My stream of consciousness again runneth over

As we close out another month, I find myself again sifting through thoughts that form no coherent picture. But since that didn't stop me from blogging before, why should it now?

+ Saturday is the fifth wedding anniversary for Annie and I. The traditional gift is wood. The modern gift is silverware. Maybe I'll split the difference and buy her a wood place setting. Or maybe not.

+ I don't think Google Ads has any idea what to make of this blog. I've seen ads this month for everything from cars to video games to gay marriage officiants. I pity the poor program that's trying to calculate what to advertise here.

+ Best Buy is officially "on notice" after the store failed me earlier this week. The company's web site claimed I could find a DVD that I wanted at my local store, but employees couldn't find the item when I arrived. Grr. Who else has been failed by these stock-check systems?

+ Although some of my closest and most trusted friends have told me that I need to see the new "Indiana Jones" film, I'm still not convinced. I'm sorry, but the notion of aliens in an "Indiana Jones" movie does nothing for me. I mean, what is this? Super Smackdown?

+ Speaking of smackdowns, methinks they've run their course. There were far fewer comments on this round. I thank those of you who breathed life into Silly Smackdown, but unless there's demand, this is one feature that's headed for retirement.

+ Finally, it occurs to me that I still haven't gotten around to posting any pictures or video from my New York trip in March. Does anyone still want to see that? Or should I just let it go?

Silly Smackdown: The Winner

Rabid raccoons for the win!

These evil creatures are the Silly Smackdown champion! The final tally shows they defeated ninjas and The Internet, 3-0-1, in the wacky final round. So let this be a lesson to you all: Never mess with a rabid raccoon.

Thank you to all who participated in this month's smackdown. I hope you enjoyed the fun and I hope you have a great weekend!

Captain America is not a pot smoking hippie

Thank goodness.

Seriously, though, my knees were knocking were I heard the rumor that Matthew McConaughey was being pursued to portray Captain America. It was heartening to see a Marvel big wig debunk that claim. It also was heartening to learn more about their approach to the film, which is set to release in 2011. The film apparently will take place during World War II, and will remain faithful to the source material.

Those are some great first steps. A good next step? Get kickass "Captain America" comic scribe Ed Brubaker to write the film. After reading his work, I daresay he's the man for the job.

Pirate Ducky rants about TV shows on DVD

When ye be sailin' the seven seas, there be certain comforts 'o home one likes te have. One bein' the TV shows yer missin'. So I always carry in me hold a healthy selection of TV shows on DVD.

But much as I enjoy watching me shows with no commercial interruption, I find meself tossing the occasional empty rum bottle at the set in anger at the ineptitude of some of the folks who put these DVD compilations together. Since DVDs have been out for several years now, ye'd think these companies would have learned a thing er two about their consumers, and by "their consumers," I specifically mean yers truly.

Simply put, there are certain rules every TV show on DVD should follow.

1. English subtitles should come standard. Seriously, why is this so hard? Yes, I know I can mute my television and get subtitles most of the time, but they be so unattractive with that black box around 'em. If Newsradio can put Portuguese subtitles on their disc, why not English? Tho I not be hard o' hearin', some of these actors be hard o' talkin', if ye know what I mean. Edward James Olmos, I be lookin' at you, mate.
   
   
2. There should always be a "Play all" option. Again, this be a no-brainer. I wager I'm not the only one who watches several episodes at a shot then passes out from me fifth pitcher o' grog falls asleep in the midst of episode four.
   
   
3. WTF is with this "episode preview" feature? Look, ye've sold me. I bought/rented yer DVD set. I'm not CONSIDERIN' whether to watch it anymore. The true crime be when this option is the default instead of "play episode" ("3rd Rock"...you know what I be sayin'...).
   
   
4. Previews should be skippable, or better yet, locked in the hold of the "special features" menu. Certain DVDs even commit the crime of allowing you to skip SOME of the previews, but then force you to fast-forward through others. Honestly, I really, really don't need to see the Queen o' England in claymation form repeatedly. Stop making me watch that inane commercial every time I load the DVD! Ye should always, always be able to hit "Menu" and have it take you to...wait for it...the bloody MENU. Straight away. And while we're on the subject, do the same previews need to be on every disc of the DVD set? What is the purpose there?
   
   
5. The episode list should always be on the top menu. Now this may sound crazy, but when I put in a TV show on DVD, I be lookin' to watch an episode of said TV show. So why aren't the episodes always on the top menu? Why do I have te hunt for them like some buried treasure?
   
   
6. All DVD sets should come with an episode list somewhere in or on the casing. Believe it or not, I did not memorize whether the episode I want te show me crew is on disc three or four. Help a pirate out a bit here.
   
   
7. Give a lad some special features. Look, generally speakin', I liked yer show enough to sit through the bloody commercials one time around, THEN pay to purchase the set and watch it again. So I've essentially paid for it twice. The least ye could give me is a bloody blooper reel and maybe a couple o' commentary tracks. Ye can forgo the "making-of featurettes" or "cast interviews," which are usually quite dull. And please don't pretend that "cast bios" are a special feature anymore. Those were only a special feature when DVD companies couldn't figure out what special features were (back in the day when DVDs proudly proclaimed to have "interactive menus" and "chapter search" on their packaging).
   
   
8. The show's opening titles should always be skippable. Yes, I know ye worked very hard on that theme song and opening sequence, but guess what? With very few exceptions, it doesn't change. Ever. And if I'm watching, say, eight episodes in a row while drowning meself in grog after a hard day at sea, I don't need to hear yer perky theme music over and over and over again. I don't mind it bein' there, I'm just sayin' ye should be able to chapter search past it without jumping to the middle of the bloody episode. Note to all DVD creators: Include chapter break after opening credits. Thank ye.
   
   

Well, that be all for me now. I'm off to pour meself some more grog and watch the first season of "Melrose Place" read a good book and watch..."24." Or something.

Yer turn to say what ye want on yer DVDs. Say somethin' in the comments...or it's the plank for ye!

Pirate Ducky, as always, remains perched on Annie's computer monitor, always on the alert for grog and wenches scalliwags.

Silly Smackdown: THE FINAL BATTLE!

This is it. The moment you've all been waiting for. Or, umm, for which you all have been waiting. Curse you, grammar rules!

In this, Silly Smackdown's final battle, we've got the three surviving contenders battling for supremacy. Will an ancient clan of warriors win the day? Will the ultimate victory go to the world's ultimate repository of knowledge? Or will our wildcard contender be too wild for our other contenders to handle? You tell me!

Ninjas vs. The Internet vs. Rabid Raccoons

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted through May 29 and the winner will be revealed May 30. Have fun!

A frighteningly good find

If you read about our trip to Walt Disney World in September, you'll recall that I adore the Haunted Mansion ride. It's a fun attraction, uniquely executed, that brings out the 6-year-old boy that's still inside me.

Surprisingly and unfortunately, though, there wasn't much in Walt Disney World that I could purchase in the way of ride mementos. There were some collector pins and a keychain available, but nothing substantial. I returned home a bit disappointed that I wasn't able to secure better souvenirs.

Fast forward eight months to my birthday. Among the gifts I received was a $25 gift certificate to Barbarian Book Shop, a small comic shop that stocks as many unique oddities as mainstream offerings. It has a great collection of old books and trades, themed merchandise and hard-to-find publications. Even though the store is no larger than our small apartment, I can spend hours browsing the tightly packed shelves.

Annie and I returned to the shop yesterday, looking to spend the certificate. A few things caught my eye as I purused the store, but nothing truly grabbed me until I saw a hardcover book with the Haunted Mansion logo.

The book, titled "Haunted Mansion: Welcome, Foolish Mortals," is a collection of short stories that tell the tales of the mansion's various specters. Although sealed and therefore something of a blind purchase, I decided to take a chance and buy the 2007 book.

After reading the first few stories, I must say that I couldn't be happier. Told with great humor and drawn in various styles, the stories nicely complement the ride and take my adoration for it to new heights. I commend SLG Publishing for assembling a fantastic volume that's so carefully designed, and can't wait to read the rest.

My only fear is that it's going to make me want to fly to Florida so I can ride the attraction yet again...

The letters, words, and punctuation marks we have combined into greatness this week

Be a friend of KaBOOM! - Online Community Highlights

Md. governor signs two gay bills
New rights, tax breaks effective July 1

Amendment jeopardizes landmark Calif. ruling
Activists bracing for $20 million fight after court legalizes gay marriage

New law aims to stop schoolyard bullying of gays
Maryland becomes 11th state to enact such a measure

Md. high court ends child visitation for lesbian
Ruling could be ‘disastrous’ for same-sex couples

Silly Smackdown: Round 2, Match 3

Ok, folks. I'm running late this morning. You know what to do.

Rabid Raccoons vs. Pilots

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 24, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 3. Have fun and look for the next contest on Monday!

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

Here we go again!

Thumbs Up to 'Runaways' Film: One of my favorite Marvel comics, "Runaways," is coming to the silver screen. If you're not familiar with this smart, emotionally driven tale about a group of teenagers who band together after fleeing their homes, you should check it out.

Thumbs Down to 'Big' Disappointments: I'm happy that my favorite new show, "Big Bang Theory," is coming to DVD in September, but I'd be happier if it had more than one bonus featurette. No bloopers? No downloadable copy of the show's full theme song? Bah.

Thumbs Up to Just Ends: Attorney Jack Thompson, the infamous crusader against violent video games, is on the verge of being disbarred for professional misconduct. I know this would not silence a man who doesn't know when to stop, but it will lessen his credibility.

Thumbs Down to Media Mergers: Barnes & Noble is getting serious about buying Borders, its chief rival, so it can better compete with Wal-Mart. I'm all for lower prices, but I'm wary of one corporation controlling most of the few remaining bookstores I see.

Thumbs Up to Hilariousss Parodies: I generally avoid discussing presidential politics on this blog, but my love for "G.I. Joe" demands that I share with you this great parody of will.i.am's video endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama. Enjoy.

Thumbs Down to StatueToys.com: The store claimed to have the hard-to-find Marvel Civil War DVD-ROM in stock, but cancelled my order. I can't find it for sale anywhere except Amazon or eBay, where resellers have heavily inflated the price. Any suggestions?

Musical Seesaw!

This is just cool. I want one.

Silly Smackdown: Round 2, Match 2

I love living in the 21st Century. Why? Because it gives us such silly concepts as today's smackdown.

The Internet, with its vast resources, was able to overcome the Trekkies it fought last round. But now it faces a greater challenge. Now it must battle the might of autonomous robots! What happens when servers battle diodes? Can the Internet survive? Or will today's contest yield the Rise of the Machines?

The Internet vs. Robots

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 24, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 3. Have fun and look for the next contest on Friday!

I'm OK, you're OK, we're all OK

One of the things that most fascinates me about blogs is how easily they transform the most obscure obsessions into cultural touchstones.

A couple months ago, I wrote about my love of OK Soda, an obscure carbonated citric drink from the Coca-Cola Company. The soda, which has its own page on Wikipedia, is still adored by many people, despite having disappeared from stores some 18 years ago.

As a postscript to that entry, two of these fans have contacted me within the last few days. One anonymous commenter noted on my earlier post that "10 Cans of OK Soda being sold on E-bay." That auction, which ended Tuesday, saw the cans go for a mere $15.75. A bargain at twice the price!

But if you think you missed out, fear not. Someone named Tammy recently wrote us directly to say she's auctioning four printouts of OK Soda packaging artwork. You can see the printouts here. (Be sure to note the $25 shipping cost before you bid.) They're gorgeously retro and suitable for framing. I hope they find a good home.

Thanks to you both for bringing these auctions to my attention. If nothing else, it's good to know I'm not alone in my ongoing appreciation of OK Soda.

I'm in love with a toaster oven

Yes, it's true. At KaBOOM! we have a toaster oven in the kitchen, and I've started experimenting with it when making lunch. Having brought my lunch to work 90 percent of the time for, well, ever, it's just so exciting to be able to cook my lunch right before I eat it (as opposed to reheating it in the microwave).

Lately I've been making toasted sandwiches. I've found a great formula that includes any combination of the following:

• turkey
• ham
• avocado
• swiss cheese
• cheddar cheese
• feta cheese

You toast the sandwich open-faced, with just the cheese and avocado on the bread to start. Once the cheese is melty and bubbly, add the meat and heat it just until it's hot. Assemble the sandwich and viola, deliciosity.

Cheap as free

If you're like me, you enjoy free things. And near the top of the Free Things I Love list are free video games.

You can now enjoy free Nintendo DS game samples via the Nintendo Channel, a free download available for the Nintendo Wii. You simply bring the Nintendo Channel onto your Wii, then use the DS Download Service to wirelessly beam free game samples to your DS. It is, as the kids say nowadays, sick. Sure, the samples are relatively brief and disappear as soon as you turn off your DS. But doesn't that make them just all the more precious?

I've had great fun sampling gems I might have otherwise missed, such as addictive "My Word Coach" and the stylish "Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword." I've also laughed my way through several games I'm glad I wasted no money buying, including the terribly inaccurate "Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney" and cumbersomely controlled "Iron Man" game.

Give the service a try if you haven't already. I think you'll find it's well worth the 248 blocks of precious Wii memory space it consumes.

Silly Smackdown: Round 2, Match 1

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the second round of Silly Smackdown, where the silliness gets even sillier. (Hey, it's early. Cut me some slack.)

In this match, we pit the world's stealthiest assassins against some of the world's bravest heroes. Can this ninja clan take down a band of firefighters, or will it get hosed? (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) You tell me!

Ninjas vs. Firefighters

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 24, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 3. Have fun and look for the next contest on Wednesday!

Trying new things on Think Lynsen

Hi there, loyal (and new) readers.

This is just a quick note to let you know Think Lynsen is going public!

Well, sort of.

Annie has recently gotten an account on BlogHer to help promote the blog, as well as some work stuff.

We just put in an application to get our blog listed with the Washington Post local blogs list.

And we're trying out Google Ads on the site. With an average of 700 visitors a month (and, hopefully, growing) we figure it can't hurt to see if we can earn a little money for our blogging time. They shouldn't appear in the feeds or the emails, but they will appear between every 3 posts or so on the page. If you find them obstrusive or offensive, let us know. There are a lot of different layouts we can play with, and eliminating them is always an option.

Let us know what you think - about these or any of the other recent blog changes (like the new layout, features, etc.).

More on women in gaming

I love Play Value - a fantastic video podcast. In this episode they discuss women and gaming - a recurring theme in this blog over the past few weeks. I learned that the arcade classic "Centipede" was designed by a woman. Who knew?

Our writings

Check out the amazing things that have resulted from Josh and I putting our fingers on our keyboards this week...

Check out the playspaces you've added - KaBOOM! Online Community Highlights

California court rules for gay marriage
Opponents hope to overturn via Nov. ballot initiative

Supporters urge Clinton to stay in race after win
Obama maintains solid lead despite lopsided West Virginia defeat

Neal upbeat despite lopsided loss in N.C.
Neal faults fundraising failures; others criticize HRC

O’Malley to sign gay bills, despite Catholic protests (scroll down)

Mind. Blowing.

A glimpse at the future...

Q: What key trends should online community and social media professionals pay attention to?

A: There is a great deal of uncertainty in this market, but the dimensions of the opportunity and the number and types of companies participating in the industry indicate that Mobile Social Networking is going to improve quickly and the service themes at its core – meeting the needs of people to stay in touch and feel that they belong to a group, to be entertained, to increase their productivity, to make a difference or have an impact – will persist over time.

In the future, entertainment will be very different as a result of mobile devices that enable sharing of digital content. According to Nokia’s research entitled A Glimpse of the Next Episode, published in December 2007, approximately 25% of the entertainment consumed by people in 2012 will have been created, edited and shared within ‘peer circles’ rather than produced and distributed by professional firms and studios. As a result of the popularity of online and mobile services like Mobile Social Networking, people will be accustomed to sharing their ‘instant’ social media with people they know as well as with people they have just met. In parallel, they will be learning to use the new tools at their disposal and developing collaborative media skills that will prove more rewarding and engaging than passively watching, reading or hearing the entertainment media produced by the impersonal entertainment powerhouses.

Future mobile devices will have better microphones, perhaps even microphone arrays combining multiple mobile devices into ad hoc sensor networks, for superior capture of sound, such as music and speech. In addition to sound and video, the mobile device will detect other users in the vicinity and, if they are known and part of a user’s community, applications will automatically embed tags associating faces and voices with names.

In some high-end devices, continuous measuring and monitoring of a user’s surroundings will detect when to begin and end a capture sequence, automatically zooming and focusing on items of interest. Since social media is rarely visible from inside a pocket or purse, mobile devices for social media capture will more likely be wearable, mounted on the user’s glasses or hat.

Systems in the mobile handset will permit the manual or automatic annotation of social media with information such as the place, the date and time, the objects in a scene and possibly more ‘human factor’ data such as the emotion of the user. By associating metadata at the time of the capture, the social media blending tools will have the ability to identify whose media was used in an edited composition, as well as to remove or hide people who do not wish to be identified or heard.

Mobile Social Networks: An Interview With Christine Perey

Silly Smackdown: Round 1, Match 6

Welcome to the final preliminary round of Silly Smackdown, where we introduce our final two contenders.

In one corner, we have the Scourge of the Seven Seas. Known for their cutthroat ways, pirates are fierce fighters. But what happens when you pit them against some brazen, war-time heroes? Pilots are cocky enough to charge headlong into this battle, so who will emerge victorious in the battle of...

Pirates vs. Pilots

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 17, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 2. Have fun and look for the next contest on Monday.

Well, the music is good

I just watched the newest trailer for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," and must say it was rather underwhelming.

To be clear, I don't expect Oscar-caliber performances from any "Indiana Jones" film. But as someone who proudly owns and wears an official "Indiana Jones" fedora, I was surprised just how lackluster I found the trailer. The acting was strikingly unimpressive, the sets were laughably artificial, and the chase scenes were terribly cliche.

Given that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have had nearly 20 years to prep this film, I'm disappointed with the clips I'm seeing. So much so that I'm steeling myself for the worst. I might not even see "Crystal Skull" in theaters. At this point, I fear the only thing I would enjoy is hearing the classic theme emanate from theater speakers again.

How about you? Are you planning to pay $10 to see "Crystal Skull," or are you going to wait for it to come up on your Netflix queue?

In search of a non-impact, social workout

A couple weeks ago, I tried a capoeira class with my friend Nico. Essentially, capoeira is a very odd duck in the martial arts world. Developed by slaves in Brazil, it's a martial art that looks like dancing and involves continuously-flowing movements, as well as acrobatics, playing instruments, and yes, even singing. (For my gaming friends, this is the same fighting style used by Eddie and Christie in the Tekken series.)

The class was seriously fun. It was everything I could possibly want in a workout - social, dynamic, with a great, encouraging instructor who's willing to work with all skill levels and body types...except for the fact that it was high-impact. I have chronic foot problems, and if I engage in high-impact exercise, I have a high risk of injuring my foot and ending up in a walking cast for the better part of three months (which REALLY makes exercising difficult). So I reluctantly left after the one free class.

So, I continue with my "30 minutes on the elliptical trainer in our apartment's exercise room" routine. It's not a bad workout and I love the insane amount of calories it burns, and sometimes I'll work on the nautilus machine for a little variety. But as Josh spends three days a week at Kung Fu with a bunch of our friends, I find myself yearning for a more social exercise to enjoy. Something more dynamic. But something non-impact.

And before everybody says "swimming!" you should know that swimming causes my asthma to flare up...so I'm not really eager to dive into that pool, so to speak.

A quick Google search only came up with swimming as an option, or variants on it ("water jogging" - ewww), so I'm open to suggestion from you, our readers. Does there exist some form of fun, interesting exercise that doesn't put pressure on my feet and isn't swimming? Or am I stuck with the isolation of our apartment's tiny gym for the foreseeable future?

Go go girl geeks!

I crowed a muted but hopeful cry of glee today when I read this on Kotaku:

It's OK. Rub your eyes. I did. But it's true: Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel has told French magazine JeuxVideo that work on a sequel to one of the past decade's most underappreciated titles is underway. And not just underway, but it's been underway for around a year now, with 10-12 staff toiling away on pre-production duties. Good news, yes? Well, sit back down, Mr Bernard Excitey-Pants, because there's a catch: Ubisoft have yet to green-light the project and kick it up into full production. Yes, I'm as confused and angry as you are. No, I have no idea why the hell they're stalling on this.

As I noted in an earlier post, I loved this game and the fact that it had a strong, powerful female lead. Please, please let the sequel be greenlit!

Go Cali!

California court rules for gay marriage
Law banning same-sex unions dies on 'strict scrutiny'
By JOSHUA LYNSEN
Washington Blade
May 14, 2:27 PM

California has joined Massachusetts to become the second state that allows same-sex marriages.

In a 4-3 ruling released Thursday, the California Supreme Court said “we conclude that retention of the traditional definition of marriage does not constitute a state interest sufficiently compelling, under the strict scrutiny equal protection standard, to justify withholding that status from same-sex couples."

...

Read more

Resource management

Ironically, one of the best qualities about the Nintendo Wii is one of its worst qualities.

The system's tiny structure, adorable though it may be, left no room for a hard drive. As such, the system is rather limited in the amount of data it can store. How limited, you ask? Well, let's just say that if you tried to download the six cool WiiWare games that went on sale this week, you'd have some problems.

So just like in Washington, D.C., space is at a premium. That's why I'm glad a fellow technophile named KingBroly has compiled a list specifying how much memory each available Wii download consumes. If you grab "Donkey Kong," wave goodbye to 20 blocks. "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" consumes 45 blocks. The heftiest game, a new "Final Fantasy" installment, gobbles up an astounding 295 blocks. The complete breakdown is available here at the Nintendo NSider forums.

Of course, Nintendo allows you to download games, erase them to make space for others and then reacquire the erased games for free, but I'm not sure I like that system. I think I'd rather do some careful resource management and always retain what I've bought. I'd hate for some sort of system failure to preclude me from possessing that which is rightfully mine.

I guess I'm just old fashioned that way.

Silly Smackdown: Round 1, Match 5

Today on Silly Smackdown, we offer a new twist on the classic contest between brains and brawn.

Consider what might happen if you were to take a group of monkeys and enhance their intelligence. I mean really enhance their intelligence. Now what might happen if were to take these superintelligent monkeys and lock them in a room with some raccoons? And not just any raccoons, mind you, but rabid raccoons. It's the battle of...

Superintelligent Monkeys vs. Rabid Raccoons

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 17, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 2. Have fun and look for the next contest on Friday.

Late to the party but still having a ball

With a few exceptions, Josh and I tend to spot cool things after they've been around for awhile, like the new "Battlestar Galactica" and the movie "Some Like It Hot."

This trend continues with our very recent discovery of "How I Met Your Mother," which we ended up watching by happenstance after "The Big Bang Theory" a few weeks ago. We quickly got hooked, and my awesome friend Jason loaned me the first two seasons on DVD.

Despite a couple recent "my-agent-says-this-will-save-my-image" appearances by Britney Spears, the show is fresh and witty, with hilarious, relatable characters.

Shared birthdays

Ahem.

Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me and a whole bunch of other people including...

+ Jason Biggs of "American Pie" fame
+ Tony Hawk of skateboarding fame
+ Emilio Estevez of "Mighty Ducks" fame
+ Ving Rhames of "Mission Impossible" fame
+ George Carlin of inappropriate humor fame
+ Yogi Berra of ye olde time baseball fame

...happy birthday to me!

It's always interesting to see which famous people share the date of your birth. Some of the other notables who were born May 12 include Burt Bacharach and Florence Nightingale. If you're curious to see who was born on your birthday, you can do so here.

Silly Smackdown: Round 1, Match 4

It's one of the greatest arguments of 5-year-old boys everywhere. And today we're going to resolve it.

What happens when you pit an army of robots against a legion of aliens? For the sake of argument, I'm not going to assign a specific identity to either contender. So if you want this to be Terminators versus Aliens, go for it. Just be sure to explain your logic and rationale.

Robots vs. Aliens

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 17, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 2. Have fun and look for the next contest on Wednesday.

Josh's birthday dessert at Matchbox

We are going to the Spy Museum shortly, but stopped at Matchbox for lunch. The birthday boy got free bread pudding!

Mobile post sent by alynsen using Utterz.  Replies.

Do a mother a solid today

Got a little free time today? Help the mothers (and fathers) in your life find their kids great places to play by taking a couple photos of a playground in your neighborhood and adding it to the KaBOOM! Playspace Finder. Check out the new video!

Grasshopper Fudge Cake

Here's what I made for Josh's birthday cake this weekend. It was very pretty and quite delicious!

Grasshopper Fudge Cake

1 box Betty Crocker super moist white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons mint extract
3 egg white
12 drops green food coloring
2 (16 ounce) jars hot fudge topping
8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
5 drops yellow food coloring
Andes mints candies, unwrapped and cut into pieces

1. Heat oven to 350F for shiny metal or glass 13x9 pan (or 325F for dark or nonstick 13x9 pan). Spray bottom only of pan with baking spray with flour.

2. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil, 1 1/2 tsp mint extract and the egg whites. Reserve 1 cup batter; stir 3 drops of the green food coloring into the reserved batter and set aside. Pour remaining batter into pan.

3. Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto the batter in pan. Cut through batters with a metal spatula or knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan 1/4 turn; repeat cutting for swirled design.

4. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

5. Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over the cake. In medium bowl, stir whipped topping, remaining 1/2 tsp extract, remaining 9 drops of green food coloring and the yellow food coloring until blended. Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge. Garnish with candy pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.

What we've been writing

Here are Josh's latest articles:

‘It’s over’
Experts say N.C., Indiana results spell end of Clinton campaign

Gay DNC critic relents on donation boycott
Says call to withhold money no longer ‘relevant’

Gay office at Univ. of Maryland spared cuts

And Annie wrote these:

Amazing ripples occur after Cesar Chavez Day playground build!

Kids' dreams come true in Takoma Park, Md.

An actual conversation

Josh: (Going into way too much detail on the history of forms in Kung Fu...which Annie had casually asked about two nights prior)
Annie: This is becoming one of those things I'm going to be sorry for asking about, isn't it?
Josh: Because, you see, Starscream and the Decepticons...
Annie: Aaaughh! I don't care. This is like that time I asked "Who's Storm Shadow?"
Josh: You could ask why Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes have the same tattoo.
Annie: No! I don't care!
Josh: (pause) I could sum it up in 8 words.
Annie: I don't care! On multiple levels, I don't care!
Josh: (laughs maniacally)

What happens at CONvergence...

...stays at CONvergence.

Silly Smackdown: Round 1, Match 3

What happens when you pit the greatest technological achievement of our time against a bunch of geeks? We're about to find out.

Today on Silly Smackdown, our contest pairs The Internet and Trekkies. Can the globe's many passionate "Star Trek" fans crash the powerful World Wide Web? Or will The Internet's users smite those who dare lash out at it? You tell me.

The Internet vs. Trekkies

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 17, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 2. Have fun and look for the next contest on Monday!

The results are in...

...and it's clear that I need new clothes.

As expected, my wardrobe didn't fare well in the clothes survey we posted a few weeks back. But that's OK. I thought it was time for an upgrade, and your comments only affirmed that for me. Comments like "boring and basic" and "if you think a 12-year-old boy might own the same shirt, you should ditch it" really put things in perspective.

Here's a summary of what the 38 people who took the survey said:

Shirt #1: Keep it! (57%)
Shirt #2: Keep it! (61%)
Shirt #3: Ditch it! (64%)
Shirt #4: Ditch it! (51%)
Shirt #5: Ditch it! (63%)

Comments for shirts 1-5: Several people suggested that I "maybe find some shirts that are slightly more fitted." One person noted that they weren't suggesting that I "have to gay out, necessarily," but "clothes that fit a little closer to your body are a good thing." Another person berated the plainly colored shirts. "Is there anything more boring and basic?" OK. So smaller sizes are good and a little flavor wouldn't kill me.

Verdict for shirts 1-5: I'll keep shirts 1 and 2 for weekend wear, but ditch the rest.

Shirt #6: Keep it! (71%)
Shirt #7: Ditch it! (56%)
Shirt #8: Ditch it! (53%)
Shirt #9: Ditch it! (55%)
Shirt #10: Ditch it! (70%)

Comments for shirts 1-6: The best advice here was succinct: "If you think a 12-year-old boy might own the same shirt, you should ditch it." Duly noted. Also, some unsolicited advice on my denim shorts -- never wear unless "at an outdoor summer concert, participating in an athletic event, vacationing in Bermuda or named Mark Whalberg" -- was helpful since I knew I had to buy new shorts.

Verdict for shirts 6-10: I'll keep shirt 6, which scored surprisingly well, and ditch the rest.

Shirt #11: Ditch it! (81%)
Shirt #12: Ditch it! (61%)
Shirt #13: Ditch it! (55%)
Shirt #14: Ditch it! (52%)
Shirt #15: Ditch it! (71%)

Comments for shirts 11-15: There was absolutely no love for the mock turtlenecks. "The mock turtleneck doesn’t really suit you," said one. "The mock turtleneck went out with Ducky just before he was ditched at the dance by his best friend for a richer, more handsome guy."

Verdict for shirts 11-15: Since I don't want to be ditched by Annie for a more handsome guy, all five shirts have been discarded.

Shirt #16: Keep it! (77%)
Shirt #17: Keep it! (77%)
Shirt #18: Keep it! (58%)
Shirt #19: Keep it! (78%)
Shirt #20: Keep it! (52%)

Comments for shirts 16-20: Reactions to these shirts were mixed, but generally favorable. There was much praise for the Nintendo hoodie -- "cute, retro, and red is a good color on you" -- and the black shirt. The striped shirt, though, was alternately described as "awesome" and making me "look like a convict or a heroin junkie."

Verdict for shirts 16-20: I'm keeping all five, but I'll be careful in my presentation of the striped shirt.

Shirt #21: Keep it! (69%)
Shirt #22: Ditch it! (54%)
Shirt #23: Keep it! (85%)
Shirt #24: Keep it! (54%)
Shirt #25: Keep it! (64%)
Pants (#21-23): Ditch them! (58%)
Pants (#24-25): Keep it! (71%)

Comments for shirts and pants 21-25: Although there were few comments specific to the most supported items, shirts 21 and 23, the numbers speak for themselves. Most comments were directed toward the pants. There was much love for the brown pair, but little for the khaki.

Verdict for shirts and pants 21-25: I'm following all suggested outcomes here except for ditching the khaki pants. Knowing that there are more fashionable options, though, I'll keep my eyes open.

Shirt #26: Ditch it! (89%)
Shirt #27: Keep it! (65%)
Shirt #28: Ditch it! (63%)
Pants (#26-28): Ditch them! (62%)

Comments for shirts and pants 26-28: There wasn't a lot of love here. Comments noted "there is nothing flattering" about shirt 26, that shirt 27 "makes me think of Jerry Seinfeld’s poofy shirt," and shirt 28 is "bad bad bad bad bad!" And the pants? "Pleats. No. Bad Josh."

Verdict for shirts and pants 26-28: I'm ditching shirt 26 and keeping shirt 27. I'm going against the grain on shirt 28, since it's been well received in person, and the pants, but only on the latter until I find a replacement.

Tie #1: Keep it! (60%)
Tie #2: Keep it! (64%)
Tie #3: Keep it! (52%)
Tie #4: Ditch it! (92%)
Tie #5: Ditch it! (88%)
Tie #6: Keep it! (62%)
Tie #7: Keep it! (71%)
Tie #8: Keep it! (77%)
Tie #9: Ditch it! (52%)
Tie #10: Ditch it! (58%)

Comments and verdict for ties 1-10: Opinions were mixed on many of the ties, but it was abundantly clear that ties 4 and 5 had to go. So gone they are. Ties 9 and 10 also -- surprisingly -- are ejected from the collection. And here I thought they looked nice. Shows what I know.

So there you have it. Armed with this knowledge, I'll expand my wardrobe and try to make myself a bit more fashionable. And thank you again to all who participated! I really appreciate your honesty and input!

Silly Smackdown: Round 1, Match 2

Here's a random fact: Today's contest was what spurred Silly Smackdown.

In a dream I had last month, a battle between the two contenders below played out in my head. (I think I need to stop eating cold pizza before bed.) It got me thinking about what other wacky pairings might generate entertaining battles. And as you'll see, they're all fun, but I'll always have a soft spot for this original pairing.

Firefighters vs. Haunted House

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 17, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 2. Have fun and look for the next contest on Friday!

Marvelous turnaround

After a spate of lackluster theatrical releases, it seems that Marvel is on the upswing again with "Iron Man." And the turnaround couldn't have been better timed.

I had almost lost faith in Marvel's moviemaking department after they botched what should have been an easy "Daredevil" sequel, completely mishandled two "Fantastic Four" films, and nearly destroyed a franchise with the pedestrian "X-Men: The Last Stand." That I would rather watch "Ghost Rider" again than "Spider-Man 3" shows how far the once mighty Marvel movies had fallen.

But it appears now that Marvel Studios is prepared to leave its failures behind and focus on the future. "Iron Man," itself an amazing movie and arguably the best comic-to-film adaptation yet filmed, prepares audiences not just for a direct sequel but for "The Avengers" film coming in July 2011. Couple this success with "The Incredible Hulk" movie coming next month, which wisely forgets the abysmal 2003 film, and I've got hopes for Marvel's filmmaking future.

If next month's "Hulk" movie is anywhere near as good as "Iron Man," I'm optimistic that the two heroes will be well paired with Thor (who gets his own film in June 2010) and Captain America (whose film hits May 2011) to yield a blockbuster experience in "The Avengers." And with Samuel L. Jackson poised to portray team leader Nick Fury in that collaborative effort, a prime cast is already falling into place.

No pressure, Marvel, but don't screw this up.

El Día De Madre

Sounds scary, huh?

Yes, Mother's Day is right around the corner (it's Sunday, folks), and yes, it does strike fear into the hearts of men. And women. Pretty much anyone who doesn't know how to shop for their mothers. Or anyone who's mother claims "the love of their children" is all they really want.

But never fear - here's the answer to your worries!

Gifts.com lets you shop by personality type, and even gives you a brief quiz to help you figure out your mom's (or anybody else's) personality type. The gift suggestions aren't half bad, and you'll find just about any price range you're looking for.

Silly Smackdown: Round 1, Match 1

Let the silliness begin!

For our debut contest on Silly Smackdown, we're pitting against each other two classes of warriors who are known for their ruthless effectiveness. But which will come out on top? Those who specialize in brutality, or those who are better at subtlety? You tell me!

Ninjas vs. Knights

Remember to cast your vote by leaving a comment. Ballots will be accepted until May 17, when I'll calculate the winner and advance them to Round 2. Have fun and look for the next contest on Wednesday!

Building a bridge

For some reason, some fantasy fans aren't embracing New Line Cinema's plans to film a movie that bridges the gap between "The Hobbit" and "The Fellowship of the Ring." And I'm not sure why.

A timeline I found of Middle-earth events, based on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, show there's excellent source material available for such a film. There are epic battles, monumental meetings and other key events. For example:

+ The White Council meets and agrees to attack Dol Gulder, the home that Sauron kept before fleeing and repositioning himself in Mordor. The meeting to plan this attack is the "pressing business" that Gandalf cites when he leaves Bilbo at Mirkwoord Forest.

+ Aragorn, reared in secret by Elrond, is told of his heritage. Aragorn meets Arwen, the two fall in love, and he sets forth to prove his worthiness. While on this journey, Aragorn meets Gandalf and fights Sauron's minions.

+ After losing his precious ring, Gollum abandons his home and begins to look for the lost possession. He eventually works his way to Mordor, where he is tortured, interrogated and eventually escapes. Gollum and Shelob then meet.

+ The White Council holds its last meeting, after which Saruman fortifies his home, Isengard, and sets spies on Gandalf. Saruman then risks using one of the seeing stones, and is unknowingly enslaved to Sauron.

Based on my findings, I think this yet untitled sequel to "The Hobbit" could make for a fantastic film. I'll grant there are some hurdles to overcome -- such as finding a singular narrative and reconciling some of Tolkien's discrepancies -- but I'm pretty jazzed for this movie.

So come on, people. Give producer Peter Jackson the benefit of the doubt. He's certainly earned it.

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(Thanks to madthoughts for the idea for this post!)

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Final assembly of the 5 to 12 year old structure

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A playground takes shape

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My first KaBOOM! playground build

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