Saturday, August 23, 2008

Mother F'in criminals!

I had a great day yesterday. I had to go home to Seattle for the day for work. I flew out at 6am got a rental car at SEATAC and went to visit the Starbucks Corp office in the SODO area. The meeting went great and I was home by 7pm. As our plane was taxi-ing to the terminal I turned on my cell phone to call Rachel that she should leave and come get me. We only live 15 minutes away from the airport so that's normal. She asked me really bazaar question. "What did you take with you this morning?"

"Umm, my bag. The bagel and cream cheese you made for me" I said.

"Did you take any other electronics?" she asked.

"i took my ipod and a power bar..."

she tells me "please say you took the laptop"

"No, why would I take the laptop when I was only gone for the day?"

"Because it's gone, and the tv is sticking sideways out of our Armoire."


Rachel and Lanna could tell that something wasn't right when they came home. When they walked in they froze at the door and Lanna said "mommy it feels weird in here" Despite the house not really being clean it looked worse than before. In fact it "looked like we had an earthquake" because the entire house was upside down. Rachel and Lanna did the right thing by immediately leaving the house and going outside to call me.


We were robbed at some point during the day which is pretty ballsy. Someone stole my Xbox 360, our Gateway laptop, our brand new DVD camcorder and our Sony Cybershot digital camera.



Now it makes sense that they only took what they could carry, because they dumped out Rachel's gym bag and used that to load up our stuff and it might have been only one person. Another reason why I say that is that they left other things that were valuable like our new flat screen HDtv and Rachel's Cannon Rebel digital camera that was all sitting by the other items they stole. From what I could tell they entered through a window that is about waste high by our back door. The window lock was already broken since we moved in, and it was the only window that didn't have a screen on it. I could even see hand and finger prints on the outside of the window. All of our desk, dresser, cabinet, closet doors big and small were left open and all of our belongings including cloths where thrown everywhere.


We called the police who came over, looked at our house, the window and wrote down all of the items that where taken for the report. The officer then called for another officer to come over and he dusted for prints on the back window, including a couple items that I could tell where ripped open. He said that he got some good prints and would take them back to cross check them with anyone else on record. After much searching we were able to find serial numbers for both my Xbox and our Gateway computer. We called those in to be added to the police report.



We also called the biggest Pawn store chain in town Pawn 1 to inform them. They told us that it's their policy that any major electronics like an Xbox or computer's serial numbers must be reported to the police for them to check first before they can sell it. Now really all we can do is wait and hope that something happens in our favor. I am trying to be as optimistic as possible, but it's hard to be. The feeling of someone being in our house is frickin creepy as hell. The only reason I am online right now is because we all got up and came into my office to check our email and try to tie up an loose ends. I'll post any updates when they are available. Another crappy thing is that I am on vacation next week at home, and now I don't have my two favorite things to do on my time off. Play games and surf the net. Poop.

Monday, August 18, 2008

16-year-old drops out of school to play Guitar Hero

by Christopher Null
"Regular readers know that I love video games as much as the next guy. In fact, my right ankle is still sore from drumming my way through a marathon Rock Band session last night (who knew calibrating the TV would make such a difference!?), and I'm always looking for the latest titles to pop into my Xbox.

But how much gaming is too much? For North Carolina native Blake Peebles, there's no such thing. Guitar Hero is his title of choice. "I usually play till I can't anymore," he says, in this profile from the News & Observer.

In fact, young Mr. Peebles is dropping out of high school... in order to focus on Guitar Hero full time. Peebles hopes to join the small but growing crew of players looking to make gaming a job. Citing his victories in Guitar Hero tournaments, which include "gift certificates, gaming equipment, and chicken sandwiches," Peebles thinks he has the chops to play competitively and earn actual money in the process. As the story notes, top gamers on the competitive circuit can earn up to $80,000 a year (though $25,000 is more common). Peebles, of course, can count his 52 Chick-fil-A combo meals toward that total.

I was at first inclined to disparage the decision by his parents to let Peebles drop out of school, but it seems a little less ridiculous when you delve into the facts. Peebles hahdn't been doing well in school and wasn't liked, and even now he isn't gaming full time. He has a tutor that provides a private education, and his parents say he's doing well with the more focused instruction and that their son now even does his homework without complaint. (Presumably he can hit the axe sooner after he's finished his studies.)

However, I worry that Peebles, who's just 16, may have a tough road ahead trying to break into competitive gaming. The costs of traveling to tournaments alone can totally outstrip earnings, and the amount of training can be grueling. Sponsorships are often a pipe dream. And then there's the issue of games going out of date and being replaced by something new. Traditional athletes never have to worry about, say, distance running being upgraded with a new version, but many games can go out of style, fast. In the end, there's just not much cash there: One gamer, quoted at the end of the linked article, says that in eight years his total earnings are about $25,000 total, and that's including a national championship in Halo 2."


This isn't from the kid, but it's my favorite song on GHIII. Metallica's One.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

It smells like Bigfoot's d**k


The Internet has been buzzing away about the two Georgia guys who claim they found Bigfoot, stuck him in a freezer and took photos that prove he's the real Sasquatch. They held a press conference today in Palo Alto to present their findings. Their evidence wasn't so convincing, but it did prove that network newshounds are a bunch of suckers when it comes to a story that could spike their ratings. (Which may be why they wouldn't post video of the press conference on their web sites.)

Here are some more links related to this story.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/little-evidence-of-bigfoot/2008/08/16/1218307308056.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigfoot

I like this video about Bigfoot personally. I think this is what happened.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Everyone’s a hero in their own way. You and you and mostly me and you

As I write this blog I wonder who hasn't seen Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog? Chances are you've heard about it maybe even read about it? It's been all over the media since it debuted on June 15, 2008. It was free on the official site for 5 days before it was put on iTunes for $1.99 each episode. Now they've made a deal with Hulu.com where you can watch it for free.

"Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a 43-minute musical film produced exclusively for Internet distribution. It tells the story of Dr. Horrible, the aspiring supervillain alter ego of Billy(played by Neil Patrick Harris); Captain Hammer, his nemesis; and Penny, their mutual love interest. The movie was written by writer/director Joss Whedon, his brothers Zack Whedon (a television writer) and Jed Whedon (a composer), and Jed's fiancée, actress Maurissa Tancharoen. The writing team penned the musical during the WGA writers' strike. The idea was to create something small and inexpensive, yet professionally done, in a way that would circumvent the issues that were being protested during the strike."

http://www.drhorrible.com/

Monday, August 4, 2008

Batman Curse?


I just have to say it because I know you are thinking the same thing. Is there a Batman curse?

It could be said that since the death of a stunt man on the set of the Dark Knight there could be a curse. Followed up by the tragic death of Heath Ledger (Joker) back in January. More recently after the Dark Knight premiered actor Christan Bale (Bruce Wayne/Batman) was accused of assault by his own Mother. Now today comes news that actor Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Yahoo news has more on the story.

"JACKSON, Miss. - Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman is in a hospital in Memphis, Tenn., on Monday after being seriously injured in a car accident near his home in Mississippi.

The hospital is about 90 miles north of the accident scene in rural Tallahatchie County in the Mississippi Delta.

Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Ben Williams said Freeman was driving a 1997 Nissan Maxima belonging to Demaris Meyer of Memphis when the car left a rural highway and flipped several times shortly before midnight Sunday."

It will be curious to see what unfolds as time goes but I hope Mr Freeman makes a full recovery.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Spokane Comicon logo contest!

I need your help coming up with a logo for the Spokane Comicon. I
am looking for a logo (no year or date please) that I can use for t-shirts, stickers, banners etc for future shows. The winning logo will receive a free table and admission to our third show on Saturday May 30, 2009. All entries can be submitted via email to spokanecomicon@yahoo.com by Sunday August 31, 2008.

Keep checking my deviant art page to view submissions.
http://nathanakanph.deviantart.com/

Here is submission #1 by artist Ben Hansen.


Saturday, July 5, 2008

Hulk rides a bus...

I just found these funny animated shorts on Youtube.
Daredevil and Ghost Rider go to McDonald's



Hulk Rides a Bus



Batman is Ungrateful

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Flying Chickens in the Barnyard...literally

This has been a sad past week for me. The passing of comedian George Carlin, artist Michael Turner and now the official announcement that the Sonics are leaving Seattle. Going into the trail the city swore up and down that it was not about money and about keeping the team in Seattle. What happened is the Sonics (the name and history stays) are leaving to Oklahoma City and the city gets $45 million dollars as compensation. A lot of the things that were discussed my Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels doesn't make sense, or at least I don't buy it. I will use the help of the Seattle times to keep my facts straight.
"Nickels said the NBA agreed that a renovated KeyArena would be suitable to support a new team. However, the mayor said the state Legislature must pass a funding bill next year to help pay for the improvements."

This won't happen. They brought this same funding proposal to the state elgislature already to increase taxes for a new $300 million arena. To no one's surprise it was rejected. This was when we still had a team. Now your are telling me that we have to get it approved when we don't have a team and there are "no promises" said Nickels.

The other part I don't trust is NBA Commish David Stern. He's a shady guy. He's been in favor of the Sonics moving to OKC from the start. He got nasty when the City rejected the proposal for the tax increase and said essentially that if the Sonics leave, it's our fault and we wont get another team in the future. In Stern's press release on NBA.com he says "the NBA would be happy to return to the City of Seattle.” Oh course he has to say it, but everyone knows it's not true. He knows the city will never approve the tax increase.

Jeeze, all this ranting and bitching and I haven't even gotten to Clay Bennett, the Sonics owner who moved the team. Public enemy #1 in the minds of Sonic fans. We all know he has gray hair, especially within the last year. You're not fooling anyone bubba. I just hope that former Sonic Owner Howard Shultz is successfull in his lawsuit in keeping the team here. Shultz (gulp) is our last hope. He sold the team to Bennett with the intentions that he would keep the team in Seattle. We all know what happened now, so Shultz is suing to make the contract void and have the Starbucks CEO regain the ownership back to him so he could resell the team to real local owners and not some slick cowboy with bags of money from Oklahoma City.
Finally, it doesn't make in sense that the NBA would be all for the move (I know it was approved by the other team owners), because OKC is a smaller market than Seattle. Smaller population, smaller income, smaller everything. What crazy logic does that make?


I feel a little better getting some of this off my chest but still it won't fill the void during the Fall, Winter and Spring watching the Sonics regardless of how good they are. Can we at least have a camera set up in a vault pointed at the $45 million the city got in the settlement in place of the games that should have been on TV please?

I will always have the great memories of going to Sonic games with family and friends. The very first game I ever went to was special. I was in 8th grade and our little basketball league on Whidbey Island got to play our All star game at the old Seattle Center coliseum. We got to play on the actual Sonic court, and use the visiting team locker room. FYI, I had 6 points and 1 steal in the game. Then that night all of my teammates and me got to watch the game vs the Philadelphia 76ers from the nose bleeds. It was a 40 point Sonic blowout and we enjoyed every minute of it. I can only hold onto the slightest of hope that one day the city of Seattle will get a team again.

You can read more about the details here
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-supersonics-seattletrial&prov=ap&type=lgns

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

R.I.P. Stan Winston

There are lot of things that I should be blogging about that have happened to me within the past week or so. None of them are nearly as important as learning about the passing of a modern day wizard. I loved everything Stan Winston touched and he will be missed.

By Garth Franklin
Monday, June 16th 2008 11:35am
Oscar-winning special effects and make-up legend Stan Winston passed away on Sunday night after a seven-year struggle with multiple myeloma.

The 62-year-old Winston was best known for his work in the Terminator, Jurassic Park, Aliens, and Predator franchises. Other notable films included Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Interview with the Vampire, Pearl Harbor, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Big Fish, Constantine, End of Days, Lake Placid, Congo, Leviathan, The Ghost and the Darkness and The Thing.

He was only the second special effects artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His most recent work was creating the physical suit for use by Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man" and top-secret creations for James Cameron's upcoming project "Avatar".

To his friends, family, and many, many admirers - our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to you. This is a very sad day for anyone whose ever loved the craft of filmmaking. Peace be with you Stan.
image

Friday, June 6, 2008

Crusading for comics

Newcomer brings Comicon to Spokane

When Nathan O'Brien needed a hero to help with potty training his daughter, Lanna, he called on the likes of Spider-Man and Batman.


"We rewarded her for going to the bathroom with various comic-book related toys," said O'Brien, a 29-year-old comic book junkie whose daughter is named after Superman's first love, Lana Lang.

For the O'Brien's, the fantasy world of comic books is very much a part of real life.

When he moved to Spokane from Seattle two years ago he experienced some culture shock when he found that the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest didn't have its own annual comic books convention.

He was used to going to three or four conventions per year while living in Seattle.

"I guess I was spoiled," O'Brien said.

He talked to Craig Barnett, owner of The Comic Book Shop, who informed him there hadn't been a comicon in Spokane for more than 15 years.

"Since then I have made it my personal mission to bring a slice of the comic and pop culture world to Spokane," said the comics crusader, whose alter-ego is a general manager for a food services contractor.

So O'Brien went to work to create the one thing missing from his quality of life in Spokane, and the 2007 Spokane Comicon drew a respectable 300 spectators to shake hands with some top-notch artists in the industry and celebrity guest Margot Kidder (that's right, Lois Lane from the Christopher Reeve-era Superman movies).

O'Brien is hoping Spokane Comicon 2008 will be even bigger, and he's got some super-powered plans for the event, such as a $1 raffle for an autographed issue of Batman from his personal collection, estimated at a $200 value, and prizes for a costume contest for kids and adults (nothing inappropriate).

Other highlights include a free gift bag for the first 50 paid attendees, a free hourly raffle, appearances by Darth Vader and various Star Wars villains, and tons of toys and comics collectibles.

Some of the special guests include Eisner Award nominated creators of PX!, Spokane's Eric Anderson and Manny Trembly; another Spokane talent, Andy Owens, who is inking the canonical 8th season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in comic form; respected Spokane graphic artist Jim Koch, whose work can be found at Boo Radley's; Bellingham-based Blue Water Productions CEO Darren Davis, who landed a deal to release comic sequels to movies made by special effects wizard Ray Harryausen; and Seattle artist Clinton Crain, whose painted illustrations come to life on the pages of Marvel revamps Ghostrider, Spider-Man and X-Force.

Spokane Comicon 2008 takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in The Globe Room in Cataldo Hall at Gonzaga University. Admission is $5; kids 10 and under are free with paid adults. Costume contests and $1 raffle take place at 5 p.m.