Now that I got this camera, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to meet the rest of the family. You've already been introduced to Buffy who, while technically does not belong to me, is considered very much a part of this family.
First there is my pet Betta, Gandalf. He's a pretty cool fish, blue with red and green streaks, he's pretty mellow most of the time. He likes spending time inside the cave in his little rock decoration. Somehow, a few weeks back, he managed to escape from his bowl. Yes, a fish jumped out of it's bowl! I was as startled as you are. He'd never done that before, and he hasn't since. But let's just see if it isn't part of some elaborate escape plan, shall we? He's my first pet ever, although he was originally meant to belong to the three of us, my 2 brothers and I that is. But that changed when they got their own pets. Which brings us to number two on the countdown...
Buster the bunny. He belongs to my youngest brother, and he came into our family last 4th of July. He was much, much smaller back then, maybe 1/4 the size he is now, and we were fooled on a couple of things with this guy. First of all, we were told he was a dwarf rabbit, and wouldn't grow very big. LIES!! And second of all, Buster started life as Tinkerbell. We were told by the vet herself that it seemed to be a girl, but with rabbits, it is not easy to determine age when they are younger. So for about 3 months we settled on the fact that it was a girl. Then one day a penis emerged, and Buster was born! He's friendly and mischievous. He's already learned how to escape from his cage! And speaking of cages, here comes number three...
Boba Fett the Hamster. He's the newest addition to the family, belonging to my middle brother. He's a dwarf hamster, and he spends most of his day sleeping. (Just like my brother!) And he spends most of his night just running around his hamster wheel. He's small and curious, which I fear is what might have lead to a little incident that he had this weekend. Apparently he got caught between his wheel and the side of the cage, and manage to get his upper teeth caught between two of the bars. (I know, beats me how he managed that!) I was afraid he was dead for a second, but then he started moving around. Once I got him dislodged, I noticed one of his eyes was missing. (It had just sunken in, although I feared the worst. He's been opening it more and more as the days go buy). He gave us a big scare, but he's pulling through. He's a resilient little one, just like his namesake. Well, that's everyone. We're just a great big bunch of hairy, scaley creatures, but hey, isn't everybody?
Thanks to the United States government, and the tax return that they so graciously sent me, I was finally able to buy a digital camera. Yeah, yeah, I know, I've finally stepped into the 21st Century, and it's about goddamn time. I have been looking for a camera ever since I caught sight of this little blue Olympus one that I totally dug.
I tried looking for that camera everywhere, but it looks like Olympus decided to discontinue the line. And it was also a bit pricey, but again, I wanted something I really liked, I didn't want to settle for something just because it was convenient. I spent this weekend on a pilgrimage in search for a digital camera, and I finally found one that I liked.
It's a Kodak, so its a name I can trust with taking pictures, and it has a decent sized LCD screen (2in.), which was one of the things I was real particular about. I just wanted something fairly large in size that would be crisp and clear.
I still have an entire instruction manual to go through, but it doesn't seem to dificult to work. In case you are interested, the specs on the camera are 5.0 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, 2 in. high resolution LCD display, VGA video, 16MB internal memory, and Kodak EasyShare photo frame dock 2.
The dock was an added bonus because not only can you charge your camera with it, not only does it help transfer pictures from your camera to your computer, but it also serves as a frame base where you can have your camera display the saved images as a slideshow. ($249.00 MSRP). Hopefully, there will be a lot more personal images to put on my blog. Only time will tell.
Happy 2nd Birthday to our baby, Buffy! Now, for as long as I can remember I've had an irrational fear of dogs. My cousins used to have dogs, and I would often dread going to visit them because of that fact. Once, one of their dobermans jumped on me (in what they assured me was a playful gesture), and tore the sweater I was wearing. Alright, I'll admit I cried a little, I was about 9 or 10 and the dog was a little larger than I was. 
My girlfriend has had Buffy here since she was a puppy, and boy was she cute (as you can see by the photos above!) And she's always been a bit mischievous as well. Very playful and very friendly. My girlfriend had another dog, Canela (R.I.P.) when I first met her, and since she was older, she wasn't as aggressive, but I was still a little scared of her. (The little boy in me wouldn't quite get over that). Then they got Buffy as a puppy, and I think she's grown attached to me, and I've grown attached to her, so much so that I consider her my dog as well.
Now it is 2 years later and look how much she has grown. She's still playful and mischievous but now she is bigger than I am when she stand up on her hind legs. (And if you know me, then you know THAT's pretty big! hehehe). We had a scare with her a few months back where she got her collar caught on the fence. (She almost died!) But luckily my girlfriend and her parents saw her in time to save her. We took her to the vet, and they were amazed that she pulled through. They say that the majority of dogs that that happens to don't make it. (She's a little miracle!).
So, today we celebrate the only dog that I have ever truly loved as my own, Buffy. Big, soft, furry, and lovable. (Very much like myself!) 
Okay, so what is the official turnaround on TV shows coming to DVD, huh? I mean, come on, one of the main reasons that I got satellite television was for good ol' Boomerang, the one stop fix for all my retro cartoon needs. Then I come to find out that 1). If I want Boomerang, I have to pay extra for it (wassup' wid dat?) and 2). goddamn mother-f-ing Boomerang doesn't show Tiny Toons, or Animaniacs, or Freakazoid! And worse still is that there are no DVD boxed sets of any of these shows that can be purchased by the nostalgic fan, such as myself. Okay, I know that maybe cartoons don't tend to be released as boxed sets, but that is slowly changing with the wave of successful shows on Cartoon Networks [adult swim]. 
But did you know that the freakin' Wonder Years is STILL not out on DVD? (I know you all remember what a great show that was!) Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper were my generation's Ross and Rachel. That show is timeless. (Or more specifically, taking place in the 70's). WAAAAAYYYYNNNEEEE!!! Classic!
Or how about (and this one is for you Ralph Garman, wherever you are!) the original Batman TV series? Where's my Batusi?? Where's my Joker with painted-over mustache? Where's Aunt Harriet? Or my Bat-Shark Repellant Spray? Is there anything that utility belt can't hold? Tune in next time...same bat time...same bat channel! 
Ah, yes there would be nothing that I would love more than to be able to own the shows that made my youth so memorable. But until then, I guess I must be content with simply re-visiting my memories of these great shows as I sit at my desk and browse the fansites and forums. (And by that I mean look at porn, lots and lots of porn! But of course, you already knew that didn't you??)
In the same vain as Marvel's Figure Factory, and Gentle Giant's Bust Ups, here is the DC Universe's entry into the build-your-own-diorama figure sets. Basically the same gimick as the previous two, approximately the same size as well, except with two slight differences. Wherein the Marvel series includes some mystery figures, the DC's Who's Who in the DC Universe Mystery Box (Yes, that really is the name of the figure line!) consists of all mystery figures. Basically, this means that you won't be able to pick and choose which ones you want, you'll have to buy until you stumble upon the one you want by sheer luck. Also, each figure comes with a different extra bonus piece that, when all 6 are collected, can be put together to form a retro-looking mini batmobile. Look for this series in stores sometime in June.
Well, it was about time that someone had the brilliant idea to fuse two totally awesome franchises, (Star Wars and Transformers) into a single line of figures that capture the essence of both. The Star Wars Transformers toy line from Hasbro recreates the forms of our favorites Star Wars Vehicles (eg. X-Wing Fighter, Slave 1, Tie Fighters, etc.) and gives them the capability to be transformed into mech versions of their pilots (eg. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, etc.) 
Being a fan of both lines, of course I was anxious for their release. I'll admit, I'm still not totally convinced by the robotic modes, I think the Boba Fett is a little stiff, but as the new waves are released, I believe that the robotic modes are improving slightly. I think the Darth Maul robot modes is the best one so far.
The vehicles modes, on the other hand, are completely spot-on! I'm actually excited to see my personal favorite Star Wars vehicle see its incarnation in this line. (The Lambda Class Imperial Shuttle/Emperor Palpatine). And although it is my favorite vehicle in the Star Wars saga, it is still not the best. That honor lies with the one, the only...
The Millennium Falcon. So far this is the first deluxe Star Wars Transformers set that will be available. Of the two figures, I personally prefer the Chewbacca robot, but you can't dispute how great the vehicle mode looks. If you are a fan of both franchises, then these figures should be part of your collection. Look for them in stores now.
Just thought that I would give props to DecalGirl for a high quality product. A couple of buddies and I order a few skins for our Nintendo DS's, iPods, or PSP, and we just got them in today. I got to admit I was a bit hesitant at first, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a quick and affordable way to give my DS a make-over. I got the silver DS for my birthday last year, and I've been itching to trade it in for the electric blue one, but with this new skin, I think I can hold on to this one a little bit longer (until the DS lite is released, that is!). Thanks www.decalgirl.com.
Happy Valentine's Day to all the special ladies in my life. (You all know who you are!) I hope you had a good one with your significant others. BFF!
Gentlemen, it is once again that time of year when chocolate makers, flower growers, and greeting card writers gouge us for the un-romantic sapless suckers that we are. Yep, I'm talking Valentine's Day, people! Personally, I believe that it falls far too close to Christmas to ever make a full recovery from the holiday grind, but it's not like I can do anything about that. Anyways, my girlfriend says to me, she says, "Just do something romantic". Hmmm...way to narrow it down! We ended up celebrating it this past Saturday due to work and school schedules for Tuesday (yeah, Tuesday night out...very romantic! At least make it on a Friday or something!) Valentine's Day is very plainly a female holiday, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I mean, when she asked me what I wanted for Valentine's all I asked for was that she pay for dinner, that's enough for me! Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy being able to lavish gifts upon her, let's face it, that is one of the reasons I love having a girlfriend in the first place. But how about our day, huh? When do guys have their turn? If you're not a father, then you're pretty much screwed. Valentine is all about the reds, the pinks, the soft, and the cuddlys. Where's the buffed, smelly, hairy, sweaty, green, black, and blue holiday? The best we have to look forward to is getting drunk on St. Paddys, but really is that such a departure from every other weekend? (Especially for those of us who don't drink?) We need a grassroots movement to create the man's holiday. The one day a year where instead of a dozen roses, the little lady brings a 12-pack. Instead of a box a chocolates, perhaps a box of condoms (or porn depending on how the night is expected to progress). How about spending a little money on us, huh? I'm just sayin'.
I received my Nintendo Wi-Fi USB connector for my DS. Now, if you guys thought that I sucked at Mario Kart DS on a local level, imagine how much suckage there will be on the world stage. Not since Monica Lewinski has there been suckage of such monumental proportions! Yes, Omar is the new last place!
God Damn asian backed into my car!! No damage, even though it felt like a pretty hard hit, but my girlfriend sprained her back. And we were celebrating Valentine's Day early too! It turns out that that particular stereotype may indeed be true. A word to the wise...remember Pearl Harbor!
Us comic book fans would like to boast that we have lived through the renaissance of the comic book-based movie, trying desperately to put behind us the humiliating existence of such films as The Punisher starring Dolph Lundgren, Captain America starring Nobody Cares, and Howard the Duck starring Howard the Duck (and Lea Thompson. I'll admit I kinda liked this one as a kid). We are living in a time when Spider-man became the gold standard for comic book superhero movies. 5, maybe 10 years ago, the idea of there being a Spider-man movie was laughable, let alone an X-Men one. (Come one, mutants? Really?) There was an unspeakable longing within the soul of every comic book geek (CBG), one that desperately wanted to see a movie about a man who swings around New York city dressed in red and blue tights, but also deeply feared the injustice and disrespect such a project would garnish or earn. Most of us have grown up with these characters in our lives almost everyday, be it through the page or the small screen. This is our mythology. These are our gods. The past few years have given us two virtually perfect Spider-man films, two X-Men films (which I believe did as well as they did because we all have dealt with discrimination in one form or another at least once in our lives), and the awesome ressurection of the Batman franchise from the desicrated tomb that Joel Schumacher pissed all over. True, they haven't all been gems (Hulk? Elektra? Anyone?), but I have to admit there is a certain awe-inspiring goosebump-raising sensation that grows within the gut of ever CBG when their favorite hero finally gets a theme. (Danny Elfman is a God!) It's also nice to see that lesser known graphic novels are seeing time on the silver screen, and sometimes surpassing preconceived expectations, in some cases even gaining critical acclaim. I'm talking about movies like Hellboy, Constantine, A History of Violence, and American Splendor. This year we have three big budget superhero movies to look forward to: X3 (X-Men 3 for those of you living under a rock), V For Vendetta (starring hottie Natalie Portman), and Superman Returns (starring hottie Brandon Routh). Of the three, I'm most looking forward to Superman Returns. Seeing the awesome job that Brian Singer did with the X-Men franchise, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, although I fear that the X-Men franchise won't survive much longer without him. I was too young to see Superman fly on screen the first time around, so needless to say that the recent trailer for his triumphant return raised not goose, but ostrich bumps. And the future only looks brighter. Next year we will see Spider-Man 3, which from what I hear will feature Sandman and Electro as the villains (only used to usher in the arrival of Venom in the 4th film, according to some), and Ghost Rider starring Nicholas Cage. Other titles that are currently being considered are Iron Man, Namor the Submariner, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Deathlok, Thor, and a better version of Captain America. And with new titles being created every day, the possibilites are endless. So, my fellow CBG's the state of the Universe is good at the moment, but in the hands of the wrong director, even the next Batman Begins can become Oley Sassone's Fantastic Four. (CBG's know what I'm talking about). Until next time True Believers.
It's funny how when your little, cartoons such as Tiny Toons or Muppet Babies or even Bobby's World were just side-spliting funny. Sure, a pie in the face was a great gag. Squeaky shoes? HIL-ARI-OUS! Not to mention funny words like Mukluk, Walla Walla Washington, or Lake Titicaca (tehehehehe). But now that we are older and wiser (well, definitely older anyway) those skits don't stand the test of time. Sure they're cute, they can even make you nostalgic for afternoon lunches after school sitting in front of the TV before beginning your homework. (Can someone hand me a hankey?) But with age also comes a more refined sensibility, and a greater appreciation for the true art of comedy. Currently, some of the most comedically adult shows are animated. Right of the bat, I can point to Family Guy as a show that consistently pushes the envelope, while still maintaining the funny. Alright, I'll admit, Family Guy isn't the epitome of sophisticated humor (Dick and fart jokes abound!), but I think I can safely say that it has far surpassed the highest level that the Simpson's ever reached in its hayday. For sophisticated adult-oriented humor I'll present (Exhibit A) the Boondocks. Now, I was a little late to the party on this one. I heard about it from some friends of mine, they'd constently talk about how funny and racey it was, and so I finally decided to give it a try. I never read the comic strip, although I knew it existed, so I really didn't have any expectations. I can honestly say that I was blown away. Here's a show that delves into the deep social infrastructure of our society, and exposes the racial prejudices of suburban America. (In other words, its a funny show about Niggas!) It is a strange combination of anime style animation, and hip-hop urban culture. Now, I ain't sayin' she's a Gold Digger, but this show ain't pulling any punches. Perhaps at first glance it comes across as nothing more than 22 minutes of racial stereotypes run amok, and you'd be right, but there is something more that distinguishes this show from all others of this type. At the end of every episode I feel like I've learned something valuable as well as laughing along the way. I think the fact that the show is told through the perspective of two young boys makes it easy to dismiss their racial insensitivity as symptoms of youth and innocence, but it also makes their social commentary that much more powerful. They are not afraid to tell it how it is, and are also not afraid of the consequences. Adults think too much, and their fear leads to inaction, and that is why things go unresolved. Everyone is too busy brown-nosing everyone else, and our world becomes one big lie full of Yes-men. That being said...it's a damn funny show. I highly recommend it. You'll laugh, but maybe you'll also learn something along the way...Nigga!
I'm currently in the midsts of another Stephen King-induced nightmare, as I am reading his latest literary work, "Cell", and I began to reminisce about the many memorable moments that Mr. King (as he should respectfully be addressed, and rightly so!) has brought into my life. Now, I'm a great fan of Mr. King's, I think I've read most of what he's ever put to paper, and I was also a long time member of the Stephen King library (you can never have enough skeleton keychains, if you know what I mean!). That being said, I'm not here to say that all that Mr. King craps on turns to gold. There have been some definitive misses. (Dreamcather, I'm looking in your direction!! Why don't you take of the mask, and call yourself what you really are...IT 2!!) But I would like to take this opportunity to list my top 10 Stephen King Novels (Stories) in descending order from lowest to highest:
#10 The Mist: Nothing better than hearing giant man-eating creatures all around you, and not being able to see them coming right at you. 
#9 Hearts in Atlantis: I'm not a very big fan of history and/or politics, but this collection of stories puts the Vietnam War, and its aftermath, in terms and perspectives I can understand. Socially poignant, but still within the realm of the supernatural.
#8 Misery: How can one middle-aged, retired nurse be so horrifically terrifying? There is nothing scarier than that which is still within the realm of possibility. One of the greatest villains of all time. (Here's your Caca- Doodie Paper!! Classic!)
#7 The Stand (Unabridged Version): Definetly the longest of Stephen King's works (The Dark Tower Series not withstanding), I found this version at my local swap meet at a great deal. The juxtaposition of Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg is great. Military bio-chemical warfare gone wrong? Nothing wrong with that. (M-O-O-N, that spells great!) Besides, you gotta respect a book that has a character named Trash Can Man.
#6 Rita Hayward and the Shawshank Redemption: One of the first stories where I love both literary and cinematic versions. This one stands as a testament to Mr. King's ability to write works of fiction without vampires, zombies, ghosts, or demons. (Tax Fraud, SCARRRRY!!)
#5 The Green Mile: John Coffey (like the drink, only not spelled the same), is one of THE best Stephen King characters of all time (in my humble opinion). Once again, a great cinematic adaptation of one of Mr. King's finest.
#4 Insomnia: Perhaps one of the lesser known Stephen King gems, this one's protagonist is possibly the oldest in Mr. King's library. (Yet he still managed to get the job done without the help of Viagra). Also the first time I heard of the Crimson King {ominous music}.
#3 The Body (aka Stand By Me): One of my favorite movies of all time, I saw it before I even read the novella. A tender coming-of-age story that a young boy, such as myself, can identify with. (You know, except for the whole corpse thing).
#2 The Dark Tower Series: 7 books, one masterpiece of literary fiction/science fiction/horror/and soon-to-be comic book. The title not only refers to the central focus of the series, but also to the crux of Mr. King's entire literary works. Almost every single Stephen King story ties in to the epic journey of Roland Deschain, the Gunslinger.
#1 IT: Pennywise the Clown. Perhaps the single largest cause of Coulrophobia (I'd like Obscure Phobia's for $500, Alex!) since Bozo. My very first Stephen King book, remains my favorite, as well as the only one that I have read more than once. I felt totally invested in the lives of the characters, and as a teenager in high school, I was able to identify with The Loser's Club because I was one myself. It's a great story about the bonds of friendship, confronting one's fears, and the power of belief and imagination. The made-for-TV mini-series was okay, having the star power of John Ritter, Harry Anderson, Tim Curry, and Annette O'Toole (yep, MILF-y Martha Kent herself!), but it couldn't quiet capture the magic that the novel conveys. Well, that's it. It's controversial, it's thought-provoking, it'll probably be read by a grand total of 2 people (myself included), but it's mine. Live with it. Until Next Time Constant Reader.
It's tough being a collector, especially on the pocketbook. That is why I'm always looking for cheats or shortcuts that will expand my collection without diminishing my bank account. Part of my collection is composed of mini-busts, and although I would like to increase the number of them in my collection, they are a bit pricey. (About $50 apiece for the ones I own). I've gotten a few in DVD boxed sets (eg. Neo from Matrix, Hellboy, Alien vs. Predator), and a few from my local comic book shop (eg. Ultimate Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Magneto, Cyclops, Venom, The Darkness). With this in mind, I've come to discover two great alternatives that fit the bill quite nicely. (Low cost, high quality). These are the Bust-Ups from Gentle Giant, and the Marvel Heroes Figure Factory from Toy Biz. Both these sets offer the quality of higher-end busts and statues, but at a scaled-down, lower-priced, do-it-yourself version. The Bust-Ups that I have are primarily Star Wars figures, but I do believe that they offer other lines as well. The Figure Factory sets are all Marvel superheroes, (although I've heard that a DC line is on the way!) and are all full-figures instead of just busts. Of the two, I prefer the Bust-Ups because they offer greater detail, but the Venom Figure Factory set is the coolest one in my collection, I think. And at $10 a set or less, you can't beat the quality to price ratio. See ladies, good things CAN come in small packages!
I've come to realize that there is a certain malaise that afflicts the owners of Apple's iPod MP3 players. That unhealthy malady is known as the need to accessorize. Being an iPod owner myself (4GB iPod Mini in Blue, and it's sooooo cute!) I'll be the first to admit to suffering from this debilitating disease. I've purchased various skins and other forms of protection for my iPod, god forbid that it get scratched, as well as the iTrip FM transmitter for maximum portability when on the road. (I've got to have my tunes!) I even bought the iDog (pictured above) because I thought it was cool! My brother recieved the 512MB iPod Shuffle, and I have seen the symptoms in him as well. At work, I was not the first to have an iPod, but I believe I was the one who made it popular as a form of work entertainment. (God bless the iTrip). There are now 4 iPod owners at work. Yesterday I accompanied a friend to the Apple store in Brea to have his iPod checked out because it wasn't working. Long story short, it turns out there was nothing wrong with his iPod other than he needed a new charger. So, he bought a dock for his girlfriend's Nano, and an iTrip for his. (While I was there I picked up a charger for my brother's Shuffle, as well as a carrying case!) And today he told me he bought a charger for his iPod and an iTrip for his girlfriend's Nano...You see people?? The vicious cycle never ends! Once you start, you can't stop. It's like heroine. (No, no Stephanie Tanner, that heroine is not for you!) And it doesn't help that the iPod's keep evolving. Pretty soon you'll be able to watch videos, while listening to your music, and playing video games while talking on the phone. All on an iPod!! (Mark my words people, it will happen!) The Bible needs to be re-written (for the billionth time) to say that Eve (Evil??) tempted Adam with an Apple iPod. (It's in Revelations People!!)
I'd just like to take this opportunity to say that Mario Kart DS is THE greatest game ever!! There is no better way to spend your lunch break at work than by going head to head with a buddy in Mario Kart. The more the merrier! We had a 3-man tourny going on today, and it kicked ass. If you don't have this game, or this system, you MUST own it! Come one, one cartridge for up to 8 players. You can't beat that! Let's-a Go!
If on Groundhog's Day we celebrate the fact that a small hairy creature emerges from a small warm hole only to curl up into a ball from the sudden cold, would Beaver Day be celebrated by a small hairy creature seeking warmth within a small, narrow, warm, and possibly moist opening as his quickly-warming blood engourges its tiny body into something twice its size as it climactically expells its essence only to produce tiny versions of itself several months later? No, no, I didn't think so. Oh, well...Happy Groundhog's Day everyone...Two more weeks of winter...YAY!-Aww, go F@*k yourself Punxsutawney Phil.
Why, Stephanie Tanner, why?? Danny was such a good dad, not to mention Uncles Jesse and Joey. First Judy from Family Matters does porn, an Olsen does an eating disorder, and now you do meth. There is no joy left in sit-com land...For shame!
I'd like to take this opportunity to pay my respects to a very special guy who is not with us today (you know who you are). Your vivacious personality and sunny disposition will be greatly missed. Our world is a little emptier without you in it. R.I.P. Burpie...(Or maybe you're just sick, in which case, what a pussy move calling in sick to work today. Suck it up you Son of a Bitch!). You will be missed...
Welcome to what I hope to maintain as a regular feature on my blog. (Right now I'm thinking monthly, but who knows, maybe it'll be more regular than that). And first up is a figure that I'm both proud of and impressed by. This is the 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime figure released to commemorate the 2 decade span of the Transformers line. This figure is supposed to fit into the Alternators/Binaltech line, which merges classic Transformers characters with modern vehicle modes. Although Optimus Prime maintains his classic semi-truck trailer mode, this figure is completely different from past incarnations. The figure itself is highly detailed, made to mimic an actual semi-truck much more so than any of his previous counterparts. Actual rubber tires and spring-loaded strut suspensions give this vehicle a very smooth, as well as realistic feel, as it moves along. This is a pretty large and hefty figure, Optimus transformed stands at about 13 inches, and weighs about 3 pounds. He's a combination of both plastic and metal, and he is extremely poseable. (Well, compared to past Optimuses? Optimi? Is that right?) One really cool feature is his chest compartment. It opens up to reveal the matrix of leadership, which is cool in itself, but it also lights up the matrix, bringing to life one of the Transformer's mythos most awe-inspiring visuals. Optimus comes complete with his classic ion blaster, Megatron in pistol mode (which he can hold!), and an energon axe. He's got a communicator on his arm that flips open to reveal a small screen with an image of Bumblebee. Although the process of transformation is a bit more complex than previous versions, it is well worth it for the visual aesthetics of the final product. My only real complaint is that the classic Optimus Prime trailer was not included. Sure, the Japanese model included a cardboard mock-up of the trailer for display purposes, no such thing was provided for the American collector. At $50, the figure is a bit pricey, worth every penny, don't get me wrong, but I would have paid up to $100 for it if it just included a fully rendered version of that classic grey trailer. 9 out of 10. Up Next: The Dark Lord of the Sith Speaks...Stay Tuned.
I picked up a copy of The Aristocrats DVD last week, and boy, lemme tell ya, that movie still cracked me up. I remember going to see it in the theatre with a few friends, and we were rolling in the aisles. (For those of you who don't know, The Aristocrats is a documentary film made by Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette {One half of the comedy/magic duo of Penn and Teller} which chronicles the history of a particular joke that has become somewhat of a competative taboo among comedians, the punchline being the title of the film). The joke itself has lost most of its comedic potency due to the passage of time, but the telling of the joke is what has evolved since it's inception. The entire purpose of the joke, in its present incarnation, is to serve as a vehicle for raunch, lewdness, vulgarity, obscenity, and unspeakable degradation. This is the film...just how dirty can this joke get? In a word, VERY. In even more words, unbelievably filthy! So after seeing it in theatres, I had been raving about it to friends, co-workers, family, etc., describing it as the funniest thing I'd seen in a long time. Fast forward to last week when the DVD is released, and a buddy of mine decides to take it to work and watch it. Now, I'm fairly close in proximity to his work area, and I was beginning to dread the fact that here I was hyping this movie as one of the funniest I'd seen, and there is not a peep coming from my friend's work area. Nothing. You could hear a pin drop! Someone in the film mentions that the way a person decides to tell the joke says a lot about that person. For example, if they use a lot of urine or feces, don't let them in your house. If they use a lot of incest, don't let them near your kids. Or if they use a lot of beastiality, well, let's just say they shouldn't be trusted (Euphemism Alert!) petting your dog. {Rimshot} Now, if that can be said about the person who tells the joke, what can you conclude about the person who finds it funny?? I pondered THAT very question, as I listened to crickets chirpping louder than my friend was laughing. (Or not laughing, depending on how you chose to look at it!) Should I feel ashamed? Emberassed? Disgusted? I mean, after all, people DID walk out of the theatre at our screening of the film, but why didn't I? Am I evil? Demented? Disturbed? Well, yes, but that's beside the point. The point is, why didn't he seem to think it was as funny as I thought (knew) it was?? And then it hit me! The answer, of course, was simple. He must come from a family with a long history of incest, necrofilia, beastiality, scatology, self-mutilation, and female degradation. In which case, I apologize. I still think it's funny as hell, but I'm sorry for it. See? All is right with the world again! (And the peasants rejoice!) Now, let me tell you about a guy I know. He walked into a talent agency...
Now that I got this camera, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to meet the rest of the family. You've already been introduced to Buffy who, while technically does not belong to me, is considered very much a part of this family.
First there is my pet Betta, Gandalf. He's a pretty cool fish, blue with red and green streaks, he's pretty mellow most of the time. He likes spending time inside the cave in his little rock decoration. Somehow, a few weeks back, he managed to escape from his bowl. Yes, a fish jumped out of it's bowl! I was as startled as you are. He'd never done that before, and he hasn't since. But let's just see if it isn't part of some elaborate escape plan, shall we? He's my first pet ever, although he was originally meant to belong to the three of us, my 2 brothers and I that is. But that changed when they got their own pets. Which brings us to number two on the countdown...
Buster the bunny. He belongs to my youngest brother, and he came into our family last 4th of July. He was much, much smaller back then, maybe 1/4 the size he is now, and we were fooled on a couple of things with this guy. First of all, we were told he was a dwarf rabbit, and wouldn't grow very big. LIES!! And second of all, Buster started life as Tinkerbell. We were told by the vet herself that it seemed to be a girl, but with rabbits, it is not easy to determine age when they are younger. So for about 3 months we settled on the fact that it was a girl. Then one day a penis emerged, and Buster was born! He's friendly and mischievous. He's already learned how to escape from his cage! And speaking of cages, here comes number three...
Boba Fett the Hamster. He's the newest addition to the family, belonging to my middle brother. He's a dwarf hamster, and he spends most of his day sleeping. (Just like my brother!) And he spends most of his night just running around his hamster wheel. He's small and curious, which I fear is what might have lead to a little incident that he had this weekend. Apparently he got caught between his wheel and the side of the cage, and manage to get his upper teeth caught between two of the bars. (I know, beats me how he managed that!) I was afraid he was dead for a second, but then he started moving around. Once I got him dislodged, I noticed one of his eyes was missing. (It had just sunken in, although I feared the worst. He's been opening it more and more as the days go buy). He gave us a big scare, but he's pulling through. He's a resilient little one, just like his namesake. Well, that's everyone. We're just a great big bunch of hairy, scaley creatures, but hey, isn't everybody?
