Friday, November 28, 2008
I’ve never watched The Big Bang Theory but this is funny, stereotypical, but funny. Technorati Tags: Star Trek
Just in case you wanted to know who would win… Technorati Tags: Star Wars, Star Trek
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
From the file of the coolest news story ever comes this the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion Counterstrike Map. I love, love, love the Haunted Mansion. As a kid I had a Haunted Mansion record and book combo. I would listen to it over and over and be scared out of my mind. But this is just way beyond cool. A frag-a-thon with your buds in the Haunted Mansion complete with doom buggies. Awesome. Speaking of doom buggies check out DoomBuggies.com a fantastic site dedicated to the Haunted Manstion. Via Boing Boing
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Recently, I lent a friend all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's hard to imagine that its been five years since Buffy left the airwaves. We've been lucky enough that there have been some pretty good television to take its place (I'm thinking Lost, Heroes, and BSG). While discussing the series there were some moments that I completely didn't remember. Since there was no new shows on due to the writers strike I thought it would be a good idea to relive all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Here are some thoughts: Season six and seven weren't as bad as I remember. Season three wasn't as good as I remember. The writing still better than anything currently on TV. So I thought why not rank your top ten Buffy episodes. Well, ten turned into fifteen, fifteen to twenty, and twenty to twenty-five. So without further ado my top twenty-five Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes:  Hush - Season 4 - How do you think this was pitched to the studio? "What if we did an episode where there was no dialog for 75% of it?" Pretty gutsy if you as me. As crazy as this sounds this "silent" episode is the epitome of the series. Silence made the acting shine. The gentlemen, the villains of the episode, are still the creepiest things that I have ever seen on TV. Even creepier than Pennywise from IT. The music is perfect in every scene. In short it's an experience that is difficult to describe and must experienced for oneself. - Once More With Feeling - Season 6 - I hadn't seen this episode since it originally aired almost seven years ago. This is, of course, the Buffy musical episode. Honestly, I have forgotten the brilliance of this episode. Although the performances aren't perfect they are given perfectly in character. The writing again is brilliant and considering that a good amount of the dialog is in song and verse that's impressive. This episode is also funny. I've never laughed harder while watching Buffy.
- The Body - Season 5 – No spoilers here. One of the toughest episodes I’ve ever had to watch of any show. Gut wrenching, jarring, real. A gem of an episode.
 - Fear, Itself - Season 4 – I really love this episode. It’s fun, scary, disturbing and cool while developing the characters, telling the story and moving the season story arch along. That’s not easy to do.
- Restless - Season 4 – Joss really turned up the weird in this episode. After the climatic battle with Adam the Scoobies huddle up for some down time at the Summers’ home. Each falls into a slumber and has a somewhat abstract dream. The cool thing about this episode is that it has so many different layer. Multiple viewings is required. "I wear the cheese; the cheese does not wear me."
- Becoming Part 1 & Becoming Part 2 - Season 2 – The climatic ending to Buffy’s best season. So much is unveiled/shown in these episodes, how Buffy became a slayer, how Angel got to Sunnydale, how Angel got his soul back and a gut wrenching end for the star crossed lovers.
- Innocence - Season 2 – Angel becomes his old self and Buffy wields a rocket launcher. A ROCKET LAUNCHER!
- Passion - Season 2 –We finally get to see how evil Angel really is. And he’s really, really evil.
- Conversations With Dead People - Season 7 – Yea, I’m surprised to see this episode so high too. What makes this episode work for me is the fascinating conversation between Buffy and Holden.
- The Wish - Season 3 – What would Sunnydale be like if Buffy didn’t move there when she did? Well, it wouldn’t be pretty. Of course Vamp Willow steals the show. It’s also the first appearance of Anya.
 - Doppelgangland - Season 3 – Vamp Willow comes back but Sunnydale is a better place much to her chagrin.
- Prophecy Girl - Season 1 – The season one finale shows how good this show can be.
- Graduation Day Part One & Graduation Day Part Two - Season 3 – The climatic showdown between Buffy, Faith and the Mayor. It’s not as emotional as the season two ending but the end of season three ends with a bang.
- Fool For Love - Season 5 – Seeing how Spike killed two slayers is interesting but how Spike treats Buffy at the end of the episode shows the dichotomy that torments him.
- Seeing Red, Villains, Two to Go, Grave - Season 6 - I'm grouping these four together for since these episodes, the final four of the season, saved the sixth season. I think I figured out why the sixth season is my least favorite. It's dark, too dark. There are no good times for the Scoobies (musical aside). Nothing makes the characters endearing. It's nothing but pain and bad decisions. These episodes are the payoff for one tough season. The rise and fall of Dark Willow is one heck of a ride.
- Halloween - Season 2 – The obligatory Halloween episode with a twist. It’s just fun to watch this episode. The role reversals is a nice twist to the season. But of course in the end Buffy saves the day.
- Superstar – Season 4 – Gets on the list just for changing the credits to make it look like Jonathan was the protagonist.
- Band Candy - Season 2 – Adult acting like teenagers, cats and dogs living together mass hysteria!
- Angel - Season 1 – Angel is reveled to be a vampire and the star-crossed portion of our story begins.
- Surprise - Season 2 - Buffy & Angel get physical but it ends badly.
- Checkpoint - Season 5 – The council returns and puts the Scoobies through the paces and Xander has field time. Who knew?
- Triangle - Season 5 – We get to find out what Anya was like before the whole demon thing.
- Lies My Parents Told Me - Season 7 – This episode solidifies season seven by tying Robin and Spike together and putting them in the Thunderdome.
- What's My Line Part One & What’s My Line Part Two - Season 2 – Two slayers? I thought there could be only one? Oh wait, that’s the other thing.
- The Zeppo - Season 3 – It’s the end of the world and Xander misses out. But luckily for us his night is more interesting.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
If you haven't heard yet Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and Serenity, is coming back to TV this fall with Dollhouse. Dollhouse will star Buffy Alum Eliza Dushku as a "girl who can have any personality except her own." It has been described as part Alias and part Quantum Leap. I'm really excited to see Joss back on TV again. Even though shows like Heroes and Lost have filled the post Whedon void I'm excited to see what Joss can do with this concept. Fox just better not mess it up again like they did with Firefly.
You can view the trailer of Dollhouse on dollverse.com and io9.com.
UPDATE - Community Server is throwing up on the YouTube HTML. I'll put the YouTube video in after I throw the bits against the wall some more.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
I've got a problem. A few weeks ago while playing a little ball I noticed that my VC Shox II were coming apart. So, the following week I used my Shox BB4's and the same thing happened. The sole was coming apart from the shox plate. It appears that the adhesive that's used to glue the sole and the shox together failed. Since these are shoes from the same era I'm assuming that this is a flaw with the adhesive. Disappointing.
Of course that puts me on the prowl for new kicks. And since I've been playing on outdoor courts buying a new pair of Jordan XXIII is out of the question. I cannot in good conscious ruin a pair of J's playing outdoor ball. By the way, I'm in deep, admiration, no lust (can I say lust?), of this shoe. I mean just look at it. It's gorgeous. Anyway, since the 23 is out, as well as my Jordan V, XI, and beloved XIV I need to find a new pair of kicks to play in. I considered the new Lebron's but meh. So while on NikeID.com I found the Jumpman Team Elite and I likie. So my only decision is how to design it. Adamantly, I'm no designer but of course I need my new kick mirror my alma matter, the University of Miami. So here is me best attempts at shoe design. But this is where I need you, my closest internet friends, to help me decide. Below are three designs. Please leave a comment below on which design that you like or anyway you would change it. I NEED YOUR HELP! The design which wins is the shoe that I'll buy. Let the voting begin.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
So I drive into the parking garage in the office and I drive by a car with it's lights on. Although we've never been formally introduced I've seen this car before;it's the new car that one of our project managers just bought. Nice car an Infiniti FX. So I pull into a spot walk into the office and ask the PM did you leave your lights on? She didn't think so and they were supposed to turn off after thirty seconds. Since we weren't formally introduced (the car and I) we walked down to the garage and checked it out. Her lights were definitely on but something else was weird, the car was still on! Turns out she has one of those proximity keys that do not need to be plugged into the ignition. But here's the kicker, her car was unlocked. So anyone could of got in her car and driven off. I think this won't make her highlight reel. 
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Jed Brewer has released his latest album God Quit. For those of you who don't know I first met Jed when I a student at the U. Jed's dad was the pastor at the Wesley Foundation on campus and we became friends since I spent A LOT of time there. Well, that and that he's a really great guy. Over the years I have collected his demos and albums and enjoyed not only his music but his point of view. His music is transparent, honest and real. The trashy braggadocio verses that litter popular music today is nonexistent in his thoughtful lyrics. So that being said you can download his new album, God Quit, from his site for free through June 18th. After that you can purchase it from iTunes.
And because I enjoyed it so much, here is his first video from the album "Women, God and Rock and Roll" (see it in HD).
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
 Words can hardly describe my affection towards Michael Jordan. Jordan the basketball player, not the person. I often wonder how my kids (future tense) will view him. Will they study him and watch old games with their dad on NBA TV or will they view him the same way I view Ernie Banks, a great player but I don't know how good outside of the stats. A better question might be how will technology affect their view of the greatest balla eva? How will highlights on YouTube affect his legend. Of course, Jordan's legend continues to grows due to his marketing dominance. The twenty-third version of his shoe was released a few weeks ago and will probably sell-out at $180 a pop. His marketing longevity is sure to be studied in business schools for a long time but I guess my underlying question is how will technology affect how we lived history? With more and more information being digitized and stored what will historians say about the upcoming presidential election, the Iraq war, the Cubs winning the World Series in 2008? Intriguing questions for sure in time we will find out. Until then, watch some Jordan highlights.
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