Joker Comparison Pics (Jack and Heath)

Jack was never my favorite interpreation of the Joker, and from what I've seen Heath is going to blow us away in this movie. Time will tell...time will tell (thanks to ign.com for the pics)

Dark Knight Teaser Trailer (Horrid Quality Vid)

Dark Knight Trailer

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First Official Pic from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

He looks younger....

New Joker Poster

Thanks to comingsoon.net

Want to buy steroids?

Tech Crunch has a weirdly funny article about what happens when ads try to target readers of certain articles. This comes in the wake of The Mitchell Report which deals with steroid use in baseball:

For at least a brief period, the story on CNN.com was matched with these “Ads by Google” shown at right trying to sell you the very steroids that the baseball commission is so upset about

Check the story out here!

I'm not a Star Wars fan but that might change...

Check out another pic of our favorite Fan Girl at TheTvAddict!

My Favorite Podcasts

Since I spent almost 2 and a half hours each day riding a train I listen to a shit-ton of podcasts. Here are a few of my favorites (they're all available on iTunes):

-1Up Yours (Best podcast out there for video game related stuff, though quality has dropped recently)
-EGM-Live (Weekly game reviews, news)
-Podcast Beyond (Playstation 2,3 PSP News)
-Three Red Lights (XBox 360 news)
-Game Scoop! (General gaming news)
-Tv Guide Podcast (Reviews the week in TV)

As for Vodcasts:

-Webb Alert (Tech News with Morgan Webb)
-Mobuzz (Tech news from Spain)
-Game Trailers Daily Reviews (Daily video game reviews)
-Fresh Ink (Weekly comic reviews)

What about ya'll?

X-Play Overhaul!

Thanks to Kotaku for the story.

Here is a copy of the release:

"X-Play" Jumps to the Next Level with New Enhanced Format Emphasizing Daily, Comprehensive Coverage of the Videogame Industry
New Episodes Featuring Daily Videogame News, Reviews, Interviews, Demos and More Premiere on G4 January 14, 2008 at 8 pm ET/PT
(artwork and interviews available upon request)
LOS ANGELES, December 12, 2007 - First came the next-generation consoles. Then, the next-gen games. Now, gamers have a next-gen TV series. "X-Play," the most-watched videogame series on television, will unveil an all-new and expanded format in 2008 that adds breaking news, demos, videos, interviews and more to the series' celebrated reviews. The updated "X-Play," featuring an all-new look and all-new content, premieres Monday, January 14, 2008 at 8 pm, only on G4.
New, half-hour episodes of "X-Play" will premiere every weeknight at 8 pm, giving viewers a comprehensive update on each day's videogame-related developments, along with a wide range of new features, including behind-the-scenes sneak peeks at games in development; interviews with industry luminaries; live, hands-on demonstrations of games before they hit store shelves and in-depth analysis of the latest videogame trends.
"Over the past few years, the videogame industry has evolved at a rapid pace"said Neal Tiles, president, G4. "The all-new 'X-Play'will provide greater depth of coverage, furtheringits role as television's most watched resource for videogames."
Hosts Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler, who have earned a reputation for delivering smart, entertaining and on-target reviews, will continue as "X-Play" hosts. As part of the series' relaunch, Adam Sessler has also been named G4's Managing Editor, Games Editorial, making him responsible for the show's overall editorial focus.
"I couldn't be more excited about the direction 'X-Play' is taking," said Adam Sessler, host, "X-Play." "Reviews will still be a big part of the show, but now we're going to make sure that viewers are also updated regularly on everything else going on in the world of video games."
"The games, the consoles, the companies and even the players are constantly evolving. So is 'X-Play,'" said Morgan Webb, host, "X-Play." "Every day, we'll give gamers the stories behind the games they love."
In addition to the expanded focus on news and industry trends, new "X-Play" segments and features will include:
* Tips and Tricks from "Cheat!" - "X-Play" will include integration with "Cheat!," G4's videogame tips and tricks series. Each week, host Kristin Holt will deliver the latest updates on achievements, unlockables, level guides, secrets and other cheats from the most popular new games.
* "The MMO Report" - The updated "X-Play" format also includes regular updates from the massively multiplayer online universe. Casey Schreiner, host of g4tv.com's "The MMO Report," will update viewers on the hottest MMO news and trends. Complete episodes of "The MMO Report" will continue to air on g4tv.com.
* "X-Play" Gamer Challenges - Viewers will have a chance to win prizes and compete for gamer pride in an ongoing series of game challenges.
* Hands-On Demos - Gameplay demos will give viewers an exclusive sneak peek at the hottest new games before the titles hit store shelves.
The "X-Play" Web site will undergo significant updates as well, including a new and improved "X-Play" videogame review database featuring thousands of game critiques. A new "X-Play Gaming Update Blog," with up-to-the-minute gaming news, previews and exclusives will also launch, along with a wide variety of more behind-the-scenes features, game trailers and gameplay videos than ever before. "X-Play" will also retain its cutting-edge interactive elements that allow viewers to communicate directly with hosts and other "X-Play" fans. Featured on-screen elements will include live updates highlighting the world's leading gamers as tracked by Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo on their respective consoles.


My take? With Webb Alert covering tech and now X-Play bringing more than just reviews I think Ms. Webb is positioning herself as more than just a pretty face. Sessler is no slouch either as he will be using this new format to exert a bit more control over X-Play. Gotta say, I remember when those crazy kids were sitting on couches and being Extreme!

No end to Facebook Evil?

Beat someone's high score on Rocketman? Chances are they're going to receive an e-mail telling you about it. Facebook has recently changed its privacy settings to allow their apps access to your e-mail addresses and will now be able to send you those annoying messages telling you someone reviewed a movie you like and such. Sure you can turn these messages off, but like facebook's horrendous ad implementation program we are left wondering why as users we are forced to op-out of these services instead of given the choices to op-in. Facebook isn't slowing down and looks to be crossing the line from social site dedicated to users and becoming just another money making scheme in the web2.0 world. Maybe it's time we move on from facebook, I hear friendster is really getting lonely...

Speed Racer Trailer

Good or bad, I'm going to see it...

Top Pop of '07

Top Moments in Pop Culture as compiled by MSNBC:

Tony wasn't the only pop culture figure to leave us hanging in 2007. And some weren't even fictional. As the year drew to a close, shock jock Don Imus took to the airwaves again, eight months after losing his job over a racist and sexist remark. Would he follow through on his pledge to foster racial dialogue? In the celebrity world, there was Paris Hilton, fresh from that jail stint (maybe you heard about it). How about her promised foray into charity work? (Full Article)

Korean FFVII Ripoff Music Video

Apparently these people have gotten their asses sued by Square... I wonder why...

How I Met Your Warcraft

Charting course for part 2

From Three Speech:

Are you considering a sequel? There are more treasures to be found out there after all. Perhaps some in old Italian cities, like Venice.

We developed Uncharted as a franchise. The pulp action/adventure genre lends itself perfectly to serialization and continued episodes which is one of the reasons we were attracted to it. Right now we are brainstorming on what Naughty Dog’s next project will be, but even if we don’t do an Uncharted sequel right away, you can pretty much count on us doing one in the near future.(Full Story)

I'm about halfway through Uncharted and I'd check out a sequel, perhaps a bit more puzzle solving though...thanks

Dreaming of a sequel...

From Kotaku:

Back in August, Sega filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office to protect the Dreamcast trademark. Now their original filing is good until December of 2009, this new filing has added some new terms to the mix that are sparking speculation of a Dreamcast 2 being in the cards. (Full Article)

Dreamcast 2 eh? Isn't the console market getting a bit too large...I smell a bubble that might burst.

Facebook Gaming

I play towerbloxx and rocketman, and then there are all those trivia things and invited 500 friends to up a level in werewolf. Otherwise I don't look to facebook for gaming. Apparently I'm pretty much alone on that front, here's a press release from Webs.com:

Webs.com Launches First Social Gaming Network, SGN Webs.com SGN Library has delivered nearly One Billion Page Views in 90 days; Today Acquired FightClub and has added Street Race to its Rapidly Growing Roster SILVER SPRING, Md., Dec. 6, 2007 -- Webs.com (formerly Freewebs), the second largest web publisher in the world, today announces the introduction of its Social Gaming Network (SGN), the first gaming network designed exclusively for the development and integration of gaming into popular social networks, and the acquisition of the popular social network game FightClub.
The hugely successful game WarBook, the first game from SGN to launch on Facebook in August 2007, is now one of its most popular games. The SGN network will continue to leverage the power of the 'network effect' to build a library of games exclusively for social networks.
"Social gaming has a different emotional connection to the online world because of the incredibly viral nature of social networks. There is a totally different gaming experience - competing against friends or colleagues and comparing your rank in the broad social network - that is driving the enormous pick up of games like WarBook and Super Snake, in a way no other game has seen without powerful brands behind them," says Shervin Pishevar, president of Webs.com. "With today's acquisition of FightClub, we intend to build on this 'network effect' and the extraordinary growth rates they deliver, and will continue to make great strides in this space as we become the leading developer and publisher for social networks."
Social gaming rapidly is becoming the top application on all social networks, appealing to a broad audience and offering a high level of engagement. Social gaming is a new kind of gaming experience - a viral phenomenon, fueled by friends inviting friends to play a game - and is having an unbelievable impact on the gaming industry, one which is set to continue to grow.
Webs.com is committed to providing consumers the best social gaming experience with its library of specialist games. This month, Street Race has been added to its current arsenal of games, which includes Blocky, launched in November, WarBook, the most active game by page views and the third largest game by users on Facebook, and Super Snake.

X-Play Game of the Year Picks

Here is X-Plays Game of the Year Nominees (I've highlighted my personal winner in each category)

Game of the Year * Mass Effect * Assassin's Creed * BioShock * Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare * Halo 3 * Super Mario Galaxy

Most Original Game* Assassin's Creed* Portal* Overlord* Crackdown* Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure

Best Gameplay Innovation* Assassin's Creed (free-running/climbing)* Mass Effect (conversation system)* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (online level-up system)* Halo 3 (Forge/Replays/Screenshots)* Crackdown (Advanced Co-op features)

Best Multiplayer Game* World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade* Team Fortress 2* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare* Halo 3* Rock Band

Best Action/Adventure Game* Super Mario Galaxy* Assassin's Creed* Crackdown* God of War II* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Best Sports Game* MLB PowerPros* NCAA Football 2K8* Forza Motorsport 2* DiRT* Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007

Best Shooter* BioShock* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare* Halo 3* Half-Life 2: Episode 2* Team Fortress 2

Best Role Playing Game* Mass Effect* Final Fantasy VI Advance* The Witcher* Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer* Titan Quest: Immortal Throne

Best New Character* Weighted Companion Cube (Portal)* Saren (Mass Effect)* Andrew Ryan (BioShock)* GLaDOS (Portal)* King Bohan (Heavenly Sword)

Best Art Direction* BioShock* Assassin's Creed* Super Mario Galaxy* Mass Effect* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Best Animation* Assassin's Creed* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare* Heavenly Sword* Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

Best Writing/Story* BioShock* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction* The Simpsons Game* Mass Effect* Portal

Best Original Soundtrack* Mass Effect* Portal* BioShock* Super Mario Galaxy* Halo 3

Best Sound Design* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare* Assassin's Creed* Halo 3* BioShock*
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Best Downloadable Content* The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles (XBL)* Pac-Man Championship Edition (XBLA)* Super Stardust HD (PSN)* Carcassonne (XBLA)* Crackdown Download Packs (XBL)

Best Strategy Game* World In Conflict* Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts* Supreme Commander* Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar* Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

Found this on Kotaku

Why all the Final Fantasy Sequels/Spinoffs?

RPGFan has an interview with Square Enix President Youichi Wada in which he says:

Wada disputed his interview partner's suggestion that Square Enix had recently released a lot of sequels and remakes, by saying both sequels to existing IPs and original games were necessary to grow the business. He explained 60% of
Square Enix's profits came from existing IPs, whereas 40% were generated by original titles. He also refuted the common held perception that Square Enix was overly dependent on its flagship Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series, saying they accounted for less than 50% of the profit. And while the company was trying to further reduce its dependence on these franchises, he remarked people kept asking about new installments of either series. (Full Story)

The Final Fantasy spin offs tend to fall into the great (X-2) to the downright crappy (Dirge of Cerberus) Maybe they should focus their time on Final Fantasy XIII, we'd really like to see it before 2034!

Digital Comics

I will always prefer to get my comics from the store, something about actually holding the issue in my hand beats a computer screen, same with books. Still I found this article on mania.com interesting:

On Friday, November 23rd, “Deicist,” the moderator of Comicsearch, another site that hosts BitTorrent trackers, committed a grand act of cock-waving and wrote Marvel an open letter about the benefits of allowing the piracy and distribution of scanned comics to continue. Marvel did not accept Deicist’s letter as a chance to reach out to the comic fans and embrace free distribution of copyrighted materials. Instead, a representative from Marvel contacted him and asked that Comicsearch remove the aforementioned BitTorrent trackers or face the consequences. Deicist removed them, but continued an exchange with the Marvel representative about the shortcomings of the publisher’s Digital Comics Unlimited (DCU) service and the applicability of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) in the United Kingdom, where Comicsearch is hosted. After a bit of back-and-forth, the Marvel representative told Deicist that if he continued to press the issue, other comic publishers would learn about the site. Deicist decided that Sweden sounded like a better place to host Comicsearch. Sometimes when you put a flower in the barrel of a gun, you get shot. (Full Article)

Torchwood Season Finale: A Few Thoughts

1. Eve Myles is phenomenal as Gwen, especially in all her heartwrenching scenes

2. John Barrowman needs a few acting lessons, especially when it calls for him to be anything other than smarmy or angry.

3. I wish the massive demon actually caused some property damage to Cardiff, though plenty of people bit the dust.

4. Thank you Sci-Fi Channel for ruining the impact the ending of the episode should have had. Everyone in Torchwood may be clueless as to where Jack went, but we all know what happens thanks to Series 3 of Doctor Who airing before Season 1 of Torchwood.

5. Jack kissing Ianto was fantastic, we all knew it was coming but it was good to see someone really caring for Jack and perhaps vice-versa

6. Cheers to guest stars from the past showing up to haunt our favorite organization.

7. How many employees are going to try to kill Jack on this show?

8. I cannot wait until next season....which thankfully starts airing in a bit over a month!

The Screen Savers turned into Attack of the Show, which then turned into sucking

Found this clip on Youtube, I really miss these days, once Sarah Lane and Brendan Moran left, things went south....fast.

Apparently Kain and Lynch do more than just rob banks...

They change review scores to fit their needs:

It's not like the relationship between Kane & Lynch and review scores wasn't messy enough. But now this? Visitors to the game's official site will notice, once the page's flash intro is done, that two review scores for the game are flashed for your perusal. One from GameSpy, one from Game Informer. Both look positively glowing! Both give the game a very encouraging five stars! Thing is, both are...well, not real. They're fabricated. Lies, if you will. (Full Story on Kotaku)

Eidos has really fucked itself royally with this one...

User Generate Everything!!

From CNN Money:

"From our research we predict that up to a quarter of the entertainment being consumed in five years will be what we call 'Circular'. The trends we are seeing show us that people will have a genuine desire not only to create and share their own content, but also to remix it, mash it up and pass it on within their peer groups - a form of collaborative social media," said Mark Selby, Vice President, Multimedia, Nokia. (Full Story)

How many Naruto music videos do we really need to see on Youtube? The answer is 7. 7 videos.

Match made in heaven?

The Associated Press has a pretty good article on the Vivendi-Activision merger:

The two companies are behind some of the most popular and critically acclaimed video games of all time. The deal would create an $18.9 billion electronic entertainment juggernaut," rivaling the world's current No. 1 publisher, Electronic Arts Inc., in terms of the variety and types of games it would offer worldwide. (Full Story)

Gamespot Controversy

Gamasutra has a nice editorial posted in regards to the gamespot scandal currently making waves in the game industry. The basic story is that gamespot reviewer Jeff Gerstmann was fired from his editorial position after posting a less than favorable review of Kane and Lynch, a game that was heavily advertised on the site. I think we are all aware that a good deal of reviewers have their own personal bias, but if gamespot is seen as in the pocket of game companies what does that say for heavyweights ign and 1up?

It's the same way with a lot of gamers, too -- they endlessly argue about scores, about Jeff's 8.8 for Zelda and about Fran from IGN's 7.9 for Mario Kart: Double Dash. And now that the Internet's largely shattered the notion that a professional game-media writer is somehow more qualified to bring judgement upon a new release than V3GETA80051 down at GameFAQs, the obsession with scores has become game media's undoing. Text, videos, podcasts, whatever -- nobody cares about any of it except that decimal number at the end of the review. And game writers' realization of this has made them lazy. (Full Article)

Bill Roper was WoWed by sales of...WoW

CVG has an interview with foremer Blizzard Employee Bill Roper who says:

I remember a meeting at Blizzard where we were hoping we'd be able to sell a million copies of the game", Roper, former Blizzard North employee and now Flagship Studios CEO, has told CVG in an interview. (Full Story)

That's like George Bush hoping the Iraq war would only by a mild cluster-fuck. Yeah that's right, I just got all politcal on your ass! (Sorry, it's been a long day at the office)

Doctor Who Special: Hilarious!

Otaku-gasm?

Nichi Bei Times is reporting on the move to create a J-Pop supercenter in San Francisco Japantown.

The project, a brainchild of anime entrepreneur and Viz Media CEO Seiji Horibuchi, would demolish the 1746 Post St. Hokubei Mainichi Building and, in its place, erect a new structure dedicated to Japanese pop culture. The building would house several businesses including a cafe, a Kinokuniya annex bookstore and a movie theater owned and operated by Viz. The top floor would house offices for Viz pictures and the Hokubei Mainichi newspaper.
(Full Story)

Microsoft's take on XBox Live's wealth of dipshits

Kotaku and gaygamer have been running a story that started with this youtube clip:


Now Major Nelson of Microsoft responded with this:

I just watched (listened) to the video you posted on your site. Needless to say, it was disappointing to see how some Xbox LIVE members behave. As you know, that is not the type of behavior we support. With over 8-million members, it's unfortunate that some members decide to act like this. I want to point out a few things that ALL Xbox Live members can do to ensure a enjoyable experience:
1) Play online only with friends.
2) Turn off voice from non-friends. This is a system level setting that work across all games, and as you can imagine, will only allow you to hear what your friends will say. You can find details on how to set it up here http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/familysettings/live/xbox360/familysettings-communications.htm
I also want to let your readers know that if they EVER encounter behavior like that in any game, they should use the in dash feedback system to file a complaint:
3) File a complaint. Using the dashboard complaint system, file a communications complaint. We DO act on complaints, so I highly encourage people file complaints where appropriate. Details on how to file a complaint here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908640?sd=xbox
Also, I'd be happy to play with you and some of your readers sometime as well.



This is why when I play online I turn of voice chat unless I'm with friends, cuz frankly a large majority of gamers are just freaking stupid.

Full Story on Kotaku and gaygamer

Angel Season 6 (SPOILERS)

So last week Angel began its Season 6 comic book outing. As I am currently loving Buffy Season 8 and being a huge fan of Angel and especially the direction it went in season 5 (aside from killing off Cordy) I was eager to pick up the first issue. As soon as I reached the last page I turned right back to the start.

Was it because I loved this book more than any other comic in recent memory? Uhh no. I hated it, I hated it so much that I wanted to reread it to make sure I wasn't missing something.

I was missing the characters I cared about, hell I was even sad Spike didn't show up. What i got was Wesley who sure was killed in the series finale and Gunn who apparently is a vampire now. See when Dawn showed up in Buffy Season 8 as a giant you just accepted it and saw how perfectly that fit in with the new format. Angel having a pet dragon just made me...disappointed.

Dare I even mention that LA in the series is a post apocalyptic demon-run city. I'm thinking that might have been mentioned in Buffy, you know a throwaway line even "Wow sure sucks to be in LA, let's move to Ireland."

Yes I'll pick up issue 2, but I don't know how much of a chance I'm going to give this. IDW has a habit of releasing their books at 3.99 and I'm not wasting that kind of money on the rape and beating of a beloved franchise.

This makes me weep for the Doctor Who series coming in January.

A Rose For Doctor Who

Stop the freakin presses! Billie Piper is returning to Doctor Who for three episodes in the upcoming 4th series of the show! BBC has the full story here!

I can't wait to see Martha's take on Rose's return and I sure hope it occurs after Martha returns from her Torchwood guest stint! I'm most interested to see the interaction between these two more so than Rose's reunion with The Doctor.

Fantastic!

Well that about sums me up...

A friend of mine sent me this pic which she says perfectly describes my "look" the sad part is...it really really does. Thank you internet for defining me!

Pray With Your Cell Phone

Found this article in the St Louis Post-Dispatch. This is one way to mix technology with religion:

Creve Coeur-based CIS Communications has put forth a proposal to conceal a cell phone tower for U.S. Cellular inside a 95-foot cross to be built on land owned by the Way of Faith Christian Center. Church members have agreed to lease space on church property as long as the tower is designed as a simple Christian icon instead of a metal tangle of bars and wires. (Full Article)

You'll get better reception than God!

Stop Googling Me!

So I learned recently that my current place of employment doesn't rely on references anymore when you apply for a job. Instead they hop on the net and check google, facebook, and myspace so get all the dirt on you they can find. So now I have to worry that my online identity doesn't reveal anything I might be embarrassed about? Sure you can block your facebook and myspace profiles but what can you do about google? I've read that there are some companies that charge you to clean up your identity but if you seriously have something floating out there that you have to pay to remove then maybe you should re-evaluate some of your life choices.

Knowing that my myspace and facebook profiles are pretty secure and have no pictures of me celebrating drunken nights of sin (really, who posts that shit?) I decided to type my name into google. I apparently have nothing to worry about. Googling my name brings up 4 results, one of which is a digg profile, 2 letters I wrote to a gaming website and my 1up profile. Not exactly scandal worthy.

But what if it were, what if my name yielded some dark secret I longed to hide? Can I ask for the freedom the internet provides but also ask for it to respect my privacy. I can find images of celebrities in...less than holy positions so why should I ask to be out of the public eye. Everything that is posted on the internet regarding me is a consequence of a choice I made, and like in the real world you have to live with those choices. The internet used to be about being anonymous and now it is all about being known. Google doesn't tarnish your reputation, you do that on your own.

WoW: Lich King Trailer

To celebrate my relapse into WoW I give you this trailer for the next expansion, due next year.

Pic of The Joker!

Empire Magazine has a new pic of The Joker which has been making rounds on the internet todday. So very very cool!

I tried to give it up, I really did!

Well as of this past Saturday I'm back in Azeroth. I blame my brother who pretty much forced me to roll a new character and join up with him. So I did. Right now I'm a level 12 Human Warlock playing on the Aggramar server. Name is Tennant (Double points if you can figure out the subtle reference the name makes), if you're on you might as well toss me a shout out. I refuse to purchase Burning Crusade...although my brother is a lot stronger than me and has ways of making me do what he says....shit

"That kid is soon to be lawnmower man!"

Check out this Reuters Article:

People with severe paralysis could find new opportunities from shopping to doing business or making new friends in the virtual world of Second Life by just thinking about it, if experiments being conducted by a Japanese university bear fruit. (Full Story)

So technology is allowing the disabled to basically live "real lives" interesting implications...

Great Moments in Gaming

Found this on 1up, hilarious drawings from fans!

Click for more!

Facebook: The Future Home of Flame Wars

Computer World Reports:

ABC News reporters embedded with presidential candidates throughout the race will post news stories, blogs and photographs from the campaign trail directly onto Facebook, ABC said. A section of the application called Debate Groups will allow Facebook members to post and share thoughts about the campaign, especially during the nominating conventions of the political parties next year. (Full Story)

I've gotta say, this seems an awful lot like ABC and Facebook is teaming up to basically create message boards for people to bitch about candidates on. Debates? More like preaching to the choir of people who already support a candidate and adding fuel to the fire of people attacking other candidates. Plus this rings a little too fmailiar after CNN and their YouTube debate where people were allowed to submit video questions....which CNN sifted through and selected certain ones that basically gave candidates a chance to practice their canned responses. Web 2.0 is about interaction and ABC and Facebook are not acting as a platform for communication but rather an excuse for two organizations to get some news coverage while the voters still have no real interaction with the candidates.

Is Technology the New God?

From AlterNet:

Technology is all about control, and the more we Americans singularly worship technology, the more we singularly worship control. Our society is increasingly dominated by megatechnologies -- huge, complex technologies that most of us neither understand nor can control. (Full Article)

How much is news worth?

Yahoo news has a very interesting article up (part 1 of a 3 part series) that deals with the decline of print but the lack of a financially stable web.

Leaders of America's corporate mass media have embraced a financial model that relies upon a fatal internal conflict. The future of media, they believe, belongs to "consolidators" like the Drudge Report and Huffington, who pull together creative content--in these examples, news stories and opinion columns--they don't pay for. But who will write the stuff they steal--er, consolidate? (Full
Article)

Sure you can get your news from blogs that collect news stories (Like mine!) but there isn't any money being exchanged, most bloggers don't make a living writing blogs. I think the question to ponder is: How important is making money when it comes to reporting news? Perhaps it was the love of money that turned print and television news into the corporate sell outs that it has now become. Just some food for thought.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune- Mini-Impressions

Visuals- Spectacular!

Story-So far so good

Sound-Phenomenal score and voice acting, plus Lena from Brothers and Sisters plays the lead gal!

Gameplay-Tomb Raider meets Gears of War


More to come as soon as I have more than 1 minute of spare time on my hands!

Thanksgiving Week

Posting will be pretty sparse this week, expect a normal update on wednesday but otherwise a few posts today and tomorrow. Sorry

Sweet Parkour Vid

Uncharted's early arrival

1up is reporting that Uncharted: Drake's Fortune will be retailers (at least Gamestop) today. While this is good news for some people, I'm not thrilled with this because I have to still get through Mario Galaxy and Assassin's Creed and I also have Mass Effect getting released next week. Maybe I'll check around this weekend for Uncharted just so I can add it to my stack for Thanksgiving Weekend (I hope my family doesn't plan on seeing me for Thanksgiving...)


Full Story

Assassin's Creed Impressions

Should I even start with unadulterated loathing I am feeling for Best Buy's new video game policy? What should have been a 3 minute stay at the store turned into 20 minutes and 5 different people helping to get one freaking game. I won't even go into Junior Miss Low IQ who was looking at my ID for 30 seconds making sure I was over 17. The lack of a big red line saying UNDER 21 on my license should have been a giveaway, or maybe the fact that I'm 23 and came in a shirt and tie would have been another clue. Anyways...

I purchased the $70 special edition mainly because I wanted to Penny-Arcade comic that was in it and I also got a little action figure of the game's protagonist Altair, a bonus disc with videos I have no time to watch and a nifty tin case which will soon hold evidence I am eager to get rid of.

So apparently I have friends on PSN now, I'm not sure who they are but they see I have an eye toy and want to be my friend, that's kinda creepy now that I think about it...

Ok I started the game and was treated to a mind-frak of a sequence that points out the big twist in the game which is that its all sci-fi and stuff. This also introduces us to Kristen Bell's character who looks like Kristen Bell, acts like Veronica Mars, and has creepy creepy eyes. Aside from that the visuals are freaking sweet, but with that said they don't blow your mind, perhaps we're already jaded on this generation's visuals but still the facial animations are fine and the actual animations of Altair are amazing especially as he's running through the city streets. Speaking of which while I only played the game for a bit over an hour I found myself really enjoying the "free running" feature in which you can pretty much go anywhere and climb anything.

The combat is smooth if nothing to right home about but I'm still early in so I'll give it time to really catch me. See that's the problem so far, I haven't been pulled into the game yet. The story is interesting the visuals are nice, the control and gameplay is solid. I'm just waiting for that "Wow!" factor. Soon I hope...

OMG I H8 U!

Wired has posted an article about the frequency that teens are texting each other thoughts and messages they wouldn't dare say out loud:

More than four in 10 teens, or 43 percent, who instant message use it for things they wouldn't say in person, according to an Associated Press-AOL poll released Thursday. Twenty-two percent use IMs to ask people out on dates or accept them,and 13 percent use them to break up.

Call me old fashioned but if someone is going to tell me that they may have given my Chlamydia, I'd prefer they didn't use AIM or txt messages. Be considerate and use E-mail!

Nothing I love more than a chick with a gun!

Check out this poster for the upcoming Sarah Connor Chronicles. Check out tv addict for more! With the strike going on this show is looking to be a welcome addition to our waning schedules!

Kiss is Pissed

engadget has posted a story about Gene Simmons of Kiss Fame's views on file sharing (He's not a fan)

"Every freshly-scrubbed little kid's face should have been sued off the face of the earth."

Oh Gene, sadly you're pretty much a has been with a crappy reality show on cable so I don't think anyone is looking to download any of your music for free...or pay...or if they got paid to.

Remember when musicians used to be about the music? I don't remember either but my grandpa said it used to be that way, then again he likes his scotch. My point is that musicians and record companies are pissed that people have found a way to enjoy music without funneling a growing amount of change into the already deep pockets of these prats. I know they need to get paid and all that shit, so maybe they should follow Radiohead's lead. Who knows, maybe people will still pay money for a Kiss album, weirder things have happened.

WoW, that's a lot of people!

Kotaku is reporting that the population of Azeroth, the game world of World of Warcraft has reached 9.3 Million people! I tried the game for a few months as well as Final Fantasy XI for the same time period and I prefer the latter, though I'm playing neither of them right now because I simply don't have the 30-plus hours a week needed to really thrive in that community. Still though, congrats to the people at Blizzard who are raking in quite a bit of cash!

Full Article

Web 2.0 Leads to Hacking 2.0

Macworld is reporting that with the advent of Web 2.0 tools comes the creation of viruses and malware built upon these new applications. The report suggests that with the new technologies not so friendly hackers will be able to take malicious software to a whole new level of attack power. So Web 2.0 give Hackers a +4 to their base attack skill...sweet

Full Article

Assassin's Creed

Well I'm heading out to pick up Assassin's Creed, then playing it after watching Pushing Daisies tonight. Kristen Bell better show up in the first 10 seconds of the game or I'm really gonna be angry! Check back tomorrow for impressions of the game that is really dividing reviewers!

Blogging for Business

Crain's has an article up exploring the concept of businesses using blogs as marketing tools. I guess that's the blog culture now, full of people looking to share information, and some people just looking to sell you shit.

More than 70 million blogs populate the Web today. Many read like personal diaries, with angst-ridden musings about relationships or wild nights out. But thousands of blogs — no one is sure how many — are written by entrepreneurs and
corporate leaders to connect with current and potential customers. These bloggers tend to write about industry issues, or excitement and dilemmas within their own companies.

-Click For Full Article-

Obama and the Internet

Found this on TechCrunch:

A key reason the Internet has been such a success is because it is the most open network in history. It needs to stay that way. Barack Obama strongly supports the principle of network neutrality to preserve the benefits of open competition on the Internet. Users must be free to access content, to use applications, and to attach personal devices. . . . Because most Americans only have a choice of only one or two broadband carriers, carriers are tempted to impose a toll charge on content and services, discriminating against websites that are unwilling to pay for equal treatment. . . . Such a result would threaten innovation, . . . It would also threaten the equality of speech through which the Internet has begun to transform American political and cultural discourse.

Good to see that candidates are viewing technology as a real issue in the upcoming election

Mario Galaxy Impressions

So after an infuriating trip to Best Buy who no longer has games on shelves but rather stored in some huge case that nobody ever seems to have the key to and let's not even cover what the employee asked me when I asked for Super Mario Galaxy (Hint: What system is that for?)

So on to the game:

The visuals are pretty sweet considering this is a Wii game and the kinda sparkling nature of everything fits into the whole "in space" theme the game si going for. Controls are spot on except for one part I will mention in a second. I've completed the first set of galaxies which are just collections of small planets that I'm sure you've seen in previews. I'm working on collecting every star (120 like in Mario 64) so the game should take me a little while to beat.

The worst part of the game thus far has been this sting-ray surfing level in which you twist the wii-mote to control mario surving in obscenely wavy waters with no ledge so you constantly fall to your death because twising the wii-mote has the character driving like my grandpa after too many drinks!

I only put a little over an hour into it but so far I'm enjoying the hell out of the game. Expect a review when I finish it and some impressions on Assassin's Creed tomorrow morning!

Biting the Hand that Feeds You?

Tvguide reports that Seth McFarlane, creator of Family Guy is warning the Fox network that airing this coming Sunday's episode of the hit show will be a "colossal dick move" and damaging to the pair's already strained relationship.

Strike solidarity or biting the hand?

Academic Videogame Book Alert!

Kotaku posted this news item about a new text called Videogame, Player, Text which looks to be an interesting read. I'll try to get my hands on a copy of the book and in the meantime research some of the people involved. Something tells me they're writings may be right up my alley.

Full Article at Kotaku

XBox 360 Fall Update

Scheduled to arrive on December 4th the fall 360 update is looking to enable the download of original XBox games onto the new console. These games will cost around $15 dollars (1200 points) and reports are stating that Halo and Fable will be among the first downloads available.

Also in the update will be a parental contorl feature that enables parents to limit the time a child plays the console. Settings can be applied to daily or weekly time limits and hopefully this control will bring parents closer to the hobbies of their children and also ingrain the idea of parental involvement in adults. Remember parents, your tv is not a babysitter, and neither is Crazy Larry down at the bus station!

Uncharted Opening Scene

Have you played the demo yet? This game is freakin sweet!

Mom, Look What I'm Playing!

Found this article in the Bloomington Pantagraph:

"It's just such a waste of time," said Lackman, 47, a power plant operator from Center, N.D. "I tell him, 'Do something that has some lasting value.'"Lackman's avoidance of the digital diversions that captivate his 15-year-old son, Tyrus, is shared by many parents. More than four in 10, or 43 percent, of those whose young children play video or computer games never play along with them, according to an Associated Press-AOL Games poll released Monday.

Nothing new comes from this article but I think it is odd that parents just avoid games altogether and I'm betting these are the same ones who also complain about violence in games. Hey parents, you're the ones buying your teenager these games, maybe you'd like to take some sort of interest! My parents will play Wii Sports and really thats all they need to play, I have 4 siblings and we all grew up playing games, games which my parents were very aware of as far as content goes so maybe parents of teens today need to take an active role in gaming.

Full Article

Child's Play

See that big ol' banner to your right? That would be an ad for Child's Play, a charity that the fine fellows at Penny Arcade run which helps give toys to Children's hospitals. Good cause eh? So I suggest ya'll head over to the main site and give a little back this Holiday season. I know I will. Thanks!

Sorry, You Can't Download That on Campus

News.com is reporting

New federal legislation says universities must agree to provide not just deterrents but also "alternatives" to peer-to-peer piracy, such as paying monthly subscription fees to the music industry for their students, on penalty of losing all financial aid for their students.

Full Story

Anyone else getting pissed that the RIAA and MPAA are attacking anyone and everyone they can. Perhaps this is why most people are downloading things on p2p clients. Or cuz everyone is cheap, but seriously, if college kids could afford downloading music then they wouldn't have to download it for free. See college=poor

Suspicious Deaths in Japan...

Found this in an LA Times Article:

Fewer than 1 in 10 unnatural deaths trigger an autopsy in Japan, which officially claims one of the world's lowest per capita murder rates.

Forensic scientists say there are many reasons for the low number of autopsies, from inadequate budgets to a shortage of pathologists outside the biggest urban areas. There is also a cultural resistance in Japan to handling the dead.

Full Article

WGA Strike: When Will Your Shows End?

TvGuide Columnist and all around nice guy Michael Ausiello has a handy chart of when your favorite shows will go bye-bye. Check them out here

I have to say, I'm glad that I'll have plenty of time to catch up on the shows I've neglected (I'm so so sorry Bones!)

Joss Whedon on The Writer's Strike

Found this today (I know it was posted on the 7th, bite me)

Reporters are funny people. At least, some of the New York Times reportersare. Their story on the strike was the most dispiriting and inaccurate that Iread. But it also contained one of my favorite phrases of the month.

“All the trappings of a union protest were there… …But instead of hard hats and work boots, those at the barricades wore arty glasses and fancy scarves.”

Oh my God. Arty glasses and fancy scarves. That is so cute! My head is aflame with images of writers in ruffled collars, silk pantaloons and ribbons upon their buckled shoes. A towering powdered wig upon David Fury’s head, and Drew Goddard in his yellow stockings (cross-gartered, needless to say). Such popinjays, we! The entire writers’ guild as Leslie Howard in The Scarlet Pimpernel. Delicious.

Oh Joss, this is why we love you
Full Post at Whedonesque

Review-- Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

(Minor Spoilers Ahead)

Ahh Ratchet, my favorite Lombax, we've been doing this dance a long time. I remember you years ago when you had less polygons and certainly didn't have James Arnold Taylor doing your voice. Still though, I gave you a chance and in return you took a piece of my heart. Now on your 5th console outing you are once again proving why I left my wife for you.

You're Prettier:

The visuals in this game are astounding, while some are using the "Pixar" comparison I tend to feel that it misses that mark. Still though from the first cinema to the last I was impressed by just what the game could pull off. Explosions during heated firefights lit up the sky without the slightest bit of slowdown while the characters during cut scenes were infused with such life that you couldn't help but get wrapped up in the story. One downside though was the final boss battle which took a huge step back in terms of visuals, granted I was focused on unloading my aresnal on the baddie, still I wish it was a bit prettier to look at.

You're Way More Fun to Play With:

Gameplay gameplay gameplay. What is a R&C game without killer gameplay. The controls in this game are spot on with SIXAXIS being used in ways that make sense if not exactly inovative. The hacking minigame reminded me of the old Labrinth game where you roll a marble around and while it was usually easy it didn't detract from the action. Platforming was minimal and I never found myself falling off a ledge unless I knowingly did something stupid. Boss battles game down to unloading everything you had and for the most part they were fun if not amazing. Clank's mini levels with the Zoni, alien creatures, didn't grind the game to a standstill as in previous games. Skill points were usually a blast to accomplish and some even tested your gaming chops. I may seem a bit harsh on the gameplay but it would only be because the game didn't really do anything new. That being said it was still a Ratchet and Clank game which means the gameplay is solid and fun enough that you keep playing from start to finish without once thinking "this is sure getting old"

You Have Killer Weapons:

The weapons on this outing were hilarious and destructive. The popular disco-ball device really does work on every enemy and saved my ass on the final boss. My personal favorite was the Raptor which sent homing missles after your opponents. The tornado launcher I found myself using once or twice before taking it out of my quick select menu. My only issue with the weapons is that even when fully upgraded(Done by using the weapon as well as upgrading it at shops using in came currency) some weapons are too weak to be of any value later in the game. Blast the later creatures all you like with your initial yet fully powered up weapon and you'll find yourself out of ammo long before the creatuer is out of life.

You Tell A Good Yarn:

While I laughed out loud more than once during this adventure the story itself was a little...bland. I appreciated the more grown-up tale but I felt it could have been handled with a bit more finesse. Ratchet's planet hopping adventures tend to lend themselves well to chases and crazy antics especially when Quark is involved. This time though it felt like planets were being visited with no rhyme or reason, which is well and good for gameplay, but keeps the story from being considered "Next Gen"

Overall:

Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction doesn't break the mold, but rather perfect the shooting/platformer hybrid genre with an assortment of weapons, stellar visuals, a pretty good story, and solid gameplay that simply makes this game a must buy for anyone who owns a PS3. Plus the ending just makes you want a sequel to be released next week!

Happy Monday

Good morning all and I hope everyone's week is starting off as insane as mine. I got back from Vermont on Saturday, was able to finish Ratchet and Clank on Sunday (Expect a Review Later Today) Now this week I have Mario Galaxy dropping on Tuesday, Assassin's Creed dropping on Wednesday, I still haven't finished Manhunt 2 which might take a backseat to the other games, plus I have about 40 hours of television I've yet to wade through on my DVR. I still haven't been to the movies to catch all the flicks I want to see. Basically I have lots to do and no time to do it! Ahh!

End of the Week

Well gentle readers, I'll be out of town tomorrow and we all know that weekends are updateless so I will see you on monday and I leave you with this:

Mass Sci-Fi Special

1up is reporting that the Sci-Fi channel will air a Mass Effect special on November 20th at 11pm/est. Will they try to pass this special off as a documentary ala their Blair Witch special or as a deep look inside the mind of an idiot ala their M Night Shamaylan special? Only time will tell, but as 1up pointed out, the game comes out that same day, nobody is going to care about this special.

Full Article

Assassin's Creed Party!

Due to exclusivity deals and me not wanting to get sued off my ass I can't post the pics from the party, but I'll direct you to Kotaku which has them. Check out Kristen Bell playing some Assassin's Creed!

Photo Gallery!

Southland Tales: Trailer

I really don't know what to think about this movie. I've heard really bad reviews but I think the premise is fascinating, especially to a internet living person like myself.

28 Confessions Of A GameStop Shift Supervisor

Consumerist has a very interesting article about Gamestop store policies that may suprise you, or piss you off. I usually split my game shopping between Gamestop and Best Buy but prefer Best Buy as I get points on my rewards card for buying stuff. Still though I know people who have worked at Gamestop and it can get pretty ugly in there!

Read the Full Article Here

Mass Effect Trailer

Game of the year? We shall see!

Well people wanted Sony to be more like Microsoft...

IGN is reporting that Sony is denying that 40% of the 40gig PS3s are pulling a 360 and failing. Rumor or not I'm glad I picked up a 60gig when I did, my 360 fails constantly and I'm not in the mood to watch another console follow suit.

Full Story

Sweet Toys Packed with Ass-Tasting Drink

Ahh if only I could live in Japan. i could drink FFVII Potion and get nifty figures with it. Which would sit on my toilet so they can watch me borch that potion right back into the sewer system it came from!

image from siliconera

Why You Should Tune Into Grey's Anatomy Tonight

Brooke Smith's Dr. Hahn AKA the New Burke. Finally someone who is actually calling the staff at Seattle Grace on all their insane shit. I love the show and with the addition of Smith I'm forgetting all about how skeezed out I get when George and Izzie act like lovers.

Wouldn't it have been awesome if she actually was replacing Burke and they never made a big deal about a white woman playing the character?

Random Funny

Get Caught in a Webb

Expanded Cable slash Internet Star and my personal hero Morgan Webb has a daily podcast that reports on various tech stories. Apparently it's been around for a couple months and while it doesn't bring anything new to the tech-news-podcast scene it sure does have Morgan Webb who manages to be smart, witty, and hot as hell.

Check out WebbAlert here!

It's a Scooner!

Looks like aimless teenagers are going to have to go right to Denny's after school as MSNB is reporting that a Cleavland mall has banned any person under the age of 18 from being in the mall after 2:30 PM without an adult with them.

So wait, if I was 16 I could go to the mall at like noon and be fine? So much for school!

full story

No WiiVD

ign is reporting that there will be no DVD capable Wii in the near future and call me apathetic. How many people really bought their Wii specifically for a feature it doesn't have. Plus how many people out there have at least 1 DVD player if not more (6 DVD Players and a Blu-Ray player for me)? Let the Wii just be a gaming console, give the DVD story a rest already.

full ign article

Look like a total geek, but a total geek with money

Kotaku is reporting that TorrelTorrel the clothing manufacturer that is making Nintendo licensed shirts, hoodies, and jackets has a site up and running. I hopped on over to the site and learned that the clothing was frackin' expensive! $50 for a T-Shirt, they do know you can just buy Mario Galaxy for the same price and actually be entertained. Still though, I kinda want a shirt or two...

Target Strangles Manhunt 2

Looks like Target has stopped selling Manhunt 2. Wow not selling games based on content, next you'll be editing swears out of movies, then selling bibles at the checkout line. Good job Wal-Mar....I mean Target.

"Target strives to provide merchandise that will appeal to a wide variety of guests. We also want guests to be comfortable with the purchasing decisions they make at Target. All video games and computer software sold at Target currently carry ratings by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)--from early childhood through mature audiences. While Manhunt 2 was given a Mature rating by the ERSB, we received additional information that players can potentially view previously filtered content by altering the game code. As a result, we have decided not to carry the game."

Via: Kotaku

Computers for the Poor

Found a Wired article about the mass production of computers that will eb given to kids in third world countries. my favorite bit:

The small yet rugged XOs require low power and can be recharged by hand, have a screen that can be read in full sunlight and boast a user interface designed specially for children

The screen can be read in full sun, which is useful for the kids who don't have homes!!! At least they can surf the net and check out the flikr accounts of people in Florida lying on the beach.

Click for full article

PS3 Firmware Version 2.0 Released Tomorrow

See, PSN is getting there, it's just taking them a bit longer than 360...

Press Release:
Latest PLAYSTATION®3 System Software Update Allows PSPTM to Turn PS3TM On and Off from Internet Connection for Enhanced Remote Play
Ability to customise XMB™ and add personalised playlists for both music and photos also enabled
London, 8 November 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today the availability of the latest version of the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) system software. Version 2.00 features the ability to turn a PS3 system on and off remotely, using a PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system via the Remote Play1 function, allowing for a truly mobile partnership between the two systems.
Building on the success and potential of the Remote Play functionality, Version 2.00 will cement the partnership between PS3 and PSP and create a truly global experience. With the ability to turn your PS3 on and off from Wi-fi connection, there is now the opportunity to listen to the music, look at the photos and watch the videos saved on the PS3 Hard Disk Drive, anywhere in the world.
To further enhance the PS3 offering, Version 2.00 allows for the creation of personalised playlists in both the music and photo sections. This simple to use function gives users an opportunity to create unlimited music playlists for all occasions, as well as sharing favourite photos in glorious high definition.
Continuing with the idea of a personalised PS3, Version 2.00 allows for customisation of the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) menu screen. Change the colour and brightness with the greatest of ease or have something completely different by setting a custom theme. With the potential for new backgrounds to become available on PLAYSTATION®Network in the future, Version 2.00 truly opens up a whole raft of options.
A host of other enhancements includes the addition of an Information Board on XMB to keep people up to date on the latest PlayStation® news, the inclusion of a new PLAYSTATION Network category and logo for easier navigation and Trend Micro Web Security, a free2, state of the art internet security system, designed to give parents peace of mind.

This Post Brought to You By Clorox Bleach

Found an article on techcrunch today about facebook integrating more ads into the site, basically turning users in walking advertisements based on what they like:

It is CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s belief that these will become extremely relevant brand advertisements because they are akin to personal recommendations from your friends.

So this is like when people wear shirts from Hollister that say "Hollister" across the front of them. That would be doing the work of advertisers. Facebook has become the web equivalent of a trendy clothing store, only a few select people wore the clothes, then highschool kids started wearing it, and now the store is filled with pricks.

Click for full article