Mark Wesley Pritchard

On this day in 2019, the Sega Genesis Mini was released worldwide. It had 42 pre-installed games and I’ve beaten a couple of those games so far this year. It’s been over three months since I’ve had this game system. It’s unknown how many units the Sega Genesis Mini had sold. The two games that I’ve completed were Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master. It took me almost 30 years to beat both of those games. However, there were some amazing Sega Genesis games I wish were added on to this console, which I’ll get to towards the end of the story. Four months ago, I did do a review on Sonic the Hedgehog 2. I’m going to share my review of Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master and add it to this story.

In the month of August, there have been two important wins regarding the LGBTQ+ community in the news. That’s why I urge everyone to vote by either by mail or at the polls. No one should choose between making their voices heard and risking their own health. Three months ago, the Supreme Court ruled that lesbian, gay, and transgender people are protected from workplace discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Here’s a date for everyone to remember: November 4. Why is that day important, you ask? It’s because the day after the presidential election is over, the Supreme Court will decide if a Catholic agency based out of Pennsylvania can reject same-sex parents from adopting children. Here are a couple of recent news stories you might have not been aware of.

Greetings, true believers! The last time I reviewed a Spider-Man suit was about a year ago. It was my Captain Spidey suit from Zentaizone. Unfortunately, back in late March, it was stolen. It was in one of my backpacks and all of a sudden, a thief or thieves swiped it off a bench while I was charging my phone outside of a Walmart, just feet away, on a bench. I should’ve taken my bag with me and smart enough not to leave it unattended. It was devastating and wondered if I would ever have the courage to be Spider-Man again.

2020 has gone off to a rough start. The coronavirus pandemic currently has over 17 million cases. On top of that, the loss of jobs, high unemployment, numerous cancellations of large events, and so on. It has also taken the lives of over 150,000 people in the United States.

I’m at a loss for words right now. It seems like a majority of people have an issue wearing face masks. In the past few weeks, I’ve watched numerous videos online of people getting upset at businesses trying to enforce the rules by being asked to wear face coverings. In most of these situations, the so-called “Karen’s.” To me, they’re being entitled, selfish, and think that everything revolves around them. They think that attending large gatherings is more important than keeping themselves and others safe. Reading and hearing the number of new coronavirus cases were disturbing. On Sunday, there were 10 million COVID-19 cases and half a million deaths worldwide. This virus is not just a small flu. It has already taken tens of thousands of lives. If you think that COVID-19 is a hoax or a conspiracy, you are sorely mistaken. Everyone needs to take this pandemic seriously, young and old. It’s important that everyone listen to state health officials and follow the CDC guidelines. It’s only going to get worse before it starts to get better.

June 26, 2015: the day that love won. Five years ago today, the Supreme Court ruled that marriage equality was the law of the land, which they voted 5-4. At the time, I was working at a non-profit in Springdale, Arkansas as a administrative assistant when I heard the exciting news. The United States became the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a win for LGBTQ+ people, allies, and activists everywhere. As of June 2020, there are 29 countries that marriage equality is recognized. The Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001.