Double Duchie!

Big news in New York this week as Double Dutch becomes an officially sanctioned sport in the NYC sports curriculum. Described in the article as a pastime "in which competitors jump between two ropes twirled eggbeater-style", they officials in charge of this decision look at it as a new way to encourage more kids to get active in aerobic activities... and don't forget a good way to funnel more money into sports programs in schools. But really... it makes you ponder. Inter-school competitions? Scoring? Cheerleaders?
And what's next? DDR as an official sport? Guitar Hero and Rock Band as an official music program?

Return of Dr. Horrible

For those of you who somehow missed the internet web-levision show by Joss Whedon about a somewhat hapless not-so-evil genius, Dr. Horrible and his musical blog about life, a girl, his nemesis Captain Hammer, and his attempts to make it into the Evil League of Evil, well you really missed out. Look for it on iTunes or the DVD version.
For those of you who have seen it, you'll be pleased to know that at his Comic Con panel, good ol' Joss stated that there is more in store for the good Doctor. Oh Joss, you so crazy! Always know how to keep us hanging on for more!

Mistakes, mecha, and machine guns

Whoops is all that can be said by New York Governor Eliot Spitzer can say this week. Long time opponent of games like Grand Theft Auto, and no doubt Mass Effect, for their blatant rewards of sex to children, was linked to a prostitution ring. Way to go there buddy. But a two faced politician? Surely not. At least the good governor is not a complete freak... like someone who would steal 1,300 pieces of women's underwear. Moving on.

So, two pieces of big news today for anyone looking skyward. In our first bit of news, we find that Canada has sent up their addition to the international space station, giant robotic arms! Ooookay. You see, this is something I would have expected from the masters of giant robos. But no, Japan has something else in mind to contribute to the international space station. Kibo was launched into space this week proving once again that the Japanese can do it bigger and better than the rest of us.

And finally, in today's news, I have a great big WTF. What you see here is someone who made a concept piece. It is a flash light that with a flick unfolds into a semi-auto mini rifle. Okay, now I completely remember when I was a kid I could look at ANYTHING and tell you how you would turn it into a James Bond-esque hidden weapon, but THIS just goes above and beyond. After all, that phase of my life ended when I was 9. Oh, sure, they SAY that they won't be making this for production... for now anyway. However, with just a brief look at this video, I'll bet you I could recreate this little number, given the right time and parts. I love advances in the future, but I'm sorry, THAT shit is scary. Walk away from the toy box, kiddies, daddy's been hiding his mini uzi in with the building blocks.

Prophetic pictures and plumber parties

So, I just could wait to get this information out to you, my tea party guests.

First off, continuing to prove that Warren Ellis is a prophet, I bring you this picture. Read the comic. It should look familiar.

Second, this has to be the coolest cocktail party idea ever. Mario is my drinking buddy!

Catching up

Good Morning Tea Party goers. Thought you had me figured out out with a Monday-Friday schedule with the weekends off. But oh-ho no! I switched things up on you.
Actually, no, I was just lazy the last two days as I took it off work and had to spend some time with my new Xbox 360.
So, to make up for the lack of posts, there will be posts today and tomorrow instead. Look for last weeks Idiot of the week to follow today.
The first thing that I want to talk about has a slant more toward an old flame of mine. The theater. This week in the New York Times there was a review on "The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island." It truly makes me sad that I am not in New York to be able to witness this. This beautiful work of stage incorporates a backdrop of hand-drawn sets projected onto a white screen. I really can't do it justice. Check it out for yourself.
In the realm of performance arts, I'm sure that you have all heard of the unfortunate passage of Heath Ledger. What you may not have heard is the outcome of a movie that he had been working on before his passing. It's called "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus". It appears that three top actors will be paying a tribute to the actor in this movie. It seems that Ledger's character falls through magical mirrors, and they have adapted the movie to have these actor's portray Ledger's character in these different worlds. And they did get quite the talent.
Also, if you like Batman at all, you have to follow this link. Just trust me, go and watch the video. It's gorgeous.
On a more technical note, all hail BitTorrent who has taken another step toward keeping the ability to transmit information freely something we can all have. It appears they have created a new form of encryption that would allow it to bypass the blocks that have recently been placed by Comcast and other ISP's that hinder Torrent.
And finally for today, a bit of a funny. We all remember Calvin's amazing idea to draw eyeballs on ping pong balls to place over your eyes so you can sleep in class? Looks like someone decided they had to perfect his idea.

The creepy, the crazy, and the clandestine

So, first off, I'd like to ask, am I the only one who feels like Microsoft has turned into the creepy stalker man? Applause to Engadget, who hit this one square on the head and drive it all the way in, picture and all. In high school I had the unfortunate experience of being dubbed a "stalker" due to holding open doors, as a courtesy. I can't imagine if I had taken this route.
Let me paraphrase for Microsoft. Ehem. "I love you babe. I really do. You don't really mean that you don't want me. But don't worry. I KNOW that "no" means "maybe". And I will just keep on hounding you until you break down." *shudder* And "consummate"... really?
Con-sum-mate -- Adjective: to complete (the union of a marriage) by the first marital sexual intercourse.
And now I quote Yakko Warner. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Good night folks."

Okay, next topic, I would like to do a giant "what the fuck" to the country. What is this? Okay, it wasn't a real gun, granted, but still... how did the parents let this get TO the school. "What you got there Billy?" "Oh, it's for show and tell mommy." Whatever, that aside, I remember being in middle school when the outlawed us from having Pogs! Milk bottle tops. Worth nothing. But kids were losing them to one another and the administration decided it just wasn't going to happen. A gun?! A GUN! I'm sorry I'm having trouble getting over this one or actually articulating just how much more this makes me hate the general S.Q. of the country. And in case my sarcasm wasn't obvious, that would be Stupidity Quotient.

Finally, I have been trying so very hard to ignore this... I really have, but it fills me with more rage than anything I've seen so far. I almost weep for this country. But not quite. So... instead I spew venom. So, here goes.
First off, to anyone who thinks that "Anonymous" is against the Freedom of Speech or religion due to their recent protests really needs to re-read your Constitution. What they do and ARE is the First amendment to its fullest!
Well, moving on. I really need to speak to all you so called journalists out there covering this story. You, right there, with the pen and the keyboard. Walk away. Put it down. You are failing. Fox in particular. If you haven't already showed us that you do NOT participate in what is commonly called "investigative journalism", this just furthers your blunders. You see, all you media monkeys banging away at your keyboards, you are, not the butt, the huge ASS of a really bad joke. Had you done just a tiny little research you would have realized. It would take 10 minutes of looking to find that "Anonymous" always looks for targets. And they are good. Ever heard of Hal Turner? A pet project of "Anonymous", and the more he fought back, the more he gave them notice, the more they attacked. Like a cat playing with a moth or a mouse. "Over nine thousand" members of Anonymous? Yeah... that's exactly what you walked into. Don't you feel like and assagore now? And what sickens me the most? Not ONE person who should be reading this rant will be.

I'm going to go play something violent. Video game review to come.

Idiot of the Week 2

This week findind my idiot was not hard. I didn't have to look for him, he came right to me. Once again, my source comes from work.
It started like any other call. I was returning a voice mail from a merchant who had some questions concerning a request for a credit card receipt he had recieved. He was on his next to last day to respond, had been out of town for awhile, and was trying to get more information on the request.
Again, like any other call, I explained to the merchant that we do not have access to the cardholder's name or personal data as we do not actually work for the cardholder or their bank. I was, however, able to give more transaction information and payment information. So I sat there, for the next 15-20 minutes, as the man goes looking for the transaction. Now, at this point it is important to note, the man has told me that he is at his home, not his office, and as such does not have all his documents with him. But he's looking anyway. Okay, did you commit that to memory? Let me highlight that in bold. He was not at his office and did not have all his information. Okay, moving on.
Anyway, at the end of this little scavanger hunt, he tells me he just has no information on this transaction and that we, as his advocates, need to go back to the cardholder's bank and get the cardholder's name because, "let me tell you, sometimes there are idiots on that side that don't know what they are doing." I explain to him that we can not do that. Well, we can, physically, call the bank and ask. And the bank, can and will, physically tell us to sit on it and rotate. I also informed him that the information that the bank sent us matches what we show coming from his terminal. And this is where apparently I went wrong.

Suddenly, from kind, quiet, understanding old man, to howler monkey. He starts screeming at me about how dare I be so arrogant. At this point I'm quite confused. When had I been arrogant? How dare I be so arrogant to say that I absolutely could not be wrong. I'm sorry sir, I did not actually say that. Well, yes I did, I said that I absolutely could not be wrong. At this point, he finds it necessary to inform me that he is 62 years old and that while usually in a situation like this he is wrong 99% of the time, that still leaves 1% of the time that he is right and how dare I be so arrogant as to say that that chance didn't exist.
Then he goes on to talk about how he almost had left our company (by now I was wishing he HAD) due to technical problems, and that he finally had to call the VP of operations (who I would like to point out is a VP in nothing more than paper... to SOUND important) who thanked him so much for helping find this problem that she sent him one of our companies logo'ed duffle bags. And if I'm ever in Virginia I have to swing by and see his duffle bag. And he was so damned proud of his duffle bag... that anyone could buy for less than $30.
Well, for 15 minutes I listen to this guy talk about his duffle bag, and how arrogant I am. This whole time he is screaming like Bullet Ant on the war path, and I was speaking in a very calm, collected tone. Finally, after explaining that I couldn't email the proof of what we show due to security reasons but I could fax, he gives me a fax number. Then he tells me that he wants me to call him back the next day, and WHEN he is right he wants me to apologize to him for my arrogance. Do remember that all this time he is not at his office and doesn't have all his information.
Oh, but it gets better. Remember that fax number he gave? I read it back and confirmed it. It doesn't work. Screw it, I don't want to deal with this guy any more, so I give it to a manager to call back. And she does. And the number I have, and the number he gave her... off by one number. An 8 and a 6. And as soon as he hears this, he explodes on her about this just shows how arrogant we are and proves that we can make mistakes, and that she should be on her knees thanking him profusely when her next paycheck came in, because if it weren't for merchants like him, she wouldn't have a job.

However, there is just a little bit more. The next day, I get a call in from this nice, soft spoken old fellow who is calling in to get some things figured out and to explain the situation. And then I get to look at his account. It's the same guy. He conspicuously spends the next ten minutes talking to me and not mentioning the day before at all, trying to act like he had never called in at all. I was repressing laughing so hard. I really wanted to ask him for an apology, but figured that would just show how "arrogant" I was and just escalate things again. So I handled the phone call correctly. And what did the issue turn out to be? One of his employees had put information in incorrectly back in June, and then re-ran everything that didn't go through at the end of the year.
All this came clear... once he got to his office, and had all his information.

So, for this week, Steve of Virginia. You sir, are an idiot.

He's got the look

So, on the tail end of super Tuesday, I felt it was time to talk about a very important man. A man who has influenced many lives. A simple, italian plumber. This is a seriously awesome article.
I mean think about it. We gamers do expect a certain level of believability in our games. Not "could that really happen", more like "does that look right." Would Mario have grown to be quite so popular of a character if he were the littl italian plumber from Brooklyn with a Fu Manchu? No, we wouldn't have bought into the premise. What about some of those others they show? Frank Zappa? Magnum P.I.? Hector Poirot? Chaplin? Staline? George Michael? PRINCE? No. He had to have that bushy, fluffy, italian esque mustache for use to buy into that loveable character. And speaking of loveable, I doubt he would have been able to fit with all his awesome costumes with any other facial hair combination.

So, I just want everyone to think during this tumultous election... think, REMEMBER those who have always been their for the people! Remember the man who will always save you, and never burn you in the end.