King Hippo Returns to Punch-Out!!

I'm a big fan of classic video games. Hey, I still have a working 3DO, Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Turbo-Grafx 16 console... if you by chance even know what those are. But yes... I still play all the newer systems too.   (And yes, unfortunately my original Atari 2600 is kaput.)   But, some how these older games appeal to a different part of my enjoyment than the newer systems. Vintage games are the kind of things that have instilled in me memories that were unshaken by more modern technologies. Bridging the gap between the old and new is by far the most exciting thrill of all. Just as some people get thrilled by the newest Mario, I recently started playing Mortal Kombat Vs. DCU on PS3. This takes me back to high school in just a flash... except my hand-eye coordination isn't what it used to be. Now doing a Fatality is not very likely... even with a player's guide and the internet hints.

Maybe that's part of the reason I love the old games so much... when you conquered a NES game back in the day... you earned it. If you didn't know someone that knew a cheat code or special sequence to beat certain levels, well then you're either going to spend two years of your live playing the game or get mad enough to chunk it out the window. I was always jealous of people who got hints from the magazine Nintendo Power in the early days.  Hell, it took like 2 or 3 years after conquering Legend of Zelda before I realized that there was a second adventure inside the original game (and that was only because Greg and I read it in Nintendo Power).

One of the only games I ever conquered on my own (with absolutely NO HELP) was the TG16 game Splatterhouse. I didn't even know anyone that owned another TG16 and none of my friends had even heard of this game.  I loved it. It was the first game I had ever seen that was designed as a slasher style horror game (of course I don't count NES Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm St. - they were both lame). This game was actually so graphically violent that it sparked a reaction from my grandmother as a "satanic" game... sweet!! You know anything that gets that reaction is going to be good. Well guess what? Coming April 2009 - the remake to Splatterhouse on XBOX 360 and PS3 arrives.  This will translate the psuedo-heoric character Rick and his evil cursed mask from...

this...

...into THIS!

Now for another nostalgic lead-in... I fondly remember in 1988 waiting outside the weight-room at Summer Pride training and my friend Terry telling me how to beat King Hippo on Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! It was such bittersweet agony.  I had been trying to beat that level for months.  I then had to wait another three hours before I could get home and put this knowledge into action. It was exciting. Then of course I'm sure Great Tiger kicked my ass in record time right after, but still King Hippo was no longer a threat. So imagine my thrill when I realized that I was going to get another shot at all new revamped King Hippo for the Wii. King Hippo was absent from the game Super Punch-Out!! that was released for the SNES system 1995.  So this has been along time coming... releasing 2009, there will be another Punch-Out!! ... with KING HIPPO!

What seemed like a monster of an opponent, the NES 8 bit King Hippo below.

And the all new Wii version of King Hippo in all of his glory - below.

So far the date's not officially set for this release.  Until then we'll have to settle for old 8-bit action if we want to fight King Hippo.  Or if you are one of those people who really played this game but could never beat Mike Tyson... like me.  Then maybe you can get some satisfaction from knocking-out another Mike... enjoy.

Wagging Tales: Hayden Plays Orange Ball

Our dog Hayden loves to eat... eveything, including many foods that other dogs would hate. He's like Mikey from the vintage Life commercials, except Hayden would eat the cereal box too. Recently he started eating lots of different kinds of fruit, his favorite - apples. He loves to eat the entire thing. Apparently apple cores taste pretty good to him. Another fruit he likes - oranges. This is a little funnier though. He loves playing catch with it and licking the juice. Oranges have a limited life expectancy when treated like a tennis ball, but then again that's part of the appeal to Hayden. The grosser the orange gets, the more excited Hayden gets.

Being the day after Thanksgiving and a sunny 60 degrees, I thought it would be a great time to get out in the yard and let Hayden have one of the leftover oranges.



I will post a follow up apple clip later.

The Holiday Season is a Time for Giving

This holiday season let us not forget all of the helpless animals that are often hungry due to overcrowded and underfunded animal shelters. Help by giving a few seconds of your time - no money needed.               (Thanks for the heads up Mary C.)

When you visit the website, the advertisers pay for about half a bowl of food (60% of a bowl) for a hungry rescued pet in an animal shelter.  You pay absolutely nothing, it's free.  Just click the "Click Here to Give" Purple square (and come back again every day afterwards also) and then pass this info to other friends that would be willing to click also.  The advertisers do all of the paying - no hidden SPAM, no pop-ups, no adware and most importantly no cost to you!

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/

Sammmich!

Okay, there's a time and place for everything.   Right?  Maybe not.  A local convenience store in my home town sells "Big Az" sandwiches... presumably pronounced Big Ass as in the line from Chris Rock's CB4 - "Shut up and eat your big ass biscuit!"  Well that being said, there is nothing more appetizing than seeing youthful txt-phrasing applied to questionably horrid food.  Mmmm mmm, I can almost taste the botulism!  Boys and girls, I give you the Big Az Chicken.

And as if something like say a Big Az Chicken sandwich was not warning enough... then Ships Ahoy Me Maties... they make a Big Az Fish and Cheese sandwich too,  arrrrrrrrrrrrr!  Well nothing quite goes together like microwaveable fish and cheese, except maybe cold night sweats and diarhea.  

Welcome to Dante's seventh level of hell... Big Az sandwiches.   I imagine that these sandwiches would taste something like a Krusty Burger... but with less quality control.  The world is a sad place and Big Az brand Fish and Cheese is far scarier than anything H.P. Lovecraft could've dreamt up.  Fear this food.

Wagging Tales: Hayden Go Seek

Our dog Hayden has a new fascination... being chased and then chasing back.  This evolved into where we are now - playing hide n' go seek with him.  I hide and when Hayden looks for me I try to run to the patio before he can catch me.  The trick is to throw his toy way across the back yard and then go hide before he realizes I am gone.  Then the fun begins as Hayden runs crazy and whines like he's a lost toddler left in Walmart.  

Now, here's the real kicker.  Our backyard consists of two trees, of which the cedar is the only one I hide behind (since the branches go to the ground he can't see me).  The rest of the yard is pretty bare with only a couple of corners to stand behind at the edge of the house or behind the AC unit.  I really thought it would be fun for five minutes, then he'd catch on.  Well it's been about month and damn... that tree is a really good hiding spot.  Even though he sees me running out from behind it every time I decide to make a dash for the back patio, Hayden still never thinks to look there first.

Case in point...

Hayden brings me his tennis ball ring - "the donut" - and lets me know he is ready to play.  He is very optimistic that this time he's going to win.

I throw the donut to the fence and instantly begin my sprint to hide behind the tree before he notices where I've hidden.

Sadly enough, I'm behind this little thing... mysteriously I've vanished in Hayden's mind. 

Hayden returns to the scene of the crime and begins sniffing, I'm gone.

The panic sets in after circling the yard a few times.  Colder... colder... ice cold... you're freezing... you're at the North Pole.  After about a minute of waiting (and trying not to laugh) and with Hayden's back turned to me, I run to the patio.  He arrives seconds later as he sees me run by.

Disgusted with his umpteen consecutive defeat... Hayden has a little pity party and yawns in disapproval. 

With a record of 20 losses and 1 win (I fell down one time and he caught me), Hayden deepens in his doggy depression after giving up on another attempt of winning hide n' go seek.

Another Halloween Favorite Movie List - Stephen King Films

When you say Stephen King, most people would agree he's a very original and brilliant author. To me, the tragedy of Stephen King books / short stories lends itself to the myth of bad film adaptations. It reminds me of people saying, "Yeah, the movie is okay - but the book is soooo much better." On the other hand, people usually say the movie version of Stephen King books seem to suck (which are often made-for-TV movies). This is especially true for one of his greatest triumphs, The Stand, but the movie was a horribly awful. Having said this, there are a few rare gems (which occasionally come from his less popular books.)

My Top 10 Stephen King Movies

10. Hearts in Atlantis - I'd like to think this movie is wonderful, but I'm realistic. This movie is very good, but by no means does it top my list. Unfortunately like other film fumbles, his book is too long to adapt perfectly. This is not one to pass over just because of its flaws; even with them it's a worthy film.

9. It - This is the only made for TV movie (mini series) that actually seems to deliver. Stephen King's book runs circles around this film, but that doesn't mean your going to sit and yawn for four hours.

8. Shawshank Redemption - This movie is one of the "I didn't know that was based on a Stephen King story" movies. Surprising to some, this is a great version to one of his novellas from the Different Seasons collection. This movie is so unbelievably good and one of his most critically acclaimed adaptations. (FYI - The original story is called Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.)

7. 1408 - Finally one of King's horrifically scary stories gets made in modern times with a quality cast. Not only did I enjoy this but

I can re-watch it without losing the scares.

6. Stand By Me - Similar to Shawshank, this movie is an unlikely King story. This movie is a coming of age story and remains a little more innocent than King's version, but how can you make a quality 80's family film called The Body? - (which is the story's actual title)

5. Dreamcatcher - This movie needs to be thought of as a true

attempt to adapt Stephen King's style of writing. The unusual but witty dialog, the unbelievably odd bonding of unlikely friends, and the flashbacks - all key King motifs. But the ending does tarnish

this otherwise near perfect King film.

4. Secret Window - This movie works due to the talented cast and great production value. This movie seems basic, but this is the type of movie that could have easily been an ABC movie of the week starring Tony Danza (instead of a feature film with Johnny Depp). This movie builds psychologically and delivers.

3. The Mist - I had to re-read this story after watching and discussing the shock this movie left in my gut. The special effects, acting, and cinematography are all way above par. But, those favorable nods are not the real reason to appreciate this movie. Instead, think about this; The Myst movie changes King's intended ending. Director Frank Darabont's did something no one else has - improve upon King's story.

2. Misery - If you want to see simplicity as brilliance, then look no further. Misery the book is a little more on the crazy side, but the film is nothing less than a masterpiece. The movie has lots of great laughs to help deliver the frights (as well as creepy music and eery silence). Kathy Bates can never play any other role without first reminding me of this movie.

1. The Shining - Honestly I have trouble wondering if this movie is as amazing as the book, but it definitely reaches the audience all the same. The moments of this movie that do not make sense only feed your imagination - it's the unexplained, not the plot of the movie, that leaves you unable to sleep at night.

The Unbearable Bottom 5 Stephen King Films*

5. Rose Red - I wanted this to be good... it wasn't. Instead I wasted over four hours of my life... I want a refund.

4. The Lawnmower Man - Well, where do I start? First of all this movie doesn't even try to follow the book's story-line. Also this movie gets worse with age, the dated technology makes this movie completely horrible by today's standards (way crappier than the crappy it was in 1992.) CGI technology in pre-Jurassic Park cinema is now like watching old white people try to "rap" - very cringe worthy.

3. Thinner - I read the book and really thought it was interesting, not great... just kind of okay, I guess. The movie doesn't deserve near that much credit. Non-compelling, that is the kindest thing I can say without thrashing this movie.

2. Sleepwalkers - Inbreeding doesn't scare me enough I guess, neither do were-cats. This movie thinks its scary. And guess what? It's not. Watch as the movie-pacing and musical score leads you to believe that it's delivering all kinds of spooks. Liar.

1. The Stand - If this book wasn't so good, then it wouldn't be so painful to see this movie. King made a masterpiece, Mick Garris (director of this and many other horrible King adaptations) made a pile of steaming horse poop.

* Disclaimer - Just a note, there are lots of adaptations (mostly TV movies) that I have outwardly refused to watch. So, this list is by no means the worst possible Stephen King translations - in fact I assume that there are at least ten other movies that suck as bad as my bottom five.

** Double Disclaimer - Yes, I realize that I forgot to mention The Green Mile and it's popular movie version starring that guy Hanks. I wasn't too fond of the book and the movie actually left out a whole lot of the book's better parts. Sorry, this is just my personal feelings and I'm sticking to them.

*** Triple Disclaimer for Nightmares & Dreamscapes - Yes this series is pretty awesome (even if one of the better episodes - i.e. Battlegrounds - came from the collection Night Shift... not Nightmares & Dreamscapes). But, that being said, they are not really movies. If I gave too much credit to a TV series, then it would mess up the whole scheme of this list. They're not BAD versions; they're just NOT movies.

Halloween Related Top 10 List - Vampire Movies

These are my favorite vampire movies of all time. Granted I do become very picky when deciding how some movies will be classified - for instance Near Dark is a movie about vampires, but it clearly states that it's NOT A VAMPIRE MOVIE by its own description... so yeah, I like Near Dark but it's not on the list. Also, no Underworld. Yeah I said it, NO Underworld. Underworld is more like an action movie than a horror movie - the removal of the horror elements only delude the vampire aspects - good movie, I like it... but not on the list. Same goes for Ultra Violet - for both of the reasons mentioned before. I also have to exclude vampire movies with strong comedic undertones - Love At First Bite is great and so is Once Bitten, but unfortunately these are not horror films. I am mostly listing vampire movies that not only catch my attention, but also bluntly list their rules "sunlight, holy water, stake through the heart, garlic, etc." These are the vampire movies that fascinate me the most.

My Top 10 Vampire Movies

10. John Carpenter's Vampires - The opening seen with the tech savvy hunters going head strong against the nest, it won me over (even if the rest of the movie wasn't quite as interesting.)

9. Vamp - Once again the early scenes are amazing. If your car could recklessly spin-out resulting in you arriving in the wrong part of town (the vampire side), then I figured anything was possible in this movie.

8. The Hunger - David Bowie as the sympathetic vampire... 

I said David Bowie, 'nuff said.

7. Dracula (1931) - For being known as THE vampire movie it actually delivers very little fright, but for the time this movie is amazing and Bela Lugosi carries the entire movie with his presence.

6. Nosferatu (1922) - This remains the original vampire movie (as well as the first horror film). This movie has stood the tests of time.  To this day Max Schreck's version seems creepier than what all the money in Hollywood could produce for the next 70 years.

5. Shadow of the Vampire - Once you've seen Nosferatu, then watch this. This movie was so good that it unnerved me with its simplicity. Art meets horror in this instant classic starring Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich.

4. Fright Night - The formula that brought teenagers in the 1980's up to speed on vampire lore. After the Hammer series had overworked the classic story throughout the 1960's & 1970's - then this little gem came along woke everyone back up.  This movie is fun and scary.

3. Interview with a Vampire - I was only a fan after watching this a couple of times. I really think this world seems fast and full of mystery. I had never seen a vampire movie where heredity became part of the mystery, until this one.

2. Lost Boys - It took 1980's horror and made it timeless. This seems as much a part of my childhood as any other movie of the decade.  Sometimes I just need to watch Lost Boys... it's that good.

1. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - Gary Oldman is the Dracula that should've been emulated but never was (Vlad the Impaler from The Order of Dracul). This movie feels like a historical drama. It makes you forget that the Jonathan Harker character is played by one half of the Bill and Ted duo.  Every time I watch this movie, I see something new that I love about it.  Francis Ford Coppola made this movie epic in the way only he could have.  This is the Godfather of vampire movies.  If I only had one movie in this list to watch for the rest of my life, then this would be it.  

Keep America Beautiful (unless of course you have something better to do and will just get to it later - hey look, a distracting celebrity on TV)

"71 Things You Can Do to Stop Pollution" - This video seems a little dated... but that's the tragedy of it. It's been 37 years since this public service announcement... can we say that there is any less pollution today? Plus, notice that the ad seems to focus a large portion of pollution on what seems to be individuals littering. To me pollution is more likely not trash, but fossil fuel emmissions in the air and factory chemical byproduct waste in the water - putting trash in the garbage instead of the ditch isn't preventing the pollutions that were made when the item was manufactured... way before it became trash. These larger problems seem glossed over at most. All and all this video does have a general message that is as relevent today as ever before.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Everyone Should Know This, But Sadly Very Few Do.

I watched this news report late on ABC recently and it disturbed me severely. Over the last year this same story has been shown numerous times (ABC Nightly News, Good Morning America, etc.), yet most people are still not aware this is happening. I only hope that you can take the time, like I did, to watch this video and appreciate its magnitude. Tell your friends, tell your friends to tell their friends.

Adventures in Greenless Oklahoma Part 2: Plastic Pains

We always recycle as much of our household waste as possible, but not all items can be - most notably some plastics.  I have gone to great lengths to help collect #1 (PETE) and #2 (HDPE) plastics at home, laying around the trash at work, and from co-workers bringing plastic from their homes to me.  Recycling plastic is probably the most fulfilling of all materials due to it's chemical nature.  Plastics break down so slow and turn into long chain chemicals that can be toxic to the soil (or ocean waters), unlike less complicated materials such as glass or paper, etc.

When I started recycling plastic I was gung ho about checking everything for the little triangle on the bottom with the number inside it.  Like a scratch off lotto ticket, it became a rush to find that little number.  I was separating each number in its own pile.  I learned soon after that most of my labor was wasted; in my area only #1 and #2 were accepted.  Even though I'm glad to be able to recycle any plastic at all, I was troubled by the amount of #5 (PP) plastic that I was accumulating... and eventually having to throw in the garbage.  I recently read that certain companies are changing to #5 plastic because of its strength which in turn limits the amount of plastic being used (thinner containers - that they claim are good for the environment).  But only larger urban areas have recycling of #5 making the switch a less perfect improvement for most areas... less recycling threatens to equal out any impact from the switch.

Supposedly certain grocery stores recycle #4, but I have yet to see any store that takes #4 other than grocery bags - random #4 plastics... denied.  Weirder stuff #3 and #6 are rarely seen around my house, so I consider them non-issue for me personally. 

The most troubling is #7 (listed as OTHER) due to the fact that it can not be recycled because of it's mixed plastic contents.  Also certain #7 plastics have been linked to health problems when exposed to heat (i.e. the recent news warning of water / baby bottles leaking toxic chemicals).  I do find these bottles quite often too.  I get them from coworkers (Arizona Tea Gallon Jugs) and at home (Naked Juice 15.2 oz bottles) - which I will avoid in the future.  So... if you are buying plastic bottles, containers, or whatevers then try to see what plastic it is first.  Only certain plastic can be recycled and the #7 is by far the worst... pure landfill fodder - avoid it like the plague.

Below is a website for a complete list of all the plastics #1 - #7 and what makes each so unique. 

http://www.recyclenow.org/r_plastics.html

Jesus Christ Action Figure, cooler than a Rocket-Firing Boba Fett? Maybe not.

This spoof of vintage toy commercials cracks me up... so, yeah I think this is hilarious.



Also take note of the reference made to Indiana Jones movies during the "redeem UPCs from specially marked packages" section - almost as cool as the infamous Rocket-Firing Boba Fett offer made by Kenner in 1978-79... to never be released. You know why? Well I'll wax a little vintage toy knowledge then.

In order to start this mythical tale of the figure that almost (but never) was, we have to preface it with another story about a different toyline.



Similar to the red rocket designed for Mr. Fett, little red missiles were made for the spaceships of the 1978 line of 2" scale Battlestar Galactica figures. These plastic red missiles were recalled by Mattel in January of 1979 because a child died and supposedly ten others were injured by the small projectiles. Personally I was pissed as a kid. I vividly remember my mom taking the missiles away from me only days after getting the Colonial Viper and Cylon Raider for Christmas of '78.


In fear of similar problems, Kenner immediately halted the production of the Star Wars mail away Boba Fett half way through the promotion. The elusive Rocket-Firing Boba Fett was sadly never mass produced, kids instead received a figure with the rocket "glued" into place... lame.


Gen X kids across the universe still find this story to be cringe worthy, knowing how cool this figure would've been in their little 1970's hands. Above is the original artist rendering of the pre-production figure as it was promised, but never delivered. Just like Indiana Jones' pursuit of The Holy Grail or The Ark of the Covenant, this figure is practically unattainable (functioning Kenner prototypes can be found, but sell for up to $25,000 for quality pieces with certified authenticity documentation).

Kids, you better eat your veggies...

Stumbling across the interweb I saw this and all I can say is wow.  Double wow.  This is by far one of the coolest pictures I have ever seen.  If you are a fan of H.R. Giger's Alien design, then get a load of this.  The details are amazing.  From the eggplant head to the green bean fingers, this is awesome. I'm a huge fan of pop culture inspired art, especially original pieces like this.  Titled: "Salad" by Till Nowak.

Adventures in Greenless Oklahoma Part 1: It's Not Easy Being Green

Lately I have been striving to be more eco-friendly. And I have arrived at the conclusion that "the man" hates us helping the environment. I installed compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs for short) in our living room ceiling fans, but they are the small candelabra style... so the largest I could get were only 25 watt equivalents. Now when I'm in my living room after 6 PM, I feel like it's 1941 and I'm sitting in a London pub during a brown out waiting for a German air raid to end. Even with all six lights going - three on each fan, it's brutally dark.

These CFLs cost me approximately $8 each and will most likely save me about 11 cents over the next two years. Regardless of the bulb cost, I will spend much more at the hospital after breaking my neck from stepping on dog toys while walking through the living room at night. But lucky for me they now have a 40 watt equivalent (9 watt actual), yeah! These will put out enough light to be a little more than half as bright as the 60 watt bulbs I used to have. Plus they only cost $17 each, wow that's STUPENDOUS! No wait that's STUPID... yeah, that's what I meant. I guess some con artist said, "I've got a bright idea. Let's sell everything really high and then we'll convince them they're saving money..." Well at least the idea was bright, the bulbs sure aren't.

I will post more about my "Adventures in Greenless Oklahoma" again later. I quote the great late Kermit The Frog (Jim Henson) on this thought... "It's not easy being green."

The End is Near... like 5:00 PM CST, Prepare for Apocalypse

Well today was not the day I thought it would be. In fact it's been one of those random days I like to affectionately call "Potluck Thursday." I was suppose to work today, but my schedule got changed again, so I decided to do a little mowing in the backyard. Lately the rain has been horrible; we got almost 4 inches just on Monday. And if you're familiar with Oklahoma weather during August, this is anything but normal. By the third week of this month, we had broken the record of total rainfall for Oklahoma in August and there is a chance of rain everyday until September.

Last year we broke the record for ice and for several rainfall statistics going back to before statehood. None of these so called "chance occurrences" have been linked to global warming in our local media. And since Oklahomans are more likely to listen their preacher instead of the weatherman, then I say we start preparing for The End, in a biblical sense instead of a climatic sense.

Back to my original story... I was mowing and found a whole bunch of baby frogs (or toads more likely) in the tall grass. I have never seen baby toads in August, March or April or even as late as June maybe, but not late August. Is Mother Nature on vacation? Or, is she planning on raising a whole new batch of volunteers for the prophetic "Rain of Toads" that we've all been warned of. I'm going with a split decision on this one.

Maybe Mother Nature plans on ending the world soon... like on a federal holiday or some other three-day holiday where the people at the shopping malls can be struck down first. Personally I am just hoping to get a Tivo so that I can store up a bunch of television for when the airwaves die out.

So... dust off that Y2K survival kit, stock up on water purification tablets and ramen noodles. Oh and don't forget to zip lock your books incase of flooding... you made need to brush up on your "Left Behind" series before it's all over. On the other hand I will be recycling, using compact fluorescent light bulbs, and not driving my gas-guzzling car up until the very brink of disaster.... just so I can say it wasn't my fault.



Next Time Thoughts

1) Ahhhh(Yawn)lympics - So why is the Olympics so boring this time? I mean, I watched Michael Phelps and it was exciting enough, but as whole... blah. In 1992 I watched a ton of Olympics really late at night and loved it. Is it just me?

2) New Species - Every time I turn around there is new a species of fish or sea creature or presumed to be extinct or dinosaur-like "thing" being pulled out of the ocean, especially near Japan. We're never surprised. But someone says they found Bigfoot and the pic of the deepfreeze (where it was supposedly stored) was shown live on CNN as a breaking story for hours. Do you think the Loch Ness monster or little green m... , excuse me, gray men would get that same attention? It must've been a slow news day.

3) Facebook. - Possibly the educated guess to a glittered out bling-you question like, "Myspace?" I recently started making a gradual shift away from Myspace to Facebook and so have a few of my friends. I will not treat Myspace like the redheaded stepchild, but I have to admit I have found a favorite of the two.

Lego Sushi... looks good enough to eat... er... build?

I came across this today and couldn't believe the attention to detail - go to this link for closeups. I believe that you would have to be a fan of sushi to enjoy this or possibly a fan of Legos (or possibly both - Jason S. - you getting any hints I'm referring to you?) I only wished the sushi at Target looked as good as this... sadly enough. 

Only thing missing is some sake or for me a large bottle of Japanese beer, preferrably Asahi with a small cold glass.

Hadakaimasu (Bon appetite!) and Kanpai (Cheers!)

Lego Sushi, including my favorite sushi on the top left corner - Futo Maki!

Holy Brilliant Breakfast Buildings, Batman! Could this really be?

www.TheCerealBowl.com

The Cereal Bowl, an entire restaurant dedicated to breakfast cereal. Wow.  Selling brands that you already know (such as Kellogg's, Post, General Mills) - this company supplies a formal setting to the familiar.  But, it's the little things that set this apart from your kitchen's breakfast bar - fresh fruit, dried fruits, nuts, granola, and even candies are all optional toppings to highlight your choice (or custom mix).  Custom mix?  Ever wondered what Lucky Charms mixed with Coco Puffs would taste like?  You can find out.  Plus, don't forget that they sell ice cream (Freezin' Flakes), Parfaits, smoothies (Oaties), Baked Goods (think Rice Crispy treats with numerous other cereal flavor substituted in), flavored coffees, hot cereals, and more!

The Cereal Bowl, behind the counter

Sony Customer Service

If you know or don't know (or even care) I have been plagued by a faulty Sony Blu-Ray player over the last couple of months. I returned it - they couldn't fix it - I paid for an upgraded model - they lost my order - I called back - the customer rep didn't speak English - I called back again - they lost my order again - I got a migraine - they didn't care - this goes on and on - but I will not bore you any further - etc.

It's been super fun! Every time I speak with one of the customer reps, I imagine old reruns of Walker Texas Ranger. Then, as if I'm Chuck Norris myself, I imagine it's my size eleven Adidias that's at the blunt end of around-house that connects with their phone headset mugs - sending their incompetent asses bouncing around inside the cubicle like a raquetball.

Ahhh, bliss.

If you ever thought I was a Sony hater before (see my previous blog for the lowlights of 2006), then you were sadly mistaken. I am on a mission now. Currently I am sitting on hold (43 minutes and counting), which is my 8th time to call counting the original problem on December 6th. So far I've called this particular CSR out on so many lies, that we might as well meet at 3:10 at the flag and have an ol' fashion after school fight. I am ready. I might even punk out and try to hit her with my lunchbox. I've had it with these people!

All I know is that if I have to blog again about Sony CSRs or their crap-tastic technology, then it will likely spell doom for my patience. I see a spinning scissor kick in some unlucky person's future.

Now to level out and re-center myself, my zen moment . . . .