So I put up my wishlist blog. I'd like to say it went off without a hitch, but hitches were, in fact, involved. However, it looks like it was a problem on Blogger's end, not mine, so everything is fine now.
That said, I am left with a large empty list that needs filling, and I'm hesitant about what to put on it. I've decreed that, until Christmas, I will not buy anything I list, and I'm already kicking myself over putting the Titanium Bumblebee on there... I want it now! Maybe I'll just get two of him, since he rocks so hardcore. One MIP, the other open for display.
But that's not where the fears end. I want a Wii. I'm certain of that much. And a pre-Christmas launch is practically guarenteed. But do I want to add it to my list? What are my chances of actually getting it, when you factor in the (comparatively) hefty $250 (or thereabouts) price tag, plus the holiday rush. Everyone remembers the X-Box 360 rush, right? I'll probably have the best shot out of anyone in my family for getting one, since I work at a Target, and should have no trouble getting a hold of one as soon as they're on sale. I suppose that's what I should do, just buy it myself, and add the games and accessories to the wishlist. Of course, in any case I should wait until after I'm sure of the details of the Wii release. Plans do change, after all, and I don't wanna get stuck with a bunch of Gamecube games that I can't play yet.
I'm probably going to do better about adding books to the list, though. I was debating adding A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines, thinking that I might want to read it before the holidays, but I've decided I can wait. Oh, the artificially intelligent goodness...
Okay, I'm off to add a few touches to the list, then sleep. X_X
27.8.06
25.8.06
What Do I Want For Christmas?
It's Fall. Well, not technically, but pretty much. School is starting, temperatures are dropping, and not as many people are wearing swimsuits to Target anymore. So what does all this mean? It's time for me to write up a Christmas List.
Usually it's not a hard task. Just write up a list of thing I want and forward it to everyone in my family. But this year I have a couple of quandries. The first being that I think I got ONE thing off my list between both my birthday and Christmas. Not that I don't appriciate the one thing, or that I didn't get some other stuff that was pretty cool, too. It's just... I got a lot of stuff that, honestly, wasn't. I have the problem of liking Star Wars and Transformers. So, even without looking at the list (the real reason I have to get these things out early) all they have to do is look for a toy within whatever they've decided is their price range that's been branded with one of those logos and voila, I am satisfied.
...Yeah right. What am I supposed to do with a Darth Vader sprinkler? Or a half dozen Minicons from a Transformers series I never liked? Where's the video games I asked for? Or maybe the book? Or those movies? Why the hell did I get I <3 Huckabees?
Maybe I'm selfish. I mean, I dunno. Should I resist asking for things over $20? I can't really think of anything I want under that price range. Movies maybe, and the occasional Transformer. This year is actually pretty good in the Transformers front, between the Titanium series and Cybertron's toys being not so bad, so hopefully I'll get a whole bunch more of those.
Of course, the other problem I have this year that wasn't really an issue in years past is that I have a job and a paycheck. When there's something I want, I buy it. I no longer HAVE to wait until late December for things I want. This instant gratification is probably bad for me, though, beyond the obvious problem of metaphorically cutting the legs out from under my Wish List.
One other problem that just sorta hit me is: I want a few things that might not be the best things to unwrap in a family setting. Do I really wanna explain how a show about inner city black kids living in a white suburb (The Boondocks DVD set) got on my Christmas list? Or the adventures of four Japanese schoolgirls (Strawberry Marshmallow)? Or... well, lets just say my wish list is rated PG-13, and my family isn't, really.
What I think I'll do is start another blog. This one is going to be a Wish list only journal. I'll have the first post dated for Christmas of this year, keeping it on top until after the big day (and maybe moving it back every year and keeping it a running thing. I'll edit new posts with things I want and why I want them, but keep the main top post as a comprehensive list of the things I want, and release dates. I'm wondering if it would be tacky to post prices for the things I want? Probably. Anyway, I'll give you guys that link when I get it up and running. Bye for now.
Usually it's not a hard task. Just write up a list of thing I want and forward it to everyone in my family. But this year I have a couple of quandries. The first being that I think I got ONE thing off my list between both my birthday and Christmas. Not that I don't appriciate the one thing, or that I didn't get some other stuff that was pretty cool, too. It's just... I got a lot of stuff that, honestly, wasn't. I have the problem of liking Star Wars and Transformers. So, even without looking at the list (the real reason I have to get these things out early) all they have to do is look for a toy within whatever they've decided is their price range that's been branded with one of those logos and voila, I am satisfied.
...Yeah right. What am I supposed to do with a Darth Vader sprinkler? Or a half dozen Minicons from a Transformers series I never liked? Where's the video games I asked for? Or maybe the book? Or those movies? Why the hell did I get I <3 Huckabees?
Maybe I'm selfish. I mean, I dunno. Should I resist asking for things over $20? I can't really think of anything I want under that price range. Movies maybe, and the occasional Transformer. This year is actually pretty good in the Transformers front, between the Titanium series and Cybertron's toys being not so bad, so hopefully I'll get a whole bunch more of those.
Of course, the other problem I have this year that wasn't really an issue in years past is that I have a job and a paycheck. When there's something I want, I buy it. I no longer HAVE to wait until late December for things I want. This instant gratification is probably bad for me, though, beyond the obvious problem of metaphorically cutting the legs out from under my Wish List.
One other problem that just sorta hit me is: I want a few things that might not be the best things to unwrap in a family setting. Do I really wanna explain how a show about inner city black kids living in a white suburb (The Boondocks DVD set) got on my Christmas list? Or the adventures of four Japanese schoolgirls (Strawberry Marshmallow)? Or... well, lets just say my wish list is rated PG-13, and my family isn't, really.
What I think I'll do is start another blog. This one is going to be a Wish list only journal. I'll have the first post dated for Christmas of this year, keeping it on top until after the big day (and maybe moving it back every year and keeping it a running thing. I'll edit new posts with things I want and why I want them, but keep the main top post as a comprehensive list of the things I want, and release dates. I'm wondering if it would be tacky to post prices for the things I want? Probably. Anyway, I'll give you guys that link when I get it up and running. Bye for now.
24.8.06
Idle Thoughts
Wow. I was listening to Bob FM, the local "we play anything, we're like an iPod on shuffle" radio station, and The Spice Girls "Wannabe" came on. I listened to it, and, for cheesy pop, it wasn't bad. I'm not about to get their CD, or add the song to my (still pretty meager) play list, but in small doses, like once every year or so, it's okay. I think the same is true for all pop.
I have three random thoughts buzzing through my head right now. I'll get to the others in a second, but since the first is related to my opening, it gets to be first. Obviously. So yeah, speaking of pop music. I've noticed it seems to go in trends. For each time period, it all seems to mostly have the same sound, and pop music as a whole gradually shifts into differing sounds as time goes on.
So here's my question. Suppose, do to a warping of space time, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, are all caught in a time warp while recording their first album together as the Beatles. They never become the hit sensation of the sixties, and instead emerge, well, today, with a fully completed album meant for release 40 years ago.
My question is: Would that album sell today?
Obviously, if someone re-released one of the Beatles albums today, it would sell decently, simply because of the fame and reputation the Beatles have. But in my scenario, there is no popularity, or at least, it's not theirs. They have to start from scratch, basically. Would their sound play in today's music scene? Would the class of 2010 be begging for "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" on TRL Live?
I don't really have an answer, I just thought it was an interesting question. Feel free to comment yourself.
The next item on my mind came to me while I was at work. Of all the toys we sell at Target, the Bratz dolls (dollz?) give me arguably the most ethical quandries. They are, to my mind, hyper-sexed versions of Barbie Dolls, a group of friends who's primary goal in life seems to be getting the hottest clothes and strutting them around to, supposedly, impress the Bratz Boyz. They currently come in three varieties: The normal Adult / Highschooler size, Baby Bratz, which features infants wearing clothes no parent in their right mind would actually put on a baby, and now the Bratz Kidz, which are a bit more toned down, to actually look like the target audience.
Today, though, I was struck by something. No real reason for it, but I remembered something I read in the Wikipedia article on them (hey, I was really bored). Specifically, this line.
Finally, a hypothetical. Suppose there was a nation with not just supposed but proven nuclear powers. AND the historically proven willingness to use them on nations they consider their enemies. This nation is lead by a group of religious zealots who believe that they are doing God's work by imposing their beliefs in the Middle East. They are a good deal of the reason that region is screwed up, in fact. In addition, they are simply a drain on the world as a whole. They use a huge amount of resources while contributing nearly nothing, and are in debt to nearly every other nation in the world. Plus, their army is kinda occupied at the time.
So basically, what I'm saying is, does anyone wanna invade the United States of America? Here's how I see it. Canada can engage the northern border. I predict that a quick strike to the north-east could take out tactical targets in New England and such. Tactical nuclear missiles launched from North Korea could proably take out military targets on the west coast before we had any real chance to react. China could probably front a large invasion army on foot, and the European Union might be able to bring in its own forces. I suppose the real target would be Washington DC, of course, so that would have to be controlled by European forces. Heck, though, every little bit counts. I'll bet Australia and New Zealand could do a good job of blockading the Hawaiian Islands, and maybe even hit Southern California. Please note, I don't advocate the targeting of civilian targets, either here or abroad. But really, we deserve it. And besides, if nothing else, it will at least help pull our troops out of Iraq.
Actually, someone told me that, if we really got invaded, they'd probably start the draft. I doubt it would help if the whole world was really after us, but I doubt they will be, so yeah... Scratch that.
I have three random thoughts buzzing through my head right now. I'll get to the others in a second, but since the first is related to my opening, it gets to be first. Obviously. So yeah, speaking of pop music. I've noticed it seems to go in trends. For each time period, it all seems to mostly have the same sound, and pop music as a whole gradually shifts into differing sounds as time goes on.
So here's my question. Suppose, do to a warping of space time, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, are all caught in a time warp while recording their first album together as the Beatles. They never become the hit sensation of the sixties, and instead emerge, well, today, with a fully completed album meant for release 40 years ago.
My question is: Would that album sell today?
Obviously, if someone re-released one of the Beatles albums today, it would sell decently, simply because of the fame and reputation the Beatles have. But in my scenario, there is no popularity, or at least, it's not theirs. They have to start from scratch, basically. Would their sound play in today's music scene? Would the class of 2010 be begging for "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" on TRL Live?
I don't really have an answer, I just thought it was an interesting question. Feel free to comment yourself.
The next item on my mind came to me while I was at work. Of all the toys we sell at Target, the Bratz dolls (dollz?) give me arguably the most ethical quandries. They are, to my mind, hyper-sexed versions of Barbie Dolls, a group of friends who's primary goal in life seems to be getting the hottest clothes and strutting them around to, supposedly, impress the Bratz Boyz. They currently come in three varieties: The normal Adult / Highschooler size, Baby Bratz, which features infants wearing clothes no parent in their right mind would actually put on a baby, and now the Bratz Kidz, which are a bit more toned down, to actually look like the target audience.
Today, though, I was struck by something. No real reason for it, but I remembered something I read in the Wikipedia article on them (hey, I was really bored). Specifically, this line.
...Yasmin (based on CEO Isaac Larian's own daughter, Jasmin)...How creepy would that be? To know there was a doll based on you, and thosands of little girls around the world were playing with you, probably lots of little boys ripping your head of their sisters dolls, who knows how many perverts doing who knows what to you.... It would creep me out. I hope young Jasmin is okay.
Finally, a hypothetical. Suppose there was a nation with not just supposed but proven nuclear powers. AND the historically proven willingness to use them on nations they consider their enemies. This nation is lead by a group of religious zealots who believe that they are doing God's work by imposing their beliefs in the Middle East. They are a good deal of the reason that region is screwed up, in fact. In addition, they are simply a drain on the world as a whole. They use a huge amount of resources while contributing nearly nothing, and are in debt to nearly every other nation in the world. Plus, their army is kinda occupied at the time.
So basically, what I'm saying is, does anyone wanna invade the United States of America? Here's how I see it. Canada can engage the northern border. I predict that a quick strike to the north-east could take out tactical targets in New England and such. Tactical nuclear missiles launched from North Korea could proably take out military targets on the west coast before we had any real chance to react. China could probably front a large invasion army on foot, and the European Union might be able to bring in its own forces. I suppose the real target would be Washington DC, of course, so that would have to be controlled by European forces. Heck, though, every little bit counts. I'll bet Australia and New Zealand could do a good job of blockading the Hawaiian Islands, and maybe even hit Southern California. Please note, I don't advocate the targeting of civilian targets, either here or abroad. But really, we deserve it. And besides, if nothing else, it will at least help pull our troops out of Iraq.
Actually, someone told me that, if we really got invaded, they'd probably start the draft. I doubt it would help if the whole world was really after us, but I doubt they will be, so yeah... Scratch that.
14.8.06
Random Surprise Manga!
Well, I was looking for my notebook that I used as a journal of sorts while I was on break. I figured it was time to write up all that great stuff I'd written in the middle of the night while watching the Daily Show. Even on vacation, I have no life. X_X To make matters worse, I couldn't find the notebook. However, the bug has bitten, so I shall begin writing.
Whilst looking for the notebook, I found a couple of manga volumes I'd thought I'd lost. Rosen Maiden vol 1 and Kingdom Hearts vol 3. Last time I'd seen them, I'd left them in Jersey at my dad's place. Apparently PJ and Danny managed to bring them back. So now my backlog is growing. I've got those two to read (even though I already read KHv4, so yeah...) plus I'm half way through Negima vol 9, and the first sets of Strawberry Marshmallow (I hate saying that, I wish they'd kept it as Ichigo Mashimaro) and something called Q-Ko-Chan, about an alien robot girl, or some such nonsense, by the guys who did FLCL, and you can really tell. I'm pretty sure I've already talked about Negima, just look WAAAY WAAAY back for it, but Ichigo Mashimaro I might have neglected. Now that it's been localized, I've got to recommend it to everyone I know. It is absolutely the cutest series on the face of the planet, and as near as I can tell the entire purpose of it is to be cute fluff. No epic plots, no on-going drama, just light silly fluff about four elementary aged girls and the teenager who has to watch over them. Cute, not lolicon.
In other realms of media, I've gotten my hands on a few spiffy DVD's. V for Vendetta was great. I only saw it in theaters the once, and that was all it took to make me want to own it for ever and ever. I've watched it on DVD twice now, on back to back nights. Totally worth it. Ranks up there with the original Matrix movie. I've also gotten a few cartoon DVD's, as is my want. Strawberry Marshmallow vol 1 and Teen Titans season 1. I'm watching the latter now, on my brand spiffy old laptop, which has been designated my Media Machine whilst I game or surf the Internet. It's basically what I was using my 2nd monitor for when it was in a dual monitor setup, only now it doesn't take any RAM or processor power while I'm playing WoW.
So yeah, I'm up to my armpits in manga and movies. That's all cool and fun. I'm also up to my eyeballs in work. I was working like 3 days a week, max, over Summer break. Apparently, now that school's back in session, all the high schoolers are quitting, and my work week just shot from 18 hours to the full 40. X_X~ I'd prefer 20-30, honestly. Maybe something like 25, and you call me now and again to come in and pick up hours. Ah well. So I'm working five nights a week. The money isn't too bad, and I like what I do, for the most part. Better than being in food service or clothing retail.
Speaking of writing bugs (I swear I was earlier...) I wanna do another installment in my Detective Greg Series that I love so much. I have a semi-loose story idea, and some concepts I'd like to include. I'm aiming for something a tad more epic than the previous issues, and more mature, with less random sex for the purpose of random sex. Epic, and a little real romance, maybe with just a hint of yaoi. ^_^
That's really gotten to be a pet peeve of mine. Movies / stories where people fall in love just because the writer wants them too. I was watching V for Vendetta, for instance, and that's one where I could kinda see where the romance was coming from. Evey was in love with V because of Stolkholm syndrome, and V wanted vengance more than anything. But in lots of other stories, you just see them fawning over each other for no apparent reason. Is that love? Really? I mean, I can undestand it in comedies, where "love" is a plot device and not really an important factor. But for something like the Matrix, where Neo and Trinity were only in love because they said so... I dunno, it just felt off. It worked in the first one, but fell apart for the second two. So yeah, you know what I'm talking about.
So in my story, my new one, I'm gonna show some real love. Maybe writing can do it easier than film. The written word has a tendancy to be introspective, while film shows only the surface, and, when introspection is needed, only vague images are shown, a 2D interpretation of what is usually a 4D affair of the mind. The mind does not show up well on photographs, though. It can be narrated, sometimes.
Okay, my brain is pretty fried. I bid you all farewell, for now. Hopefully I can get around to actually writing this story. And if any of you wanna draw it in comic form, that might work, too. *Shrugs.*
Whilst looking for the notebook, I found a couple of manga volumes I'd thought I'd lost. Rosen Maiden vol 1 and Kingdom Hearts vol 3. Last time I'd seen them, I'd left them in Jersey at my dad's place. Apparently PJ and Danny managed to bring them back. So now my backlog is growing. I've got those two to read (even though I already read KHv4, so yeah...) plus I'm half way through Negima vol 9, and the first sets of Strawberry Marshmallow (I hate saying that, I wish they'd kept it as Ichigo Mashimaro) and something called Q-Ko-Chan, about an alien robot girl, or some such nonsense, by the guys who did FLCL, and you can really tell. I'm pretty sure I've already talked about Negima, just look WAAAY WAAAY back for it, but Ichigo Mashimaro I might have neglected. Now that it's been localized, I've got to recommend it to everyone I know. It is absolutely the cutest series on the face of the planet, and as near as I can tell the entire purpose of it is to be cute fluff. No epic plots, no on-going drama, just light silly fluff about four elementary aged girls and the teenager who has to watch over them. Cute, not lolicon.
In other realms of media, I've gotten my hands on a few spiffy DVD's. V for Vendetta was great. I only saw it in theaters the once, and that was all it took to make me want to own it for ever and ever. I've watched it on DVD twice now, on back to back nights. Totally worth it. Ranks up there with the original Matrix movie. I've also gotten a few cartoon DVD's, as is my want. Strawberry Marshmallow vol 1 and Teen Titans season 1. I'm watching the latter now, on my brand spiffy old laptop, which has been designated my Media Machine whilst I game or surf the Internet. It's basically what I was using my 2nd monitor for when it was in a dual monitor setup, only now it doesn't take any RAM or processor power while I'm playing WoW.
So yeah, I'm up to my armpits in manga and movies. That's all cool and fun. I'm also up to my eyeballs in work. I was working like 3 days a week, max, over Summer break. Apparently, now that school's back in session, all the high schoolers are quitting, and my work week just shot from 18 hours to the full 40. X_X~ I'd prefer 20-30, honestly. Maybe something like 25, and you call me now and again to come in and pick up hours. Ah well. So I'm working five nights a week. The money isn't too bad, and I like what I do, for the most part. Better than being in food service or clothing retail.
Speaking of writing bugs (I swear I was earlier...) I wanna do another installment in my Detective Greg Series that I love so much. I have a semi-loose story idea, and some concepts I'd like to include. I'm aiming for something a tad more epic than the previous issues, and more mature, with less random sex for the purpose of random sex. Epic, and a little real romance, maybe with just a hint of yaoi. ^_^
That's really gotten to be a pet peeve of mine. Movies / stories where people fall in love just because the writer wants them too. I was watching V for Vendetta, for instance, and that's one where I could kinda see where the romance was coming from. Evey was in love with V because of Stolkholm syndrome, and V wanted vengance more than anything. But in lots of other stories, you just see them fawning over each other for no apparent reason. Is that love? Really? I mean, I can undestand it in comedies, where "love" is a plot device and not really an important factor. But for something like the Matrix, where Neo and Trinity were only in love because they said so... I dunno, it just felt off. It worked in the first one, but fell apart for the second two. So yeah, you know what I'm talking about.
So in my story, my new one, I'm gonna show some real love. Maybe writing can do it easier than film. The written word has a tendancy to be introspective, while film shows only the surface, and, when introspection is needed, only vague images are shown, a 2D interpretation of what is usually a 4D affair of the mind. The mind does not show up well on photographs, though. It can be narrated, sometimes.
Okay, my brain is pretty fried. I bid you all farewell, for now. Hopefully I can get around to actually writing this story. And if any of you wanna draw it in comic form, that might work, too. *Shrugs.*
10.8.06
Headlines - Indecision 2006
Saw this on Google news. "The Republicans will exploit Joe Lieberman's defeat by painting the Democrats as anti-military and weak on national security, say Washington observers." Just so you know, Lieberman was defeated in the senatorial primaries for the state of Connecticut (I think), by Ned Lamont. I saw Mr. Lamont on the Colbert Report, and for my money, Lieberman's defeat can be at least partially linked to the Senator's unwillingness to appear on the show following his opponent.
But the part about this that gets me is how they are using Lieberman's defeat to Lamont as a sign that the Democratic party is anti-military. See, the thing is, Lamont is an Iraqi veteran. I fail to see how voting a military man into office makes you against the military. *Shrugs.* I guess this is why I'm not in politics. Or the military. (This and hundreds of other reasons.
But the part about this that gets me is how they are using Lieberman's defeat to Lamont as a sign that the Democratic party is anti-military. See, the thing is, Lamont is an Iraqi veteran. I fail to see how voting a military man into office makes you against the military. *Shrugs.* I guess this is why I'm not in politics. Or the military. (This and hundreds of other reasons.
2.8.06
1.8.06
Star Wars Lego Symphony
Because I haven't gotten around to writing about my trip (and yes, I am back) I thought this might entertain you guys. Enjoy.
14.7.06
Those BASTARDS!
Okay, time I spilled the beans, I guess. In addition to having a wonderful job (kinda sorta), a newly re-emerging college career (third times the charm?) and a nice two week vacation in southern California (with family, but I suppose that's not worth complaining about), I've gotten a new computer for myself.
Nothing fancy, it's pretty much this year's old bottom of the line model, but it'll beat my current laptop, and it's a desktop, so I can actually tinker with it, rather than having to plunk down a thousand bucks each time I need to upgrade something. I'm hoping that it'll be able to run World Of Warcraft better (and World of ColbertCraft, but that's not as big a concern).
Also, this'll free me up to ride my laptop a bit lighter, hopefully enabling it to be more of the portable-utility computer it was designed, rather than a 24-7 main machine. Of course, I'm still taking my laptop on vacation, but after that, I'm putting it up for a while, and letting it rest. I'll probably rest it by draining it's battery all the way down, which should be fun to watch. "Nooo help me.... Can't... turn... hard drive... or... talk... at... normal... rate... ugh."
So anyway, that's all great and stuff. But then, why haven't I already done this? Well, that's the catch. I'm sure you're all wondering how I got it. I mean, being the penniless no-gooder I am, I can't afford to buy $400 computers at the drop of a hat. I buy $40 DVD box sets at the drop of a hat. (Oh boy, I loves me some House M.D.) So where'd it come from? It's a long story, which I shall retell now, because I like telling stories, the longer the better.
Last Friday I was awoken by my mom. I was needed for babysitting duty again. I got to tag along with her to keep her company while her mom and mine go do adult things like shop at Hobby Lobby. It doesn't help me with MY hobbies. Luckily, the Toys'R'Us across the street does, so I take Clara in there, and, despite my money-hemmoraging ways, I manage to keep from buying anything, and so does the three-year-old that's NOT me. Well, that's something of a bum trip, but it's still better than going to Hobby Lobby and not buying anything.
So, after a good half-day of shopping, we ended up going to Michael's, which is another hobby store, so by everyone, I mean everyone but me. I elected to visit the nearby Best Buy. Clara decided to stay with the ladies because last time she visited Best Buy someone (okay, it was me, accidentally) left an iPod on too loud and people started yelling in an episode of 24. So now she's scared of the place, and I got to go alone. After about 10 minutes of browsing I saw that they have pretty much the same titles for movies and games I didn't want last time I was there, about a week or two earlier. Having no new software to check out, I decide to go look at the hardware.
Lemme preface this by saying that I'm much more of a software guy than hardware. I value content over substance, if that makes any sense. You could have all the technological advances in the world, but if you just use it to show Christian Moral Pagents from the 14th century, or play Pong in high definition, I could care less. That's why I didn't really care for the Star Wars Special Edition edits, for one thing. They didn't add anything but fluff to the story (and giving Greedo the appearance of a complete twit, instead of just a halfwit, by letting him shoot first and miss and point blank range).
That said, the hardware didn't really impress me. I went and looked at the new Blu-Ray DVD player. Okay, so now the pictures a little clearer. Maybe I need new glasses, but I don't really see the difference there. So all I was looking at was a shiny box hooked up to a TV. Not really interesting, especially considering the only movie I'd consider buying for it is Underworld 2. So I moved on, and started browsing the computers. I saw the high end one I wanted, for about $600 without a monitor, and since I've already got a monitor, I'm good on that front. But I walked around a bit and see that they got even cheaper, and if I knocked out the extra bits I don't want or need, like hard drive space or memory card readers, and focus on the good stuff, like RAM and video cards, I would be able to save a bit. So I found the bugger, and it's $350 apx. That's about $300 more than I have to spend, but I decide that I'd been a good guy, and I deserved a treat. So when Mom arrived to fetch me, I put on my sad puppy face and showed her the one I wanted. I figured I'd go for broke, since I was already there, and if that didn't work I'd ask for the West Wing or House on DVD, or maybe just a PS2 game if that failed.
Anyway, I showed her the one, and she asked me, "What are you gonna do for it?" I replied that I'd get great grades in school the next semester. She apparently thought that was fair, with one caveot. I had to apply to ACC before I could hook it up. That sounded fair enough, it takes maybe a half hour to sign up no problem. We get it, and then I hop online right away to find.... The site said Fall Registration wouldn't open until the 14th. I had to wait a week, and even then, I was going on vacation right afterwards, so I wouldn't get to test out my new box until the very end of the month when I get back. And so I decided, okay, I'll just apply at midnight and have it set up before I leave in the morning.
Which brings me to why I'm writing this now. This page shows that I probably won't be able to apply until some time in a week or two. X_X. Oh well, either way I'm still getting to use it after vacation, so yay me!
Okay, end of story. I've figured out how to include movies in images, I think. Gimme a second here. Okay, check this out.
Nifty lil' gif, eh? You can click it to bring it up on it's own, if you want. Then do me a favor. Save it
then save it again, as a .rar, and see what that does.
Edit: FUCK! Blogger saved it as a PNG? Why!? Ah, how am I supposed to show you guys my cool animated gif's now? Hrmmm... I'm sure I'll solve this dilemma at a later date. For now, though.... Just ask me and I'll send you the picture over AIM.
I am full of tricks, I am.
And just so I don't forget: "copy /b KHCOM.gif + haunted.rar haunted.gif"... I'll let you google that up and see what you get. Hehehe.
Nothing fancy, it's pretty much this year's old bottom of the line model, but it'll beat my current laptop, and it's a desktop, so I can actually tinker with it, rather than having to plunk down a thousand bucks each time I need to upgrade something. I'm hoping that it'll be able to run World Of Warcraft better (and World of ColbertCraft, but that's not as big a concern).
Also, this'll free me up to ride my laptop a bit lighter, hopefully enabling it to be more of the portable-utility computer it was designed, rather than a 24-7 main machine. Of course, I'm still taking my laptop on vacation, but after that, I'm putting it up for a while, and letting it rest. I'll probably rest it by draining it's battery all the way down, which should be fun to watch. "Nooo help me.... Can't... turn... hard drive... or... talk... at... normal... rate... ugh."
So anyway, that's all great and stuff. But then, why haven't I already done this? Well, that's the catch. I'm sure you're all wondering how I got it. I mean, being the penniless no-gooder I am, I can't afford to buy $400 computers at the drop of a hat. I buy $40 DVD box sets at the drop of a hat. (Oh boy, I loves me some House M.D.) So where'd it come from? It's a long story, which I shall retell now, because I like telling stories, the longer the better.
Last Friday I was awoken by my mom. I was needed for babysitting duty again. I got to tag along with her to keep her company while her mom and mine go do adult things like shop at Hobby Lobby. It doesn't help me with MY hobbies. Luckily, the Toys'R'Us across the street does, so I take Clara in there, and, despite my money-hemmoraging ways, I manage to keep from buying anything, and so does the three-year-old that's NOT me. Well, that's something of a bum trip, but it's still better than going to Hobby Lobby and not buying anything.
So, after a good half-day of shopping, we ended up going to Michael's, which is another hobby store, so by everyone, I mean everyone but me. I elected to visit the nearby Best Buy. Clara decided to stay with the ladies because last time she visited Best Buy someone (okay, it was me, accidentally) left an iPod on too loud and people started yelling in an episode of 24. So now she's scared of the place, and I got to go alone. After about 10 minutes of browsing I saw that they have pretty much the same titles for movies and games I didn't want last time I was there, about a week or two earlier. Having no new software to check out, I decide to go look at the hardware.
Lemme preface this by saying that I'm much more of a software guy than hardware. I value content over substance, if that makes any sense. You could have all the technological advances in the world, but if you just use it to show Christian Moral Pagents from the 14th century, or play Pong in high definition, I could care less. That's why I didn't really care for the Star Wars Special Edition edits, for one thing. They didn't add anything but fluff to the story (and giving Greedo the appearance of a complete twit, instead of just a halfwit, by letting him shoot first and miss and point blank range).
That said, the hardware didn't really impress me. I went and looked at the new Blu-Ray DVD player. Okay, so now the pictures a little clearer. Maybe I need new glasses, but I don't really see the difference there. So all I was looking at was a shiny box hooked up to a TV. Not really interesting, especially considering the only movie I'd consider buying for it is Underworld 2. So I moved on, and started browsing the computers. I saw the high end one I wanted, for about $600 without a monitor, and since I've already got a monitor, I'm good on that front. But I walked around a bit and see that they got even cheaper, and if I knocked out the extra bits I don't want or need, like hard drive space or memory card readers, and focus on the good stuff, like RAM and video cards, I would be able to save a bit. So I found the bugger, and it's $350 apx. That's about $300 more than I have to spend, but I decide that I'd been a good guy, and I deserved a treat. So when Mom arrived to fetch me, I put on my sad puppy face and showed her the one I wanted. I figured I'd go for broke, since I was already there, and if that didn't work I'd ask for the West Wing or House on DVD, or maybe just a PS2 game if that failed.
Anyway, I showed her the one, and she asked me, "What are you gonna do for it?" I replied that I'd get great grades in school the next semester. She apparently thought that was fair, with one caveot. I had to apply to ACC before I could hook it up. That sounded fair enough, it takes maybe a half hour to sign up no problem. We get it, and then I hop online right away to find.... The site said Fall Registration wouldn't open until the 14th. I had to wait a week, and even then, I was going on vacation right afterwards, so I wouldn't get to test out my new box until the very end of the month when I get back. And so I decided, okay, I'll just apply at midnight and have it set up before I leave in the morning.
Which brings me to why I'm writing this now. This page shows that I probably won't be able to apply until some time in a week or two. X_X. Oh well, either way I'm still getting to use it after vacation, so yay me!
Okay, end of story. I've figured out how to include movies in images, I think. Gimme a second here. Okay, check this out.
Nifty lil' gif, eh? You can click it to bring it up on it's own, if you want. Then do me a favor. Save it
then save it again, as a .rar, and see what that does.
Edit: FUCK! Blogger saved it as a PNG? Why!? Ah, how am I supposed to show you guys my cool animated gif's now? Hrmmm... I'm sure I'll solve this dilemma at a later date. For now, though.... Just ask me and I'll send you the picture over AIM.
I am full of tricks, I am.
And just so I don't forget: "copy /b KHCOM.gif + haunted.rar haunted.gif"... I'll let you google that up and see what you get. Hehehe.
13.7.06
Ted Stevens and Other Ramblings
I found this movie, and thought you might get a kick out of it.
By the way, I have the full audio of his speech somewhere, so I'll just upload it. I especially love hearing all the people listening in the background, "...oh my god..." Please, PLEASE, someone tell me that someone stood up to correct this guy's ramblings. I don't like the idea that the Senate took this guy's word for how the Internet works and now thinks that their ones and zeroes are flying through a series of tubes.
Moving on, the other day I ended up reading a blog post pertaining to the status of the current "console wars" and where they are today. He rated the X-Box on top, followed by the PS2, with Gamecube on the bottom. He followed that up by saying that he thinks the 360 is gonna stay on top, with Wii's weirdness landing it a middle spot and the PS3's enormous pricetag acting like cement boots. Here's my counter-argument, copied and pasted cuz I'm lazy, but I felt it was good enough to be seen by a few more people than the guy's personal blog. Plus I like taking credit for my work. PLUS PLUS I haven't put much on here recently, and I feel bad for it. See you on the other side.
-----------
I'll have to admit I really don't care which system wins the "console wars". I don't buy my games based on who has the biggest market share. I pick the games I want to buy, and buy the hardware to play them. I own a PS2 because I wanted to play PS2 games, not because I wanted to be the coolest kid on the block. In fact, I didn't buy one for myself until pretty much just before the 360 was right around the corner. I don't see myself as that far out of the general population. Buy the system you want, not just because someone else tells you to get it. I also wanna say I disagree with your ranking, personally. That is, for the current generation, pre-360. ("How the hell did I miss X-Boxes 2-359?!") For me, it stacks up with the PS2 on top, then GBA, then Cube, then X-Box. For my purposes, DS and PSP are "next gen", mostly cuz I'm too lazy to add them to my chart. Wanna know why I feel this way? Cuz I like playing the games I have on my PS2. Kingdom Hearts I and II are two of the greatest games I've ever played, and I don't care if your party consits of a duck with a speech impediment or a retarded dog. That's half the charm. The other half comes from an inspiring storytelling experience. That's the kind of games I like to play. The ones that play out as long, involved visual novels. Movies that are too in depth to be put in a theater. You can't grow to care about your the characters in a 3 hour movie the way you can when you've actually played AS that character for 40+ hours. I see it as the next step in storytelling, the next representation of myth for society, and I'm not waiting for Nintendo or Microsoft to play catch up. After that, I go to Nintendo for my relaxation games, the ones that are just plain stupid. You're an Italian plumber rescuing the princess of the mushrooms from an evil band of turtle people? Makes sense enough to me. Wanna go out and catch some monsters and have them fight, see who's the best, and, oh yeah, maybe fight some crime along the way? Sure, when I'm not busy. HOLY FUCK! BRICKS DROPPING FROM THE SKY! MAKE THEM GO AWAY! Yeah, while I'm waiting at the dentist.* Stuff like that. X-Box (and the 360, while we're on the subject), as I see it, really gets style points for online play. They have the most cohesive, sophisticated online plan availiable, and if something like that appealed to me, I'd totally have an X-Box. But I don't wanna pay $300 plus $10 a month to play Halo and Halo 2 against people who are way better at it than me, and will scream over their microphones about how much I suck while we're playing. If you're into online play, go for an X-Box. If you're into video games, get a Cube or Station. Obviously, there's some blend there, and always will be, but thats how I see the breakdown.
As for the future, like I've said, the 360's strong point as a system is it's online plan. Again, that's not a real draw point for me, and it also confounds me why the "killer app" for the system is currently Oblivion (though I think people are realizing that it's a much better experience on the PC, which makes the top 360 game some crap shit on Live Arcade). Wii strikes me as innovative in the way that the DS has been. And I love the DS. Wii seems to be an attempt to use the same touch screen-style gameplay, only on a console. You can't get people to buy a 36" Touch Screen TV? Fudge it, use a motion sensitive remote. You can't get people to link two screens together for dual screen play? Fudge it... I dunno what they're gonna do, but I'll bet that either they have a way around it, or (and this is really my theory here) the "Dual Screen" aspect of the DS was simply set up because they new you couldn't see through your hand while operating a touch screen, thus nessesitating the need for another screen. It's easier to see a TV when you're waving in front of it. No need for another screen. Sony, though, well... the PS3 is shrouded in mystery and expensive. I have no idea what's in store for that aside from a Sonic the Hedgehog title which is now apparently multi-platform and a pricetag of an arm, a leg, and that pony I wanted for Christmas when I was 5. I'll prolly have a better idea on whether I want a Wii (the black sheep of the next-gen-ers) by the new year, and I'll decide on a 360 or PS3 once the market settles down and both platforms have their lineup of exclusive "must-haves".
I do wanna comment on the Blu-Ray, though. As near as I can tell, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are both off to the races, so to speak. I could, for a substansial investment, have a player for either (or both) disk format if I wanted. Personally, I'm fine sticking to DVD for now, and probably will be for a good long time. However, I think it's worth noting that the 360 is supporting HDDVD through an ADD ON player, while Sony's machine plays the movies right out of the box. I have to wonder whether MS could pump out a Blu-Ray player add on as well, should the market demand. Moving on, though, I've heard tell that the PS2's feature as a DVD player (again, right out of the box) was a key componant to the format's growth. Granted, nothing was competing with DVD at the time (LASERDISK?!) so DVD's success was a given, but the PS2 arguably helped the success along earlier, by giving people a valid excuse to put a DVD player in their home. I believe that could help Sony win the Blu vs HD wars. Most people won't go out to buy a dedicated machine to play the new formats right away, and that includes the Add on for the 360 (all it does is play movies we can already get on DVD? Screw that...) But, if, for instance, you already bought a PS3 because you just hadda play Kingdom Hearts 3, you may look twice next time you're in Blockbuster. "Hey, while we're buying Underworld 2 anyway, let's get it on BluRay instead, and see what all the fuss is about."
And either way, I doubt BluRay support will DOOM the PS3 unless I missed the press release that says that BluRay disks are made of Kryptonite-plated Gold, and cost $300 a piece. So you've got a system that can't play any movies you own. Whoopdie doo. How many movies have you watched in the NES Cartrige Format? NCF VIDEO WILL RISE AGAIN! The same thing applies to the PSP. Everyone thought the UMD was a stupid idea, and as a media format, as in, a way to watch movies, it really is. But I have to admit it's probably the best format I can think of for playing PSP games. UMD Movies may have failed, but there is still a market for UMD Games. The same will be true should Blu-Ray fail as a movie format. There will still be a market for Blu-Ray games.
And if not, they can just put PS3 games on Multiple DVD's.
------
There we are. In other news, I felt the storytelling bug yet again at work recently. I dunno why, but I decided to try telling myself (if that makes any sense) the Pied Piper of Hamelin. While I was busy zoning. It was nice to get my mind on something for a while. I enjoy storytelling, and while I hope I can do something more with it, I'd like to at least be able to tell my children bedtime stories. Maybe read them one or two (or more, cuz reading is good, too), but at least every once in a while, make one up, either off the top of my head. Sorta like this.
Eh... I dunno. I gotta pack. I'm going to San Diego tomorrow, so I have to pack. I'm gonna use my time in the city to track down Carmen, and find out what they call people from San Diego. San Diegans? San Diegites? Sandiegers? \o/
By the way, I have the full audio of his speech somewhere, so I'll just upload it. I especially love hearing all the people listening in the background, "...oh my god..." Please, PLEASE, someone tell me that someone stood up to correct this guy's ramblings. I don't like the idea that the Senate took this guy's word for how the Internet works and now thinks that their ones and zeroes are flying through a series of tubes.
Moving on, the other day I ended up reading a blog post pertaining to the status of the current "console wars" and where they are today. He rated the X-Box on top, followed by the PS2, with Gamecube on the bottom. He followed that up by saying that he thinks the 360 is gonna stay on top, with Wii's weirdness landing it a middle spot and the PS3's enormous pricetag acting like cement boots. Here's my counter-argument, copied and pasted cuz I'm lazy, but I felt it was good enough to be seen by a few more people than the guy's personal blog. Plus I like taking credit for my work. PLUS PLUS I haven't put much on here recently, and I feel bad for it. See you on the other side.
-----------
I'll have to admit I really don't care which system wins the "console wars". I don't buy my games based on who has the biggest market share. I pick the games I want to buy, and buy the hardware to play them. I own a PS2 because I wanted to play PS2 games, not because I wanted to be the coolest kid on the block. In fact, I didn't buy one for myself until pretty much just before the 360 was right around the corner. I don't see myself as that far out of the general population. Buy the system you want, not just because someone else tells you to get it. I also wanna say I disagree with your ranking, personally. That is, for the current generation, pre-360. ("How the hell did I miss X-Boxes 2-359?!") For me, it stacks up with the PS2 on top, then GBA, then Cube, then X-Box. For my purposes, DS and PSP are "next gen", mostly cuz I'm too lazy to add them to my chart. Wanna know why I feel this way? Cuz I like playing the games I have on my PS2. Kingdom Hearts I and II are two of the greatest games I've ever played, and I don't care if your party consits of a duck with a speech impediment or a retarded dog. That's half the charm. The other half comes from an inspiring storytelling experience. That's the kind of games I like to play. The ones that play out as long, involved visual novels. Movies that are too in depth to be put in a theater. You can't grow to care about your the characters in a 3 hour movie the way you can when you've actually played AS that character for 40+ hours. I see it as the next step in storytelling, the next representation of myth for society, and I'm not waiting for Nintendo or Microsoft to play catch up. After that, I go to Nintendo for my relaxation games, the ones that are just plain stupid. You're an Italian plumber rescuing the princess of the mushrooms from an evil band of turtle people? Makes sense enough to me. Wanna go out and catch some monsters and have them fight, see who's the best, and, oh yeah, maybe fight some crime along the way? Sure, when I'm not busy. HOLY FUCK! BRICKS DROPPING FROM THE SKY! MAKE THEM GO AWAY! Yeah, while I'm waiting at the dentist.* Stuff like that. X-Box (and the 360, while we're on the subject), as I see it, really gets style points for online play. They have the most cohesive, sophisticated online plan availiable, and if something like that appealed to me, I'd totally have an X-Box. But I don't wanna pay $300 plus $10 a month to play Halo and Halo 2 against people who are way better at it than me, and will scream over their microphones about how much I suck while we're playing. If you're into online play, go for an X-Box. If you're into video games, get a Cube or Station. Obviously, there's some blend there, and always will be, but thats how I see the breakdown.
As for the future, like I've said, the 360's strong point as a system is it's online plan. Again, that's not a real draw point for me, and it also confounds me why the "killer app" for the system is currently Oblivion (though I think people are realizing that it's a much better experience on the PC, which makes the top 360 game some crap shit on Live Arcade). Wii strikes me as innovative in the way that the DS has been. And I love the DS. Wii seems to be an attempt to use the same touch screen-style gameplay, only on a console. You can't get people to buy a 36" Touch Screen TV? Fudge it, use a motion sensitive remote. You can't get people to link two screens together for dual screen play? Fudge it... I dunno what they're gonna do, but I'll bet that either they have a way around it, or (and this is really my theory here) the "Dual Screen" aspect of the DS was simply set up because they new you couldn't see through your hand while operating a touch screen, thus nessesitating the need for another screen. It's easier to see a TV when you're waving in front of it. No need for another screen. Sony, though, well... the PS3 is shrouded in mystery and expensive. I have no idea what's in store for that aside from a Sonic the Hedgehog title which is now apparently multi-platform and a pricetag of an arm, a leg, and that pony I wanted for Christmas when I was 5. I'll prolly have a better idea on whether I want a Wii (the black sheep of the next-gen-ers) by the new year, and I'll decide on a 360 or PS3 once the market settles down and both platforms have their lineup of exclusive "must-haves".
I do wanna comment on the Blu-Ray, though. As near as I can tell, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are both off to the races, so to speak. I could, for a substansial investment, have a player for either (or both) disk format if I wanted. Personally, I'm fine sticking to DVD for now, and probably will be for a good long time. However, I think it's worth noting that the 360 is supporting HDDVD through an ADD ON player, while Sony's machine plays the movies right out of the box. I have to wonder whether MS could pump out a Blu-Ray player add on as well, should the market demand. Moving on, though, I've heard tell that the PS2's feature as a DVD player (again, right out of the box) was a key componant to the format's growth. Granted, nothing was competing with DVD at the time (LASERDISK?!) so DVD's success was a given, but the PS2 arguably helped the success along earlier, by giving people a valid excuse to put a DVD player in their home. I believe that could help Sony win the Blu vs HD wars. Most people won't go out to buy a dedicated machine to play the new formats right away, and that includes the Add on for the 360 (all it does is play movies we can already get on DVD? Screw that...) But, if, for instance, you already bought a PS3 because you just hadda play Kingdom Hearts 3, you may look twice next time you're in Blockbuster. "Hey, while we're buying Underworld 2 anyway, let's get it on BluRay instead, and see what all the fuss is about."
And either way, I doubt BluRay support will DOOM the PS3 unless I missed the press release that says that BluRay disks are made of Kryptonite-plated Gold, and cost $300 a piece. So you've got a system that can't play any movies you own. Whoopdie doo. How many movies have you watched in the NES Cartrige Format? NCF VIDEO WILL RISE AGAIN! The same thing applies to the PSP. Everyone thought the UMD was a stupid idea, and as a media format, as in, a way to watch movies, it really is. But I have to admit it's probably the best format I can think of for playing PSP games. UMD Movies may have failed, but there is still a market for UMD Games. The same will be true should Blu-Ray fail as a movie format. There will still be a market for Blu-Ray games.
And if not, they can just put PS3 games on Multiple DVD's.
------
There we are. In other news, I felt the storytelling bug yet again at work recently. I dunno why, but I decided to try telling myself (if that makes any sense) the Pied Piper of Hamelin. While I was busy zoning. It was nice to get my mind on something for a while. I enjoy storytelling, and while I hope I can do something more with it, I'd like to at least be able to tell my children bedtime stories. Maybe read them one or two (or more, cuz reading is good, too), but at least every once in a while, make one up, either off the top of my head. Sorta like this.
Eh... I dunno. I gotta pack. I'm going to San Diego tomorrow, so I have to pack. I'm gonna use my time in the city to track down Carmen, and find out what they call people from San Diego. San Diegans? San Diegites? Sandiegers? \o/
27.6.06
Momma's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Gods of War
So, as many of you know, I work in the electronics department at Target. Today they were on my case about getting a red card, which is making someone sign up for a Target Visa. I hate doing that, it always makes me feel like such a tool to try and sell people a credit card. But I did end up helping out every guest I could find, and that does always make me feel good. One family in particular was worth noting here, though.
Brother (10) and Sister (8) were looking at the video games. Sister couldn't find one that she really wanted, but Brother had already grabbed God of War and was holding it under his arm, ready to go. I had to admit, it's a good game, and a great deal now that it's gone Greatest Hits, but my morality made me remind the boy "You're gonna need to get your mother to OK that, you know." He knew, apparently, and seemed confident that she'd get it. Ah well, I think, I don't know everybody's age by looking at them.
A few minutes later, Sister has picked out her game (Spiderman 2), Mom's arrived with the money, and everyone's ready for me to check them out. While it's not really neccessary, since neither of the games are locked, I love running the register for video games. I always get interesting small talk, especially from parents with differing perspectives on gaming. So, while I'm going around the register and logging in, I start off with a semi-obligatory comment to Mom: "You know why that game's rated M, right?"
"No, I guess not, not really."
"Well, you can check on the back, down here..." I point, and Brother grabs the game and rattles off the list at lightning quick speeds, hoping maybe he won't get caught.
"Rated M for BloodAndGoreIntenseViolenceNuditySexualThemesStrongLanguage." It really sounded like he was mumbling around the word "Nudity".
Apparently responding to the charge of the Strong Language, Sister chirps with a "We can just turn the volume down for those parts." Yeah, I think, that'll help. Heh.
"Wow," stammers Mom. "I guess M4 is pretty bad, huh?"
Uhhh, I think. "No, that's 'M FOR', Eff Oh Are."
"It's okay," Brother semi-pleads, still confident he's mature enough to handle BloodAndGoreIntenseViolenceNuditySexualThemesStrongLanguage. "It's not really that bad."
Mother wasn't quite listening the first time through, and gets Brother to repeat the list again. She had contacts, apparently, and couldn't read the tiny warning. This time he's even quieter, faster, and with less letters.
"BludnGorIntenseVilnceNudtySex'lThemeStrngLnguge."
Mom is now curious. "What does that mean, 'Sexual Themes.'"
I know my cue. I'd been considering how to describe the "Rated M-ness" of the game since I first saw it in Brother's hand. Comparing it to the Big News that was the Hot Coffee scandle, which is nowhere near as bad as God of War. Maybe, I think, the reason people were so upset wasn't the content so much as the fact that it was hidden in GTA. From there my mind wandered to the more recent events with Oblivion's Nudity Mod, and the concept of Modding in general, going back to my days of patching in Barney over Doom demons.
I don't have time to give this woman the full college lecture on the subject. Better to go for the direct punch.
"There's a bit of toplessness. It's really pretty blatant, really. I mean, after a you beat a level, you go back to his bedroom, and there's a pair of concubines there..."
"WHAT?!" Mom interrupts. Aww, and I didn't even get to the DDR sex minigame.
She's screaming at Brother, now. Not really screaming, actually. You could tell that's what she was thinking though. Her actual words were a very stern, "I don't think so..." I would have been worried if she'd said anything less, personally. So, Mom and Brother go off to look for a (much) more suitable game. As I check out Sister's copy of Spiderman 2, I chuckle as I see Brother try to convince Mom with what appears to be another M title, probably GTA. Not today, Brother. I do feel a little sorry for him, though, when he walks out empty handed.
A couple of asides: First, Spiderman 2 is rated T, so definitely older than sister's range. Yet I sold her the copy, without so much as a peep. First, the T isn't for BloodAndGoreIntenceViolenceNuditySexualThemesStrongLanguage,
just for a little comic-book violence, as opposed to strictly adult themes. I definitely heard an OK from Mom, too. In my view, and when parent's ask me if the game is alright for kids, I have this advice about movie games. If you thought the movie was OK for them, the game probably will be, too. It's the same content. The only concievable difference is in controlling the action as opposed to just watching. I'd be surprised if Sister HADN'T seen Spiderman 2, and really, what's wrong with your child emulating a character who's motto is "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility"? Besides, Spidey never kills anyone. Doesn't even shoot. He just webs them up and leaves them for the cops.
Secondly, I might have been okay with GTA. That is, I'm not gonna make MY kid wait till he's 17 to play Vice City. If you ask me, GTA is an older teen game, but the subject matter really seems like something a 15 year old would consider amusing. That's not to say that adults can't enjoy it on the same level, or more. Just that, to my eyes, the sexual content of GTA was the kinda stuff I was joking about with my friends in middle school. GTA is rated M for it's violence alone. God of War is rated M for being as close to AO as possible without being the real deal.
Okay, I've gotta get up in the morning. I've gotta see some sort of Man about making a Return which may or may not be Super.
Brother (10) and Sister (8) were looking at the video games. Sister couldn't find one that she really wanted, but Brother had already grabbed God of War and was holding it under his arm, ready to go. I had to admit, it's a good game, and a great deal now that it's gone Greatest Hits, but my morality made me remind the boy "You're gonna need to get your mother to OK that, you know." He knew, apparently, and seemed confident that she'd get it. Ah well, I think, I don't know everybody's age by looking at them.
A few minutes later, Sister has picked out her game (Spiderman 2), Mom's arrived with the money, and everyone's ready for me to check them out. While it's not really neccessary, since neither of the games are locked, I love running the register for video games. I always get interesting small talk, especially from parents with differing perspectives on gaming. So, while I'm going around the register and logging in, I start off with a semi-obligatory comment to Mom: "You know why that game's rated M, right?"
"No, I guess not, not really."
"Well, you can check on the back, down here..." I point, and Brother grabs the game and rattles off the list at lightning quick speeds, hoping maybe he won't get caught.
"Rated M for BloodAndGoreIntenseViolenceNuditySexualThemesStrongLanguage." It really sounded like he was mumbling around the word "Nudity".
Apparently responding to the charge of the Strong Language, Sister chirps with a "We can just turn the volume down for those parts." Yeah, I think, that'll help. Heh.
"Wow," stammers Mom. "I guess M4 is pretty bad, huh?"
Uhhh, I think. "No, that's 'M FOR', Eff Oh Are."
"It's okay," Brother semi-pleads, still confident he's mature enough to handle BloodAndGoreIntenseViolenceNuditySexualThemesStrongLanguage. "It's not really that bad."
Mother wasn't quite listening the first time through, and gets Brother to repeat the list again. She had contacts, apparently, and couldn't read the tiny warning. This time he's even quieter, faster, and with less letters.
"BludnGorIntenseVilnceNudtySex'lThemeStrngLnguge."
Mom is now curious. "What does that mean, 'Sexual Themes.'"
I know my cue. I'd been considering how to describe the "Rated M-ness" of the game since I first saw it in Brother's hand. Comparing it to the Big News that was the Hot Coffee scandle, which is nowhere near as bad as God of War. Maybe, I think, the reason people were so upset wasn't the content so much as the fact that it was hidden in GTA. From there my mind wandered to the more recent events with Oblivion's Nudity Mod, and the concept of Modding in general, going back to my days of patching in Barney over Doom demons.
I don't have time to give this woman the full college lecture on the subject. Better to go for the direct punch.
"There's a bit of toplessness. It's really pretty blatant, really. I mean, after a you beat a level, you go back to his bedroom, and there's a pair of concubines there..."
"WHAT?!" Mom interrupts. Aww, and I didn't even get to the DDR sex minigame.
She's screaming at Brother, now. Not really screaming, actually. You could tell that's what she was thinking though. Her actual words were a very stern, "I don't think so..." I would have been worried if she'd said anything less, personally. So, Mom and Brother go off to look for a (much) more suitable game. As I check out Sister's copy of Spiderman 2, I chuckle as I see Brother try to convince Mom with what appears to be another M title, probably GTA. Not today, Brother. I do feel a little sorry for him, though, when he walks out empty handed.
A couple of asides: First, Spiderman 2 is rated T, so definitely older than sister's range. Yet I sold her the copy, without so much as a peep. First, the T isn't for BloodAndGoreIntenceViolenceNuditySexualThemesStrongLanguage,
just for a little comic-book violence, as opposed to strictly adult themes. I definitely heard an OK from Mom, too. In my view, and when parent's ask me if the game is alright for kids, I have this advice about movie games. If you thought the movie was OK for them, the game probably will be, too. It's the same content. The only concievable difference is in controlling the action as opposed to just watching. I'd be surprised if Sister HADN'T seen Spiderman 2, and really, what's wrong with your child emulating a character who's motto is "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility"? Besides, Spidey never kills anyone. Doesn't even shoot. He just webs them up and leaves them for the cops.Secondly, I might have been okay with GTA. That is, I'm not gonna make MY kid wait till he's 17 to play Vice City. If you ask me, GTA is an older teen game, but the subject matter really seems like something a 15 year old would consider amusing. That's not to say that adults can't enjoy it on the same level, or more. Just that, to my eyes, the sexual content of GTA was the kinda stuff I was joking about with my friends in middle school. GTA is rated M for it's violence alone. God of War is rated M for being as close to AO as possible without being the real deal.
Okay, I've gotta get up in the morning. I've gotta see some sort of Man about making a Return which may or may not be Super.
26.6.06
Killing With Kindness
I'm happy to report the rumors of my death have been vastly exaggerated. On the other hand, so have the rumors of rumors of my death, so there you go. It's been a month, just about. I swear I've been meaning to post. It just kept slipping my mind. I'm at level 28 now in Warcraft, so I'll bet that's got something to do with it. Good news is that Target seems to only want me 2 days a week. It's a really fucking crappy schedule. I'll have to start saying "Yes" when they call me in for extra help.
But that's neither here nor there. I saw something on the Colbert Report tonight that got me thinking about hostages. How would I react if I was ever taken prisoner. If someone held a gun to my face, my initial responce is something along the lines of "I'm prepared to die. Are you prepared to kill?" Philosophical shit like that, see if I can stir them up. Even if I don't say it out loud, out of the fear that maybe he IS prepared to kill, I'll be thinking it. Don't get me wrong, I don't WANT to die. I'd honestly rather not. But if that's where I'm headed, and there's nothing I can do, I'm cool with it.
Really, I think I'd enjoy being a prisoner. I mean, not like, "sign me up, I'm ready." But like, if I was a prisoner, I'd make the most of it. I'd see what I could get read. I'd talk to the guards and get on their good sides. I'm a very likable person, and I believe that everyone at their core wants to be liked, too. It comes with being a social creature. So if I just get the other person to not think of me as their enemy, but as a real person, my times will go a lot smoother. Chatting up the guards MAY be difficult, though. They tend to do stuff like pistol whip you when you talk while marching and stuff. Maybe I'd hum or something. And, say, if I got too chmmy with the guards, I'd get stuck with the guy who didn't speak English, to keep me from being treated nicely. I have ways around that, too, though.
I have this image of me in a dirty cell in Iraq or whatever (possibly the Democratic People's Republican Kingdom of Carbomia), with the guard outside being gruff and silent. The conversation goes something like this:
And now, cuz I feel like it, a random picture for you all.
But that's neither here nor there. I saw something on the Colbert Report tonight that got me thinking about hostages. How would I react if I was ever taken prisoner. If someone held a gun to my face, my initial responce is something along the lines of "I'm prepared to die. Are you prepared to kill?" Philosophical shit like that, see if I can stir them up. Even if I don't say it out loud, out of the fear that maybe he IS prepared to kill, I'll be thinking it. Don't get me wrong, I don't WANT to die. I'd honestly rather not. But if that's where I'm headed, and there's nothing I can do, I'm cool with it.
Really, I think I'd enjoy being a prisoner. I mean, not like, "sign me up, I'm ready." But like, if I was a prisoner, I'd make the most of it. I'd see what I could get read. I'd talk to the guards and get on their good sides. I'm a very likable person, and I believe that everyone at their core wants to be liked, too. It comes with being a social creature. So if I just get the other person to not think of me as their enemy, but as a real person, my times will go a lot smoother. Chatting up the guards MAY be difficult, though. They tend to do stuff like pistol whip you when you talk while marching and stuff. Maybe I'd hum or something. And, say, if I got too chmmy with the guards, I'd get stuck with the guy who didn't speak English, to keep me from being treated nicely. I have ways around that, too, though.
I have this image of me in a dirty cell in Iraq or whatever (possibly the Democratic People's Republican Kingdom of Carbomia), with the guard outside being gruff and silent. The conversation goes something like this:
Me: Hey, you must be new here. I'm Greg. Nice to meet you. What's your name?So yeah, at that point, I've got a movie buddy, and even though we don't speak English, I'm pretty definitely on his good side. Yay diplomacy.
Him: (A single word barked as an order in whatever his native language is. Probably something like "Quiet!" I'll know that one by this point. More than likely, he'll just harumph to himself and keep quiet, cuz his superiors warned him about me.)
Me: Not much on names, eh? That's okay, I'll just call you Rob for the time being. It's been a while since I talked to a Rob. That sound okay?
Him: (Same as before: stoic)
Me: So Rob, whatcha do for fun? You play any sports? Soc- er, football? Follow the World Cup maybe? ... Read any good books? Seen any movies?
Him: (The silence continues.)
Me: Hey, did you guys get Pirates of the Carribian over here? Swashbuckling pirates? Sounds like you're kinda stuff... And that Kiera Knightly is some hot stuff, eh?
(At this point I am just talking to keep myself amused, not even thinking he was listening, and thus the next line surprises me...)
Him: Ki-Kiera Nituhly?
Me: Ah, you've heard of her, I take it. Nice looking lady, eh? (I elaborate with a stereotypical "hourglass figure" motion of the hands.)
Him: (Gibberish, cuz I'm no linguist, but I get the general idea of "Yeah".)
Me: Yeah, that's another thing I haven't seen in a while. Been away from home too long. Speaking of which, who do you local boys have your eyes on?
Him: (Confusion, he still doesn't speak English)
Me: (Motioning to myself) America... Kiera Knightly. (Motioning towards him) Carbomia...?
Him: (Catching the drift, he fills in the name of whatever local star he fancies.
Me: (Attempt to say the name, the way he tried out Kiera's.) Nope, can't say I've heard of her. She been in any movies? (Hitting another language barrier, I make another simile - Kiera Knightly is to Pirates of the Caribbean as the Carbomian chick is to... After he fills in the blank, I continue.) I've never seen that. Do you think you could get me a TV to watch it? (More exaggerated miming, this time pointing to my eyes and slowly saying "WATCH")
And now, cuz I feel like it, a random picture for you all.
1.6.06
My Mind Is Reeling
Racing, really. I've got ideas out the wazoo. I've had half-completed stories surfacing on a near daily basis, getting into tiny swordfights with the half-completed stories I've already started on but, again, have not yet completed. I've had a rant going on in my head about how Magneto makes an interesting character from multiple perspectives. Along the way the Constructicons merged into that one, something about their dis-jointed nature of creation and destruction, and while I'm at that I might as well go on and do a little write up on every other childhood villian and how I think they "break the mold". No time for that, of course, but the ideas on Lencher and Devastator are good. Just tonight I got the idea for an experiment in how the MySpace community works, and whether or not a fictional person, completely foriegn to the world outside of MySpace, can be linked into their artificial community and generate her own fan base soley from the on-site presence. I've got a counter-idea that says that me mentioning the idea on this blog devoids the project, saying I don't make it ambiguous enough, but I suppose it's too late for that. I've had other thoughts, and though at the moment I've lost them, I'm sure they'll resurface, and you'll hear me whine about how I don't have enough time for them either.
I'm leaving for New Jersey this Friday. Depending on how you look at it, that's tomorrow. I have no idea what I'll do about that. I'm not packed. I have paperwork to get to ACC so that I can eventually persue academia once more, with hopefully more success this time around. This is retarded. I have a to-do list on my computer that has been empty since I reformatted, and hadn't been updated since last year even before that. I should really be using it. Instead, I spend my time bitching like this, and intermittantly looking for Lilo and Stitch wallpapers. Sigh. I really do need a vacation. From a lot of things. I'm so glad my dad doesn't have wireless at his house in PA, and I don't believe its at his shorehouse either. I'm gonna take a break from the Internet.
My computer won't run DVD's, oddly enough, so my plan to watch the West Wing over my break may have hit a snafu. I think I'll read instead. As for my computer, I'm probably going to leave it at home. Despite this, a statistical anomaly will occur. By the end of the month, this site will have posts dated for the days I was gone. I'll accomplish this using the high-tech device known as a notepad and pen. More news on these staggering technologies as they are developed. But yeah, I'm gonna sit on the porch after sunset and write about what's on my mind. Stream of consciousness stuff. Like this, only hand written, and then edited because I'm self-conscious. So, stream of selfconsciousness, I guess.
I'm gonna go to sleep now. So I won't be online starting... Well, I guess probably tomorrow afternoon, if not sooner. Let's say now, why not?
I'm leaving for New Jersey this Friday. Depending on how you look at it, that's tomorrow. I have no idea what I'll do about that. I'm not packed. I have paperwork to get to ACC so that I can eventually persue academia once more, with hopefully more success this time around. This is retarded. I have a to-do list on my computer that has been empty since I reformatted, and hadn't been updated since last year even before that. I should really be using it. Instead, I spend my time bitching like this, and intermittantly looking for Lilo and Stitch wallpapers. Sigh. I really do need a vacation. From a lot of things. I'm so glad my dad doesn't have wireless at his house in PA, and I don't believe its at his shorehouse either. I'm gonna take a break from the Internet.
My computer won't run DVD's, oddly enough, so my plan to watch the West Wing over my break may have hit a snafu. I think I'll read instead. As for my computer, I'm probably going to leave it at home. Despite this, a statistical anomaly will occur. By the end of the month, this site will have posts dated for the days I was gone. I'll accomplish this using the high-tech device known as a notepad and pen. More news on these staggering technologies as they are developed. But yeah, I'm gonna sit on the porch after sunset and write about what's on my mind. Stream of consciousness stuff. Like this, only hand written, and then edited because I'm self-conscious. So, stream of selfconsciousness, I guess.
I'm gonna go to sleep now. So I won't be online starting... Well, I guess probably tomorrow afternoon, if not sooner. Let's say now, why not?
31.5.06
RE: Away Message
In case you missed the reference I've got in an away message, here's a hint:
Okay, now I'm really off to bed. I swear. Once I get moving towards my bed, no force on Earth can stop me.
...Bitch.
Okay, now I'm really off to bed. I swear. Once I get moving towards my bed, no force on Earth can stop me.
...Bitch.
MY EYEBALLS ARE MELTING!!!
OH MY GOD THIS IS HORRIBLE!!!
Okay, they're not melting. But I'm tired. And they have actually started to go sore. And this is before I started tinkering with the window transparency feature I love so much. *Shrugs.*
BTW, I rediscovered my love of transparent windows for my computer. Yay transparency.
Okay, I'm retardedly tired now. Gnight folks.
Okay, they're not melting. But I'm tired. And they have actually started to go sore. And this is before I started tinkering with the window transparency feature I love so much. *Shrugs.*
BTW, I rediscovered my love of transparent windows for my computer. Yay transparency.
Okay, I'm retardedly tired now. Gnight folks.
30.5.06
500 Miles
Never before have I been able to find my exact feelings expressed in a WoW video clip:
Now, this is not to say that my girlfriend is a troll. Far from it. She's an elf! And I know for a fact that she loves the feign death ability. ^_^
For the Alliance!
Now, this is not to say that my girlfriend is a troll. Far from it. She's an elf! And I know for a fact that she loves the feign death ability. ^_^
For the Alliance!
29.5.06
X-Men Musings
i'll clean this tomorrow. 2 things now:
1. mutants ARE dangerous.
2. magneto had the anti cure.
back to the movie.
------------
So that brings us to today. Look! I can type better on here. Lemme clear up what I meant by my earlier comments there.
1. One of the central issues to the first X-Men first movie, and a recurring theme throughout the series in all its varying medias, is the discrimination against mutants by the general public. Many allusions and parallels are drawn between that discrimination and the historical persecution of Jews, Blacks, Christians, Gays, etc. However, I can see one important difference between those historical discriminations and the one mutants face. Mutants, or at least, some mutants, pose a danger to themselves or others. Obvious examples include any of the countless mutants whose powers have an infinite number of violent reprocusions, from Pyro's flame manimpuation, to Cyclops' optic blasts, to Rogue's life-stealing touch.
To say these mutants are not dangerous is foolish. I'm not saying that they are all morally decrepid enough to use these powers to harm others blatantly, but the fact that a normal-enough looking person could theoretically look at me and crush my heart simply by thinking about it would scare me, too. I think that mutants should be registered, if only to have a list of their varying abilities kept, for identification purposes. In X3, a "slippery slope" is mentioned, and I would also agree that we should be cautious ot avoid such a slope. Mutants should not be viewed as second class citizens, or superior to normal humans. They should not be segregated or persecuted based on the way they are pysically, or anything else beyond the content of their character. Numbers should not be burned into their skulls, or anything nearly as draconian. But someone should be able to keep tabs on who they are and what they can do. In that reguard, at least, Senator Kelly was right in that regaurd.
2. For those of you who haven't seen the first X-Men movie, or any of you who may have forgotten it, the basic plot was that Magneto had developed a way to trigger mutations in normal Homo Sapiens. He was unaware that the unnatural mutations were dangerous to those exposed, and lead to Senator Kelly's death. His "master plan", as it was, was to mutate the leaders of the world, convieniently gathered in one spot for a summit. In theory, and from his point of view, it was a good idea. If the leaders of the world are mutants, they will be more lenient and favorable towards the mutant populations of their respective countries. Killing them wasn't part of the plan at all.
Anyway, and again for those of you unfamiliar with the details of X-Men 3, the central plot revolves around a pharmecutical company that has developed a CURE for mutant-ism. That is, a way to turn mutants into normal people. I find these diametrically opposed plotlines, between 1 and 3, interesting. First off, just about 3 for a moment, I was a bit shocked to see so many characters lose their powers. Aside from the countless extras lined up for the cure, we saw several main characters lose their "gifts". I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it, but I can't help feel that, should an X-Men 4 be released, Magneto's "Mutant Radiation Machine" would be put to good use.
SPOILERS IN GREY
Another thing I found interesting was the way they hinted that the power loss was not in fact permenant. If you look at the very end, and see Eric sitting by himself playing chess, the piece at least appears to wiggle, the same way the outline of a phoenix was just barely visible before the very end of X2. This implies that all three of our recently debilitated mains (Rogue, Magneto, and Mystique) will be back and mutant again in a future picture. (Also, why the hell was "Marie" in the mansion after losing her powers. She's not an X-Man. Go home, bitch.) It also raises the potential for Rogue's power to be a little bit less extreme than they were. As in, rather than dropping her victims into comas, she might simply make them feel a little tired, or have a little control over when she has the power active.
END SPOILERS.
So yeah, I guess that's all I have to aay now. Gnight folks.
1. mutants ARE dangerous.
2. magneto had the anti cure.
back to the movie.
------------
So that brings us to today. Look! I can type better on here. Lemme clear up what I meant by my earlier comments there.
1. One of the central issues to the first X-Men first movie, and a recurring theme throughout the series in all its varying medias, is the discrimination against mutants by the general public. Many allusions and parallels are drawn between that discrimination and the historical persecution of Jews, Blacks, Christians, Gays, etc. However, I can see one important difference between those historical discriminations and the one mutants face. Mutants, or at least, some mutants, pose a danger to themselves or others. Obvious examples include any of the countless mutants whose powers have an infinite number of violent reprocusions, from Pyro's flame manimpuation, to Cyclops' optic blasts, to Rogue's life-stealing touch.
To say these mutants are not dangerous is foolish. I'm not saying that they are all morally decrepid enough to use these powers to harm others blatantly, but the fact that a normal-enough looking person could theoretically look at me and crush my heart simply by thinking about it would scare me, too. I think that mutants should be registered, if only to have a list of their varying abilities kept, for identification purposes. In X3, a "slippery slope" is mentioned, and I would also agree that we should be cautious ot avoid such a slope. Mutants should not be viewed as second class citizens, or superior to normal humans. They should not be segregated or persecuted based on the way they are pysically, or anything else beyond the content of their character. Numbers should not be burned into their skulls, or anything nearly as draconian. But someone should be able to keep tabs on who they are and what they can do. In that reguard, at least, Senator Kelly was right in that regaurd.
2. For those of you who haven't seen the first X-Men movie, or any of you who may have forgotten it, the basic plot was that Magneto had developed a way to trigger mutations in normal Homo Sapiens. He was unaware that the unnatural mutations were dangerous to those exposed, and lead to Senator Kelly's death. His "master plan", as it was, was to mutate the leaders of the world, convieniently gathered in one spot for a summit. In theory, and from his point of view, it was a good idea. If the leaders of the world are mutants, they will be more lenient and favorable towards the mutant populations of their respective countries. Killing them wasn't part of the plan at all.
Anyway, and again for those of you unfamiliar with the details of X-Men 3, the central plot revolves around a pharmecutical company that has developed a CURE for mutant-ism. That is, a way to turn mutants into normal people. I find these diametrically opposed plotlines, between 1 and 3, interesting. First off, just about 3 for a moment, I was a bit shocked to see so many characters lose their powers. Aside from the countless extras lined up for the cure, we saw several main characters lose their "gifts". I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it, but I can't help feel that, should an X-Men 4 be released, Magneto's "Mutant Radiation Machine" would be put to good use.
SPOILERS IN GREY
Another thing I found interesting was the way they hinted that the power loss was not in fact permenant. If you look at the very end, and see Eric sitting by himself playing chess, the piece at least appears to wiggle, the same way the outline of a phoenix was just barely visible before the very end of X2. This implies that all three of our recently debilitated mains (Rogue, Magneto, and Mystique) will be back and mutant again in a future picture. (Also, why the hell was "Marie" in the mansion after losing her powers. She's not an X-Man. Go home, bitch.) It also raises the potential for Rogue's power to be a little bit less extreme than they were. As in, rather than dropping her victims into comas, she might simply make them feel a little tired, or have a little control over when she has the power active.
END SPOILERS.
So yeah, I guess that's all I have to aay now. Gnight folks.
26.5.06
Woes Aplenty
So I've got some problems. I've also got some good things to talk about. I'll start with the good, since in my head the conversation flows better that way. I just watched a couple episodes of The West Wing. The first was one TiVo'd, and was basically the first part of a story arc(h?) where the Bartlet Administration decides to stop playing defensive and actually push some issues, damn the consequenses. It got me fired up, and I decided I didn't want to wait for the next one to air tomorrow. Then I remembered that I'd bought the first season on DVD, and had never actually watched it. I'm fucking retarded. But no matter, tonight I finally made use of my $22 investment.
Now usually I'm the last one to be a stickler about video quality. I care more about the story being presented than the presentation itself, for the most part. I can recognize people through light broadcast static, or at whatever quality media snobs are deeming "TOO LOW" for their HDTV's. Peh, I say. But I loaded up the West Wing DVD, and compared to the picture coming off my TiVo... Well, they're worlds apart. The DVDis just SO much better. I have now resolved to bring my laptop to New Jersey (though probably not both hard disks, and definitely not the 2nd monitor) and I'll use it to watch the whole season over the nine nights I'm down there. There-in lies my problem.
You see, I like to buy things. I just got a direct deposit of $355 from Target into my checking account, bringing the grand total up to... $360. Part of the problem is that it takes $75-80 to fill up my van's gas tank, and it needs to be filled at least once every 2 weeks. More than that if I'm driving a lot. I buy movie tickets for myself and occasionally Jackie whenever the mood hits me (this summer's movie season I've already seen Mission Impossible 3, and I'll see X-Men and Superman before it's over, and that's only the ones I know about now). I'm getting a LITTLE better at getting video games. I haven't gotten a PS2 game since Kingdom Hearts, and I had that paid for since before I was working at Target. I don't see much upcoming for the DS since New Super Mario Bros. (did I mention I beat it the other night?), and there's been very little out for the PSP in all of its short life (I think I convinced Dad to get me a copy of Field Commander for a belated birthday / X-mas Gift), and I know I've got a pretty big backlog of titles to finish, at least for the PS2, DS, and GBA, so I think that I should just start putting video games onto my Christmas Wish List from now on. Continuing down the list of things I like to buy, Transformers pop into my hands every now and again. Between the Beast Wars reissues, Alternators, spiffy Cybertron toys, next month's release of the Titanium figures, and the upcoming Classics line, not to mention the Movie tie-in Hasbro has planned for 2007, that's another thousand dollars at least I could be saving for other, less-transformable things. Working in the electronics section of Target always points out more than a few things I want to get, between computer accessories, software, and DVD's, including seasons 2-7 of the West Wing which I plan to buy. I've decided that I'm willing to splurge and get FF7: AC on UMD so I'll have something to watch on the plane next week. I'm gonna get at least a fat pack of Dissention, and hopefully I'll be able to get some Mini Masters games in with it.
Oh yeah, plus I've got to feed myself.
And then I've got an ambition to purchase a new desktop computer. I found a decent one at Best Buy for less than $600, and I think in about 2 more pay checks, if I can curb my spending a bit, I should be able to pick it up and take it home. That'll be fun. ^_^ YAY WORLD OF WARCRAFT WITH NO CLIPPING OR SLUGGISHNESS!!!
Sigh. Step one - Don't buy stuff you don't need. No more Transformers, DVDs, or video games until I've got that computer. As an added incentive, I've decided that one of the first things to play on that computer once I've got it running the way I want is gonna be the Transformers Movie teaser trailer set for release by July 4th. If I get it before then, huzzah! If not, I'm not gonna watch it until I have the computer. Now, all I need is a little energy, and a lot of luck.
Now usually I'm the last one to be a stickler about video quality. I care more about the story being presented than the presentation itself, for the most part. I can recognize people through light broadcast static, or at whatever quality media snobs are deeming "TOO LOW" for their HDTV's. Peh, I say. But I loaded up the West Wing DVD, and compared to the picture coming off my TiVo... Well, they're worlds apart. The DVDis just SO much better. I have now resolved to bring my laptop to New Jersey (though probably not both hard disks, and definitely not the 2nd monitor) and I'll use it to watch the whole season over the nine nights I'm down there. There-in lies my problem.
You see, I like to buy things. I just got a direct deposit of $355 from Target into my checking account, bringing the grand total up to... $360. Part of the problem is that it takes $75-80 to fill up my van's gas tank, and it needs to be filled at least once every 2 weeks. More than that if I'm driving a lot. I buy movie tickets for myself and occasionally Jackie whenever the mood hits me (this summer's movie season I've already seen Mission Impossible 3, and I'll see X-Men and Superman before it's over, and that's only the ones I know about now). I'm getting a LITTLE better at getting video games. I haven't gotten a PS2 game since Kingdom Hearts, and I had that paid for since before I was working at Target. I don't see much upcoming for the DS since New Super Mario Bros. (did I mention I beat it the other night?), and there's been very little out for the PSP in all of its short life (I think I convinced Dad to get me a copy of Field Commander for a belated birthday / X-mas Gift), and I know I've got a pretty big backlog of titles to finish, at least for the PS2, DS, and GBA, so I think that I should just start putting video games onto my Christmas Wish List from now on. Continuing down the list of things I like to buy, Transformers pop into my hands every now and again. Between the Beast Wars reissues, Alternators, spiffy Cybertron toys, next month's release of the Titanium figures, and the upcoming Classics line, not to mention the Movie tie-in Hasbro has planned for 2007, that's another thousand dollars at least I could be saving for other, less-transformable things. Working in the electronics section of Target always points out more than a few things I want to get, between computer accessories, software, and DVD's, including seasons 2-7 of the West Wing which I plan to buy. I've decided that I'm willing to splurge and get FF7: AC on UMD so I'll have something to watch on the plane next week. I'm gonna get at least a fat pack of Dissention, and hopefully I'll be able to get some Mini Masters games in with it.
Oh yeah, plus I've got to feed myself.
And then I've got an ambition to purchase a new desktop computer. I found a decent one at Best Buy for less than $600, and I think in about 2 more pay checks, if I can curb my spending a bit, I should be able to pick it up and take it home. That'll be fun. ^_^ YAY WORLD OF WARCRAFT WITH NO CLIPPING OR SLUGGISHNESS!!!
Sigh. Step one - Don't buy stuff you don't need. No more Transformers, DVDs, or video games until I've got that computer. As an added incentive, I've decided that one of the first things to play on that computer once I've got it running the way I want is gonna be the Transformers Movie teaser trailer set for release by July 4th. If I get it before then, huzzah! If not, I'm not gonna watch it until I have the computer. Now, all I need is a little energy, and a lot of luck.
More than you imagine, Optimus Prime...Oh, fuck you, Megatron.
25.5.06
WH0000T!
Check this out. It's a link to a live journal for someone I don't know, yes, but he's hosting pictures of the Transformers Classics line. After what I talked about yesterday, you know I'm fucking excited about this stuff. Especially the Starscream model down at the bottom. I'll probably get Optimus Prime, too because I always get a Prime (except for the Unicron trilogy, cuz those things sucked hard). And Astrotrain was always a personal favorite. In fact, all the triple changers were.
I've designed (in my head) my own transformation, if I were a Transformer. That is how much of a geek I am. As luck would have it, it's a triple changer. Greg to Motorcycle to Helicoptor and back. If I'm feeling generous I'll sketch it or something for you. But not now. Now I wanna go watch TV till 2AM then go to sleep. *Nods.* Later Taters.
I've designed (in my head) my own transformation, if I were a Transformer. That is how much of a geek I am. As luck would have it, it's a triple changer. Greg to Motorcycle to Helicoptor and back. If I'm feeling generous I'll sketch it or something for you. But not now. Now I wanna go watch TV till 2AM then go to sleep. *Nods.* Later Taters.
24.5.06
Context
Though I feel that the Optimus-Bumblebee romance quote in the post below is quite enough, I also have a burning need to post up the context surrounding that quote, so you know exactly how it came to be. Enjoy.
Meow.
Black13Rose7: I've been reading harry potter again latelyMkay, gnight for real now.
Effervescence 34: hows he doing?
Black13Rose7: haha
Black13Rose7: mike linked me to aHP fanfic
Effervescence 34: so then
Effervescence 34: "who's he doing"?
Black13Rose7: one that's ridiculously long
Black13Rose7: but it sparked a interest in it again so I started reading the books again today
Black13Rose7: har har
Effervescence 34: hehe
Effervescence 34: oh, slashfics
Black13Rose7: ...
Effervescence 34: "I looked up into his cold, steel blue eyes. His arms were around me in a grip i knew would never let me go.
'Oh, Optimus,' I gasped. '...we shouldn't. We...'
He held one metal finger to my faceplate. 'Hush Bumblebee. I'm here to make you all right.'
Even as he whispered to me, I felt Cybertron melt away underneath my chassis."
Effervescence 34: something like that
Black13Rose7: no it's not a sex story
Black13Rose7: X.X
Black13Rose7: and that's disgusting btw.
Effervescence 34: you gotta admit that's impressive for adlibbing
Black13Rose7: no
Black13Rose7: not really
Effervescence 34: ._.
Effervescence 34: why do you think that's disgusting, anyway?
Black13Rose7: it's two robots having sex. and don't try to convince me that wasn't your aim because I know damn well it was. >.> becase that was the example you were showing
Black13Rose7: XD
Effervescence 34: so, what, now robots can't have sex?
Effervescence 34: who died and made you a roboticist?
Black13Rose7: they don't seem well equiped to have sex
Effervescence 34: they can turn into a CAR
Effervescence 34: i think that hiding a procreational organ or two is not beyond them
Black13Rose7: they don't NEED one
Effervescence 34: to quote hound "it sure beats walking"
Black13Rose7: do you see a robot maternity section at the repair shop?
Black13Rose7: no
Effervescence 34: do you ever see a cat maternity section at the vets? cuz I don't
Effervescence 34: yet cats continue to breed
Effervescence 34: i doubt they're manufacturing more cats
Meow.
Musings In Disguise
First, I would like to say that reports of my Canadian-ship are greatly exaggerated. That out of the way...
One of the things about having a new bunch of people handle a classic series is that, inevitably, they are gonna fudge a few things. It's artistic licence. No one wants a remake to be word for word, beat for beat, the same thing shown 20 years ago. Heads would ROLL if the upcoming live action Transformers movie were simply a live-action adaptation, a re-reading, if you will, of the 1986 animated feature. Oh, undoubtably it would be visually and technically impressive, but that's not what we want. One of the greatest things about following the Transformers from a kid on to today is that, aside from the abberations that you see in Saturday Morning Cartoons, the series has matured.
Back in the 80's, I'll admit it, Transformers was a immature and simple slap-and-paste maneuvre. "Kids like toy cars. Kids like toy robots. If we sell them one toy that is both, we can double the price on the same toy." Or something like that. And people will tell you, and I'll be one of the first to agree, the toys were bricks with arms. Very little posablity, if you wanted it to stand up. Arms could go up or down, and every so often a head might spin, or a leg might bend at the knee because that's where a transform mechanism was. It was simple, but still, I don't consider my old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that poseable either, so maybe I'm being unfair there. And the Turtles couldn't very well turn in to cars, usually. The cartoon was a cut above, too, though a cut above 80's Saturday morning cartoons isn't much. It was pretty standard good vs evil, us vs them gunplay, with the good guys usually winning at the end. When they lost, it was because the bad guys had cheated them somehow. Interestingly enoguh, if the Autobots had done the exact same thing to win, they would have been hailed as brilliant strategists and cunning warriors. It's all about perspective, I guess. So yeah, it was a great kids show, which is why it has endured through the ages, and why, for instance, China declared Optimus Prime a National Hero. A good show, but it was still just a kids show.
So then we get Beast Wars, and eventually Beast Machines. The series gets extremely more complicated. Discussions of allegience, morality, and even spirituality that would never have been seen 20 years ago creep into the plotlines of the series. I initially wrote it off as a crass attempt to cash in on a classic cartoon, but that honor now belongs to RID and the Unicron Trilogy. I have given the Beast Saga a second chance, and am planning on buying them on DVD for further screening.
Like I said, the shows after the Beasts series were train wrecks. Beast Wars and Beast Machines were still a part of the Generation One continuity. In fact, they practially reveled in it. Armada, Energon, Cybertron, and ESPECIALLY Robots in Disguise, on the other hand, were terrible MASHINGS of the characters and universe we had grown to love. I liked the toys, though, as Transformers toy technology has always been at the cutting edge, but it made me cringe to think of the inane plot lines these characters were supposed to be following.
Okay, so that brings us to today. After 20+ years of maturation, the Generation one continuity has finally come of age. The toys released are either the nostalgia-ridden brickbots from 20 years ago, cleaned up so you can finally complete your collection now that you've got a job, or, and I think this is the greatest part yet, the Alternators Collection, reinvisioning the classic characters in modern, ULTRA-REALISTIC Alt-modes. I love them. They are everything a Transformer should be, twenty-years later.
And then we have the comics. I think the comics were a bit more mature than the animated show from the beginning. It was produced by Marvel, owners of one of the longest running continuous storylines ever. In fact, the Transformers are linked to that story, meaning that the same time the X-Men were running around fighting Magneto, and Spidey was duking it out with Doc Ock, the Decepticons were causing havoc for the Autobots. Come on Marvel, you've got a mega crossover series coming up, right? Bring back the Transformers! (Despite you not having the comic licence anymore...)
Today's Transformers comics, though, they're something else. Where the original cartoon series could almost be viewed as an Autobot-produced propaganda piece, these comics show the war like an embedded soldier, showing the heroism and the cowardice on both sides, that each character has their own personality, ideals, wishes and desires. You've got Ratchet, the conciencious objector, and Prowl, the dutiful leiutenant. Starscream is the insane, greedy schemer, of course...
And that leads us all ot this. The thing that's been on my mind all night:
In IDW's series, the Transformers have, as I mentioned, been re-thought. The yellow fellow to the left, despite a few design changes, should be instantly recognizable as Bumblebee. I like the changes, they're very spiffy, and I can see how this new model works just as well as the original mold. In fact, it almost fits, and it feels somewhat like IDW was trying to unify the Transformations going on in al the Autobots. They all go belly down, including the remodeled BB. The other new change, and the one that's been bouncing around in my mind the last few nights, is the lady to your left. Or rather, the hologram of hhe lady to your left. Transformers with holographic drivers is nothing new. They've been around since MTMTE part 2, in fact. But here, Bumblebee has been given (or chose for itself) a female avatar. I suppose there is nothing wrong with that, on one level. I mean, though we all prefer to think that they are masculine, robots really have no gender (female Autobots excepted). So the gender of an avatar is not really a big deal to a robot. I mean, be reasonable. Look at some ducks. Can you tell the difference between a male and a female duck? Unless you've had proper training, you probably can't. And Bumblebee isn't really a humanologist (or whatever), but a soldier, who you wouldn't expect to study the local wildlife, i.e.: us. On the other hand, Bumblebee was always the closest bot to the humans in the cartoon. It's possible that the female avatar was picked with the rational that it creates a more pleasing reaction in the majority of humans. Or maybe, and this is the part that's had my mind racing, maybe Bumblebee is supposed to be female? In the IDW continuity, at least. She's one of the most empathetic of robots. Ratchet cares about humans because he's both a Doctor and an Ambulance. It's built into him. But Bumblebee? She seems genuinely attached to her friends. Motherly, almost. Definitely big-sisterly. I can see Bumblebee as a chick. It explains the pink seats. And it also adds a bit of tension to Spike's relationship between both her and Carly.
One final thought, completely not about robot sexuality. I had heard a rumor that the Wii was set to launch worldwide in like July. But today I hear stuff about a 4th quarter (holiday season) launch. What gives? X_X
Okay, I've got to start babysitting at 9AM, and then work from 12-6. WHEE.
Ahem. Wii.
One of the things about having a new bunch of people handle a classic series is that, inevitably, they are gonna fudge a few things. It's artistic licence. No one wants a remake to be word for word, beat for beat, the same thing shown 20 years ago. Heads would ROLL if the upcoming live action Transformers movie were simply a live-action adaptation, a re-reading, if you will, of the 1986 animated feature. Oh, undoubtably it would be visually and technically impressive, but that's not what we want. One of the greatest things about following the Transformers from a kid on to today is that, aside from the abberations that you see in Saturday Morning Cartoons, the series has matured.
Back in the 80's, I'll admit it, Transformers was a immature and simple slap-and-paste maneuvre. "Kids like toy cars. Kids like toy robots. If we sell them one toy that is both, we can double the price on the same toy." Or something like that. And people will tell you, and I'll be one of the first to agree, the toys were bricks with arms. Very little posablity, if you wanted it to stand up. Arms could go up or down, and every so often a head might spin, or a leg might bend at the knee because that's where a transform mechanism was. It was simple, but still, I don't consider my old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that poseable either, so maybe I'm being unfair there. And the Turtles couldn't very well turn in to cars, usually. The cartoon was a cut above, too, though a cut above 80's Saturday morning cartoons isn't much. It was pretty standard good vs evil, us vs them gunplay, with the good guys usually winning at the end. When they lost, it was because the bad guys had cheated them somehow. Interestingly enoguh, if the Autobots had done the exact same thing to win, they would have been hailed as brilliant strategists and cunning warriors. It's all about perspective, I guess. So yeah, it was a great kids show, which is why it has endured through the ages, and why, for instance, China declared Optimus Prime a National Hero. A good show, but it was still just a kids show.
So then we get Beast Wars, and eventually Beast Machines. The series gets extremely more complicated. Discussions of allegience, morality, and even spirituality that would never have been seen 20 years ago creep into the plotlines of the series. I initially wrote it off as a crass attempt to cash in on a classic cartoon, but that honor now belongs to RID and the Unicron Trilogy. I have given the Beast Saga a second chance, and am planning on buying them on DVD for further screening.
Like I said, the shows after the Beasts series were train wrecks. Beast Wars and Beast Machines were still a part of the Generation One continuity. In fact, they practially reveled in it. Armada, Energon, Cybertron, and ESPECIALLY Robots in Disguise, on the other hand, were terrible MASHINGS of the characters and universe we had grown to love. I liked the toys, though, as Transformers toy technology has always been at the cutting edge, but it made me cringe to think of the inane plot lines these characters were supposed to be following.
Okay, so that brings us to today. After 20+ years of maturation, the Generation one continuity has finally come of age. The toys released are either the nostalgia-ridden brickbots from 20 years ago, cleaned up so you can finally complete your collection now that you've got a job, or, and I think this is the greatest part yet, the Alternators Collection, reinvisioning the classic characters in modern, ULTRA-REALISTIC Alt-modes. I love them. They are everything a Transformer should be, twenty-years later.
And then we have the comics. I think the comics were a bit more mature than the animated show from the beginning. It was produced by Marvel, owners of one of the longest running continuous storylines ever. In fact, the Transformers are linked to that story, meaning that the same time the X-Men were running around fighting Magneto, and Spidey was duking it out with Doc Ock, the Decepticons were causing havoc for the Autobots. Come on Marvel, you've got a mega crossover series coming up, right? Bring back the Transformers! (Despite you not having the comic licence anymore...)
Today's Transformers comics, though, they're something else. Where the original cartoon series could almost be viewed as an Autobot-produced propaganda piece, these comics show the war like an embedded soldier, showing the heroism and the cowardice on both sides, that each character has their own personality, ideals, wishes and desires. You've got Ratchet, the conciencious objector, and Prowl, the dutiful leiutenant. Starscream is the insane, greedy schemer, of course...
And that leads us all ot this. The thing that's been on my mind all night:
In IDW's series, the Transformers have, as I mentioned, been re-thought. The yellow fellow to the left, despite a few design changes, should be instantly recognizable as Bumblebee. I like the changes, they're very spiffy, and I can see how this new model works just as well as the original mold. In fact, it almost fits, and it feels somewhat like IDW was trying to unify the Transformations going on in al the Autobots. They all go belly down, including the remodeled BB. The other new change, and the one that's been bouncing around in my mind the last few nights, is the lady to your left. Or rather, the hologram of hhe lady to your left. Transformers with holographic drivers is nothing new. They've been around since MTMTE part 2, in fact. But here, Bumblebee has been given (or chose for itself) a female avatar. I suppose there is nothing wrong with that, on one level. I mean, though we all prefer to think that they are masculine, robots really have no gender (female Autobots excepted). So the gender of an avatar is not really a big deal to a robot. I mean, be reasonable. Look at some ducks. Can you tell the difference between a male and a female duck? Unless you've had proper training, you probably can't. And Bumblebee isn't really a humanologist (or whatever), but a soldier, who you wouldn't expect to study the local wildlife, i.e.: us. On the other hand, Bumblebee was always the closest bot to the humans in the cartoon. It's possible that the female avatar was picked with the rational that it creates a more pleasing reaction in the majority of humans. Or maybe, and this is the part that's had my mind racing, maybe Bumblebee is supposed to be female? In the IDW continuity, at least. She's one of the most empathetic of robots. Ratchet cares about humans because he's both a Doctor and an Ambulance. It's built into him. But Bumblebee? She seems genuinely attached to her friends. Motherly, almost. Definitely big-sisterly. I can see Bumblebee as a chick. It explains the pink seats. And it also adds a bit of tension to Spike's relationship between both her and Carly.I looked up into his cold, steel blue eyes. His arms were around me in a grip i knew would never let me go.Jackie says that's disgusting. On the other hand, she hadn't read this post when she said that.
"Oh, Optimus," I gasped. "...we shouldn't. We..."
He held one metal finger to my faceplate. "Hush Bumblebee. I'm here to care of you."
Even as he whispered to me, I felt Cybertron melt away underneath my chassis.
One final thought, completely not about robot sexuality. I had heard a rumor that the Wii was set to launch worldwide in like July. But today I hear stuff about a 4th quarter (holiday season) launch. What gives? X_X
Okay, I've got to start babysitting at 9AM, and then work from 12-6. WHEE.
Ahem. Wii.
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