G.I. JOE TRAILER IS ONLINE

SEE IT! SEE IT NOW!

Rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock

For those who missed it (since I referenced it earlier)...



Apologies if there's an ad at the beginning.

Uh-oh, we've been Simpsonized!

Cute, huh?

Get Simpsonized here.

Netbook purchase is go!

I offhandedly mentioned my future netbook purchase in the blog last week. I've since had people ask me, "WTF is a netbook?" Lemme 'splain...and tell you why I'm getting the one I'm getting.

A netbook is a smaller, lightweight, cheaper laptop. Basically, it's a laptop designed for note-taking and web-surfing; it's NOT meant to be something you can do extensive amounts of work on or install a lot of applications on. But it's perfect for tossing in a bag and bringing to conferences.

To decide which one to get, I looked very intently at the various netbook reviews on CNET. There are so many tradeoffs between a netbook and a standard PC, you basically have to decide which drawbacks will annoy you the most and which will annoy you the least, and then try to find a machine that ably compromises those things.

In my case, I decided the things that would annoy me the quickest if they weren't up to snuff were battery life and keyboard size. Your average netbook is going to have pretty poor battery life (just a few hours' worth), and its keyboard will be much different from a laptop keyboard both in key size and placement (some people describe the keys as "Chicklet-sized"). When I compared the various netbooks, I found that the Dell Mini 9 scored pretty well in terms of keyboard usability and battery life.

Additionally, I considered the hard drive type. Some netbooks come with an optical drive, which is less friendly if you're going to be tossing the laptop around (though they give you much more storage space for less money), while others - including the one I'm getting - offer a "solid state" drive, which survives bumps much better.

I also found out that the Dell comes with Ubuntu (a version of Linux), which means the operating system will take less hard drive space and memory to run than Windows.

One final consideration: it took some digging but I did finally determine that Adobe Air will run on Ubuntu. That's good news, since I definitely want to run Tweetdeck and possibly Digsby on the system so I can keep up with Twitter and instant messaging.

So after all that, I decided that the Dell Mini 9 was the right one for me.

Have you considered buying a netbook? What features were most important to you?

(Photo from Dell.com)

Stubborn is as stubborn does

From CNN’s Jack Cafferty: Is the spirit of bipartisanship already dead in Washington?

Of course it's dead. The real question is whether it was ever truly alive.

Bipartisanship is one of those feel-good terms that's often thrown around in Washington for shameless promotional purposes, or to portray someone else's proposal as vile. A legislator who's bipartisan must be sensitive and moderate, right? And if H.R. 007 isn't bipartisan, well, there must be something wrong with it, right? No, but thanks for playing.

The sad truth is that everything in Washington -- everything -- is political. But don't blame your legislator. Blame yourself. Except for the congressmen representing purple districts, Congress is full of polarizing figures because true blue and deep red voters put them there. They rightfully want people to represent their views at the national level. The problem, though, is that most voters hold incredibly strong views on certain issues. And if they're not going to back down on those principles, why should their congressman back down? That would be political suicide.

So the next time you roll your eyes and wonder why members of Congress are so stubborn, try to remember the last time you called your congressman and asked him to be a little less partisan.

The views expressed in this and other entries represent Josh's personal feelings at the moment of its posting. The text is provided for entertainment purposes only and should be considered wholly separate from Josh's professional work.

Happy Twitter Day!

You, too, may follow me if you wish. :-)

Bring on the Big Game

Despite the best efforts of my best man, I'm woefully ignorant about football. I know this "touchdown" of which the kids speak is good and those little yellow flags are bad, but that's about where my knowledge ends.

Still, I can't wait for Super Bowl XLIII to air. Why? Because with that program come the first trailers for the upcoming "G.I. Joe" movie and "Transformers" sequel. A trailer for "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra" is slated to air sometime during the game, as is the trailer for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." I'm not sure whether these clips will be simple teasers, a regular-length commercial, or an extended, full-length trailer. Do any of you readers know?

These early glimpses at the two upcoming movies might not be as memorable as the classic Macintosh ad aired in 1984, but hey, the 8-year-old boy in me will take whatever they offer.

WANT: Rock paper scissors lizard Spock shirt

From ThinkGeek.

(If you don't get it, it just means you missed a particular episode of "The Big Bang Theory." No worries.)

Pot meet kettle

From CNN’s Jack Cafferty: What’s the risk of allowing children to spend six hours a day in front of computer screens?

I think such high amounts of TV time would make children more sedentary, develop a lower reading proficiency and become less independent thinkers.

But that's not the point. The point is that this question is being asked by a man who works for a television station and being responded to by a man typing on a computer. Folks, let's think about this. It's pretty easy to develop an I-know-better-than-you attitude toward children, but before we order them outside to climb trees or ride bikes, let's understand that we should be doing the same. I, like most working professionals, easily spend six hours a day on the computer. Then I watch an hour or so of television in the evening. I'm also liable to spend 45 minutes doing Wii Fit in the morning, and a few swings by Yahoo Mail and Google Reader before and after work.

Are kids too plugged in? Sure. So am I. So are you. It would do us all good to be better about turning off our computers, televisions and portable devices. Go for a walk. Talk to your spouse. Read a book. And hey, if you're really ambitious, go build a playground.

The views expressed in this and other entries represent Josh's personal feelings at the moment of its posting. The text is provided for entertainment purposes only and should be considered wholly separate from Josh's professional work.

Totally.

Connect with us!

Just wanted to call out a new little feature we added to the blog this weekend - links to connect with us on various social networks! (See screenshot on the right!)

For the uninitiated, the buttons link to our profiles on (from left to right): LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr.

(For those interested in joining the KaBOOM! social network, you can connect with Annie there, too.)

So, enjoy - and connect with us!

Top 10 reasons Twitter rules

I've been on Twitter for just about a year now - prodded into it initially by coworkers who seemed to be way more "in the know" about stuff than I was. At first, I was very cagey about it - keeping my tweets private and only allowing a few coworkers and close friends into my circle.

But after attending a couple of web conferences, I realized I was missing out on the conversation part of Twitter by keeping my updates private. Specifically, it hindered my ability to truly participate in those conferences - several workshops at BlogWorld Expo, for example, displayed a live Twitter feed on the screen for people to ask questions and discuss what was being talked about.

My lack of public updates even led to a couple of embarrassing moments where people I met at conferences would follow me and then wonder where my updates were, and I'd mumble "I need to go back to my laptop in the hotel to approve you." That was when I started to realize that if you want street cred in the Twitterverse...you gotta go public. So I did.

And now, I have 177 people following my updates and I'm really enjoying the Twitter life. So without further ado, here are the top 10 reasons Twitter rules. Feel free to post more reasons in the comments!

1. When I asked the question, "What's the best thing about Twitter?" on Twitter, I instantly got two responses:

@adiaphora says, "140 characters forces you to boil your message down to its essence."

@bethalewis says, "Twitter pushes me toward brevity. Not my best writing style!"

2. Twitter is a great way for my organization to instantaneously reach hundreds of people who may not subscribe to our e-newsletter or join our social network.

3. Twitter is a great way to find recommendations for local restaurants and services.

4. Twitter is probably the fastest way (if not the most accurate) to get news as it happens.

5. At BlogWorld Expo, Twitter was THE killer app. If you didn't have it, you had no idea where the parties were or what was happening. You also lost the opportunity to chime in on the projection screens during the sessions. I expect the same to happen at most tech conferences this year.

6. Even if Twitter is not the future of communications, it may be a predictor of the future.

7. I've learned a lot more about my far-flung friends through Twitter than by phone or e-mail.

8. You can get free stuff through Twitter.

9. You can learn about new job postings through Twitter.

10. You can get regular inspiration from Twitter.

Want to know more about Twitter and how to use it? Check out the video below.

All MST3K fans now required to attend this year's CONvergence

Yes, I'm talking to you!

The following guests are now confirmed as attending CONvergence 2009:

Trace Beaulieu (CVG 2008 Guest of Honor)
Joel Hodgson
Frank Conniff
Mary Jo Pehl

Learn more here!

Register here!

(SQUEE!)

Back on the Google Reader train

Mea culpa. I misspoke when I said that Google Reader no longer worked on my iPod Touch. It works fine. I just needed someone to help me give it one more chance. (Thanks, Rick!) So I've climbed back aboard the Google Reader train and am chugging ahead at full speed. Some recent highlights?

• Hackers recently dissected the Nintendo Wii and found a few secrets. Did you know the system could have had DVD playback capability? You do now.

• A new proposal in Congress would add a cigarette-like warning to video games. You can thank Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) for introducing the Video Game Health Labeling Act of 2009.

• Of course, if you don't like violent video games, you can always play some simple, LCD classics on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Games like "Bank Panic" are adorably presented in the style of Nintendo's Game & Watch series.

• If you'd rather play something a bit more timely, you could try and find a bargain at Circuit City's going-out-of-business sale. But one blogger's review of the situation shows the trip is hardly worth the gas.

• Should you make the trip, though, be careful not to buy "Lego Batman." The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood branded the video game one of the most "oppressive and destructive" toys of 2008.

Know when to fold 'em

From CNN’s Jack Cafferty: Was it unfair to ask President Obama a substantive question during an informal visit to the White House press room?

No, it wasn't unfair. But it was poor form. That he decided to make an informal visit to the White House press room was a classy move on Obama's part. It's unfortunate that all reporters present couldn't respond in kind. Yes, the reporter who asked the question was well within his rights to do so. But it's not like the reporter was lacking White House access. He was already there, so it was inevitable that his question would be answered by an administration official. And that the question asked was less than pressing made the reporter come off even more poorly.

Like many professions, journalism entails a measure of give and take. I think it's unfortunate that one reporter wouldn't allow some "give" in this instance by allowing Obama's casual visit to continue uninterrupted or taking the president's not-so-subtle hint that he wouldn't answer questions. There's a time and place to be an aggressive reporter, but this was not it.

The views expressed in this and other entries represent Josh's personal feelings at the moment of its posting. The text is provided for entertainment purposes only and should be considered wholly separate from Josh's professional work.

It's funny, it's sad, it's true

Women aren't alone in their body-image issues. Try growing up reading super-hero comics, attending a college where the students valued style far more than substance and pursuing a career where making a good first impression is crucial. I try not to dwell on such concerns, but they're always gnawing at the back of my mind. As such, I can relate to this comic.

Sigh.

And I'm still waiting...

...for that killer iPod Touch app that's going to make me open my wallet.

I bemoaned the lack of top-tier games for my iPod Touch last month, and things haven't changed much since then. "Monopoly" was released, but the "Here & Now" version of the classic board game lacks a classic board. Call me old fashioned, but I'd rather buy Baltic than Istanbul and be the race car than the sumo wrestler. And rememer that "Crystal Defenders" game I was all jazzed about? Yeah. That demo was fun at first, but ultimately pretty ho hum.

And while there's still no sign of "Grand Theft Auto," a knockoff called "Payback" apparently is on the way. Depending on price and how reviewers treat this game, I might be interested in trying "Payback." But a demo would be an essential prerequisitte before I'd truly consider spending cash on the game.

In the meantime, though, the games that are most tempting me are "Vay," a classic RPG from Sega, and "Rolando," a widely praised game. Should I experience a moment of weakness, either are liable to end up on my iPod Touch in the weeks ahead. So if you're sitting next to me on Metro and hear me bemoaning the price of potions, now you'll know why.

Random crap at Target

We went on a random journey to a nearby Target Greatland last night and found some interesting Random Crap. Enjoy.



Apparently, the moon has sand. And that sand is brightly-colored and "moldable." And, just like sand, it "never dries out." Who knew? Now you, too, can use it to make farms. Just like the Moon People do!



Turn your Wiimote into a Nerf gun that fires darts...okay. Why? I can't imagine shooting Nerf darts at your TV would be terribly fun. Well, not for more than five seconds or so.



Explain to me why this was made into a game...and, more importantly, HOW. I can't even imagine what the gameplay would be like. "Press the A button to march like a penguin. Congratulations! You win!"



And this is just awesome. How come nobody told me they re-released the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and packed in a bonus DVD from the original cartoon series? I used to have a full set of these figures as a kid, though I had to settle for the Shredder from the movie because they didn't make the original Shredder anymore. Bah.

WANT!

My one and only New Year's resolution is to buy an authentic pirate costume to wear to Piratz Tavern.

I've been shopping around online, and when I saw this one, my jaw dropped.



WANT.

Guess I'd better start saving.

Colbert Remix

Seriously awesome. From madthoughts.

Back to the future

I feared it would never happen. I thought this day would never come. But here we are -- back in the future -- and it's wonderful.

Marvel is taking us back to the year 2099 this spring with a miniseries titled "Timestorm: 2009/2099." Written by Brian Reed, the four issues show a world where "future history has been shattered by events in the present." Sweet! I'll take two!

Re-imagined versions of 2099's Spider-Man and X-Men are promised for Issue 1. Here's hoping that we see re-imagined 2099 versions of Doom, Punisher and Ravage in the series, too!

And as if that wasn't enough, Marvel is finally collecting into trade paperback the first 10 issues of "Spider-Man 2099." It's my hope that the publisher will collect the first 10 issues of the three other debut 2099 titles -- "Ravage 2099," "Punisher 2099" and "Doom 2099" -- as it trickles out the remaining issues of the "Timestorm."

It'll be interesting to see how these go over in stores. There's a small part of me that fears the old comics are too obscure to find a broad audience. But there's a larger part of me that thinks a generation raised on "Matrix" films could enjoy these dark tales of an alternate reality.

New MST3K store on iTunes

From Satellite News...

Shout! Factory has created a new Mystery Science Theater 3000 “storefront” on iTunes. Shout! tells us that they plan to release episodes on iTunes as they come out on DVD, as well as provide “additional cool content” from time to time. Coming February 3: Volume XIV.

Barack Awwwww-bama

New President Barack Obama charmed by 10 month old Brooklyn baby named Jedi

His smile was so charming, the little guy came pretty close to landing a new home in the White House.

“Michelle, I think we just decided we’re gonna take Jedi home,” Obama said to his wife as the couple shook hands with volunteers who had gathered at a local high school to help military families. “It’s pretty tempting, pretty tempting. Of course, I didn’t change any diapers yet.”

From kittykittybangbang

Watch out for bear side effects.

From kittykittybangbang

Josh writes on the inauguration + Annie's thoughts on the day

Obama says all are equal
But no mention of gays in inaugural address

Warren speaks of justice for all
No mention of marriage, gays made during invocation

Annie's thoughts:

Josh worked a lot today (and is still working as I type this), hence the lack of blog posts on this incredibly historic day. Sorry. I should've warned you.

It was a cool day for me. Though I opted not to join the throng of people flooding the National Mall and instead watched the goings-on from the comfort of my couch, I still marked the changes ushered in today by doing two things I'd never done before: I made some homemade bread (not the "quick bread" variety but the real, yeast-based stuff) and I crocheted a slipcase for the netbook I'll be purchasing soon.

I also got to celebrate and watch the parade on TV at McGinty's, a favorite restaurant of mine near our apartment, with some good friends.

I am deeply moved by the events that happened today, and glad to have been a part of one of the celebrations associated with it. It was a proud and historic day for a nation that still struggles with the concept of "equal rights for all." I find myself hopeful and optimistic and deeply sympathetic toward our new president, who enters the office with astronomical expectations thrust upon him. I encourage you to read Bishop Gene Robinson's prayer, and hope that his petitions are granted over the next several years.

More on the "Gayla"

Josh did a writeup on last night's event on the Blade website here.

Lego enters digital camera and music player markets

Read the full story.

This is simultaneously very weird and very cool. Depending on the specs, it would be tempting to get one of these cameras. What do you think?

Bishop Gene Robinson's prayer at the opening inaugural event yesterday

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will…

Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.

Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for ALL the people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN.

-
Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire

Opening Inaugural Event
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
January 18, 2009

(Thanks, kittykittybangbang!)

Happy National Day of Service and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

Today is the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, and it is also the National Day of Service, which marks Barack Obama's bid to inspire a volunteer movement across the country.

If you are here in D.C., Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) is hosting an event at RFK Stadium, during which volunteers will put together 15,000 care packages for troops. No matter where you are, you can find an event nearby if you search here.

About 8,500 events across the country are listed on the site, topping the 5,000 events recorded last year, according to a federal agency that promotes the service day. About 500,000 people participated last year in service activities, reports the Post's Nikita Stewart.

From Inauguration Watch

If you're looking for ways to contribute today, also consider evaluating your community's playspaces (sports fields, playgrounds...any public place where kids can play) and posting photos and reviews on the KaBOOM! Playspace Finder. This helps families new to or visiting your community, and helps your city officials assess where improvements need to be made. With a couple hours' of work, you will be helping improve the state of play for kids in your city.

Also, if you evaluate those playspaces and see things you don't like, KaBOOM! offers how-to guides for organizing a playspace cleanup, starting a playspace watch, writing letters to the editor, and more.

We so pretty.

Just got back from the People's Inaugural "Gayla" - had a blast and looked good, too!

It'd been too long

I sighed inwardly when the fire alarm went off in our apartment complex this morning. I was already awake, but it was still an annoyance to have to trudge outside on this chilly day.

Still, it'd been six months since our last fire alarm, so I suppose we were due. Here's hoping that our occasionally buggy system will adhere to this schedule so I need not blog about fire alarms again until July...

Mid-way through review: Final Fantasy XII

Those who know me or follow this blog regularly know what a Final Fantasy nut I am.

Exhibit A
Exhibit B

My interest in new titles began to wane, though, when Final Fantasy XI was released as an MMORPG...a genre I've honestly tried to have an interest in but to no avail.

But Josh managed to pick up Final Fantasy XII for $20 a few months ago, and once I'd finished replaying Final Fantasy X-2, X, and IX for the (insert large number here)th time I decided it might be worth a spin.

I'm currently at the 25-hour mark, which in Final Fantasyland puts me roughly halfway through the game. I've experienced a roller coaster of opinions throughout the game, but I think they're beginning to settle into a cohesive whole.

As a big warning to those who'd rather "play than watch their games," this game is seriously cut-scene heavy. The time spent unraveling the complex political intrigue of the game's world (which sometimes makes about as much sense to me as it does to its teenage lead character) is significantly greater than time spent "watching the plot" in the preceding games in the series. At times, it's refreshing. The plot, while still maddeningly focused on mystical crystals like earlier games, is unique. At other times, you might find yourself checking your watch as an unexpected cut-scene stretches beyond 20 minutes in length. Luckily you are able to pause and skip cutscenes entirely, which is nice for people replaying the game or who need a bathroom break.

The characters in this game are a very mixed bag. The main protagonist, Vaan, is the typical whiny, brooding teenager/wannabe warrior that leads many of the lesser entries in the Final Fantasy series (*cough*VIII*cough*). His friend, Penelo, is a shrill mix of Pippi Longstocking and Hermione Granger. These are the two you spend the most time with at the beginning of the game. Thankfully, around the five-hour mark, Balthier and Fran show up - a couple of brash "sky pirates." Fran comes from a bunny-eared, scantily-clad elf-type race and doesn't talk much, which serves as a nice foil to Balthier, who very closely resembles (even in voice acting) Spike from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Sadly, these two interesting folks are quickly shunted aside to make room for the bland mix of dethroned royalty and knights who proceed to take the reigns on the quest for the next 20 hours.

As for the gameplay, I have mixed feelings about it. For the first five hours I gritted my teeth as I was stuck doing solo combat in a field with an endless supply of wolves attempting to perform a fetch quest in which I had little interest. Once you get up to the standard three-person party, however, things improve. And they get even better when you can change out your party and begin setting up "gambits," which are basically rudimentary programs for how your characters will act in the battlefield. You can set up a prioritized list of actions for each, so you really only have to command the party's leader. So, for instance, you can make a mage's top priority healing any character who has less than 30 percent health, and if everybody's OK, they can progress to their next priority, attacking the party leader's target foe. You can set up fairly complex gambits as you buy and discover new gambit options throughout the game; for instance, setting up different attacks for flying enemies or programming specific characters to focus on healing status effects for those extra-special, Ruby-Weapon-esque battles the game LOVES throwing at you before you've even acquired ONE RIBBON.

One other unique piece to this game is the concept of "license points," or skill points. This can be pretty maddening, as for me it often plays out like this: After completing a huge mission, you've awarded some awesome weapon...which nobody in the party can use because we haven't bought the "license" for it yet...and to make matters worse, we can't buy it until we buy several useless licenses that stand between us and the license square for the thing at hand. While designed to let you slowly build up your characters' abilities, similarly to the sphere grid system in Final Fantasy X, which I liked a lot, it's ultimately pointless because Final Fantasy XII is, by far, the stingiest game in the series. Treasure chests, while plentiful, more often than not contain a shockingly low amount of gil. Seriously, we're talking 100 gil or less, and most cool things cost many thousand gil to acquire. To make matters worse, treasure chests' locations and contents are basically randomized, as we've discovered while using the strategy guide for the game. Sure, you can sell your loot gained from fighting random enemies, but most loot also goes for...100 gil or less. So you could spend hours and hours leveling up and picking up treasure, and ultimately your reward will buy you...very, very little. Maybe enough to buy two new weapons OR spells OR armor.

The other thing I dislike (especially when stuck in single combat) is the poor use of the ATB (active time battle) system. This means your "real time battle" consists of a wolf jumping at your throat as you proceed to stand there and wait for your status bar to fill so you can actually attack him back. The wait time between actions is frustratingly long. Final Fantasy X-2 had this system perfectly balanced, so why they felt the need to undo it completely for this game is beyond me.

So while some of the features of this game are refreshingly new, there are enough problems to keep me frustrated on a regular basis. An exciting plot doesn't make up for the fact that two-thirds of your party members are completely uninteresting. The new and interesting gambit system doesn't make up for maddeningly slow battle wait times and the stingy rewards for completing those battles. The game hasn't yet reached the point where I'd ready to throw the controller across the room, but given the way things are going, that's still a strong possibility.

Adventures in stay-at-home-Mom-dom

OK. So picture it. I’m standing in a parking lot, a big and obviously heavy box in my hands, my hair is whipping around my face, I have one foot on a shopping cart that is slowly twisting over onto its side, and staring at a growing heap of random child’s toys getting burped out of the back seat.

If that line intrigues you (and it should), head on over to The Quiet One for the full story.

No, seriously. Stand on the RIGHT.

From Washington Post via kittykittybangbang:

Dear Visiting Tourist:

Please stand on the right.

It is hard to properly convey how important that will be for your time here for the inauguration, so please just comply. When you are on a Metro escalator, boarding a Metro train or doing anything remotely affiliated with the transit authority’s symbol, then please stand single file on the right and pass on the left.

Please do not say you are visiting “The Smithsonian.” There are 14 Smithsonian museums on or around the Mall. Each is a totally different experience. Saying you are visiting “The Smithsonian” is like saying you are visiting “The Sweater” at JCPenney.

Please do not purchase or wear a shirt reading “FBI” or “You Don’t Know Me! (Property of Federal Witness Protection Program).” If you must, purchase said shirt from a street vendor instead of spending $24 —

Sorry — you knew that one already, didn’t you? You never ever would have done that anyway. Sorry, sorry.

We’re just a little on edge. It’s not that we hate tourists. Not like New Yorkers do, with their Born-Here-Die-Here possessiveness. No, far from that. We actually have affection for you.

Many of us Washingtonians are transplants ourselves. We, too, come from Iowa or North Carolina. We, too, were once excited to learn that D.C. has a Hard Rock Cafe. (We went! We liked it! Once.) We see you in your non-ironic Keds, struggling to find your white paper farecard because you didn’t know you would need it to exit the station, and our hearts involuntarily beat, My people! My people!

We want you to do well here. We want you to represent.

Please do not stroll. Please do not mutter, “Whoa, where’s the fire, Buddy?” when someone is walking faster than you. You do not want to be that guy.

Please do not think you saw Will Smith. Most of the time when you think you see someone movie-star famous in D.C., you are wrong. Most of the time when you think you see a retired principal, it is someone famous. Like this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Waxman. He is famous. His name is Henry Waxman.

(Note: For the inauguration, you may actually see someone movie-star famous. Just be careful.)

Hey, you say. These are the most pointless tips I have ever read. I only started it because I thought I was going to learn something useful, like where to get a burger at 2 a.m. (Ben’s Chili Bowl) You are dumb.

Please do not judge the tips. The tips are here to help you.

Please do not take pictures of the Supreme Court. It will remind us of the time we took a picture of the Department of the Treasury, and also make us feel guilty for never going inside the Supreme Court like we’d planned. (Note: You used to be able to tell the difference between the two because people prayed the rosary outside the Supreme Court, but they might start doing that any day now outside Treasury, too.)

The tips are here to help us, too. Washington is an imposing place, with a wonky and complex culture that is hard to understand. We worked hard to assimilate, and have only recently adjusted. At chaotic times like this, with administration changes and party changes and an influx of a whole bunch of new guys, we are all a little off-kilter. We all feel a little like tourists.

Seriously, guys, on the right. Single file.

Watchmen case settled!

ICv2 reports that the legal shenanigans surrounding the "Watchmen" movie have concluded. According to their report, "Warners will pay cash up front plus a percentage of box office revenue" to Fox.

A little birdy also tells me that, possibly as a result of this legal game of chicken, DVD fans should watch for a forthcoming release of the 1960s "Batman" series from Fox. The birdy tells me it's likely that resolution to that separate, complex and ugly dispute could have come part and parcel with this settlement.

So what's the best case scenario? "Watchmen" hits theaters as planned March 6 and "Batman" comes to DVD this year! Keep your fingers crossed!

Samuel L. Jackson: "Maybe I won't be Nick Fury."

This sucks.

...the L.A. Times‘ Hero Complex has broke the news that negotiations between Samuel L. Jackson and Marvel Studios (for Jackson to reprise his role as Nick Fury in Marvel’s upcoming slate of films) have reportedly come to a halt, with Jackson going so far as saying, “There was a huge kind of negotiation that broke down. I don’t know. Maybe I won’t be Nick Fury. Maybe somebody else will be Nick Fury or maybe Nick Fury won’t be in it. There seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world so [they're saying to me], ‘We’re not making that deal.’”

In what would be a huge blow to Marvel’s upcoming slate of films — including “Iron Man 2,” “Thor” and “The First Avenger: Captain America,” all of which lead up to the holy grail of superhero films, “The Avengers” — Jackson’s Fury (head of S.H.I.E.L.D.) would’ve served as the glue that bonded the films together. With his cameo at the end of “Iron Man,” as well as the fact that Marvel has been blatantly using his likeness for the character in their comics over the past few years, he’s clearly earned the fanboy seal of approval.

From Splash Page (thanks, madthoughts!)

Regular update fail.

We were on such a roll there for awhile...

Apologies for the lack of updates this week. I won't go into details, but there have been extenuating circumstances.

Additionally, my Google Reader hasn't been providing its usual glorious fodder of joy. It's been a dry time, humor-wise.

So I'm opening this up to you for a brief poll.

In the comments, tell us what you like about Think Lynsen. Specifically, tell us what you'd like to see more of.

(It's a labor of love, so please be kind.)

Random, barely-connected thoughts

• Took my new waffle iron for a spin this morning, making the whole grain waffle recipe from the instruction manual. Deeeelish. I love that it makes four waffles per batch - enough to eat two and freeze two.
  
  
• Speaking of "twos," two words strike both joy and fear into my heart: Gown shopping. (See also: "swimsuit shopping" and "bra shopping.") We spent almost the entire weekend trying to find a dress for me to wear to an inaugural event we just found out we're attending. Poor Josh had to watch as Annie's deeply-buried Inner Princess wrestled unsuccessfully with Annie's Inner Financial Planner (thanks Dad) and Annie's Inner Guy Who Hates Shopping and Keeps Asking "Can we just GO now?". After an unsuccessful run through Arundel Mills and most of Tyson's Corner, we finally found a suitable dress at Jessica McClintock, of all places. Spent more than I wanted to, but given the fact that demand for evening gowns in this metro area has clearly outstripped supply AND the fact that I nearly cried Big Cinderella Tears of joy at the sight of myself in said dress...it was worth it. Josh, meanwhile, will be renting the same awesome Zootux he wore at our wedding. Pics of both are forthcoming.
  
  
• Speaking of "picks" (see what I did there?), Zack & Wiki is one of my current picks for best game of 2008. Josh got it for me for Christmas and I've gotta say, it's a great point-and-click adventure broken into nice, bite-sized puzzle pieces. My main quibble is that it lacks a bit in characterization and story. But really...we play puzzle games for the puzzles, right?
  
  
• Another game I recently enjoyed is called Carcassone, and honestly I never thought I'd be saying that I enjoyed a tile-based game, as they tend to be needlessly complex, but luckily we had excellent teachers. The game is simple enough to learn that you can pick up the strategy pretty quickly.
  
  

Anyway. My Inner Stomach is reminding me it's dinnertime. More later.

I am such a sucker for these...

And I don't even own a cat!

From I Can Has Cheezburger

Cornbread + nutmeg = awesome

Another successful culinary experiment, thanks to the Flavor Bible!

Nutmeg Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup corn meal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 egg whites or 1 egg, beaten

Procedure:

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Grease 8- or 9-inch pan.
3. Combine dry ingredients.
4. Stir in milk, oil and egg, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Inauguration Watch

People have been asking me about the inauguration, so here's here's how you can get the scoop:

Washington Post's "Inauguration Watch" blog

Metro Transit's preparations

Unofficial list of events (note the prices - woof)

Long story short, this city is going to be a ZOO. Most bridges are going to be closed to traffic, which means there will be traffic jams pretty much everywhere else. Metro will be running on a rush-hour schedule all day, but folks are still saying to add an additional hour to your travel time because so many people will be on the system. If people want to park near Metro, those parking lots will only be accepting cash, a departure from normal practice. And for some reason, "[Metro] Customers should expect that many rail station escalators will be turned off to help meter large crowds for safety" (source).

News has been slow to surface, so your best bet is to subscribe to the Washington Post's blog to stay in the loop.

I suppose that's one way to describe pollution...

From Engrish

You know, I've had days like this.

From Engrish

How to get in shape this year

After I graduated from college, I started slowly gaining weight. I wasn't exercising, I wasn't eating as well as I should have, and as a result, I woke up one day to find myself 10 pounds overweight.

Since then, I've made many small changes to my life that have helped me, over the course of a few years, to lose 40 pounds. I'm proud to say (and I hope you won't mind me bragging a bit) that I'm in better shape now than I've ever been.

I've had people ask me how I did it. There's no magic bullet, and I'm certainly not a health professional, so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt and realize I'm speaking strictly from my own experience. What worked for me might not work for you. But I thought I'd share my weight-loss and weight-maintenance methods with anyone who's made a New Year's resolution to get healthier.

1. Diet: More of the good stuff, less of the bad stuff.
The first lifestyle change I made when I realized I was overweight was to look at my diet. I kept a food diary for several weeks, and I realized I was eating lots of unhealthy snacks, mostly because they were easily available where I worked. Donuts, cookies, chips and candy bars were easy to come by, and often free. So the first thing I did was eat fewer unhealthy snacks and stock my desk drawer with 100 Calorie Packs of various foods and Dole/Del Monte Fruit Bowls. It's easier to resist temptation when you have an alternative right at hand.

I've never flat-out denied myself certain foods, and I never consciously started eating LESS, per se. Absolutes tend to set me up for failure, so instead I take the approach of "More of the good stuff, less of the bad stuff." If I want to eat, I eat - but I try to go first to something that will enrich my body rather than something that will do more harm than good. For dinner, I make sure there are lots of vegetables and some lean meat on my plate. When I eat bread, rice or pasta, I try to go for whole-grain options. Along with my lunch, I try to bring two pieces of fruit to work each day: one to enjoy at lunch and one for an afternoon snack. I also keep sugarfree gum in my desk for when I want to munch on something but am not really that hungry. I think 90% of my success in this area is simply being prepared and having healthy snacks and fresh fruits and vegetables on hand.

2. Exercise: Start slowly, get a buddy, set a goal, be accountable
My exercise regimen started with me finding a "walking buddy." We would get together a few nights a week and walk around the neighborhood for 30 minutes. We walked fast enough to work up a sweat, but not so much that I'd call it "strenuous." Having companionship to look forward to and an attainable, regular schedule helped a lot in getting me motivated and keeping me motivated.

The times when my workout routine has really slumped are those when I lacked a workout buddy. Having someone to be accountable to, who will miss you if you're not present, makes all the difference. Lately I've been working out with Josh, and it's been a godsend. He persuades me to work out on those days when I really don't want to, and I do the same for him. I find I really need someone there to kick my butt (figuratively, of course) once in awhile to keep me on track.

What really helps motivate me, in addition to a buddy, is having a reason to get fit. Last year, it was the prospect of wearing a somewhat skimpy outfit at CONvergence and wanting to look good in it. Right now, I'm hoping to attend an Inauguration Ball and wear something fabulous, and again I want to look and feel my best. I always try to find something I can keep in the front of my mind for when I'm tired or unmotivated.

Finally, I keep a wall calendar in plain sight at home and write my initial on it for every day I work out. Alternatively, you may find a simple Excel spreadsheet or websites like Traineo or Gyminee to help you in this effort. Reward yourself for working out regularly and set a goal for how many days a week you want to work out. Then consciously plan it. For instance, if you're getting together with friends on Friday, be sure to work out on Thursday and Saturday if that's what it takes to meet your goal.

3. Realize you're never "done"
It's cliche, but it's true - you're never "done" with diet and exercise. While short-term goals are important, as soon as I go back to old habits or stop my healthy new habits, the weight inevitably comes back. As hard as it is sometimes, I have to think of it as a healthy lifestyle and not a "diet."

4. Realize you're not going to be perfect
I try to think in terms of "improvement" and not "perfection." Life is to be enjoyed, after all. If I'm visiting my mom, of COURSE I'm going to have her special donuts for breakfast at some point. If I'm having a rough day, yeah, I'll probably have a bit more chocolate than I should. If it's Christmas, I'm probably going to eat more cookies than usual. And sometimes I get sick or injured and I can't work out for a couple of weeks. The important thing to get back on the horse, and to be prepared for these changes when they happen. When I know I'll be eating more junk food than usual, I make extra sure to stick with my workout routine, and maybe even up the intensity a little. If I'm laid up for awhile and can't work out, I focus on eating as healthily as possible. It's all about balance and not beating yourself up when you don't live up to your own expectations.

So that's what I do. I encourage you to share your tips in the comments!

What I'm looking forward to in 2009

2009 will be known far and wide as the year I helped make my parents feel old. Yes, that's right, yours truly, their youngest child, is turning 30 this year. And to add insult to injury, my oldest sibling turns 40.

So I can't help but think of 2009 as a significant year, and not only because it's the last year this century that we'll be able to wear those wacky glasses on New Year's Eve.

So what am I anticipating? Well...

• Being in the D.C. area for my first presidential inauguration
• My first trip to South by Southwest Interactive
• CONvergence, CONvergence, CONvergence, and I have I mentioned CONvergence?
• A return trip to BlogWorld Expo
• Finding out what Josh is scheming for my 30th
• Possibly producing a new cookbook, featuring my own, original recipes
• "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" coming to the big screen
• Continuing my fitness regimen...and possibly taking a new class or joining a gym to mix things up
• Fulfilling my New Year's resolution to buy an authentic pirate costume. Yarrr!

How about you? What are you looking forward to?

It's game over for EGM

As a working print journalist, I'm not given to joining refrains of the tired "print is dead" song. But even my cages were rattled by the news that Electronic Gaming Monthly is shutting down.

Known for many years as the gold standard in video game journalism, EGM is abruptly concluding with Issue 236. According to reports that surfaced today, the magazine's parent company, Ziff-Davis Media, sold the 1UP network to the Hearst Corporation. As it was the 1UP crew that produced EGM -- and Hearst has no desire to continue publishing the magazine -- the classic rag is no more. The closure leaves Game Informer as the lone prominent, independent magazine covering all the industry's major game and console makers.

As a magazine that often infuriated as much as it enlightened, I will forever remember EGM for taking sides back in 2002 when Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube were released almost simultaneously. In an article that angered Nintendo fanboys across the globe, EGM sided with Microsoft's oversized black box. It also arguably touched off a nerd feud that lasted the entire console generation and was at times as vicious and polarizing as the most contentious political debate. It was a relief when the next generation arrived and the Wii60 movement helped reconcile the two warring factions.

I'm glad that EGM will forge ahead at least in spirit as the now online exclusive 1UP, but I'm left to wonder, is this what the future holds for all print media?