Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Movies That Definitely Don't Suck-- The Expendables

WAY back in March of last year, I posted about an upcoming movie called The Expendables.  I hyped it as the greatest movie ever given its fucking sweet cast...


...But I had my doubts as to whether this glorious concept would ever come to fruition.  Well, the official trailer was released today and I had to change my pants after watching it.  If that fact alone doesn't speak volumes, feast your eyes on the trailer for what could be the sweetest action movie ever:

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

If you have a GameCrush account, Kill yourself.

Exactly one week ago, a new service launched, called GameCrush, where men can pay money to play Xbox Live with an "attractive girl."

Seriously, this is real.

Degenerate agoraphobics Interested, lonely men can sign up to the site and once there, choose from two options:

A) Play a simple Flash game against a "PlayDate", an attractive girl you can chat with via webcam.
OR
B) Join them in multiplayer over Xbox Live

A single game of either will cost you $8.25, with Xbox Live matches running for 10 minutes and Flash games for 6.  GameCrush is restricted to those 18 years old and over, and players can select one of two kinds of matches.

Direct quote from the site:
"We have created two broad categories, "Flirty" and "Dirty" to help the PlayDate define and match her mood of gaming interaction and experience with those of the players. You can choose either option or both depending on how you feel!"
Jesus Christ, ignoring the fact that paying for such a service ascends (or rather, descends) you to the 99th percentile of hopeless human beings- GameCrush reinforces every male and female stereotype.

Think about it.  GameCrush assumes that the bulk of gamers are heterosexual, male nerds who tremble at the sight of a real live woman and who have never developed the social skills to interact with women in person, so they need to purchase time with them in the only social arena they are comfortable.

At the same time, they assume female gamers are so rare that men would be willing to pay for the unique, previously-unknown pleasure of gaming with them.

So, in the GameCrush online community- everyone loses.  And I win. 

[Link: IGN]

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Monday, March 29, 2010

This Week in Review-- The Healthcare Bill


Yes, I know it's not breaking news- the healthcare bill passed a week ago.  But, do you know anything about it?  Any of the immediate effects?

Didn't think so.  But don't feel bad- studies show that only about 10% of people surveyed actually know what's in the legislation. 

So, Your Favorite Blogger's Favorite Blog (title revision^^) made a "top ten list" of the important features, especially immediate changes, of this historical bill:

1. NO MORE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
Health Insurers cannot deny children health insurance because of pre-existing conditions. A ban on the discrimination in adults will take effect in 2014.

2. SENIORS GET THE DONUT
Seniors will get a rebate to fill the so-called "donut hole" in Medicare drug coverage, which severely limits prescription medication coverage expenditures over $2,700. As of next year, 50 percent of the donut hole will be filled.

3.YOUNG ADULT COVERAGE EXTENSION
The cut-off age for young adults to continue to be covered by their parents' health insurance rises to the age 27. 

4. NO LIFETIME CAPS
Lifetime caps on the amount of insurance an individual can have will be banned. Annual caps will be limited, and banned in 2014.

5. + PREVENTATIVE CARE
 New plans must cover checkups and other preventative care without co-pays. All plans will be affected by 2018.

6. NO MORE RECISSIONS
Insurance companies can no longer cut someone when he or she gets sick.

7. CUSTOMER APPEALS PROCESS
Any new plan must now implement an appeals process for coverage determinations and claims.

8. MEDICARE EXPANSION TO RURAL AREAS
Medicare payment protections will be extended to small rural hospitals and other health care facilities that have a small number of Medicare patients.

9. NUTRIENT CONTENT DISCLOSURE
Chain restaurants will be required to provide a "nutrient content disclosure statement" alongside their items. Expect to see calories listed both on in-store and drive-through menus of fast-food restaurants sometime soon.

10. BETTER COVERAGE FOR EARLY RETIREES
The bill establishes a temporary program for companies that provide early retiree health benefits for those ages 55‐64 in order to help reduce the often-expensive cost of that coverage.


... and there you have it.  It's a long time coming in my opinion.  And for the record, whenever someone says that Obama is a socialist, I shut my brain off for the remainder of the conversation and my expression slowly defaults to the "Cam True Mag Face": 
The bill does not erect a huge New Deal-Great Society-style government program. In lieu of a public option, it delivers 32 million newly insured Americans to private insurers.  All the anger and rightwing extremism is simply because it's a major change.  It's the same kind of national existential reordering that roiled America during the Civil Rights movement in the 60's.  

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Monday, March 22, 2010

The Drought Is Over

The blog is back, baby.  So check this out- the futbol of the future:


The CTRUS.  It has no air, rather an inner elastic structure and an elastomer skin that perfectly simulates a real ball.  But more importantly, it will avoid many referee mistakes.

Here's how- electronic components in its nucleus which communicate wirelessly with control stations at the stadium:
- inner light, color changes at critical game situations (goal, offside and out of bounds).
- recording of kick force and travel speed.
- location of the ball relative to the court (interactive detection system via GPS / RFID).
- P.O.V. camera footage (software stabilized image).

 ...Pretty sweet but it still won't solve this problem:


*dead*

[Link: Gizmodo]

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Monday, March 8, 2010

"I Do My Thing" -- Best Song of 2010 So Far

This is the first leak off CuDi's sophomore album, Cudder: The Revolution of Evolution.  Why is this the best song of 2010?  Well, peep the checklist that I made for you skeptical bastids:

3/5 on the best song checklist?  Not bad at all.  No, it doesn't have that fat Palestinian DJ Khaled shouting, "WE THE BEST!!" (which would make it awesomely bad-- like a Keanu Reeves movie)  And no, Le Presidente de Conguero Poncho Sanchez doesn't incite a riot on the conga, but with all things considered-- dope song.  Ch-ch-check it out:

DOWNLOAD/STREAM IT HERE

Thank/Blame the (2)DopeBoyz

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