I’m a fan of Anime, Japanese Animation for those not familiar, and one of the oldies from the days of yore is making a comeback to the big-screen. That’s right, Speed Racer in a movie theater near you!
Recently some of the first still pictures were released for general consumption and it looks like it’s going to be a bit CGI heavy, at least for the racing sequences, but I’ll have to wait and see how the picture comes out to really pass judgment. From my viewpoint the movie looks like a video game, or is it a video game that looks like a movie?
Anyways, in the near future I expect to see an onslaught of Speed Racer movie trailers, video games, and toy bits featuring Speed, Trixie, and Chim-Chim.
The big billing on last night’s Top Gear was Lewis Hamilton vs. The Stig. While it was packed full of hype it still left you with some questions. The Stig runs the Top Gear track in 1.44.4 minutes which is really quick in their “reasonably priced car” but that’s in perfect weather conditions and The Stig knows the track better than anyone else on the Planet. Lewis Hamilton went out and lapped the track in a quick 1.44.7 minutes however it was on a wet track with some oil, so who’s really the winner?
I suppose if you figure in the slick track you could mathematically calculate the seconds or milliseconds lost. That just doesn’t feel right though, since we’re talking about a skilled driver who could possibly compensate for a slick track easily since the speeds aren’t terribly fast (it’s a reasonably prices car after all). Until I see the rematch on equal grounds I can’t pass judgment.
Even though it was a let-down there was one bit that was quite good, Richard Hammond drives the ’05 Renault F1 championship car. The ’05 F1 cars were the last of the V10 monsters as the FIA declared them to be too powerful. The newer models can now only sport 8 cylinders.
I know what you’re thinking, 2 blog posts in one day? You must have gone mad. I suppose the good news is that I haven’t gone mad; the bad news is you probably have since you’re reading this blog.
I found out some pretty monumental information from one of my favorite auto industry blogs, AutoBlog (original name eh?). My favorite auto show Top Gear, will be pitting F1 rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton against Top Gear’s tame racing driver “The Stig”. Before saying what in the blue hell is this all about let me explain a bit. Top Gear is probably the best automotive information show in the world; it airs on BBC in the UK and features some pretty colorful chaps. They make the show lively, funny, and always have some interesting car to flog on their track or odd challenge that they have to overcome. Those challenges range from finding a Porsche under £2,000 and finding out which one performs the best, racing a Buggati Veyron against a RAF Fighter plane, and one of my favorites making a car into a boat and crossing the English channel.
The baseline tester for all performance tests on the Top Gear track is The Stig and he’s been known to be one quick bloke. He’s always shown in a white racing suit, a white helmet, and he never says a word which makes him all the more mysterious. Lewis Hamilton on the other hand is a rookie to the F1 circuit coming from a championship year in GP2. GP2 is sort of the minor leagues. Think of it as the Busch series compared to the Nextel Cup for those NASCAR fans. He had a fantastic first year with the McLaren-Mercedes F1 team, almost capturing the driver’s championship which is pretty phenomenal.
So why is this big? Top Gear is a UK show, Lewis Hamilton (a hometown hero in Britain) is probably one of the top 3 drivers in F1 and Top Gear is the auto show to watch. The Stig owns the Top Gear track so it’ll be fun to watch someone try to dethrone him. That’s good racing, period.
I’ve meant to blog a whole lot more than I have but for some reason I get preoccupied with this thing called the internet. A wicked bugger that internet thing is. On an average day I find the time to check most major news outlets, my favorite blogs, and squeeze in some game playing when I get the chance. So when it comes down to writing my own blog, well, let’s just say I’m lucky I have time to sleep.
Recently I took some time to think about when the best time to blog would be since I get random writer’s block and I’ve come up with two possible solutions.
One, you get a couple of drinks down or at least to get the thinking juices flowing, and just spout off everything going on.
Two, get to the brink of exhaustion (as I probably am right now but don’t quite realize it yet)
and just ramble about things that are on your mind. Anyways, there’s some interesting things going on in the world as we’re closing in on 2k8 and I wonder what next year has in store. I figure the upcoming year will be filled with a bunch of political topics since we’ll be in an election year. Probable hot topics this year, health care reform (isn’t that every election), gas prices, and immigration. You could probably toss in the ramblings of a possible recession due to the whole housing debacle with sub-prime lending and variable interest rates. It should be pretty interesting to see what these candidates have to say and how they figure to solve these problems.
On a similar note, I curious to see which direction car manufacturer’s take to help alleviate our insatiable thirst for petroleum products, black gold, or gas for the rest of us. There is some hope out there with the Tesla Roadster being a proof of concept that an all electric car can be fast and carry enough charge to get you from work to home without having to stop halfway (unless your commute is from Los Angeles to San Francisco).
The unfortunate fact is that electric cars still rely on well, electricity. Ultimately it’s still relying on petroleum products when it comes down to it since many a power plants and such still use said products.
What would be a bit more interesting is a jump in portable solar technology, panels on the roof of your Prius that runs E100 (100% ethanol, not a blend with gasoline). There’s also hydrogen cars in the works namely the FCX Clarity from Honda which outputs something truly pollutant to the world, water (ok…sarcasm…hello!) You have to throw Bio-diesel into the ring as well as a contender. What this all boils down to is an interesting year in car technology that will hopefully free us from the grasp of the greedy oil industry. If not, it’s time to sue.
Another interest of mine, which also happens to be my line of work, is Video Gaming. So, in the world of gaming, namely console gaming, I believe two years ago was the year of the XBOX 360, last year was the Wii’s, and this year will likely be the PS3’s time to shine. It’s often overlooked because of its price, but with the games that will be coming out (hopefully, cross-fingers) it should make for a good argument to plunk down the extra scratch for one. Possible tiles of interest include:
Final Fantasy XIII
Gran Turismo 5
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Street Fighter IV
Little Big Planet
Ok, before you say anything, I do realize that many of those games are pretty far out production/release date wise but for the purposes of this blog and since they all are slated for an ’08 release let’s say those count for my “it” titles.
And with that I’ll stop the rambling, but I’ll leave you with an entertaining video from those guys at Cal
For those that didn't know what was being played, in order it is...Pong, Tetris, Mortal Kombat (MK), Pokemon, Zelda, and Super Mario Bros. Enjoy it and I'll try to blog more often!
Well, what can I say it’s getting pretty damn hot around these parts now, I suppose that was my signal that Summer has already encroached upon my neck of the hemisphere. I seemed to have missed the memo I think, but then again in the midst of cubicles, constant temperatures (of a brisk 70-something) in our AC laden office, it’s easy to miss.
Never the less, heres to shorts, tank tops, and halters, here’s to you Summer. And since the most exciting season is upon us, get out there have some fun, just don’t forget the sun screen!
Hello, my name is Joel and I’m a gizmo-a-holic. Naturally growing up around technology you have a certain affinity to all those ultra-fast gaming computers, gizmo's that do things that you thought were only possible in the movies, and gadgets that play days worth of songs yet fit in the palm of your hand.
I don’t know what it is about them but I always seem to gravitate to these tech sites to find out what’s new and cutting edge, ok you could go one further and say bleeding edge. As a society we’ve come a ridiculous ways in the better part of 10 years, remember talking to your buddies like you were “The Man” or “The Woman” for those gals out there, when you said you had a Pentium MMX 233Mhz (yes that was 10 years ago). That would make for a rather nice Linux box router but it has pretty much lost its usefulness seeing as my cell phone has more processing power than that.
Yeah, that’s pretty scary to think that you can carry in your pocket what 10 years ago would barely fit on the better half of a nice oak desk. Who’d a thunk it.
Speaking of cell phones doing some crazy things, that iPhone looks pretty neat. I’m definitively not going to be waiting in line to plunk down the better part of a car payment ($599 ?!) for one but it does look pretty neat. I worry that while all the technophiles will pick them up, the price is just not where it should be especially considering the 2 year commitment that AT&T (formerly Cingular) is requiring. Pick up a nice little iPod Nano for $199 and a free Moto Razr and you’re looking at 1/3 the cost of an iPhone. To each their own I suppose.
Cameras are also being sprinkled with technology and have quickly made 35mm cameras pretty close to irrelevant for everyday people. There are still those photographers who will use the old trusty film for keepsake photos, but all too often I see people whip out a slim little digital camera and snap a couple of shots for quick memories. Phones have em’ (digital cameras), but in reality trying to fit 35mm film on a phone – not going to happen. With some cameras you can get nice sepia and black and white photos as well so it’s about time to toss out that film too and trade it in for a ultra small gigabyte laden memory card.
Funny thing is, technology even seems to be invading the great outdoors. Camping used to be considered “roughing it” and I sure as heck am a purist when it comes to camping. Ok, I’ll go for the campgrounds that have a shower and running water, but I’m content with leaving some of the fancy gadgets at home, PSP, DS, consoles, et al. Think I’m joking when I say technology is invading the great outdoors? One quick browse through your local mega stores and you’ll see tents with 9v plugs in them….What’s up with that -- next thing you’ll know there will be winches that you hook to yourself to “climb” Half Dome…
My mini-rant aside, I’m looking forward to what’ll come in the next 10 years with nano-technology and other sorts of processor fabrications it’ll be interesting to see, that’s for sure.
You know in all honesty I wonder where the time goes sometimes. I mean not to make anyone sound old or anything but I’ve seen many of my friends and classmates from High School move on to the next stage of their lives, the one where everyone is supposed to be responsible and hold down a job. Thinking of these things makes me reflect a bit on those days long passed – I look back at it more with fondness than sadness, thankfully.
I suppose what brought this about was the fact that one of my good friends was going through with the big “M”, you know, marriage. Now, I must say that we go back, way back, back before Super Nintendo, almost pre-dating the US launch of the Nintendo, so we have a good amount of history and growing up together. With that said, I’ll be in his wedding, like a coach once again in his corner, cheering him on (even with smelling salt…), and I’ll be thankful and happy that he’s found someone to settle down with.
So where does all the time go? To be honest I have no clue although I think that’s best left to ponder that more individually. As for me, I’ll focus on making every moment count, enjoying the simple day to day things, and looking forward to the next chapters of my life, just like a good book.
I do believe there are some psychological theories which are important to remember when dealing with these situations. I suppose this would relate the closest to personality based psychology, with the study of the differences and likenesses of everyone's personalities. You can also tie in some social psychology as well.
Are people talking in a negative way to garner attention? Are the people simply venting and need an outlet? Is the reaction proactive or reactive?
There are variables to the persuasion as well. Think, who said what to who and how.
You have Communicators who uses credibility, expertise and trustworthiness to persuade. You have the Message using reason, emotion (e.g. anger or fear), arguments, and other types of informational content. The Audience, what is the message targeting? And the Channel or how it's being presented, via print, speech, etc.
If you can use some of those theories to help dissect the problem and in turn come up with a solution, it may turn a negative persona into a positive one.
How do you approach someone who is hostile, well simply put you can't meet them with hostility. You'd need to approach them with some sort of understanding, almost like a hostage negotiator would.
Respect what people have to say. Even if they can only voice concerns with negativity. If they really don't care they probably would look to discuss their concerns somewhere else. If you approach the person with respect, the chances are this will be reciprocated. Sometimes you have to give a little respect to get some respect.
Listen to what has to be said. Don't look to talk over or point out the bad things, try to listen and understand how something is affecting that person. How is it making them feel? Sometimes regurgitating what's being said shows signs that you are listening. Try using what they have said in a response back to them.
Be helpful. If someone is negative because they are frustrated that they can't find the answers they are looking for we should try to help them find the answers. Making sure that their voice is heard and providing the help that we can, helps soothe dejected feelings.
People have names. Try to use their name when applicable. Online especially when you can easily fade into a crowd, having a face and a name can make a difference in diffusing a bad situation. You won't be on a first name basis with everyone but if you say "Hey X, I was wondering why you were doing X" it comes across as being much more personable than "I was wondering why you were doing X". Typically you'll have a greater chance of having a positive reaction after making such an effort. You shouldn't use someone's name to call them out in a situation however; this will only drive a wedge between you and that person. It can also lead to some very jaded feelings.
Follow through on what you say. This is simple but time and time again we fail to deliver what we promise. Following through on what we say can only build trust in a community. It's especially true when the negativity comes from distrust. No, we're not politicians, but a promise is a promise, and we should respect players enough to follow through on our promises.
Exude calm and positive solutions. If we stoop to a level where we don't show that we're calm and positive it will only feed the fire. In a virtual world where you can easily misread something, having clear and concise answers that are worded appropriately is imperative. Positivity counts too, try talking about a positive instead of a negative. Think of it as what you can do as opposed to what you can't do.
Ok, first everyone say it with me re-spon-si-bil-i-ty. Need help trying to pronounce it? ri-"spän(t)-s&-'bi-l&-tE. Responsibility, so what does that really mean? The quality or state of being responsible: as moral, legal, or mental accountability. My friends over at Miriam-Webster were kind enough to provide that bit of help with this early segment.
Now it’s really simple be accountable for your actions, more and more we’re just not seeing people in society live up to the expectation to be responsible. Be it kids not picking up their toys, to grown adults not taking care of their paternal responsibilities, this sort of social dysfunction isn’t healthy.
This strikes me as an interesting topic as someone I know is going through a difficult time. She is with child yet the person who is supposed to be there with her elected to not marry her due to pressure from his family. This is not a young gentleman either, he’s past his 20’s and frankly the guy doesn’t have his life together.
So let’s rewind just a tad. The gentleman lives at home with his parents, doesn’t have a full time job, and from what I understand does not have a degree yet. He’s cordial and seems like a nice guy but it just seems as thought he can’t make a decision for himself. His parents run his life and when he was pressured by them to not get married, he buckled (from what I understand they were going to withdraw financial support, food, and lodging).
Now when in the course of human events (we’ve heard that one before…) there comes a time in which you have to bite the proverbial bullet and just get it done. That takes some courage but it’s also you being responsible. Only you can make the right choices for yourself, but considers others first. It’s almost like the “Golden Rule” but sometimes that impact reaches much longer and wider than just worrying about what happens to you.
Be responsible, be considerate and maybe just maybe the world will be a little brighter for everyone.
Since it was required in class to write a review on Super Size Me I thought I would post it just for fun...Keep in mind I did have to answer a few questions as asked by the professor.
To start things off Super Size Me was a compelling story told by Morgan Spurlock who takes a McDonald’s eating binge for a month to show off its negative side effects.
The film provided a very real and educational look at what can happen if someone partakes in the indulgence of 3 square meals a day at a friendly neighborhood McDonald’s. The movie hit home for me due to the nature of the content and it’s something we see every day. It does make you realize that not only is the food unhealthy for you but it also is something that can shorten your life by many strides.
The realistic nature of Morgan being an average guy who was in good health before eating all the McDonald’s meals shows in shocking detail what can happen and that’s what makes the movie so profound.
All this was not met without some negatives, the lack of detail on some of the situations and scenarios left me a little disenchanted. It would have been nice to see what exactly Morgan did to get back on track with his healthy lifestyle that he once led. By showing others what exactly he did could provide a glimpse on what can be done to reverse the negative effects of the binge eating that occurred.
Now what 5 things stood out in this movie? Well for starters, yes fast food is bad for you! The marketing campaigns that these fast food companies run do target the youth of America which is heartbreaking in a way because they are the future of this country and you don’t want the future to be unhealthy. The education is not out there in America on how to eat healthy, all the while big companies who promote fast foods can spend many times more money on their ads. Contrary to popular belief not always is a salad good for you, as shown in the premium salad at McDonald’s. And finally, portion control is well, out of control. The fact remains that portions were a great deal smaller in times long past. Add to that fact that in other countries the portions are quite a bit smaller for soda, fries, and other items on the McDonald’s menu and that just emphasizes the American term “Super Size Me”.
The film did leave short the long road ahead of Morgan, where we could have seen what he had to go through just to get back to his ideal weight. Knowing how easy it is to pack on the pounds is one thing, but something more compelling might have shown how hard it was for Morgan to loose that weight.
The film is something that could bring to light the cold reality of the eating habits we have here in America to our most important asset, the nation’s youth. By showing the youth of America early on the problems associated with eating unhealthy food as shown in this movie, we can help educate them into making better, healthier, food choices when presented with unhealthy options. I mean, when was the last time when you heard a child refuse a Chicken McNugget?
So in all I would recommend this film as required watching for anyone who is overweight or even those who eat out many times during the week. Helping educate the nation on healthier eating is something that will only benefit our society. It’ll allow folks to lead healthier happier lives, and may cut down on the road rage just a bit since less people will be on the road attempting to cram into an overcrowded drive through.
Ive been asked this a couple times from numerous people and contrary to popular belief I havent vanished from the face of the earth. Well simply put Ive been busy with quite a few things and simply havent had the appropriate time to dedicate to making a blog worth reading. Im thinking of updating less frequently than I did before (once a day on the weekdays) but more frequently than I have in the past month (none). So finding a happy median shouldnt be too hard to find. What have I been up to for the past month you ask? Well aside from work, Ive been working on some video editing projects, which I will say are fun but codec problems with media players are the bane of my existence at the moment. Oh and Im taking some online college courses to further my studies.
Now what else was there, oh yeah 4th of July. What a bright idea it is to only have a few firework places where the mass public can gather around and cause massive traffic jams, drink publicly, and generally act unruly. If you cant tell the sarcasm in reading that then my apologies and I was being sarcastic. I was traveling through downtown when the fireworks started to go off (yeah I know not the brightest thing in the world). I ended up in a parking lot which I thought I could get out of. Needless to say there ended up being a wall of cars blocking off the exit of the parking lot with all the occupants of the cars either inside or even outside of their cars oogling over the fireworks.
No, this wasnt as fun as I thought but what comes next wasI took my car a sedan mind you off road backing out, since the geniuses behind me decided to park and jump out of their cars to observe the fireworks. Backing out was touchy at times with 2 wheels off road over a curb and 2 on the paved road. I was able to back out and get going home just as the final barrage of fireworks dissipated in the nights sky.
Driving home there was some traffic but not too bad. Unfortunately the person in front of me upon attempting to merge onto the freeway got cold feet and stopped right there. I paused for a moment and thought What would possess someone to just stop in the middle of the onramp? Well as soon as I saw a break in the traffic I stomped on the gas and took off like a bat out of hell, sorry lack of creative verbal expression there.
I made it home safe and sound seeing as I am typing to you all now. And the moral of the storywell I cant think of one but Ill let you know when I do...
There are few movies that I can watch more than once that I truly enjoy; The Princess Bride is one of them. This movie really has something for everyone, action, adventure, some comedy, and romance. Now you may not recall watching it when it was first released back in 1987 but I’m sure you remember watching it more recently…Yes it still qualifies for Flashback Friday…
A young Fred Savage pre-Wonder Years offers up a little child like humor to the movie as his grandpa reads the story. With every mention of a kiss the cut seen would come up with a cringing face of Fred Savage groaning eeew.
There are so many moments in the movie that you just have to stop for a moment and laugh, like the part with the Sicilian who thinks he could outsmart anyone in a game of wits. The Dread Pirate Roberts quickly pops out poison in the form of white powder and Vizzini provides the wine. Needless to say he was mistaken to think he could outsmart the clever Dread Pirate and the poison ended up in his cup.
The Ending of the story is what I would recall as a happy ending putting everything in it's place where it needs to be. Inigo has his date with revenge, Westley his duel to the pain, and he ends up with the girl. I won't go further into the details incase you would like to relive memories.
With the memorable moments abundant and the popularity of the movie still gaining with new generations watching the tale of The Princess Bride will always be pleasurable. The movie to me as well as many others will remain a classic in our media libraries for many years to come. So since I probably piqued your interest why wait? Make Friday a movie night and watch it today!
All too often I find myself wondering why people are so anxious to get from point A to point B, C, or even D. In the midst of the swerving, finger waving, and general taunting we make our ways to our destination sometimes more frustrated than relieved. The unfortunate circumstance of over crowded areas and lack of general mannerisms taught.
There really is no good reason why you should not respect other drivers, in other countries this isn’t a problem however in America this seems to be a growing issue. One look at the news from Los Angeles and the threat of road rage is all too apparent. It’s an unfortunate circumstance when tempers run high and patience runs low. It’s true everyone has somewhere to go, hence the reason why they are on the freeway but wouldn’t it be a more pleasurable journey if others exhibited decency and mannerisms while driving?
I’m one to think that there’s just too much stress and people get detached from knowing what relaxation is. Everything nowadays seems to ultimately say hurry up and stop. If we were to stop for a moment, take a deep breath, relax, and just appreciate things for a moment, I know things wouldn’t feel so hectic.
Perhaps we just need more time off, as it is in other countries there are more break times and vacation days available for working. Is America comprised of a bunch of work-a-holics? It quite possibly could be, but it’s important to know your limits both mentally and physically. Take a break once in a while, enjoy the finer things. As Bruce Lee said “It is like a finger pointing away to the moon. Do not concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory.”
Yes Wednesday is here, it’s halfway to the weekend and in some cases it’s the start of your weekend…College maybe? What better to talk about on Wednesday than something exciting, something controversial, something like…Responsibility.
Don’t you wonder sometimes when you go to places and you see someone who blatantly breaks the rules just because they know they can. It concerns me in a sense knowing that it’s happening all too often in society and perhaps degenerates good will to others because it happens rather frequently. If everyone was to break the rules would that make it right? No, it would make you irresponsible.
Being responsible isn’t exactly limited to following the rules; it also could be a responsibility to yourself to follow your dreams. Within certain boundaries and limitations (I.E. not harming others and such) you should do something to fulfill your dreams, you are here for a short time so make every day count. Not always will you have a second chance so do the best you can with what you have and don’t give in.
I may not be that old but I do know something about responsibility or the lack there of in some cases. All too often we see people who disregard responsibilities for selfish gain and utterly hurting others in the process. In other words, it’s your responsibility to be…well responsible.
It’s funny how I look back at all the changes in technology in the past 5 years or so. I’m studying a bit for an A+ exam (just something I want to get for the heck of it) and have found myself thinking back upon all the new innovative things that have come to pass recently.
I’m sure many of you recall your first computer, perhaps it was a 386 SX with a whopping 4MB of RAM. At the time that was pretty good. Maybe it was a Cyrix chip computer? Needless to say that was maybe 15 years ago and it really puts things in perspective as to how fast computer technology develops.
I recall about 5 years ago we were just breaking into the 2 GHz barrier with Intel chips, AMD was up and coming, and 512MB of RAM was more than adequate for most applications. About that time was also when the graphics wars started to heat up with ATI and Nvidia.
Now when you look at what technology we have available to us it’s simply mind boggling. 4 GHz computers, 2GB RAM, dual core everything…even my toaster is dual core. Well you get the picture, we’ve made some serious leaps and bounds.
I even look at the internet and see how it’s grown. We have high speed internet all over the place with new technology such as FIOS sitting there on the wing just waiting to take over. FIOS if you haven’t heard is a fiber optic network set up by Verizon that promises extremely fast network speeds, I’d wager it’d be faster than a T1 network.
Wondering what the next 5 years will bring? Who knows, but I’m along for the ride…right after I install my RAM drive that is…
Avast matey, ahoy, and all that other pirate jargon that I’m still getting a grasp on. I’ve found myself on a history binge as of late and with the resurgence of the “Pirate vs. Ninja” debate I found myself looking more and more into both from a historical standpoint.
Now ninjas are great you know…mystery and stealth, but in all honesty I’ve read more on ninjas than I have on pirates so I needed to catch up. There is however an elegance about the pirates that I find astonishing, living on the high seas, going where the wind blows, and taking what is needed from those who pass by.
Pirates in media seem to be popping up all over the place as well. This could be caused by the upcoming Pirate’s of the Caribbean movie, or it could be caused because you got a little “Capn’ Morgan In Ya”. Heck even the WWE has their own pirate, yes I do watch from time to time.
Pirates have an interesting history, and the fact remains there are still pirates today only they don’t seem so grand anymore. I’m still reading up on the history of pirates mind you and I’m waiting on a shipment from Amazon but there’s some great information on the internet if you’re truly interested in pirates. I’ll write more on pirates in a later blog and after I read a bit more on them.
Did you hear about the new pirate movie? Yeah…it’s rated “Arrrr!”
Seeing as how we’re enjoying all the things that have been going on with E3 I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate Nintendo on this Flashback Friday. This console was what got me really into gaming so let’s take a little trip back.
We all know that the Nintendo Company was around before the consoles however 1983 was the year that they got their hit product the Famicom on the market in Japan. 2 years down the line in 1985 Famicom production went world wide, only under the name of Nintendo Entertainment System or NES as it’s affectionately known as. The design of the system also changed to suit a more global market and thus my addiction to gaming would truly start.
I’ll be honest here; I was a Super Mario Bros. junkie. I would spend an eternity mastering the nuances of all the levels in Super Mario Bros. I still recall sitting for hours in stage 4 hopping on the turtle on the stairs at the end of the level for pretty much unlimited lives. Mario 2 soon followed, as did many other games.
I even recall the movie specifically made to plug Super Mario Bros. 3 called “The Wizard”. The movie starred Fred Savage, known for the kid in “The Wonder Years” and “The Princess Bride” among other things. I still watch that movie from time to time just because it makes me smile.
There were some great games that my buddies and I would play till the end of time. Let’s see, Castlevania, Contra, Double Dragon, Double Dribble, Excite Bike, Final Fantasy, Ice Hockey, Metal Gear, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, The Legend of Zelda, RC Pro Am, and so many others. Remember the Konami code? Yeah that’s right, I brought it up…UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A, START.
The Nintendo really started it all for me as well as many others, I’m sure. It’s good to remember your roots, especially when you see the freakishly real graphics that are available on the next gen consoles. It really does make you appreciate where you have been and where we’re going, especially when you see the pixilated images of Link saving Princess Zelda.
Recall some of the Nintendo past with these links of NES related goodies:
I don’t know what it is about music that brings your spirits up with a rush of memories of times long passed. I suppose it’s the memories of what you were doing at the time when that music was playing. The anthems of summer, the ballads of the fall ball, and so on, all bring back some sort of memory both good and bad.
When I think of some of my favorite songs that I frequently play it’s almost like a time machine taking me back in time. Although there are some great newer songs that I listen to on my iPod I have a wide array of older songs from my teenage years that get a bit more listening to than the new. Perhaps it’s that whole reminiscing thing that I can’t get over but then there wouldn’t be stations dedicated to 60’s, 70’s,80’s, and even 90’s music if I were the only one that felt this way.
I know there’s a radio in your car for some reason, and with the recent boom of satellite radio stations focused listening to your tastes are much easier. For what it’s worth focused listening to what you really want to hear seems to make for a more enjoyable experience much more than simply listening to top 50 music on the local pop station, or the random oldies that brought the house down…before your time. This seems to be a good alternative route to throwing down cash for an iPod or any other iDevice of the sort.
It’s also interesting that music is something that can even bring back bad memories, remember that one song you dedicated to your “Ex”, but that was when you were together yet now it brings back things that you would have rather forgotten. Subliminal messages? Maybe, but it seems more of a trained thought with association.
I like to think of the better times, crank up the volume to “11” and relax. I know you do the same thing no sense hiding it, so put on your favorite tunes and just smile.
All too often we tend to find a way to say things in public arenas and then think we can get away with whatever we say. Next thing we know what we have said has been squelched one way or another, then next thing you know we’re crying that our first amendment rights have been violated. To that I say it depends…
Many times you’ll see people go on a tirade about one thing or another, it’s ok to do that in most cases but when it crosses certain boundaries then by all means it should be censored especially when what’s being said is on a privately owned and operated service.
We (as in the general masses) put up blog reports here and there on different services and in all people can choose what they want to talk about and all is well. We even go to different forums and newsgroups across the internet’s far reaching boundaries and talk about varied topics.
Key word here that we need to consider is that you’re using a service and they have a “Terms of Service” agreement that you usually have to agree to prior to using their service. So if someone talks about something that violates a “Terms of Service” agreement on one of these services, that company has every right to squelch what’s being said. No first amendment backlash there, period.
Now on the other hand if you have your own server, and make your own forum or blog I’m pretty sure you would be free to say what you want to say and not violate any agreement. This is where you do have a right to say what you want. Heck even standing on a soapbox on the corner you have that right.
