F as in Fun

Nuubs: Meet the Characters

2011-09-08T18:25:00.013-04:00

Here are the seven initial Nuubs (rhymes with "tubes") characters. I have at least three new ones on the way.

Buddy Boy

Parkour expert, analytical leader

Doosh
Foreign exchange student, playground DJ

Rainee
Doomsayer, conspiracy theorist

Shade
Break-dancer and ladies' man

Sissy Girl

Pure of heart, afraid of butterflies

E Man

Wealthy dimwit

Loaf

Neighborhood bully

New characters will include Seymour, Frank (Buddy Boy's dad), Pico, and Ron Bigfoot.

Nuubs

2011-09-07T09:28:00.016-04:00

I just finished work on a line of resin figures which I have put on display in the Gallery at American Greetings. They're called Nuubs (rhymes with "tubes") and, well, here are some shots. Click on a pic to see a larger image...

Buddy Boy

Sissy Girl

E Man

Shade

Doosh

Rainee

Loaf

I did a couple of acrylic pieces as well. Cork floating atop torn-up corrugated cardboard:

The Nuubs concept is something I've had in my head for nearly two years. Little, stubby, mushroom-headed kids who have fun doing random things. To me, this is a modern take on Charles Schultz' Peanuts. Now that I've put together a group of characters with personalities I am fleshing out more details to create a fully-developed property. I'm in the midst of writing a draft for an animated series for television which I plan to pitch to the networks hopefully next year.

Gear Pics

2011-03-11T21:35:00.002-05:00

I've been spending a lot of time trying to get acquainted with my Numark setup so I thought I'd post some pics.

Faith Healer FIGHT!!

2011-03-08T16:49:00.001-05:00

Charlie Sheen Plays Call of Duty: Black Ops

2011-03-08T14:52:00.001-05:00

Because That's How I Roll

2011-03-03T17:00:00.001-05:00

Fine-Tune Your Home Theater Setup

2011-03-03T11:09:00.003-05:00

Lifehacker's got a great little piece on tweaking your home theater. Check it out by clicking here!

But hey, if you're looking to feel sickened and depressed, click here!

That Didn't Take Long

2011-03-02T16:53:00.003-05:00

Damn, I swear he just said this the other day...

Possibly The Most Appropriate Thing I have Ever Posted On This Blog Called "F As In Fun"

2011-02-25T19:16:00.008-05:00

Ubisoft is releasing a Wii game called We Dare. Calling it Wii Dare would seem to make more sense, but who am I to argue? In any case, the good news is, it is an amazingly raunchy concept. The bad news is, it is -- at least at this point in time -- only being released in Europe.

The thing is... if someone, if some company, would just release a game like this in the U.S. they would become a ga-jillionaire. Overnight.

Wait until you get a load of this game. Swingers will be on it like a fat kid on cake.

Keep in mind that this is an actual promotional clip for We Dare -- but! -- Ubisoft's legal department just pulled the original clips from YouTube today so only the mashups remain. Like this one. It is the same clip except it has Inception music behind it.

Trust me, you have to see this.

Japanese Human Slip 'N Slide

2011-02-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

Okay, I don't know about you, but if I were a contestant on this Japanese game show I would probably lock-up on girl number four, at least, due to the density change in my swim trunks.

Laser Cat Bowling

2011-02-18T15:18:00.001-05:00

New Japanese Electronic Music Toy Can (and Will) Be Used For All Sorts of Perversion

2011-02-18T15:00:00.001-05:00

Yup. It will.

Crazy Man at Restaurant

2011-02-18T14:40:00.000-05:00

"Leave Sean Connery alone!!"

Cuteness O.D.

2011-02-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

Gotta Shock 'Em All, Gotta Shock 'Em All

2011-02-11T13:42:00.010-05:00

I did not know this.

I know. I don't know a lot of things, but this is one of them.

Anyway, I did not know that back in 1997 an episode of Pokemon aired on Japanese television that caused hundreds and hundreds of little kids to be rushed to hospitals. The children had experienced seizures! When I read this, I was like WTF? Here's a link to the report.

So anyway, if you're too lazy to click on the link, here's the rundown. There is a scene in the episode containing rapidly flashing colors during a missile attack; specifically blue and red. This particular strobe effect was just crazy enough to F up more than 600 little ones who happened to be watching. The episode — which became known as the "Pokemon Shock" episode — was pretty much banned and later altered with slowed-down frames of animation.

And now — for the first time ever — here is your chance to watch the ORIGINAL, seizure-inducing scene from the infamous "banned from TV" episode of Pokemon. Just remember I am not legally responsible if your head explodes like in Scanners, okay? Watch at your own risk.

Try Decaf

2011-02-11T13:37:00.000-05:00

My New Setup

2011-01-20T14:42:00.011-05:00

Well, I did it. I made the switch from standalone to software-driven DJ hardware. Numark had a rebate deal on the V7 over the holidays and I couldn't pass it up. Not only am I getting a check for $200, I'm also getting a free case valued at $200.

I sold my Denon DN-S1000 setup on Craigs. I bought a V7 and then went after an X5. The X5 is Numark's companion mixer for the V7 and typically sells for $400+ but some dude had one on Amazon marketplace — in brand new condition — for $300. I got real lucky with that one.

Now I am left with having to pick up a second V7 and a laptop to run it all. These purchases are probably not going to happen for a while; I've got lots of other financial priorities to block me on that front. But hopefully in due time.

Numark's V7 runs Serato Itch and provides a whole mess of effects options, definitely more than my Denons gave me.

Here's the V7 in action:

In the meantime I am running this setup through a dual core Pentium tower. Not very portable but until I can get myself a decent laptop it will have to do. Also, a single V7 unit is like having two decks in one — there's a second "virtual" deck in the unit — but it is a little unnatural for me. I miss the feel of being able to put my hands on two separate decks at any given time. This "Deck A" and "Deck B" switching is kind of obnoxious. So yeah, I will be hunting for a second V7 at one point.

I am hoping that by summer I will have everything in place so I can get back out there — 100% digital from here on — to do some gigs.

Grateful Kid Gets Xbox 360

2010-12-17T10:17:00.007-05:00

Christmas is coming fast and being a dad makes me think how awesome it is this time of year... it's all about the kids. I have ridiculous amounts of fun going out there and checking off their wish lists. Seeing my kids happy on Christmas morning means so much to me and they are always thankful when they open their presents. Makes me think of stuff like Nintendo 64 Kid.

Unlike the legendary Nintendo 64 Kid video, this clip is not Christmas-related but does show one heck of an awesome, thankful kid as he opens his birthday presents. It's heartwarming to see his reaction, especially when you take into consideration — as the story goes — he had recently spent a lot of time in the hospital prior to this video being shot. What a sweet kid. Grab the Kleenex.

SyFy Channel Sits Down With Stan Lee To Show Him Long-Forgotten Art

2010-11-05T14:08:00.003-04:00

Wow, this is pretty cool. Usually we get the typical huckster, jokey-joke personality from Stan (The Man) Lee. But this time is different. This time Stan becomes almost emotional while looking at comic book page art from long, long ago. Check it out:

Make Your Own Guitar Picks

2010-11-05T11:44:00.002-04:00

Check it out. Wanna do something with those used-up gift cards and maxed-out credit cards? Make them into guitar picks! Genius.

Happy Meal Becomes Sad Meal: Idiot Politicians in San Francisco Destroy Fun

2010-11-05T11:38:00.006-04:00

So they're passing a ban on Happy Meals and other fast food meals that are "too happy." As in too tasty. As in not good for you. This is happening in San Francisco right now but rest assured this terrible killing-of-tasty-food trend will continue to spread across the rest of the country. Here are the requirements:

• The meal can't exceed 600 calories
• Less than 35 percent of the calories can come from fat (nuts, nut butters, low-fat cheese excepted)
• It's required to have a half cup of vegetables
• Breakfast meals are required to have a half cup of fruit
• Sodium limits
• A multigrain requirement

Can you believe this shit? What the hell is next, Logan's Run?

Oh My God We're All Going To Die: Realistic Nurse Robot Thing Must Be Stopped

2010-10-27T16:43:00.001-04:00

I'm serious.

Jon Hamm For Superman

2010-10-19T16:50:00.003-04:00

I never really saw a photo of Jon Hamm till about five minutes ago... and holy crap if he would not be awesome as an older, more seasoned "Alex Ross" type Superman. WOW! Now I know what all the fuss was about when I read the AICN boards months ago...

Stare Down

2010-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

Try to beat this guy... don't blink.

Say Hello to Creepy VCR Guy

2010-10-18T10:43:00.004-04:00

Panasonic is best neckonics. Philips is bad... very bad...

Game Dev Story: Crack Cocaine for Your iPhone

2010-10-17T20:47:00.012-04:00

Holy christ, have I found an awesome little game. It's called Game Dev Story, a sim game for the iPad, iPod and iPhone that lets you run your own little game development company.

You hire/fire/manage people, attend press conferences, “E3” type events and allocate advertising funds, all while trying to sell as many copies of your games as you can. I swear to you it is crack. I was addicted for hours and hours this weekend.

Here's actual footage of the game in action:

I am telling you right now, I think this might be the most addicting game on the iPhone! In fact, five minutes after I described it to my buddy Eric, he went and downloaded it, saying "You've ruined my life... and I love it!"

I would go one further... I think Game Dev Story might be my favorite game of 2010, eclipsing even the mighty Yakuza 3 for PlayStation 3!

If you've downloaded Game Dev Story and you're looking for ways to strategize or maximize your fun, here are some tips to help.

Epic Battle

2010-10-15T21:27:00.001-04:00

Awesome Reach

2010-10-14T09:32:00.000-04:00

Great animation here!

Worst Rap Battle Ever

2010-10-13T13:47:00.002-04:00

The best starts at 2:40. Don't miss that part.

More Transformers 3 On-Set Chaos: Bumblebee Camaro Crashes Into Police SUV

2010-10-12T13:15:00.000-04:00

Old Cartoony TV Commercials: Beavers Love Kool-Aid

2010-10-12T06:30:00.001-04:00

One word to describe this old-school Kool-Aid commercial: FUN!

Why? Why Do So Many Cops Act Like A-Holes?

2010-10-11T16:43:00.005-04:00

It's jerk-wads like this guy who give cops a bad name...

Custom Famous Covers Thing

2010-10-07T23:35:00.007-04:00

There's a guy in the UK named Nick who, back in the day, took Toy Biz Famous Covers action figures and customized the shit out of them. And man, he customized a lot of them. Even more impressive was the fact that the guy did such great work. Check out his custom Thing, above. Here's a link to his website which is still running.

I did custom figures like these back in 1999-2000 with the help of my wife. I designed the characters, sourced the materials and sculpted the heads, and she sewed the costumes. She did an amazing job on the sewing, just amazing. The figures weren't too shabby, actually. We sold them for an average of $100 each. Characters I remember doing included Black Panther, Luke Cage, Blizzard, Firebrand, Doctor Octopus, Tarantula, The Shocker, The Jackal, Morbius, Punisher, Carrion and Molten Man. One day I got an email from a doctor who wanted us to make him a custom Nova... and he was willing to pay something like $225 for it! I spent hours and hours fine-tuning this thing to perfection and sent it off for his approval. When he received it he was absolutely thrilled.

In any case, at one point I'll try to dig up some pics of the FCs we did, and post them here on the blog.

One of the Coolest Fight Sequences Ever Animated: Superman Versus Doomsday

2010-10-06T12:32:00.004-04:00

I love this. The pacing is great, the action intense and the music behind it really, really well done. Based on the comic book from many years ago, Superman battles the one enemy who stands a chance at actually killing him! Listen to that music — you can cut the drama with a knife!

I almost bought this on Blu-Ray a while back since it was half-off at Best Buy but I decided to pass due to budgetary concerns at the time. In any case, if you've never seen this sequence, now's your chance:

Frito-Lay Stops Manufacturing Incredibly Loud SunChips Bags

2010-10-06T12:01:00.006-04:00

It may have taken almost a year, but those horribly, obnoxiously loud compostable snack bags from Frito-Lay are soon to be history. If you've never had the displeasure of opening one of these bags, trust me, they are loud. So loud in fact that according to this guy, the bags produced more noise than that inside a jet fighter cockpit!

Personally, while I do commend Frito-Lay for making a bag that decomposes in three months time, I have to say good riddance. That damn noisy bag was putting a real crimp in my ability to sneak snacks in my house. Yeah, four kids and a wife. Sometimes I do that.

Zach Snyder Confirmed to Direct New Superman Film

2010-10-05T09:29:00.003-04:00

It's official! Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) will direct the relaunch of Superman under the godfather guidance of Chris Nolan.

As for whether or not we might expect a return of Brandon Routh, here's what Variety is reporting.

What do you think?

Thanks, Eric!

Evil Superman

2010-10-05T09:26:00.001-04:00

You're doing it wrong.

Toy FAIL

2010-09-30T16:01:00.001-04:00

Um.

Holy crap?

Waste Time. Blow Stuff Up.

2010-09-29T15:34:00.003-04:00

This is fun. Wish it had sound effects though.

Blow Stuff Up

DC Retro-Action: Characters I'd Like to See

2010-09-28T21:54:00.018-04:00

Once Mattel cranks out the familiars in Mego format, I would really like to see them produce some of the more obscure characters from the 70's. Yeah bitches, I'm talking OMAC. Here are the characters I would shell out cash for in a heartbeat:

Demon

Mister Miracle

Deadman

Blue Beetle

Firestorm

Machine Man

Black Lightning

Shade: The Changing Man

Swamp Thing

Dr. Fate

Red Tornado

Ikarus

Back From the Dead: Mego

2010-09-23T09:38:00.010-04:00

Yes, after five months of hibernation from the blog, I am back from the dead — and ironically enough, so is something else. Check this out...

Took this pic at TRU on Sunday. I had no idea Mego style figures from the 70's were being relaunched. Yeah. I pretty much shit my pants right there in aisle 4. Although a TRU exclusive at brick-n-mortar, the entire line of DC Retro-Action figures can be purchased online through Amazon.

Blog On Hold

2010-04-07T20:27:00.007-04:00

Something I need to mention... in case you are wondering what is going on with the blog and the lack of posts in recent days, I have decided to put it in a holding pattern until I have resolved -- or at least made progress with -- some personal issues.

To my friends, I have always tried to be honest about personal issues, or at least honest in that I am having them because I don't like to keep people hanging, wondering what's up or why I might be acting differently. I need to sort priorities and F As In Fun is not one of them. Not at this point in time. But I wanted to let you know.

I will hopefully return and things will be back to normal but to be honest I just do not know when that will be. It may take six weeks or six months or even longer, I don't know. But I am hopeful. I ask for your support and good vibes because I am going to need it.

As always, thank you for being here and I hope to see you soon.

Mr. Fun

Hot Babe Of The Month: Brittany McGraw

2010-04-02T07:05:00.000-04:00

More Brittany here.

pCubee

2010-04-01T13:05:00.002-04:00

Jesus, will you look at this. How cool/bizarre is this concept.

Happy April Fool's Day

2010-04-01T08:21:00.005-04:00

Lots of April Fool's Day foolishness after the jump...

The Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time can be found here.

An Epic April Fool's Day Office Prank can be found here.

Have fun and be careful out there!

School Play: Scarface

2010-03-31T07:32:00.001-04:00

Scarface, The School Play. File this one under WTF. The description:

Behold, Scarface School Play, quite possibly the most majestic piece of theater we have ever seen. Ever. Its basically the best thing in the world (which is yours!), and I refuse to say more on the subject. Just watch it. Like, seven times in a row.

I can barely process this as something real. Whatever you do, make sure you check out the action at 1:17 -- it will melt your brain.

Call My Parents

2010-03-30T17:15:00.001-04:00

Heads up, this is not funny nor is it enjoyable. It is just plain unsettling. But you should still watch it if for no other reason than to come to terms with the fact our world is littered with crazy people.

The story goes that some chick wigged-out at an airport, climbing and jumping on top of a Starbucks counter:

Some girl totally geeked out past security check at gate C Jet Blue at Logan Airport March 12, 2010. Somebody either tackle this bitch or call her god dam parents!!!

OMG I Hope You Are Sitting Down... The Shocker Of The Millennium! Ricky Martin Is GAY!!

2010-03-29T22:02:00.010-04:00

I mean, can you believe this?

I swear to god I used to joke about this back in the day. Ricky Martin had the looks, the moves, he had it all. But one thing I kept saying to myself and anyone else who would care to listen is -- Ricky Martin just had to be gay.

But would anybody listen to me? Nope. They said, "No-ooo, he can't be gay -- look at all the women dancing with him in his music videos -- he looks like he's really enjoying himself!" Yeah. He was. Because he knew that after the video shoot he would be going back to his mansion to SMOKE A POLE!!!

They laughed at me. But in the end look who is laughing last. OH yeah.

Ricky Martin (left) and his "buddy" getting some sun

I have pretty good "gaydar." But in this case, I felt as if I was living in a world gone mad -- because why was I the only one who could see something so obvious?! Just think to yourself the general vibe Ricky Martin had... very similar to George Michael, am I right?

Come on. Like we didn't know the deal here.

Yes, Ricky Martin was a beautiful man who garnered the adoration of millions of women around the world. He danced and touched and kissed the ladies and made them melt. But secretly inside he was someone else entirely. He was living a lie. Now it is out. Yes, in reality, Ricky Martin fancies the man meat. He smokes the baloney pony. He takes it in the balloon knot. A pillow biter. He is a poopie purveyor and a turd buglar. And I am laughing. Can you hear me laugh? Hohoho!

Today I will make another prediction: Ryan Seacrest is also gay and he will come out as well. It's only a matter of time. Yup. He has the same characteristics as George Michael and Ricky Martin and many other gay celebrities: So good looking you just know he stares at himself in the mirror doing Blue Steel at every opportunity. That's what I think. That is what I think you will read in the news some day in the future. Yes.

Thanks to my wife Pam for the tip

Hilarious Commentary Regarding That Super Wealthy Dude With The Lamborghini Elevator In His House

2010-03-29T21:17:00.007-04:00

Okay I have to post this. I have a huge appreciation for clever commentary and sharp wit... especially when it comes to Internet message boards.

I posted this just a short time ago and I noticed -- over at Gizmodo where I originally found the piece -- several awesome comments made by various and sundry individuals*. I just had to post some of them. Read these golden nuggets, would you?

Ah, perfect for those Sunday morning drives through the kitchen.

Clearly a very expensive rig, yet look at those uncomfortable dining chairs.

Wouldn't you think that he would buy a nicer house? that place looks so small and extremely bad taste

Step 1: Place car into room.
Step 2: Completely empty room and paint everything white, making for maximum attention on said car.
Step 3: Sit in Chair for hours upon hours staring at said car. Invite people over to stare. In progress.

Knowing how I tend to show off when drunk, I would either:
a) Park on the lift wrong and damage the car while lifting
b) Park another car underneath it, and damage it while lowering
c) Both a and b
d) Drive around the living room, "just a little bit"
e) leave door open and fall into garage

I think it needs to be hooked up to a jukebox or something that way I can choose which car comes up. Or just hit shuffle and see what random car I will be driving that day. you know what screw it! just have a button that a random car pops up and if you don't like it it falls into a hole and gets incinerated. Kind of like mr. burns bed dispenser.

If I had as much money as him though, I would have a large glass (fake, or made of sugar) window in my living room that I would crash my car through every morning. A perfect way to start each day: action-packed theatrics. (Optional: have some workers act like they're shooting at me by firing blanks from machine guns, and a flame thrower set-up to simulate a fiery explosion just as I reach the outside.)

What about a smaller version for scooters?

* I know that didn't really make sense but I like how it sounds

Super Wealthy Dude Has Lamborghini Elevator In His Living Room, Basically Telling Everyone "I Am So Filthy Rich I Can Wipe My Ass With $100 Bills"

2010-03-29T20:52:00.011-04:00

Yes that is pretty much what he is saying now, isn't it? Look!

Reportedly, the owner of this amazing house told his architect:

“I want a 9 car garage and be able to enjoy viewing one of them in the living room.”

Oh, is that all?

Son of a bitch.................................................... Doesn't he know that some people appreciate the simple things in life! Take me for instance. I just want a PlayStation 3 and a copy of that new Yakuza game. And after that I'd like an $8,000 Pioneer digital turntable setup and a $20,000 P.A. system with lasers! And then two, maybe three full-time strippers who do nothing but strip for me and tell me I am good looking and really smart... Freaking Lamborghinis in a house............................ Some people are so god damn greedy!!

Check out more pics over at Gizmodo.

Comic Book Legend Dick Giordano Is Gone (1932-2010)

2010-03-28T19:56:00.006-04:00

Some sad news here... one of my favorite comic book artists passed away on Saturday. Dick Giordano is dead at the age of 77.

Giordano completely and utterly helped shape my taste in comics back in the day -- and as a result, he also shaped my style as an artist. In fact I will swear to you right now there were dozens and dozens of times when I would buy a comic book based solely on Dick Giordano cover art. For me, the best was when Giordano's inks were over top of Ross Andru's pencils. I almost always preferred Marvel over DC but like I said, whenever I would see that signature Andru/Giordano combination on the cover, I would be sold. I remember buying an issue of Wonder Woman, literally for this reason. Then I would be sad to see that on the inside, there would be an entirely different artist doing the issue.

In tribute to this amazing artist, I have posted examples of some of my absolute all-time favorite DC comic covers, works of the legendary Dick Giordano. Enjoy.

Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P., Mr. Giordano.

Spring Is In The Air

2010-03-28T14:16:00.004-04:00

And that means the start of my busy season! Parties will be ramping up once again and I am very much looking forward to spinning!

If you're thinking about having a get together, let me know. I'm affordable and I guarantee you'll have a freaking fantastic time!

Head over to my DJ blog for updates and more info...

Cave Story is Out

2010-03-27T23:06:00.007-04:00

One of the most anticipated WiiWare games was released a couple of days ago... Cave Story! And guess what? One of my friends -- Tyrone Rodriquez -- is the publisher! His company is called Nicalis. I am extremely proud of him... this is a huge deal! Cave Story is absolutely awesome and it has been getting rave reviews. If you have a Wii and you want an old school style game with killer gameplay, you owe it to yourself to play this game.

Don't believe me? Here's a quote from NintendoLife:

"Cave Story is one of the most playable and addictive titles to hit WiiWare to date."

God damn I am so proud of Tyrone.

Click here to check out reviews of the game!

Visit the Nicalis blog page here for more info!

If you're reading this, CONGRATULATIONS ON CAVE STORY, TYRONE!

Bizarre Parody of Shenmue

2010-03-27T10:15:00.003-04:00

One part funny, two parts kinda sad. Although I think the kid makes more money than I do with his online video game parodies.

Keep in mind that unless you have seen or played Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast, you will only stare at this clip in dumbfoundedness.

Friday Night Freaking Lololo Guy Bonanza!!

2010-03-26T16:25:00.010-04:00

The Short and Sweet Version is

the Best Way to Introduce

Your Friends to the Magic of Trololo Guy

Tololo Cat

Live and In Concert — in a Freaking Church!

Live in Glorious Black and White

Some Other Weird Song by Trololo Guy
(Except it is Not Very Good)

Superhero Battle Bracket

2010-03-26T12:42:00.005-04:00

Heh. This kills me. So many errors you just don't know where to begin. It's obvious that the people who made this superhero/supervillian battle bracket don't fully understand the rationality behind epic superhero battles. Fortunately, you and I do.

Hey if you're like me and would rather debate these battles than some stupid who-gives-a-f#*k NCAA crap, you can check the superhero battle bracket out here.

Leave comments! I must hear what you have to say on this!

Party Boy on the PSP

2010-03-26T12:31:00.000-04:00

I didn't realize it but they made a video game out of Jackass. Here's a screen shot from the Sony PSP version, featuring noneother than my favorite Jackasser, Party Boy.

Internet High-Five

2010-03-25T08:28:00.000-04:00

Yo, up top!

Hasselhoff Drunk

2010-03-24T12:29:00.000-04:00

He is.

Just sayin'.

My Yu Suzuki Interview Part 3

2010-03-24T12:22:00.029-04:00

Here is the conclusion of my 2000 Game Developers Conference interview with Yu Suzuki...

PART 3

THE FUTURE

GameWEEK: Are you trying to focus at all on networking? Broadband?

Yu Suzuki: I am not focused on bandwidth but I am interested in networking. Rather than width, I am concentrating on latency. With the right compression techniques you do not need large bandwidth. We can still do more with narrowband.

GW: Do you see any latency breakthroughs in the near future?

YS: (starts doodling a sketch of the Earth) Light is the fastest speed known. But even light can only go around the world 7.5 times in one second. We are limited. If you find something that is faster, please let me know! (laughs) Really though, to play Virtua Fighter against someone on the other side of the planet is not possible.

More notes by Suzuki-san. Note the "Earth" doodle

and the number "7.5"

GW: What inspires you?

YS: I watch many movies -- lately, around 30 each month. My all-time favorite is Cassablanca. "Bogey" is the best! I like The Matrix too, although doing that as a game would be very difficult... almost impossible. One other movie I enjoy is Die-Hard. That would be an exciting game, don't you think? I do not usually watch movies for enjoyment but I do study them to aid in my research.

Yu Suzuki is a big fan of the movie Die-Hard

and thinks it would translate into a great video game.

Sega did eventually publish Die-Hard Arcade
but that game had little to do with the actual movie

GW: What do you think of PlayStation 2? X-Box?

YS: (pauses) PlayStation 2 is good at games like Ridge Racer V and Kessen. Lots of motion capability. A game like Shenmue however, would be almost impossible to do on it since it needs to rely heavily on texture memory. X-Box? It sounds very impressive.

GW: Do you like the hard-drive on X-Box?

YS: The hard-drive does not really interest me. You do not need that as much as you need the rendering power.

GW: What can you tell us about Hikaru, Sega's new arcade board? How much more powerful is it than Naomi -- one and a half times, perhaps?

YS: Hikaru is a lot more powerful than that; a lot more powerful than Naomi. (looks at Sega publicist) I would like to tell you but I cannot say more than that right now.

GW: How many total chapters do you think we'll see in the Shenmue series?

YS: Chapters are different from game releases. Shenmue 2 will probably cover chapter two through six.

A scene from Shenmue 2. The game was published

as a Dreamcast title in Europe and as an X-Box game

here in North America

GW: How many releases total, though, do you think?

YS: I do not know yet.

GW: Can you tell us anything about Shenmue 2?

YS: As you probably know, it takes place in Hong Kong. Currently, we are doing tests on what can be done. Shenmue -- the first game -- is a child. By that, I mean it is the first game of its kind that we have done, so it will mature over time. Things you will see in Shenmue 2 will be very much improved -- graphics, gameplay... everything. I am saying 50 characters on screen at one time! There will also be much more action and a faster pace. We are working on new ways to get more out of Dreamcast, which I cannot reveal at this time. Shenmue 2 will demonstrate this, though. By Shenmue 3, I will turn the first game into a dinosaur!

As the interview ended and we gathered our things, Yu Suzuki's translator pulled me to the side and said, "He really likes you. He likes the questions you ask and he says you know so much about Sega. He wants to know if you would like to talk more outside." Naturally I accepted the offer. Once outside the convention center Suzuki-san offered me a cigarette and a chance to ask more questions. "He is happy to answer more of your questions," the translator said.

Smoking our cigarettes, Yu Suzuki and I continued our conversation with the translator present. We talked about everything from movies and games to sports cars and women; all the stuff two guys talk about when they're hanging out. Much to my surprise, he asked me for my honest opinion regarding Dreamcast and its position in the North American market. I voiced my concerns. Suzuki-san also said he wanted to tell me a secret -- on the condition I would not divulge it in print. I gave my word.

It is now 2010 so I feel I can safely speak of the secret. Suzuki-san explained that Dreamcast was underperforming and looked to be in trouble. He also told me that Sega was working on games for the X-Box... and that Shenmue 2 and even Shenmue 3 would likely be X-Box exclusives! I could not believe he was telling me this.

As we shook hands to part ways, Suzuki-san extended an invitation for me to stay at his residence should I visit Japan in the future. I had actually bonded with one of my idols. It was surreal.

Arnold Rave

2010-03-23T14:34:00.000-04:00

My Yu Suzuki Interview Part 2

2010-03-23T12:51:00.025-04:00

It was March of 2000. As my great friend and editor Ben Rinaldi and I sat across the table from Yu Suzuki during the Game Developer's Conference in San Jose, we couldn't help but become enamored. Here was a man who literally helped change the course of video game development with titles like Hang-On, Space Harrier, Virtua Fighter -- and now, Shenmue! Through his translator and publicist, Tomoaki Inoue, Suzuki-san very pleasantly answered questions and offered his perspective on gaming in general...

PART 2

COMING TO AMERICA

GameWEEK: You are directly overseeing the localization of Shenmue, is that correct?

Yu Suzuki: Yes, that is correct.

GW: Are there American voice actors involved?

YS: Yes. There are subtitles, but there are also English voice-overs for all of the 350 characters. We auditioned and came up with 200 voice actors for these roles.

A cut scene in Shenmue

Shenmue: A world so rich and detailed,

even the soda machines are operational

GW: What about all of the signs and nameplates? Will they be changed to read in English?

YS: In the American version, when you view a nameplate, it zooms in close and reads in Japanese, but there is also a subtitle below in English. The street maps are in Japanese and English.

Notes written by Yu Suzuki during the interview

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS

GW: What is it like to work for the console market, versus the arcade market?

YS: For Shenmue -- for console -- the main difference was the size of the team. There are other differences though. To do arcade titles we have to look at a lot of things like motion control and cabinet design, for example.

GW: Arcade or console... do you have a preference?

YS: Designing for both console and arcade is a lot of fun. When I made F355 Challenge for the arcade, I was able to go to the circuit to gather data. I went to Maranello to meet with the Ferrari people. Not only that, but there was a great restaurant across the street from Ferrari headquarters! (laughs)

GW: When might we see F355 Challenge on Dreamcast?

YS: (Sega publicist quickly jumps in to discourage a response) I cannot say that right now.

NOTE: Not long after this interview I was able to pry the truth regarding F355 Challenge out of an industry friend... Acclaim (or Ack-lame as I used to refer to them) had contracted to publish the game. I can't recall why this was the case, maybe low sales expectations on Sega's part?

F355 Challenge was a beautiful Dreamcast game

and -- with the exception of not being rendered on

three screens -- faithful to the arcade version in many ways

GW: Outrun was a popular game in America. Might we see a sequel sometime?

YS: (glances at Sega publicist) Uh, next question? (laughs)

GW: How many projects do you oversee at any one time?

YS: No more than two at once so I can stay directly involved.

GW: Are there any differences in the work environment since CSK Corporation took AM2 under its wing?

YS: Not many. I am currently trying to come up with a new company name.

GW: What are your feelings about the decline of the arcade market?

YS: The small, dirty places in Japan will disappear soon. The big, clean locations will survive. This will actually benefit Sega. (referring to places like GameWorks in the U.S.) Sega is also planning to connect locations with fiber optic lines to offer network play. I'm not sure when that's going to happen, but... (Sega publicist jumps in again) Uh, I did read in the paper recently that our president said he has a goal in mind...

GW: Would that goal be sometime this year?

YS: Not too far away.

GW: Sega's arcade divisions -- AM2, for example -- have always been known for innovation. Suzuki-san, you've contributed so many unique gameplay concepts and many times others imitate those concepts. You do Afterburner, Namco does Ace Combat. You do Virtua Fighter, Namco does...

YS: I am glad you brought that up. After I completed the first Virtua Fighter for arcades, one of my leading members left to become a Namco employee. He also took a few programmers with him.

GW: Tekken...

YS: Yes, Tekken.

Tomorrow: Part 3, the final installment of my interview with Yu Suzuki

Chris Evans is Captain America

2010-03-23T12:26:00.004-04:00

Yeeup, Chris Evans — the Human Torch from those ridiculous Fantastic Four movies — has landed the role of Captain America. The film is set to release next year.

What do you think? Can Evans pull it off?

Dude Does His Beatbox Thang to Trololo Guy

2010-03-23T11:03:00.003-04:00

No doubt about it, Trololo Guy is taking the world by storm.

Trololo Guy Watches YouTube Videos And Responds!

2010-03-23T10:55:00.000-04:00

Plus he sings at the end!

This Just In: Trololo Guy (Eduard Khil) Is Still Alive, Addresses the People of the World

2010-03-23T10:50:00.003-04:00

Trololo Guy: A Disturbing Remix

2010-03-23T09:10:00.002-04:00

Possibly more disturbing than the original... maybe? Damn, it's all so wacko and funny at the same time...

Thanks for the link, Emily!

The Hangover

2010-03-22T16:31:00.001-04:00

Took me a while but I finally saw it this weekend... The Hangover. What a freaking hilarious movie, every bit as funny as everyone told me it was. I can't remember laughing that hard at a film in a long, long time.

So I see they're working on a sequel. Can't wait.

Happy International Talk Like William Shatner Day!

2010-03-22T12:24:00.004-04:00

Today is "International Talk Like William Shatner Day!"

Enjoy the day and be sure to at least drop a line or two on someone out there.

My Yu Suzuki Interview Part 1

2010-03-22T10:00:00.004-04:00

While working in the video game industry I was incredibly fortunate for many reasons. To be perfectly honest it was dream come true, that's really the only way for me to describe it. Not only did I work with so many amazingly talented people, I made friends with dozens of awesome individuals who loved gaming as much as I did. I was also able to meet some of my heroes inside the industry; people like Shigeru Miyamoto, Dave Perry, Yuji Naka and Yu Suzuki.

When I was employed with GameWEEK as managing editor, I sat down to interview Sega's Yu Suzuki during the Game Developer's Conference in San Jose. It was, without question, one of the shining moments of my career and I will never forget it. As part of my salute to Shenmue and its 10-year anniversary, I decided to bring you that interview, originally conducted in March of 2000. It is broken down into three parts.

Here it is, part 1 of my GameWEEK Yu Suzuki interview...

PART 1

INTRODUCTION

Throughout all of the good times and bad times over the last fifteen years, Sega has owed much of its staying power to one man. His name is Yu Suzuki.

Graduating from The Okayama University of Science, Yu Suzuki joined Sega Enterprises in 1983 with an Electronic Science major in hand. It didn't take the young programmer very long to get noticed by company officials. Two years after starting his employment, he finished his very first arcade game, Hang-On. It was an instant success. Since that time, Sega's creative front man -- who turns 42 years-old this month -- has managed to come up with hit after hit for the coin-operated amusement industry, with many titles making their way to Sega's home consoles such as Genesis, Saturn and more recently, Dreamcast.

Currently positioned as corporate VP of software R&D, Suzuki is best known as the mastermind behind Sega's Virtua Fighter series. So much so, in fact, that The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has a Virtua Fighter cabinet on display in Washington D.C.

And then there's Shenmue, Sega's "do or die" Dreamcast game. Taking five years and a reported $40 million to produce, Shenmue is the most ambitious, most expensive video game ever assembled. A sort of "RPG/Adventure/Fighting" hybrid, the game was released in Japan late last year and was praised not only for its innovative approach, but its sheer size and scope. A four GD-ROM set, Shenmue is currently undergoing localization and is scheduled to release in the U.S. this fall.

A whole hell of a lot is riding on Shenmue's release in America and no one knows that better than Sega itself. How will gamers in this country react to Shenmue's unorthodox gameplay? How tightly will players embrace a game so heavily steeped in Japanese culture? No one knows for certain but in the meantime Suzuki was kind enough to sit down with GameWEEK for lunch during the recent Game Developer's Conference in San Jose. Here's what the "King of All Arcades" had to say...

THE PURSUIT OF REALITY

GameWEEK: What kind of feedback have you been getting so far from Shenmue players in your country?

Yu Suzuki: The fourth disc in Shenmue -- the Passport disc -- lets users go online to the Shenmue homepage and allows us to receive data from those users. We are getting a lot of feedback. Only one out of 30 responses has been negative. With the Passport disc, users can go in and leave specific comments regarding what they liked or what they did not about the game through the BBS we have in place (this will likely be the case with the U.S. version of Shenmue as well -Jim). Some users are telling us they would like the control to be improved in Shenmue 2. I will see to this.

GW: Are there things that you would have liked to include in the first chapter, but did not due to time constraints?

YS: There are many. Some of these we hope to include in Shenmue 2.

Shenmue's immersive world is like no other

GW: The sounds... dogs barking; children playing; the gurgling water from the Koi pond... did it take a long time to put it all together?

YS: Yes, it consumed a lot of time and data. I worked with many sound effects people in the movie industry (grabs a pen and begins to sketch on Sega company letterhead). Let's say there's a shop here playing music. Then there's a speaker attached to a pole down on this end of the street playing a different song. So when the character walks through here, you can actually feel the sound of one song fade and the the other song get louder. Let's say there's an icy spot, a snowy spot, a dirt spot, a concrete spot and a puddle. The sound of Ryo's footsteps changes as he walks over these different surfaces.

GW: With regard to realism, how far do we have to go to experience the ultimate "living world" in a game?

YS: I did not pursue realism. I pursued reality. It's different. (pauses) If I could pose a question to you, how many interesting or fun things happened to you last week?

GW: Very few.

YS: (smiles) Yes, that is realism. Realism is boring. In a game you have to have one exciting event at least every ten minutes to make it entertaining.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH

GW: The QTEs (Quick Timer Events)... we like them a lot. What's the feedback been on them? Will you continue to feature QTEs in future chapters?

YS: There are barely any negatives on the QTEs so we will probably include more in the future. The QTEs are very easy to grasp for all players.

An example of a QTE in Shenmue

GW: There was a bit of concern here in the states that the QTEs might be a bit unexciting, similar to the gameplay introduced with Dragon's Lair. Are you familiar with the laserdisc games of the mid 80's?

YS: Yes, I am familiar with the games you are referring to. For QTEs though, the options are more complex, and you can try over and over. For the type where you only get one chance, the timing is a bit broader, a bit easier. For QTEs the game branches off the story depending on the result. As you make each attempt at a QTE, the timing shifts so that if you fail, the next try will be a bit easier. This makes it totally different than Dragon's Lair-type games.

GW: The Free Battle system... there's a lot more complexity there. How satisfied were you with this portion of the game?

YS: Hmmm... sixty, maybe seventy percent. If I tailored it to the complexity of Virtua Fighter, normal people wouldn't be able to play it. The timing in a real fighting game is very critical (begins thumping his fingers on the table)... it's all about how fast you can react. An RPG is a game where you have to use your brain. Shenmue is a totally different type of game. Having a real, true type of fighting game in Shenmue would not be good. What I am saying here is that the Free Battle system in Shenmue is totally different from that of Virtua Fighter, so you can just randomly press buttons and win in Shenmue (starts pounding his fingers on the table at a frantic pace).

Virtua Fighter 2

GW: I understand... we refer to that as "button mashing" in the U.S. Was this done so that young children would be able to play as well?

YS: Yes, but most kids are pretty good already!

GW: Do you enjoy playing games?

YS: I do enjoy Puyo Puyo very much, but I do not have much time to play. I also like playing air hockey with my daughter. The games with the hammer and the little animals in the holes is a lot of fun, too!

GW: You need a Whack-A-Mole game in Shenmue 2!

YS: I will try!

The YOU Arcade in Shenmue

GW: The slot machines in Shenmue are very realistic...

YS: Yes. The payout rate is different for the machines. If you go to the fortune-teller, she will tell you your "lucky number" for the week, say, number 16. Then you can try that machine for better results. Every week the casino manager changes the payout rate. The slots were made with high accuracy. We've done enough tests to meet the standards of Las Vegas machines. They were tested 50,000 times. Of course, we had the computer do it! (laughs) Another thing... the jukebox in the game is the same model as the very first jukebox Sega ever made.

GW: Unbelievable. That is serious dedication.

YS: Going back to your earlier question about what I wanted to include in Shenmue, there is one thing I wanted to do but I did not have the time. There's a pool table in the back of the MJQ bar. I really wanted to make the perfect 9-ball. I love billiards and I would very much like to do that in Shenmue 2.

Tomorrow: Part 2 of my interview with Yu Suzuki

Real Life Shenmue QTE #2

2010-03-22T07:30:00.003-04:00

This one's even more elaborate than the one I posted on Friday.
Although I think it's actually edited footage from a kung-fu flick.

Hot Chicks With Douchebags

2010-03-22T06:44:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of our friends over at Holy Taco...

Ladies: New Lipstick Tells Everyone When You're Horny

2010-03-21T22:23:00.004-04:00

Attention all ladies... the Candyman is on the prowl... just kidding. Seriously though, scientists have developed a new lipstick that changes color when its wearer gets horny! How awesome is that? New meaning to the phrase "read my lips!"

Now I'll finally be able to tell if my wife secretly fancies the ladies when she throws another one of those dirty sex toy parties. Hoo-yeah.

Read the whole thing here or click here to buy it.

Finally... A Real Man's Remote

2010-03-21T22:19:00.002-04:00

It does the same thing your remote does... plus it opens your beer!

Get Drunk Tonight!

2010-03-20T06:26:00.000-04:00

This is what things will look like around 2 am.

Real Life Shenmue QTE #1

2010-03-19T22:57:00.000-04:00

Wax On, Wax Off

2010-03-19T18:00:00.001-04:00

This will melt your brain.

Beer Barbarian

2010-03-19T12:23:00.002-04:00

I don't know him but he is my hero.

Videos Of Hot Girls Playing Wii

2010-03-19T10:00:00.000-04:00

Here's one:

There are eleven more! Click here!

3D TV For the Masses = FAIL

2010-03-19T08:17:00.004-04:00

Regarding the impending onslaught of 3D television (thanks a lot, Cameron), there are many industry analysts chiming in to speak their piece. Here's one take on it, courtesy of Minyanville:

Understandably, studios and electronics manufacturers are excited over the possibility of a new gimmick to fill theater seats and keep couch potatoes paying for cable. But they fail to realize that the cost will far outweigh the charm and, maybe, 3D is only a once-in-a-while treat. You know why nobody rides a roller coaster to work? Because not only would it lose its appeal after the first week, it's completely impractical.

This guy must be able to read minds because he just said what I've been thinking for years. 3D TV all the time? Ugh.

There is one exception to my 'meh' attitude toward 3D television though, and it's spelled with four letters: p-o-r-n. I am not ashamed to admit I secretly look forward to checking out some Buttslammers 9: The Final Chapter in all its three-dimensional goodness.

Anyway, you can read the rest of the article here.

Thanks for the link, Mike!

Motivational Poster of the Month: SEDUCTION

2010-03-19T06:50:00.000-04:00

Ryo and Lan Di Talk About Shenmue 3

2010-03-18T22:06:00.004-04:00

Carrying on with my Shenmue tribute here...

A lot of people want Sega to deliver Shenmue 3. Some people want it real bad. Apparently a super nerd with many hours to kill made this (admittedly funny*) video clip using sequences from Shenmue. You'll see Ryo (hero of the piece) calmly discuss the possibility of Shenmue 3 with his mortal enemy.

* You didn't laugh all that much but let me just tell you it is funny to people

like me -- people who appreciate only the finest in nerd humor

Shenmue... On Sega Saturn

2010-03-18T12:30:00.011-04:00

Let me file this under "W" for WTF I DID NOT KNOW THIS.

Shenmue was published as a Sega Dreamcast game, by Sega, we all know this. But I just stumbled across (supposed) video footage of Shenmue running on — RUNNING ON SEGA SATURN HARDWARE! WHA--?

And sure as shit, here it is. It looks to be legit.

The Saturn was regarded as a fairly shitty system with paltry processing muscle but jesus, if that doesn't look amazing, all things considered.

I seem to remember Yu Suzuki saying something about the Shenmue series being originally planned for the Saturn platform but I never knew how far they got with it. I've certainly never seen footage of it! Maybe my time away from the games industry has put me more out of touch than I thought. This is a trip.

Does anyone out there know whether or not this footage is legit? I would love to know...

Shenmue Is 10 Years Old

2010-03-18T12:02:00.010-04:00

On November 6th of this year, Shenmue (Sega, Dreamcast) will be ten years old — at least to gamers here in North America. The game was released in Japan in 1999 so technically Shenmue is already ten years old. Hard to believe.

The reason I even bring this up is due mainly to Sega's recent release of Yakuza 3 for the PlayStation 3. Yakuza 3 has me thinking a lot about Shenmue and just how great and special that game was for its time. Yu Suzuki introduced a lot of fresh ideas and he created the first game world you could feel as if you were actually living in. Not only were the graphics better than any other console game at that time, the gameplay was incredibly unique.

Shenmue on Dreamcast (Sega, 2000)

Yakuza 3 on PlayStation 3 (Sega, 2010)

I am not afraid to admit, Shenmue was not perfect. But even if you factor in some of the game's missteps — the lengthy cut scenes and terrible English voice dubbing to name two glaring examples — it was truly an amazing piece of work and way ahead of its time, thanks to one man: Sega's Yu Suzuki.

During my time at GameWeek I sat down to interview Yu Suzuki. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Through his interpreter, Suzuki-san answered many questions I had regarding the state of Dreamcast, the creation of games, and the video game industry as a whole. It was almost an out-of-body experience to be sitting at a table with such a well respected game development icon and one of my personal idols. At the end of the interview, Suzuki-san joyfully signed my copy of Shenmue.

Yup, that was ten years ago. As part of my tribute to Yu Suzuki and his magnum opus, I am planning to post the interview, in its entirety, very soon.

Yakuza 3 Scoring Well

2010-03-18T11:43:00.010-04:00

Game Rankings currently has Yakuza 3 at a respectably high rating percentage. The fact that the game is very much an evolutionary stepchild of Sega's Shenmue series makes me very excited to play it. Hopefully I will get my chance in the near future.

I'm hoping to buy a PlayStation 3 soon. E-yup, just to play this game. Am I crazy or what. Well, obviously I'll be playing other stuff on it too but Yakuza 3 will be my personal PlayStation 3 gateway drug. lol

Here's an awesome gameplay clip you must see:

Have you played Yakuza 3 yet? If so be sure to drop a comment to tell us what you think...

The World of SpongeBob SquarePants Just Got Very Frightening...

2010-03-17T12:39:00.001-04:00

My Burger King Rant

2010-03-17T11:55:00.013-04:00

First of all let me just get this out of the way right now: Burger King's french fries are the very definition of fail. Only a mentally deficient ass-wad would savor the taste of those godforsaken shit fries. The texture is terrible and they have no flavor. Why in the name of Jesus and baby Jesus did they ever change their fries? I don't know of one single person who has defended those fecal fries, not one. I mean, yeah, I understand experimentation to a degree. Change things up a little, see what happens. Maybe sales go up. But Burger King's fries suck it hard. It's pretty sad when you can make better tasting fries using the frozen ones from the grocery store. Coke changed their product years ago... but when everyone and their brother bitched and moaned about the inferior taste of "New Coke," Coke went ahead and did the right thing... THEY CHANGED IT BACK!

Okay so that wasn't really my rant. Here's my rant. I went through a Burger King drive through a few weeks ago and ordered a variation of my usual Whopper with cheese, no tomato. This time I asked for a Whopper with cheese, no tomato... and extra lettuce.

I give my order to the chick on the other end of the craptacular speaker box. She says back to me, "Okay, you aware that extra lettuce costs extra?" I said, "Um. Okay. But I asked for no tomato... if you are taking the tomato away and replacing it with lettuce then why does the extra lettuce cost extra?" The stupid chick says, "Okay, I see. Pull around."

She didn't charge me extra for the lettuce because I called her on it. But think how many millions of dollars Burger King has made off of people like me. In all seriousness, I know the extra 30 cents or so is no huge deal... but every once in a while I see something that I have to call out based soley on principle or just pure common sense. I wanted to make a point with the extra lettuce thing and it made me feel a tiny bit vindicated.

And furthermore... based on this "toppings pricing formula," every time I ask for no tomato (which I have been doing for more than twenty years) shouldn't Burger King DEDUCT 30 cents from the price of my Whopper? Shouldn't they... seriously? F#*%ing assholes.

So I just Googled "Burger King charges extra" and I found something interesting. It involves Burger King and the fleecing of America with its evil "charge extra for toppings" policy. The embed wouldn't work but here, watch this video clip from an ABC News affiliate in New York.

The bottom line is this. Other than telling them that they need to wake up and realize they have the absolute worst fries on the face of the earth, I would like to say one thing to the executives at Burger King: IF A CUSTOMER IS ASKING FOR ONE CONDIMENT IN PLACE OF ANOTHER CONDIMENT, WHY THE F#*% ARE YOU CHARGING THEM, YOU EVIL F#*%S?

Rant over.

Happy Saint Pats

2010-03-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

I'm Irish but to be honest I don't really give a shit. This picture's nice though:

Flame On! Kirby Estate Officially Files Lawsuit Against Marvel

2010-03-16T14:31:00.005-04:00

Well, the Kirby estate made good on its threat.

Seriously, people — whether he helped create these characters as a work for hire or not — the guy should have been receiving a percentage long before his death. Sure, okay, maybe a smaller percentage than Stan The Man, but a percentage nonetheless. That's my take anyway.

Read this and then tell me what you think... I'd be interested to read your opinions on this...

Hey, Want Some Cheetos?

2010-03-16T07:28:00.000-04:00

Circus Liquor

2010-03-16T06:30:00.002-04:00

... where it's nothin' but a party 24/7!

Actually, this place is for real. It's located in North Hollywood, California. When I lived in L.A. back in the mid 90's my best friend in the world and I stopped here one day to pick up some kegs for a party. Liquor and clowns... a nice combo. And they treat you like family.

Seriously though, I always admired the unique vibe. Makes you wanna party even harder when you see how much fun it is to be a clown. Here's a shot of the place lit up at night:

Circus Liquor has even been featured in movies -- three of them, according to IMDb: Clueless, Spun, and Alpha Dog.

Six Cute, Fun Things That Were Created With Crochet And Two Terrible Ones

2010-03-15T06:25:00.000-04:00

A Photo Which I Was Personally Involved With...

2010-03-13T06:13:00.000-05:00

... when I swiped it from Google Images.

Yakuza 3 Trailer: "Locations"

2010-03-12T15:32:00.003-05:00

How can you not love this.

Just watch this video clip for Sega's PS3 game Yakuza 3, which went on sale today in North America. Seriously, after watching this you will want to jump into the monitor and enter this world.

Burnout FAIL

2010-03-12T13:17:00.000-05:00

Ouch.

Yakuza 3 Video Review

2010-03-12T11:37:00.008-05:00

Video Games | Yakuza 3 | Review

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Great. Now I have to buy a PS3.

I have always loved Japanese culture. Back in 1998 I visited Japan on a business trip (Squaresoft event) and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Since then my fascination with and respect of Japanese culture has only grown stronger.

I was a huge fan of Shenmue on Dreamcast and, to a lesser extent, Shenmue II on XBox. Yakuza 3 looks to be a more fully realized version of that experience — in fact I'm surprised there hasn't been more written regarding their similarities between the two series. I am so wanting to play Yakuza 3. Problem is, like I said, I don't own a PS3.

The game is in stores now and — much like Superman felt when his dad died — I feel powerless to do something about it. I do feel like I have more to say about this game without having even played it so I'm thinking I will probably post more about it later tonight... see you then!

A Michael Jackson Baby Doll. It's Just Weird.

2010-03-12T09:30:00.000-05:00

Then again, why wouldn't it be?

Grendizer

2010-03-12T08:19:00.001-05:00

Yes, Grendizer I say.

Hot Fast Food Girls

2010-03-12T06:33:00.004-05:00

What can I say? It's a been slow news week and I'm kinda hungry. And horny.

Eva Longoria at Wendy's

Paris Hilton and Carl's Jr.

Okay so this one's a little chubby
but come on, you'd do her

Two chicks with a slice of pizza. I will admit

to Photoshopping the pizza.

Lindsey Lohan in another one of her shitty movies

A sexy girl eating a taco

RARRRRGHH!!!

Obama Messes With The Space Program... What Are We Gonna Do Now?

2010-03-11T13:30:00.003-05:00

Me, I was hoping to get my ass to Mars so I could stay at a martian nursing home but alas, even that dream has been crushed, courtesy of President Obama and his trimming of the NASA budget.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophisi- astrophysi- fuck I can't even spell it. He's smart, okay? And fascinating (hey at least I can spell that.)

Tyson has a layman's way of explaining complicated space-type things and as such, he's gaining a lot of fans around the world. Very interesting video clip here... watch!