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RANDOM PIC 1More from this series(e32k3/boothbabes) 
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Holy Shitballs! It's Mr. Domino!!!
I am Anotherfluke
Does anyone out there have a gamertag? Want to share? Because it had to be said!
Happy Birthday Tina! I LOVE YOU!!! I'd better get at least one!
Crush this person!
Get your own ThisCrush.com CrushTag!
*looking at justawave* Awesome. Just Awesome
Fog is gone! Me too!
Finally! For the first time this week, the fog has lifted! I have been working against a white sheet for the past day and a half. It's still very f... (no title)
So does this thing track people that have visited my LJ page? I should get at least two hits then :)
Create your own visitor map!
Lost Moments
Ok, so I know there's a lot of haters out there now, it being fashionable to not like Lost anymore and all. But if you have been paying attentio... Totally original post.
This wholly original and not copied from anywhere post was entirely thought up by me. I have retroactively granted Kim and Eric permission to co... More Snow and Sun
I love it! Two posts in one day OMG!
Thanks to my sweetie for this bit of wonderful news!
Smashing Pumpkinds MySpace
Smashing Pumpkins Awesome news
Here's hoping their new album sounds more ... Snow and Sun
I see rain and sun from time to time, but I think this is probably the first time I've seen snow and sun. I might have a picture for y'all shortly...... Oh Pacific Northwest! I thought you knew better.
So I heard this on the radio heading over to the Park'n'Ride this morning, and I felt sorry for the 100 or so people who had suffered from Carbon Mono... DUMP!
Embittered as I was from being denied the ability to take sunset photos, I felt the urge to get outside and take some pictures today. I should've gon... So yeah.
You know that crane that fell down in bellevue last night? It landed on one of our buildings. No calls yet, though.
RSS display by CaRP
| Gamertag | Leisure | 2007-06-13 13:50:30 | By: Anotherfluke | View Comments | Post A Comment | Pink Godzilla! And Job! | Life | 2006-06-21 11:05:00 | By: Anotherfluke | Pink Godzilla's new website is live! If you haven't heard, I designed (and continue to design) the new Pink Godzilla website. I didn't do the graphics mind you, but rather the actual coding. I also did their online store, which is scheduled to go live on July 1st. http://www.pinkgodzillagames.com Please check out the site and give me some feedback! Also, I started my new job this week. It's downtown, and I think my favorite thing about this job is the view. It's on the 53rd floor, and my office has a window:  Here's the office. I share it with my supervisor, but he leaves for the day at 10am.  The view directly behind my computer. Hi Kim!  There's Mercer island and Bellevue. Hi Tina! | View Comments | Post A Comment | Let the Excitement Officially Begin | Travel | 2006-05-01 01:30:51 | By: Anotherfluke | Aw yeah.
 | View Comments | Post A Comment | Silent Hill Review | Movies | 2006-04-21 03:59:01 | By: Anotherfluke | So I saw Silent Hill with Stephen, Nikki, John, Colin, and Parker last night. It was alright. So, there were no previews until the night before the show opened, which is usually a bad sign. As we settled in to watch the movie, Stephen got his Brain Age on, and we all talked about what we thought the movie was going to be like. The movie moved very quickly into the meat of the story, which is Rose taking her daughter Sharon (Sly little Grapes of Wrath reference there) to the town of Silent Hill, the place where Sharon was orphaned before being adopted by Rose and her husband Christopher. Rose hopes that going to Silent Hill will help solve whatever is plaguing Sharon's dreams. A short chase scene lands Rose and police officer Cybill in Silent Hill, and just as in the game, the town is deserted and gray. Here is where the movie gets a lot of things right. The town is taken almost directly from the game. It really has an excellent feel for the atmosphere of the game, and this ambiance translates very well onto the screen. I noticed that a LOT of camera angles and incidental scenes are taken straight from the game (particularly the streets, hospital, and hotel areas), and it is very cool to see those scenes so accurately recreated in the movie. Consequently, the cinematography for the scenes that are designed to create atmosphere are very well done and draw you in quite well. Certain puzzle elements are also taken from the game as the mysterious girl from the posters (who also incidentally looks just like Sharon) leads the protagonists along with clues and puzzles reminiscent of the game. As the movie's plot begins to unfold, we learn that ***Spoiler***The ashen Silent Hill inhabited by the Rose, Sharon, Cybill, and the townspeople (who show up later in the movie) is not exactly on the same plane as this world***Spoiler End***, and this gives the movie a little more lenience to use this style of storytelling. Even the soundtrack from the games is used, often to great effect (though sometimes it feels a little light), and little touches like the radio emitting static when the creatures are near add to the movie's atmosphere while staying true to the game. Speaking of the creatures, almost every creature that appears in the movie is appropriately grotesque, and the scenes where "the darkness" overcomes the town are chilling, and done extremely well. Pyramid head in particular is a great monster, but all of the scenes involving scary or violent images are entertaining and will satisfy all moviegoers who are in it for the gore and horror. Where the movie gets a lot of things wrong is the dialog and the scenes not taking place in Silent Hill. Several times throughout the preview the audience laughed at cheesy or obvious lines (One of the characters muses "Something Terrible has happened here" about three quarters of the way through the movie) that feel like the director is hand-holding the audience or trying to explain some plot element. These characters-stating-what-they're-feeling bits and inappropriately docile comments at emotionally charged moments really give the movie a late-night B-movie feel, and the often hammy acting doesn't help. ***Spoiler***The townspeople, in an otherworldly lynch-mob chic, act like they are on stage in a theatre production, often having exaggerated actions and fluid, billowy movements that look like they are trying to be scary.***Spoiler End***. Another issue is the subplot with Christopher, as he tries to discover the town's mysterious past. The movie occasionally switches to Christopher's house, the neighboring town, and his attempts to locate the town records as he runs afoul of the local law. There are little hints along the lines of a dark secret that is being covered up, and of the locals disliking "city folk", and of conspiracy. ***Spoiler***But none of it ever goes anywhere. You get the impression that Christopher is supposed to be a good husband and guy, but he comes of as disturbingly stoic and his role is ambivalent at best. The Police investigator he goes up against appears to be hiding Silent Hill's dark secret (which Christopher never learns), but he has absolutely no reason to hide anything, nor does anyone in the neighboring town.***Spoiler End*** The whole subplot feels tacked on (which it was. Sean Bean's character was added because the studio felt the movie needed a male presence), and never affects the actual storyline. It doesn't help that the cinematography during the subplot is dull and uninspired. I've heard comments that the ending and general plot are confusing, but I never had any difficulty understanding what was going on. I've only played Silent Hill 2, which the movie adopts heavily from, but I've been told that elements from at least the first three games are used. I never beat SH2, and it never explained anything to me, and I was still able to easily understand what was going on, and what the ending meant (***Spoiler***The ending, by the way, is pretty good I thought. The final showdown is neat, but the movie thankfully doesn't go for the quick and happy resolution.***Spoiler End***) With a better script, and better acting, this movie could have been good or even great. As it is, Silent Hill is a faithful translation of a game: good story, great atmosphere, cheesy dialog, and poor acting. | View Comments | Post A Comment | Loooong overdue post | Life | 2006-04-18 10:02:35 | By: Anotherfluke | Not much to say, really. I didn't really feel like typing out 3,000 words, so I'll let the pictures do the talking:
My new favorite thing:) It's really awesome, and yes I know it's just a big box. Boxy but good (bonus points if you know where that line is from)
  | View Comments | Post A Comment | Me and My Katamari: First Impressions | Leisure | 2005-12-23 04:56:06 | By: Anotherfluke | Me and My Katamari first impressions
Alright, spent about an hour with this game, and I am totally satisfied with this purchase. Let me start off by saying that Namco did an excellent job translating Katmari to the PSP. There is virtually no loss in quality of gameplay and environments in the move from console to portable system. Aside from a couple of small details, Me and My Katamari is an excellent first pick for my PSP.
 The save data screen; dogs bark out the katamari theme.  The "menu" area.  Each level begins by the Prince talking to an animal with a request.  Each level also begins with the Prince flinging himself cartoon style into the King's crotch!  Just starting out.  Before the pause. Note the katamari.  after the pause. Keep in mind that the game didn't remove the buildings, I rolled them up. The major difference is that the rolled up buildings have disappeared from the katamari, NOT from the playfield.  Peaceful city...  Ohhh No! There goes Tokyo! Go Go Katamari! | View Comments | Post A Comment | Me and My Katamari | Leisure | 2005-12-22 10:41:13 | By: Anotherfluke | Picked up this bad boy today with Kelcey (click for larger image).
 The Prince's head is actually a PSP case that was a gift for preordering. | View Comments | Post A Comment | I Got Wanged... | Site Maintenance | 2005-12-20 04:38:59 | By: Anotherfluke | ...or at least my LJ did. A little while back I posted Tina's and my pictures up on LJ for all the world to see, and now, all the world can see it! Pretty exciting stuff, I guess. I'm curious to see how my host handles the load, which actually should be pretty small considering the size of the pics. Aside from that, nothing new to report, except that we are currently looking for sponsors for the Northwest Classic Gaming Expo which is going to be this February, so if any of you from the PA site are reading this, post a comment and let me know if you're interested in helping out :) It's a really grassroots thing, usually put on buy 4 or 5 guys who just want to have a place for retro gamers to gather. So between that and Sakura-Con (and Tina of course), I don't have much time left this month for games :( ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | King Kong | Movies | 2005-12-13 12:48:21 | By: Anotherfluke | Just got back from King Kong, and I really, really enjoyed it. The movie was 3 hours long, and Peter Jackson put most of the time to excellent use. The effects and action are the big draws in this movie. Unfortunately some of the characters lack charm, in particular Jack Black's character. As the filmmaker who seeks the mysterious Skull Island for his film, Black thankfully doesn't overpower the screen, but sadly just feels like an unfunny Jack Black. The other two main characters, Adrien Brody and Naomi Watts, both played their parts well, but the chemistry between the two never really appears. Not for lack of trying; Jackson spends a good 40 minutes setting the scene and giving the two plenty of material to work with, but aside from a few sidelong glances and some shared sentiments (that are never shared together), the two might as well have been just friends. It is a testament to Jackson's directing that you can feel from the camera work, score, and pacing the way each scene is supposed to feel, but the actors just don't seem to be on the same page. Conversely, some of the scenes (for example when the ship encounters fog) feel off, particularly whenever the camera's framerate drops to about half, and in these scenes, the actors pick up the slack. Some of the fat could have been trimmed from the early parts of the film not because it is unnecessary, but because it just doesn't work. However once the gang arrives on Skull Island, it doesn't really matter anymore. I'm fairly certain that everyone is familiar with the general plotline of King Kong, but I think it is fair to point out that I'm going to talk about some general plot points and other things that have already been mentioned in the commercials and press junket but might still be spoilers for those who haven't followed the new movie or seen the 1933 original. First of all, we all know that the film crew goes from New York to the mysterious Skull Island, and returns to the Big Apple with monkey in tow. Both SI and 1930's NY are recreated beautifully. Seeing deppression-era New York come to life is a visual treat, and the many arial shots of the city sans skyscrapers and modern architecture are as stunning as the mysterious Skull Island. The island is a character unto itself, and compares with Kong for the sheer amount of richness and individuality. You have probably heard that there are dinosaurs and other mysteries on the island, but the full extent of the wonders contained on the island are left for you to discover as you sit galvanized through the fulfilling second act. Action reigns while on the island, and from the moment it seeps out of the fog, the movie takes hold of your senses and doesn't let go. Like Watts, you are gripped and whirled around the island from one harrowing scene to the next until finally, when you can't take any more, the movie loosens its grip on you just long enough to think you can relax, then repeats the tumult until you resign yourself to the viscera and go along for the ride. Jackson has created an incredible action adventure. Near perfect digital work helps to carry much of the wonder of the movie, and when it falters, the quality of scenework and choreography carry it further still. Were it not for the occasionally stilted performance or direction in the beginning, King Kong would have been a perfect movie. As it stands, it is still an incredible ride, and a worthy successor to Jackson's Lord of the Rings Trilogy. | View Comments | Post A Comment | Being sick sucks | Life | 2005-11-05 12:31:59 | By: Anotherfluke | I am officially sick. I slept for almost 11 hours last night, and my stupid nose won't give me a moment's rest. So in retaliation I've planned a list of low-key, low-energy plans this weekend, including the super-exciting activities of: Cleaning out my ToDo list in Outlook! Cleaning out my Mailbox in Outlook! Transcribing Notes for Sakuracon! Changing the water in my fish Tank! Laundry! Playing God of War! Eating chewable Vitamin C tablets! Playing Metal Gear Solid 3! and many more! Take that, cold! I'la and Kelcey are moving into I'la's new place today, and I wish I could help them, but I don't want to get more sick or get them sick. Good luck in your new place Ira! | View Comments | Post A Comment | Free Serenity Movie Tickets! | Movies | 2005-09-23 10:56:42 | By: Anotherfluke | Remember Northwest Retro, and how I mentioned that you can get a free pass to see a sneak preview of Serenity on Monday? Well, I'm also running a contest at the website for two people to win prize packs. You know, T-shirts, hats, that sort of thing. www.nwretro.org Tell your friends. Seriously. I get like 3 visitors a day right now. Your chances of winning are very very good. ps- if you've been listening to my podcasts, you have a strong advantage! ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | Bride of Podcast | Life | 2005-09-19 04:06:04 | By: Anotherfluke | Tango Kilo Sierra 015 Serenity review Name Game Use It - The New Pornographers Exorcism of Emily Rose review Sleep Study Losing Light - Holopaw Lost Hawaii Bumbershoot Total Time: 33:31 RSS Feed for iTunes click here for the MP3 ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | Podcast Returns! | Life | 2005-08-29 12:31:43 | By: Anotherfluke | If you haven't been listening to my podcasts, this would be a good one to start with. I finally have the levels set so that you won't get blasted when it switches from my voice to a song, I finally have completely eliminated the high pitched whine that accompanied some of my podcasts, I have all but removed the overbearing popping and hissing, and I have some AWESOME music for you today. If you like KEXP, you should like today's music. Tango Kilos Sierra 014 Intro Welcome back Name Game Winner New Name Game Power Off! Song 1 - The New Pornographers Hot Pot On The Phone Bumbershoot Song 2 - Holopaw VMAs Song 3 - Super Secret Special Song! Outro Total Time: 17:55 RSS feed (for iTunes) Direct Link to File ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | CGE! | Life | 2005-08-24 10:29:26 | By: Anotherfluke | Kind of a weird podcast, I was feeling really out-of-it yesterday. Some good stuff in there though, especially the songs :) Also, am trying new hardware. I'm back to the USB mic, but I still don't like the extreme sensitivity to blowing and 'P' words, so I might try the regular mic again. Tango Kilo Sierra 013 Intro Glad to be back 30/16 Name Game - SFA Song 1 Today's Theme Ska - RBF - Covers - 80s Travel Song 2 CGE - Day one CGE - Music CGE - Free games Song 3 CGE - The party Song 4 Outro Total Time: 28:20 RSS File Direct Link to File ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | Swing Thursday! | Life | 2005-08-18 03:45:03 | By: Anotherfluke | I am getting really frustrated by that stupid high-pitched tone that appears throughout my podcasts. I do my best to get rid of it, but it seems to change frequency so I can just eliminate it in one shot. GRRR! That aside, I accidentally lowered the mic volume after the 2nd song, so watch out, the songs might startle you. Tango Kilo Sierra 012 Intro Swing Thursday! Sleep Study Song 1 - Indigo Swing Did I see that? Song 2 - Alien Fashion Show Singalong Song 3 - The Lucky Strikes Song 4 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Outro Total Time: 21:55 RSS Feed Direct link to file ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | 40 Year Old Virgin Review | Movies | 2005-08-18 03:41:13 | By: Anotherfluke | For those of you too wussy to listen to the podcast review I posted last week. The 40 year old virgin is comedy gold. I went into this movie thinking that I would get phallic imagery jokes and one over-the-top nerd meeting another over-the-top nerd for goofy nerd-on-nerd awkwardness. What I got was a surprisingly touching and realistic comedy filled with rank humor and more fuck, shit, cunt, and pussy than other, feebler PG-13 comedies have lulled me into accepting. If there was one good thing about the Wedding Crashers, it's that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson made it ok to have R-rated films again, and that is a good thing. Steve Carrell opens the movie as his character, Andy Stitzer, wakes up with all the morning wood you would expect from a 40 year old virgin. You begin to see all the trappings of a caricature: action figures in boxes, posed behind glass, the ultimate video game chair, and MST3K posters on the wall. As a former virgin and self proclaimed dork, I have a soft spot for nerds and was worried about whether this movie would pull most it's laughs from Carrell's hopeless-nerd lifestyle. I'm happy to say that 40 year old virgin pulls most of it's humor from the blatant absurdity that the pursuit of sex inherently holds. Carrell's 3 coworkers act out many of the different aspects and approaches to attracting the opposite sex, and impart their wisdom on their unwilling protege with eye opening and laugh-out-loud results. A lot of the movies best jokes come from the second act, including Carrell's tear-inducing chest wax (which he actually suffered through), and a speed-dating, um, revelation. The best line of the movie comes from the former scene (and is coincidentally ruined by the un-inspiring theatrical trailer. avoid the trailer if you can). What really made me enjoy this movie and not just find it funny, was Carrell's refusal to make his character a victim. Ever the lovable nice guy, Carrell gives Andy Stitzer an honest, unapologetic vibe that keeps him from becoming neither pathetic nor second-class, and allows the audience to identify with him rather than pity him. The 40 Year Old Virgin is one of the funniest movies I've seen this year, and it's R-rating and hilarious writing allows it's actors to give it a down-to-earth, screwball comedy feel that has been missing from most other gross-out comedies since the 80's. Go see it. | View Comments | Post A Comment | Ska Wednesday! | Life | 2005-08-17 02:26:08 | By: Anotherfluke | Ska Wednesday! 4 songs today, no R Kelly. I am having issues with Noise (Not the fan) and this microphone that is making the post-processing a pain (I have to go through and listen for a high-pitched whine and then remove it). I might try the USB mic again... Tango Kilo Sierra 011 Intro Ska Wednesday Name The Game Brief history of Ska Song 1 - Aquabats! Sleep Study tonight Song 2 - Investigators CGE - San Francisco Song 3 - Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra 1st Wave Song 4 - The Specials Outro Total Time: 26:15 RSS File Direct Link to file ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | Trapped In A Podcast part 5 | Life | 2005-08-16 02:09:05 | By: Anotherfluke | Today's music sounds fine, but the talking sounds a little processed because I had a fan running the whole time. You can't hear it in the podcast, but you can tell I had to do some noise removal. I'm leaving on Friday so probably no podcast that day, and same for Monday. Also, I learn today that the version of Trapped In The Closet that I have is censored! Check out the awesome "doot!" sound they use ^_^ Tango Kilo Sierra 010 Intro 80s Music day My Computer is Dying Name The Game! http://www.acidplanet.com/components/embedfile.asp?PID=561230&T=9117 Song 1 My Aunt Recorded everything Song 2 5th Grade song 3 CLOSET! CLOSET! CLOSET! Trapped In The Closet part 5 - R. Kelly Outro Total Time: 27:06 RSS Feed: http://www.kindstranger.com/podcast Direct Link to mp3: http://www.kindstranger.com/podcast/05-08-16TKS10.mp3 ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | Trapped In A Podcast part 4 | Life | 2005-08-15 04:31:47 | By: Anotherfluke | Alright here is today's podcast. I endured blistering heat in order to get this short update to y'all. No music today except for Part IV of the R. Kelly series. Oh yeah, and there is now a prize for the person who answers the name-the-game challenge. Give it a listen. Intro Sakura-Con BBQ Ramune! CD Swap Interview at Woods and Associates Kelcey's Podcast Trapped In The Closet Part IV Outro Total time: 14:49 RSS Feed: http://www.kindstranger.com/podcast Direct Link to the mp3: http://www.kindstranger.com/podcast/05-08-15TKS9.mp3 ~N | View Comments | Post A Comment | Less than a week... | Music | 2005-08-15 04:09:47 | By: Anotherfluke | ...to go before We head down to San Francisco for the Classic Gaming Expo! I'm working furiously to secure a date before Friday so the NWCGE folks will have a date to announce at the show, but I am not getting any response from the Holiday Inn yet.
Today's podcast will be up shortly. No music other than Part 4 of the Trapped In The Closet Series, and some different BG music.
I wanted to post some pics of the CDs that I got from last night's CD swapping party. You can listen to the podcast for the details of how it went down, but here are the photos.
Here is mine, hastily completed in just under 6 hours...
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