Never A Year Like '09 - The creative folks at JibJab have put together a very amusing music video that does a great job of summarizing the year 2009 with its many ups (election of Obama) and downs (economy).
Zelda Reorchestrated - Celebrate the New Year with a Zelda marathon of music and check out this site which created the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time soundtrack. The goal was apparently to take the music from the game and make it sound have if played by an orchestra rather than an electronic creation. Click the link, about halfway down is streaming of 22 classic tracks.
70-Minute "Review" of The Phantom Menace - Click the link for a video that tears the Star Wars movie apart for its many story mistakes, casting mistakes, decisions and more. It is an amusing, strange but very entertaining trashing of a film that to me was written with a tin ear for merchandising rather than trying to tell a story.
Same Old Lang Syne - A classic New Year's themed song from Dan Fogelberg. Have a Happy and safe New Year.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks - For those stuck getting the second (2nd) Ferrus letter, I had the same problem. The letter finally became available after I got the 20th stamp for Niko. That stamp is located at the Tower of Spirits on the top level (same place got the Bow of Light). The way to get that is simply got back into the tower after defeating Byrne. Run up the stair column, hit the blue light, go up the stairs, past the arena fought where fought him and run up the last set of stairs. Hit the comments if this proved useful.
World's Largest Image - The pic to the left is of Dresden, Germany. It is a copy of the world's largest image of a 26 gigapizel view of the city. The pic was the result of 16555 photos and 94 hours of stitching together.
Saab Closing - GM has announced the end of another car brand with the Saab being discontinued. GM will continue to honor warranties and provide service and parts but closing plants, etc will begin very soon. The closing is an attempt by GM to consolidate and become profitable.
Terminator Franchise Sold for $1 - In an interview with James Cameron comes a mild shock. He actually sold the franchise away for $1 back in the day (year wasn't specified). Considering it has become a bit of a curse with multiple production companies failing with each movie, he might have actually made a solid business deal.
Inflight Wi-Fi Cheat Sheet - For those traveling for the holiday, hit up the think to find out if and for how much it will cost you to surf the net while flying. The short answer is almost all of them are rip-offs with JetBlue being the only free provider.
Deficit Graph - That image to the right is from the Congressional Budget Office and estimates what will be the largest contributor to the deficit over the next 10 years. The short answer is Bush's tax cuts if they are made permanent. Tax cuts that only benefited the rich but seriously hampered the government's revenue stream. Oh I know, some think it helped them but have you actually compared you tax payouts year to year. Do you see a big difference? Yeah neither do I. The next largest is Bush's two wars. The thin red line and beige line are for all that Tarp and stimulus spending that had Republicans and "Tea Party" members suddenly up in arms. Funny how that works. GOP spending = good. Dem spending, even when dramatically less = bad.
Singer Returning to X-Men - In an interview with MySpace at the premiere of Avatar, Bryan Singer revealed that he is returning to the X-Men franchise with X-Men: First Class. No indications if this is based on the comic book series by the same name which essentially covers the core X-Men (Cyclops, Jean Gray, Ice Man, Beast, etc) as they experienced the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning for the first time as they learned to control their mutant powers.
Clash of the Titans Trailer #2 - Click the link for different formats of the second trailer for the movie that is shaping up to look pretty good.
Special Comment: Not Health, Not Care, Not Reform - Keith Olbermann essentially summarizes my disgust at what the Healthcare Reform Bill has become at the hands of the Senate, that whore Lieberman, and that useless man who can't lead Reid. The idea was to provide healthcare to all, hold insurance companies to basic standards (rather than whatever they want to do, they can do), and try to reduce the cost of healthcare by encouraging preventative care (thus healthcare for all aspect). Instead, the Democrat leadership has caved on everything. The reform is gone, the healthcare for all is gone, and there is no attempt to really reduce the cost, so system of checks and balances. It’s become a massive paycheck to the insurance companies with an "I hope you will do the right thing with this money" rider. At this point, the bill is useless and we would be better off starting over again, this time with people actually willing to lead, to use up political capital, and ok with not necessarily being liked by everything. There has been no leader no this bill, just a bunch of people gawking for the camera, hoping to take credit for any good while dodging the blame for any bad.
Mega Man 10 Trailer - If interested, the next installment of the franchise, retaining its 8-bit graphics and design. The game will be released in the next few months on the Wii, PS3, and 360, likely for around $10.
Iron Man 2 Trailer #1 - Click the link to view the official Iron Man 2 trailer which includes a look at War Machine in full butt kicking mode. Gwyneth Paltrow continues to look exceptional with long red hair so lovely bonus. Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) doesn't impress as much, Scarlett Johansson always looks impressive and a brief sneak peek at Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury.
Lego Hoth Photos - Click the link for a gallery uses Lego sets and figs to create a gorgeous set of photos.
Alice in Wonderland Trailer - Click the link to few the latest trailer from Tim Burton's latest flick. The result is visually interesting but very bizarre looking film. The movie is coming March 5th.
Roy E Disney Dead at 79 - The nephew of Walt Disney died today after a fight with stomach cancer. While not as knee deep in the creative side of the company, mostly choosing the business side including leading two shareholder revolts that ousted two CEOs. However, his 56 year employment with the company allowed him to influence much of what it became, especially by re-energizing the animation department that lead to Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and more.
Entourage Edge Hands-On - The e-Ink tablet market is heating up as the Entourage is revealed with a demo unit. The result is pretty sweet. The idea is to basically replace text books while keeping at least some of the look and feel of a book. Sadly, there is still some work to be done as most of the 1.0 devices suffer from technology limitations resulting in devices that are larger than needed. The goal should just be barely larger then screen size with a touch screen interfaceand at most two buttons to turn page forward or backwards.
Batman: The Animated Series Bible - Click the link for a PDF file that shows the bible to one of the best cartoon series of all time. It provides what the designed approach for the series was (much of which changed) along with lots of artwork for the characters, objects and Gotham. If a fan, it’s worth looking through.
Lord of the Rings Trilogy on Blu-ray - Warner Bros. has officially announced the release date as April 6th, 2010 for a nine disc set based on the theatrical version of the film that will include most of the special features from the various DVD releases and online content. The retail price is $100 but likely will be around $60-$70 for that first week of release.
2009 Golden Globe Nominations - One of the few award ceremonies that mix TV and movies together when one big Hollywood a$#kissing fest. The winners are decided by the "Foreign Press Association" which is really just a random collection of people, most of whom don't do any actual reporting of any kind. Yet for reasons unknown, the Globes have become a de facto crib sheet for deciding many of the Oscar categories. I would attempt to predict the winners but honestly don't really care who wins or not.
Robin Hood Trailer - First full trailer for the Ridley Scott version of the character that is played by Russell Crowe. Probably good this is the first trailer as it did pretty much nothing to make me want to see this film.
Let Them Sing It for You - Amusing site that has a player that "sings" to you whatever you type in the field. The words are taken from many different pop culture songs resulting in rather odd combinations.
I Got a Feeling Parody - An amusing parody of the song, approached as if waking up hangover and trying to remember the night before.
2009, the Newsical - Mix together all the random news events of the year (mostly pop culture) and autotune it for the amusing result below.
Stargate Atlantis Home Theater - A fan took his love to the extremes with his $70,000 setup that invokes the franchise while offering an awesome viewing experience with a ten foot screen. As long as someone else foots the bill, I wouldn't mind having that setup.
UK Amazon Distribution Center - Click the link for two images of the huge warehouse used by Amazon. The volume of stuff is impressive.
Public Option Removed - At the link is an explanation on the compromise the Democrats made in the Senate when it removed the public option from the Healthcare bill. The feature has long been fought as the insurance companies’ fear they might have to compete for the first time in decades. Early indications are the compromises might make for good soundbite but ultimately the companies are probably very happy right now which can't be good for consumers.
Mega Man 10 Announced - Nintendo Power has announced that the sequel is coming. The game will remain 8-bit in style with the same goofy boss fights such as Sheep Man. More importantly, early indicators are that the game will have an Easy Mode for people (like me) that just enjoy playing a game, not conquering a game.
Lego Harry Potter Video Game Trailer - New trailer for the game coming next year that covers the first four years of the franchise. It seems to have the same fun factor, graphics and controls that the previous Lego games have had.
Tron Legacy Poster, Image - Even though it’s about a year away from release, Disney has released a teaser poster with love interest image for the movie with the slogan "The game has changed." The movie is a direct sequel to the 80s film, using some of the same characters but taking place about 25 years later to allow it to take place in the relative present.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice Teaser Trailer - A new trailer is out for the live action film starring Nic Cage as the sorcerer. Once you get past his silly hair style, it looks like might be interesting to see. Click the link for a wide range of viewing options.
Congress Bill Pushes for College Playoff System - A new bill, co-sponsored by a Democrat and Republican, would ban the promotion of a national championship in college football without a playoff system. The amusing part though is some are against it not because it is bad law but because they think Congress could be doing better things. Personally I have faith in Congress' ability to multi-task multiple issues at once. Too bad the conversation has been hijacked from talking about improving college football to something about who might be working harder.
Leaving the Right Behind - An interesting article from Andrew Sullivan, who is a gay conservative that currently disagrees with the often contradictory goals of the Republican Party. Click the link for his analysis of the major issues he has currently with the party that does a good job of summarizing many of my own.
Fox's Gretchen Carlson Has A Brain - It turns out the dumb blonde on Fox & Friends is actually a brain with degree from Stanford and Oxford Universities. You know the kind of places only the Democratic elitists supposedly come from. As a result, she has made her bones basically being the "idiot" of the group so that things can be explained through or to her for the sake of their equally dumb audience. The Daily Show does a good job calling her out on it and asks her to use what her God gave her.
Spider-Man 4 Villains Cast? - New rumors from the movie that are supposedly confirmed by "sources close to the film. The first is that John Malkovich will play The Vulture, who is essentially an old flying man prone to grand larceny. Anne Hathaway would play the sexy thief and potential love interest Black Cat, aka Felicity Hardy. Think Catwoman as the two are nearly identical character, main difference being hair color (white vs. black). I have my doubts but seeing Anne Hathaway in a skin tight costume would be worth the price of admission.
The Tetris God - Silly but amusing video about who chooses the pieces that come in Tetris, often to aggravating results.
Top 10 Sci-Fi Disappointments of the Decade - From IO9.com, a list of sci-fi ideas that fell flat despite high expectations (and hope). Examples include The Hulk, Superman Returns, Firefly, Heroes, and more.
Tea Party Tops Poll - A new poll suggests that the formation of a third party based on the "Tea Party" movement could succeed. In a Rasmussen poll among likely voters, 36% were Democrat, 23% Tea Party, 18% Republican and 22% undecided. Of note is in that 18%, 70% have a favorable opinion of the movement suggesting chance for growth. In the undecideds, 43% have a favorable opinion of the Tea Party. Basically, for the first time a third party could form and completely fracture the GOP. On top of that, it could draft enough votes from undecideds and Democrats that they could at least make a few elections interesting. Personally I think the movement is so extreme that once people realized the party was really a bunch of slogans without any real ideas or plans with a refusal to compromise on anything, that the party may sound nice but their ability to do anything useful is unlikely.
As the World Turns Cancelled - After 54 year old CBS soap opera is ending in September. This will leave only six soap operas on the air with cancellation rumors circling for other operas. Every soon it will end of a television era as television stations opt for using those time slots for cheaper syndicated talk show programs or commercials.
Decode Your VIN - Turns out the VIN number isn't just a unique identifier of your car but a detailed breakdown that describes your cars make, features, model year, assembly plant and more. Click the link to learn more.
Barnes & Noble Nook Review - First review of the final unit that I have seen. Solid device, runs slow (screen refresh, menu response, pretty much everything), has a small learning curve for the UI, good use of the second color touch screen but still needs improvement. My read is it is further proof to not buy the 1.0 version of new tech even if it’s copying the 2.0 version of someone else's (in this case the Kindle). Still, I am interested in the possibilities, just waiting for the price and tech to get to become worth the investment. Below is a video showing off the interface.
Avatar Costliest Film Ever - James Cameron likes to hit new thresholds in expense as Titanic’s $200 million was a new high 10 years ago and now Avatar's $300 million budget has once again moved the bar. Fox and Cameron are being coy about the film's cost, probably waiting until have at least the first weekend's box office to determine profitability feasibility. However, Cameron has bragged that his team essentially re-invented motion capture technology from scratch, finding Robert Zemeckis (A Christmas Carol) lacking. Technically this rather expensive R&D undertaking normally would be added to the film's cost which might explain early $500 million estimates for the film.
Legend of Zelda: Sprit Tracks Review - The next installment of the Zelda franchise finally comes out tomorrow and so far reviews are good. Like the one at the link, pretty much all say the game is fun, Zelda's heavy use add a good element to the game, the dungeons and puzzles are solid but the train travel is about as tedious as the sailboat was in the other DS installments.
MLR and Healthcare - While the article at the link is about one thing, I found the information about the MLR (medical loss ratio) to be more interesting because it is a key value used by insurance companies in determining their profits. In short, the higher the ratio, the more money spent on healthcare and less going to paperwork and profits. So of course insurance companies want that number as low as possible. As Aetna learned, even going up 1.5% can cost a company billions in market value. This was not because of loss in profits but because Wall Street used that as a queue to sell their shares at lower values. In essence, this easily describes why healthcare companies are in the business of saying no. If they say yes to procedures and those with pre-existing conditions, the MLR goes up, they make less. So no is, by market necessity and rules of capitalism, a must. Therefore, reform by the market has no real reason to occur without some outside force like laws.
YouTube Feather - It’s the same YouTube, but now many of the videos have a lightweight page load version that strips away elements of the page to encourage faster load times. This is a solid solution for those with slow internet connections (say 3G), netbooks and the like. It’s actually just great if your one those that watches the video but not into all the social aspects of the site.
$10 USB Power Outlets - In an idea long time coming, a company will start selling power outlets with two usb ports, perfect for those that have lot of things that charge via a USB port (like me).
Look into Music Industry Accounting - At the link is an example of the rather strange accounting practices that occur in the music industry that essentially results in a "poor me" attitude of the studios even though they rarely have that much to complain about. This is especially when take in account that while they complain they are being screwed by pirates, they themselves often screw the artists even more.
Next Gen Netbooks - You might have noticed lots of sales going on with netbooks and the reason is simple - starting in January the next generation of them will begin hitting stores shelves. These new models will have faster chips, more RAM, slightly larger screens and more. At the link is a more detailed look into the specifics of what is coming.
Lego Matrix Reenactment - Creative use of Legos to create the first bullet time sequences from the first movie.
Queen Automatic Mario - A fan made level of Super Mario Bros that follows the beat and pitch of the Queen song "Don't Stop Me Now". Impressive work overall.
Sprint Provides Customer GPS Data To Cops - It has been discovered that Sprint provided cops with GPS data (i.e. the person's location) at least 8 million times last year. They even created a special website for they can get the data easily and at anytime without proof of need. Since the Telecoms rarely work independently, it is safe to assume that all the others have similar programs. Technically a person's physical location isn't protected, but you think it would be by common sense and decency.
Happy Birthday Playstation - The brand has turned 15. It first debuted in 1994, creating the 32bit system and directly competing with the Super NES. It is now a major contender that at one time toppled Nintendo from its perch. While I remain a Nintendo fanboy, the PS is a close second.
Inside "At The Movies" Implosion - A kind but critical write-up from Roger Ebert about the destruction of At The Movies after he was essentially forced to quit due to cancer that took his voice after a successful fight. The show evolved into some ET clone nonsense of crap, was more or less cancelled and then came back again but sadly without the magic of the old set and style. Ebert is missed but his blog is a great read.
Why Comcast/NBC Merge is Bad - Currently hypothetical, but considering how American businesses work nowadays with eye on the bonus rather than long tern success of the company, I see the concerns becoming true. In this case, the merger is likely to create even more media consolidation, eliminate free video streaming, lead to increase rates, forced bundling and more.
Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side Trailer - The sequel to Blue Harvest, their spoof of Star Wars. This one takes on The Empire Strikes Back and is coming to DVD on December 22nd. Not sure when it will air on Fox but assume sometime next year, maybe as a May finale thing.
Iron Man 2 Teaser Poster - The movie is still about six months away but finally get a look at Iron Man and War Machine for the sequel that is just bad-ass looking.
Comcast Buys NBC Universal - Barring the FCC preventing it (unlikely), by this time next year Comcast will own about 51% of the company for $5.8 billion and lots of their debt. The resulting deal will make the company one of the largest entertainment entities in the world. The purchase gives Comcast control of NBC, their sister channels like MSNBC, SyFy, Bravo, USA, Universal Pictures movie studio, theme parks and more. Exactly what changes this means for their employees (besides layoffs) and fans of their various forms of entertainment remains to be seen. Comcast's current networks include E!, Versus, G4, and few others, all of which are geared to a small demographic with lots of cheap programming, well the future isn't looking bright.
Bourne Franchise Ending? - In a sign of what happens when money and ego collide, Bourne director Paul Greengrass has walked off the fourth installment of the movie (and taking Matt Damon with him) after a disagreement with Universal over the excessive cost ($100 million plus) of his other project The Green Zone. The movie, which is about an aspect of the Iraq War, was supposed to be an "independent" style movie with a low budget as it is a passion project for the director. Instead it is now a movie with blockbuster style budget for a genre of film that has tanked spectacularly over the last several years. It sounds like Greengrass screwed up (not going over budget is a fundamental part of a director's job), knows it, and rather than admit it he chooses to use the only leverage he as with the Bourne franchise and Damon's loyalty. Net result is the fans get screwed.
YouTube Filmmaker Gets Hollywood Deal - Proof that filmmakers posting their wares on YouTube can win the Hollywood lottery. Fede Alvarex has signed a six to seven figure deal with Sam Raimi's (Spider-Man director) Ghost House company for his idea "Panic Attack!" idea that he made into an inexpensive but very impressive short (below). Once you see the video, you will understand why Hollywood came knocking.
Post-Transaction Marketing Warning - With Black Friday a few days away and online shopping only expected to break new records, be sure to click the link to read about Post-Transaction Marketing and the companies you should refuse to do business with for participating in the scam. Essentially, what they were doing is after making a purchase, you would get a screen offering you a rebate or coupon if you provide your email address or simply click a confirm button. What often instead happened is the website would provide your just used credit card information to a marketing company would then charge you a monthly "loyalty". The result is the website gets paid for providing your information and the marketing company gets money off the fee they are charging. You get nothing out of the transaction except a headache as the fee is hard to remove, hard to stop, and usually banks refuse to refund. If these companies are willing to be so cavalier with your credit card information, who else have they provided it to for a quick buck?
Complete History of Tie-In Novels - A nice breakdown of the tie-in novel business that often builds on universes such as Star Trek, Star Wars and more. I continue to read the Star Trek and Star Wars novels that come out so found this peak to be very interesting.
Netbook Holiday Buying Guide - A nice simple breakdown of all the various netbooks currently available to help you decide how to get the most bang for your buck. I love my Dell netbook and look forward to upgrading sometime next year as the small size can be very convenient sometimes.
Atari 2600 Arcade - For once, official and legal versions of 2600 games that you can play online for free. These games for the Atari 2600 back in the early 80s helped created the foundation for the video game industry that we now all enjoy.
New Final Fantasy XIII Trailer - Another trailer for the game coming out in 3 week in Japan and about 4 months in the States.
UGA VII Dead at 4 - After just a little under two seasons, the University of Georgia's mascot died last week due to heart failure. The beloved dog, considered the sweetest of the line, was only four. For the remainder of the season a temp dog will be used for the games with a successor prepped for next season. As a fan, it is sad news and found Mike Luckovich's comic to be a touching tribute.
Microsoft Attempts to Buy Search Content - As a sign that Microsoft still thinks money is all you need to compete in this age of the internet, the company apparently is trying to buy exclusive search access to Rupert Murdoch's media empire. The net result is it could kick off a buying war for content that means the average user will have to use multiple search engines to try and get results. There are ways around that but the net result is it’s a stupid, classless move that accomplishes little but aggravate customers. If this occurs, I think the only proper response is a complete boycott of Bing and all companies that agree to exclusive search access.
12 Hottest Geek Girls - As a sign that maybe geekdom is start to flirt with mainstream (jocks still rule so not there yet); here are 12 girls that are as gorgeous as your average movie star. They are all outstanding but Jade Raymond edges out the group as most beautiful with Olivia Munn a close second.
GOP Purity Test Planned - As a sign that moderates are not welcome, the GOP has started plans to introduce a "purity" test for any prospective candidates. If one doesn't meet at least 7 of the 10 requirements, then they will not receive funding from the Republican National Committee nor endorsement from any member as punishment for falling marching orders. So far all current Republicans meet the requirements which claim to be part of Ronald "Reagan's Unity Principle" even though most are philosophies he didn't support and all seem to be really about hatred of Obama then driving any core party values. It is a shame the party was not this driven when they were in power.
Google Chrome OS Official - Google held its official press conference to announce their next big idea which is a web browser / operating system hybrid. The idea is to create an OS that will run on most computers, especially netbooks, which do internet tasks very fast. The problem though is that will be all the computer will do. So if you likes games, editing movies, have your own media, pretty much anything that can't be accessed or run via "the cloud" then you will need a separate computer. To me its limitations outweigh its benefits. However, if the idea can cause the price of a netbook to go to around $100 then suddenly it might very well be worth it.
Epic HDTV Buyer's Guide Flowchart - Click the link to view an amusing and helpful flowchart to determine what is the best type and size HDTV to buy. I found it useful as do to space limitations, I know now to save some money and buy a 32'' 760p HDTV instead of paying the extra $300 for 1080p, 120Htz system that I don't really need.
What Happens To Your Accounts When You Die? - A nice breakdown of what happens to some email and social networking sites after you die and also how your next of kin could access those account if needed. At the very least it helps you determine what info you need to prepare in advance just in case.
Daily Show's Lou Dobbs Interview - An interesting interview with the no ex-CNN host Lou Dobbs. The best part for me is Jon Stewart articulates rather well the frustration I have with the right's sudden anger while Dobbs fails to explain "why now?" Out of nowhere there are these groups, many that Dobbs agrees with, that have suddenly found their anger and hate the direction the country is moving in. Yet none can explain why now? Why were two wars, many lies, Patriot Act and so much more not the final straw? Why is healthcare the thing that sent them over the edge? Dobbs claims it’s because Obama is doing trying to turn the country left to sharply but when asked "how?" he can't answer that. Most people will agree that Obama hasn't really done that much in these last 11 months yet somehow he has magically taken the country left by doing nothing? And over an issue that has been around since the 1930s? Yes you read that right, the debate over universal healthcare in the US started with Roosevelt. It is not new; it is not a "sharp left turn". Those that think it is once again show their ignorance of history, like Lou Dobbs who I would think would know more than most but clearly doesn't.
Experiences at a Free Clinic - Part of the healthcare story that no one, especially Faux News, is willing to cover. From the video is a summary of an essay by Rich Stockwell of his visit at a New Orleans free clinic. The heart of the problem is so many, including 83% of them employed, that simply cannot afford to see a doctor on a regular basis to get the preventative care needed that will stop a minor issue from becoming a life threatening and expensive condition. It’s an example of why universal healthcare and the public option are needed. For all the talk of expense, the net result of a system that makes it a truly affordable and viable option to see a doctor (rather than an ER) will drive costs down and actually save this country money.
Belle de Jour of Diary of a Call Girl Revealed - Dr. Brooke Magnanti, research scientist, has revealed herself to be the writer behind the books and website that spawned the TV series about her 14 months as an escort. As the picture shows, the woman is a gorgeous 34 years old (a quick glance at craigslist doesn't show any escorts in her class) who freely admits she enjoyed her side job that she took to help pay for rent and more as she perused her doctorate. My personal opinion is what consenting adults choose to do with each other for money isn't anyone business but their own but I don't make the laws so more power to her.
Edward Woodward (1930-2009) - "The Equalizer" and more has sadly passed away. Click the link from a friend of his.
Ken Ober (1957-2009) - Comedian and host of MTV's Remote Control died in his home from unknown causes. I grew up watching the show, which also brought me one of my early crushes in the form of Kari Wuhrer.
Verizon Responds to AT&T's Lawsuit - The company releases its legal/PR b%#chslap response to AT&T's lawsuit that essentially claims while their map of AT&T's lack of coverage is accurate they should be showing their EDGE coverage as well. Considering the maps are 3G vs. 3G I don't see what legal ground the AT&T has.
Going Rogue Falsehoods - Running list of the many lies in Sarah Palin's book where her idea of being tough is blaming everyone else for everything, including her poor interview with Katie Couric that essentially torpedoed her VP run. Sorry but when the female version of Larry King that only knows how to ask softball questions gets you in a "gotcha" moment, you are simply a fool and there is no one to blame but yourself for that.
HBO's The Pacific Trailer 2 - New trailer for the upcoming mini-series from the same producers of Band of Brothers and From the Earth to the Moon. The tentative release date is March 2010.
Been a week since last posted, no real reason, just didn't accumulate enough links to bother with a post until now.
MGM For Sale - Considering the success of the James Bond franchise, Stargate and more, you have to wonder exactly why MGM is in so much debt that the storied studio has to be sold. I doubt we will ever know but how much you want to bet the executives in charge of the company have enjoyed very lucrative last few years at the studio.
Final Fantasy XIII North America Release Date - On Friday SquareSoft finally made it official that FF13 will be released on North America and Europe on March 9, 2010 on the PS3 and XBox 360. The game is hitting Japan in the next month. Below is the video announcing the date along with a few minutes of battle footage.
Anatomy of 2012 - A breakdown of how a scene was done for the disaster flick 2012 that came out this weekend. The film has a lot of hokey moments but the disaster effects are fantastic and overall I found the film to be very entertaining. The "human dilemma" aspect was blah and easily cut but it’s the way directors and writers talk themselves into believing they are "artists" so no chance of that happening.
Carrie Prejean vs. Larry King - In a clear sign just how stupid this woman is, she threatened to walk off of Larry King. The man is the "King" of the softball interview style where the famous go to begin a rehabilitation of their image yet she screwed it up completely. The woman did a sex tape, she knows it, and the world knows it and trying to dodge it just doesn't make any sense when her fame is based on hatred of gays and fake boobs. Her entire image is "I am pretty" and that only has so much mileage. I just hope her she finishes her search for her sugar daddy and gets off the stage as I am a bit sick of hearing about her.
Dollhouse Cancelled - For Joss Whedon fans (pretty much the only ones watching the show), the end has come to Dollhouse. While I enjoy the show, the ratings are pathetic so can't blame the choice. I am thinking that next time Joss wants to do a TV show, he needs to go cable. FX, SyFy, USA or maybe HBO would be good fits for his program. The rating requirements are even less then what Dollhouse was getting, the budgets about the same and he might have more creative flexibility then with the networks.
Clash of the Titans Trailer - New trailer for the remake that actually might be watchable. Below is the video or click the link for 720p quality version.
Art of Nicole Brune - Just got back from Las Vegas for a vacation (only lost a few hundred to the tables). As part of that got to see the fantastic art of Nicole Brune, who recently got a contract with Spencer's for a line of Alice in Wonderland posters (with a sexy twist of course). I was lucky enough to talk to the stunningly beautiful and sweet Nicole who revealed a geek side with familiarity with Transformers, comics (she is a Marvel girl) and more. Sadly married but that didn't stop me from taking a photo of her, shortly thereafter my iPhone broke (dropped) and the picture lost ($200 flushed) to my great irritation. Click the link above for a look at her efforts (more here). To see why she will be the most memorable part of the trip, hit her bio link or do a Google for her modeling name Nikki Christian. If you like sexy pin-up art, be sure to check her out.
Why Different Power Plugs for Different Countries - Click the link for a straight forward explanation on why it seems nearly every country in the world has its own standard on power plugs (therefore requiring adapters for travelers). It essentially comes down to no real attempt at creating a worldwide standard (such ideas didn't exist nor really necessary then) when the power grid was being built and the high cost to introduce it now.
Lego Bone Dragon - Not sure how it was built, but it looks great. This Lego Bone Dragon would make a great store style set, maybe even a new line. Click the link for more pictures.
Steven Tyler Quit Aerosmith - After ending their latest concert tour, it appears that lead singer of the group has quit. At least that is what the group's guitarist Joe Perry is saying. I assume this means the group is defunct again until the inevitable reunion 5-10 years from now. Considering the band hasn't really produced anything new in quite a while, it doesn't seem like the lost to the music world that it might have been a decade or so ago.
Bizarre Scientology Conversation - Video of a really a conversation with a Scientologist. Notice the strange use of English, odd sentence structure, the constant inability to answer simple direct questions, and constant unnecessary personal attacks. This style of deflecting is actually taught (for a fee of course) and encouraged by the cult. Pay special note is the comment about hitting his wife. Another favorite is "why did you kill your baby" and other made up accusations to get the questioner to back down.
SNL's Fox Skit - Amusing bit from this week's SNL that makes fun of Fox's coverage of their recent election coverage that took minor events (election of two governors) and turned it into something akin to a presidential election. The best part is the spot on nail of the crazy that is Glenn Beck.
Medical Waste - A new report shows the many ways the current healthcare insurance system causes a great deal of waste. 40% is for unnecessary care caused by doctors either ordering unneeded tests because it’s profitable or simply to avoid the risk of lawsuits. 19% is flat out fraud of filing claims for medical care that didn't occur. 17% if for the administrative overhead, you know the copious amounts of claim forms you have to fill out. 6% is for preventative conditions that should never have become medical emergencies. There is more but the next result is around $600 to $850 billion a year could be saved by simply making the system more efficient and more focused on patient care, not profit. Note that the savings is about the cost over 10 years for universal coverage with public option. However, considering insurance companies make a lot of profit from these inefficiencies, they will continue to fight tooth and nail to prevent any changes and use the GOP sheep to help in that battle.
24 Season 8 Trailer - The new season starts in January and as the trailer shows, things go boom as Jack Bauer exits retirement to continue the yelling and blowing things up.
Nightline Report on Scientology - Below is the first part of six segments as Nightline from a week ago. At the link are also various articles from ABC about the cult whose tactics are essentially criminal but uses the cloak of "religion" to continue their practices. Of note is when asked about "Xenu", the spokesperson refuses to respond and ends the interview. Why you ask? Because "Xenu" aka the cults "Devil" is part of their origin myth (involving aliens and volcanoes, no not kidding) that normally costs members literally tens of thousands of dollars to learn about. Yes, cost. Scientology charges for its "classes" and books, much like if Christianity were to charge for Sunday School and the opportunity to read the chapters of the Bible.
GameBoy 20th Anniversary Retrospective - Below is a decent video that covers the long history of the first real portable game system that continues in the DSi.
Golf Ball Technology Meets the Car - From Mythbusters is apparent proof that golf-ball dimpling on your car can create a more fuel efficient car. It’s not a leap to assume this also means a faster car. While not the future of car design due to aesthetics, it nevertheless makes for an interesting idea.
Windows 7 Guide - From Lifehacker, a link fest of information about the new operating system, useful for anyone about to upgrade or considering an upgrade. My quickie advice if your upgrading is a) backup backup backup b) don't forget to backup your bookmarks c) note your favorite programs and any special settings so can reinstall and reconfigure after if needed.
Wife Has Cancer? No Insurance? Join the Army - A sign of how bad it is while Republicans and their sheep pretend it’s not, a 39 year old man has to join the army to make sure he and his family have their healthcare coverage they need because of the cancer his wife is fighting. He lost his job earlier in the year and his options were limited. Like most, he didn't think it could happen to him, wasn't prepared and didn't even care about the healthcare debate going on. The lesson for everyone before forming an opinion on the public option is first consider what would happen if you lost your job and couldn't replace it right away like is occurring to millions of Americans. If after considering that scenario and your still against a public option then my hat is off to you for at least giving the issue more thought then most seem to nowadays.
Indefensible - A bill amendment created by Senator Al Franken would prevent companies from having US contracts if they prevent their employees from taking sexual assault (such as rape), battery and discrimination cases to court. The reason for the law was because of the repeated raping of Jamie Leigh Jones by Halliburton and KBR contractors while overseas. She can't really prosecute them (happened outside US jurisdiction) but you would think a civil case would be allowed, but thanks to Halliburton's lawyers she isn't even allowed to do that. So basically the company and their employees are legally allowed to rape woman as long as it doesn't happen on US land. It sounds like a slam dunk yes for everyone regardless of party but it turns out that 30 Republicans considered it a "political shot" at Halliburton and vote no. This includes ex presidential candidate John McCain. In effect, when given a chance to vote for a corporation or for protecting rape victims, they went with the corporation. As the report below shows, that choice is having at least a minor impact on those Republicans who are refusing to go on the record on why they voted the way they did (real reason is money). Sadly I doubt this will have an impact on their re-election bids as most are in Republican strongholds.
In a first, Keith Olbermann devoted an entire episode of Countdown to a Special Comment on the healthcare debate. The reason seems to be the horrible experiences his father has experienced under our current healthcare system governed by corporate bureaucrats driven by bonuses rather than providing proper healthcare. The biggest problem I have with the debate is what is driving the whys (high costs, government bureaucrats deciding care, rationing, and more) are the very things already going on now only its being done by corporate executives who want their bonuses and drones that simply want to keep their jobs.
The choice being offered right now is real simple - do something or do nothing. The Democrats are at least trying to do something. The Republicans are offering the option of doing nothing. I think there are few, conservatives or liberals who feel doing nothing is the best way to go. They may advocate Corporate Socialism, but I advocate caring for my fellow Americans or to just be more selfish, myself.
Ultimately, the public option is really insurance for health insurance. It’s there for when your current insurance says no, because it’s not covered, you didn’t feel out the form properly, you reached your maximum or you simply can’t afford to continue the premiums because you lost your job. Much like health insurance is for the catastrophic moments we have no control over such as getting cancer, breaking bones, a car accident and so much more, the public option is for those moments such as losing your job, pre-existing condition or a company that simple doesn’t offer it.
What you should consider isn’t “I have insurance, why should I care?” but what if you no longer have a job. What then? The "public option" is your fallback position for you and your family if the worse happens. You should want it there, you should demand it be there just in case. What Republicans are promising is nothing. No fallback position, no coverage regardless of life’s curveballs. They promise simple nothing but a series of no.
Barnes & Noble's Nook Official - The companies answer to Amazon's Kindle has officially been announced. It does seem to address some areas that might be preventing wide acceptance of the e-book market. This version has two screens (video), one for reading and another as a color touch screen. The solution provides a touch of color for images and book covers along with a touch keyboard. The operating system is based on Google's Android OS which indicates greater expandability in the future, something the Kindle isn't capable of (as a result it supports more formats including pdf, epub, eReader, mp3, PNG, JPG, and GIF). Electronic downloading is providing by AT&T, but also includes Wi-Fi for faster connection. It has 2GB of built in memory but as an SD slot for additional storage. The device is thicker then the Kindle but has a removable battery, headphone jack and speaker. The battery power is rated for 10 days on average (2 days if use extra features a lot) and will sell for $259 (like the Kindle) when released in November (comparison chart). Over all this is the first time I have read stats that makes considering buying one of these devices worth considering.
Inside Ben Heck's Home - Pretty much the undisputed king of video game modding provides a peak into his home and work space in the below video.
Starcraft II Battle Report 4 - Click the link to go to an Italian website that shows off a new battle report for Starcraft II as it shows off some pretty cool tactics that new features of the game allows on the "Lost Temple" map.
Motion Comics the Future of Comics? - Neal Adams, long time Batman writer, indicates that he feels the future of the comics could be in motion. Considering the example below, I can see why he might feel that way as the trailer for Astonishing X-Men shows. I wouldn't mind seeing how they take static images and give them as much movement as they do considering the limitations of what they are dealing with.
Apple's New Products - A day after Apple's stock reaches new highs (why didn't I get any in 2001 when I knew the iPod would be a hit?), the company has announced new and updated products. Part of that includes a re-introduction of the iMac all-in one computer with screen size that begins at 21.5'' ($1,199) to 27'' ($1,999). The MacBook now has a 13'' ($999), new designs for the apple keyboard, mouse and remote, and tweaked Mac Minis. Overall the prices remain the same, the chips and memory have been upgraded and the "Apple tax" remains high as always on their entire line of products.
Jon Stewart Mocks Fox - The Daily Show takes nailed Fox News for their hypocrisy. After spending a few days whining about how no one "properly" covered their self manufactured news story of the Tea Party thing in Washington, they spent the weekend ignoring a similar event when homosexuals did it asking for equal rights. Funny how it only matters to the "news" station when it’s something conservatives like, but yeah they are "fair and balanced".
Jon Stewart Mocks CNN - The Daily Show also attacked CNN Monday for their tendency to "leave it there" on various issues and often made up claims by their guests. The simple reality though is the talking heads on all the networks are empty heads idiots who only know what the teleprompter tells them to know. Their knowledge on any given issues is about as deep as a headline and they cover it up by asking lame questions and not countering any idiotic claims. It’s pathetic and a primary reason why people no longer have any respect for the press. Hell, even the big "get" of the year, the Couric/Palin interview was dumb. By that I mean listen to the questions. They are truly banal, non probing, moronic questions. Palin's inability to answer them doesn't change the fact the Couric was in no way prepared for that interview and she does not deserve accolades that she is getting for it.
"New" CPR Saves Life - Sweet story that indicates the new version of CPR is probably more effective than the old method (five compressions, breath, repeat). The method calls for fast forceful compressions and no breaths. The goal is less about getting oxygen and more about keeping blood flowing until help can alive. In the case of the story at the link, doing that for 10 full minutes still allowed a woman to survive a heart attack. It is likely she would have died under the old method.
Ralph Lauren's Attempts to Block Blog - As a sign that old business still doesn't understand the internet, Ralph Lauren dent a DMCA request to various blogs for posting an advertisement used in Japan that shows a hugely distorted model with an impossible body shape that was photoshopped. Later Lauren admitted to the ad and apologized for the bad work. However, the model Filippa Hamilton has come forward and said she was fired by the company for being too fat. How that is possible when you’re 5'10' and 120lbs is unknown but then that company likes to sell a body type that just looks odd and few real men are interested in.
Study Confirms Healthcare Rationing - Republicans have been fighting healthcare reform claiming they fear rationing but a new study indicates that Americans are doing that already do mostly to financial burdens. As has consistently been the case, every reason Republicans are fighting reforms are the very things that are already occurring and need to be fixed. But then their real goal is to protect insurance companies profit margins, Americans be damned.
Toy Story 3 Trailer - Click the link for the new trailer of the new movie that indicates the story is what happens to the toys when the boy becomes a man.
PSP Go Release Becoming Nightmare? - New article is Ars Technica suggests that the release of the PSP Go has caused a major headache for Sony and video game owners. The cause isn't the hardware itself but really comes down to the many choices Sony made in their quest to maximize profits. It starts with the premium price for the hardware, continues with their surcharge for games on their store, their requirement for ESRP rating (that costs $2500 per game, regardless of how "mini" it is), their use of a new Sony only standard that requires a re-purchase of all your favorite peripheral and ends with no UMD trade program so in essence Sony wants you to all re purchase all your favorite games to boot. The goal of the system is clearly not to make it fun and easy to play video games anywhere but instead just another way to hit your wallet before the inevitable upgrade that will probably come out next year with the goal of getting you to buy everything all again.
New Michael Jackson Single - A new single from the now dead King of Pop called "This Is It" was released Monday with back-ups by his brother (so guess informal Jackson 5 reunion?). The goal is to seem like homage but really it’s a way to siphon money into his family member’s pockets and drive ticket sales for the upcoming movie. On the bright side, while the song is nothing special, it does indicate that Jackson was moving away from his constant hiccupping through songs tendencies.
White House's Anita Dunn on Faux News - Below is an interesting video of an interview between Dunn and CNN's Howard Kurtz who seemed at a loss on how to handle blunt honesty since it’s not really something that comes up very often on his program. She basically calls out Fox News for being “a part of the Republican Party. Take their talking points, put them on the air. Take their opposition research, put them on the air, and that’s fine. But let’s not pretend they’re a news network they way CNN is." The Fox response (but not denial) that "the average news consumer can certainly distinguish between the A-section of the newspaper and the editorial page which is what our programming represents." They can because newspapers make the distinguishing with big letters and are very clear about it. Fox News doesn't make the distinction clear as it’s really difficult to find even an hour that isn't peppered heavily with "editorial" content. Also, people are not the bright. You listen to Fox News and the "facts" they cite, they don't come from the "A-section" of Fox, they come from the "editorial" section. You don't see that happen anywhere except with Fox News viewers and that’s because for Fox the "A-section" and the "Editorial section" are one and the same.
Lego Zombie Apocafest 2009 - Clink the link for pictures of the Lego Zombie invasion of a Lego City. Of note is the invaded Carnival, troops getting trucked in and various attempts at defense as the Zombies march to consume some brains. The display is part of BrickCon, a Lego convention.
Nicole Eggert Back in Baywatch - The star of Charles in Charge, Baywatch and childhood crush of many in the 80s, has grown up and to me remains gorgeous. Apparently to others that is not the case as this amusing video with the actress shows.
New 2012 Trailer - Click the link for a new trailer for the disaster movie that is coming out in late November. The movie clearly follows the formula of friends/family attempting to survive a disaster. All I care about is the CGI effects where things get destroyed in spectacular fashion. Overall, it’s shaping up to be a visual interesting (but probably plot and character empty) movie that makes for perfect escapism.
Fall TV Update - The Fall TV season is not even a month old but already some signs of who will live and who will die is starting to become clear. In the survival department is Glee, The Cleveland Show, NCIS: LA, Good Wife, Modern Family, and Cougar Town which all now have full season orders. On the cancellation fence is Hank, The Middle, and Community. In great danger is Eastwick, Brothers, Accidently on Purpose, The Forgotten and Melrose Place (which will probably stick around to see if Heather Locklear can save the day again).
An Actual Democrat with Balls - 8th District Democrat Rep. Alan Grayson is shaping up to being the ideal Democrat that American's want but can't seem to find as he shows some actual fire and spine as he chastises his fellow Democrats for bending over backwards to accommodate Republicans who have shown repeatedly they are not receptive to those efforts. He also takes Republicans to task for their clear view that corporate America is their one and only concern and not the welfare of the American people. While his speech likely fell on deaf ears, it is something worth listening too.
Zelda Reorchestrated - Celebrate the New Year with a Zelda marathon of music and check out this site which created the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time soundtrack. The goal was apparently to take the music from the game and make it sound have if played by an orchestra rather than an electronic creation. Click the link, about halfway down is streaming of 22 classic tracks.
