Reason to go to Florida

These Star Wars posters are from Disney...wait, Disney? Yes, the mouse house. These are some awesome and hilarious posters they created for their Star Wars Weekends at their Disney Hollywood Studios Theme Park in Florida. These are backstage posters. They're not meant for public view, necessarily. They are posted in places for employees as a motivational mood and feel they should have for these wonderful weekends. My personal favorite is the Ewoks.

 

Kevin Smith On Why His Superman Film Never Got Made

 

Fans of filmmaker Kevin Smith have known for a long time that he was once hired to write a script for a Superman film for Warner Brothers back in the late 90's.  This was long before plans for the film Superman Returns were made.

 

Obviously, Mr. Smith's take on the Man of Steel never got made.  However, the story of why it never got made is genuinely hilarious and is a perfect example of just how messed up making films in Hollywood can be sometimes. 

 

In the above video, Kevin Smith tells the whole tale of how he got hired to write the film, the odd things he had to put up with along the way, and eventually why his script never got used.  It's a great story, and it's told only how Kevin Smith could tell it.

Science Fiction And Booze: Two Of My Favorite Things Together At Last

 



 

Any good drinker will tell you that alcohol can make anything better.  So it makes sense then that Science Fiction fans can find more enjoyment from their favorite TV shows with the simple inclusion of good, hard liquor.  To help us with this amazing combination of two of lifes greatest things (sci-fi and booze) the good folks over at IO9 have compiled a great list of A Dozen Science Fiction Drinking Games.

 

Here are links to the full rules for the following games:

 

• Drinking Game with the Sci-Fi Channels Original Movies


• The Scifi/Action/Disaster Movie Drinking Game


• Spot the Scifi Cliché! A Drinking Game


• Doctor Who - The Drinking Game!


• The Batman Movie (1966) Drinking Game


• The Star Trek Drinking Game


• The Battlestar Galactica Drinking Game


• Drunkgate: Stargate Drinking Game


• The (Original Series) Tomorrow People Drinking Game


• 300 Drinking Game


• Supernatural Drinking Game


• KryptonSite's Smallville Drinking Game!


• Heroes: The Drinking Game  

 

Each of the games, of course, has very different rules.  Some games have a lot of rules, some games have very few.  The 300 Drinking Game, for example, has only two rules. 

 

          #1. Every time the word Sparta or Spartan is mentioned, you drink.

 

          #2. If you want to get really messed up, you have to chug during every slow motion scene.

 

For that film, those two rules are all you need to guarantee complete drunkness in about five minutes time.  I'd be personally interested in the Heroes drinking game.  Maybe copious amounts of alcohol would make it possible for me to actually enjoy that god awful excuse for a superhero show.  Actually, no.  On second thought, there's not enough alcohol in the world to make me believe Heroes is an enjoyable show.

 

I must say I was saddened though by one glaring omission to IO9's otherwise rather exhaustive list of drinking games.  Where's the Buffy The Vampire Slayer Drinking Game?  That show's drinking game totally deserves to be on this list.

 

Well, it looks like I know what I'll be doing tonight.  It's time for a Star Trek marathon followed by a Doctor Who marathon followed by a viewing of the 1966 Batman movie.  I'd better stop by the store on my way home too.  I'm going to have to stock up in preparation for the heavy drinking I'll be doing.  I apologize in advance if tomorrow's posts seem a little . . . weird.

Play D&D 4th Edition For Free

 

For a lot of longtime players of D&D, the 4th edition of the game is a bit of a sore subject.  Having come out only 5 years after the release of 3.5, many gamers were angry that Wizards of The Coast (WoTC) was releasing yet another version of the game so soon after the last one.  Then add to that the major rules overhauls in the new edition and the fact that many people feel like it plays more like a World of Warcraft style computer game than an old-school pen & paper RPG, and you end up with a rather divided set of people who disagree whether the game is any good or not.

 

Well, WoTC is now going out of their way to try to win those fans over as well as potential new fans that have never played an RPG before.  Right now on their website, WoTC has posted up everything a group of players will need to get a game of 4th Edition D&D started, and it's all free.  They're calling it Dungeons & Dragins 4th Edition Test Drive, and it's designed to allow anyone the chance to play the game a bit and to determine for themselves whether they like the game enough to go out and start buying some of the books.

 

The test drive includes the following:

 

• Quick Start rules, which outline the basics for how to play the game.


• Keep on the Shadowfell adventure, the first module for D&D 4th Edition, now free for the first time.


• Character Builder software, which allows you to create characters at levels 1-3 for free.

 

If you've ever wanted to give the new version of D&D a try, or if you've never even played D&D before but have always been curious about it, now's your chance to check it out for free.

 

Personally, I haven't played 4th Edition yet, so I can't make any judgements on the game.  I've heard mixed things from my friends.  There are those that like it and those that don't.  I'm still of the opinion that nothing will ever beat the old D6 version of the Star Wars RPG that was put out by West End Games back in the 90's, but I'm totally biased there as that was the first RPG I ever played.

 

(Via GeekDad)

Geek Item Of The Week - 04/29/09

 

Mogwai Skin Shoes

 

I would like it to be known that this listing of Mogwai skin shoes as Geek-tastic's Geek Item of the Week is in no way an official endorsement of this product.  We here at the site are simply doing our geeky duty and are reporting to you items that we think you may find interesting.

 

Personally, I find it morally reprehensible that someone would slaughter millions of Mogwai just so people can have the luxury of their soft fur to be used as decorations for their footware.  I always thought that the Mogwai was an endangered species, but I guess I was wrong.  Either that, or someone has gone into the business of illegal Mogwai poaching.

 

Whether they're legal or not, Reebok is currently selling these sins against nature to anyone who wishes to buy them.  If you're one of those people, I am sorry but you are a bad, bad person.  Killing helpless little Mogwai just so you can have furry shoes.  How do you live with yourself?

 

On the other hand, if you don't care for Mogwai fur, but would much rather have Gremlin skin shoes, those are available as well.

 

Nerf Assassin Sign Ups Extended To This Friday!

 

Still haven't signed up for Nerf Assassin Yet?  Why Not?

 

Just in case some of you still want to join the game, but forgot to send in an application, game sign ups have been extended to this Friday afternoon.  Please get in your profile ASAP so you can join in on the pretend violence and foam dart fun.

 

Also, if you weren't interested in the driving or hunting aspect of the game, but wished you could defend yourself from would-be attackers, some new rules have been implemented that just may suit you.  You can now sign up to be a Civilian Target, which means that assassins can be signed up to hunt you, but you don't have to go anywhere to hunt people down.  All you have to do is wait for the killers to come to you, and to defend yourself from the inevitable onslaught of foam darts that will be coming your way.

 

You can sign up to the game by going to:  http://www.nerfassassin.blogspot.com/

 

 

The full game rules, application info, and new updated Civilian Target rules can all be found there.

 

The Nerf Assassin game officially starts at 6am on May 2nd.  Good luck to everyone who has joined up.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Is Rail based Zombie Killing Greatness

 



 

Above is the first released game footage for a new Wii game called Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles.  Basically, the game is a rail based shooter that is almost identical to Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.  However, what makes it awesome is that this game is a rail based shooter based on Resident Evil 2, which is my favorite RE game ever.

 

The game looks like it will be a ton of fun too.  There's zombies to shoot as far as the eye can see.  And you all know how much I love to kill zombies.  I may just have to get myself a Wii and a big screen TV for this one.

Even More Reasons To Beat Up Your Friends

 

One of the greatest fighting games ever, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, will be coming out this summer for both X-Box Live Arcade and the Playstation Network.  The game will feature all of the original playable characters from the game and will even have online multiplayer capabilities.

 

You'll have to excuse me, that last bit made me pee my pants.

 

Unfortunately, the game won't be a full HD remix like the previous update to Street Fighter 2, but slight upgrades to the game's graphics have been promised so it should look a little better than the last time you played it.  I personally don't care though.  It could look exactly the same and I'd still be happy with it.  Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is one of the most enjoyable fighting games I've ever played, and I typically don't like fighting games.  Getting to create teams that mix up Marvel Comics characters with Capcom fighting game characters, and then pitting your team's strengths and weaknesses against an opponent's team is just too much fun.  I still have friends to this day that hold an annual Marvel vs. Capcom 2 tournament.  Now, we'll be able to play the game online against each other.  I can't wait for this to come out so I can beat up some of my friends.

Now This Is What I Call Fan Service

 

Chuck is a great geeky TV show on NBC which unfortunately didn't fare too well in the ratings last season.  As a result, it's highly likely that Chuck will be cancelled and won't get another season on TV.  In an attempt to save the show, fans have started up a campaign to save the show by buying $5 footlong sandwiches at Subway restuarant locations.

 

Why Subway, you ask?  Well, it has to do with a rather glaring product placement for the sandwich shops that took place in the show a few episodes ago.  Because of that in-show ad, fans have taken to the Subway sandwich as the possible savior of their favorite TV show.  The idea is that fans have to go into a subway restaurant and buy a $5 footlong sandwich in the name of the show.  Then, they need to fill out a comment card at the restaurant and say that they bought their sandwich as part of the Save Chuck campaign.  The hope is that if enough people do this, and word gets back to NBC, maybe they'll realize that there are enough fans out there who watch the show that advertising dollars can be made from it, and thus the show will get renewed.

 

Zachary Levi is the star of the show.  He's the guy who actually plays the title character of Chuck.  At a convention over in the UK recently, Zach got involved in the Subway campaign to save his show, and he did it in a truly awesome way.  At a panel for his show, he convinced hundreds of fans to go across the street with him and all buy Subway sandwiches together.  Once they got there, he bought a sandwich too and then he actually got behind the counter and started making sandwiches for his fans. 

 

He stayed until every fan in line had gotten a Sandwich.  I don't care whether you like the show Chuck or not, but it's impossible to argue that at least the star of that show knows how to treat his fans properly.  Zachary Levi didn't need to go and serve sandwiches to hundreds of his show's fans, but he did it because he wanted to let them know that he appreciates them and that he loves the show he works on just as much as they do and is willing to join them in their efforts to save the show.

 

I have to give major kudos to Mr. Levi here.  It was a classy move, and I'm sure it made the day of everyone there who got to take part in the event.  It's things like this that earn fan loyalty, and the show Chuck just earned mine.

New Geek DVD day - 04/28/09

 

The Good:  JCVD

 

Why It's Good:  It's Jean Claude Van Damme, playing himself.  In the film, JCVD is an aging action star who keeps losing movie roles to his rival Steven segal.  His ex-wife is fighting him for custody of his kid, and he has tax and money problems.  In a desperate state, the actor decides to hold a post office hostage in exchange for money.  It's Jean Claude poking fun at himself and other action stars, and the hollywood industry too.  It's supposed to be pretty damned entertaining.

 



 

The Badass:  Star Trek - The Original Series - Season One on Blu-Ray

 

Why It's Badass:  The series that started it all is finally available on Blu-Ray.  Join the crew of the USS Enterprise as they go on their 5 year mission to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.  And now, that journey is in high definition.  This is season one of the classic 1960's show starring James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock.  The DVD set features seven discs which showcases every episode from the first season of Star Trek in stunning HD picture clarity and 7.1 surround sound.  This is now the best way to watch this show.  Every Trek fan will want to own this.

 



 

The Awesome:  X-Men - Volume 1 and Volume 2

 

Why It's Awesome:  Fox's animated X-Men TV series from the 1990's has finally come out on DVD.  I loved this show when it first aired on TV, and it's taken far too long for this show to come to DVD, but the wait is finally over.  For its time, the animated X-Men series was the most faithful adaptation of the X-men comics into any other form of media.  A number of the shows storylines were taken directly from the comics too, like the Days of Future Past, and a lot of mutants who you usually wouldn't see elsewhere like Cable or Bishop were given cameos or even full stories of their own as well.  Up until the new series Wolverine & The X-Men came out, I would have said that this was the greatest X-Men adaptation ever.  And even with the new animated show out, that doesn't detract from the awesomeness that was this great series.  I can't wait to buy these sets.

I Ain't Afraid Of No Ghosts

 

The above video is apparently the opening cutscene for the new Ghostbusters Videogame that will be coming out on the X-Box 360 and the PS3.  The Wii, unfortunately, is getting some wacky animated looking version of the game, and for people who only own a Wii . . . I weep for you.

 

There's a lot to love in this opening cutscene.  First of all, the game is set in 1991.  It's back when the Ghostbusters are still at their prime, so you don't have to worry about them trying to make up some crappy explanation as to why the original Ghostbusters still look exactly the same in the year 2009.  Secondly, the game's story will have to do with a museum exhibit on Gozer the Gozerian, and you know that's just going to lead to trouble.  And lastly, was Peter Venkman's offhand comment about, "Franchises available soon" a sly nod to the much talked about new live-action Ghostbusters sequel?  One can only hope.

You Too Can Own Super Expensive (And Super Creepy) Wax Figures Of Your Favorite Geek Icons

 



 

Since you're reading this site, I'm assuming you're a big lover of geeky things like comic books, movies, sci-fi, etc.  So I'm assuming that you'd be into knowing about something involving rather . . . unique . . . collectible items.  And if you're at all a fan of interesting collectible, and you happen to have a ton of spare cash laying around, you may want to look at this list of items available for purchase.

 

It turns out the Hollywood Wax Museum has become a bit overstocked with celebrity figures, and they've decided to sell off some of their older, less popular figures.  The list of figures they are selling is rather impressive too.  Most of them are movie characters, and a suprisingly large percentage of those are icones from some wide ranging geek favorite properties.  Pictured above are wax figures of a Zombie Michael Jackson from the thriller music video and Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock from Star Trek.  Other notable figures that can be purchased are Dr. Zaius from Planet of the Apes, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator, The Alien from the film Alien, Mr. T, Christopher Reeves as Superman, a Klingon, Beetlejuice, Batman and the Joker from Tim Burton's Batman, Hulk Hogan, Indiana Jones, Bruce Willis as John McClane, Dick Tracy, Kevin Sorbo as Hercules, Zorro, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Maul, Padme Amidala, Morpheus from The Matrix, Abraham Lincoln and many, many more.

 

Most of the statues have starting bids between $3,000 to $5,000 so they won't come cheap, but if you've always wanted your very own life size Kevin Sorbo in your home, now's your chance.  I have to say though, the inherent creepiness of the figures sort of puts me off.  They're all really creepy looking, to the point where I wouldn't feel comfortable having these things in my home for fear that they might come alive one night and kill me in my sleep.  They just don't look right.  Even if I had the money, I wouldn't pay for one of these things.

 

Ok, that isn't entirely true.  There was one figure I would willingly pay for if I had the cash.  It's this one right here:

 



 

Come on . . . . . it's Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.  Can you blame me?  Aside from being the only wax figure I saw in the entire catalog that wasn't super creepy . . . . . it's Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.  Who doesn't want a sexy Catwoman just sitting around their house, am I right?

 

Anyways, the auctions for the figures are only open for another four days, so if you want any of these creepy, geeky pieces of memorabilia, you'd better act fast.

Why Leonard Nimoy Came Back To Play Spock One More Time

 

In an exclusive interviw with the Sci-Fi Wire, Leonard Nimoy explains why he decided to come back to the Star Trek Universe after so many years to once again don the pointy ears of everyone's favorite Vulcan . . . . . Mr. Spock.

 

"I don't think I ever said that I was done with Star Trek," Nimoy said in an exclusive interview a few weeks ago. "I think that Star Trek was kind of done with me for a while. I acted in the first six films. I directed two of them. I wrote story for two of them. I produced one of them. I was very, very active in the first six films. When the next film came [Star Trek: Generations] along, there was no role for Spock. And they killed Kirk. So one would have to ask the makers of those films, and the next few, why I was not involved. I was never offered anything that was like a Spock role. I was asked to direct the seventh film. I didn't think much of the script, and I passed."

 

But Abrams came to Nimoy with more than a cameo role, and it was enough to entice Nimoy out of semi-retirement. "In this particular case, they came to me with an idea that really valued the Spock character, valued my presence, gave me a role to play that I felt was worth coming back for, and I came back," he said. "So I don't think I ever turned my back on Star Trek. I think I was just allowed to drift away."

 

Ok, now this may bother a number of my fellow Trek fans, but I have to say that I for one am kind of glad that Leonard Nimoy didn't direct Star Trek: Generations.  I don't mean that to disparage the role Mr. Nimoy has played in history of Star Trek.  Far from it.  Nor do I doubt his excellent directing ability, I just don't think that he should have had a part in the Next Generation films because to do so would have taken away from what should have been the focus of those films . . . . namely the Next Generation crew.  Generations was their coming out film.  It was the passing of the torch film from the original crew to the next crew of the Starship Enterprise.  Having Kirk and Picard work together in that film was all that was needed to pass that torch.  Having Spock show up, or having Nimoy direct the film would have distracted from that.

 

I guess what's really been bugging me lately is the fact that we'll never again get to see a Next Generation film.  As much as I love the original series (and I really do), I have to say that I love the Next Generation more as a whole.  The crew as a whole are all around better characters, and the interactions between the characters are more nuanced and entertaining to me.  The original series is all about Kirk and Spock and sometimes McCoy.  Everyone else is just sort of background or filler.  I hate to say that, but it's true.  Do you really think we'll ever see a Star Trek film where Pavel Chekov is the main star?  Or Sulu?  Or Uhura?  No, you won't.  They're supporting characters.

 

Meanwhile, the Next Generation Trek films, while being admittedly heavily about Picard and Data, had a lot more going on with the other characters too.  The rest of the crew were given their own story arcs and had fuller, more likeable characters because if it in my opinion.  As happy as I am to see the new Trek film next week, I am also saddened at the same time at the realization that we'll never get to see another big screen adventure starring Picard, Riker, Troi, Data, Worf, Geordi, Dr. Crusher and of course Wesley Crusher too.

 

Wil Wheaton deserves a major Trek film role damn it, and I'm sad we'll never get to see it because people only demand to see Kirk and Spock again and again and again.  There should have been more Next generation films.  They got ended too soon, and I'm really sad because of this.

Doctor Who Meets The X-Files

 

The Good news:  Two amazing Sci-fi franchises are going to be meeting next year.  The Telegraph is reporting that Gillian Anderson, whom most fanboys such as myself know as Agent Dana Scully from the X-Files, has been cast for a role in a forthcoming episode of Britain's greatest sci-fi show ever . . . . . Doctor Who.

 

The Bad News:  She won't be starring opposite of David Tennant.

 

Ms. Anderson has been chosen to star in a special episode of Doctor Who that will air during next years all new season, with the all new Doctor . . . . . Matt Smith.

 

The American star would play the part of the renegade Time Lady The Rani, a glamorous but evil scientific genius previously played in the series by Kate O'Mara in the 80s.

 

An insider told the Daily Express newspaper: "Gillian obviously has a massive sci-fi following and it's felt that it would be a major coup to have her appear in Doctor Who.

 

"The team behind the show are keen for the next Doctor to have lots of new enemies and Gillian would be a glamorous and impressive addition to the list.

 

"The Rani would be a perfect role for her as the character used to be regarded as one of the Doctor's most deadly opponents."

 

While I will still be wary of newcomer Matt Smith as The Doctor until I've gotten to see a few episodes of the show starring him, I will fully admit to being excited that Gillian Anderson will be appearing on the show.  Doctor Who has had some amazing guest stars over the last couple of seasons including people like Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson and Kylie Monogue.  Having someone from another great sci-fi show that was beloved by many fans can only really add to The new Doctor's appeal.  I can't wait to see her episode.

Now Fox Is Just Messing With Us

 

I think it's fairly safe to say that Fox Pictures are in full panic mode at this point.  They're freaking out that the early leaked version of Wolverine that hit the internet a few weeks back will have a major impact on ticket sales.  In a truly desperate move to get people to buy tickets to see the film, Fox is pulling out all the stops and have announced that the film will have multiple secret endings that can be seen at the end of the credits.

 

The endings will be randomly distributed to different theaters on different prints of the film. so if fans want to see all of the possible endings, the idea is that they'll have to go see the film multiple times, at multiple theaters, and randomly hope for the best that they chose the right theater with a different ending.  There's no word yet on how many different endings there will be.  The only thing known for sure is at least one of those endings will feature Deadpool.

 

This really does feel like a desperation move on Fox's part to boost ticket sales.  After the leak of the early cut of the film online, there's been a bunch of negative buzz generated that the film is less than stellar in quality.  Due to this Fox has been, understandably, freaking out.  I can't say that I blame them for doing something like this to generate possible retrun viewing.  In fact, as far as I can remember, a film hasn't come out with multiple randomized endings since the live-action movie of the boardgame Clue (which is one of my favorite films).  I'm totally for the idea of multiple endings, and I am always in favor of easter eggs included at the end of film credits.  However, if Fox doesn't honestly think that every single one of these endings will be pirated by people with video cameras in the theaters and be posted onto youtube or a dozen different other websites by no later than 10am Saturday morning, they're delusional.

 

I fully intend to pay for a ticket to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine this weekend.  I always do my best to support Superhero films in the theaters by giving them my money and seeing them legally.  If the film is even really good, I'll go see it twice, but the idea of going back to the film in a different theater just to possibly see a different ending is probably something I won't do if the film itself isn't worth it.  It's a good movie that really makes for high levels of repeat viewing, not little bonuses you throw in at the end of the credits.  I hope Fox knows that.

Friday Happy Hour

 

It's Friday.  And you know what that means, right?  It's booze time.  Also, it's time for the second installment of the Friday Happy Hour, bringing you the absolute geekiest drinks possible.  Up today is a Star Trek Themed Drink.  It's called...

 

Beam Me Up Scotchie

 

Recipe

 

2 oz. Glenfiddich Scotch

1 oz. Vanilla Liquer

Add some figs for garnish (strain out fig leaves)

 

With the new Star Trek film coming out soon, this drink is the perfect thing to get us into the mood to go to Warp Factor Drunken.

Now This Is What I Call Art

 

This wonderful piece of art was mady by artist Christian Waggoner as part of a line of work about Star Wars, done in a style of close ups with reflections of the action in their eyes.  Also included in the set is Darth Vader's duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett admiring his prize.

 

The pieces are part of a larger set of prints from many different artists that are available for purchase from Acme Archives.  Some of the art is pretty awesome too, so be sure to check them out.

Robert Rodriguez To Direct A Predators (Plural) Movie

 

The first Predator film is pretty much one of the most amazing sci-fi action flicks of all time.  It stars a young Arnold Schwarzenegger fighting a big, ugly alien out in a jungle in the middle of nowhere.  Amazing!  The second predator film, while fun to watch, paled in comparison to the first film.  In a future version of LA, Danny Glover (who's too old for this shit) plays a cop that eventually faces down a predator and kills it.  Then came two Alien Vs. Predator films.  One horrible, one amusing, but neither anywhere near as good as that first film with Arnold.

 

Now comes word that a new Predator film is in the works.  One that is being created as a sort of franchise reboot, since that seems the popular thing to do in Hollywood these days.  Heaven forbid that someone actually, you know, create new franchises.  Anyways, there is a small amount of hope that this new Predator film, entitled Predators, might actually end up being halfway decent.  How is this possible you ask?  Well . . . the film will be directed by Robert Rodriguez.  He's the guy who gave us El Mariachi and Sin Sity.

 

Rodriguez will produce and direct the reboot, he told a news conference today at Troublemaker Studios, where Texas state politicians were in attendance to sign HB 873, the long-awaited reform of the Texas film incentive program.

 

I'm going to be able to shoot my upcoming Machete here, a sci-fi action film called Nervewrackers, a reboot of the Predator series called Predators and a couple of smaller movies called Sin City 2 and The Jetsons," Rodriguez told reporters.

 

Here's how Bloody-Disgusting described Predators: "In the reboot, a team of commandoes face down a mysterious race of vicious monsters."

 

Holy crap.  That's a lot of work on that man's plate.  A Machete film?  Hells fucking yes!  Sin City 2?  Ditto on the previous statement, but with more exclamation points!!!  And a predator film about a team of commandos facing down against a team of Predators?  Awwwwww yeah!

 

Of course, with so many films in his line up, the chances are we won't be seeing this Predators film anytime soon.  At least we know it's coming though.  Let's just hope it turns out even half as awesome as it is in my mind.

Batman (And Other Heroes) Save The Day In Real Life Too

 

Mental_Floss has a great article up right now about people in the real world who have dressed up in supehero costumes and done heroic things.  Among them is the story I posted a while back about a guy in a Spider-man suit rescuing an Autistic kid, but the story that really made me laugh this time around was a guy who dressed up as Batman (pictured above) who helped save a group of people in Bangkok last week from a hijaked gas truck. 

 

Here's what happened.  There was some sort of angry protest going on.  A group of the protestors hijacked a gas truck, parked it in front of an apartment building and opened a value to enusre that the police wouldn't shoot at them for risk of igniting the gas.  Tensions were running high and people (especially innocent bystanders) were in danger of getting seriously hurt.

 

Then came Batman to the rescue! Out of nowhere, a person in the crowd, wearing a Batman suit and holding a video camera, jumped out and ran towards the truck, as seen in this video from Channel 3 news. The running Batman brought much-needed laughs and amusement to the stressed-out residents and protesters alike. The tension in the scene was lowered significantly.The Batman then climbed on the back of the gas truck and yelled, “Batman is here!”, distracting the protesters in the area and brighten up the atmosphere.

 

While the crowd was distracted, a government official sneaked into the gas truck and drove it away. Batman made his exit on the back of a water truck that had been standing by, in case a fire had started.

 

I always thought that Batman wore his suit to drive fear into the hearts of criminals everywhere.  This time around, his outfit seemed to only make people laugh.  Either way though, his presence saved the day, and possibly even saved lives.  Way to go Batman!

 

Be sure to read the rest of the article for some more amusing caped crusading done by real people.  There's even a story of a drunken Captain America.  I kid you not.

A New Live Action TMNT Movie Is In The Works (God Help Us)

 

As a part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles turning 25 years old this year, news has just come out that a new live-action TMNT movie is in the works.

 

The Mirage Group, which owns the property, is moving forward with a live-action film focusing on the origins of the iconic crime fighters. Project, targeted for release in 2011, would mark the fifth bigscreen outing for the sewer-dwelling heroes Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael as well as their master Splinter.

 

Ok, now don't get me wrong here.....I love the Turtles.  I read the comics when they first came out, I watched the TV show religiously as a kid and I've even seen all of the Turtles movies in the theater.  However, I must say that I really didn't care for the live action films too much.  With the exception of the first film (which I do think is good), the 2nd and the 3rd films are just plain awful.  I've never really cared for the rubber turtle suits and have always thought that the Turtles worked better as an animated property.

 

I absolutely loved the CG movie that came out a few years ago and was seriously hoping that they would make more of those.  But now we hear that a new TMNT movie is coming, and it's going to be live action.  What I don't get though is this discussion of going back to look at the Turtles orgins. 

 

"The original dozen comics created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman are some of the best source material one could hope for," said Mednick, whose exec producing credits include the upcoming "Where the Wild Things Are." Laird, who bought out Eastman's share of the property several years ago, said the film will remain true to the spirit of the original comicbooks. He added that the pic may employ face replacement technology, which would allow the turtles to be much more expressive.

 

Wait a minute. The first dozen issues of the comics? Those have already been adapted to film.  That's what the first live-action film basically was.  So are they just planning on remaking the first film with modern technology then?  And they're going to use a mix of live-action suits and CG faces?  I don't know about you, but that last sentence just gave me the heeby jeebies. 

 

I'll withhold my official opinion of this new film until I see some actual footage, but based on how it sounds I am very worried that we're in for a total crapfest/raping of the Turtles.  Let's just hope I'm wrong.

Harley Quinn Looks A Lot Sluttier Than I Remember

 

Another new trailer has posted for the awesome looking game Batman: Arkham Asylum.  Thanks go to Geek-tastic contributor Wes for pointing this out to me.

 

While I'm really happy Harley Quinn is being included in the game, and am even more excited by the fact that she's being voiced by actress Arleen Sorkin (the original voice of Harley from the Batman Animated Series), I'm disappointed in the fact that they've changed Harley's costume so considerably.  Harley Quinn's original outfit was that of a classic court jester.  It was red and black, with a funny hat that had little things going off of her head.  She looked like this:

 



 

In the new game, Harley now appears to be wearing something that is a cross between a school girl outfit and a dominatrix outfit.  It comes complete with super short skirt, visible panties, thigh high stockings, and a corset that shows a lot of cleavage.  So this really just begs the question . . . when did Harley Quinn become a big fat slut?

 

Did the game designers think that her old costume just wasn't sexy enough for teenage video game fans?  Is that why Harley has been turned into a harlot?  In a game that has otherwise looked completely amazing, I'm sort of sad to see this massive change to a character's design that does such a disservice to the character.  Let's just hope that this is the only time Harley goes whoring it up in this new outfit.  I'll be really annoyed if she starts popping up in the comics looking like this.

 

In happier news though, I just checked out the game's IMDB page and am amazed at the sheer number of characters from the Batman universe that will be appearing in the game.  Here's the whole list:

 

• Batman (obviously)


• Joker


• Commissioner Gordon


• Barbara Gordon / Oracle


• Killer Croc


• Victor Zsasz


• Scarecrow


• Poison Ivy


• Penguin


• Harley Quinn


• Riddler


• Mr. Freeze

 

That there is a bevy of Bat-characters all appearing in one game.  Unfortunately, not all of them are being voiced by the actors or actresses who voiced them in the Batman Animated series, but I guess that would just be asking for too much.  I'm perfectly happy with having Batman, Joker and Harley Quinn voiced by the right people.  That's enough to make me happy.

Geek Item Of The Week - 04/22/09

 

The Sega Dreamcast

 

Oh wow.  ThinkGeek has really outdone themselves this time.  No, this is not a joke or an April Fool's prank.  They are selling brand new, still in the box, Sega Dreamcast  systems for only $99.

 

I absolutely loved the Sega Dreamcast when it came out.  It had a number of really fun games, and the graphics were (at the time) mindblowing.  Even today I'd say that they're still pretty good.  The graphics on the Wii aren't any better than the Dreamcast's.  This was the first of the "Next Gen" systems that came out, and it sadly got overshadowed by the PS2 which came out a little while later.

 

If you've never played a Dreamcast before, but you love fun, arcade style games, then this really is something you should look into.  Unfortunately, ThinkGeek isn't selling any games for the system but if you can easily find games for super cheap online.  Here are some of my personal recommendations for things you should pick up for the system.

 



 

Chu Chu Rocket - Hands down my favorite Dreamcast game ever.  Chu Chu rocket is a multiplayer game in which you have to place directional arrows down on a tile floor to direct the flow of mice as they wander around.  You're trying to get the mice to go into your rocket ship.  Once you've accumulated enough mice, the rocket blasts off and you win.  However, there are cats wandering around too, and you have to use the arrow tiles to stop the cats from killing the mice at the same time as you're trying to direct the mice.  And in multiplayer games, other players are fighting you for control of the mice, and they're sending the cats your way on purpose.  The action gets really hectic too.  Be warned.

 



 

Walt Disney Magical Racing Tour - Admittedly, this is just a clone of Mario Kart.  What makes it great though is that you are playing disney characters as they race through courses that are actually Disneyland rides!  Tracks include such well known rides as Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and more.  If you're at all a fan of Disneyland, or even if you just really like Mario Kart, you'll love this game.

 



 

Powerstone - One of the original launch titles with the system, Powerstone is a 3D fighting game that doesn't suck balls.  The gameplay is easy to pick up, the controls are responsive and fun, the graphics are great, and the overall gaming experience is great (especially when fighting a friend).

 



 

The Typing of the Dead - Typing of the Dead is an incredibly interesting variation of the original rail based shooting game House of the Dead.  In this version, instead of using an infrared gun that you point at the screen to kill zombies, you are instead armed only with a keyboard, which you plug into the system.  When the zombies attack you, words flash onto the screen.  Your job is to type the word as fast as possible (and you have to spell it correctly).  If you are a quick typer, you kill the zombies.  If you don't type fast enough, the zombies will feast on your flesh. 

 



 

Shenmue - For RPG fans, this is the game you want.  Here's part of the product description from Amazon.

 

The story itself is ripped straight from a chopsocky flick: you portray the young hero Ryo Hazuki, whose father (a kung fu sensei, naturally) is killed before his very eyes by a mysterious and frightening villain. Ryo must uncover the identity of the killer and fight his way through the city in an effort to avenge this wrongful death.

 

Shenmue's Yokusuka might be short on space--in total, it represents maybe a square mile--but the detail is overwhelming. You can interact with nearly every person or object that you see; 300 citizens go about their daily routines, and whom you encounter is as much determined by where you are as when you are there.

A Star Trek Spelling Quiz

 

The good folks over at Mental_Floss have posted up another fun quiz.  This time, it's a spelling quiz all about actors from Star Trek.  As Trek fans, we all know who Sulu is, or who Deanna Troi is, but do you know how to spell the names of the actor and actress who played them?

 

I scored a perfect 100%.  Can you do the same?

 

While this quiz was fun, I thought it was too simple.  Instead of having to spell actors names, I'd absolutely love to see a quiz in which one had to both answer Star Trek Trivia questions and spell the answers correctly.  If you don't spell the answer right, you fail the test.  Here's som examples of what I'm talking about.

 

Q.  Wht is the name of the impossible test James T. Kirk cheated on at the academy in order to pass?

A.  Kobayashi Maru

 

Q.  What is Khan's full name?

A.  Khan Noonien Singh

 

Q.  What race of aliens occupied the world of Bajor for a hundred years and were a major threat to Deep Space Nine?

A. Cardassians

The Confession Of Captain Jack Sparrow

 

Shortly after the release of Pirates of the Caribbean and the massive film success it became, Disneyland introduced the film's main character, Captain Jack Sparrow, as a character in the park.  He would chat with the park's guests, take photos, sign autographs and all of the other usual stuff characters do.  You'd think that getting paid to be Captain Jack would be a lot of fun, right?  Well, it also had a lot of downsides to it apparently, including having to deal with molesting park guests and almost Nazi-ish Disney corporate policies.

 

While he doesn't give his real name, LAmag.com has an excellent interview up with one of Disneyland's original Jack Sparrow's.  You can read the whole thing here.  No longer an employee of the company, he is now free to tell all about his time working for Mickey Mouse, and some of the details he has about how guests treated him, and how the company works are incredibly interesting.

 

First there's the women.  Captain Jack Sparrow is a very popular character with the ladies, and Disneyland's corporate employees knew that.  Before he even began his job, the man playing Jack was warned to be careful around women.

 

Disney warned us we were going to have a lot of horny women coming on to us. They were also worried about girls. I heard Disneyland had an Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She was very flirtatious, and they finally pulled her because men found her too sexually arousing and were acting out.

 

The male character they had pulled was Tarzan. He moved around the tree house dressed in just a butt flap. Disney had hired these good-looking, muscular guys—even airbrushing abs on—and apparently there was excessive pinching of Tarzan’s ass by the park’s female visitors. Knowing all this, and also knowing what women were like around Jack at the Renaissance Faire, I told the other guys, “Don’t complain if girls flirt with you too much. If you do, they’ll pull the character from the park.”

 

It looks like Disney had good cause to be concerned though.  Some of the women who stopped to get photos with Captain Jack would pinch his butt or grab his ass whole handedly, others would . . . well . . . let's just say they got a lot more friendly.

 

I'll be honest: I didn’t follow all the Disney rules. I played Jack like he was real, and if a woman flirted, I would flirt back. Women loved it. But there were also women who would have too many beers at California Adventure or smuggle in alcohol you could smell on their breath, women who were clearly sloshed.

 

Here’s a napkin someone wrote on for me: “I will give you a blow job on your break, so sexy! Kim—714-XXX-XXXX.” I would also get offers from women in my ear: “Anything you want, just find me.” I had a girl who had turned 18 the day before. She was with a high school group, and she wrote down her room number at the Downtown Disney hotel. I had a lady hump my leg one day in the park.

 

But that's just the flirts and the drunks.  There were also the slightly creepy women to be concerned about.

 

Annual pass holders—eventually you would become the favorite of certain ones. Most characters were weirded out by the pass holders. Weird was a mother having her kids ditch school so she could come see me. Or coming to every set I did and walking the line over and over again just to talk to me. But I didn’t mind them. I built up about eight solid regulars that came for me. My biggest fans were a mother-daughter team that would talk a little, walk to the end of the line, and then come around again. I could see them twice a week, every week, every set.

 

And if the constant barrage of women didn't get to Captain Jack Sparrow, the corporate Disney folks did.  Some of their policies were extremely limiting, and really didn't make any sense.

 

Disney wanted us to tone Jack down, so they put us through an acting class to discover reasons why Jack walks and talks the way he does. Obviously he is based on Keith Richards, who’s always messed up, which is why they came up with the class. “Don’t be flirtatious,” they told us. “See women as trouble.” And they said as far as alcohol goes, don’t even mention drinking. But the Pirates of the Caribbean song is all about drinking, and they’re drinking all along the ride. So I eventually broke that rule, because it would have taken me out of character. When parents took pictures, I’d say, “Everyone say ‘rum,’?” and the parents loved it. The kids would just ask, “What’s rum?”

 

There's also a strict no dating policy at Disneyland, which got our Captain Jack into trouble when he and a certain red headed mermaid started seeing each other.  Add to that problems with management and a ridiculous point system that got people suspended or fired, and Jack's days at the park were certainly numbered.  Not only was this particular Jack Sparrow fired, but eventually Disneyland had to permanently remove the character from the park.  He was just causing too much trouble.

 

But, really, what did you expect a pirate to do?

New Geek DVD Day - 04/21/09

 

The Good:  The X-Men Trilogy

 

Why It's Good:  Just in time for the release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, 20th Century Fox is releasing the first three X-Men films in a handy dandy box set.  If you haven't already bought these DVD's, now might be a good time.

 

The first X-Men film was a groundbreaking achievement.  It was the first team based superhero film that didn't totally suck balls.  In fact, it was rather enjoyable.  Then came X2, which was actually a solidly good film that was massively entertaining.  Then came X3, and well, it all went to shit.  But at least there were some decent action scenes.  Still though, the box set isn't a bad way to go if you need to buy these.  You get two good films and one crappy film for only $55.  Not too bad, overall.

 



 

The Badass:  Tiny Toon Adventures (Season 1, Volume 2) and Freakazoid! (Season 2)

 

Why It's Badass:  Back in the early to mid 90's, Warner Brothers animation hit sort of a second golden age.  Having not really done much since the classic Looney Tunes days, suddenly WB's animation department started turning out amazing shows like the Batman animated series, Animaniacs, Pinky and The Brain, and of course Tiny Toons and Freakazoid!  Where that amazing burst of talent came from, and why it's no longer here, is beyond me.  But for a short time, afternoon television was suddenly amazing again.  I miss those days.

 



 

The Awesome:  Caprica

 

Why It's Awesome:  It's a spinoff of Battlestar Galactica, and it's all about the original creation of the Cylons in the 12 Colonies.  If that's not enough for you, it's been created by Ronald D. Moore, the man responsible for pretty much my favorite three sci-fi shows of all time.  Aside from creating the new version of Battlestar Galactica, Mr. Moore is also responsible for producing and writing the vast majority of a little sci-fi show you may have heard of once called Star Trek: The Next Generation.

 

He also wrote and produced the vast majority of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and is the writer of the first two (and best two) of the Next Generation's movies: Star Trek: Generations and First Contact.  The man has over 20 years of awesome sci-fi credits to his name.  Whatever he creates, I will watch.  And chances are, I'll probably love it.

GI Joe: Resolute Is Online Now

 

As I've mentioned before, the new GI Joe mini-series entitled GI Joe: Resolute will be airing this Saturday on Adult Swim.  However, if you can't wait that long to see the Warren Ellis written awesomeness, Adult Swim has been kind enough to post the first two episodes of the mini-series on their website.

 

I've watched them, and trust me when I say that they're awesome.  This is GI Joe as it should be.  This is what I was hoping the live-action movie would be, before I saw what they had done to poor Cobra Commander and lost all hope for it being any good at all.

 

I am so happy with how these episodes turned out.  If this were to become a new full fledged half hour TV show, it would pretty much instantly become my favorite show on TV.  Please, network executives at Cartoon Network, hear my plea.  Please pick this up as a regular show.

This Is What Happens When Venus Fly Traps Are Hit By Gamma Radiation

 



 

Actually, this is the concept art for that giant ice creature we've been seeing in all of the commercials and TV spots for the upcoming Star Trek film directed by JJ Abrams.  I personally like my headline better.  It feels more accurate.

 

The creature was designed by a guy named Neville Page, who previously worked with Abrams when he designed the Cloverfield monster which I totally guessed because that was the first thing I thought when I saw this monster in the trailers.  I thought to myself, "Why the hell did JJ Abrams put the Cloverfield Monster in the Star Trek movie.  That's kind of stupid."

 

The real question, of course, is how James T. Kirk is supposed to defeat that thing after he's been stranded on an ice planet all alone with no weapons?  My guess, if they're really staying true to the original characters in this film, is that Kirk will seduce it and have sex with it.  Then, while it is pining over him, he'll find a conveniently located shuttlecraft and will make a hasty escape to space.  That is, afterall, the typical Kirk strategy.

Announcing Geek-tastic's First Official Event: Nerf Assassin

 

We here at Geek-tastic are extremely happy to announce the first ever Geek-tastic.com event.  We're calling it Nerf Assassin, and it is open to any of you readers out there who happen to live in the Southern California area. 

 

What is Nerf Assassin you ask?  Excellent question.  Allow me to elaborate.

 

Nerf Assassin is an elimination tournament in which players will take on the role of an assassin who has been tasked with taking out select targets (other players) while at the same time defending themselves from possible assassination attempts.  The weapons available to you are everything that the Nerf company has ever made, including foam dart guns and foam swords.  To see the full rules of the game, you can go here.  Here's the basics though.

 

1. To apply to join the game, follow the directions here and send in a completed application form.


2. Once accepted, you will be emailed information on your first target (including their address, location and times they work, etc.).


3. Stalk your target and eliminate them by shooting them with a Nerf toy gun.


4. Take a picture of your victim to confirm your kill and send it in to us.


5. You will then receive a new target to take out, and the game begins again.

 

This will continue until only one player is left standing.  Beware though, once you sign up, you too are a potential target for other would-be Nerf Assassins out there who are trying to win as well.  This game is as defensive as it is aggressive, so constantly be on the look out for possible attackers.

 

Throughout the game, updates such as recent eliminations and possible rules updates or modifications can be found at the official Nerf Assassin Blog, and the highlights of the game will be posted here on Geek-tastic.

 

We apologize that this game is only available to those people who live in Southern California, but to make the game available to anyone would have made it too big to control (as well as almost impossible to coordinate).  But if you live between San Diego and Los Angeles and love Nerf games as much as we do, we'd love to have you join us. 

 

The cut off for applications is Tuesday, April 28th.  So get those applications in soon.  The game officially begins Friday, May 1st. 

 

The winner of the game will be given a small prize (to be announced), but remember that the main purpose of this game is to have fun. 

 

When Did Bumblebee Become A Co-Dependent Little Bitch?

 

Ok, so I'll be honest and say that I enjoyed the first Transformers film.  Yes, it admittedly had a number of problems (and by that I mean a ton) and it was by no means a great film, but it was also a cheesy fun popcorn eating sort of action film.  It was pretty much what I expect from a big summer Michael Bay film . . . brainless, but pretty (hey, just like Megan Fox).

 

I msut note though something that is seriously bugging me though about the new sequel that's coming out this summer.  Above are some new scenes that have been released to the public from the film, and the first scene bothers me a lot.  Exactly when did Bumblebee become a crying little bitch robot?  And exactly what is that fluid he's crying?  He's a robot for god's sake, he doesn't have tears.  Is he leaking lubricant out of his eye sockets?  Why would a robot be built to do that?  This is even worse than having to watch Bumblebee pee on that one guy in the first film, and that was pretty damn bad.

 

Also, how did his voice break again?  Didn't they fix that at the end of the first film?  I was really annoyed that he spoke using radio channels in the first film and was looking forward to seeing him actually speak in this film, but apparently that's not going to happen.

 

There's also some fighting and action scenes in the clip that don't look too bad, so I'll still most likely be able to enjoy this film too just so long as I don't actually try to think about it or anything.  But the idea of Bumblebee crying over being left behind by Shia La Beef just makes my stomach curl.  It's so wrong.

For Fans Of Both Joss Whedon And Crossword Puzzles, Today Is Your Lucky Day

 



 

If you happen to be a fan of both Joss Whedon's TV shows AND crossword puzzles, then this post is just going to make your entire week.  Some creative fans of Mr. Whedon's have gone and made themselves a Joss Whedon based Crossword puzzle, and they've put it online for you to enjoy.

 

While I fully admit to being a Whedon fan (Dollhouse aside), I am apparently not as  big a fan as some other people are because I find the clues to the crossword puzzle to be extremely difficult.  I thought my knowledge of Buffy and Angel and Firefly were pretty good, but after looking at a lot of the clues and having no idea what the hell they're hinting at, I have to accept that my knowledge of the Whedonverse is sadly lacking.

 

Hopefully, you'll be able to do better than I did.

 

(Via PopCandy)

Back To The Future: Part II Actually Predicted The Future

 

For some reason, people spend a lot of time going over the writings of Nostradamus.  His predictions of the future have, over the years, been studied and poured over by vast numbers of people from all sorts of different fields like science, religion, and the study of the occult.  He's seen as the end all be all when it comes to future prediction, but he's certainly not the only person to ever claim to see the future.

 

Back To The Future: Part II, a film made in 1989 about the year 2015, has earned no such devotion and study.  Yet, if you take a closer look at the film, you'll find a suprising number of accurate predictions of the future.  In fact, someone has compiled a list of 11 Predictions That Back to the Future Part II Got Right.  The list points out many things that the film got right, including such things as a Florida baseball team, video conferencing, and more.  My favorite though has to be this one:

 



 

That's right, Back To The Future: Part II predicted the creation of Television Glasses.

 

So with any luck, things like hover boards, flying cars, food rehydrators, self lacing shoes and auto drying jackets can't be too far behind.  We're still 6 years away from 2015.  These awesome things still have time to be invented.

 

Also, be sure to bet on the Cubs to win the World Series in 2015.  If you bet on them at the start of the season, you're sure to make a fortune.

Friday Happy Hour

 

Welcome to what I am hoping will be a regular column going forward.  Friday Happy Hour will be a weekly article that combines two of my favorite things in this world, geeky stuff and booze.  The hope will be to provide you with a weekly drink recipe that either has a geeky name, or was inspired by geeky events.

 

For this, the first installment of Friday Happy Hour, I bring you . . . The Triforce!

 

Recipe:

 

• 1 part Dark Rum


• 1 part 99 Bananas liquor


• 1 part Goldschläger

 

This drink consists of three even parts, just like the real Triforce consists of three parts (the Triforces of Courage, Widsom and Power).  The dark rum represents link and the Triforce of Courage because it takes courage to drink this drink.  The 99 Bananas represents Princess Zelda and the Triforce of Wisdom since . . . . . well . . . . . since she totally looks like the kind of girl who only drinks fruity girly drinks.  And lastly, the Goldschläger represents Gannon and the Triforce of Power because this is the part of the drink that really gives it some major kick and it also provides the gold necessary to really make this drink like the Triforce.

 

I hope you enjoy this new feature here at Geek-tastic.  I personally take it as my sacred quest to help you all get good and drink in as geeky a way as possible.  Be sure to check back next Friday for another tasty beverage idea.

 

(Via Geekologie)

Harry Potter And The Ever Changing Movie Release Date

 

Above is the brand new trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and just like the other trailers, it makes the film look like it's going to be pretty damned epic.

 

And if you're chomping at the bit and can't wait until July 17th to get your fix of Potter based action, don't worry. . . . . you won't have to.  Warner Brothers has announced that they are bumping up the release date of the film two whole days from July 17th to the new release date of July 15th.

 

I know, two days doesn't exactly make up for the fact that the film should have come out last November like it was originally supposed to.  But hey, at least it's something.  Right?

Top Ten Nerf Guns of All Time.

I love Nerf guns. 

 

How much, you might ask yourself, could someone who is almost 30 love Nerf guns? For shame! You're reading Geek-tastic!

 

Still want an explanation? Okay.

 



 

That's my Nerf gun collection. Most of which was collected at a birthday Nerf War.

 

Over at Popular Mechanics they posted THIS article about the Top Ten Nerf Guns ever. A lot of these I agree with.  The N-strike missile system brought my life a great deal of joy.  The Maverick really is probably the best, most versatile, general weapon you can add to any Nerf arsenal.  If what they say about the Nerf n-strike Raider Rapid Fire CS35 is true, then it very well may be the greatest Nerf gun ever produced (a big deal as far as I'm concerned).

 

But there is a glaring omission to this list as far as I'm concerned;

 



 

The Nerf Rapid Fire

 

That gun right there is a pure piece of awesome. Not only does it hold twenty of any kind of dart Nerf makes, but releases them with air powered fully automatic Nerf-gasm. Also if you're like me, (and if you're reading Geek-tastic you just might be) you're never satisfied with just regular powered weapons.  Well the rapid fire has you covered there also because it can be easily modified to hold more darts and to shoot both harder and farther.

 

For shame Popular Mechanics for forgetting it.  For shame!  Hell, I'd even bump the Nerf bow and arrow off the list for the Rapid Fire 20, along with all my childhood memories of pretending to Rambo with it.  It being air powered makes it a damn sight better than that bettery powered Vulcan at the very least.

The Burger King + Sir Mix-A-Lot + Spongebob Squarepants = The God Damned Greatest Music Video Ever!!!

 



 

Oh . . . . . my . . . . . god!!!

 

In the thirty one years I have lived on this planet, I have seen some truly strange and outlandish things.  Nothing that I have ever experienced though could have ever prepared me for the absolutely insane and amazing awesomeness that is the new Burger King commercial for Spongebob Squarepants kids meals.

 

It's sheer level of ridiculousness instantly makes it one of the greatest things I have ever seen.  The concept of the Burger King rapping to a cover of Sir Mix-A-Lot's hit song Baby Got Back about the greatness of women with square butts, all in order to sell kids meals about a popular children's cartoon character, is so outlandish and so completely batshit insane that I was almost moved to tears.  My brain is still trying to process the unusual images and sounds my eyes and ears just sent it.  I think my brain is actually trying to deny what it experienced.  It just can't cope with the awesomeness of what it just saw.

 

It's moments like this when I think I should just end my day right now.  I should just go home and go back to bed because today just reached its peak.  Nothing else today can possibly hope to compare to what I just witnessed, so I may as well go back to sleep and wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Eye On Springfield Reminds Me Why I Used To Love The Simpsons

 



 

I've mentioned before that while I used to be a huge fan of The Simpsons many years ago, ever since about the 10th season or so I just sort of lost interest.  I don't know whether it was because the writing on the show just wasn't as good anymore, or whether it was just that my tastes had changed as I got older.  Whatever it was, I ended up becoming a huge fan of Futurama instead and just sort of forgot all about The Simpsons.

 

However, I just stumbled upon a great blog called Eye On Springfield (named after the local TV show in The Simpsons that is hosted by that quintessential newsman Kent Brockman) and it has reminded me why I used to love The Simpsons so much.  The main focus of the blog are daily postings of screengrabs from episodes in the first nine seasons of the show.  Why only the first nine seasons?  Well, here's how the blog describes itself:

 

Eye On Springfield is a retrospective of Simpsons hilarity spanning from seasons 1 to 9, when it was still funny.

 

I can't say that I disagree with that logic.  Although, even if you're still a huge fan of the show, there's a lot to be found and loved at this site.  Each day, new screengrabs are posted that highlight some great moment in simpsons history.  Some are big moments and are easily recognizable, but most are smaller, almost forgotten jokes that are truly worthy of being re-discovered and enjoyed.  One of my personal favorites is the photo above of Bart wearing glasses and Martin looking shocked.  Here's another one I really love:

 



 

Lousy Smarch weather!!!

 

If you ever were, or still are, a Simpsons fan then the site is definitely worth checking out.  There's bound to be something on there that will make you chuckle at least a little bit.

The New Wolverine Milk Ad Creeps Me Out

 

This is the new milk ad featuring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and it's really creeping me out.  I don't know which is worse, the fact that the skin on his shoulders and upper arms looks all leathery and veiny as if he was a pro wrestler who spent too much time in a tanning booth or the fact that his hair looks like it was styled by a blind schizophrenic on acid.

 

Maybe it's just me though.  I've always thought the Got Milk ads were inherently creepy, especially when the subjects in the photos are superheroes.  Need I remind you all of the child molester looking posters featuring Batman and Superman with their "come hither" looks?

 



 



 

They're all creepy I say.  Why do the milk people keep making these ads?  Are they purposely trying to damage my peaceful state of mind?