For the love of God, DO NOT GO OUTSIDE!!

If you haven't heard it is brain numbingly cold outside. This morning when I went to work it was -35C and that's without the wind chill. Yesterday morning it was just as cold with the wind chill it was -50C. On Saturday it was only 0C and a day later it's suddenly -30C, that's not fair. I didn't realize it going to be quite so cold and didn't plug my car in. It barely started in the morning and when it did it sounded pretty crappy. The entire car was frozen, even the steering and the gas pedal were stiff.

Cody didn't plug his car in and hadn't started it all weekend, so it didn't start. When I got home from work we went to Wal-Mart to get an extension cord because the only one we had didn't have a ground plug on it. I thought we had one, but I think it disappeared. Wal-Mart was completely cleaned out for extensions cords, but I did get a splitter because there is basically one outlet on the entire outside of the house and there are four vehicles to plug in. We then went over to Canadian Tire and they had lots of extension cords and then aisle was packed with people buying them. I think everyone in line at the checkouts was buying extensions cords or jumper cables.

Cody had to buy the expensive $40 cord because he needed a super long one to reach his car, luckily the 98ft cords were on sale. As I said we already had a long extension cord, but it lacked the ground plug. Big deal! I cut the ground plug off my block heater cord because I'd rather trash a $6 block heater cord than pay $40 for a new extension cord. Besides my dad can always put another in and they're really easy to put in on a Cavalier.

I guess it's pretty much super freezing everywhere, but it is Canada and it is winter, so what do you expect. Doesn't mean everyone is going to stop bitchin' about it though! All I want to know is when is the next Chinook coming?!

Video game report

In a previous post I mentioned the gaming console of the future called the PZ3 which I had bought for Cam. He has finally sent in a picture of the PZ3 in action.

Damn, does that thing look like fun or what?! It combines the graphics power and processing of the PS3 and XBox 360 with the ingenuity and originality of the Wii. It runs on batteries so it's totally portable and has it's own display screen. It only supports single player action, but it's so good you won't want to share it with anyone! If it can "Wow" Cam, then you know it is truly some special.

I went and bought Ghost Squad for my Wii, which is port of the Sega arcade game. It is a light gun game like Virtua Cop just newer. It's three missions which each take around 10-12 minutes each to finish. That doesn't sound like much and it isn't, but each mission has branching paths, so you don't have to play the exact same mission each time. It is nice if you just want to sit down and start shooting guys right away. Finishing the game with positive results nets you points which unlock different paths, costumes, and weapons. The arcade mode support co-op play and the party mode supports up to four players. Unfortunately, I'm not that good at it and the third mission I've only managed to finish three times. Actually, I've finished it many times, but only managed to kill the final boss three times. I don't know why one time I can hardly dent him, and then the next time I easily kill him.

Speaking of sucking at video games I still haven't finished Medal of Honor: Heroes 2. I'm on the last mission which has you destroying a rocket factory. I can make to the very last part where the factory is about to blow up and you have 4 minutes to shoot your way out before it blows. I can't kill guys fast enough and the clocks runs out before I can make it out. The game has been fun so far, but if I don't manage to finish that level soon I'll go insane.

Right now Cody is playing Call of Duty 2 for the XBox 360 which about fall 2005 and it looks WAY better than Wii's MOH: Heroes 2 which came out fall 2007. Is the Wii actually lacking that much processing power that game that are years old on other systems still look sharper and cleaner than current Wii efforts? That kinda of sucks because you know Wii games aren't going to get that much more refined in terms of graphics and such. On platform games like Super Paper Mario and Super Mario Galaxy it doesn't really matter because the graphics are supposed to be colorful and cartoony.

At least the Wii is starting to get a few more decent titles coming out like No More Heroes and Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law. I'd like to get Harvey Birdman because I like the TV and it sounds like the game is basically just the same thing. It's a point and click type game where you take cases to court, find evidence, question witnesses but with humorous results. All the voice cast from the TV show are on the game with the exception of that jerk Stephen Colbert. I guess he is too big and important for it now. But maybe I should try and finish the games I got going now first.

Utini

I posted about the Family Guy: Blue Harvest Star Wars special back when it originally aired in the fall. I'll give you a the abridged version, "it's funny". FOX said they would never repeat the episode and why would they...now that it's out on DVD! If you missed the episode on TV then I totally recommend watching it now that it's out on DVD. If you're not a Family Guy fan, then at least rent it because everyone is a Star Wars fan. The episode was such a ratings smash hit they've announced they will be doing the same thing to Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi which I look forward to. Here a bunch of screen caps to try and entice anybody who hasn't seen it to go see it.

A lot of the shots were framed exactly the same as the original Star Wars shots. You all recognize this one.

R2 gets his gun on!

Pimp Fighter

Porkins! Get it, he's fat! Haha!

My favorite bit in the whole episode. A Sandcrawler pulls up beside another Sandcrawler and they roll down their windows. The one Jawa looks at the other and says "Utini" and the other Jawa hands him a jar of Grey Poupon. It's classic! Cody almost choked to death on a cookie at that scene and yes, it was a Lofthouse sugar cookie.

OMG!!!

Today was my day off, but I needed to go see the doctor to renew my prescription for Altace. That's for my high blood pressure, thanks dad! Anyway, I decided to "treat" myself to breakfast at McD's because the only I like on their menu is the Sausage McMuffin with Egg. After grabbing breakfast I headed to the doctor's office. It's a family doctor/walk in clinic which is located WAY OUT in Airdrie in the Superstore where I used to work. I walked in and the wait was gonna be an hour, so I walked around the store a bit. After about 15 minutes I got bored and went back to the waiting room and sat. Sitting there for a bit waiting I looked down and noticed that my fly was zipped down. WTH?! I had been going around since leaving the house with my fly zipped down? I couldn't zip it up right there in the waiting with a bunch of people. I just adjusted my t-shirt to cover it up and when it was my turn I put my hands in my coat pocket and tried to cover it up. After being led back to the examination room and finally having some space I zipped up the zipper which was completely all the way down, not even half way or something. How could something like that slip by me? Luckily, it's a rare case and something that doesn't happen regularly...I think.

Things got better after that as I hit Phoenix comics and got a couple comics including the new Dogby Walks Alone. I'd could describe it, but I can't it's that complex and I'm lazy. It's good and the main character is a guy in dog suit, well maybe it's a dog suit or maybe he's just a giant dog. The real deal here is that I finally got myself some Ace Ventura DVD.

The Ace Ventura Collection which collects Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, and a third disc of episodes from the Ace Ventura cartoon series. I've been holding off and waiting for the Ace Ventura Ultimate Edition which will have all the footage from the DVD and TV verisons, but this was only $6.95 and too sweet a deal to pass up. Pet Detective in this set is the first time it's been available widescreen, but still the same cut as the previous home video release. I demand an extended cut because it's Jim Carrey's finest work...EVER!

I went to Safeway to pick up some groceries because they carry the best cookies known to man!

Lofthouse makes these sugar cookies and they are so soft they melt in your mouth and if you haven't tried them then you'd better because you aren't experiencing life to the fullest. When Cam was here we forced him to eat some and he absolutely loved them! Well he didn't actually say that, but I know he did, he was just so overwhelmed he was speechless. Try them they rock!

My new best friend.

A Go-Bot! I actually found this guy at work when I almost stepped on him. I was putting stuff out in the freezer and took a step and felt something under my foot. I thought it was just a piece of cardboard or some garbage the produce idiots dropped, but it turned out to be the evil Go-Bot leader Cy-Kill. Not exactly what I was expecting!

I wonder who lost it? It's not something kids today would be playing with as it's like 25 years old. His arm was broken and stuff, so he definitely been played with. I guess it doesn't matter because he is all mine now! Finders keepers!

Polysics or Die!!!

Hey yo. I've been meaning to post all week, but haven't gotten around to it. It's not I don't have any to write about because I do! Hopefully, I'll put everything I've been wanted to say up soon before I forget it. This morning I woke up at 4am! That is way too early to be awake, but I had to work at 5am because we short on staff and it was just me working alone in the morning. Waking up sucked, but it was nice working by myself all morning because I could whatever I wanted. I play by my own rules!

Did you watch that video?! It's crazy good, I know. The dancing girl is known Strong Machine 2, the daughter of Strong Machine, a Japanese wrestler. Duh! If you look around YouTube you can find an alternate version that has her dancing for the entire video. There is also a live clip of her dancing onstage with the band.

I found out about Polysics months ago online, but shortly forgot about them. Then before Christmas I was at A&B when I saw the CD and picked it up because the price wasn't bad and it did come with a DVD too. I popped it my stereo at home I was like, "WHAT?!" I honestly can say I haven't heard anything like these guys. If you asked me to describe their sound/style I couldn't do it. Yeah, they play guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards, but always use a programmer, vocoder, and for the song I My Me Mine (the video above) a recorder.

This next video is for Electric Surfin' Go Go which is like a follow up to I My Me Mine. This time we actually get to see the band. The guitar dude has a wacky looking guitar.

The CD I just picked up is from MySpace Records and called Polysics: Polysics or Die!!! Vista. It's actually a greatest hits disc as the band has been around for about 10 years. Polysics or Die!! has already been released in Japan, but the North American release has a different track listing plus a DVD of four videos and three live tracks. The videos are all pretty cool, unfortunately the DVD lacks a "Play All" function.

If you want to hear a couple other tracks then check out their MySpace page.

Sunday

Hey, it's Sunday and I don't have to work! Weird I know, and I didn't even ask for it off. Cody had the day off too and basically we pretty much did nothing. We were going to hit Joey's for breakfast, but it was closed. Noooooo!!! We then went over to the Sunnyside community center because every Sunday they have a crappy flea market. I ended up getting a couples 45's and the Ramones Subterranean Jungle LP. The guy said he'd bring more stuff next week, but I'll probably end up working won't be able to go. Sorry dude!

On the way home we stopped by what used to VHQ, but I think they changed their name to Movie Gallery. The store is closing and everything is for sale, and when I say everything I mean everything! They are selling the movie racks for only $10 each! That is so cool, I really wish I had the room for one. I don't even have room for my movies right now, that's why they're all in binders. Maybe one day... I picked up three movies, Power Ranger Dino Thunder Vol 1, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and the Chuck Norris double feature Missing in Action II: The Beginning/Braddock: Missing in Action III. MIA III was the better movie despite the presence of a bunch of kids. It's directed by Chucks' brother, Aaron Norris who just takes the action over the top and blows up a bunch of stuff. After all being a Chuck Norris movie that's pretty much what we expect! That and Chuck breaking necks in stealth mode and off the top of my head he does it like 6 times. Classic!

Also, I am sick. I went to the doctor on Friday and he said I have strep throat. I thought you needed to do a test to confirm strep throat. All he did was jam a giant popsicle stick down my throat and told me to say "Aaahhhh." Which I did after gagging and nearly throwing up. I guess he's either a good doctor or my throat was really really bad. He gave me a prescription for some cheap penicillin, and I think I may be getting better. It's hard to tell.

Money in the bank!

See I told I had that had those belt buckles. The A-Team buckle still has the original belt on it, so it must be worth more, probably like $5000. Yes!

Not too much going on here. Soon as I arrived back in Calgary last Friday I started to feel sick and now I'm totally sick. It sucks. I had yesterday and get today and tomorrow off, so hopefully I can recuperate with the time off.

Yesterday I slept in and popped in my two new Wii games I got for X-mas, Super Mario Galaxy and Medal of Honor: Heroes 2. I only played Mario very briefly, but was left somewhat dizzy. The rest of my time was spent playing Medal of Honor. The controls were weird at first, but once you get used to them it's was better. Unlike other systems where you can just sit back and play, you have to work a bit more making gestures with the Wii-mote and nunchuk and stuff. One mission has you waving the remote around in front of you acting as a mine detector as you navigate your way through a minefield. I died.

The shotgun is always a fun weapon, but it's a pain in the ass on the Wii. After you shoot you have to "pump" the shotgun by flicking the nunchuk. If you don't then there is no shell in the chamber and you can't shoot. Other games this is all done automatically, so there were a few times when I've capped somebody and then run into a fire fight and went to shoot someone and forgot to pump the shotgun...oopsie!

The game seems kinda of short and I only have three missions left to finish the game. There is also the Arcade mode which is a on rails shooter that goes through the game. The arcade is as good as other shooter of it's kind like RE: Umbrella Chronicles or Ghost Squad and it's not even the main game, it's like an extra. You don't have to worry about controlling your character, just shoot anything that moves.

I know Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 isn't a cutting edge first person shooter like games on other systems like Halo 3, but it's still lots of fun and I prefer the sound of actual real world guns to the "pew pew" of spacey futuristic shooters. Did I mention I got the award for 100 headshots after 4 missions? Haha!