Captain America: The First Avenger Retitled for Three International Markets

Captain America: The First Avenger Retitled for Three International Markets

This is why everyone on the Planet Earth is stupid. You have a person whose name is “Captain America” yet you can’t even use his name, because the name of a Country is offensive to other countries? The article claims that it is Market Research, that something with the title of Captain America will push people away from the movie. Who goes to a super hero movie without even knowing who the main character is anyways?

I think people need to stop being afraid of insulting people. Just get over it. It’s no big deal. Too many people are living in fear of everything, and its starting to really mess up my enjoyment of nerdy activities and hobbies.

Executives, grow a pair.

2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2010. That’s about 3 full 747s.

 

In 2010, there were 7 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 133 posts. There were 12 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 4mb. That’s about a picture per month.

The busiest day of the year was January 8th with 30 views. The most popular post that day was My Negative Commentary on the Amazing Movie – Avatar.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, student-loan-consilidation.com, crazysick.com, healthfitnesstherapy.com, and amightypirate.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for star trek movie, guybrush threepwood, valkyria chronicles 2, new star trek movie, and brookstone helicopter.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

My Negative Commentary on the Amazing Movie – Avatar January 2010
3 comments

2

Nostalgia – The Video Game Packaging January 2010
2 comments

3

The top 10 games I played in 2009 January 2010

4

Valkyria Chronicles a refreshing masterpiece April 2009
1 comment

5

Monkey Island is back, and I am in tears of joy June 2009

Testing new posterous app

@Einstein getting a bagel

Post from iPad

Testing posting from the iPad

Nostalgia – The Video Game Packaging

(Pictured Above, Baldur’s Gate(PC) with Manual, map and game discs)

Lately I have read a few people on facebook have been joining this group “When I was a kid I use to have to blow on my video game cartridges before I used them.” That got me thinking of the whole experience of video games from when I was young to now. A lot has changed from the days of mainly PC Gaming(for me) and the occasional NES game(I skipped the SNES completely, and played strictly PC Games.) The PC Game much different from today’s console game use to come in oversized(most likely wasteful) 8x11x4(roughly) Packing and contained the game on Discs(Floppy or CD) and included usually a manual, warranty card, possible advertisement/drm  and/or some sort of bonus material such as schematics, maps, skill trees or collectible figurines.

Being a child one could not just buy a video game at anytime when he had money to do so, most of the time I didn’t even have money so I had to wait for that allowance worth of a game, or an upcoming holiday/birthday. When this was set in motion, I was then ready to begin the adventure of purchasing a video game. For me I found out most of my upcoming gaming news from friends or family, whether it be a game I played at their house, or something upcoming they have told mea bout. I also the older I got started getting my subscription of pc gaming magazine, one of the best gaming magazines ever created, specifically tailored to PC gaming.  This is what got me setup, and interested in the next major purchase I am going to be making most likely in the following months. This alone built the anticipation of the famed “Video Game,” as there was no online to read and watch trailers, demo’s where rare and if you did have them they came as part of your magazine subscription on CD and often after the game was released for a few months. This was true, childhood suspense happening, the magic of a new world and experience at my finger tips, but none of that ever lived up to the best moment of the whole video game experience….

 

 

..the unpacking.  Finally after convincing my parents to take me to the store to use either my allowance money, or later my paper route pay, I was finally able to smack down the forty to sixty dollars it was going to cost me to purchase my next video game. One in particular rings a special bell in my nostalgia for unwrapping, was the game Janes ATF(Advanced Tactical Warfighter) a modern military flight combat sim where you could pilot the latest in military aviation, jets such as the F22(not even produced yet), F-18,F14, M2 Mirage and the Eurofighter 2000. Who didn’t dream of being a fighter pilot as a kid, and this was the game that would let me experience the thrills of doing so. So as I picked up what would be the hefty package of ATF, my eyes glowed with excitement, my palms sweaty with anticipation of dog fights vs.. communist forces. I would proceed to the very sterile register and front area of the CompUSA where I purchased most of my games at the time(best buy was merely a glimmer in some investors eye), I took up my box, smacked down my ones, fives and tens, and purchased my game.

 

 

Next the magic of the new game was about to unfold, I have now acquired the game in which I have been anticipating for months to years, as I was not old enough to drive my dad was pulling out of the parking lot as I readily glossed over the front cover, with its cool graphics, and quickly turned the box over to read the highlights of the game. ATF in particular had a fold out front panel that stuck to the box with a Velcro latch, as I unfastened the latch a nice two page spread of the worlds most advanced fighter jets, rendered in the modern graphic engine of the Intel 386 and Voodoo 12mb video cards, openGL greatness here I come. I then after enjoying the thorough read and visual enjoyment, I then began to slide my finger tips across the top of the packaging to slice open the plastic circular seal that was all that stood between me and the cockpit of my F22 fighter jet. After breaking the seal and lifting open the top flap of the box, I then began to pull out the cardboard insert which held the cd firmly with the manual, not allowing the fragile plastic casing to slide around and break during transports.

It was that moment, I pulled out what was 250+ page video game manual. This thing was wire bound, with Janes official seal across the front, I felt like I was getting handed my pilots training manual and my dog tags, as I was about to join the flight academy. The experience was unreal, pages of technical read outs, aeronautical maneuvers, complicated applications of aerodynamics and physics which would aid me in the success and safety of my squadron. This was, before I even played the game, the coolest experience I was ever going to have, and to be honest, even thou I have loved and plenty of other games since them, played better made games, no experience has yet to match how I felt, when I use to open up a game box.

Below is a current game packing w/Manual.

The top 10 games I played in 2009

• #10 -  Killzone 2 (Playstation 3)

Killzone 2 was probably one of the greatest looking games of its time. It had some of the best graphics in any game period, whether it was PC or Console, it had an action packed but unique feel to its first person controllers, the action was more calculated than run and gunning. It was also followed up by an amazing multiplayer on the Playstation 3 at that time. It had a great leveling system that made it possible to achieve cool new classes, in which you could go invisible, drop turrets, let out air drones and much much more. This consumed a good portion of my spring.

• #9 – Shadow Complex (Xbox Live Arcade)

Shadow Complex was one of the many downloadable games I purchased this year, a huge increase over last years downloadable titles. The Quality of XBLA games has increased to the point of full on production games for 1/6 the cost. Shadow Complex which was created by Epic(Gears of War team) was one of the most intriguing fun side scrolling campaigns I have ever played, in my opinion even more exciting then its Metroid counterpart where it was heavily influenced by. The game may of not been the longest, but 10 bucks for 8-9 hours of this high a caliber game, is an amazing deal no matter how you look at it.

• #8 – Metal Gear Solid 4

Metal Gear Solid 4 was actually the first Playstation 3 game I purchased when I received my PS3, it was the must play game of that year, and my first foray into a Metal Gear Solid game, besides watching my cousin play metal gear on the playstation when I was much younger. The story of this game was probably one of the most epic(and longest) stories I have ever experienced in a video game. The gameplay was fun and fresh from what I was use to, and the ability to shoot your way thru or stealth your way thru was a pleasant choice to have.  I have heard good things about the multiplayer as well, but I personally did not give it a chance.

• #7 – Modern Warfare 2: Call of Duty

There is not much that needs to be said about many peoples Game of the Year, this game had amazing single player action and probably one of the best multiplayer experiences of the entire year. If you haven’t played this game you are living in a bubble, or don’t own an Xbox, ps3 or a PC.

• #6 – Plants Vs Zombies

Plants vs. Zombies is a pop cap game, from the creators of Bejewelled and Peggle. Most people know I am a huge zombie fan, and since I got the iPhone I have become a huge tower defense fan. This game which is currently available on PC/MAC(iphone soon) I purchased on sale for 5 bucks through Steam. This game is amazing from the crafty animation and cool challenges, the ability to build a garden of zombie fighting plants never looses its cool and provides hours of fun and challenges. This game is cheap and runs on any machine, pick it up for your pc/Mac.

• #5 – Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age: Origins on pure content alone provided me with over 70 hours of gameplay and I did not even play 5 of the 6 possible original character origins, view the many multiple endings, or made love to all the possible characters you could. This game is a throwback to the old school RPG Baldur’s Gate and was available on PC/Xbox/PS3 and was everything I wanted in a top down(3rd person) Rpg. It’s hack n slash, loot, character development was all top notch, the controls which were not perfect were the best I have ever seen for a game of this type. This game alone would last most players weeks to months, throw on cool free DLC and you got yourself a game to keep in rotation for quite sometime.

• #4 – Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman is one of those characters that through out the test of time, has always had trouble translating into a great game. With Batman: Arkham Asylum this is where gamers dreams have finally been realized. This game deserves to be on #1, and maybe if I didn’t get my ps3 so late, it would of been for 2009. This game was just that good, exploration, combat, storyline, voice acting and visuals were the best on both Xbox 360,pc and Ps3. Batman or not, this game is just down right fantastic.

• #3 -  Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

Secret of Monkey Island is actually my favorite game of all time, it was released in 1990 and was really what got me into gaming on the hardcore level. This was my Catalyst for becoming a gamer. If you read my blog at all you would of seen many posts about this game, the collectibles in which I have got for it, and my overall love for this series. This game is not new, but they did redo all the graphics and added voice and allowed you to replay the game with this new updated HD version, which I loved ever so much. I bought it on iphone, pc and Xbox. I highly recommend this game to anyone who loves great story, and humor. I would of put this as #1, but not being an original game, or no new game features, I decided to give space to two games that truly deserved to make the top 2.

• #2 – Uncharted 2

This is really the 2009 game of the year(since it came out in 2009). This game is the equivalent of the greatest blockbusters, best acting, most amazing game play both single player and multiplayer. Every aspect of this game is polished, perfected and greatly enjoyable to play. The main character is flawed by loveable, the storyline exciting but plausible. This is where gaming has reached perfection.

• #1 – Valkryia Chronicles

This one would be best detailed by my original review http://amightypirate.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/valkyria-chronicles-a-refreshing-masterpiece/ this game was by far one of the best games I have ever played in my life. Something about art, story, design and gameplay just spoke to everything I ever wanted in a game. Please read the full review and support this game.

What is Art? A Conversation

(12:52:12) Chris no. there is no preference

(12:52:15) Chris there is only what is and isn’t

(12:52:22) Chris there is no grays in the world of science

(12:52:25) Chris its either fact or fiction

(12:52:43) Chris that’s why…ART doesn’t really exist. As an art form

(12:52:51) Chris you can’t splash colors on a canvas, and claim it to be art

(12:53:11) Chris because you can’t transpose what you may of been feeling thru something that has no tangible methods of emotional retrieval

(12:53:32) Will what makes art art?

(12:53:47) Chris first of all, you can’t define a word by its definition?

(12:53:53) Chris so art can’t be art…

(12:54:02) Chris art is nothing but an emotion, and it is not tangible

(12:54:05) Chris you can’t MAKE ART

(12:54:17) Chris you can only perceive art, but that does not mean it IS ART

(12:54:23) Will oh shut up

(12:54:25) Chris serious

(12:54:28) Chris I don’t mean that in my way

(12:54:33) Will I’m not doing the perception shit again

(12:54:34) Chris if I have a photo graph of myself

(12:54:35) Chris it’s not

(12:54:46) Chris it’s not the same as "existence"

(12:54:51) Chris were not talking "reality"

(12:54:59) Chris I take a photograph of my mom

(12:55:01) Chris it’s just a photo

(12:55:06) Chris I frame it, put it in an art gallery

(12:55:08) Chris and now its art?

(12:55:22) Chris why does location change what was once, scientific data (captured light)

(12:55:23) Chris into art?

(12:55:32) Chris by me calling it art, does it become art automatically?

(12:55:38) Chris what I am saying, is no thing is "ART"

(12:55:42) Chris "art is not a noun"

(12:55:46) Chris is what I’m trying to say

(12:55:56) Chris "Art is a personal experience, and therefore can’t be reproducible"

(12:56:12) Chris some doods statue, is just a representation of some sort of chemical reaction that was occurring in his brain

(12:56:20) Chris it does not automatically become art, unless I choose to perceive it as such

(13:02:43) Chris do you understand at all what am I saying/ or you just shutting me out cuz your not being open minded

(13:04:58) Chris perception is HUGE, whether or not your an Idealist…..everyone still perceives…there is no one almighty thing telling us what is wrong and what emotions are valid or invalid

(13:05:51) Will but I disagree with that. I don’t think it’s anyone’s job through perception or any other way to give something the merit to be labeled as art. art, to me, is an outward expression of emotion and something that provokes a feeling from those receiving it, good or bad. I believe that art can’t be truly defined, but I believe that the essential purpose is that it connects one person to another. paint, sculpture, photos, and words can all do that. am I saying I personally think that everything ever created is art? no. am I saying all you have to do is stick it in a gallery and its art? no. all I’m saying is if someone creates something and it evokes an emotion from you, it has the grounds of being labeled as art.

(13:06:53) Chris which is exactly what I’m saying. That nothing is ART…as a form. it is only ART at the time of perception, and when those emotions are being stimulated

(13:07:04) Chris without someone looking at it, it can’t really be art

(13:07:21) Chris which is why it’s not a NOUN…art is not a thing, but a set of emotional responses by the perceiver

(13:07:37) Chris so doing a painting…..even a very emotional driven painting, does not guarantee it to be ART

(13:07:52) Chris only to the one who is getting an "artistic" response to it

(13:11:50) Will but in that interpretation, nothing can be art is one person doesn’t get it. aside from your perception excuse that you always like to throw out, art is art is anyone gets that emotion. if I look at something, and I’m seriously moved by it and then you look at it and get nothing, it doesn’t make it any less an art form. it’s still art. and bringing this back, the same is true for poetry and novels. poetry is not any less an art form because you don’t like or get it. and it’s not any less worthy of acceptance. it’s still art, whether you personally perceive it to be or not.

(13:12:55) Will because outside of your perception bubble, someone still chooses to see it as such

(13:13:56) Will you can choose not to like or appreciate poetry, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not something that evokes emotion or was a creation of emotion

(13:14:50) Chris yea, no I disagree

(13:14:54) Chris I am saying, it is ART….but to you

(13:14:58) Chris doesn’t make it ART To me

(13:14:59) Will of course you do haha

(13:15:18) Chris you can write a collection of poetry….but to someone who doesn’t read English…doesn’t make it poetry

(13:15:22) Will but ART to anyone is still ART

(13:15:23) Chris you need to have a set of predefined notions, first

(13:15:25) Chris to understand t

(13:15:38) Chris No just cuz you say its ART, does automatically qualify it to be a piece of ART

(13:15:48) Chris because your qualifications are not universal

(13:16:00) Chris and therefore there is no reason why ART is universally accepted as long as one person perceives it to be

(13:16:08) Will no, not just saying it’s art, agreed

(13:16:31) Chris yea..it is ART…to you…and to everyone else who think its ART

(13:16:41) Chris but if I walk up to it, and I see it thru my eyes…as a splash of paint

(13:16:44) Chris paint

(13:16:48) Chris and nothing else….it is no longer art

(13:16:54) Will to you

(13:17:14) Chris yes, which is why….something can’t be ART as a fact…cuz its not a universal fact to all who perceive it

(13:17:31) Chris like a stone is a stone…….no matter who looks at it…..the fact it is a stone, does not change

(13:17:38) Chris but with art….it does change

(13:20:24) Will no, I disagree. art still remains art in a general sense, because it’s art to someone. you’re only saying that you don’t want to label it as art. that’s fine. but that doesn’t define how I choose to label it. or anyone else for that matter.

(13:20:56) Chris but being ART to someone is not technically guaranteed

(13:21:08) Chris unless u want around for every piece of something, and asked everyone if its art…to keep defining it as art

(13:21:17) Chris so the minute the earth ends….it stops being art.

(13:21:22) Chris therefore….not art

(13:21:54) Will *sigh

(13:22:01) Will let’s just agree to disagree

(13:23:12) Chris you believe…that if there was no living thing on EARTH…and a painting of Picasso fell from the sky, or appeared in our universe….

(13:23:14) Chris it is art?

(13:23:21) Chris yet…no one is there to perceive it as such?

My Negative Commentary on the Amazing Movie – Avatar

Ok so most of us, minus some certain unnamed upper management, thought Avatar was a fantastic film, which I agree with in everything positive said about it, however I feel there was some negative aspects to the film that must go mentioned, just so we can truly better understand the social and political impact this film will have.

First and foremost lets talk about the strongest focus of the entire movie and that was Nationalism(or the lack thereof). The main character of the movie is Jake Sully a Marine, a soldier trained in the art of death, yet the discipline and patriotism only few can obtain. He comes to this planet of Pandora in order to aid the military effort(corporate controlled) retrieval of a unobtainium(really not important because they did not really tell u what this stuff does).

What bothers me(or not really but for sake of devils advocate) is that a Marine is a loyal soldier trained to protect his brothers, yet when comes to meeting a large amazonian alien woman he decides it is ok to go and kill his fellow Marines who are only doing there duty to protect the human race by mining this important mineral for their survival. So isn’t he really the murderer, not just a betrayer to his people, but a full blown Navi Terrorist. Yes the political system which is working to obtain this material is flawed, however it does not mean, letting the human race die, when as seen by the end of the movie, the tree was not vital to the survival of the alien race. Plus there aliens….before we came to them, they were constantly coming to our planet, abducting us, probing us and spawning there young inside our stomachs. So Jake Sully, hero or traitor? I say Traitor….sad day for Nationalism.

Another negative thing about this movie is its effects. They are just to damn gorgeous, so gorgeous that it makes the effects of "life" seem bland and uninteresting to exist in anymore. The colors were rich, and the perception was Three dimensions, lacking that pesky fourth dimension, yet giving you more than simple X and Y Axis. The Z axis is beautiful and complete. I went to work today, expecting 3D but was sadly disappointed in my Fourth Dimensional experience, 1 dimension to many….check please…

Lastly……are the alien woman hot? You know this one left me feeling awkward, something I don’t like to feel after a movie. Yes there tall, 3 times the size of humans, big boned perhaps? Yet there abs are flat, there rears shapely, but there hair tentacle receptacle strangely enticing. So I am not sure how I feel about the Human/Navi love relationship hat was going on and if i was Jealous of it, or spiteful. Either way….it left me no longer knowing Who I really am and What I want. Is my wife ever going to be Alien enough for me again? sigh, so the struggle of life continues….

Christmas and the Digital Avalanche

So Christmas for me(all the family and religious stuff aside) has become more and more digital as years go by. What started as the typical gifts of action figures, legos, building blocks and fisher price stuff, eventually turned into more and more computer parts, video games, cameras, and gadgets aplenty. This year I reached a large gross of digital material that spanned multiple hobbies and interests, and reducing the amount of analog items I’ll be consuming in the next couple years if not future entirely.

The Kindle

First and foremost, the main item of Christmas in which I received was the Amazon Kindle(Pictured Below).

Now for those of you who may not know what the Kindle is, its basically a digital book, which using Electronic Ink mimics the ease on the eyes feel of a real book, yet one device can store thousands of books, newspapers,blogs, and other types of audio/text files, while constantly being connected to the internet via 3G cellular technology so you can purchase your books anywhere.  Now I may not be the most avid reader out there, but I do love technology. The Kindle allows me to purchase a book as I hear about it instead of waiting to go to a store and purchase, also save money and space by not buying hardcover oversized copies in which my place no longer has space for. I now because of my love of technology find myself wanting to go to bed a little bit earlier as an excuse to pop open my kindle and knock off a few chapters of   some new book offering me some new experience that video games and movies still can’t offer, complete and utter imagination creation.

The Digital Camera

The 2nd gift, technically my wife’s, was a Samsung TL220 12.2 Megapixel Digital Camera. On the departing day of our honeymoon our Konica Minolta 6MP Digital Camera was ruined when a can of hair spray exploded in the same bag as my Digital Camera, ruining it and sealing the camera in AquaNet for the rest of its meaningless life.

This camera has a front view screen for allowing you to view yourself if taking self snapshots, or let the person approve of the photo before you take it. This will allow us to produce more pictures of our Dog for he ever growing fan base.

The Remote Control Helicopter

 

Another Toy I received was the actual, real flying indoor remote controlled helicopter from brookstone. One thing I have learned from this, is if the pilot of a helicopter is knocked unconscious, it is not safe for me to take over the controls.

The Movies

A main staple of my Christmas has always been my craving for movies(my favorites of the year) this year it was mostly in the Bluray format, which is highly digital, high definition with full fledged surround sound capabilities.
This year list consists of

1. Star Trek(Blu-Ray)
2. Terminator 4(Blu-ray)
3. X-men Origins: Wolverine(Blu-ray)
4. District 9(Blu-Ray)
5. Deadwood Complete Series
6. Rome Season 2
7. Virtual Fireplaces Seasonal Collection
8. Ghostbusters 1 & 2(For Wife)
9. Psycho Collection Edition (For Wife)
10. Monster Squad Collectors Edition (For Wife)

The Video Games

Also what list would be complete without what of my main hobbies and another huge portion of my Christmas list, than that of video games. I am sure I will post reviews on many of these games as I beat them, but the list is

1. Borderlands (Xbox 360)
2. Left 4 Dead 2 (Xbox 360)
3. God of War Collection (PS3)
4. Ratchet and Clank: Crack in Time (Ps3)
5. Torchlight (PC)
6. The Witcher (PC)

Music

Nobody buys me music anymore instead, because of my dependence on the iphone/ipod or my iMac, I receive music in the form of an I-Tunes gift card. The gift card which is essentially a piece of plastic, because it really has no cash value, a completely digital tool, used to buy digital only media sums up this Christmas list very well.  With this gift card I purchased

1. Rise Against CD
2. Jim Gaffigan CD
3. Nick Swardson CD

So as you can see minus maybe the 1-3 shirts I received, Marvel and Pirate stuff, most of my Christmas 75% of it was completely digital. As I replace my home items, with digital equivalents, everything besides clothes(until we live in a goo bubble with our brains attached to matrix) all I’ll be getting in the physical realm will be clothes and or more items to replace physical ones. Unless someone buys me a boat, then that will change everything.

Collectibles, Games and more

First I would like to show off my new addition to my collectible display, and probably one of the most crucial piece to covering my childhood and adulthood lives, my “Secret of Monkey Island” statue, the famous fight between Guybrush Threepwood a mighty pirate, vs the Ghost Pirate LeChuck.

As I have mentioned in many posts before this is my favorite game/game series of all time. I now finally can add a collectible item from this game to my collection of childhood memories. This statue is limited to only 1000 made so I am very happy to be displaying it on my shelves.

I also wanted to share my Halloween outing photo, where I took my niece Jasmine “the witch” trick or treating with Captain “the scurvy pirate” America.

Also another bit of news, is the in-laws got a new puppy named Pete(which I call Spider Man, aka Peter Parker), who has joined Captain America’s New Avengers. yes very dorky, but the picture is adorable.

I also did some work for Habitat for Humanity with my company Ultimate Software, and it was a very rewarding experience. I happened to end up being the dirtiest, paintiest person there, which is why I choose exterior painting, a less precise job then interior.

On top of that, I found time to beat Batman: Akrham Asylum, Halo: ODST, Uncharted 2: Amongst Thieves, all which were amazing games, HALO being the shortest, Uncharted 2 and Batman being some of the best games I’ve played all year.

Currently I am on my 20th hour of Dragon Age: Origins for 360, as well as recently picked up Modern Warfare 2, and Shadow Complex for 360 too.

Movie wise I saw the Fourth Kind which was pretty good, Battlestar Galactica: The Plan, and Away We Go. All which were above average, however none amazing.