The National Pinball Museum has opened up in Baltimore. Who's up for a couple of games? I think we can take the metro. I'm looking forward to the Addams Family, Whirlwind, or Earthshaker -- the games of my youth. I'm also looking forward to the Black Knight or that Alien pinball game. I wonder if they'll have the latest and greatest. Who knows? Let's find out.

http://www.nationalpinballmuseum.org/museum/index.html

Labels: games people play, lotd, nerd

Labels: embed, movies

Moving the last couple of posts down because I don't like how they look on the front page. Maybe I should've thought about that before posting.

Labels: meta, no new tale to tell

Google is freaking me out. Lately, most of the random visitors here are reaching via Google Image Search. It's bumped up my stats slightly at the expense of making the search terms more weird and more focused on cute asian girls. The images of Nozomi, Kim Ha Yul or some other such cutie are getting pushed to the front of the image search results. Dang it's weird. Here's today's search terms.

nozomi sasaki new look
bérénice bejo imdb
berenice bejo imdb
golf score counter watch
Imperial Japanese Navy's Fleet
modern hanbok
nozomi sasaki cute
snsd yoona new pictures
yoona 2011 new
yoona bad girl
alexandra roach
an elderly couple commit suicide in phoenix 01.2012
asian big tits cute girl
bangkok girl cute
cute asian fucking
Face covered by hands cute
freakzilla@scopenet.com
girls in hot pants
J. Wellington Wimpy I'll gladly pay you Tuesday
Japanese Girl With Huge Tits Gets

Labels: interactive, interNOT, meta

But not that much...

From the same wanker who brought us The Bell Curve. It's all non-sense. Each of the questions on the quiz makes tons of assumptions. You should try it. And have a good laugh.

Labels: I am me, wankers

Thank kami-sama it's Friday...

Labels: time sink

Take a look at this $5 bill. It's from 1963. That's almost fifty years old. Should I spend it or keep it? It's like those $2 bills you occasionally get. They're so strange that you have to hold onto it for a bit, and eventually, you don't know if you'll ever spend it. I've been holding onto this bill for a week. I may hold onto it longer. I like how it's red rather than the standard green. That's what made me notice that this bill is different.

Labels: money baby money

Sadly, I've only seen three of the nine Best Picture nominees, and I think it's also missing a couple films, such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Harry Potter 7 part 2. What a weird year.

Discuss your choices in the comments.

http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/84/nominees.html

Labels: lotd, movies, oscar pool

The Iron Lady isn't a sequel to Iron Man. I think I would've liked it better if it did feature Margaret Thatcher in an iron suit taking on the Argentinians in the Falkland War. That sounds more entertaining than what this movie ended up being.

Meryl Streep channels Maggie Thatcher. Except at times I was waiting for her to break character and channel Julia Child. It could've been a very good movie if I couldn't tell which character she was playing. The young actress, Alexandra Roach, had the thankless task of playing the young Maggie Thatcher. People will talk about Streep. They should talk a little more about Roach. She won't get any mention, but Streep will get a nomination. No idea why.

The problem with this film is that it didn't give an idea of why Thatcher became who she was. Her dad was conservative. Did she get it from her dad? Why? Which part? No idea why she decided things. She just became Maggie Thatcher. The film also doesn't touch on why she was the leader for that time. What did she do to make England better? The Falkland War? No idea. The film misses out on why she lost the backing of her party. Was she driven? Did she drive too hard? No idea.

At some point, we should understand who Margaret Thatcher was. It was Meryl Streep and that is all I got from the movie.

2 of 5 stars.

Labels: movies, review

In our younger days, we would've been doing this ourselves. What's stopping us?

Let's go. I've got a blaster right here.

http://www.starwarsuncut.com/

Labels: geeked, lotd, nerd

I've never been so on edge during a movie that had barely any action than I was during Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. It's a straight up action flick with no action, and yet surprisingly it will have you on the edge of your seat. It reminds me of the 1970s action with no action flicks which is fitting considering its setting, London in the early 70s.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy starts very opaque, fragmented, and hard to follow. The facts as they were: there's a mole in the British spy agency and it's up to Gary Oldman to find him. Oldman was retired from the agency because of his mentor's screw up in his first attempt to find the mole. As his investigation proceeds, it all starts to make sense and the mole gets flushed out. If you don't see it, you already know who it is.

I liked this movie. So far it's been nothing but good films this year. Of course this is only the second one.

4 of 5 stars

EDIT: Misspelling! Damn Lion autocorrect!

Labels: movies, review

With all the talk today of SOPA/PIPA, I'm craving for a sopapilla.

Labels: interNOT, mmm, tweet

Go Ravens!

Labels: football

You really have to dig down deep into your geek cred to get this one. In fact, you may have grown out of liking this, but you, in your inner little geek, have to admit that Macross was awesome. You've grown up and may have missed Macross F from which she was the "Minmei." Now that, you've got to admit is awesome.

Labels: Macross, Macross Frontier, music break

Now if I had a movie theatre, I would give these guys a call. Dayyumm! Look at those posters. If they don't make you want to catch at least one Ghibli film, then you must be a zombie. I would happily watch Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, or My Neighbor Totoro on the big screen. I would be giddy with pleasure.

http://www.gkids.tv/ghibli/

Labels: anime, lotd

If you live in LA or in CA or anywhere in the Pacific time zone, I would try to make some time to catch as much if not all of this Studio Ghibli slate of anime playing on a big screen.

http://www.americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/castles-in-the-sky-miyazaki-takahata-and-the-masters-of-studio-ghibli

Labels: anime, go there now, lotd

Labels: it rocks

I debated about writing up this dumb dream when I arose from bed. I didn't want to write it up because I had to get up and shower. I thought I wasn't going to, but on the commute to work I decided to post it.

It starts out in a school room is all I can remember from the beginning half. I guess we were studying and S was in my class. I think I was getting cozy-friendly with her during studies.

Then we were in my Aunt's house. It must've been some kind of baby shower as there were nothing but women with little kids running through the house. S was around. I wanted to show her how cool I was around babies so I grabbed the nearest tyke. I was scolded because I had let her slip through my arms. Imagine my surprise as I stood around lots of mothers with a little toddler dangling from her blanket in my hand. Silly me.

I go outside to chat up S who was enjoying the kids. Cousin Bob comes out of the house on a skateboard wearing funky sandals. He passes the skateboard to me and I am cool now.

Labels: dreams, that girl

As always, steamed vegetables for lunch isn't enough. It's not filling and it's not tasty. If it's either of those two, then I would rather get something else.

Sitting on my desk at work is a Korean cup noodle. I have stayed away from it for the last two months. It was given to me by a co-worker, but I stayed away because of my high blood pressure. The package says 1021 mg of sodium per serving which it suggests a serving size of 1/2 the bowl. So it really contains 2042 mg of sodium, as much as the recommended daily allowance is. That's not good news if I cooked it up.

I did. Today I ate it.

But I changed it up so as to minimize the cup noodle's sodium content. First, I cut the noodles in half. I thought most of the sodium came from the seasoning, but packaged ramen noodles are notorious for being high in sodium. Then, because of it came in a separate packet, I was able to use a miniscule amount of seasoning perhaps less than an 1/8 of a teaspoon. Finally, I threw my steamed vegetables into the bowl to add some more "flavor" and substance to the soup.

It turned out alright. It tasted mainly of the noodles, but there is a slight hint of the original flavor from the packet in the broth tastes. It was a nice meal. Unfortunately, I still feel like it had too much sodium.

Labels: cooking

I didn't want to end it this way, but twelve posts in a row is plenty so I'm gonna end it with a whimper. Hopefully, tomorrow's Epiphany will be better, but for today it's The Simpsons (Marge Be Not Proud)

Bart was caught shoplifting which disappoints his mom. She treats him more grown up. He buys a picture to replace his photo mess up on their family Christmas portrait. It was a Christmas present. It all takes place at Christmas time.

Kid berates his mother for Bonestorm. Calls her stupid. Tells her to shut up. "Buy me Bonestorm or go to hell!" Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge seems like the better game.

The episode wasn't one of the more overt Christmas episodes for The Simpsons. In fact, it doesn't play as a very special Christmas episode. And this post doesn't play like one of my other ones as well. I guess the Christmas theme is that it can last too long. We can't wait for Christmas to get here, and it is trying once the season starts. Then it seems to go on, and on, and on, but now it's over. I just wish I ended this series better. I can't wait for next Christmas.

Labels: d'oh, tis the season, Twelve Days of Christmas

Picture courtesy Danny Choo.

I thought I had a lot of nendoroids!

I finally am getting my Sawako-sensei nendoroid.

Labels: nendoroid, picture

The Artist has already picked up several Golden Globe nominations and will probably pick up more for the Oscars. You wouldn't think a silent, black and white movie, in 4:3 aspect would garner this much accolades. You would be wrong. Just watch and try to hate it. You can't. The packed house at The Charles the afternoon I saw it applauded in the end. It captivates. You won't have another experience like it in the theatres for ages.

So why did I not warm up to it during the early parts of it? Was it the conceit was very twee? Was it that it felt too cute by half? Was it that I was analyzing it too much for its cinematic references? For its technical feats? For its historic accuracy? For its reasoning for being? For why I wasn't smitten with it? No idea why I reacted funnily in its early going, but when they referenced Citizen Kane, I perked up and began to enjoy the movie. Then I was wholly charmed once I recognized Bernard Hermann's score for Vertigo that underscored the rush to love at the end. The music put a big, big smile on my face, and it may have pushed the movie to being the best I've seen this year (as short as it has been).

The Artist is about George Valentin, a suave actor in swashbuckling silent films. It is 1927 and talkies are on their way, but Valentin doesn't want to star in talkies. The audience came to see him rather than hear him. In promoting his latest film, he bumps into Peppy Miller. She gets captured in photos by the paparazzi. She enjoys it so much she auditions for a minor role in a movie. Her career is in bloom. She's on the way to becoming a star of the early talkies. He's on his way to becoming a forgotten, forlorn actor. His career fades and brings him to dispair. Only Peppy stands in his way of faded glory.

I'm a big fan of classic cinema, and The Artist was all about the old movies. I saw in the film many other classic movies. There was Singing in the Rain and Citizen Kane. There was L'Illusionniste (I know it's recent, but I had the same French feeling) and Vertigo. The dog was straight out of the Thin Man series. It doesn't necessarily harken back to silent movie's like Hugo did, but it recalls classic early cinema.

Being a silent film, the actors had to mug it. Whereas Jean Dujardin plays the main character as a ham, Bérénice Bejo is sweet and sincere as the woman who falls for The Artist. I can't express how smitten I was with her. She's absolutely enchanting to look at in this film. She enhances the watching experience.

I think I can watch this film again.

4 of 5 stars.

Labels: movies, review

The new year brought some terrible news on the US anime front. Bandai, a US anime and manga publisher, had halted production on new anime and manga for the US market. They would still sell out the last of their inventory, but they would not be bringing anything new to the US from Japan. This may mean the end to legal access to kami-sama, Haruhi, anime if and when Kyoto Animation decides to produce the next season. It most certainly means that season two of K-ON! won't be coming out from them, and means that the K-ON! movie may never reach the shores of America legally.

I am sad. After reading today's link, a review of the K-ON! movie, I so want to watch it. Maybe, some other US distributor would snap up the rights to this franchise and deliver for us Mugi-Mio-Yui-Azu-Ristsu fans a sweet Christmas present next year.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/k-on/the-movie

Labels: anime, K-ON, lotd

If you weren't scared by the Ghosts of Christmas, perhaps Gremlins can give you a scare.

Crap. I have nothing to say about this one. It's a better fright story than A Christmas Carol. Watch it.

Christmas theme? Mayhem! You know that feeling when you play Santa handing out the presents. It's just like a host of gremlins running through town. It's madness.

Christmas mayhem! Onward to madness! Like gremlins.

That's all I've got...

Labels: fright, tis the season, Twelve Days of Christmas

News Radio (Xmas Story)

The guy in the Santa suit ho-ho-ho-ing and ringing his bell could be dangerous. If you don't believe me just ask Bill McNeal. The Santa harassed him making him wary of the harm that could be done to him. Except it turned out to be a stunt to get Bill McNeal to listen to the Santa's audition tape. It turns out the Santa was looking for advice on getting a job in radio. Or was it?

Mr. James gets a Yankees autographed jersey, and he gets the staff baseball caps. Except the staff isn't thrilled. To make up for it, Mr. James buys them all cars except Matthew who gets an old-timey radio comedy show. Is that enough for them?

Christmas theme is bad presents. Not getting what you had wished for. Admittedly, this ain't a theme, but something that occurs always during Christmas. If you wanted it so bad, you should've bought it yourself. On the flip side, cash is always good; don't buy lame presents.

The chance for something lame greatly increases with the amount of presents you get. I got very few presents this year. Thanks, Santa!

Labels: tis the season, Twelve Days of Christmas

Grrrr.

And the coffee doesn't do much.

Labels: it's over, tweet

Attribution: Georges Biard

I'm just a sucker for brown-eyed brunettes with freckles. J'adore Bérénice Bejo.

Labels: she's hot

The X-Files (How The Ghost Stole Christmas)

Christmas time finds Mulder and Scully investigating a haunted house in Maryland. The duo find two desiccated bodies under the floor boards. The corpses are wearing the duos outfits. The duo are on a wild ghost hunt. They meet up with the former occupants of the house who committed suicide on Christmas Eve in the past. The ghosts delve into the two FBI agents' complicated relationship.

One of the worst episodes of the X-Files. The concept was cute by a half.

Christmas theme: Need to be connected to someone. Sceptic with the believer. Both afraid of the loneliness. Sharing the holiday season with someone who understands you.

I miss the internet community that The X-Files spawned. And Scully in her short bob. Mmmm, Scully!

Labels: Scully, The X-Files, tis the season, Twelve Days of Christmas

You! Yes you. What day is it? New Year's? Have I been asleep all this time since Christmas? No, don't answer that? I say though do you know the butcher on the next street over? Do you know if they've sold the goose hanging in the window? Still there! Good! Here's a farthing fetch me the butcher. Bring him back with the goose in 10 minutes, and you'll get another farthing!

Happy New Year!

I just substituted New Year with Christmas, but as we all know that scene is from A Christmas Carol. I'm finally getting you back to a familiar holiday treat. Yes, a week late, but we can go back in time to witness what Christmas means to a humbug of a man.

Usually, this is when I summarize the movies story, but if you don't know it by now. Get thee to a library.

The Christmas theme for today is Christmas Day! Happy New Year! Nothing like thinking about Christmas Day than to start 358 days away to getting there. Remember where your Christmas Spirit should be; in the here, in the now, in the next. Nothing better than to start being Christmas than to start on the first day of the year.

So remember, be Christmas year round lest the Ghosts of Chrismas Past, Present and Future come to visit you.

Labels: tis the season, Twelve Days of Christmas

I hate those people. What a way to start the be year! Filled with rage.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2011/11/28/maximizing-shareholder-value-the-dumbest-idea-in-the-world/

Labels: anger and frustration, lotd, wankers