The Dark Knight Trailer

New Dark Knight Viral Sites

RorysDeathKiss.com
TheGothamTimes.com
TheHaHaTimes.com
RememberingGina.org
GothamNationalBank.com
WeAretheAnswer.org
GothamPolice.com
GothamCityRail.com
WhySoSerious.com/PersonalityProfile
Gotham Cab Company
Acme Security Systems
Gotham Victims Advocate Foundation
Gotham Unified School District
whysoserious Crack A Safe
Rent-A-Clown

Field Experience

Well, I'm done with my field experience for this semester. It was really good, but I am glad to be done. Going to bed around 10:30 and waking up at 6:30 was getting difficult. I know I will have to get used to it next year but I think it's the fact that it's still dark out and I know I'm surrounded by people who are still asleep that makes me dread waking up. I can do it when I go home with ease probably because my parents wake up psycho early so I know I'm not waking anyone.

I did the experience at Norfolk which meant driving for an additional 30 minutes. That just reassured me that I don't want to live far away from my job as I do now. The teachers were very good and reassuring. I had some doubts going in about teaching (what a time to get them) based on my Ed Psych and Methods classes but seeing the teachers honestly care less about what those ridiculous classes say was very reassuring. They know what makes students learn more than a textbook and its high and mighty views.

Norfolk is a place that I could work at. Unfortunately, it's a bit low on my list of places I would live in. I love Omaha. You can find anything if you're willing to drive anywhere. Sioux City is high up there as well since most of the town is quite concentrated. Well, now I have to worry about my experience for next semester. That's a little more hours but my schedule is even more accommodating.

Third-Party Wii Games

I rented Spider-Man: Friend or Foe and Tony Hawk's Proving Ground for this weekend for the Wii. It's been a while since I played the Wii and since Live has been laggy, it's nice to try something else. Spider-Man is fun, it's like a cross between LEGO Star Wars and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. It's fun, simple, but far too easy. It's a game that's impossible to get mad at and a good rent because it's so short.

Tony Hawk is a different game. It's crossplatform so it's on other systems as well as Friend or Foe. However, the Wii controls for it are a bit freaky. Unlike every other game, you don't want to hold the control stick in an upward position. If you do, you'll manual when you go down and that's frustrating when all you want to do is slow down. The motions can be a bit non responsive, like aggro kick. To do that, you must move the remote down. Sometimes he kicks, sometimes he keeps skating along. I haven't figured that out.

So I've figured out something, something I'm surprised game publishers haven't quite grasped on to. Wii motion controls are fun but some games (I'm talking to you, Spider-Man 3) have horrid motion controls. Mortal Kombat seems to be one of the few to get what I'm trying to say. Along with tacking on motion controls, add classic controller connectivity. That way if you're controls suck, you can still play the game normally like on any other system. The controller has two analog sticks, 4 buttons in a diamond pattern, directional pad, two triggers and nearby buttons. It's a regular controller. That way, I could play Tony Hawk like it was on the PS2 if I'm not getting the hang of the motions.

Pikachu's Vagina Brings Happiness to Children

digg this

PictoChat is a Level on Smash Bros!

Let the good times roll

I'm ready for November. Haunted House is coming up and it's a ton of fun, but it is time-consuming. With field experiencing in the mornings and Haunted House at night, I'll be running low on time to do homework. I'm actually going to have to focus and do homework on the weekends during the day. I don't have much to do, It just needs to be done. I had two tests last Friday. Spanish wasn't hard and Medieval Europe just made my hand hurt. I also need to do my Burgundian paper for Medieval Europe for Friday. Start my Seminar paper for next Tuesday. They're both not long, but I want to do them right. Oh well, I could always reduce my Halo time. No, that's just silly.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

I've got good news and very bad news... Good news first, Sonic the Hedgehog will be included among the fighters. Woo hoo! He is going to zip across the maps like crazy. Also in the good news is the announcement that there will be online cooperative play. Very nice! Now hopefully it won't have a unique friend code like other Wi-Fi games from Nintendo. That's not likely, though.

Alright, the bad news. Super Smash Bros. Brawl will be delayed for release in North America until Ferbuary 10, 2008 from December 3, 2007. This is basically leaving me a lot of time to play Halo 3. And it leaves Halo 3 basically the only holiday game and it was released in September. Video game delays are becoming routine.

Michael Moore being annoying for a purpose

Intolerance at its Extreme

Halo 3

It's not a surprise that I like this game. I love the return of the assault rifle and the controls I still need to get used to, but it is so fun. I find myself pressing X to reload, and instead deploy a bubble shield or a gravity lift. But one thing is fun: playing with gravity and speed settings. That's more like jousting. I also love the built-in zombies. That's very nice. One thing I do miss is the ability to change settings and whatnot in multiplayer without your menu taking up the whole screen. I miss it only because I'm legacy and that confuses people. It's only because I was trained on GoldenEye and Agent Under Fire too well.

I've been toying with the notion of getting an Xbox 360. I think about it and usually back down. As I was playing today I thought it would be so fun to melee people with a motion action thanks to the Wii. Logically, if a game were to come out cross-platform, I'd be more likely to get it for Wii because I'd take unique controls, even tacked-on, over superb graphics. Also, because I have a 13 inch TV, graphics don't do much for me. But since my parents got their 52 inch HDTV with several HDMI ports, it has tempted further. I'm currently on no only because I like being with people as I play. It's boring to play alone. Plus, I don't have to spend $460+ for all I need. And since I'm likely to get mainly Wii games, that's $460 for Halo alone. I love Halo. In an ideal world, Microsoft should allow Halo on the Wii just to give a royal screw-you to Sony, but that will never, ever happen. And that's OK. I may still get one, but It would take a large increase in my income to justify it and currently, I have a lot of outcome.

Anywho, I appreciate my neighbors who love to let people play so I get the chance. Will we see the return of Jimmy? I'm not sure. I may try to be more inventive.

Through good times and bad...

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for Wii

Between Wii game posts and YouTube videos, I don't post. Seriously, not much is going on at the moment bear with me. Well here's a bit of both.

Anywho, it seems that The Force Unleashed will be coming to the Wii after all. It seemed like they were avoiding it and how cruel to do so. Deny Wii gamers a chance to have a lightsaber other than LEGO Star Wars? Vicious. Well, not to worry, a lot of nerd fantasies will be "unleashed" in the spring. Woo hoo! This campaign is quite the event, tied in with a graphic novel and even a Miniatures set. Interesting.

Read the news here.

Brian and Stewie at the Emmys

でんのうせんしポリゴン

WARNING: This video, Dennō Senshi Porigon, has been known to cause seizures on standard TVs.


So why do I upload? To show the power of video, and to prove that Pokémon really can attack the trainer. Plus it's a fun dare to see if you'll watch it. Don't say I didn't warn you. I admit, it is difficult to watch. Illuminate your room and don't, for the love of God, focus on the video completely like those crazy Japanese children glued to the TV. Treat it like a freakin' solar eclipse.

Guitar Hero III

Guitar Hero for the Wii. It just sounds fun. So what are you getting in this version? IGN got their hands on the game and gives the goods. The Wiimote plugs into the back and shows through the front and because it's wireless in the first place, there will never be a wired controller. So nice. Because the Wiimote itself is a motion sensor, jerking the controller up activates Star Power. The Wii guitar will also have an analog stick because you can't point at the screen anymore. Even neater, the rumble feature will be used since it's already in the Wiimote and even neaterer is the fact that it will use the Wiimote's speaker for the squelch sound on that specific guitar. You will now for sure now that you are the one who can't play Mississippi Queen. And I think I've heard that it will be priced with the PS2's tag so it should be about $10 cheaper. Very nice indeed.

Read the full article here.

Not quite like Greece

I'm still not sure why this is funny.

Nostalgia for Nostalgia's Sake

You know what's weird? It is almost 3 years since I started this exercise in wasting time. It makes me reflect on what can happen in 3 years. 3 years ago I was still in Morey, but on 3rd floor. Most of my friends from the past 3 years have actually graduated in 4 years and are no longer around. What's that like? It's weird because when I started blogging, a bunch of my friends were doing it also. Now, I seem to be all that's left from 3 years ago. I'm still here! Although some are not as close as they used to be, my visitors haven't really decreased, they just come from farther. 3 years ago I was still getting hit in my car. Yeah, I got hit again last Thursday. Totaled my car. Fun. I'm a bit hesitant to comment in length publicly, or Internet-ily, until insurance matters and whatnot have been taken care of. Just don't want to muck up the process. These two semesters are very simplistic. We're inching along in Spanish and Tennis should be fun. 3 years ago I was a computer science major. 3 years ago I was a nothing in the club, now I'm its president, again.

But as much as this nostalgia is fun, my optimism is hard to shake. It's hard to imagine what the next 3 years may bring. Hopefully, a career. I'm excited to be where I am, yet anxious to actually start life. I want to be in Omaha with a good teaching job that pays squat. How nice. I want to see more of the world. Dr. Bertolas is even tempting me with a trip to France. I just went to Greece, leave my money alone! No, that should be fun, If I decide to go. I want to reconnect with those in Omaha I left behind at graduation. Summers are not enough. I'm excited to hang out with the alumni without living 30 minutes away, although I don't want to deny my current friends. I'll also like to be driving a car without a giant bullseye on it, but I'm not expecting that to take 3 years. If nothing else, I'll still be here, wasting your time for another 3 years or more.

One of my favorite scenes from the summer movies

Dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight

Thanks to Comic-Con, we now have a clear image of The Joker:


There are some things to note from this photo. First, the white is painted on. I doubt this is a makeup error. When I first heard he would have the "smile" carved into him, I was wondering whether or not he would be the lunatic we know and love. He has no reason to be loopy if his visage would not alter his psyche. I wonder now if what we are seeing may be a a pre-chemical bath Joker that's waiting for Batman to take the plunge. After all, he was already theatrical at the end of Batman Begins and they might want to do an origin. It would make some sense if his "character" would fall into the chemicals as we see him, and his appearance merges in permanently. It might help explain why he's "dead" but will return in December. Plus, the dead body doesn't really look like him.

Or we could see something completely different from the common continuity. I like different. It keeps things new and not repeated. I'm excited to see where this goes. I highly doubt that they'll stretch his story into the next film, as they want to stretch Harvey Dent's character into the next thanks to the actions of the Joker. We shall wait and see.

By the way, the voice and laugh in the teaser trailer are awesome. Hearing his quote "Starting tonight, people will die" reminds me of The Man Who Laughs, featuring the Joker's first appearance as himself. In it he appears on TV telling Gotham he will kill a high society bigwig at midnight. As the police scramble to protect the guy, who is poisoned already, the Joker barges into Arkham and releases weapons on the inmates and opens the door. In the pandemonium, he steals a news van so he can broadcast anytime, building to his grand scheme.

More info:
TheDarkKnight.com
IBelieveinHarveyDent.com
IBelieveinHarveyDenttoo.com (Select All, copy to Word, remove all the "H"s, "A"s, and spaces)
WhySoSerious.com (find the shiny dot)

What the French Toast?

One of my favorite commercials right now:

E3 Announcements

I'll try to update this as new information becomes available.

• No Xbox 360 price change
• Sony royally screwed those who bought a PSP at a reduced price because a redesign will be out in September.
• There will be a Star Wars-themed PSP
  
• Mario Kart Wii will include a Wii Steering Wheel
• Wii Zapper revealed for $20
• Wii Fit will include a step mat.
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl will be out on December 3rd.
• Wii Guitar Hero III controller has the Wiimote embedded into it.

Weekend Mania

There is so much going on this weekend, it's almost unreal.

• Daniele's Party: She's celebrating her return from Canada nad her graduation. It should be fun and I will be going, I just don't know when.
• John C. Fremont Days: Fremont's annual celebration never really tempts me but I would like to check out the living history encampments for a few minutes. But when I'm in Fremont, I'm still in work clothes and I hate having to go home to change then return for just a few minutes. But it's running on Friday and Sunday as well so I could check it out on those days.
• Luis Palau Heartland Festival: A lot of people are going to the Qwest Center for this and it should be fun. I just hope I can get out of there. I'd like to go on Sunday but the artists I know are on Saturday. I just want to check it out though.
• Nebraska Comic Book Convention: Not a big hullabaloo as any other convention but it is nice to see what I could get for cheap from the vendors. I'm likely to go there first, then to Valparaiso for the party.
• Blue October concert: They're going to be at Harrah's and I'm not going. I just wanted to add it to the list.

Additionally, my parents will be gone all next week so I will have free time for the things I wanted to do this weekend, so things like to work out.

Wii-licious

That title makes no sense. I have the Internet on my Wii, again. Now our wireless network not only works for my laptop, it works for the Wii, DS, and any other computer here independent of the main computer. Huzzah! So now, Laura and I have been messaging each other via Wii. It's so neat to see that cool blue pulsating light! I've also played Battle Revolution over Wi-Fi Connection and that is very smooth. By the way, if you don't have Diamond or Pearl with DS, don't bother with this game, it basically acts as a DS server and storage device and you will be bored stiff with the game without one. I've also been a-renting some games. I rented Big Brain Academy and it's fine, albeit short and repetitive. It's probably better for a group but no matter how it tries to cheer you up you still feel like it's insulting you. I've also played The Godfather: Blackhand Edition, which is basically Grand Theft Auto except with a point. In GTA, you deal with these people who claim their turf. I ask why it is theirs. Here, you must extort the local businesses to generate money, thus making it your turf. I am buying this game next. I shouldn't have enjoyed it as much, but I did. Plus, I'm so close to completing it. I rented this week Resident Evil 4, which is very fun. I'll buy that one after Godfather because I wish to destroy the chainsaw wielding-brainwashed who keep slicing off my head. I've also been playing Legend of Zelda, finally. It's fun yet it enrages me. I must conquer it.

Now I await E3. Hopefully we'll have some announcements on Super Smash Brothers, Animal Crossing, and DDR Hottest Party. I see they've already revealed the Guitar Hero III controller. Not sure if I want to own that yet. Plus Beautiful Katamari ditched the PS3 and is going to 360 and Wii. It's nice to own a Wii.

Completion Achieved!

I've got my Greece journals up! You can read them all here. Be patient, they're long. I've also got my paper done! I have time now! I can play Zelda now. I've got a nice list of games to rent as well. Now begins the fun task of printing off 718 photos and scrapbooking them all. I know I should pick and choose but I was thorough so I can have a teaching aid for my classes. Hooray for future concerts as well. It seems those who got postcards got postcards now. Most of my family got some along with Dr. B., the bank, and Jodie only because I had her business card in my wallet. My parents didn't get their second one until Friday. Last Friday. Whatever.

It is to laugh

My Ελλινικά Review of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

Now, I'm a pretty big fan of Pirates of the Caribbean so when I saw that it was playing in Kamari, I tried my best to hook myself up. No surprises here, Jack survives the second movie. Just look to the left. So basically Barbossa, Elizabeth, Will, and the gang are trying to bring Jack back from Davy Jones' Locker. Barbossa needs Jack's piece of eight to free Calypso, Elizabeth's motives are unclear, Will is still trying to save his father and going after Jack somehow falls into that plan, that along with double-crossing everyone in his path including his fiancée.

I really don't like what they've done with Will's character. He was so virtuous and honest in the first movie and now he's an ambiguous, whiny piece of crap. Will works with Sao Feng to give Jack up for the Black Pearl, but then Feng has a deal with Beckett already. Are you following this? And now that the awesome Davy Jones has become the ultimate tool of a villain to Beckett, the pirates must unite to stop them. They go as far to even elect a...excuse me...it's hard to type...a Pirate King. I never knew pirates were so organized. "Hang the rules and hang the code" and whatnot. And of course, this royalty goes to...um...Captain Elizabeth Swann. Bottom line, the movie is too silly for its own good.

The first one is phenomenal. The second one is fun, but leads into this one. It's not bad, but it's not good. It's like a Fantastic Four to me. It's fun to watch, but unlike the others you can't take it too seriously. One thing I miss from the first one is how pirates were the only people who believed in anything supernatural. Even the Black Pearl itself was a myth to the majority of the British. In the second movie they made Beckett know a lot of the stuff he shouldn't believe. OK, so he's been around to know better. Now, for whatever reason, Governor Swann is the one to find out the new information concerning Davy Jones. Along those lines, what is Davy Jones' motivation other than not to die. He becomes a subordinate because he doesn't want to stop. Plus I love the inferred reason to remove the Kraken as a threat for this movie.

On the plus side, this movie has the best soundtrack of the three which is nice. But as I said, don't take it seriously and just enjoy the film or else you will hate the movie. Oh, and please don't make more. You're just cheapening the franchise.

My rating: 8 out of 10
DVD-worthy: I'll get it, but I won't drive at midnight for it by any means.

If only work was like this...

Days 10 & 11 – Ferry to Athens, Athens, Transatlantic Flight

We gathered our stuff to leave for the mainland at around noon. One of the girls, Krystle, had met a guy named Tolis and wanted to hook up before leaving. Luckily, she made it back in time. We dropped our stuff off at the port and I went with Lance, Jared, Chari, and Sarah into town to get some eats. Yes, I had another gyro. We went back to the group when Chari realized she forgot her camera and ran back to get it. We got on our ferry, the Ithaki, which was like the Diagoras but much less fancy. We were looking at a 6 hour ferry ride. Zaira and I had reserved seats but not with the group but since we were not expecting the ferry to be packed, John suggested we just sit with the group in open seats. I must’ve sat near the end of the seats because the stewards kept bugging me about my seat. I moved up by Dan and Holly and noticed Dan had a Nintendo DS. He had New Super Mario Bros. until his battery died because he’s been unable to charge it. He just got it for the trip and it was nice for him to see how the wireless functions worked. There was a kid on the Diagoras who had a DS and I was too shy to ask what he had. I’m glad I didn’t let this time pass. I just with the browser was out in time because there were Wi-Fi spots everywhere. Anyways, I went to get some fast food from the Goody’s on board. They use fry forks! Europeans must not like to touch their fries. When we arrived in Athens we got to our hotel at about 8:00 pm. We decided to eat at the hotel because it was free but I wasn’t that hungry. Our Wayne group headed out on the metro, back to Syntagma, back to the plaka for last minute shopping. It is so different at night. I wish we weren’t leaving so soon because I could spend so much time in Athens and the mainland but all good things must come to an end. We went back to the hotel before the metro stopped at midnight and we decided that since we leave at 3:00 am that we should stay up. We had some drinks on the roof and enjoyed each other’s company before leaving. During this time I charged Dan’s DS because they still had Italy and flights to get through and I didn’t want him to suffer. After a while I got tired and I didn’t want to be in the same situation as on the way over so I left a bit early to get a couple hours of sleep. I didn’t pass out but it was nice to relax with my eyes closed and stress in peace in our tiny room again. When I “woke up”, I was stressed. I wish I wasn’t but anxiety always takes hold. We got on a bus with most of the group as we headed to the airport. We said our goodbyes and had our hugs before leaving the group and John. Dan and Holly were down the way along with Megan from Tennessee. The Kansas people were going to Munich to Chicago as we went from Frankfurt to Chicago. I was able to get some sleep on the short flight to Frankfurt which was nice. Frankfurt was very hectic. There was a lot of security because of the G-8 in northern Germany and we had a limited window to leave and we were unable to say goodbye to Sarah from Louisiana. We had a nice double-decker Airbus back to America. I know I got some sleep on that plane because I don’t remember how Wild Hogs ended. That’s my new suggestion: Don’t get a full night’s sleep before flying as I did on the way there. It helps to be dead tired before flying so you get your second wind when you land. I did watch Music & Lyrics all the way through though. Halfway through the flight we had to fill out DHS and Immigration forms for entry into the US. When we landed we had to go through customs. Basically you get in line, they ask you a few questions, you pick up your luggage from the carousel, they may or may not check it, and then you put it back on the carousel for connecting flights. It is amazing how European Union customs is so much simpler. It’s basically a stamp and you’re done. It took me no time to clear American customs and I waited for about 10 minutes for the other Wayne people but after a While I got impatient and started heading to our concourse and terminal. Chicago O’Hare is very efficient for being so busy. It reminded me of the efficiency of Munich that was missing at Frankfurt. When I got to our gate, not too far away were Lance, Jared, Sarah, and Chari waiting for their flight to Kansas City. It was nice to see them again at the tail end of the trip. I really enjoy their company. They left and a few minutes later we were boarding. Steph was upset there was a flight to Lincoln flowing the Omaha flight she could’ve taken. Our plane was a 13-row plane. So we went from the largest to the smallest plane. The flight to Omaha was very quick and it was nice to be back but I miss Greece a lot. I will miss the people I met on the trip along with the amazing sights.

Day 9 – Delos, Mykonos

Today a group of us headed to Chora to go to the island of Delos. I am so exicted to see the island after learning about the Delian League in Dr. Taber’s Ancient World. The entire island is an archaeological site with only 10% fully excavated. It is fascinating. We paid for a guide that showed us the ruins and what we were looking at. We saw the theatre, the house of Cleopatra (not the Egyptian princess), and the maison of Dionysus. We also saw the colonnade built by Philip V of Macedon. You can still read the inscription if you can read Ελλινικά (Greek). I’m totally getting a hang of this language, especially the script. We saw the Colossus of Naxos site and the remnants of it after pirates attempted to steal it. The guide was very knowledgeable and well worth it. He told us of the birth of Artemis and Apollo on Delos and of the purifications that no one may be born or die on the island. We saw the Lions of the Naxians and the Temple of Dionysus. I went up the hill of Synthos with the Kansas people to see the Temple of Zeus. We then headed back to the boats and to Mykonos. I found a stain on my new shirt that seems to be some sort of lichen so Delos has left its mark on me. I wanted something sweet to eat so I ordered a nutella, chocolate, banana, and walnut crepe. I also tried the hummus which was good even with the seafood in it. The San Francisco girls started shopping and the stores began to close for siesta at around 3. We took a taxi back to the hotel until we went down for cocktails served by the ugliest bartender ever. It was fun, though. Later I separated to find a gyro stand and found the others anyway. I hung out with Jared who needed a pain killer for his sunburn and I wanted something for my many mosquito bites I got on Ios. We wandered back to taxi square where I bought some sour cherry juice. When we got back there was a group outside of our rooms having a good time. It was nice to see some of them come and go and chat to them. I talked for a long time with Megan from Tennessee who was really nice.

Day 8 – Ios, Ferry to Mykonos, Mykonos

On Ios we headed down to the port and had some time so I went with the Kansas people to check out the nearby port church. It was gated closed but we snuck around the fence to get some photos. We only needed to waste a few minutes so we didn’t trespass long. We got on the Flying Cat 4 again to go to Mykonos. On the ferry there was half of an engaged French couple in my seat and they asked me to take one of their seats and, of course, I did. They must’ve got off at Paros because a woman said she had my seat after stopping and my seat was free again. We arrived on Mykonos and it was hot. We got to the Hotel Petinaros and got another very nice room with a second bedroom, a bar, a stove, and a full fridge. We then headed down to a restaurant where I had another gyro and a frappe. It was good but very, very strong. I love gyros. It’s all the tzatziki sauce! Later we headed into Chora to check out the town. They city is a maze designed to confuse raiding pirates. The city is so cosmopolitan. We checked out where the ship to Delos leave and saw the famous five windmills. John suggested that we get some lightweight long-sleeved white shirts if we were going out to Delos as there is no shade. So when we separated I went with the San Francisco girls to find these shirts. We found a shop owned by a nice Greek lady. She was very helpful in finding a nice Greek style for me. We then took a taxi back to the hotel.

Day 7 – Ios

Today we planned on taking a boat trip to reach some of the beaches that were inaccessible by road. However, the captain told our director that he was apprehensive about the weather and urged us to cancel. So instead we went by bus to Mylopotas beach just south of Chora. I didn’t think I’d like sitting on a beach relaxing and doing nothing but it was just what I needed. I’ve had a lot of stress at times and this is awesome to just not have a care in the world. I chilled on the beautiful beach listening to my iPod. I even played some sand volleyball which was fun. We played with a Greek basketball player who would sometime kick the ball like a football (soccer) player. I then shared a lunch with Shana and Tamara. I then relaxed with them on the beach. After a while we took a bus back to the hotel. I met up with Lance and Jared who were heading with Sarah and Chari to see Homer’s Grave. The taxi would be expensive so we looked into renting a car or an ATV. But they weren’t too excited about have as much of us in one car or renting multiple vehicles so we called the cabs. It cost €50 to get there and unfortunately most of the group did not have the money for the second cab so I went with Lance and the girls. The ride was long and well worth the €50. The views are amazing from the roads and the site is amazing coming from a social science major. On the way back, the taxi driver lets us stop for photos of the cities of the island from the distant road. We stopped off in Chora and found an Italian pizza place which was delicious and different, obviously, from the Hut. I think I got some sand in my feet from the beach because it is hurting and irritated so I headed toward the hotel. I stopped by a boutique on the way and found a neat Greek t-shirt. The owner was British and very helpful and friendly. I was wearing a Hollister tee and she had not heard of the brand and complemented me on my shirt. That made me happy, especially when I was playfully teased the other day for mixing styles while wearing another Hollister shirt with a “punk” bag. I found the San Francisco girls again and talked for a while before heading back down the mountain.

Day 6 – Ferry to Ios, Ios

I was afraid of waking people up coming in late but it seems those who stayed in Fira came back at about 5:00am. I mailed some more postcards after breakfast before we left for port. We took a quicker ferry, the Flying Cat 4, to a shorter destination so the trip was under an hour long. It was raining when we arrived on Ios so that sucked. However, our room is awesome. It’s the four of us and we have two rooms and a large veranda. We went down to port to eat where I had a couple chicken gyros. They are so amazing. We chilled at the hotel until about 8 when we went into town. Some wanted a group dinner but I wasn’t that hungry. The island is relatively calm because it is Holy Spirit Day, a government holiday. A guy I was walking with, Kyle, was trying to find gyros and asked some children where he could find some. He offered some of his beer and they declined. That is so different than America. I’m guessing it’s because there is no drinking age and the kids are around it all the time. There’s no forbidden vibe to it so they have little interest in it. We found the gyros and explored the town with Shana and Tamara, the girls from San Francisco. It is such a neat town. We headed back down to the hotel and the girls booked a massage for €70. I then chilled in the hotel watching a movie on the English-language movie channel that looks similar to NBC until me roommates returned.

Day 5 – Santorini

After I woke up I had a small breakfast of bread, jelly, and juice with Dan and Holly. After that I headed down to the beachfront to see it by day. I bought a souvenir ouzo bottle and filled it with black sand. While we waited we watched Greek morning TV which our tour guide described as a cleavage festival. Then we headed to Fira, the main city situated on the edge of the massive volcanic caldera for our walking tour. The caldera is amazing! After touring the city Steph, Lucy, Zaira, and I visited the museums. Then I found Heather and had a lamb gyro. I picked up some postcards and we visited some shops. I then visited the main church in town which is so fantastic inside. Heather visited the main museum as I filled out postcards. I mailed them and stopped at an Internet café to check in on the world. We then took a taxi back to Kamari with Shea and two girls from San Francisco. I went off to find a theatre because I saw one was playing Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End but I couldn’t find the one mentioned in the poster before we left on our bus tour. We traveled to the southern tip of the caldera for some photos. Then we went to Santo Wines for a tasting. I hate alcohol so I just hung on to the glass smelling the horrid beverage. John showed us where the cruise ship Sea Diamond sunk in April that he was on. He believes it was purposely sunk rather than salvaged so the company could collect €50,000,000 in insurance. Then we went to Oia at the other tip of the island for the famous sunset. It was phenomenal but we were rushed to return to the bus to leave before everyone else crowed the only road out of town. I went back to Kamari rather than remain at Fira and roamed the beachfront looking for the theatre again. As I was walking back I found the bus stop where we left this morning which I was trying to locate and not too far from there I found the theatre. By then it was 10:15 and the showing was at 10:30 so I opted not to return to hotel to see if anyone else wanted to go. The theatre was small, yet very neat. The film was in the English language, but had Greek subtitles. There was a girl sitting next to me who was text messaging through most of the movie which was very annoying, but ignorable. Halfway through and rather unexpectedly, there was an intermission. It was odd and it confused some Americans sitting in front of me. But I guess it was a long movie and a good way to sell more concessions. I was a little surprised to see them bring wine glasses into the showing. The movie got out at 1:30 and I walked back to the hotel. I know going to a movie is something that I could do in America but the differences in how they are shown are very intriguing to me.

Day 4 – Ferry to Santorini

Today the day was spent mostly on the ferry/cruise to Santorini. Because we booked somewhat late, Zaira and I had to take a later ferry apart from the group. Everyone else woke up at 5 and after they had gone, I could not get back to sleep because of anxiety. So I mailed my postcards at Larissa Station and watched th e Greek music channel, MAD. Their music is a combination of hits from around the world. I never expected to hear some of our current hits in Greece. The taxi to Pireaus, the port city, took us by 2 modern stadiums built for the 2004 Olympics. Our ferry, the Diagoras, is huge. Our ship did not seem as packed as the others said there’s would be. It was a nine-hour trip but at least we could move around, unlike the flights. I am amazed by how close the Greek Isles are to each other. There was never a clear horizon on that cruise. Our ferry stopped by Paros and Naxos before Santorini. By the time we got in it was 11:00 pm and we were somewhat tired. We found our taxi and headed up the winding roads of the port to get to Kamari. When we arrived, we headed back with John to the group down at the black sand beachfront. I expected them to have done the walking tour already but they were going to wait for us. That was nice. I didn’t stay too long and headed back to the hotel to get more sleep. Our shower had no curtain because of drunk tourists continually ripping them down so that was a little odd but I managed.

Day 3 – Athens

Breakfast wasn’t very good in my opinion. We had bread, cereal, and eggs and the eggs didn’t seem completely cooked. Plus, I am on a weird hungry-but-can’t-eat feeling right now. We took a bus to tour the city. We passed a neat statue of Icarus in one of the many squares of Athens. Greek script is getting easier to understand and interpret. Once you get around the few altered glyphs it’s very easy to pronounce. The Acropolis is amazing! I was so exicted to see the Parthenon after writing a 20-page paper on Pericles, the leader of Athens during its construction for Dr. Taber’s Ancient World class. I took so many pictures of it and the other buildings of the Acropolis. It is so neat to see all of Athens from atop the fortress. Then, the group went to a nearby gift shop that we suspect our Athens guide has some sort of agreement with. We then got back on the bus and toured the city again. The Greeks have erected a statue of Harry S. Truman for the Marshall Plan that protected Greece following World War II. I don’t thing we even have a statue of Truman in our national capital. It was very neat for me to see the first modern Olympic stadium. I am a big fan of the Olympics and the Olympic spirit so that was a nice stop to take. We drove by the ex-royal presidential palace and ended back at Syntagma. We then broke off into groups and the Wayne people basically stayed together. We explored the ATMs and Hellenic Post before trying to find some gyros. We looked around as best as we could but we couldn’t find any so we had sandwiches. We tried to get into the National Historical Museum but it was closed when we got there. So we walked down to Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Steph and I were able to figure out the Roman baths before we found the sign. We rock. There’s not much of the temple but it is still fascinating. We then tried to find the Acropolis museum but basically wasted time. We explored the plaka more before heading toward the National Archaeological Museum which was also closed, so we walked back to the hotel. At night, I wanted to head back into the city but I wasn’t sure where to go so I just chilled on the hotel roof. I am excited to return to Athens after the islands.

Days 1 & 2 – Transatlantic Flight, Athens

Transatlantic flights can be very confusing and disorienting. Zaira and I left Denver at around 2:00 pm and arrive in Munich at 8:00 am. There was an 8 hour time difference so I basically lost a night of sleep. It is very hard for me to sleep on moving vehicles so I really lost that night. And because of the ear-popping fun I was pseudo-deaf upon landing in Europe. I usually enjoy flying but after hours of it, I am sick of it. Athens is very nice and surprising. There were no customs for us, unlike in Munich, and they use Mercedes as taxis. It’s quite strange because when you think about coming to Europe, you fear that you will get lost in a language but in reality, Europe is very multilingual in most aspects. Everything pertinent is written first in the native language followed by English. Primarily everything in Greece is Greek, naturally, but English is well known here. It makes me wonder about those English-only programs in the United States. It seems so backwards as Europe deals with multilinguism on a constant basis. When we arrived we checked into the hotel and I met my roommates. I am with Shea from WSC and Lance and Jared from Kansas. As a group we took the metro to Syntagma Square where we saw the shops of the plaka. The metro is very nice because of the Olympics in 2004. The tour director, John, told us about the evil eye charm that keeps away evil spirits and worry bead that Greek men use to pass boredom. We then checked out the Roman Forum before splitting for free time. I picked up some postcards but mainly window shopped. Greeks are very friendly. We had a three-course Greek meal as a group which was very good. I am surprised by the number of stray dogs throughout the city. It’s also strange to see the streets paved in marble. The footsteps continually polish the stone and it is so common. It is so expensive to have a marble bathroom in the states but here, it is pavement. Our weather was unusual in the fact that it was raining which is very uncommon but welcome in Greece. After the introductory tour we returned to hotel allowing me to catch up on 32 hours of lost sleep.

Finally, Some Progression

Are we gearing up for hopefully a final season? It looks that way on Smallville. Note: If you haven't seen the finale don't yell at me if I spoil things. Big News! They killed Lana! 6 years in the making. We knew Lois was the one to hook up with Superman and for the show to stagnate this relationship with Lana for so long was an exercise of futility. There's a nice bit of nihilism when Lana finds out everything and actually shows integrity for once, just to die. This may make Clark even more cautious about his secret now. Also, Chloe's power seems to be the ability to transfer life essence via tears?! How strangely odd and specific is that? That's almost as bad as the ability to see through glass. But it possibly gets rid of continuity-wrecking Chloe from the story. Who knows though because I like her character. Lionel finally stopped being a Snape and picked a side. Or at least, his side became apparent. Lex is finally in trouble with the law for once. And Bizarro makes an interesting appearance. I also explains why the Kryptonite didn't work on him. So are they going to invent Blue Kryptonite now? I love this show's finales. They make up for all the angst and crap throughout the year.

Now, let's get Clark in some glasses so that people won't put two and two together and get him on track toward his destiny. "No flights, no tights" may be the rule but it's time to move on before it becomes ridiculous and monotonous. I know it's supposed to be it's own continuity with its own outcomes but if they don't move toward Superman, it almost seems pointless.

Omaha and Rain

On Saturday it was Free Comic Book Day. After I got done with work I went into Krypton Comics. The stormtroopers, Spider-Man, and Venom were gone but Margot Kidder was still there. I got an autographed picture and a photo of her. She's looking really good. She was very friendly and I'm glad I went in. While waiting in line, Matt, Jen, and Will were there and we chatted. They invited me to see Spider-Man 3 again and I was hesitant as I had already seen it but I went along as I had nothing else to do. I grabbed a nice stack of Free Comics and went over to PhantaC and McDonald's before going to Matt and Jen's. We watched Venture Bros. until Will arrived. That wasn't too bad. We then watched Night of the Museum which was OK, but I'm not if I'd want to see it again. After that was over Mandy and Cory stopped by and Jodie came and we went to get our tickets. We met up with some of their Kung Fu friends at Barnes and Noble as I read up on the latest Diamond and Spider-Man 3 game guides.

The movie the second time was great. I noticed more things the second time. I didn't see Willem Dafoe in the audience at the Jazz Club. Go now, look for him! And if it isn't him it sure does really look like him. After we got out there is a downpour. Now, on Thursday night I went into Omaha without a coat and it rained on me then. It was hot all day Saturday and now there's a thunderstorm. I got home and then went to church in Omaha the next day. We got to Westroads to eat and left our coats in the car because it was hot and as we left, downpour! We went to my brother's house last night for dinner and as we left, downpour! What is up with Nebraska? Oh well, love life because it doesn't last long.

Midnight Review of "Spider-Man 3"

On Thursday, I went into Omaha for the midnight show of the next installment of the Spider-Man films. This one had a lot more to go in on. Spider-Man 2 had to perform as Spider-Man did and it did wonderfully. This one had to preform as Spider-Man 2 did and I believe it is on par with the other two. Instead of doing one villain at a time, this film tried 3 enemies: New Goblin, Sandman, and Venom. OK, enough of the intro on to the movie. I'll try not to spoil too much so If you want full surprise, just stop it.

The first thing I was looking for was a consistent intro. The second one basically copied the style of the first and created a precedent. The third follows suit. Whew. I love consistency. I knew Danny Elfman would not be directly involved with the score but it seems they got everything he had done prior to the film. The new music for the most part, takes some getting used to. The "symbiote theme" at first listen sucks balls but it does grow on you like the X-Men: The Last Stand soundtrack. As much as you want to hate it, you realize it is good, and grow to like it, but not at first.

Three villains does affect the pacing, but not enough for me to realize that it was crowded. They did do something with MJ's character that made me mad, and if you've seen the movie, it's not quite what you think. When she gets canned (no spoiler here, it's at the very beginning), she never, ever tells Peter. She tells Harry for once, considering the theme of the first movie was "Don't tell Harry." It makes me have less sympathy for her if she's not being honest. It gives me creepy Lana Lang vibes I don't like. Also, symbiote-influenced Peter Parker looks a lot like Conor Oberst. Jodie agrees.

Venom was very well done. Sandman's CG was exquisite. New Goblin did at the end exactly what I hoped he would do since the second film was finished. There's also some poetic justice with the first film. The ending is very poignant and lost some consistency with no Spidey-swinging-happy scene to close, but I love the ending. It leaves room open for a potential, yet not-required sequel. If they do start talking about it, watch for news from Tobey Maguire. He's only doing it if the story is good and Kirsten Dunst and Sam Raimi are back. It's kinda the same way for the other two. My favorite scene has to be when Sandman first awakens after his transformation. The music is perfect and the scene itself is also very poignant. Cameos are fun, too. Stan Lee's is silly but so him. Bruce Campbell's steals the show.

My review: 9 out of 10, I still love Spider-Man 2, especially Doc Ock but it is totally on par with the other two.
DVD-worthy: Midnight run to pick it up.

Intolerance at its Extreme

These people are truly insane. The Westboro "Baptist" Church believe that everyone outside of their organization is doomed to hell. Their primary target is homosexuals. They are the people who picket funerals of fallen soldiers with signs that say "God Hates Fags." Why? Because those troops fought for America, a country of people who accept homosexuals and doomed to destruction, and the soldier's death is a celebration of God's judgement on this country. That makes total sense, doesn't it? Umm...no. I've never seen people so violently and idiotically intolerant of a certain group of people. It is funny when Shirley, the daughter of Fred Phelps, the near-corpse who leads the diatribes, goes on TV to "explain" her viewpoint. About a minute in, she stops answering questions and just spouts out her beliefs. The interviewers bring up new points against their church, she answers the same way every time. It's funny because she makes Fox News seem liberal. They don't want to convert you, they just want you to be aware that you're going to hell if you don't listen.

The six-part documentary has Louis Theroux, a BBC journalist spend three weeks with the insanity. We only see Fred twice during the whole film. The first time, Louis asks one question before Fred refused to answer any more. The question? "How many children do you have?" Fred says he's wasting oxygen and he missed his chance to ask a religious question. Louis just wanted to know what Fred considered to be his children. That was too risky. The second time he is allowed five minutes to ask religious questions based on his sermon. Fred answers with his hate speech and then Louis asks another. Fred answers "Asked and answered, next question," to every following question. He doesn't want to answer questions, he just wants a platform to rant his derogatory ideals.

These people are the epitome of illogic and failure to understand. Arguing with them is like arguing with a brick wall, no matter what you say, you just get slammed by a brick wall. The KKK believes that Westboro is a sick, ignorant group. How screwed up do you have to be to have the KKK believe you are depraved. To think that they believe in Christianity is a mockery to Christ. God doesn't hate anyone. God loves the world. They're very quick to ignore the parts of the Bible that contradict themselves. They love Lev. 19:17 where they shouldn't hate in secret but to tell others how they feel. They ignore Lev. 19:18 that says to love your neighbor as God does.

Videos:
Shirley on Fox News
Shirley on Fox News, again
Shirley and daughters on Tyra
Fred Phelps rants about Stewart/Colbert
Charles Firth talks, and flirts, with Phelps, Jr.
The Most Hated Family in America (1)
The Most Hated Family in America (2)
The Most Hated Family in America (3)
The Most Hated Family in America (4)
The Most Hated Family in America (5)
The Most Hated Family in America (6)

New Surfer Trailer!

A new trailer for the Fantastic Four sequel has been released. It's looking good and it appears to have some teaser shots of Doom. Check it out now!

Plus:
Spider-Man 3 Crane Disaster
Behind the Scenes of Spider-Man 3

Wrath of Con

I'm looking ahead at what to waste my money on for the next few months. It seems a good group of us are willing to go to ValleyCon in Fargo this fall. They're trying to get R.A. Salvatore which is cool but no media guests have been confirmed yet. Either way I'm going because it is loads of fun. I'm half tempted to leave a day early, head up to Bloomington, and check out the Mall of America for a day, then drive up to Fargo, which is about another 3 hours. I doubt I'd get anyone on board for that considering that's more money but the thought is nice. MarsCon is kinda a hit-and-miss up in Bloomington. It's next February/March and they've got the guy who plays Chandra Suresh in Heroes among many other roles. If they get one more media guest I've heard of, I will totally be considering going. This Sunday is MicroCon for one day up in St. Paul. If I didn't have the Blue October concert here, I would totally drive the 6 hours and check it out. There's a crap load of guests. It is so rare we get a good act here amongst the country crap. I really hope there's another FallCon in St. Paul. From the looks of last year, it seems that there were tone of people again, including Krypton Comics! There's no information but if there is no conflicts I will totally check that out. And, of course, there's WillyCon X. We're going to provide all of our previous guests free lodging and hopefully we can get most of them to return. All would be sweet! We're going into fundraising overdrive to secure our more popular guests just in case. I'm pumped. If anyone else knows of any conventions in the Midwest area that I'm unaware of, let me know.

Well, I should return to Pokémon Diamond. My Monferno needs leveling up.

You Are a Believer

You definitely believe in God - and you're very unwavering in your religious beliefs. In fact, religion and spirituality are definitely big parts of your life. Religion shapes how you view right and wrong, as well as the decisions you make. It's hard for you to imagine how your life would be without your beliefs.

Are You an Atheist, Agnostic or a Believer?

Spider-Man 2.1

When I saw the press information for Spider-Man 2.1 I figured it was a gimmick. I'm probably right as they're only adding 8 minutes to the film. But after searching YouTube and finding what very well could be from the extended film, it is somewhat tempting. They sure knew where to add in 8 minutes, mainly fighting and funny. I may have to pick it up. I know it's not beyond me as I repurchased the Star Wars Limited Editions, it would just be nice if the movie industry would just make the definitive versions early. Because people out there are buying DVDs all the time as it is an dnot downloading them anyway, now they have to find ways to make us angry when we've bought a DVD and they release a better one. Torrents seem nicer. Oh well, I am a sucker.

Clips:
J.J.J. as Spider-Man
Bank Robbery
Train Fight

WillyCon IX: Sunday

Yesterday was a typical end-of-con day. I picked up my art and a Taki Soma print and bought some crap of Jodie's. I then went to a couple panels. At then end of the day there's always this feeling of accomplishment but sadness that it is over. I am really excited for ValleyCon in Fargo and WillyCon X, though. I would say that last year we had more attendence, but this year was more fun for me. I got to hang out with a lot of people. I also got to hang out with the artists and that was a riot. I wish I got to talk to James Alan Gardner longer because was very friendly. Plus, I got to play 4-player Mario Kart DS with Greg, Laura, and Terry. Everyone did a really great job at the con and I am so glad to be a part of this club.

WillyCon IX: Saturday

Saturday was fun. I picked up Zach Miller's Joe and Monkey books and they are hilarious. He also signed and sketched the insides as well which was awesome. The Superhero Movie panel went very well. Heath showed an Underdog trailer which I did not know existed and I was stopped in speech. Additionally, I was able to prescreen the room to make sure the technology was working this time, plus with two hours we got to cover everything. He also brought up a video of Kevin Smith's experience with the Superman movie so it was fun to play that as well. Once we were done, I gave the remaining Spider-Man 3 posters to the rest of the Con for freebies. The large ones were gone at the end of the day. The art auction went well and the trivia contest was very fun, although I think we went way too hard on the questions. The categories were a little screwed up too but we got it figured out. I hope we do it again next year. After that was done I was talking to Steph and Zach Miller stops by to chat. Eventually we ended up going with him and Taki Soma to Subway for about 5 minutes and then we talked in the Con Suite. Jodie brought up a Jar Jar mask and so we put that on people and beat them up. It was funny. A group of us talked until about 3 am and then I retired. It was a good day.

WillyCon IX: Friday

I am worried about the amount of money I may spend at the Con. I've minimum bidded on some artwork I like and the artists GoH stuff is really neat and inexpensive. ACME brought up The Watchmen and V for Vendetta, both I want along with Munchkin which I have been putting off. So I'm not sure what I will indulge on yet but I'll try to be good.

Yesterday was very interesting for the Con. I was basically signing up for the Halo tournament all day and kept getting people telling me how bad it is and how the rules suck. I came up with a pseudo-system for this. It was chaotic but it had few complainers. Basically the rules could be modified by concensus, a sort of Wikiality. If people didn't like the map we picked, that's fine, just get others on board with the changes. It prevented people from claiming they were losing only because of our stupid rules. I know some didn't like that, but it didn't bother me much because I try to be easy going at WillyCon. I got back to the room at about 2 last night so I did get a godd night's sleep. Yay for day two!

DS Adventures

OK, So I'm about halfway through Pokémon FireRed's story. Then I've got to breed and evolve to catch them all. Then I need to find out what still remains and link up to a LeafGreen. Fun. I was price checking Emerald and found out that it is around $30 used! I could buy a DS game for that. It's crazy to image the lengths I'll go to in order to have most of the Pokémon in Diamond. It's a good thing it comes out on April 22 so I have time to catch them. Yes, I do realize this is pathetic but at least there isn't a marketing explosion to capitalize on them. It's all about the game.

It's nice having a DS on me at most times. It makes lunch and dinner the most exciting times of the day. It's sad when we can spend time in PictoChat which is not a game in any way and we can see each other. I am glad I bought the thing, though. It's true, I have neglected my Nintendog for my Pokémon. But don't worry, (he isn't real).

I am looking forward to Pokémon Battle Revolution for the Wii. I'll preorder that one sometime. It's in June and uses Diamond and Pearl connectivity with the DS. It's also online so it will be interesting to see Wii on Nintendo Wi-Fi. As long as it's better than Sony's service. Yuck.

Hey, does anyone watch Ghost in the Shell? I know it as the show that's on after Robot Chicken most nights and when I just leave the TV on for no particular reason. I'm wondering if it's good. All I know is it has a neat opening theme before I turn on my iPod and roam Wikipedia. I am so random. One of the hard things about having free time is the lack of anything interesting to contribute.

Call of Irony

I took my PPST this morning after months of putting it off. I also had to handle my passport items as well to get that done. So in my crusing through Omaha I head over to Toys 'R Us because I forgot to go there last week. I walk in and there's a nice large Spider-Man 3 display. I check out the figures and realize my tax refund did get in so I went shopping. I picked up a Sandman, Symbiote Spider-Man, and New Goblin along with a Spider-Spud and Marvel Guess Who? As I was looking around my phone rang. Oh by the way, I guess I lost my service this past week. Thanks Cingular for the notification. So my phone rang and I answer and it's a recording from "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" telling me to head to my nearest store because the toys are in today. What timing!

I also headed over to my favorite GameStop and picked up Pokémon FireRed and preordered Diamond. I went over to the Apple Store to see if I could get my earbuds replaced. The right one is making a static-y noise and it's quite annoying. They asked where the iPod was and I said it was in the car and they needed to see that to make sure it's not the iPod making the noise. Do they honestly think I would check that? Do they think that I have no other headphones besides the Apple ones? I love the Apple ones because they sound the best but seriously, I'm not one to deal with silly, condescending customer service...today. Thank you Cingular and MicroLnk. I might go back next week, though. I also visited Wal-Mart to get Venom. There's no Spider-Man 3 Sorry but there is a really stupid door alarm thing that is not the New Goblin, I don't care what it says. He shouldnot be that happy.

I bug Book Lady to play the items and get giddy. I did notice that the new action figures are not to scale with the 1 and 2 figures and are actually more to scale with the Batman and Superman figures. I'm not sure itf they're trying to standardize or what and Doc Ock towers over Venom somewhat. That's OK. I wonder if the rereleases are to scale...

Oh, hey: Katamari for Wii, 360, PS3 coming soon!
Also: Guitar Hero for Wii

7th Generation Insights

If a game for the Wii doesn't use motion sensing, the game will be criticized because it doesn't use the Wii's primary feature.

If a game has added motion sensing, the game will be criticized for adding a gimmicky feature that doesn't really enhance the game.

EA Sports games will rock on the Wii and will be exempt from determining whether or not the motion sensing enhances the game.

Nintendo recognizes that you have a DVD player and a CD player so why would they charge you extra for it if you don't need it?

Nintendo wants you to figure out whether or not you want HD-DVD or Blu-Ray and doesn't make the decision for you.

Nintendo needs to make DS Download Play for the Wii very soon, but probably won't happen until June when Pokémon Battle Revolution is released.

Nintendo should not have reduced its support of the GameCube as people like me who never had a GameCube can finally play these games on the Wii.

Buying a GameCube, considered to be a failure amongst its generation, to play its games is preferable to buying a Wii and playing GameCube games that you didn't want to own prior.

Considering this criticism, the Wii is only GameCube 1.5 anyway, so why is it wrong to play previous-generation games on it?

Nintendo needs to make Wii Shop Channel like Xbox Live Marketplace. Will we get the Battlefront additional characters? Will we get the Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Heroes and Villians expansion pack? C'mon Nintendo, support those third-parties!

Wii60: You buy a Wii and a Core Xbox 360 for less than a single PS3.

Xbox Live is awesome, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is decent, PlayStation Online is lagging currently.

The PS3 looks no better than an Xbox 360 when not on an HDTV screen.

Why didn't Sony learn from the failure of the PSX, a PS2 with a DVR available in Japan only, which flopped based on poor sales? Adding many, many features doesn't make people want it more.

The PS3 is improperly marketed as a gaming system. Its primary draw is its ability to function as a gaming system, supercomputer, and entertainment system; however, it is the most expensive item in the gaming system aisle and that turns people off.

The PS3 needs to be marketed as a Blu-Ray player primarily until a killer game is developed. It is the cheapest item among the Blu-Ray players and it also happens to play games. Oh, they kinda did...

As neat as HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are, they're fighting over 1% of the market.

Sony wants your money. They have developed a credit card reader for the PS3 and I have heard that they may charge you for virtual furniture in PlayStation Home.

Sony is willing to give away HDTV's in Europe in order to sell the PlayStation 3.

Sony should recognize the popularity of the PS2 and the unpopularity of the PS3. I am no technical developer, but it would be neat to see Sony expand on the PS2's expansion bay. They should make an attachment that goes into the back containing a 360-comparable processor, hard drive, networking and yet still look decent while attached and cost between $100-150. They should market new games as PS2+ or something similar as some form of intermediary step between PS2 and PS3. Unfortunately, the time it would take to develop is insufficient to make a profit and the slim PS2 will be out of the picture.

Board Games

The other day I was at Wal-Mart and I saw something interesting that immediately took my attention. It was a Spider-Man Origins Operation game. Apparently, based off the box art, you are Doctor Octopus and you must remove Spider-Man's problems so you can fight later, I guess. Don't touch the sides! If you know me, I like revamped versions of board games. I have Pirates of the Caribbean Battleship, Star Wars Game of Life, Batman Monopoly, Lord of the Rings Risk, Star Wars Clone Wars Risk, Batman Begins UNO, Superman Returns UNO, and The Batman UNO. The Pirates of the Caribbean Life and Star Wars Original Trilogy Risk escape me for the moment. Luckily, I found out that I will have to add at least one more game to my list. Looking at images from the Hasbro Toy Fair, it seems there will be a Spider-Man 3 Sorry. Whoops, sorry Venom! What I'd like to see is a mixed up version of Clue that isn't The Simpsons or the Haunted Mansion. I'm just not sure of what except for that DnD Clue, that's just cool.


Additionally, there seems to be some sort of Spider-Man Mr. Potato Head a la Darth Tater, Spudtrooper, and Artoo-Potatoo but I can't make out what it says...

Spring/Winter Break

Friday, there was a wonderful blizzard keeping people from traveling. Spring Break was to start then and the dorms were to be closed at 5:00 pm. Classes were not cancelled, but the college was willing to let people stay until Saturday at 5:00 pm. Morey was an exception. They put up a big sign that said that we were welcome to stay as long as needed to get home. I really appreciate that. Later Jodene put up a sign that said we could stay as long as necessary until we could get home for free. She rocks! Faye braved the weather on Friday, which, in my opinion was stupid because there was so little visibility. Steph and Daniele headed out this morning but Steph got stuck so the roads were crap. So basically it was down to me, Heidi, Sarah, and Jared (among others) remaining with nothing but time. I had the shortest drive, but Highway 77, which I live on, was closed today until 4:30 pm. We didn't get cabin fever, just a severe case of boredom.

It's no different than any other weekend when people go home. The difference is you're really not supposed to be there. There's a skeleton crew in the dorm and there's no food service. There's no rules so escorting, checking in, quiet hours are all gone. A nice concession if you can't go anywhere. There is Campus Security if you get stuck on campus, which is nice. I drove to McDonald's and the in-town roads were nice especially the highways. The out-of-town was supposed to be nasty. After more time passing we went to Pamida by foot. I wanted to pick up a Nintendo DS lite this weekend but since I wasn't near Omaha, I decided to buy yet another gaming system at Pamida in Wayne. They had the model I liked, luckily, buy games were sparing. I didn't want a piece of crap and I don't want too many games since I don't intend on playing it nearly as much as a Wii. I was able to find New Super Mario Bros. which was on my list of 4 games to get so I was happy. We also went to Quality Foods to get some, well, foods. We then went to Movie Gallery to look for games and possibly a movie to rent. While we are out and about on the roads of Wayne by foot, we notice the relatively nice weather and roads here. It's very much a negative reinforcement to see this, yet know you cannot leave this town.

I like my DS. It's pretty. The game is fun too, but there's still a lot I need to learn. The other games I want are Nintendogs, Mario Kart DS, and Brain Age. For now, that is all. This wasn't just a random purchase. I've been contemplating either an Advance SP or a DS for some time now. But when I got my refund check, that pretty much settled the argument. We still got bored so eventually Heidi and I got around to playing Wii Sports and Mario Kart 64. I also hopped into Animal Crossing to get a song from Totakeke [I bought that highly-addicting yet utterly pointless game last week, I just realized I never blogged about that, more to come on that escapade later.] because he only appears on Saturday nights. Sarah then joined us for some Super Smash Bros Melee. Then Heidi and I, still bored by the way, watched Fantastic Four and then got tired.

So now, I wait to see if conditions improve. My mom was stranded in Fremont last night and stayed at my uncle's house. She got home tonight but advised to wait another day. I want to get home but I don't want to be trapped there. Irony of course is that if I had skipped class on Friday as I wanted to and went home on Thursday, I would be home, but trapped with a closed highway running low on food like my dad was. I'm not sure yet if that would be an improvement.At least my laundry would be done. It should be obvious by now how bored I am due to the rambling about very, very inconsequential information but when nothing else happens, you have rights to blather. I really hope the weather improves at home so I can accomplish the things I wanted to do. I want to get the ISP out to our house to rework the connections because they're 6 years old and horrible to network. Only my laptop receives the Internet wirelessly. No Wii, and probably no DS. Not even other laptops. I wanted that fixed while I was home but now I'm not sure if it's cruel to ask them to come. I also wanted to go to Lincoln but who knows if that's going to happen! Oh well, I'm sure to find ways to enjoy my Spring/Winter Break.