Alex Pacheco's Inner Most Thoughts


Bruce Zook
December 10, 2010, 9:42 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

This man has his last name scrolled all across the western part of Iowa, the eastern part of Nebraska, and the southern part of South Dakota. Yes, these parts have produced several star athletes who have left footprints and namesakes all around town reminding us of their greatness, but this man is different. He is a family man, one involved with all aspects of the community and a person that wants to make Sioux City great.
The elegant writing of his name is stamped on cars throughout the city and beyond. Bruce Zook is the President and owner of Charlie Zook motors on East 6th street. He came to Sioux City when he was 7 years old after living in Lawrence, Kansas. Upon graduating high school, Bruce enrolled at USD for one semester before deciding to transfer to Morningside to get his Business degree and Mass Communication minor. Bruce has strong ties to the Morningside community and school.
“Back when I went to school at Morningside College, it was a very different place. The school had the two dorms but actually used one section of Roadman just as storage space for extra dorm equipment. Now the college has really grown into something nice.”
The school and the community in recent times have truly grown up together and that has never been more evident now. Morningside College is producing National Champion quality teams year in and year out and companies such as Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse are bringing their businesses into the city. Morningside college made a lot of changes after being a member of the NCAA to now being a member of the NAIA.
“I played on the tennis team at Morningside and I don’t even think we had a budget to play the sport. Everything was out of pocket and we didn’t compete with any team in our conference.”
Bruce Zook currently sits on a board of Sioux City where the main objective is to bring people and corporations into the heart of Sioux City and make it a hub of products for everyone. Sioux City has competition in Omaha and Sioux Falls but that hasn’t stopped the spirit of Sioux City citizens to continue to draw people into our city. Having the city be the opening ceremonies for the annual Ragbrai bike ride really gave outsiders a chance to take a peak at all the changes here.
“I love to ride my bike around the trails here. Sioux City has continued to do a nice job at constructing new trails and the hills provide the perfect challenge for an afternoon bike ride. People sometimes just don’t realize all the things Sioux City has to offer.”
Curtis Anderson, a friend of Bruce Zook has gotten to know Bruce very well while producing his daily sports show at Charlie Zook Motors. “ Bruce has such a passion for Sioux City, and a passion for sports that makes him an easy person to get along with. Every time I am out with him people are stopping to have a chat with him and he seems to know everyone.” Steve Bates also states, “ It is so easy to give Bruce a hard time and he can certainly dish it back. He has so much pride in his family owned business and cares a great deal about getting Sioux City everything the city deserves.”
Your typical car dealer will want to wheel and deal you to get product out of the door. Bruce Zook will want to know your family, where the kids go to school, what sports they play, and how he can help you get them to those sports. He embodies the type of person you would want to represent your city at any conference in Iowa. He has the competitive spirit to get after things but also the personality to get to know you and make another friend. His witty commercials on tv and radio give only a glimpse of the man with the clever calligraphy, probably on the very car you drive.

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Mc BYE BYE
December 7, 2010, 4:35 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16791509

My Christmas present came early. I am now once again a Bronco fan and am so very happy the ex-coach McDaniels has been fired by the Broncos yesterday. The guy was an utter disgrace. I think the most telling statistic of his tenure is of the 52 players he began with only 12 remain who were not signed, drafted, or part of a trade during his reign at the top. He needs to go back down to the college ranks and be an offensive coordinator there. He single handedly ruined the Broncos by trading away Cutler, Scheffler, Hilis, and Marshall. His 6-0 start is a mere blip in the road now that he lost 16 of 22 games. I love the way writers in Denver are covering the story because there is no more cover up. No on liked him in Denver and he ruffled a lot of feathers during his time. Hopefully Bowlen finds a great head coach and they rebuild to contenders quickly. Colorado lives and dies with the Broncos and it is tough watching the city so unhappy all the time.

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Qatar?
December 3, 2010, 7:57 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16759094

Qatar. A small country in the Middle East that is just slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut. Average temperatures in Qatar throughout the summer range from a low of 90 to a high of 125 degrees. The soccer team in Qatar has never been to the World Cup, not even close, they are the 122nd ranked team in the world. It is an utter disgrace that Qatar won the rights to host the 2022 World Cup. The USA got screwed. It stinks because I really want to see the World Cup in person some day. It’s on my bucket list. I guess I will have to save up and go to Brazil in 2014. I was furious after hearing the results and looked up all the negatives on Qatar and it just makes no sense to have the World Cup there. Other than the fact that it has never been played in the Middle East, Qatar is a bad move.



Bruce Zook RD
December 3, 2010, 7:30 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

Bruce Zook
President of Charlie Zook Motors
This man has his last name scrolled all across the western part of Iowa, the eastern part of Nebraska, and the southern part of South Dakota. Yes, these parts have produced several star athletes who have left footprints and namesakes all around town reminding us of their greatness, but this person was a tennis star. The elegant writing of his name is stamped on cars and is recognizable as long as you didn’t over look it. This man is Bruce Zook. I need to discuss in better detail why he is important to the morningside community (He goes to a lot of games, he is very involved with fundraising and supporting the community)
Bruce Zook is the President and owner of Charlie Zook motors on East 6th street. He came to Sioux City when he was 7 years old after living in Lawrence, Kansas. Upon graduating high school, Bruce enrolled at USD for one semester before deciding to transfer to Morningside to get his Business degree and Mass Communication minor. Then go on to talk about the changes within Morningside College…..

Talk about what changes he has seen within Sioux city and the changes that need to occur to continue to grow as a city.
Talk about his time on the Siouxland board and what he has done for the community.
Talk about his view of sports within Sioux City and how that has led us to grow together and go to our favorite spots to watch games.
Tell his story about seeing James Taylor and that it was an experience you couldn’t have in another city.
Go through his optimum day in Sioux City if it was a bright sun shine day with a temperature of 75 and no work to do.
Go through the rest of his 20 min interview



Live Well Omaha
November 19, 2010, 7:24 pm
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Thanks A Lot Bin Laden
November 19, 2010, 7:17 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

While I was reading this article I was watching CNN and a story came on about how a “bomb” found in a plane while in Germany, is under much controversy because reports are coming out stating that the USA planted the “bomb”. Under the treaties with countries frighting the war on terror the USA has the right to test foreign airports with fake attempts at passing an explosive through security as a way to measure a real life instance of it happening. The tests can be and are unannounced and they don’t have to contact the government of the foreign country in any way. So I read the following story from the DenverPost.com on the issue of airline security.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16653693

This will always be a newsworthy story. The times of watching your loved ones come off the plane and greeting them at the gate are a distant memory. Now personally I have no problem going through the extensive measures that security takes to make sure that no threats are being allowed on planes. I would walk naked and have them look at all my possessions if they really felt the need to check me as a security threat. I understand the flip side that people want their privacy, but to me it’s like who cares. I would rather know everyone on my flight has been checked and I can take a nap without having to worry about waking up to karate chop somebody in the throat and safely land the plane in a field. Plus these people that check people are checking thousands of people a day, like they are really going to remember you because you had some love handles or had some sex toys in your bag. I mean really people, get patted down and move on with your day. If you don’t have anything to hide then just go through with it or drive to your destination.



That old spaceship looking house gets front page?
November 11, 2010, 8:22 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

http://www.denverpost.com/business/

It’s really funny to me that we have huge political changes going on, a missile that was accidentally fired near California and it’s veterans day to top it off, and the Denver Post front page news story is that some house sold. I have seen this house many times driving up to the mountains and it is iconic to the area around Denver. It is listed in the National Register of Historical Places and draws thousands of views daily. But why in the world is this front page news? Sure, the guy who bought the house and had it foreclosed only received half of what he paid for it, but who cares? The house was made famous by the movie Sleeper. I have never seen nor heard about the movie other than the fact the house was built for that sole purpose. There are several buyers who want to take over the futuristic style house and give it modern day feel. The house is said to be very nice inside. If I was a subscriber to the Denver Post I would be upset that this is on the front page.

The house that might fly away!



I don’t even enjoy plays….
November 5, 2010, 5:51 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

But I will most certainly follow her career. The Sioux City Journal strategically placed a picture of Alison Ewing on the front page of the entertainment section and I was drawn in. I really didn’t want to write about politics today and I write and think too much about sport as it is so I had to search for an article. Although this article isn’t very newsy, it gives an incite into how hard people from the midwest have to work to become actors. She didn’t have the connections to higher ups like other actors do on both coasts but she kept pursuing and finally received a phone call to be cast in the musical Mamma. Acting is a profession that needs work day in and day out to make it big time. She talks about being worried about having that certain something that all the other big time actors have and she will find it through her tenacity. But what do I know, I only looked at the picture.

http://siouxcityjournal.com/lifestyles/local/article_25ccfdfd-eabf-5a59-9b1f-b74682b4fd21.html



School Closing Causes Confusion and Panic Among Student Athletes
November 3, 2010, 7:15 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

Dana College has closed its doors after 126 years of providing education and athletics to thousands of students. Imagine shopping for school supplies and dorm room décor just weeks before the start of fall semester, and then receiving an email that the college you applied to and stressed over making an athletic team is closing immediately. This situation became a reality for over 550 students and 150 staff and professors at the college. Professors had questions of where they were going to find teaching jobs. Coaches were faced with troubling questions of what to tell recruits to their teams and where they would find jobs themselves. Students found themselves put back into the position of what schools would accept them and if they would be eligible to play any sports.

Morningside College athletic director Jerry Schmutte received the news about the same time as the Dana students. “Obviously we wanted to help the students out. We will do the same as other institutions as we would hope they do for us in a difficult situation as this is.” Jerry stated. Midland University announced that it would honor all athletic scholarships and also give 90-day contracts to all coaches from Dana College who wished to move to their University. “It was all very overwhelming and confusing.” Taylor Martin, who transferred to Morningside College and plays for the Men’s Soccer team. “You pick your school and they tell you everything is going to be worked out and be fine. And then the school closes and you are left wondering where the heck am I going to go. Are they going to take my credits? Am I going to be eligible to play soccer? It was all very stressful.” Student athletes in some cases have it more difficult in finding the right school. They have to find the school good for their major and then find the right fit for their athletic endeavors. The closing of Dana did little to help their situations.

Taylor Martin ended up being ineligible for the men’s soccer team this year and that was only the beginning to his first semester at a new institution. Taylor, like many of his former classmates at Dana, are having to learn a brand new campus and academic routine. Class structure and size differs from college to college. Also the requirements for graduation can be vastly different depending on degrees from college to college. Schools reached out very quickly to the student athletes in an effort to make their teams better. But, schools still had to have the intended majors for the incoming students and financial aid was a nightmare for hundreds of student athletes simply looking for a place to call home. As we all near the end of the fall semester students look to get into a routine in their new schools away from the disheartening situation at Dana College. As some students inevitably fell through the cracks throughout the transition process student athletes look to continue to work through the process of getting settled in their studies and preparing for their sport through dedication and hard work.

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No More Books
October 29, 2010, 4:13 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_16463538

This article highlights the Denver University library and how they are removing over 140,000 books from their shelves. They are deciding to go more technology based and have more room for computers and space for people to discuss readings over technology. They will have stations for people to hook up their nooks or ipads to docks to electronically “check out” books from the library. They will have more outlets for computers to stay charged for research and papers. The space created will open up the library and make it more interactive friendly. The books being replaced will be stored in the basement or transferred to other libraries or book stores. I am indecisive on how I feel about this move. I do believe after being in college that sometimes you cannot just make a book electronic to get the same meaning. Hopefully they have computers in the library that contain encyclopedias and other information that can easily be printed off. With everyone needing instant gratification in today’s society the move doesn’t surprise me.