Dome Pondering

The WWE likes to proudly proclaim John Cena as the "most polarizing" superstar to ever grace its company. And really, it's hard to argue with that statement as Cena evokes emotion from many, actually all, wrestling fans. Either you cheer for him, or you undoubtedly roll your eyes at every moment he's on your television screen.  It's the unique reaction rarely seen in pro wrestling where a wrestler is cheered by half the crowd, and ultimately jeered  just as loudly by the opposing half. It's the type of intriguing and perplexing reaction Bret Hart received in the late 90's when he was ultimately booed in the United States, but suddenly became a huge babyface outside of these great borders.  Cena evokes emotion, and it's a quality that pro wrestling thrives on. It's what keeps Cena as the company's...heck, the industry's top guy. Yet, still why the hate for a leading talent in such a competitive industry?

In the midst of an awesome MLB Playoffs, an even better World Series, and the inability to cope with the fact that my main guy, Mariano Rivera, is no longer an active athlete, the NBA silently crept up on me this Fall. Like a ninja, NBA opening night is here. Boom! And of course, that means, my beloved New York Knicks are set to begin their 2013-2014 campaign towards what will hopefully be an even better year than last.  As is the case with most years, I very much disagree with the experts who have picked the Knicks season to include doom and gloom, as they usually do. I completely understand that it is hard for me to objectively view my guys in orange and blue sometimes, but I thoroughly do not understand how so many people have us projected to do so terribly after a 52-win season.

3 Up 1. Calvin Johnson - "Mega-tron" makes the cut again this week after lighting up the Cowboys with 14 catches for 329 receiving yards. The dude is a monster. 2. World Series Umpiring Crew - From getting together in Game 1 to get a first inning call correct to Game 3's dramatic ending that required a gutsy (but once again, correct) call, this umpiring crew has done a fantastic job so far in officiating the game's biggest stage. 3. (Pink) White House - I thought this was super cool in honor of national breast cancer awareness month. 3 Down 1. 100K to Look Like Beiber - I'm sorry, anyone that spends that much money to look like someone like Justin Beiber of all people, definitely deserves at least one spot as the top "down" of the week. 2. Chris Brown - Arrested again, this time for felony assault. Why do these celebrities receive so many chances? 3. Halloween Costume of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman - Who really th

One of the good aspects about having a blog and being truthful and honest about it, is the hindsight thought process it provides. DP devotees already know how much I love my New York Knicks, and how excited I was about their new jerseys last year. It was a new look that was desperately needed ( DP Review On Knicks New Uniforms ).  In reviewing those jerseys last year, I had the following comments in regards to then-rumors regarding the addition of an alternative orange jersey for the Knicks and overall NBA changes to the Christmas Day special jerseys:  "As long as we do not add an "alternative jersey" (I read rumors of an orange one - woof!) (and the league-wide Spanish jerseys are fine). And please, please - PLEASE - let's finally do away with the awful green jerseys we feel the need to wear on Christmas and St. Patrick's day! Pretty please!"

Pondering with Plumtree is a column on the popular blog, TNAsylum, that is written by yours truly. The blog is focused towards being a fan site for TNA Wrestling fans where they can get news, rumors, opinions, and any and everything else, TNA Wrestling. Known as "The Haven for TNA Wrestling Fans", I'm hoping to bring some of my thoughts to an already impressive roster of columnist for as long as the site will have me. You can read the latest column here , or in the text below.

What is it about?  A woman's world unravels (and becomes exposed) when a prescription drug prescribed by her psyciatrist has revealing side effects.  Who is in it? Rooney Mara - Emily taylor Jude Law - Dr. Jonathan Banks Catherine Zeta Jones - Dr. Victoria Seibert Channing Tatum - Martin Taylor

What is it about? A polio survivor who survives on an iron lung looks to learn about sex by losing his virginity through a sex surrogate with the help of his caretakers, therapists, and priest.  Who is in it?   John Hawkes - Mark O'Brien Helen Hunt - Cheryl

Courtesy: impactwrestling.com Bound For Glory 2013 is done and in the books. And for a company that is in transition, a transition that is really up in the air with all of the rumors and speculation, Bound For Glory really shed some light on those "changes" that are true. Over the past two years, the posts here on the DP following Bound For Glory have been optomistic and have toed the the proverbial "change" line. Two years ago, we saw a company relying on wrestling's past and the history made by others as part of their identity and product ( Bound For Glory is Bound By the Past ). Last year showed promise, and exemplified what seemed like a focus-needle beginning to shift away from the dark cloud that hung over the 2011 BFG ( Bound For Glory 2012 is Change New Creative Envisioned ).  Tonight, Bound For Glory really left me not just entertained and thoroughly excited (of course because my guy, AJ Styles has the strap again), but truly intrigued and

3 Up 1. Michael Wacha and Shane Victorino - Both came up big this week in series-clinching games for their respective teams. Wacha, out-dueling the great Clayton Kershaw, and Victorino with a game-winning grand slam. Both teams are set to face off against one another in this year's World Series.  2. Calvin Johnson - His catch today is just insane. Megatron is a beast. 3. Indianapolis, Indiana - Rounding out the sports-themed "Ups" this week is the ovation that Indy gave to Peyton Manning. Manning, who gave so much to the franchise, returned to a heroes welcome. A return that was fitting, and one that many other fanbases could learn from. 3 Down 1. 30M Slaves Worldwide - The report that there is (still!) almost thirty million people world wide who are slaves is alarming and disheartening. Sometimes we connect slavery to the distant pass, but in reality, it is still something still relevant in our world.  2. Shoplifter Caught with Dead Baby -

Tonight, I realized that something used to be a big fear of mine, something that truly bugged me to no end, no longer has that stronghold on me anymore. Not because I am no longer afraid of it or that it no longer bothers me, but because it's happened so often, I'm becoming desensitized to it.  For DP devotees, you know exactly what I am talking about. For those who are new to these parts called Dome Pondering, all you have to do is look no further than the American League representative in the World Series. Yes, the Boston Red Sox.  Back in 2007, I touched base on this with a post describing the Red Sox second World Series victory in four years as " The Fear of No Fear ".

271. If you were to be a news correspondent posted to any foreign country, where would you like to go? Probably somewhere relaxing, tropical, friendly, and where nothing catastrophic ever happens. Caribbean. More specifically, St. Croix.  272. If you had to choose a time in history when overall things were worse than any single time, when would you say it was? The time of slavery in this country. Even the things we thought were good, weren't as best as they could be. Diversity makes everything better.

This post might seem a bit random. This is your warning, OK? However, despite my eclectic choice of timing and commenting, the recent government shut down and New York City mayoral race has had me in a mode of dissecting a few things regarding politics, laws, society, and overall, what needs to be fixed in our country.  After all, this time of the year can and will do that to someone - anyone. Naturally, it is election season, and of course, our government is currently in the worst of all positions attempting to agree on factors regarding our future national deficit.  As newscasts, politicians, and other television pundits squabble back and forth about the national debt and "Obamacare", and local representatives spew the the typical pointers and cover the same generic topics to help get them elected, I find myself this election season in a mode of being thoroughly disappointed.

3 Up  1. MLB LCS Pitching - Even without my beloved Yankees, I knew the MLB playoffs would be spectacular this year. So far, it has been. However, the pitching performances we have seen in both League Championship series have been ultra phenomenal. It's been must see television.  2. Bob Costas - I don't always agree with Costas who at times seems a bit outdated on some of his takes when it comes to sports, especially baseball. However, his recent words regarding the controversy surrounding the "Redskins" name was well done. Also, kudos to him for taking a stand on an issue many reporters in the sport's field have been shying away from.  3. Boston Sports - As a native New Yorker this hurts me to place at number three, but on a day that the Patriots come back to win on a beautiful pass by Tom Brady and the Red Sox score five runs in two innings that included a dramatic David Ortiz grand slam home run, it deserves the spot. All of New England must be sl

Usually, I don't get into the affairs of other teams and the issues their fan bases face. For the most part, the teams whom I root for and emotionally throw myself into have enough conflicts, dilemmas, and controversy for me to deal with. All you have to do is take a look at the amount of vents and posts yours truly has in the archives of this very blog during those "Isiah" years for my New York Knicks.  Yet, as a New York Jets fan who continuously hopes each year is the year, or heck, even just a decent year, it bothers me to hear Giants fans lately on the state of their New York Football Giants team, more specifically, Eli Manning.

Where are you perfection? I search for you, at ever corner of my life, at every end road and every fork, for a sense of purpose and direction. Where are you perfection? I seek you, in pursuit of every goal, of every task, in every desire and aspiration, as the exclamation point for my happiness.

261. If you could serve in one capacity in the military (in which you haven't already served), what would you want to do? Well, obviously, I've never served in the military. However, I would want to do something close to my career now, and that is work in logistics. Whether it is scheduling, planning, or project management, I'd love to serve my country by using my experience and attributes towards those aspects.  262. If you could eliminate forevermore one cause of death on earth, what would it be? Hunger. That's such a brutal way to die. Especially, when the resources are there throughout the world unlike other terrible diseases or ailments.

It is no secret that yours truly has never been a big fan of Hulk Hogan. I don't have any personal grudge against him, I was just never that wrestling fan that went crazy over him. In fact, growing up, I was more of a "Macho Man" Randy Savage guy. So yes, I was never a "Hulkamaniac".  Nonetheless, I do respect Hulk Hogan, and yes, even Terry Bolea. He is the "Babe Ruth" of pro wrestling, an industry I very much enjoy. However, despite my choice of not being a fan, I've always felt Hulk Hogan has done the industry a disservice by never passing the torch to another wrestler.  Hogan has stated many times that he is grateful for what Andre The Giant did for him at Wrestlemania III in one of wrestling's biggest and brightest moments in pro wrestling history, when Hogan slammed Andre - a feat never done before then.

3 Up 1. Capture of Al Qaeda Operative - The more of these guys we get before they can do something horrific, the better. 2. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - The atmosphere at PNC park this past week for Pirates games have been amazing! Absolutely, amazing. The cat-call of "Cue-to, Cue-to, Cue-to" at Johnny Cueto, rattled the Reds pitcher and helped the Pirates punch their ticket to the NLDS. 3. President Obama - Sure, the government shut down hasn't earned the President any credit this week, but his stand on the issue regarding the "Redskins" name is admirable. How anyone, regardless if you are a football fan, can justify that name is beyond me. 3 Down 1. Government Shut Down - Whatever your political beliefs are, and wherever you land on the issue of Obamacare, the idea that our government would just shutdown is ridiculous. Especially, when they still get paid for not doing what they should be doing - representing the American people. 2. Bi

Pondering with Plumtree is a column on the popular blog, TNAsylum, that is written by yours truly. The blog is focused towards being a fan site for TNA Wrestling fans where they can get news, rumors, opinions, and any and everything else, TNA Wrestling. Known as "The Haven for TNA Wrestling Fans", I'm hoping to bring some of my thoughts to an already impressive roster of columnist for as long as the site will have me. You can read the latest column here , or in the text below.

What is it about? The decade long hunt for Osama Bin Laden following the September 11th, 2001 attacks. Who is in it? Jessica Chastain - Maya Jason Clarke - Dan Kyle Chandler - Joseph Bradley Chris Pratt - Justin

The supermarket experience is one that is unique. Often times, it is a hub of various people and various ways that can cause several people to grow annoyed and upset. There is just something about the grocery story or supermarket, or just purchasing food items in general that make people on edge. In my experience, there are several reasons that makes the supermarket-experience that much more annoying than it needs to be and it is due to several people who engage in certain annoying things. With that said, the following Pondering 10 are the most annoying people you will find at your supermarket.