So I got in to work this morning, and decided I needed to hear the song You’re The Best by Joe “Bean” Esposito. So I went to iTunes only to find it can’t be purchased as a stand-alone track. It’s only available through 2 soundtracks, and only if you purchase the entire album. The 2 soundtrack albums are The Karate Kid, and The King Of Kong. I might have thought of getting the King Of Kong soundtrack, but Leonard Cohen’s Everybody Knows isn’t even on it! So like I’ll do all too often, I resorted to surfing to find it. It will be available at the bottom of this post.
Once I had the song, I needed to associate artwork with it, and decided to go with The King Of Kong over The Karate Kid. So I Googled for it and whammo! That’s when I realized that the villain of that weird Donkey Kong movie has an extraordinary thumb, and he’s always showing it off. Here’s the one and only Billy Mitchell giving me, you, and everyone we know more than a few resounding thumbs-up. And to think I wasn’t going to post today…
The classic thumbs up never goes out of style.
The side view satan spawn version.
The gay disco stance point & thumbs up for his alternative lifestyle fans.
This is where thumb-ups are formed. Also known as the constipated lazy-thumb.
The special needs thumbs-up.
The thumbs-up pocket hide. Sweet.
More than knowing when, knowing when not to is parimount.
There once was a bar. And in this bar there was a bathroom for men that boys use. And in this bathroom there was a sign. And on this sign there was an advertisement. Also on this sign there was a classic display of the evolution of man. Here is the picture:
And here’s the exchange:
Sign says “Manchester”
Soccer fan adds “Manchester United”
Not a soccer fan adds “Manchester United Sucks!!”
Milf hunter adds “So Does Your Mother!!”
Brother-in-law adds “Your Sisters Better”
Republican writes “Obama Sucks”
MMA fan writes “UFC Thug”
White supremacist writes “Nazi Honey” with an arrow pointing to the bee.
It all adds up to something that should really be in a museum. In fact, I’m pretty sure I could pass myself off as an artist by collecting and exhibiting these kinds of exchanges as a form of ready-made art showing the degradation and struggle of man. Rich people would come and call it genius while we know that I’m just another idiot. But those who come to hand me money would be even more foolish.
The real questions is, though, what kind of man brings a pen into the bathroom?
Also, if you get a chance, and haven’t already, check out the song Love Like a Sunset (Pt I & II) by Phoenix. It’s perfect.
I was asked today, “Dave, are you a digital hoard?” I felt a little silly at that moment offering my terabyte hard drive with my arm outstretched so he could sort through or copy some of my hundreds (literally) of feature length movies. Seriously, who needs a copy of Short Circuit??? What would he say if I offered him my nearly 150 gig music library of 30,000+?
I’m a pack rat, a digital hoarder. I have hard drives dedicated to media. Some digital hoarders dedicate their obsession to pictures, some to emails, some to media, and I’m sure others that I am unaware of, maybe porn. Although I delete emails like nobody’s business, I’m sure I have thousands of personal pictures, and more media than most. It would take me 85+ days to listen to my entire music library without hearing a single repeated song. That’s just ridiculous. I don’t even know how I ended up with The Gipsy Kings entire catalog of albums, but there it is.
So I’m making an attempt to sort out my addiction. I haven’t figured out yet if this is a problem, or if it’s a destructive form of OCD. Will there be a time when I need to recall some file that I’m saving, or is it just clutter being piled high in my digital attics? Here’s some questions I’d like to ask you:
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As a graphic designer of sorts, I can understand saving a project I worked on years ago, because I consistently go back and reuse a snippet of code from a previously built website, or a font for a particular media project.
What do you think? Are we moving towards carrying around an encyclopedia of useless information in our back pockets? Wait while I ask my iPhone…
The Philadelphia Eagles came to San Diego yesterday to play a rare game in my stomping grounds 3,000 miles from their home. How could I not go?
I’m sure you are thinking the same thing as me when you look at this picture, God damn that is one beautiful baby! All in all, watching this game was more frustrating than it was gratifying. I’m sure you were all screaming the same thing from in front of your televisions. Why the EFF aren’t you running the ball!?!? Throwing the ball for 3 incomplete passes at the 1 yard line is unacceptable. Andy Reid proved to be ineffective in his play calling and the Eagles proved to be pathetic in their lack of luster. The Chargers defensive line is their weak point, not the secondary, and we failed to exploit it. The thousands of Eagles fans (we did take over the stadium) that made the journey to San Diego to support their team at their farthest opponents house, left just as defeated as I. The outcome was highly unexpected to say the least.
So, I know I’ve dropped the ball with updates to the blog, as well as the music I promised to send your way. I’ve been fabricating a custom synthesizer from scratch which I will feature in a future blog entry once completed (It’s the coolest thing you’ll likely ever lay your eyes upon). But I will send out the music newsletter early this week. There’s a lot of new stuff getting a lot of play in my world right now.
So if you know me, you know that the Nintendo 8 bit game console holds a sweet spot in my heart and memory. I have been exploring some games of my youth and beating the ones that plagued many hours only to be left stuck at an unbeatable boss or level. My patience is greater these days, as well as my skill level, so beating them is not as unattainable at 31 than when I was 10. I’m not sure if this is pathetic, or a source of pride. I’m leaning towards pathetic.
So the game at hand was Ghosts & Goblins. It was one of those games that I owned but never beat. Upon playing this one for the first time in 20 or so years, I found myself stuck once again at the same unpassable level. It’s a friggin hard game. I read a little about it online after getting stuck once again, and found a few little tricks to make the game a little easier. There’s still hope.
When I finally got to the final boss, I beat him, but was left unsaticefied with a strange ending that didn’t fit the struggle to reach. I read further into the online FAQ and learned that beating it once gives you the false ending. To truly beat the game, you must continue through the quest a second time. Only now the enemies are more abundant and faster. What the eff!?
So with my new found knowledge, patience, and goal in mind I struggled through the game for a second time to legitimately beat the game. I needed to make sure that this game did not plague my life any longer. I finally did it, and found the final messages to be as ridiculous as the game itself. Here are the final passages:
Congradulation
This Story Is Happy End.
Thank You.
Being The Wise And Courageous
That You Are You Feel Strength Willing.
In Your Body.
Return To Starting Point.
Challenge Again!
So yeah, at least this is another game that I never have to play again. In some ways I feel fortunate, and in others I am truly embarrassed.
Saturday I went to a Kung Fu Exhibition sponsored by the school I go to, White Dragon. It was really inspiring to see people that have been training for years show off their stuff. The exhibition lasted about an hour where we, the audience, were immersed in Chinese culture, self defense techniques, and a special guest appearance.
I watched a bunch of forms on Saturday, some 2 man forms, some weapon forms, some hand. It all was pretty cool. But the finale was the coolest. At the end of the exhibition, the Great Grandmaster of Choy Li Fut Kung Fu, Wong Gong, performed a hands form for us. There’s two things you need to know. One is that Great Grandmaster Wong Gong is 81 years old. Two is that he is a fourth generation Kung Fu Master from the founder of Choy Li Fut Kung Fu, Chan Heung. Anyway, check it out. About halfway through, I thought he was finished. Instead he straps on turbo mode. Yeah, I shot this video.
(AP) The football season is approaching rapidly, where the biggest news in the off-season was of a disillusioned team manager being fired for steroid use, we find a new star is on the rise. The biggest move for the new manager, Dave Seeton, is naming his team of up-and-coming stars. It has been long overdue. The hype has been building, and has reached a boiling point where disappointment within the league is inevitable.
Asked where the relaxed approach to naming his team, Dave states, “I didn’t want to rush into anything that I wasn’t fully satisfied with.” But the fact remains that he has still neglected to name his team with less than two weeks remaining in the off-season, and rumors are spreading like wild fire that perhaps Dave is not going to ever name his team, or play the season with the integrity and dedication that the league demands.
When the commissioner was approached for his feedback on Dave’s lack of follow through naming his team, he had a more optimistic view.
Every league goes through it’s ups and downs. The NFL has the Bengals and Michael Vick. But they also have the Steelers and Tom Brady. The NBA has Ron Artest and the Clippers. But they also have the Celtics and LeBron James. Major League Baseball has steroids and Pete Rose. But they also have the Red Sox and Albert Pujols. Our league is not immune to problems that face these other leagues. 4th and the Season has had one team, unfortunately, withdrawal from league competition. But it’s also gained a worthy successor and adversary in Dave Seeton. This is not a time to dwell on our losses but a time to welcome a new competitor. One that will be with us for years to come. Good luck to Dave in his inaugural season. And good luck to the rest of the league as the 2009 season gets underway.
Matthew Wood
Commissioner
Perhaps this is the optimism Dave Seeton was looking for. Perhaps the suspense has grown to an adequate level, a level that the new team manager needed to kick off the season. Whatever the case, Happy Chang’s Army of Robotic Ducks was born on this day and out of haste. The fellow team managers of the league will surely be disappointed upon hearing the name. But the unofficial statement from Coach Seeton’s training camp seems to demand the respect of the league. “I know we have a long road of earning respect ahead of us and large shoes to fill. But we will not go down without a fight. Oh captain, my captain, we will not go quietly into that good night!” When it comes down to it, Dave Seeton has stated on many occasions how honored he feels being introduced into 4th and the Season, and how excited he is to get his first season underway.
He also made many statements of Jeff C being a douche, but that’s not a surprise to anyone. The only 2 questions left unanswered this pre-season are these: How will Happy Chang’s Army fair during their rookie season? And just how much of a douche is Jeff C going to be this year? It’s a long season, only time will tell.
I’ve been planning a trip on my Triumph for some time. I’ve probably been planning this trip far before I owned my Triumph. In fact, it’s most likely trips like this that made me want to own a motorcycle in the first place. It’s bound to be an adventure, and I am excited to get going. Unfortunately, because of my workload, I am unable to pick up and go at this time. But soon, I hope.
I am diverting from this post’s title, though. It’s about a mechanic, more specifically even, about how I have become a mechanic. As most of you know, I’ve never worked on an engine. Yeah, I know the basics, just as any non-female, non-metro-gay male should know. You need to get your oil changed, and how to check it. Fluid checks in general can prove to be important. You can replace a headlight, or change a tire. Every once in a while you’ll put a little h20 in the battery, and you’ll help the old woman at the supermarket jump start her car because she left the talk radio show on for her 20 cats she takes with her everywhere so they won’t get lonely. Yeah, that was about the extent of my knowledge also.
Since last weekend’s crash course, however, I have become much more versed in engine mechanics. I decided it was time to increase the growl of my ultra classic, which meant that I needed to take apart my motorcycle. First I took off the seat, disconnected the battery and pulled it out as well. No big deal. Then I turned off the fuel release, pulled the feed & breather tubes to the tank, and pulled that off too. Getting warmer. Then I pulled out a few brackets, disconnected the pipes, and yanked out the carburetor. Your burning up. With the carburetor in one hand, and new jets in the other, I started disassembling the thing. I was planning on re-jetting my carburetor, and instead of paying a mechanic to do it, it was time for me to have some fun disecting the bike. If you know me, you know that I love taking stuff apart. Its a great way to figure out how that something works.
Pre modification - Just the seat & battery removed at this point.
After disassembling many parts on my motorcycle, and spreading them all over the garage floor, I wasn’t entirely sure that I would ever be able to put it back together, let alone in working order. Oh yeah, did I mention that instructions were not involved? I was a bit lost, but really determined.
It takes the gas tank off the frame, or else it gets the hose again.
Although re-jetting the carburetor sounds like it would be difficult, it was really easy. Once I had it out, and had a few blown out diagrams of the thing, identifying the parts that were being replaced was a cinch. The most difficult part was taking out the stock air intake filtration system. To do this, I had to take off the mufflers, rear suspension, rear fender, and flatten the rear tire. Even then, it was a tight squeeze. But I got it out. After the air box was removed, I reinstalled the carburetor, and fitted the opposite end with the new high intake K&N air filters. I also had to fit a third crankcase filter to complete the modification. After it was all said and done, I added quite a jump in horsepower, and an even bigger jump in the sound. I turned the quiet purr of my Triumph to an all out growl, and couldn’t be happier with it. The bike now announces when it is around.
Here's the carburetor that I'm taking apart to rejet. Yikes!
I was able to put everything back in working order, and start it up without a problem. I felt an indescribable amount of joy and accomplishment after being able to do all of this myself. The only regret I have is not documenting the bike when it was at it’s most disasembled state. And there’s no way I’m taking it apart again just to get the photo op. The photo below still has the stock airbox, so imagine disassembling pretty much everything after the bucket that is propping up the carburetor.
I stopped taking photos at this point. Why?
And after a long bath (the bike), it’s time to strike a pose. The bike has made its transformation into a beast! I’ll be posting the pre and post engine sound in my next post. At least pretend that you are interested in this stuff, cause I’m really proud of what I’ve done.
The mechanics pride. You shall respect and fear me.
Costumes are always a good time. It doesn’t matter what the occasion, putting on a costume allows you to express your inner thoughts and desires to become the person you always wanted to be. Do you have pirate tendancies? Always saying arrrr? Get excited for Halloween. Think you’re a wrestler? Have the never ending urge to bodyslam people that get on your nerves? Then buy a gold plated belt and take yourself to Wrestlemania.
There were a ton of guys that dress like storm troopers, jedi knights, and superheroes. Some had really impressive costumes. And then, of course, there were females that went to ComicCon. The strangest thing happens to women when they get to dress up in a costume. I don’t fully understand it. But something must go off in their heads that says, “I must dress as slutty as possible.” Of course, all the dorks at ComicCon payed those women the most attention. So in the end, the smallest amount of clothing equals the largest return in compliments & photo ops. I guess that makes sense. Anyway, I saw cat-whores, disney-princess-whores, pirate-whores, and even a few plain old whore-whores. It was absurd.
Disney princess whores.
Starwars Nerds. If I had the Boba Fett costume, I'd wear it to work.
I guess this is Princess Leia and Lolipop Head Man?
You know she practiced this pose for hours before attempting it in public.
I found Waldo! Oddly enough, even Waldo has whores.
Ghostbuster whores!?
The whole thing was pretty interesting. If I ever go again, I am going to dress as Santa Claus. I am accepting applications for elf support. I prefer the elves to be guys dressed as slutty girls. That would be fantastically creepy.
Rob suggested that I check out comic con this year and write up a little summary of what it was all about. I didn’t even realize that the convention was this weekend. It’s funny that he will sometimes tell me about what’s going on in San Diego that I am completely unaware of. Although getting tickets was difficult (it sold out back in January), I was able to find one on Craigslist. The tickets are non-transferable, but I figured I had to give it a try since there was a blog request behind it. Luckily, I was allowed through the main entrance without issue under a different name.
Here’s the rundown. The comic book convention was rad. It has grown well past comic books, and entered the entire pop-culture art world. There were toys, action figures, feature length films, television series, video games, and just about anything else you can associate with your nerdy adolescence. Don’t mistaken that statement, I thought it was really cool. And I was not alone. The majority of participants were around my age.
The place was huge. It was jam packed with people and stands advertising anything they felt appropriate, and some stuff that was definitely not appropriate. Standing in the middle of it all felt a lot like standing in the middle of a Las Vegas casino. It was a sensory overload. The stimulation was overwhelming at times, and meant to keep the patrons interested at all times. I only spent a handful of hours walking around the convention hall. The miles of stands, however, keep the weekenders busy for 5 days straight. I tried to capture the vast amount of space to cover through a photo. You’re gonna want to click on this one to see it larger.
There were also many guest appearances by not only authors and artists of comic books, but icons of pop culture as well. These drew the largest crowds and I kept clear of them. Getting stuck within a huge crowd for 30 minutes or more while Johnny Depp says hi is not uncommon. Yeah he came by. So did many others. You could also wait in line to attend a conference with the producers and stars of your favorite television shows, too. Although I wasn’t about to wait in line for a few hours, it would have been cool to attend a closed door conferance with a few of the stars of Lost (Hurley, Ben, and Sawyer made appearances for that one). I accidentally got stuck in a crowd when Jimmy Fallon’s back was to the crowd. That sucked.
My personal favorite stars at Comic Con, though, were not shared by many others. I guess my age starts to show when I get excited about these, although I can’t understand how others can be completely ambivalent. I’m talking about Adam West, and Lou Ferrigno. Batman and The Hulk. Yeah, I did shake both of their hands. And yeah, that makes me way cooler than most. They were at separate booths, and neither one had any notable crowd around. I couldn’t believe it. Although, in hind sight, I would have preferred a picture with Adam West (I would have written “SHAKE” above it), the one shown below is pretty cool too.
Did I mention that people dressed up in costumes for the event. I’m gonna save those photos for tomorrow’s post. This one’s getting pretty long, and let’s face it, how am I gonna top a photo of me and the hulk!?
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