6-7-08
Website Funk
Ok, it looks like the "framing" on my website
is ALL wrong, not sure what's happening at the moment. So if the wallpaper
and background images seem to be stretched beyond the normal viewing angel,
don't worry its not you, its me (and Microsoft Frontpage). I will dig into
this in the future, just no time to fix the kinks.
3-14-08
I need to be a Hoe
Seriously. Why not?
I know I’m married, and yes, that would cause some complications, but in the
long run, imagine the incentives that would be available to me. Lets say I join
a Emperors Club type brothel, keep a black book of clients, cross my fingers
hoping I score a politician or Hollywood celebrity (notorious for getting
themselves in trouble) and BAM! As soon as one of them drops the ball, has a
scandal. . . I’m set for life.
Book deals, Made-For-T.V.-Movies, photos in local and mainstream magazines and
within a few week I’m a millionaire or better. I could even get a shot at
PlayGirl, have a great photo spread (and more cash) sell a few songs I was
"working" on, maybe even scribble on a few pieces of scrap paper, sign them, and
sell them for a high price.
Isn’t indecency just worth it!
Isn’t throwing your self worth and dignity, including any kind of morality, at
least worth a million bucks! That seems to be the case now-a-days.
Indecency and unethical behavior are highly profitable. You don’t see Eagle
Scouts getting book deals, magazine covers and widespread fame. So what’s it
worth being good any more? Why have any morals at all? It almost seems easier
to just toss it out the window, give into temptation, and hey, live a sweet
life. Its something that is, for a strange but true reason, easily acceptable
on just about any continent.
Well, thanks to Spitzers antics, he’s just elevated one of the Emperor’s Club
women to the millionaire club. The woman was unknown, until the scandal hit,
now she’s expected to be a millionaire by the end of the week. Scandals,
cover-ups, and shady life styles seem to be the cream of the crop, the quick way
to cash and highly profitable ventures.
So, here is the new road to success. No
hard work, no
schooling, no
sacrifice no
boundaries or ethics,
just sell yourself out. Sell it all out! And you too, can be on the road to a
new lifestyle, live the life of the rich and ultimately become infamous.
Makes me sick.
3-11-08
Prostitution: Good for the Fam!
Eliot Spitzers recent shenanigans with
high priced hookers has been despicable at best. There are so many avenues to
take this, I don't even know where to begin. I find several things amazing.
1. Liberals and Democrats creating excuses, and labeling this a tragedy. While
not too surprising (they would butcher Republicans) this is by far a tragedy.
This is simply stupid. And
reveals the depth of Spitzers morality.
2. Why do political wives sit by their husbands? If I was her, I would not
even have shown up to the press conference. Screw it. What kind of role
modeling is this, to stand by a cheating man? Athletes are expected to be "well
behaved" and be role models, why not politicians. . .and their wives!
3. Prostitution a private matter? No. If one can't handle his own morality,
choices and responsibilities in his private life, that ultimately leaks over
into his public life. That is why your private life MATTERS. It does affect
work, choices and who you are. This is not rocket science, but people want to
somehow separate job from private life. If you can't be
true while your alone, then you
can't be in your social (working) life, or in this case Public Office.
4. Prostitution does not hurt anyone. Wow. What a load of bull. I'm sure his
wife and kids feel FANTASTIC right about now.
5. Finally, I'm surprised he hasn't resigned. Talk about arrogance. This man
is truly full of himself, and should be removed from office immediately.
I'm gonna stop here, there is just too much irony and stupidity involved in this
matter, that its staggering. One needs no political alliance to see through the
filth. Just like Bill Clinton, Spitzer is driven by ambition and power, not by
morality and serving the public trust/matter.
Yet he still remains in office. This is not tragedy. . .this is a comedy.
3-4-08
A Bastard Sword of Grief +5
I just learned of Gary Gygax's death, and it
hit me like a bastard sword +4 with no helmet or chain mail to defend.
I don't know much about him, but you often find people who touch and influence
you the most are those behind the curtains. Behind the ideas, that are the
creative impulse of your imagination but you just don't know or see it until its
vanished. It is weird, in retrospect, growing old. So many of the childhood
things you hold so dear, slowly disappear around you. Arnold looks older.
Stallone moves slower. George Lucas sits down too much, it just all changes.
It has a more credible impact on the things you "loved" as a kid, and I for one,
loved playing AD&D, and can remember creating some crazy adventures and having
some of the best times of my life. For the record, I never dressed up, or took
it that far, but did have a blast coming up with storylines and new villains to
taunt fellow D&D enthusiasts.
I haven't played in about 10 years or more, but still have very fond memories of
it. It is a shame and saddening to see someone you didn't know existed, who
shaped a lot of what you did, suddenly fall off the planet. And its only then
you realize their impact. He made an incredible game, something shaped by his
own childhood, and in the forging of these ideas, shaped our own childhoods and
adventures in the process. He will be missed.
1-23-08
An Unfortunate RIP
Wow it has been a while since I last posted.
This year has already been flying by, before we know it, we're into the holidays
again. Insane.
Regardless, I woke up to the shocking news
that Heath Ledger has passed away, possibly due to a drug overdose. I
don't know if this is the case or not (however, it usually is) but it was a
bitter pill to swallow this morning. I can't help but feel for his 2 year
old daughter, who will never grow to truly know him.
I've already read many tributes, anger and
outrage at his sudden death, but I can't help but be sadden more by his choices
in life, that lead him down this path. If it is drug related, then there
is simply only one person to blame here, and that is Heath himself. And in
that scenario, it is hard to swell up with any kind of sympathy. The grown
man, did it to himself, ruined his career, and left a 2 year old daughter
behind. That is the saddest part of all.
I am still anxious to see his portrayal of
"The Joker" in the next Batman film, but it will be one shadowed by his memory,
and his horrible choice ( if it, indeed is drug related) of self destruction.
I'm often bewildered as to how anyone takes drugs at times. How many
commercials, after school specials, posters and preaching by your parents do you
see in a lifetime about the inherit danger of drugs. . . and then you still do
it? It is incredibly asinine and pompous, and clearly done out of self
gratification and ego.
I wish the man was still alive, could
continue his career, and be a father to his daughter, he was taken before his
time so they say, but Heath could have had all the time in the world.
We were robbed of him, not because of fate, or a cruel world, but because of his
own personal poor choices. It is shameful.
12-24-07
Its What Time?
Holy crap.
Where did this day come from? I have to
admit not a single day this year has even remotely felt like Christmas to me.
Its just zoomed by, without a single thought or emotion resonating with the
Christmas spirit. I'm not sure why, or how, but Christmas to me, this
year, just seemed terribly out of place.
Even the Christmas specials, filled with
Scrooge McDuck, Mickey Mouse and Charlie Brown, failed to strike a spark in me.
Hopefully this isn't a classic sign of becoming "old and crotchety.
Well, tonight we have our annual Christmas
eve dinner, huge rib eye steaks, baked potatoes and the obligatory salad.
Then our one day a year viewing of Rudolph. That classic still resonates
with me, and hopefully tonight, the last night possible, it will strike a match
in me and get ye old Christmas spirit running deep within the wellspring of my
soul. After that, we are watching Blade Runner, then Die Hard. So if
all else fails, that should jump start me.
Merry Christmas to everyone, I hope tomorrow
fills you, and your tree is spilling over with presents, though your chances of
getting an actual Wii are slim (hate to break it to you). Have a great new
year and enjoy this one magical time of the year, even if its become a little
old and rusty.
11-15-07
Evil
Picked up "Resident Evil: Umbrella
Chronicles" yesterday. I've yet to play it, but I'm a sucker for light
gun games. I pre-ordered "Ghost Squad" as well a few weeks ago from
Toys R Us, so that will be making the rounds here soon, and gracing my 8 foot
screen.
So, I must be the only one who passed on
Mario Galaxy. Yes, I purposely chose Evil over Mario.
I grew up on Mario, from day one, and I think
the character is enduring and probably the most popular gaming icon ever
created. But, like my previous opinions on Metroid and Zelda, I've just
grown tired of the formula. Of course the same argument can be made for
light gun games. But the honest truth is, I've barely played them, and
when I did, it was the early to late 80's in the arcades. They were
fun, and intense, and frankly I've missed them.
However, Mario, Zelda and Metroid have graced
my screen for over twenty years, and like the platform genre, I believe they
have gotten stale, and the formula too old (for me) to be as entertaining as it
once was. So as it stands, Mario Galaxy will only be a renter for this
family, unless I can find it cheap, 2 years from now, for about 10 bucks.
Even then, it would be questionable.
At this time I am looking forward to popping
in some Resident Evil, and scaring the crap out of myself. I am a new fan
to the series, having only played RE4 for the first time when it was launched on
the Wii, and found it to be an incredible game. As far as I'm concerned,
whenever a new one comes out, I'm there.
11-9-07
It Must Be Me
Does anyone else want to throw up when you walk into a store and hear Christmas
music?
Is
that just me? Didn't Halloween just end a week ago? I thought we
still had another holiday to hit, even before Christmas actually arrived?
Is
it just me?
Am
I the only one who looks at the ridiculous amount of decorations, and the
hurry to get as much crap on the shelves as soon as possible (in freaken
October) so people can start pretending its "that time of year" again?
Have we just completely lost patience, that we cannot even wait, 3 more weeks
until December to start breaking out the ham and jingle bells?
Perhaps it is just me. But my honest reaction to hearing Christmas music
blasting in October, is to projectile vomit out of simple disgust. I guess
perhaps I'm getting old, or maybe, this world is just getting nuts. Wow,
what has happened to me.
10-29-07
Immersion
Very few games "draw" me into the experience.
Many are fun, but few engage me on a deeper level then just plain/simple
entertainment.
Guitar Hero just changed all that. It
is essentially "guitar karaoke" to some degree, but there are times when I'm
playing it, that I forget I'm playing a game, and I'm completely immersed in the
experience or rocking to tunes in a new completely interactive way. It's
just crazy fun in its simplistic approach, and has me begging for more each
time.
This is by far one of the most addictive
games I've played in a long time, especially on the Wii. I never thought I
would enjoy it this much. My wife and I, without realizing it, played for
four hours straight the other day and were shocked when we finished. I
haven't played my Wii for four hours in an entire month, Guitar Hero put
us into a trance. And quite frankly, that does tend to happen as you watch
each note come down the screen.
If your even slightly curious, and intrigued
a bit by rhythm type games, this is one to get. This is my first time with
the game, and it was well worth the purchase. Though, I wish we could pick
up another guitar, so far, I don't see how that is possible, yet there is an
option for "co-op" play and VS mode. I guess you need to invite someone
over to play who already has it. Lame in a way. Hopefully Activision
will release a stand alone guitar (why wouldn't they?) soon. I'm going to
pop on-line here in a bit and see how awful I am. . .I really suck so far in
medium difficulty, but there is something about the game that just pushes you to
do better.
Check it out. It just might revitalize
your Wii.
10-28-07
3
Picked up Guitar Hero this morning at
Target. I haven't played it just yet, but I am eager to watch it on the
big screen and make a fool of myself in front of my kids.
Ghost Squad will be coming next week I
believe, and everything else is just going to have to wait. There are too
many temptations over the next few months, and I find it incredibly difficult at
times to pass them up (games). I'm not a game freak by any means and I
might spend a grand total of an hour with my Wii each week, but I do have a soft
spot for arcade style entertainment. I guess it must stem back to the days
when arcades were the place to be, hang out, and spend a ton of quarters.
It's one thing, from my youth, that has stuck to me all these years.
Well, I'm off, time to crank up Guitar Hero
III and watch Transformers (finally) on this lazy Sunday afternoon.
So much to do. . .
10-27-07
Halloween
Getting close. Counting down the days.
Stormtrooper area is updated with a few more pictures of jetpacks, gloves and
will probably get updated again soon before the big day hits. What was
once just another night, over the years, has turned out to be one of the most
anticipated nights, well besides Christmas, in our house hold. Lots of
fun, and updating our costumes and building new stuff each year has been a lot
of fun. I'm hoping to begin my "Boba Fett" costume soon, I don't
know if I'll be able to complete it by next year, but that is the goal.
Besides that I am anticipating Guitar Hero
III for the Wii, Ghost Squad (already ordered via Toys R Us for 29
bucks) and Battalion Wars 2. All of these titles look like they
are going to be a hit, which is something the Wii terribly needs. There
are a lot of games for this system, but a LOT of them are terrible and poorly
received. I have rented many of them and I am very thankful I did.
However Guitar Hero 3 looks awesome, and its
one franchise I've never tried before, simply because I've never owned any other
system then Nintendo, and to have a chance to play it for the first time is
pretty exciting. Plus, on a 8 foot screen it should be a lot of fun.
My HT room will be rocking, hopefully the bass won't wake the neighbors this
time.
Ok that's it. I'm out.
10-7-07
PVC
Updated my Stormtrooper area. Usually
around this time of year, I start getting the urge to make new tech for the
kids. This year, I'm adding two quick PVC backpacks to their Jango and
Boba Fett Halloween costumes. So far, its been fairly easy to do, and
pretty cheap. I was planning on building a stormtrooper backpack for
myself, but it will have to wait for next year. There are a few pictures up
at least of the first backpack built in the Stormtrooper section. More to
come at a later date, hopefully before Halloween.
Oh, walked into Lowe's Friday morning. . .
Christmas was everywhere.
Ridiculous. . .
10-2-07
Gym-zilla
So far my weeks at the gym haven't killed me,
though it is a monster that teeters daily with an effort to steer me away
from my routine. Why is improving ones life so difficult at times?
I can't complain though, I've gained 5 pounds
in 3 weeks (not fat mind you) so there have been significant results which I'm
happy to see. Why this never happened in high school, is beyond me.
But gaining weight for me is like a midget winning a height contest. Near
impossible.
However I am enjoying it the more I attend,
sure there are guys there that make you feel like a 12 year old (even some
women) but I've realized everyone started somewhere, and I have gotten to the
point that I almost completely ignore everyone else. Not in a mean
spirited way, but to help me simply stay focused, and not discouraged every time
I glance up. That in itself is a monster that threatens your improvement.
But I guess that goes with everything you do. Through my art, parenting
skills and just my daily existence. It's easy to get discouraged, off
track, and comparing yourself to "everyone" else. I think you soon
realize, that its all just a waste of time, and a monster that can easily
destroy you, quickly.
9-20-07
Bizarre
I was a little shocked, to say the least,
that Bloomberg in New York had even considered allowing the Iranian president
Ahmadinejad to tour ground zero. It appears to me this person is not
fit for office, if he had to even think TWICE about this particular offer.
It would be like letting Hitler, during WW2 come tour the White House, for
kicks.
What in the world is wrong with our leaders
today? There is something missing in Washington, and its a spinal column.
Perhaps they can use some of those tax dollars for embryonic stem-cell research
and clone a few backbones. The last thing we need is more policies, more
government, and more terrorists actually visiting the country to say hello.
Its amazing to me that this hate filled Iranian leader can even step foot into
the country to just give a speech in the U.N.
Absolutely, and utterly, bizarre.
9-19-07
2147
If you are a Captain Power fan, I
encourage you to head to this site:
http://20th.captainpower.com/
(copy and paste it, otherwise it will open
in "this" frame and look awful)
It launched today, with numerous updates to
come. If you don't know anything about Captain Power, then I would
check it out anyway. It was a fun ride while it lasted during the early
eighties, and would most likely do as equally well today. Especially with
all the advances in CGI and sci/fi adventure series that have started to flood
the market.
I remember having many of the toys, watching
the entire series, and having a blast with the VHS videotapes. I'm not
going to rattle on about here, just check out the site. You may just have
a deja-vu moment.
9-17-07
Pain
After a 15 year hiatus, I have started to go
to the gym again. The pain one feels when first starting this
routine is equivalent to receiving a colon irrigation with nitro glycerin.
It isn't pleasant.
But now that I'm into my 2nd week, things are
starting to calm down. I'm hoping I can continue going strong for at least
the first 3 months before calling it quits. It's always the hardest.
It has made me realize just how "painful" everything truly is in life.
From the mental to the physical, anything requiring change or improvement is an
incredibly demanding, painful and sometimes aggravating process. Of
course, this is nothing new but it's always still surprising what it takes
to introduce something new to one's existence.
Its also painful to ones wallet. Gym
expenses are peculiar, to say the least, and frankly I'm surprised I wasn't
charged for exhaling during my workout. Granted they have more
equipment and programs than anyone could ask for, but I realized quickly, that
it isn't the membership fee that really creates a profit for them.
It is failure.
People who continue to drop in and out of the
gym, changing their plans, quitting only to come back again. It is the
"fee's" that drive them, that continue to stack up every time you "change
your mind" once you've become a member. And our inability to actually
deal with the pain that is associated with working out, and making those
significant changes. Perhaps its a bizarre way of viewing it, but the
fee's really stuck out in my mind the most. I'm sure many people who work
there aren't betting on you to loose of course, but it seems to me, there is
somewhat of a mindset that you will change your mind, you will quit, over and
over again (similar to drinking or smoking habits). Why?
Because of the pain.
9-7-07
Halo: E for Everyone
School started this week for the kids.
2nd and 1st grade, so needless to say (but I'm going to say it) they are at
school all day.
Sweet.
The first day of school had a shocker
for me. sitting at my sons table was one kid, who apparently, at 7 years
old, plays Halo.
Halo, and Halo 2.
At first I thought, no, not you. But after he described the controls and
environments, I walked out of the classroom disgusted. What a shame.
He loves it of course, and described how his step dad lets him play "before"
school (8 in the morning) and was anxious to get home and play some more.
Wow. What great stimulation
right before school. It was just a disturbing conversation. So, for
all of you playing multiplayer on Halo, guess what! A few of your
opponents are in 2nd grade! Yes!
8-30-07
Formula
I have arrived at a place I never thought I'd
be. . . stagnant. I'm not sure if that is the best word to describe my
current state when it comes to video games, but nevertheless, here is where I
sit.
I will probably be one of the few who
plans on "renting" Metroid Prime 3. . .not "owning" it. Now,
this is blasphemous among Nintendo fandom, but, even though I was among the
first ones to own and play the very fist Metroid, Zelda, Mega Man and every
other franchise, 25 years of the same old "formula' has now grown on me,
and I have grown weary from it.
I am still trying to beat Zelda Twilight
Princess for Moses sake. Metroid is almost the blood brother of Zelda,
and is nothing more then, in my most humble opinion, "Zelda in Space".
They are similar in almost every way, minus a few details, and these games now
have become tedious to complete, and for me, the fun has been sucked dry.
They tout themselves as Action/Adventure, but they feel more like
puzzle/fetch/puzzle/fetch and then some action.
There is an audience for this, and there is
nothing wrong with it, but I continuously get bashed for having this opinion.
Perhaps I'm just growing old, and will in doubt start yelling at kids to get off
my brown lawn, but Zelda and Metroid, among all the others, has had this formula
for so long, that its become boring, slow, grinding and a tedious affair to get
through each and every mission (especially backtracking in a level and fetching
the infamous item of whatever, the worst offenders).
So, until a new "formula" is generated for
these franchises, I will stick to just renting, or for the infamous bargain bin
a few years down the road. And maybe one day, I will beat Zelda.
8-25-07
The Nanny Paradigm
Apparently there has been a spike in internet
searches over the employment of "nannies". Thanks to the new movie opening
up this weekend and several reality shows devoted to the subject of the "2nd
mother" apparently. . . everyone has nanny fever.
This is a new paradigm, in my opinion, that
is starting to change the landscape. Where once daycare was touted as the
golden ratio for parents too busy to take care of their own, now hiring a
complete stranger, to take up residence and take over the duties as "mother", is
the new fashionable paradox and is as socially acceptable as farting in public.
Am I the only one who finds this odd? I
was watching an episode of "Friends" the other day, and watching Rachel
continuously hand off her new born baby to her nanny. Of course, she stops
to breast feed, but hey, one has to have a social life right? Something
just stopped me in my tracks as I watched each and every episode, as these
characters just went on with their lives, only stopping to feed and cloth the
baby, while someone else, someone more devoted, took care of her. Now,
these are fictional characters, yes, but this is how many view life, and exactly
how children are treated today. I'm too busy for you, so here is
someone who has more time and energy to take care of you.
Now, nannies are good and caring people don't
get me wrong, what I find interesting is that many nannies are actually MORE
devoted to the children, and know MORE about the children, then their OWN
parents. Which is frankly, a shame. I guess my question is. . . why
have the children, if you have no time for them? Why have them, to pass
off to someone else? What was the reason or purpose of even having them?
It's not nannies I'm bashing, just the
absence of responsibility and devotion of parents today. There is just a
strange, and bizarre phenomenon at work in today's culture, where its just
accepted to hand off children like your average pet. And expect someone
else to do all the work.
8-18-07
Really Bad
There really is something perverse happening
with comedy. We've gone from the silliness, slapstick antics of Airplane
and the Naked Gun, to embarrassing-type humor (found in the Fokkers films)
and over the top crude, profanity filled films like Superbad. Where
everything is just disgusting, and humor is layered with a sticky mind numbing
substance, that substitutes clever comedy, with sexual references and more
profanity then a federal prison. This is today's comedic formula for
comedy.
What I find even more shocking, is how many
young actors, or kids, are landing roles in these type of vulgar pictures.
I have two young boys of my own, and I could not even imagine letting them take
part in such filth. I am simply bewildered and dazed by a parents decision
to let their own children take part in a film such as Superbad. I
think the last thing I would want to hear and see is my own son looking at
porno, having sex, and buying alcohol even if it is "just a film". I could
never sit through such drivel, much less give the "ok" for my son to take part
in it.
But, who cares right? It will do well,
sell millions on DVD, and people will continue to act as if its Shakespearean
comedy for the 20th century. It's just sad. . . and what breaks my heart
the most is the parents who were ok with this.
8-16-07
G.I. what?
Website continues with its background image
issues. If this site frames funny, you can thank me later. I wish
I was a programmer but it has been a talent missing from my utility belt for
many years.
Well regardless, I heard recently that
G.I.Joe, the supposed live action film, will be helmed by none
other then Steven Sommers (sorry if I'm spelling this wrong). I can
honestly say, we're in trouble, if indeed these rumors are true.
I'm not sure if I'm up for a "live action"
G.I. Joe film. Perhaps computer animated, or even back to the old
school 2D animation, but live action seems to be ill fitted to this series.
The last Joe film didn't even make it to theaters, went straight to VHS, and
died a quiet death. Though it still shares space on my DVD shelf to this
day, since Rhino released it about 8 years ago, it is far from a stellar
film. And if it turns out anything like the Mummy movies, or worse yet Van
Helsing (I'm still licking wounds from that crap-fest), this latest Joe film is
already on its way to a quick, painful and embarrassing death. Too
judgmental? Maybe. But all you have to do is look at Sommers earlier
work, and you will be reaching for the nearest vomit bag within moments.
Yo Joe.
8-14-07
Jacked
My website is a little messed up at the
moment, so please excuse the odd placement of the menus and update frame
(depending upon your resolution). After 5 years, I still can't get this
right.
8-13-07
Wooden Entertainment
Added a new gallery called "The Club House".
Nothing there just yet, only one quick picture. Like the Home Theater
area, this will be another construction blog as I attempt to create a
space-themed clubhouse for my kids. Not just a tree house, a full on
digital club house (on the ground), featuring 5.1 surround, working cannons and
electronics, flight suits, the whole thing ( I currently have a running list
with inspiration spanning from Star Trek, Star Wars to Halo). Will it
be done this year? heck no. This will take a while. I am no
craftsman, or electrician, or anything else that requires tools, but hey,
drawing it is at least fun.
This will be updated throughout the coming
fall season, as I attempt to work out the details. Don't expect much for
the first few months. I will also be working on my stage and seat risers
for my HT room as well, so there is already a lot going on. However, in
the background, I will continue to pump out drawings and nail down just what
works, and what doesn't.
Until then, just enjoy the first quick marker
rendering. Soon, it will be bombarded with new ideas.
8-7-07
Green Pixels
Snagged the latest release of the CGI film
TMNT and watched it on the big screen. Looked and sounded great, and
though its far from a masterpiece (they have plot holes the size of Jupiter
that are even more noticeable with the 2nd viewing) I enjoyed
watching it again, this time with less kids and less distraction at the local
cinema.
The disc is bare bones though, even the
Deluxe edition. I have yet to listen to the commentary, but dual-layered
discs are an annoyance beyond the capabilities of human language. I can't
believe "flip" discs are still being produced, so the movie had to be flipped
once in trying to locate the actual, widescreen version, I was hoping to nail
the first time. Ridiculous.
Muppet Show Season 2, was also a quick
purchase, but I've yet to watch any of the new (well old) season. Having
grown up on them, they are a unique treasure of their own. Brilliant, funny
stuff.
Tonight we are watching Monster Squad,
and then later this week The Host. Should be fun.
7-30-07
"Waggle me This!"
Waggle seems to be the way to go when it
comes to the Wii control scheme. After seeing a quick demo of Lego Star
Wars The Complete Series, I realized that developers need to be more
creative with their control schemes. This "waggle" method has already
gotten old in the world of motion controls, and is increasingly feeling like a
cop-out of good control design.
The Nintendo-Thumb of the 80's will be
usurped by the "waggle-wrists" of the new millennia. Yes it gets
old and Yes it actually gets irritating after a while. I'm amazed
at how the actual developers, game designers, and in most part the game testers
don't say anything about this. Are they being bought off? Or simply
don't care?
If motion control or motion sensitive gaming
isn't expanded upon, the era of waggle will come to a quick end. Surely
there is something more innovative or simplistic then slamming your wrists back
and forth? This can't possibly be the future of gaming? I don't
think Wii is a gimmick by any means, but so far, many of the mediocre control
designs have been.
7-17-07
TRANSFORMERS. . .?
Well, Transformers now reaches its second
weekend at the box office, and continues to collect an enormous amount of cash,
which I'm sure for Michael Bay releases him from the coming apocalypse by
DreamWorks pictures, had his film failed. Many of his past films have fallen to
the way side (bombing at the box office), making the average person wonder. .
.how does he continue to get work?
Well, along comes an 80's favorite to save
his skin, and in my most humble opinion, he manages to pull this one off by the
skin of his teeth. This is, like I stated before, an event type
movie. It's fun with friends and the random people you sit next to in the
theaters. However, beyond that, this is one of the most shallow,
predictable pop corn spectacles you will see all summer.
Don't get me wrong, the robots are fantastic,
transformations great to watch, but I couldn't get past the feeling that the
actual heroes of the movie, seem to be guest stars in their own flick. I
was itching to see more of these machines, however its a good hour or so into
the movie, that the Autobots and Decepticons get any sort of screen time.
And once they become a focal point, the camera becomes restless, and the ability
to "focus" on one character at a time is like watching those home videos
of earthquakes. Nothing makes any sense.
Bay gets close to hitting the right beats,
but seems to prematurely pull away, dragging the film out to its almost
illogical conclusion. Many of the secondary characters are
stereotypical and cliché, including the humor, which you have seen/heard a
thousand times before. Including a LONG drawn out scene as Sam tries to
hide the Autobots from his parents right outside his house. It was just
another scene that I've seen before, was predictable, and really not that funny.
I was slightly disappointed by the film.
Yes, it has some great action moments (if you can actually decipher what's on
screen) and I had a few chills as the first transformations happened, and the
two rival factions began to engage one another. However, in the inevitable
sequel, I hope Bay can focus more on the robots themselves, keep the camera
still for longer then 1.6 seconds, and give us a more coherent, engaging story
line. And the last thing we need is another "hot" computer analyst.
I think this is part of the problem with Bay, all flash, no substance.
He's good at finding and delivering eye candy, but what your left with his this
hollow, empty feeling. As if there could have been and should have been so
much more.
7-3-07
Transformers
I'm going to add my personal review of the
movie later today, I'm still chewing on my thoughts. However, I would
suggest you see it as soon as possible. This is, without a doubt, a
theater movie, and needs to be experienced with a large group of people.
Don't let the opportunity pass you by.
I will chime in later with some thoughts.
For now, go see it.
6-24-07
Zombies & Parties
I have recently made two new additions to my
Wii library. I don't usually buy a ton of games during a consoles first
year of launch. Why? Generally the games are there to show off
hardware, are crap ports, or hastily released to meet a time table, and not
gamers expectations.
So, the two games I picked up, have already
past the test, and have proven to be reliable. First up is "Resident
Evil 4: Wii Edition". A two year old game, re-released for the
Wii, with some extra control features. Now, I never played the original,
nor have I played any Resident Evil game, but after all the hype and
great reviews (and a price tag of only 29 bucks) I decided to give in.
WELL WORTH IT.
The graphics may be two years old, but the
game play is dead on, suspenseful, and will have you releasing a bowl movement
unexpectedly. Any game that can do that, is worth every penny. I'm
not going to go into a huge review (there are easy to find on-line, and in
uncountable numbers) but for a cheap price tag, it is a lot of game, including
extra content from the PS2 version. Great stuff.
Mario Party 8 racks up the
final purchase. I have never owned a single one of these titles.
They have always been a rental for me. However, now that I have two kids
who are older and enjoying games for the first time (no they are not playing
RE4) this game was a good investment. Especially when friends/relatives
show up. The only problem I have with Mario Party is the price tag.
Apparently these are released every year, and very little has changed as far as
graphics and style. A more appropriate price tag would be somewhere around
30 bucks unless there is a major overhaul. I would have also liked an
on-line option. Though the game shines when four people are physically in
the room, to play with my cohorts on the east coast is still an option I would
have loved to had and would have used a great deal. Nintendo
is still moving at a snails pace on this issue. Many games have been
released that would have been stellar, had this option been available.
6-15-07
Sums it up
This pretty much says it all when it comes to
immigrants and assimilation, from Theodore Roosevelt:
"In the first place, we should insist that if the
immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates
himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else,
for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed,
or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming
in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no
divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something
else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the
American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the
English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt, 1907.
Freaken brilliant!
6-13-07
Schools Out: Time to Brawl
My first grader and kindergartner have
officially finished school. Now my wife and I must survive three, very,
very long months. Now that I've "grown up" and have kids of my
own, this very scenario reminds me of Bill Cosby. There were quiet a few
episodes where Cliff and Clair were simply ecstatic when school "started up"
again. They were exuberant when the kids finally made it out of the house,
and they survived the long months. When I was a kid, I didn't get
it.
Now. . . I do. Those episodes take on a
whole new meaning.
Anyways, we will spend our days keeping up
with school (activities, workbooks, reading), but also squeeze in plenty of
movies and video games as the time passes. I didn't finish a movie room
for nothing!
Picked up another Virtual Console for the Wii
the other day. Golden Axe. What I remember from this
game harkens back to the arcade days. Nonetheless, its a pretty
straightforward brawler, as medieval brawlers go. I'm hoping to pick up
the second one, including Streets of Rage (first one), so we can have an "All
Brawler Weekend" in the home theater room. Nothing like the 16-bit era
splattered on an 8 foot screen, pumped through 7 channels of digital audio.
Let's just hope it holds up. They are much more entertaining when the
characters are the size of a small child, and every thud and crack can be heard.
Of course, we will not be doing this all summer, but I am looking forward
to putting that room to good use.
6-9-07
Blonde Frenzy
Isn't it amazing how celebrities somehow
create a circus of the media and the judicial system with the littlest of ease?
This latest incident with Paris Hilton is simply embarrassing to watch, and I
feel no remorse for her situation. I see it as nothing more then pathetic.
This says a lot about Paris. I keep
hearing she's supposedly "brilliant" and "smart". I'm sorry. . . I don't
see it. Nor have I ever seen it. Unless brilliance is revealed by
showing some flesh for burgers and showing the world how "ditsy" you are by
being in a reality show. Or perhaps the brilliance was revealed in her
supposed "sex tape". Maybe that is where I missed her manifesto.
Anything's possible.
Unfortunately, this is just a spoiled child.
The funny thing is, I'm sure her parents feel no shame in this situation.
I'm sure they are not looking at Paris saying to themselves "what have I done".
No one in this family is going to learn a lesson. They are simply too far
removed from "real life" to understand that the punishment is just and that they
are being treated fairly (and up to this point with extreme leniency).
I seriously doubt she will stay in jail the
entire time, somewhere, somehow, she will be released, but the obvious lesson
the judge (and society) wanted to place on her will be lost within the media
frenzy, book deals and interviews that are sure to come shortly thereafter.
Only celebrities can rise from jail and become more popular, more valuable and
make more money off their supposed "ordeal".
However, that is the heart of the Hiltons.
Money, fame and the spotlight. To hell with learning a lesson.
6-2-07
Rage of the Machines
When Sega and Nintendo were head to head,
knocking each other around in the early to late eighties, I had chosen my side.
And it was Nintendo. It was the first console I had ever owned, and
practically the first video game(s) I had ever played, and twenty plus years
later, it still has left its mark.
However, my close and dear friend, going on
twenty years now, had taken camp with the enemy. Resting on his shelves
was the black menace known as the Sega Genesis. I never knew
much about Sega, only that they were fighting with Nintendo to dominate the home
console market. Nevertheless, I remember quite a few titles gracing the "enemies"
screen that left a mark just as deep and bloody as the NES or SNES.
Streets of Rage was one of them.
Today I downloaded "Streets of Rage 2"
for the Wii. It is my first Sega title, and probably not the last.
Who knew twenty plus years later, I would enjoy what was once taboo, after your
"side" had been chosen. So far, SoR2 has been a blast to
play, bringing home that old school brawler that I used to love so much, and to
be honest, kicks the pants off "Final Fight" for the SNES. 2
Player Co-Op is the first kill against Final Fight. I never
understood why the dropped that out. Also, more characters to choose from,
and special moves. Mix in a hip-hop soundtrack, that to this day still
rocks, and you have a game that is standing the test of time.
I think I will definitely pick up the 3rd
entry when it comes out, that and TMNT: Turtles in Time, which is
also a joy to play from the SNES days. If you like old school/arcade type
brawlers, then this is a "must" to add to your library. And this is coming
from someone, who rarely played the "competition" at the time. Thanks to
the "fog of war", I just may have missed out on a lot of classic games, but the
V.C. has given me a second chance.
5-30-07
Of Marrow and Bone
Well it happened. Somewhere inside I
knew it would, I just wasn't sure when. But like anything else that sneaks
up on you, yesterday was a normal day. Washing dishes, doing laundry,
straightening up the house, then, that phone call.
Perhaps it is the one call that many parents
dread. I do, and have, and always will. My youngest son (5)
managed to break his left arm at school while racing someone during recess.
It somehow managed to fall right under him, bending and snapping his forearm,
giving a slight bend to the flesh. Though the bone did not snap completely
in two, it was enough to cause quite a sight.
I have personally never experienced such a
traumatic event. Even my wife has never seen or experienced a broken bone
of any kind. Sure, my friends have had it, you see them all the time
when your in school. It appears as if its an "everyday" kind of
thing. It just happens. But, when you go "through it", its something
else entirely.
After a six hour ER visit, I was pretty
exhausted in the end, and my son was also on the verge of just toppling over and
sleeping until next Wednesday. It really was quite the ordeal, I was
amazed at what had to happen to get something as simple as a broken bone, back
into shape. And I have to say, I've never in my life heard my son scream
the way he did. That is something a parent I don't think can forget.
I am a bit queasy around needles, so yesterday was a challenge, to say the
LEAST. But my son was brave, resilient and went through some stuff that I
am not even sure I could stomach. And I'm not just saying that because he
is my son, but because it is the truth. He's tough, and I think he got it
from my wife, who displayed a lot of courage and support yesterday that made me
realize two things. I've got a son who is a fighter and will be fine in
life, and when it comes to women, God put me into the path of an equally strong
and loving wife. I have no clue how I've gotten so lucky.
5-26-07
Empty Chest
Well, I just got in from Pirates 3, about an
hour ago. And unfortunately, I just don't have that much of an opinion
about it. Not anything thought provoking, I should say.
It was long. Loud. Convoluted to
the point of nausea, with plot points too complicated to follow, simply because
of the pacing of the film, and for that matter, the fact that you could barely
understand anything anyone was saying. Seriously. I could have sworn
at times no one was speaking English. Regardless, I left the
theater, empty. Meaning, it just left no valuable impression on me, it was
filled to the brim with special FX (which were fantastic) and very, very, very
loud noises, but lacked a coherent story line and an emotional appeal. I
just found myself eyeing the clock, for far too long. Though I guess, what
can you expect. All the tricks and devices of this film, have pretty much
been done to death in the previous two, so perhaps in the long run, we're all
suckers for the same stuff. This is, nonetheless, one of the most "forced"
trilogies I've ever seen, and I think a lot of the writing and plot devices
reveal its true nature.
Well, it will be a cash-cow. They will
break records, and fill the banks, and have their spin-offs. Though the
first film is great, and stands alone just fine, the next two are simply a mixed
soup of subplots/plot points/vendettas/tricks/backstabbing and every other trick
in the book. When I emerged from the theater, I felt exactly like the 2nd
film, a "dead man's chest". For heart, is one thing missing from this
picture.
5-25-07
Movie Mania
Just finished, in essence, my home theater
room, so we are lined up with movies this weekend. I will also be heading
out to see Pirates III, and whenever I get around to it, Spiderman 3.
Never cared for any of the films, but, I'd like to see the last one, if nothing
more then to see how they butcher Venoms minimal screen time.
Besides that, its going to be pretty typical
weekend. Memorial Day I believe is a strange time. I don't see it as
this happy, go-lucky weekend. It really is a more somber time, not a
weekend of SALES! SALES! SALES!! As its now touted to be.
Every weekend now seems to be a Christmas weekend, and it kind of makes me sick.
I am a veteran, and served in the Army, but
I've just never seen this day from a retail/BBQ/time-off kind of weekend.
It is a weekend of reflection, mourning, and peace. Not how much you can
get off at Target this weekend. I would encourage anyone to just chill and
reflect this weekend, about how many lives have died, and are no longer with us,
to give you this time and freedom that, by human nature, is just so easy to pass
off, and ignore.
5-23-07
Still just plain busy with the HT room,
which is now about 98% complete, after almost two long years of labor.
Everything seems to be coming together, minus a few things here and there, with
decorations and curtain hanging (which I hate). Its fun to test things in
that room though, Mike Tyson's Punch Out on an 8ft screen is something to
behold, if not almost too big, but once again "Heatseeker" is still a blast to
play that large. If your not careful, however, you can quickly get wrapped
up in the sudden camera moves and plane chases, creating some near
"vomiting" moments. My wife can't even stay in the room for 30 seconds
when I pop the game in, however, the kids love it.
There seems to be an interesting line up of
games coming out for the Wii, not only in new software titles, but some
interesting virtual console games on the horizon. I may dig deep, and pick
up Streets of Rage 2, yet I'm still holding my points for the TMNT 2 arcade
game. It should have been released earlier, during the TMNT movie craze,
but it seems they missed a grand opportunity, now, I guess we'll be twiddling
our thumbs until its launched.
5-15-07
Huh?
Ok, I guess I'm behind in some areas, but I
just found out stamps went up again. AGAIN? It is amazing how stamps
continue to rise but the service I receive from the post office
continues to go down. So, with those extra pennies will the postman
be "nicer" to me and actually make eye contact? Will there be extra staff
at the post office to make the 30 to 45 minute wait a bit shorter (beside
removing the clocks)?
After 30 plus years, will there really be a
difference? What justifies the rise in price? Where does this money
go? My letters have never been particularly heavy. Why does the post
office offer discounts to "junk mailers" but continues to rise the price on us
to mail out a simple letter?
Brilliant. Simply, brilliant.
5-14-07
Heating the Potential
Heatseeker (though unanimously
scoring mediocre reviews across the board), has proven itself to be pretty
entertaining, intense and simply fun to play, regardless of its second-rate
technical prowess and last-gen graphics. The reviews have been pretty
consistent (unlike many other highly regarded games) across the internet,
both from Gamespot, IGN, NIntendo Power and various other
sites including user reviews. There is "good" and "awful" to
be sure, but it's worth a rental nonetheless, and if you enjoy mindless jet dog
fighting, then this is the game for you. I will not write a huge review
here, however, this is a game that is more about "taste" then anything else.
There is a LOT missing from this game.
A multiplayer aspect would have been great, not necessarily for dog-fighting
each other, but for co-op missions, and on-line skirmishes would have been
thrilling, propelling this title to a much higher score, regardless of its less
then impressive graphics. However, it appears Nintendo hasn't gotten their
act together when it comes to on-line play, making it rather difficult for any
3rd party designer to take advantage of the service, leaving many of the games
lacking extra features, that have become standard for other consoles. Many
of the games that have been released would have been fantastic, had there been
an online component, especially with their launch title Wii Sports. That
would have been a homerun.
Nonetheless, this game, like many others
released thus far, are missing out on some stellar game play, and potential,
due to the desire to release games quickly (Spider-Man 3 falls into this
category and much more) and for whatever the reason, forgetting the
potential of multiplayer (TMNT fell flat on this by a large margin that still
has me scratching my head). Heatseeker is a fun game, but could have
been great, with such a feature added.
Here is the awful trend of many of the Wii
games being released. They are rushed, ported, sloppy and missing some of
the most basic multiplayer aspects; not on-line, but just a good 1-2 player
gaming modes. I find it bizarre to say the least. Many of the games
available scream multiplayer, but simply do not offer it. I am digressing
a bit here, but having only purchased 3 games, but rented many (thank the lord)
I've noticed this steady trend, that may end up killing the Wii if these things
don't change. There is a lot of potential in this console, but very few
are utilizing it. More on-line support, more multiplayer,
and less ports would be a great step in the right direction.
5-4-07
Mach 8
Well, I did something today I don't typically
do. I picked up a new game. I haven't paid for a Wii game, since
Christmas (besides the virtual console stuff) and have been itching for
something new. The odd thing is, I bought it without hearing or scoping
out many reviews.
Reviews on games are not the "end all"
for me, but they do tend to lean in the right direction. There are simply
more "bad" games out there today, then good ones and to run out and purchase
something because it "looks" good can put a dent in your wallet fast.
However, in this particular game, I couldn't
resist. For some reason, I just simply enjoy arcade jet fighting sims, and
"Heatseeker" is one title I've kept my eye on for a while. I
have yet to play it, so I have zero info to share on its merits. But I
have watched plenty of behind the scenes video, game play video, and tech
interviews to already scope it out many of its flaws and merits. I'll
chime back in later with a "mini" review. I plan on firing it up on my 8
foot screen to get the full fudge effect. Its really one of the reasons
why I bought it. Some games are just a blast to play, when the screen is
larger then you, no matter how awful the review. But, I'm still cautious
regardless. 50 bucks for a crap game is a sore spot, and can leave you
feeling guilty for weeks.
5-3-07
Virtual Green
I believe earlier this week, TMNT the
Arcade Game for the NES was announced for the virtual console. I
remember spending many hours on this game with my brother, that and its
follow up, the SNES adventure Turtles in Time, was a classic
brawler-button-masher adventure, one I don't mind living again, or purchasing
for that matter.
It must be somewhere around 15 to 20 years
since I LAST played those games, and to see them come full circle back to the VC
is pretty amazing. Though the SNES has not been announced, I'm sure it is
on the horizon. From what I can tell, there seems to be no logic to the VC
releases however. I would really like to see just who, and how, these
titles are being selected and released. Surely somewhere, someone, is
making the call (by throwing darts at "select" titles apparently) yet the
selections are being held tightly to the vest. It looks as if they
are all "last minute" decisions, and hey, perhaps that is the case, but a little
continuity to the releases and some order would be a welcome addition.
Regardless, the beat goes on.
In the meantime, I have rented Paper Mario
for the Wii, and am actively seeking out "Heatseeker". I have not
purchased a game since Christmas, and though Zelda has kept me busy, I am
itching for something new to grace the screen. Soaring above the skies at
mach 2 on an 8 foot screen sounds like a lot of fun. Besides the motion
sickness.
4-16-07
Nothing
Not much happening at the moment. My
attention is still concentrated on our HT room that is nearing completion.
Not too much left in that area, thankfully. I am looking forward to
watching (this fall) all the summer movies once they are released onto DVD.
Ninja Turtles, Transformers and Pirates (to name a few) should be fun to watch,
and a lot less annoying due to peoples inability to stop talking and turn
off their phones during a film.
Besides that, I'm still trying to beat
Punch Out when I get the chance. Soda-Popinski keeps kicking my butt.
There have definitely been some lag issues with the controller when it
comes to timing your dodges and punches just right. I have lost more times
then necessary due to the issue, so I can't imagine fighting Mr. Dream (Mike
Tyson) with finicky controls. I hear people with HDTV's are having
more difficulties, however I don't understand how that correlates to the
controller, but, alas the problem appears wide spread.
Hopefully some more "interesting" titles will
soon hit the VC the following months as we approach summer. I've yet to pick up
any new game titles since Christmas, (and beat Zelda for that matter).
I've resorted to only renting games, due to some lackluster ports, and poor
reviews for many of the games currently available. Virtual Console has
proven itself more entertaining and fun then some of the recent games.
4-17-07
Gun Control?
Well, it didn't take long for the drive-by
media to jump on the bandwagon with their "templates" for gun control and
psycho-babble concerning the incident yesterday at Virginia Tech.
Unbelievable.
It does not cease to amaze me. Is it
me? My age? Why has the media become ridiculously predictable?
What happened yesterday was insane. I don't think it was a tragedy, but a
simple, evil act by a single person, who probably years ago, was already loosing
it. A bad term paper, or a broken relationship doesn't send you over the
edge instantaneously. Whatever happened yesterday, was something festering
for a long time. This person defined evil, through his acts, his plotting
and the audacity to think it was ok to take human life, so indiscriminately
because of society, or whatever else was bugging him.
But regardless, the politicians continue to
prove they are out of the mainstream, and completely out of touch with real
human beings. Just watch, they will spin this in every direction possible,
including blaming President Bush, the NRA, push further legislation for gun
control, and possibly even narrow it down to fast food chains. Hey, its
the media, they have templates for "everything".
Just watch.
4-16-07
PUNCH OUT
Ok, I did it. I purchased Punch Out
today on the VC. Without hardly any effort, I managed to get up to, well,
the Indian tiger guy (I can't remember his name). Regardless, I was
surprised at how much "came back to me" as I played. Though I never beat
Tyson (or Mr. Dream in this case) I could hold my own for a bit. Watching
the boxers twitch, giving you clear cut signs as to when your doom is about to
approach, was another "wink" at its creativity and its repetitiveness.
Once you get the rhythm down, its a home run.
Though, I will still never beat Tyson. .
.couldn't then (1988), and probably won't now. It will be fun to watch my
kids enjoy the game. Even though we will never beat it.
4-13-07
Just had to chime in. I've been busy
working on my home theater, and it has simply eaten up all my time, every day,
including my money, which is always nice.
However, we are nearing the end of this,
after two years, so I am getting a bit antsy. It's only natural.
I am still hooked on Starfox. Its just
one of those games that's fun to blast your way through, and frankly is
incredibly easy to pick up and play. Today I switched over to component
cables in my HT room to test them out, and needless to say, there was a vast
improvement of image quality. Starfox also, looked great on the big screen
(8ft) and watching the channels fill up the entire space in front of me, made me
feel like I had just jumped "into" my Wii. Great stuff.
That's all I have for now, I am curious to
see what comes out this week on the VC. As of now, I've heard zero.
Frankly we need more 64 titles, and there are very few 8 bit NES games that I
would like to add, I barely can remember any of the games anymore. I guess
we'll find out soon. Thanks for stopping by!
4-3-07
Starfox
Well, I decided to skip out on the TMNT
virtual console game, and picked up Starfox 64 instead. The arcade version
of TMNT is about the only copy I'd like to see, and who knows when that will be
released. But, regardless, so far Starfox has been blast to play again.
I'd say the only drawback to the game is
having to literally start over each time. This seems to be the bane of
many of the old school games, which seemed to run deep into the 64 bit era.
I don't remember if it was "always" like this, but it simply is a pain in the
rump to start over, and over and over, and over again, to get to the same point
where you had trouble, without any mercy!
The game is not terribly difficult, but it
has its moments, and having to restart for a section that proves to be a hassle,
just adds to the frustration. Nevertheless, it is a fast paced game,
enjoyable to play again, and the kids seem to enjoy it. It still amazes me
that these appear to be "new" games for my kids, when they have sat on shelves
and entertained an entirely different generations for almost 15 years.
Aye, time does fly by.
4-1-07
TMNT NES?
Apparently, TMNT (original NES version) and
Starfox 64 should be hitting the Virtual Console this Monday. I don't know
if its true or not, or just another April Fools prank, but it sounds pretty
sweet. These are definitely two titles I will pick up and play again.
I seem to remember an arcade TMNT released on the SuperNes a long time ago, I
may be mistaken, but that is another one I'd love to add.
I'm not sure why Nintendo didn't roll with
the TMNT movie, and release a bunch of the original games on the VC to
correspond with the movie, it would have been great, and quite possibly, a
complete sell out of the titles. Nonetheless, hopefully they will take
advantage of these old school movie tie-ins in the future.
3-30-07
SITE ISSUES
Site is sort of under construction.
I've noticed some display errors while working on someone else's computer, while
viewing my site. Not sure what is or was going on, but will hopefully
figure it out soon. I'm not sure why the website appears to function
properly on my own computer, but looks awful on everything else. So,
forgive my lack of programming knowledge as I figure this out.
Besides that, I've mostly been concentrating
on my HT room, and ordered a few more speakers, and by next week, should have
some wire on the way. We'll see. Ok, I'm out. I need to go
play some Blazing Angels on the Nintendo Wii. Not the greatest game, but
for some reason, just lots of fun to play.
3-23-07 (Part 2)
TMNT
Well, I checked out the movie this morning,
and besides a ridiculous assortment of crying babies, kids running around and
just plain rude people/behavior, I enjoyed what graced the screen.
I don't have a lot of adjectives to describe
it. It's not a stellar, phenomenal, sublime or even a fantastic restart of
any kind. TMNT was just. . .good. Plain and simple. It was
your average, good, flick.
However, the creature and character design
were simply top notch. I don't know who put these together specifically
(these "redesigns") but the characters and monsters were fantastic, and the
depth of field in this movie was also a wonder to behold. There were an
uncountable number of frames that I would have loved to have screen captured for
my HT room, simply because of the fantastic compositions each and every frame
brought to the table. The level of grit and grime attached to each
character and camera shot, also brought this story to life, and I think,
visually, it was fantastic.
Besides its wonderful artistic palette, the
story, dialogue and jokes (more then not falling flat, though a few had me
chuckling) were sort of, "run of the mill". And I was surprised that once
again, Leonardo and Raphael still had to work out their differences, it seems to
be the one token trade mark of each of the films. For being a "sequel" I
thought by now, Raph and Leo had worked things out, but, apparently not.
I'm not going to ramble on, but if you were
debating about checking it out, your money won't be wasted. No, its not a
great restart, like Batman Begins, but it was still very entertaining and
visceral in its layer of grit and energetic compositions.
3-23-07
TMNT
Getting ready to head out and see TMNT.
I'm hoping for the best, though the reviews seem mostly negative. However,
I'm not sure what you can expect from such an obscure comic book story.
We'll see. I'm just surprised I'm seeing this film at an 11:45 a.m time slot.
I guess when you have kids, it all just changes.
Besides that, I've been concentrating on our
home theater. Carpet should be coming soon, possibly next week, right now,
I'm building up some of the sound boards, to help dampen the room a bit for
better sound. So far so good.
Ok, das it. I'm out. Off to the
ridiculously priced theaters.
3-11-07
Theater Quagmire
Just been busy with the Home theater room for
a bit, and should have some nice features in place over the next month. It
has been a very slow process, but finally, this year, some stuff is being
upgraded and added, including new carpet, new seating and (after 13 years) brand
new front speakers.
Besides that, not much else going on.
Trying to get through Twilight Princess (Nintendo); currently I'm stuck
on a ridiculous puzzle that has frankly, taken the fun out of it. Every
once in a while I hit a snag with this game, and it can be incredibly
frustrating, and borders on just being absurd. However, that is Zelda
sometimes. Nevertheless, not much else to do on the Wii right now.
Games have come to a trickle, and the Virtual Console hasn't been too exciting
just yet. Nintendo 64 titles have just been too scarce, and I'm about sick
of platform games at the moment.
It would be great to have more on-line
capabilities but Nintendo seems to be holding their cards close to the chest,
and not revealing or perhaps, allowing, any on-line games to take place.
There have been a few games, lining up to release soon, that would have been
great for Wi-Fi or on-line play, but it looks like they will, once again, deny
us access. I'm not sure why. They made a huge fuss over the Wii being
on-line and never "sleeping" but I find it to be just the opposite. At
times I feel like I'm on a dial-up connection, and updates are hours behind
schedule. Not exactly "awake" in my book.
2-22-07
Tears of Justice
I heard the judge, in the Anna Nicole case
was actually crying at the verdict this afternoon. Wow. . .uh, why?
What a circus. . . a pathetic one to say the least. Even in her death, she
somehow gets associated with the weirdest people. . . simply amazing.
However, it shouldn't be surprising.
Anna's life was a circus from day one. There is nothing to admire here,
not a shred. This is a woman who lived her life pretty haphazardly,
indulging in everything life had to offer, relying solely on beauty/looks to
pave her way into the culture, slept with numerous men (we may never know the
full number) and rose to fame on the backs of sleazy tabloids and pin-up
magazines. This is admirable?
Look at the end of her life. What did
it benefit her? Look at the circus and chaos it has created for everyone
around her, including her daughter. I hear there are websites dedicated to
her already (lets be honest, you now the "movie of the week" deal is already in
progress somewhere) within hours of her death, and there were some pretty
amazing things written down on her behalf. People who "loved" her, and
wanted to "be like her" and already miss her.
I'm sorry. . . you've got to be kidding.
I'm not even sure how to comment to that
nonsense. This is not the role model anyone wants for their kids,
especially their little girls. The last thing we need, is another Anna.
I don't feel sorry for her, I was shocked by her death, but at the same time,
when the emotion quickly left, I realized there really is nothing shocking here.
You live your life on the edge, take a destructive path, surround yourself with
destructive and selfish people, this is the outcome, this is your life. No
rewards in the end, she was digging her own grave for a long time, in the
choices she made and the direction she decided to take. The quick and easy
path seems to glow when you first place your foot down, but the further you
travel down, you discover the glow fades, and the glitter becomes worthless.
The same camera flashes that were there to capture your beauty/talent, are only
there now to capture your fall and demise in the end.
The only person in this whole fiasco I have
any sympathy for is her daughter. Not because she has lost a mom, or may
never know her true father, but because of the embarrassing legacy she will have
to look back on. The turmoil and shallow emptiness her mother created and
lived in. I think, in the end, it will be interesting to see how her
daughter responds and what she becomes. Hopefully it will be nothing like
her mom.
2-16-06
Symbolic nonsense
I just wanted to give a shout out to
congress, for passing that wonderful "do nothing" resolution in the house today.
What a COLOSSAL waste of time and money. They have spent the entire week
yelling and debating at the top of their lungs, to give us nothing more then a
gutless, pathetic resolution that is insulting to the troops and a slap in the
face to the military families of this country. The Democrats have proven
to be cowards, and completely out of touch with reality. Today's
resolution offers no solutions, or worthiness of print.
I honestly, can't believe, these are the
people running the country. . . . ok, I'm done, I can't even bring myself
to say any more about this. Yeah Congress! Your the best!
2-16-06
I'm 36 pushing 20
I believe I am now officially, a DS freak.
The little system continues to impress me, with every title I pick up.
I've just taken the plunge into the new genre of "brain training' games, and
purchased "Brain Age". For the record, my current "Brain Age"
is at 36 (I'm 32, so, that's close right? I'm on target. . . . ) however
the software is quick to point out that a brain age of "20" is the ideal and
ultimately what your shooting for.
It is an unusual title at best, but I have
found myself fairly addicted to its style of game play, if you can indeed call
it "game play". Solving math problems quickly (sorry, I hate math
but this is fun), reading out loud, yelling into the mic, memorizing numbers as
quickly as possible and various other "brain training" mini-games that can
quickly stimulate you like a large cup of coffee in the morning. I never
thought