Monday, June 30, 2008

Wall-E




A subtle homage to Carl Sagan and the pale blue dot? Eva, the ova shaped robot, holding the seed of life and entering a vagina shaped compartment? This pixar take on the "Idiocracy" premise is full of heart, humor, intelligence, amazing imagery, character, and nods to several sci-fi movie classics. Wall-E almost bests Pixar's best film, "Toy Story." So close it doesn't even matter.

I award Wall-E 5 Pope hats.




Sunday, June 29, 2008

Retro Gaming Part IV -- Epic Win



And the collection grows at an astounding pace...



Original NES + 3 Controllers + 18 Games = $40



The Legend of Zelda



Super Mario 3



Super Mario bros/Duck Hunt/Track Meet



(2X) Super Mario/Duck Hunt



Double Dragon II



Excite Bike



Blades of Steel



Punch-Out!



Road Blasters



Home Alone 2



Micromachines



Super Contra



Wheel of Fortune



Commando



Bases Loaded II



A Boy and His Blob



Platoon



Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout



Taz-Mania (SNES) $2



Ahh Real Monsters (SNES) $2



Super Ghouls and Ghosts (SNES) $3



Turtles in Time (SNES) $17



Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis) $6



Altered Beast (Genesis) $3



Clonie






Friday, June 27, 2008

Blockbuster Beckons



I think I need medication for my anxiety. My muscles are tight and I'm unnerved over my job situation. I actually feel sick, like there's a knot in my stomach. On the one hand, I've grown accustomed to work at the movie theater. In fact, I enjoy it. On the other hand, the pay is lousy.

Blockbuster is offering a position for 7/hr. I'm making 5.80/hr at the theater (soon to be 6.30/hr). Just like the theater, they want my weekends. I'd like to work both jobs, but I'd also like some of my weekend back.

So there's my dilemma. Do I accept with Blockbuster, where I'm paid more but will likely enjoy less, do I stick with the theater, which I enjoy, but I am underpaid, or do I try to work some deal in which I work both?

And furthermore, just what the hell am I doing with my life?


Featured Doodle -- Samurai Surprise!


Photobucket


doodle



Monday, June 23, 2008

George Carlin Passes Away


And we lose another great American.




Where the Hell is Matt?


Here's an uplifting video.





Sunday, June 22, 2008

John Adams Miniseries


I've watched 6 parts of the 7 part HBO miniseries John Adams and I must admit, I am captivated by the story of the man, one of my ancestors as I understand it, and our nation's founding. The history becomes absolutely vivid and alive in this production. I have a few gripes; for instance, the director abuses the use of hand held shots, the sound designer awkwardly uses the sound of flies in nearly every scene, the romantic "talky" scenes between Abigail and Adams are exasperating (I hate romance), and Benjamin Franklin feels under-utilized --he steals every scene! (Give me a Franklin miniseries, please!)

Otherwise, John Adams should be required viewing for every school child. It would do this nation good to reflect more deeply on the prudence of our forefathers as regards politics, war, and even religion.




Saturday, June 21, 2008

Am I Becoming an Emo?



Horror of horrors!

But lately, I've noticed that I've been having more emotional responses to everyday life. While I usually exercise a kind of cold stoicism, little things have started to tug at my heart until I can feel beads of tears well up behind my eyes.

Most events happen at work. Early in my training, I had to deal with an elderly mother and her impatient daughter. She was so mean and dismissive of her mother. Was there a reason? The mother may have suffered from Alzheimer's because she dropped some money and thought she had already paid me, but it's not an uncommon mistake. And her daughter was so unsympathetic! She was terse and rude and downright pushy.

The elderly mother finally admitted, "I knew I shouldn't have come." And that hit me hard. The banal, faceless evil of day-to-day suffering is sometimes profoundly distilled in the smallest of things.

There's an older man who works at the theater with a terrible speech impediment and who may also be mildly mentally handicapped. His skin is scarred and blistered by red sores. One day, he asked for ice water, but his speech was so garbled that I had to ask him to repeat 7 or 8 times. I was embarrassed because I just wanted to help him with ease and the full humanity he deserved, but his frustration seemed to suggest I had failed. Pondering the daily struggles that my fellow employee must endure again brought me to sadness.

There are other stories, and everyday a new one; another employee with a bum leg, a customer with bone growth disease, a severe mental handicap, a tired, poor mother who must bear the cries of disappointment from her children when she realizes she doesn't have enough money for both a popcorn and a soda...

And then I wonder how I fit in; where am I along the crushing wheel? I must not seem quite so out of place. Daily now, I'm asked, "Who did you get in a fight with?" "What happened to your eye?" "Uh oh, looks infected." or my favorite:

"You walk into something?"
"No. I'm blind in my eye, since birth. Don't worry, I get it all the time."
"I'll bet you do."

Of course, in the grand scheme of things, I have next to nothing to complain about. Besides, I got what I choose to believe is a very awesome compliment today.


"Hey. You look exactly like that kid from Juno."



sweet.


Friday, June 20, 2008

Colbert Green Screen Challenge


I lol'd so hard it hurt.




Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Movie Theater Scam Alert


As near as I can tell, the buckets of popcorn that our theater offers hold just as much, if not less, than our large bags of popcorn.

Save yourself 25 cents and buy the large bag instead!





lol Catholicism



Ok, if this is true, then it's ridiculously awesome. I can just imagine all parties involved doing this with straight faces and serious piety. lol


In modern Europe, as in ancient Greece, it would seem that even inanimate objects have sometimes been punished for their misdeeds. After the revocation of the edict of Nantes, in 1685, the Protestant chapel at La Rochelle was condemned to be demolished, but the bell, perhaps out of regard for its value, was spared. However, to expiate the crime of having rung heretics to prayers, it was sentenced to be first whipped, and then buried and disinterred, by way of symbolizing its new birth at passing into Catholic hands. Thereafter it was catechized, and obliged to recant and promise that it would never again relapse into sin. Having made this ample and honourable amends, the bell was reconciled, baptized, and given, or rather sold, to the parish of St. Bartholomew. But when the governer sent in the bill for the bell to the parish authorities, they declined to settle it, alleging that the bell, as a recent convert to Catholicism, desired to take advantage of the law lately passed by the king, which allowed all new converts a delay of three years in paying their debts.

Sir James Frazer, Folklore in the Old Testament





New Song -- Doo Doo Dee


Hey, here's an old and fairly irritating song I wrote. Luckily, it's short and there's a picture of a cat in a frog suit!

Doo Doo Dee



Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Jesus Probably Rode Dinosaurs!




link


Monday, June 16, 2008

The Origin of Life -- Abiogenesis


It's been 55 years since the Miller-Urey Experiment, and science has made enormous progress on solving the origin of life. This video summarizes one of the best leading models.





Sunday, June 15, 2008

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!





Saturday, June 14, 2008

Retro Gaming Part III: Admitting You Have A Problem


What's that you say? Good Will is having a half-off everything sale today??
How can I resist?



NFL 2K (Dreamcast) $0.50
(I don't even like football games!)



NBA Jam (Genesis) $2.00



Super Star Wars Return of the Jedi (SNES) $10.00



I sold our old xbox for $70 on craigslist this morning to a kind grandmother who wanted it for her grandchild's birthday. I smell the beginnings of a dangerous obsession. Finding and selling game deals is exhilarating! If all goes well, I'll be picking up an original Nintendo entertainment system with 3 controllers and 18 games this monday for $40 (talked down from $60).

Please work out. Please please!



Friday, June 13, 2008

Tim Russert Passes Away


Political commentator and interviewer Tim Russert has passed away from a heart attack. This is sad news indeed. As host of Meet the Press, Russert was one of the last interviewers to ask probing questions and dedicate actual, substantial time to interviews without the swagger of egotism, gimickry and fake outrage that characterizes most political fluff television.

Rest in peace Tim.



Thursday, June 12, 2008

Craigslist ADDICTION


Price is still a bit out of my range, but there are some GREAT deals on professional and pro-sumer digital video cameras.

Brand New Sony HVR-V1U HD Camcorder - $1200



Actual retail price: ~ $4,300 (link)


CANON DIGITAL VIDEO CAMCORDER 3CCD CAMERA SYSTEM - $1200



Actual retail price of CAMERA ALONE: ~ $2,000 (link)



Look at all that awesome extra crap! I wish I was rich, because I would jump on these deals in a second.



Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Allergy Season Relief


I'm not sure if I should be showing my ugly mug over there too much, so just in case wandering eyes make it over to this blog, I'd like to direct seasonal allergy sufferers to my miracle drug: Claritin Reditabs.

What's nice about this over-the-counter "tab" is that it dissolves on the tongue so that people like me, who can't swallow pills, don't have to worry about ingestion.

Apparently, nose bleeds are a somewhat common side effect associated with Claritin tablets. I'm not sure if the same is true of the Reditabs. I haven't had an issue yet, but like most drugs, I try to use them very sparingly. Typically, I take Claritin during the height of allergy season once every 3 or 4 days. Relief is fast and I have yet to notice any side effect.

When I was younger, I used to suffer terribly from seasonal allergies. I rarely got a full night of sleep and the 3 or 4 prescribed nasal sprays offered little relief. Hoo-boy, I had almost forgotten about all those terrible times. I have to give a thumbs up to Claritin.




Retro Gaming Part II


The saga (sega?) continues...

Sam just bought the FC Twin system, which plays both NES and SNES cartridges (well, with a few exceptions...) In addition, Sam convinced me to buy Mighty Morphin Power Rangers the Movie for the Sega Genesis. DON'T LAUGH! If memory serves correctly, this beat-em-up is just as good as the beat-em-up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series.



FC Twin System with One Game (NES/SNES) $47.99



Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie (Genesis) $7.50



Monday, June 9, 2008

Retro Gaming


Sam and I discovered a new local used video game retailer called PlayNTrade. The selection is not so great, (McVans is superior) but there are a couple of good deals to be found. So far, we've purchased:



Medal of Honor (Playstation) $2.99



NHL 2K (Dreamcast) $.99



Blast Corps (N64) $4.99


Sam is on the prowl for Pokemon Fire Red at $20 or less. Let me know if you have a hot tip.