Well, it looks like it has finally happened. My collection has overrun the confines of my room, and had started to invade the hallway of our apartment. "How did that happen?", you may ask. Well, that's a good question. My mom, god bless her, has finally had enough of my recent purchases taking up residence on our bedroom floor. Seeing how my walls are completely covered with figures and other collectibles, she took it upon herself to mount some of my items (namely my Star Wars Transformers) to the hallway walls.
Today, I headed over to my local Wal-Mart (THAT's how I celebrate Memorial Day!! j/k) on my usual toy run (don't laugh!), and was lucky enough to come upon the new wave of Star Wars Transformers figures. So I made a mad dash to the cashier, and picked up these puppies. (Which, by the way, aside from the Chewie and Han Milennium Falcon that is soon to be released, may be the last of this entire series of figures!)
This wave includes the Emperor Palpatine/Imperial Shuttle figure, the Jango Fett/Slave I figure, and the Clone Pilot/ARC Fighter figure. (The Emperor/Shuttle figure is my favorite one, although the Clone Pilot/ARC Fighter is pretty kick ass too!) I had to re-arrange the figures already up in the hallway to make room for these guys. While I was at it, I decided to put up some pictures my friend gave me, that I had framed a while back. I think they came out pretty nice, actually.
Don't get me wrong, I have got PLEANTY of stuff in boxes that hasn't made it to the shelves or the walls yet, due to limited wall or display space. But perhaps, some day, when we have a place of our own, I'll have an entire room to myself in which to showcase my collection. Until then, I'm trying to work out some sort of rotation plan, so that they at least get some display time. After all, these items are to be admired. (Yes, I'm confident enough in my geekiness to put it up on display for the entire world to see!) I hear your scorn and ridicule, and I accept it. 
Can't wait to get my hands on that Chewie/Han Falcon. (Did that sound dirty to anyone else??) I mean, come on!! Look at it!!
Perhaps I am jumping into the Lion's Den by saying this, but here goes...I forgive Brett Ratner. THERE!! I said it. Saw X-Men 3 last night, and I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. Now, granted, perhaps our expectations were drastically lowered by months of bitchin' and moanin' from the nerd contingency. So much so, that when we finally got to see the movie, it was a lot better than they were making it seem. This in no means suggest that it was THE worth successor to X2 that it could have been, but the taste that it left in my mouth was bittersweet, more than it was just bitter. I'm disheartened to hear that this COULD be the last film in the X-Men series. (Stay after the credits, and you'll know why I said "could be"). The mythology has so much potential, and so many great characters. (Where's Gambit?? Where are the Sentinels?? Apocalypse, anyone??) Perhaps if this one does well enough, Fox will reconsider ending the franchise. Maybe it will just be on hiatus, much like Batman and Superman were, and return later down the line. Or perhaps the rumored Wolverine and Magneto spin-offs will be our next source for our X-Fix. Overall, it was a fun time at a fun summer movie. Our only regret is that we will never see a Brian Singer X3 (Imagine what he could have done with the Phoenix!) I'll give this one 3.5 out of 5.
Today was a very special day for me. Forgive me if I get a little personal today, but I'm so proud that I can bearly contain it. You see, today was my girlfriend's pinning ceremony from the nursing program at Cypress College. She's been working so hard for this for 2 years, and today was the culmination of all that hard work and sacrifice.
It was a moving ceremony, pretty intimate. It was a graduating class of 39 students, so it was large groups of friends and family members that filled up the Cypress College theatre.
It was a very emotional ceremony. (I got teary eyed a few times). Mostly because those of use who share our everyday lives with these individuals understand just how hard it was for them to get this far. I know I do. The ceremony started with a video montage of the graduates as kids, and doing various activites throughout their academic career in the nursing program. That lasted a good half hour. Then the students all came in to thunderous applause and cheers. (37 girls, 2 guys).
The keynote speakers were all very good. A few of the students who spoke were actually quite funny. (Even if I wasn't in on most of the jokes. Must be a nursing thing.) The whole thing lasted about an hour and a half. And I know that my girlfriend was relieved that it was over. Not because it was long or boring, but because it symbolized the beginning of a well deserved break for her...for all of them, actually.
I was so proud to see her all dressed up in her nursing uniform. I know the countless hours that she devoted to studying. The numerous pages of information that she had to memorize. The emotional rollercoaster that she has been on these past 2 year. The shyness that she had to overcome in order to do her job. The large number of lives that she will no doubt touch with her gentle, caring nature. There are no words sometimes...sometimes you don't need them. I hope she knows how I feel. And I hope she knows that I want to be just like her. Love You Baby...I'm so very proud.
It was nice to see the good ol' HDC (Home Depot Center, to you and me) again. It was also nice to be the home team this time around. (If you recall, we almost got a beat down when we were the visiting team against the Chivas USA). Unfortunately, that is were most of the pleasantries for that evening end. It was a nice day for a soccer game, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and were engulfed in a vast sea of green and gold. But all that soon changed. 
Took a couple of shots of the HDC exterior. We came in through the Northwestern entrance this time around. (Close to the Home Depot Olympian Fountain). We had purchased the family 4 pack (4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas $64), so we grabbed our food before we headed towards our seats. We were there early enough to get seats 3 rows from the field. We had a nice view behind one of the goals.
We got situated and were keeping our fingers crossed that our being there to show our support would lead the Galaxy back to victory. (They had lost 3 in a row already!) I was expecting that the Colorado Rapids wouldn't pose much of a threat. We played without Landon Donovan and Chris Albright who are both out for the World Cup break. Hartman sat the whole game out, it was up to Steve Cronin to guard the posts for L.A. I guess Sampson just wants him to gain some experience. (Could Hartman be on the way out, like Cobi?)
The game itself was pretty exciting. We got our first look at few new acquisitions. One that impressed me was #18 Kyle Martino. This guy is pretty quick, he was all over the field. I think that once he learns a little patience and some better ball control, he might be a valuable addition to the team. Colorado was all over this guy, he must have been on the grass just as much as he was running around. I'll definitely keep an eye on this kid.
Well, despite their best efforts, the Galaxy was unable to fend off the fury of the Rapids. Jacob Peterson, who's a rookie with the Rapids, scored his first professional goal against Cronin. And that was enough, Galaxy falls 1-0. Another disappointing week for us fans. We're quickly beginning to lose heart. If they don't start winning soon, we may see the cup fall into other hands this year. Next up, a re-match of Saturday's game. Galaxy at Colorado. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Welcome to the continuing journey into the world of Todd McFarlane and Clive Barker's Tortured Souls figure line. This time we'll take a look at the follow-up to the successful series one. Tortured Souls 2: The Fallen follows closely in the footprints of the original series, but takes it in a new direction. Where series one was beautifully horrific in it's depictions of self-inflicted pain, series two brings us the other side of the coin and allows us to gaze into torture and sadism. These 6 figures are lightly smaller than the originals, and more colorful (if you call blood red a color!), and there is more of a lean towards the mechanical, and the artificial, than in the first series. But enough talk, let's check these guys out!
Just like before, I must warn all the parents in the audience (delusions of grandeur, anyone??) that the following images may be slightly disturbing to some viewers. If you are about to eat, I suggest you read this afterwards. And if you have already eaten, I suggest you keep a wastebasket close by. (This is what is called a lose-lose!) Anyway, consider yourselves warned. Here we go!
First up is Moribundi. I remember when this series was first being revealed, this guy was the last one to be unveiled. He was shrouded in secrecy for so long, and with the way he turned out, it's no wonder why. The sheer shock and awe that this figure instills when you first see him is overwhelming. This is probably the most dramatic figure in this set, which would also make him my favorite one. But I decided to present him here first to give you an example of where this new series was heading. Impailed and "crucified" on some sort of updated version of the Rack, Moribundi is flayed and dismembered for your viewing pleasure. Tubes and recepticles accentuate the sense of medical science gone horribly, horribly wrong!
This here is Zain. Keeping the "crucifiction" theme alive and well, we see this dude strapped up to this talon-like contraption which impails him and engulfs him. Much like Talisac from series one, he is suspended in air by the device that he is connected to. Already we can see how much more dramatic this series is. It has left the feeling that these are Hellraiser figures behind, and moved on to the next logical step. We've moved from horror, to shock, and, as we'll see in the weeks to come with Series 3, into something more.
Next, it's ladies night! This time around we've got two ladies, instead of just one. (See series one Lucidique). The mechanical spider-looking babe is Szaltax. With her, this series moves into the territory of genetic mutation and manipulation. Her disfigurement isn't as subtle as Lucidique's was, but again, this series is going for sheer shock an awe. The next lady is Camille Noire. Now her design is a little more like Lucidique's, disturbingly elegant, while also implementing the aspects of the new series, like technology and implants. (By the way, yes, those are wings made from her own skin!)
And now we come into the realm of the truly bizzarre. (Yeah, I know, like the ones that we've seen weren't bizzarre enough, right?) Well, these two...uh...ummmm...well, they're in a catagory all their own. These two are seriously twisted.
That handsome fellow is Suffering Bob. (Yeah, even the names have gotten weirder!). I guess he tecnically qualifies as 2 figures...grotesquely merged into one! So, what twisted demented individual came up with this design?? (Oh yeah, Clive Barker...duh!!) Now, I'm not sure whether this is a fat guy with a torso coming out of his stomach, or is it a carved-up masked guy with a fat body coming out of his ass. (Tough call!) This is where this series makes a serious 180° turn from series one. But wait! There's more!
And last but not least...ugh! I mean, seriously...What the F*#k?? This is the new Mongroid for this series. The one figure that just makes you want to gag, or yack, or maybe even both simultaneously. I don't EVEN know what those little worm guys are that are having their fill of the fatty there. This almost reminds me of the guy from the movie "Se7en" who had to eat and eat until his gut exploded. Well, this is what happened to him afterwards. Talk about going from bad to worse.
Well, that's it for series 2. Next up, we'll pay a little visit to the Big Top for Series 3. New Figures, New Direction, Same Funky B.O. (Sorry, haven't showered yet!) Stay Tuned.
I'm gonna make this as bitterly painless as I can. It's been a horrible week to be a Galaxy fan. First off, we lost agains FC Dallas in Dallas 1-0. Wasn't mush of a game, but a loss is still a loss, we accept it and move on. We set our sights on Real Salt Lake on Saturday at home. 3-0 'Nuff said!! Not only do we lose, not only was it an embarassment to watch, not only was the last goal so gratuitous that we turned the television off in disgust, but it had to be at home in front of the fans! (What the hell was Harman thinking leaving the net sooooooooooooo wide open?) But try as we might, we don't blame the team. The fingers have been fixedly pointed at Coach Sampson, and he knows it. He hears the mocks and insults of the fans, and he takes it all in stride. It'll only be a matter of time before it is announced that he is being replaced. I seriously doubt that he will survive the season the way things are going. And with players leaving for the World Cup soon (e.g. Donovan) there is very little hope that things will improve. Next up is the Colorado Rapids at home this coming Saturday. We may be in attendance for that one, so I'll try to have a report for you. Hopefully it will be good news.
Yesterday I touched upon the big revelations that both Sony and Microsoft released upon the unsuspecting public. Well, today I shall lavish attention upon my favorite of all the consoles, the Nintendo Revolu...Huh?? What?? Where'd the Revolution go?? It's called the What now?? Wii? Oh, ok...The Nintendo...Wii...
Okay, so one of the biggest announcements made by Nintendo was the name change for the console that was, until last week, code named the Revolution. Just when I was getting used to the new name, Nintendo goes and pulls the rug out from under me. Although the new name will take some getting used to (I can hear all the pee and penis jokes already!!), it doesn't make me any less excited about the promise of the new gaming experience that console will bring along with it.
Last year Nintendo gave us the itch, they announced the console and also hinted at the possibilites of its capabilites. This year, Nintendo needed to live up to the hype, mainly by providing a playable console for the gamers to test drive. And they delivered. But, almost disappointedly so, that was mostly ALL they delivered. Besides a few titles that are making some welcome returns, and some old faces getting new facelifts, the main focus for Nintendo was definitely the Wii.
They held their press conference on Tuesday morning at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. And at their presentation they gave a live demonstration of the Wii's capabilites. The main draw or focus of the Wii is it's ability to unify people, both gamers and non-gamers alike, in the video game experience by allowing for ease of play and by expanding the gaming interactivity. The path towards this goal is pave with the new controller, or the "Wii-mote" as it has been so cutely nicknamed, and the Wii experience revolves around that.
Long before Sony revealed that their controller would have a motion sensitive function, Nintendo had already cornered that market. (I guess it took Sony a year to figure out how to steal that too!). The Wii controller offers a wide range of possibilites. Seeing how it is supposed to allow you to play the ENTIRE Nintendo game catalog, the controller had to accomidate for the wide array of buttons, knobs, and joysticks that the Nintendo controllers have spawened. But it cannot do it alone! Nintendo has unveiled a wide range of attachments for the "Wii-mote".
We've already seen the joystick or "Nunchuk" attachment for the "Wii-mote". But there have been some revelations made about it as well. First off, it will also be motion sensitive, allowing for even more interaction between the gamer and the game. Also, it has been revealed that there is a built in speaker in the joystick that will allow for sound to travel from the gamer to the game. What does that mean? It means, that if Link shoots and arrow, you'll hear it leave your hand, and arrive on target on the TV. How cool is that?
Nintendo has also unveiled what they are calling the "Classic" controller. If the thought of using the "Wii-mote" just doesn't sit right with the 8-bit gamer in you, then you can purchase this peripheral and feel like you're right back there in the '90s. It plugs into the "Wii-mote" where the joystick would go, and that allows you to keep the wireless aspect of the remote. It is vaguely remeniscent of the SNES controller, with the exception of the joysticks.
Yesterday Nintendo announced that they are making a sequel to the classic NES title Duck Hunt, and on the heels of that announcement, we see the unveiling of the all new light zapper attachment for the Wii. There is a versatility with the "Wii-mote" that I think the other 2 consoles will be unable to match. Software wise, the Wii game discs are said to be slightly larger than the Gamecube's current discs. Title-wise the usual band of suspects are making an appearance.
Everybody's favorite Plumber makes a triumphant return in glorious form, and in Space!! That's right, Mario puts on his little space boots and heads for the stars. I'm not too sure about the plot of this one, but I'm pretty sure that it's got something to do with Toad cloggin the john on Mars with a massive log. (I could be wrong!)
Samus Aran makes a return appearance in what is rumored to be the final chapter in the Metroid Prime series. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was unveiled at the Nintendo press conference, as well as visuals of gameplay with the "Wii-mote". Those crazy space pirates are at it again, attempting to corrupt planets with phazon and Metroids. Can Samus put a stop to it once and for all? She might...if Dark Samus wasn't waiting for her in the end!!! (OMINOUS MUSIC!)
It seems like it's been 10 years since we've been waiting for the new Zelda game, Twilight Princess, but Nintendo promises that this year is the year. Still recovering from the news that it had been pushed from a spring release to a fall release, came news that Nintendo will release 2 versions of the game. One for the good ol' Gamecube, and one for the brand spankin' new Wii.
Another big announcement was the line up for the new Super Smash Bros. game for the Wii. Titled Super Smash Bros. Brawl (or Super Smash Bros. Dojo), the line up sees the return of Mario, Pikachu, and Kirby, but they are not alone. 
They've brought along a few new friends. First off is Wario, who has been due to make an appearance for quite awhile now, seeing how popular his games have been lately. (Will Waluigi be an unlockable??) 
Next we have Pit from Kid Icarus making his first video game appearance since 1986. This is what the Super Smash Bros. franchise is all about, ressurecting classic characters, and making them KICK ASS!! Also announced was Meta Knight from the Kirby series, and Samus Aran in her slinkier, sleeker Zero Mission outfit (DROOL!). 
But the big kicker came when it was hinted that Mr. Metal Gear Solid himself, Solid Snake would be making a special cameo appearance in the game. It sounds like a pretty expansive line up, and who knows who the unlockable characters will end up being. (I heard the Nintendog Puppies are making an appearance as an item!) Personally, I'd love to see Simon Belmont from Castlevania make an appearance. There'd be nothing better than beating down Jigglypuff with Simon's whip!
Sonic the Hedgehog is also making a return appearance to the gaming world that brings him back to his roots. Sonic: Wild Fire sees Sonic doing what he does best...running...fast! Graphics looked awesome. He'll be coming to the Wii sometime next year. It'll be interesting to see what controlling him will be like with the "Wii-mote".
Well, that's it folks! That's the big E3 wrap-up. There was pleanty to see this year, and pleanty of announcements that shook the gaming foundations. Only questions left up in the air are how much will the Wii cost? (We were promised that it would be the cheapest of the 3) Will Blue Ray or HD-DVD win out? Will Zelda finally be released this year?? Who will win the console wars this holiday season?? And where can I get a loan at a reasonable interest rate so I can get a PS3?? When I know, you'll know! I know I may have been a bit biased in the end here, but there is just something about Nintendo. Call me a fool, but no matter what the price, I'm already sold. I WANT MY Wii!!!
The biggest event in the video game and electronic entertainment industry is currently underway in my own back yard. Yep, it's time for E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo, for those of you who don't speak nerd!), and once again it is being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year it is bigger than ever, taking up all 3 large convention halls at the venue. That being the case, the big 3 console makers held their press conferences yesterday off campus. Last year the big 3 revealed their new next gen consoles (The Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and the Nintendo Wii [up to now it had been code-named the Revolution, which I personally prefered!]). This year we had to look foward to more details about the new consoles, and our first look at the next gen software we'll be spending our fistful of sweaty dollars on. Here is the lowdown thus far.
The Xbox 360 was the first of the next gen consoles to hit the market, getting almost a year's headstart on both the PS3 and the Nintendo Wii. This ended up being both a blessing and a cures for Microsoft, seeing that depand for the new console was through the roof, but at the same time, the first units released saw many corners cut, and numerous glitches in the system. Microsoft has remedied those errors, and looks to compensate with an extensive library of next gen games that will make full use of what the 360 can really do.
The real buzz game this year has been Gears of War for the 360. A first person shooter, almost in the same vein as Halo, this is Microsofts biggest hopes of a console seller, very much like Halo was for the first Xbox. 
And with graphics this good, Microsoft's hopes may be answered. Let's just hope that the gameplay is as good as this game looks. Other Xbox 360 titles that caught my eye were Too Human, Lost Planet, and Prey. 
Microsoft held their press conference at the Mann Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where 2 big revelations were made.First off, Microsoft seems to have stolen the exclusivity of the Grand Theft Auto fanchise from Playstation, announcing that GTA4 will be available for the Xbox 360 as well. For a long time GTA was one of those console selling franchises, and now Xbox wants to cash in. Let's see how Sony takes the hit.
But the one announcement that set all the gaming geeks giddy with glee (aliteration, baby!) was the return of Master Chief and the rest of the space marines, in Halo 3. I have to admit that the trailer looks awesome, but it remains to be seen if that was pre-rendered or if it was actual on-screen graphics. Although it won't hit the market until first quarter of next year perhaps, I'm sure that the couch cushions are being overturned even as we speak. 
The Xbox 360 came at us with a heafty price tag ($300 for the core system, $400 for the suped up version. That's a lot Bling Bling!!), and that might have hurt it when it first entered the market, but that is nothing compared to the big announcement out of the Sony camp.
Their bombshell dropped even before their press conference began. It had leaked out that the much anticipated PS3 would be setting us back a whopping $500!! (That's for a 20GB hard drive. If you want a little more storage space, you can fork over $600 for a 60GB hard drive!! Gonna have to ask mom for a raise in the ol' allowance!). Sony held their press conference at the Sony Pictures Studio Lot, and for all accounts it was just like attending a big Hollywood premier.
Another big reveal by Sony was the final design of their PS3 controller. Style-wise, it is almost EXACTLY like its previous incarnations. I guess you go with what works. But this time Sony has put a little spin on the controller...literally! They took a page out of the ol' Nintendo Wii playbook and decided to include motion and movement sensors built-in to the controller, and it is wireless, which is now something that the big three will all have in common. And, as you can see above, there is also a USB port for charging the controller. 
For most of the past year we were force-fed the "boomerang" controller design, but it seems that Sony had been conceiling their true intentions all along. (It's like Pearl Harbor all over again, man!) So, what about that price?? Well, the system has evolved, as well as its functions. As where the PS2 came complete with a DVD player, the PS3 will come with the new Blue Ray player, which may make our DVDs obsolete. Stand alone Blue Ray players have been announced at prices over $1000, so this may actually be one of the smartest things that Sony could have ever done. Incorporating a Blue Ray player with a gaming platform...Genius!!! This may very well be what see these puppies flying off the shelves. Xbox has come out saying that they are prepared to offer external Blue Ray or HD-DVD peripheral attachments for their systems depending on which one wins the format wars.
As for software, Sony brings back the big guns. Resident Evil 5, Gran Turismo HD, Final Fantasy XIII, and Devil May Cry 4 have all been announced. But the one title that has all the fanboys drooling is Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Solid Snake is back, and he's on Geritol. Now, how much action can you get out of an old geezer?? We'll just have to wait and see. The trailer looks great, and looks like actual gameplay animation, but again, we'll see. Some other titles for the PS3 that I was excited by were Heavenly Sword, Resistance: Fall of Man, Assassin's Creed, Hellgate: London, and Lair. Well, that's it for now. More coverage tomorrow, including my big Nintendo wrap-up.
Well, it looks like it has finally happened. My collection has overrun the confines of my room, and had started to invade the hallway of our apartment. "How did that happen?", you may ask. Well, that's a good question. My mom, god bless her, has finally had enough of my recent purchases taking up residence on our bedroom floor. Seeing how my walls are completely covered with figures and other collectibles, she took it upon herself to mount some of my items (namely my Star Wars Transformers) to the hallway walls.
Today, I headed over to my local Wal-Mart (THAT's how I celebrate Memorial Day!! j/k) on my usual toy run (don't laugh!), and was lucky enough to come upon the new wave of Star Wars Transformers figures. So I made a mad dash to the cashier, and picked up these puppies. (Which, by the way, aside from the Chewie and Han Milennium Falcon that is soon to be released, may be the last of this entire series of figures!)
This wave includes the Emperor Palpatine/Imperial Shuttle figure, the Jango Fett/Slave I figure, and the Clone Pilot/ARC Fighter figure. (The Emperor/Shuttle figure is my favorite one, although the Clone Pilot/ARC Fighter is pretty kick ass too!) I had to re-arrange the figures already up in the hallway to make room for these guys. While I was at it, I decided to put up some pictures my friend gave me, that I had framed a while back. I think they came out pretty nice, actually.
Don't get me wrong, I have got PLEANTY of stuff in boxes that hasn't made it to the shelves or the walls yet, due to limited wall or display space. But perhaps, some day, when we have a place of our own, I'll have an entire room to myself in which to showcase my collection. Until then, I'm trying to work out some sort of rotation plan, so that they at least get some display time. After all, these items are to be admired. (Yes, I'm confident enough in my geekiness to put it up on display for the entire world to see!) I hear your scorn and ridicule, and I accept it. 
Can't wait to get my hands on that Chewie/Han Falcon. (Did that sound dirty to anyone else??) I mean, come on!! Look at it!!
