely endeavored to explain why I write about the political topics that I do. I tried to explain that it is never my intent to; offend, upset, persecute, demean or insult people with whom I do not share the same political bent.” My Dear Readers I HAVE managed to write numerous political articles without ever demeaning or insulting those with whom I have differing beliefs. On more than one occasion I have been, publicly, reproached for “putting down Republicans or the Republican party”. Each and every time this has happened? I have invited the party accusing me of open prejudice and insult to go over my body of work and QUOTE a SINGLE time I have insulted or demeaned someone for being Republican!” Each and every time I am met with silence. Reason? I am not a ‘saint’ but I do take care to not insult the person, just lay bare the offending policy or action. A PRIME example of this is the question I wrote for Bob Shieffer to use on ‘Face the Nation’. A call went out, over the ‘Face the Nation’ Facebook page for a followers to submit questions for Bob To ask Senator Mitch McConnell. Many people submitted questions, as did I. I am very happy to announce that Bob Schieffer  used MY question in the interview with Senator Mitch McConnell! I asked ‘Why are Republicans allowing Freshmen Congressmen to control the (debt) debate. It is like allowing the teenager in the house to control the family budget!’ He was stumped, My Dear Readers. So very stumped that he did not EVEN answer the question. So timely and accurate was my question, that the dynamic behind the question was not resolved until THIS YEAR! For three years Republicans (in the House) allowed the Freshmen ‘Tea Party’ members to hi-jack our government and damage our nation’s credit rating all over a ‘Debt-Debacle’. The result of the Speaker “Allowing Freshmen (Congressmen) to control the debate”? TWO terms of the “Least Productive Congress in HISTORY” and Congressional Republicans with SINGLE digit Approval and ROACHES being more popular than Congressional Congressmen. IF only Senator McConnel and Speaker Beohner HAD listened to my question, earlier!
• ·        350th Article at The Other Shoe – Part Three: “It is these series articles, here at The Other Shoe, that I would like to focus in today’s installment, Part Three. In just the past two years I have embarked on three different series articles. Two, of the three, I managed to bring to completion. The third, which was the first, I have yet to complete. It is this series of articles that I begin with, today. ‘The Story of Daniel’ ended up being an nine part (incomplete) series. Today, I bring you my favorite article of ‘The Story of Daniel’! In this, the THRID, edition of my 350^th celebration I focus of my beginning SERIES of articles. To this point I had only written and produced single issue, and single edition articles. I had yet to expand my writing abilities into multi-edition articles. This is when that trend changed, and my blog saw New Life! At this point I already imagined and considered a ‘multi-issue’ article on the Mars rover Curiosity and its mission on Mars. I had yet to start said series, but it was on my mind. ‘The Story of Daniel’ was my very first extended series of article at @ The Other Shoe. It was the result of a suggestion by a friend, during the campaign. Honestly, I did not think that it would help at all, and would represent much more work than it would garner funds. In the end, that proved to be the case. The contributions never went up, as a result of ‘The Story of Daniel’ and my brother Darrell ended up making a huge contribution that sent me over the top. However, now the ‘Series’ bug had bitten me, and I managed to turn a bad idea into a good one with MANY following series of topics that people WANTED to read! ‘The Whittling of America’ was definitely one of the series that many people, of several nations, genuinely enjoyed. The series focused on the growing disparity between those ‘Haves’ (that prospered during the recovery), and the 98% of America the ‘Have-Nots’. Through NO fault of their own, the 98% of Americans were getting less and paying more for it. Be ‘it’; food, rent, clothing, health care, cars, gas, transport and even as simple as a movie. The gap was growing, and it was growing rapidly.

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[caption id="attachment_1987" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Allen and Daniel on Bear Mounts in WOW[/caption]

• ·        350th Article at The Other Shoe – Part Four: “Now, the world of MMORPGs I was a little late to the party. I had played Guild Wars, right before I entered the world of Azeroth in World of Warcraft. I know it’s crazy but just writing the name of that game… takes me to that place. Since I started playing I have spend nearly an entire year ingame in WoW. I know that sounds like a lot, but spread over seven years, it is only like one day out of each week spent playing. That is a lot easier than one might think. The game is highly addictive, especially if you are good.” Now, My Dear Readers, Part Four focused on MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Role Playing Games), specifically the MMORPGs that I had played! Let me be brutally honest, My Dear Readers. IF I could JUST write about PC Gaming and MMORPGs and STILL have the traffic, support and respect I currently enjoy? I would do that in a heartbeat. However, I know that my political works are very important to you, My Dear Readers, as is “The Mars Report’, excerpts from ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’ and everything else that I share with you. I simply must present a rounded approach to my blog. I will always present information, screen shots, and videos from PC Games… as long as I have a blog and a computer to play games on, this I will do. I do love MMORPGs. They combine my love of computers, with my love of gaming, and add in a large amount of social interaction. Unfortunately, of late I have little time to spend in games. I am SO SORRY Jason Kleppinger… that I have been unable to join you in Rift. I PROMISE that I am making every effort to get in game with you and play. Please forgive me, and I look forward to seeing you IN Rift, soon. In the series ‘MMORPGs And YOU!’ I reviewed and showed screenshots and videos of NINE MMORPGs! It was quite an accomplishment and marked the pinnacle of achievement for me. Each of the NINE articles included screen shots of my character and mounts (the horses and like that we ride in game to go faster), videos of game play (most of the time I tried to get video of battle and sometimes with a ‘Boss’), and with each I tried to tell you about a different game mechanic. By the end of the series, everyone should have possessed a rudimentary knowledge of how an MMORPG is played, and hopefully enticed you enough to try playing a game of this genre. Writing and publishing this series was the single most pain I ever suffered writing, preparing and publishing any series. However, at the same time it was the most fun, too.

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[caption id="attachment_2263" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Erosion by Scarp Retreat in Gale Crater[/caption]

• ·        350th Article at The Other Shoe – Part Five : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. This is Part Five of the series of article celebrating my 350^th article here at The Other Shoe. Now, My Dear Readers, I have taken you back to the very beginnings of this love of mine, The Other Shoe. I have shared retrospect of several of the successful series I have published over the years. Today, I am devoting this Part Five to a look back over the series The Mars Report.” What CAN I say? ‘The Mars Report’ is an ongoing series of articles here at The Other Shoe. As much as I love PC Gaming, I love Space and space travel. The odds are greatly stacked against me ever getting into space. Even IF my novel does extremely well, and I make lots of money. I seriously doubt that any antion would put me into a spacecraft and into orbit. Just oo much of a liability, and too much of a chance ot death in space. However, I just couldn’t think of a BETTER way to die, than in space! At this point, I am not sure just how many ‘The Mars Report’ I published. I think that it is somewhere between twelve and fourteen. That beats out ‘MMORPGs And YOU!’, and all other series. I can see that this series will continue just as long as this blog continues. This Fifth part takes us all the way back to the very first edition of ‘The Mars Report’ and ends with excerpts from that week’s edition of the series. This week, I am going to add a little something different to ‘The Mars Report’. Nope, I am not going to tell you (here) what that is, you are just going to have to come here and see for yourself. It will be worth your time and effort, trust me.I love seeing Mars. I love sharing the images and the science of Mars. Most of all? I love that mankind still has a chance of pioneering SPACE and making SPACE our future, and leaving earth as our crib. It is my belief, that is how mankind’s existence was intended, and if we fail and pioneering SPACE? Our species will most assuredly become extinct.

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Well, My Dear Readers, that brings us to the very end, of the end of the 350^th celebration. I cannot put into words just how much I have enjoyed your company, over the past week and six articles. I am very proud that I have written, edited and published 350 articles here at The Other Shoe. I genuinely hope that my health allows me the opportunity to publish another 350 articles. I have it in me; I very much want to share.

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It is my hope that I will continue to write, and hopefully sell some of my possessions at eBay, so that I might keep my cell phone… and just maybe retire the ‘Pay-Day advance’ I have been forced to keep since October of last year. IF I could do those things… I have a feeling I would be happy, again.

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I do make mistakes. When I do I apologize immediately. I do not let things fester in the background for; weeks, months, years. Judge not, least yea be judged. I write as often and as much as I am physically able. I do so out of love, I do so as a way to ask for support… but not without giving my work as payment for support. Last week I found out that I have a “Subdermal Tumor” that must be removed and biopsied to find out if it is benign or not. That has me… concerned… and upset that I must face this… and a fever that never goes away… a result of “either the hardware or the bone grafts” becoming infected.

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Hence, a visit to an oncologist and an Infectious Disease Specialist I must make in the next two months. Not the end of the world, but boy say “Howdy!’ would I rather not face this alone (without the ability to talk to friends I grew up with over the phone) and hungry. I mean, really, facing possible cancerous tumor AND infected hardware or bone graft ON TOP OF being hungry all the time… That is asking… a lot… from a man already depressed, and all. OK, I am so sorry that I just did that… wrote all that. I am sorry.

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I am not going to remove it… I will just stop here and ask your forgiveness for my ‘opening up’ and sharing my fear(s) and problems.

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I will write again soon. Next should be a ‘The Mars Report’. I hope to see you then.

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank YOU!

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P.S. I am still without much food in my home. I do my best, honest I really do. I am not lying about how much money I make… I do not lie about the lack of food I suffer. I sincerely apologize for even mentioning this problem. However, it was a good friend  that told me… “Danny, if you don’t tell people your needs… there is no way those that want to help, know when they CAN help.” I am asking for help. I have written in many articles how to help. One way is to click the link below to my eBay Store for The Other Shoe. Please… if you can… Please do help.

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_2296" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The Other Shoe's Daniel Hanning[/caption]