Boom Stick

I have been playing Gears Of War 2. This game is a blast.
The graphics, audio, and controls are all well done.
I game this a must rent for shooter fans.
4 out of 5.

Shoping Around

I went back to my old grocery store today and even through you save money by going to the discount store I rather go to my old store. Here why. I get a hug at the front door. I get to see a young lady who could not be more beautiful if she tried and is a great hugger. More over the people there help you. They are friendly, they don't look at you as if your an inconvenience in their life.

I'll keep going to the discount store to save money but I will go back to my old store just for the hugs.

Just A Love Machine

Here the funniest thing ever.
The Love Trainer by Sega Toys. The Love Trainer is a headset with a built in pulse sensor. The headset will not only play music from your iPod but also coach you through a season of getting it on while tracking your pulse and giving you audio cues as what to do. This gives a whole new meaning to cyber sex. Put Zeppelin's Kashmir on your iPod and let the fun begin.

lovetrainer.com

Miracles & Science

I have to scratch my head over the people who want to debunk miracles. I keep hearing it is scientifically impossible. They scream to they are blue in the face that Jesus could not raise the dead. Why not, paramedics raise the dead almost daily. People who have had their hearts stop are considered dead in some circles and yet a paramedic or someone with an understanding of CPR can bring them back.
I have a friend who is a professional tracker. To some his ability to track a man down just by following a path of clues most would miss could be consider a miracles. Yet to him it just being observant and paying attention to his surroundings.
Why can't it be both. Maybe Jesus had a far superior understanding of nature and science then we even have today.
God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh. No where is there a chart comparing the length of a humans day at 24 hours and the length of a day for an immortal being.
As Einstein stated everything is a matter of perspective.

Never Piss Off A Man In A Kilt

Thinking about Kodo reminded me of another of my favorite music groups Wicked Tinkers.

Wicked Tinkers is four very big boys with a habit of beating the living hell out of anything they want. Playing music beyond description other than you want to play soccer, start riots, ransack a village, and get really drunk while listening to it.

Tinker plays drums, bag pipes, didgeridoo, and animal horns. The result is something that makes you think the apocolops has arrived and wants a pizza. NOW!

http://www.wickedtinkers.com/

Children Of The Drum

Kodo is Japaneses for "Heartbeat" or "Children of the Drum."
Kodo is also the name of a drum based music group from Sado Island. They play the taiko style of drumming. Formed in 1981 by members of the Qndekoza taiko group and in 1988 opened the currently 25 acres of Kodo Village on Sado Island. There are 48 members 24 of which are performers and 7 of those are women.

Here is a link to their website.

http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/index_en.html

Christina's World Dies

Andrew Wyeth died recently. Wyeth specialized in snap shots of life. From napping puppies to New England shorelines. But he may be most noted for Christina's World. Painted in 1948 show Christina Olson who suffered from muscular deterioration which left her paralyzed from the waist down. Although Wyeth wife Betsy poised for the painting. His paintings hang in the houses of Charles Schultz creator of the comic strip The Peanuts. In the series Snoopy had a Wyeth in his dog house. Fred Rogers also owned a Wyeth.
Wyeth was the first artist ever to receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom. He also has a Congressional Gold Medal, a DFA from Bates College.
Wyeth was 91.
Christians World can be seen in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Mal-Mart

I went to Wal-Mart today. Wal-Mart is a discount store for almost everything. The prices are .15 to .50 cents cheaper than my favorite grocery store. For the reduced prices you get employees who are all miserable. However there are some nice cheap T shirts.

In weather news it's 40 degrees outside and may get colder. The forecast for tomorrow is for the tempature not to get out of the 50s. The rest of the week will be in the 70s.

I am going to order GTA: China Town Wars for my Nintendo DS.

Money Makes The Game

For fiscal reason I think I'll cancel my X Box Live account.

Forcast

Monday was coolish and Tuesday will bring a cold front. Late Tuesday we should get a cold front. Wednesday it is expected to have a high around 50. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm also looking for the new Driver game to be released in February.

A Day Of Bondage

Today BBC America is showing three of Sean Connery Bond films. It is 49 degrees outside so I am curled up with some snacks and cold drinks.

Tonight also offers a new Simpson's episode. I may watch American Dad although I personally find Family Guy who is made by the same producers down right venomous. The series started at as truly creative and inventive. But in recent years Family Guys has become a program marked with anti Christian, and anti Republican not to mention having a baby referring to bestiality. That I don't mind so much except for the shear bias of it all but where are the attacks on the other religions and political parties. If you are going to perform satire of religion and politics then target everyone. Both political parties do plenty to make themselves fodder for satire.

Good News Friends & Explosions

I just got the results from my blood work and there are "Everything is stable" which I will take for good news.
I also got to play with my friends in England. We played Call of Duty: World At War. I love getting in a tank and driving around. I also made a new on line friend and played against a very good sniper. I finally got underneath the stair landing he was on and fired a bazooka at him. I barely survived but I did get him. He sent me a message that he never would have thought of that.

PS This is my 555th post.

Gripe Gripe Gripe

I want to complain about something I saw on TV. Actually it more about something I did not hear. I was watching a program about the cosmos that I found very interesting. But who ever mixed the audio was either a rank amateur. The background music was as loud as the moderator voice. When the music swelled it would in fact drown out the voice over entirely.
The reason it is called background music is it belongs in the BACKGROUND! Not as loud or louder as the voice over work. Background music is use to set the tone of a scene not over whelm the scene. Background music should be 25% or up to 85% as the narrator. This should include the loudest point of the music track.
Also, where was the director and producer of the show. If you are in that kind of position of command over a show and you have your name attached to the program I think you would want to preview the program before it airs.

Today

Today I had blood work done. The trip there was full of surprises. The first was the smell, it was very heavy metallic and acidic. Like a car on fire. The was no smoke and no signs of a wreck so the smell must have either been hanging around from an earlier wreck or drifting from one of the refineries on the far side of town. When refineries smell like that there usually is a great deal of cars with lights on them running about like lost ants and end of the world chatter on the radio. This time there was neither. Another surprise was how many of the building that where once empty and shuttered where now booming with business. Of course my home town always seems to grow when times are bad elsewhere and become stagnate when the economy is fine for everyone else. The final surprise was the young lady who took my blood. She was so small. She barely came up to my chest. She was very sweet and gentle though.
I also learned that or mayor has announced he will run for a third term. I like our mayor and consider him a friend. He always stops and talks when we run into each other. And he actually will return a phone call. I have known him for decades now and he is someone I don't mind having in office. The rest of the city council however should be made to where those location bracelets like the home parolies have to wear. One has undergone such a dramatic change in personalty after being elected I believe he may have an ailen controling him somehow.

Come Back To Me

I saw an excellent movie today.
It is "A Face In The Crowd" made in 1956. It stars Patrica Neal, Anthony Franciosa, Walter Matthue, and Andy Griffith and was directed by Elia Kazan.
Griffith play a man who takes the name Lonesome Rhodes. Rhodes is a gifted story teller, singer, and humorist. Neal finds Rhodes in jail and makes a deal with the sheriff to have Rhodes released so he can take part in her radio show A Face In The Crowd. Rhodes radio show grows as does his power of personality and ego. Rhodes eventually becomes a cult of personality, corrupt, vain, self serving and in the end weak.

Recession

I have been mulling over the recession.
Personally I have no debts I'm a cash only kind of guy.
I do find it strange that when you turn on the news the people on walls street and the car industry are telling me how to run my finances. Frankly it the car industry and wall street that got us in this mess so I think they should sit down and shut up.
It's time to let the plain folks drive the car for awhile.
Now the plain folks are partly responsible for this mess. Everyone is addicted to the endorphin rush of instant gratification. I feel the panes for a new magazine or video game. Even now I am eying a new hat.
Plain folks bought house that they could not afford. Of course congress did everything they could to make this as easy as possible. After so many years of my wandering on this planet I have learned that a great deal of evil or good can be laid at the feet of congress. The big problem with congress is their vision can only see up to the next election. We must get congress to understand that they must develop a long term vision.
They want to spend money on "infrastructure" or more simple put road work, bridge repairs, and cable laying. In other words shovel work. Problem being one: these project take so much time to start and two: they are temporary.
Beliefs and visions must be changed. We can not spend our way out of this, we must go from spending to saving.

"Horsy! Horsy!"

I have told you how my favorite mall has changed hands and names. From Padre Staples Mall to La Palmera Mall.
Now the new owners want to remove something that is cherished by children. Namely the Carousel. According to spokes person for the mall the carousel dose not fit into there grand vision for the mall and they want the carousel gone.
They have a thorn in their side. Jimmy Sosa who like any good father is fighting a giant that is determined to take away something his children enjoy. He has started a petition to save the carousel.
I wish Mr. Sosa all the luck in the world.
The management of La Palmera Mall hopefully will see that sometimes to make things better for the most of us you must include the least of us.

Question

Which is more annoying Gordon Ramseys or a Dalek?

Why Didn't Billy Vera Warn Me

I am a victim of the great peanut butter scare. Actually I got peanut butter poisoning from some peanut butter cookies I baked. I got slightly dizzy, and a sick stomach.
But did I felt better after about forty minutes.

Leadship

In this trouble times why are we spending more than 150 million dollars on a welcome to the neighborhood party for the new president?
150 Million could help some people out. It could pay off some mortgages.
I hope this is not an indication of things to come from our new president.

New Shoes Old Blue

I spent part of my Christmas gift certificate on new shoes. They are black and white and very comfy.

My dad saw his eye doctor and they ran a ton of tests and told him to come back in two months. We are taking that as good news.

I have played Call of Duty: World at War to the point that I don't think I can get any farther in the ranks. It is too the point where the people you get assigned to play with are so much better than you you are shot right after spawning. You think these game makers would see this and program for that. I guess that requires more work than they are wiling to do. For now I been trying to find new players in the co op game and help them if I can. So of these people are beyond rude and fowl mouthed. Makes you wounder how they would behave if their grandmother was watching. Some of these kids make you worry for the future of the US but then you run into kids like my buddy Toffie. Toffie is a sweet kid and enjoys playing and helping other people. Too bad there arn't more like him.

What To Play

I been mulling over what to get for my birthday.
I have seen a watch I really liked but it's very pricey.
I thought about a Nintendo Wii but they seem like a one shot system. More gimmick than a long run play value. I also consider a Sony PS3.
First it seems like the whole Sony Home system was not thought out and or released far ahead of it being complete. Also I still have yet to see Sony make amends for the whole root kit disaster a few years back. Sony in my opinion has behaved with nothing but complete arrogance.
I think I will stick to my XBox 360 even though I consider Microsoft the second most vile and evil company alive. As nasty as they are they are beginners compared to Time / Warner Cable.

Bacon

I miss Nabisco Bacon Thins. They where a great snack crackers, Unfortunately Nabisco stopped making them years ago.

Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty

Today a man went above and beyond the call of duty. Chesley B. "Scully" Sullenberger III was the pilot of US Airways Flights 1549. He landed his plane in the Hudson River saving the lives of all on board.

The plane apparently was hit by two geese. Sullenberger landed the plan in the Hudson river. He saved the lives of 155 people including one baby. The worse of the injuries was one women who suffered two broken legs.

All in all I say this man worked a miracle today.

From Hells Heart I Stab At The

Richardo Montalban died today. He was 88 years old. He was best know as Mr. Roarke of the TV series Fantasy Island. He is also know amongst Trekkers as Khan Noonien Singh in the episode Space Steed. and later the movie Wrath of Khan. He was a regular in TV and films from 1943 until 2008.

Cold As Ice

We are under a freeze warning. It may be at or below freezing for an hour tonight. Time for the flannel sheets.

Gettin' Indoors

We went to the grocery store. While loading the car to head home a small black bird decided he had enough of the cold weather. He followed an elderly gentleman into the store and parked himself in front of a vending machine where the warm air from the machines fan was blowing on him. He sat down and made himself at home.

Chiminea

Just in time for the cold weather my grocery store had a handful of Chimineas for sale. These are outdoor fireplace made of clay. They are used for heat during cold weather barbecues. It's also if you are careful a great place to burn papers you don't want some ass wipe thief to get his hands on.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

It is 48 degrees outside. They say it will not get out of the 60s this week! In fact if the forecast comes true it may get even colder!!

In other news the kitchen has all new lighting. It's very nice and bright in there. The lights are in groups of two and threes and can be aimed. I can actually see to cook or chop food.

Yippe

It is 59 degrees. It may even be colder tomorrow. This is more like it.

The lights in the kitchen are being replaced with even brighter lights but they use less power.

I have been playing Call of Duty World at War and have found myself in the middle of the forming of a clan. A clan is when a group of friends decide to play together. I do not qualify to be in the clan due to my rank and play skill number. None the less they kept asking me to play.

The funniest part was being chased by a bad guy hell bent on killing me and was run over by his own tank.

83

It is 83 degrees out side in January. If I wanted this kind of heat I would live...
here.

Come on cold front.

Sprung Cleaning

Today it warmed up and I did some cleaning. I threw out pounds upon pounds of paperwork that piles up over the year.

The forecast calls for a little more weather with temperatures in the 80 and a cool front Saturday.

Apple Finally Gets It

Apple has announce that soon content from the Apple iTunes store will be DRM free.
DRM (Digital Rights Management) has been a big pain in the side for end line users aka the paying customers.
They have also announced variable pricing. From as low as $ .69 to as high as $ 1.29 per song. Albums will still be $9.99.
With this in mind I just might get an iPod for my birthday.

Oh Christmas Tree

The Christmas decorations are put away. The tin of Christmas popcorn is almost empty. Once the can is empty it will be cleaned out and used to store my cold weather gear. I have some heavy gloves, scarfs, hats, and a wind mask. Once in the tin they can hang out in my closet until next year.

Christmas always comes and goes to fast for me. There so much good music to enjoy. This raises another problem which is the box containing the Christmas music is falling apart. I'll have to find a stronger one.

Until November.

Winter

It is 49 degrees outside. Todays expected high is 50. This is my kind of weather.
The rest of the week should be nice and never break out of the 70s.
Enjoy it while it last this is South Texas it should be hot as hell in a few months.

Un Fun Drunks

Criticizing is fun. Face we all love to complain about politics, bad movies, crappy video games, lemon cars, and such.
But professional critics take all the fun out of it.
This is why I recommend you not listen to them whatever your field of endeavor be. People who do nothing but find fault and gripe are like drunkards. There are drunks, fun loving guys who only drink on the weekends and start telling everyone they meet "I love you man!" These guys usually have someone drive them home and can be counted on to be there when the chips are down. Then there are drunkards. Alcoholics who not only drink to the point of making them selves miserable but make all those around them miserable as well.
Professional critics wine so much it just becomes background noise, that tiny buzzing of a gnat that flies around your head and grouches endlessly.
DO NOT listen to these people. They have nothing of use to offer. They object solely to object and be an annoyance. They will not offer any support, will cower when confronted, and never ever give you praise when you do good.
Professional critics are paid to bitch and nobody likes a bitch.

A Thought

Bacon is bad for you, but it's even worse for the pig.

Shaken Not Bored

I have been playing James Bond: Quantum of Solace. The game mixes elements of the films Casino Royal and Quantum of Solace.
This may be the best 007 game scene Goldeneye.
This is a shooter mixed with a small amount of quick time fighting sequence.
The graphics are very nice and richly detailed.
The sound effects audio is sharp and clear however the dialog is murky and soft.
The controls are responsive but slightly frustrating.
The game play is crisp.

This is a must rent for shooter and Bond fans alike.

Great Start... Not

The sewers have been unclogged to the tune of 90 bucks.
A reading lamp is now in the kitchen to cook by. The entire lighting system will have to be replaced. I'll have to get a new desk top eventually. I'm in no rush to spend the money. Hopefully my lap top can last a while.
I am feeling better than this morning.
The stock market is doing better hopefully the good news will snowball and help the economy out of these hard times.
Funny how politicians can only solve every problem with a tax raise.
How long before there is a mid night pay raise for themselves?

The Year Off To A Great Start

The kitchen lights won't work, the toilet won't flush, and my desk top PC is dead. Happy New Year.

Day One

Today was nice and cool but tomorrow it will be in the eighties. After that we should (I hope) get a true cold front.

2009

Happy
New
Year

May This Year Be A Damn Site Better Than The Last One.