... which, I think, is uniquely Canadian in how the local media empires have gone completely apeshit mad in how they deal with it. It started a couple years back when one party decided, and I forget who fired this shot, that they were going to start covering the "event" from like 11 in the morning with a dedicated crew of "analysts", then the other responded with "screw that, we're going at 8 AM!", which was quickly matched and pushed to 7 as people just lost all sense of perspective in their collective houses.
So, now we've got two sports networks tying up an entire day with talking heads sitting behind a desk waiting for something to happen in an effort to be "first". Admittedly, this is probably quite profitable - it's all shot single camera on existing sets with folks they're already paying to be there - but it's just overkill and there's not enough to talk about as evidenced by the fact that TSN is currently sitting around debating who's going to be on the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team from the NHL in 2014... With three years worth of player collapses, rookie draft stars, and injuries, I'll place a safe bet right now that they're blowing hot air on at least half the names.
Meanwhile, over on Sportsnet we're going to double up on the advertising stream by having everything be sponsored on large LCD monitors beneath their experts - hey there Molsons, Gatorade and that infamous long term supporter of Hockey and sports in Canada: Boston Pizza...
Flipping back to TSN a bit we're treated to playback of a clip show from last year in an effort to make these things look like they're actually eventful, "action packed" live video footage of people doing laps at a free skate practice in Edmonton and we're about to hold a telephone interview with Scott Niedermayer on how awesome it was to win a gold medal last year!. And you thought Anime filler episodes were bad.
Throughout this both networks maintain a Countdown clock running on your ticker bar at the bottom of the screen. In a perfect world, that would indicate both the passing of the deadline and the end of this slog. In reality, it's going to signal the point where the next set of analysts is going to be added in and we're going to spend another 2-3 hours summarizing everything we've just heard said for the last 8.
Oh, how cute... Sportsnet has a webcam in the Leafs "Situation Room". We get to periodically see 5 "important people" sit around a table staring at AIM on their laptops while keeping them facing away from us so we can't see which porn sites they're browsing on the side. This is exactly as informative and entertaining as it sounds.
TSN Sportscaster James Duthie, semi-joking, to Peter Chiarelli, Boston GM: "I'll try not to let myself be bitter that all your trades the last couple weeks have left us with nothing big to talk about today". Yes, because it's the GM's Job to give you good TV.
Anyways, I think I'm done here because this level of network coverage has long since crawled up it's own arse seeking to make itself feel like it's important when the reality is that it's just drawn out and pointless. 90% of it could be solved entirely with the Ticker Bar and we could easily go back to the deadline roundup shows that existed before and no one would notice. Mostly, I think it exists because we've spent a good part of the last couple decades drowning ourselves in the idea that Hockey is our national sport despite the reality that, for financial reasons, parental and bureaucratic bullshit, and the simple reality the fewer kids want to get up at 5AM to practice before school anymore, it's been declining in participation for that entire time.
Maybe we need to start defining ourselves more broadly and stop pigeonholing ourselves into doing stereotypical bullshit like this.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
WoW: 4.1 - Oooooohhhh.... More Trolls....
Sooo... 4.1 sees Zul'Gurub and Zul'Aman become 5 Man Heroics and return their respective mounts, including the War Bear, with slightly modified models to differentiate from the originals. Time to get your gear in order if you want to chase them because you're gonna need a 346 average iLvL to get in.
This is part of their effort to give non-raiders something... raid-ish to do and, assuming they keep the boss counts of their original forms, definitely stands to give folks a decent little time sink when they pop. Also, Epics. Finally, a Maelstrom Crystal farm.
On a more personal note, this:
This is part of their effort to give non-raiders something... raid-ish to do and, assuming they keep the boss counts of their original forms, definitely stands to give folks a decent little time sink when they pop. Also, Epics. Finally, a Maelstrom Crystal farm.
On a more personal note, this:
Fire Nova has been redesigned and decoupled from shaman Fire totems. Instead, it now pulses that same area-of-effect from each target that is afflicted by the shaman's own Flame Shock debuff. It now damages all enemies except the target hit by Flame Shock. The ability's cooldown has been reduced from 4 seconds, down from 10.makes me very happy inside.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
FiM: Yeah... Because this is Going to Happen...
Watch this video, which is... well... not pornographic but probably of questionable Work Safeness depending on who comes in the room.
Ok...
Yeah.
Now, I know the game is apparently a European Only release... and I know Europeans are stereotypically "liberal" when it comes to sex... but... really? Someone thought it was going to be profitable to make a make-out/sexually flirtatious party game for the Wii? This either speaks to the enormous baseline cost/profit ratio of the "Party Game" genre... or... someone's really desperate to get laid.
Dirty Minds amongst a group of mutual friends is one thing but I'm honestly not sure exactly where you'd find enough guys with girlfriends who want to get together and play a spanking mini-game outside of a BDSM convention and they'd probably find this too tame. Meanwhile, the "choose your own adventure" closing pitch that you're all gonna head off to an orgy/wife swap/stand around lonely while the girls go Lez afterwards is just... wow... dreamland would be an understatement.
This is the type of game someone brings out in a Revenge of the Nerds movie, the guys go "yeah!", and the girls look at each other like: "why the fuck are we dating these idiots?", while heading out of the room. Or, in a more recent genre, the point where Alyson Hannigan interjects and wonders why you're not just cracking open her collection of Japanese Se... err... "Dating Simulators".
I say this because the whole thing, as presented in the video, is otherwise so innocuous, graphically non-pornographic and dumb enough to have originally been a 12 year old's first mixed gender "kissing closet" party game repackaged as something fun to do for "Adults". Why? Because some idiot somehow decided stuffing a Wii controller into your butt-crack and spanking it would be a fun game mechanic so it has to be or else someone will scream about what's being sold to kids. So, we get this bullshit ad campaign as a "It's intended for Adults, and parents should control their kids", cover to hide behind when it gets into kids hands anyways.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not remotely a "all video games are for kids" guy. But, when you're attempting to game the system this poorly, I'm not gonna get in line to call a spade a rake either.
Ok...
Yeah.
Now, I know the game is apparently a European Only release... and I know Europeans are stereotypically "liberal" when it comes to sex... but... really? Someone thought it was going to be profitable to make a make-out/sexually flirtatious party game for the Wii? This either speaks to the enormous baseline cost/profit ratio of the "Party Game" genre... or... someone's really desperate to get laid.
Dirty Minds amongst a group of mutual friends is one thing but I'm honestly not sure exactly where you'd find enough guys with girlfriends who want to get together and play a spanking mini-game outside of a BDSM convention and they'd probably find this too tame. Meanwhile, the "choose your own adventure" closing pitch that you're all gonna head off to an orgy/wife swap/stand around lonely while the girls go Lez afterwards is just... wow... dreamland would be an understatement.
This is the type of game someone brings out in a Revenge of the Nerds movie, the guys go "yeah!", and the girls look at each other like: "why the fuck are we dating these idiots?", while heading out of the room. Or, in a more recent genre, the point where Alyson Hannigan interjects and wonders why you're not just cracking open her collection of Japanese Se... err... "Dating Simulators".
I say this because the whole thing, as presented in the video, is otherwise so innocuous, graphically non-pornographic and dumb enough to have originally been a 12 year old's first mixed gender "kissing closet" party game repackaged as something fun to do for "Adults". Why? Because some idiot somehow decided stuffing a Wii controller into your butt-crack and spanking it would be a fun game mechanic so it has to be or else someone will scream about what's being sold to kids. So, we get this bullshit ad campaign as a "It's intended for Adults, and parents should control their kids", cover to hide behind when it gets into kids hands anyways.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not remotely a "all video games are for kids" guy. But, when you're attempting to game the system this poorly, I'm not gonna get in line to call a spade a rake either.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
TotD: You know it's getting late when...
... you're sitting in front of the computer trying to decide which enchant you should put on your weapons - hmm... should I splurge on Landslide or just roll double Avalanche... why isn't EJ offering me any advice on this?
For a Death Knight.
For a Death Knight.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
TotD: Ok, you got me AdSense
I totally would date an Asian girl. I'm not, however, interested in importing one. Plz adjust your filters accordingly. Thanks.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
RftP: Spring Movie List
Yeah, this has been kinda quiet lately - mostly because there's been very little I've been absolutely sold on seeing. Sooo, quick rundowns on things I probably will see in the next 3 months... and some stuff I'm gonna avoid like the plague. Note that since it's essentially a list of things I'm interested in, it's not remotely all-inclusive.
March
Starting on the 4th, I'm totally catching Rango and The Adjustment Bureau; the former because the trailers have been awesome and the later 'cause it's Matt Damon in a sci-fi action/thriller which tends to be a good mix.
The 11th brings us Battle: Los Angeles which I might see simply to contrast it against Skyline, the movie accused to have ripped off the premise from and paid for itself by doing the CGI work for the former. Disney's next CGI flick, Mars Needs Moms, might grab my attention too.
On the 18th, Limitless looks like good fun, though my gut tells me I can run off the plot points right now. Paul, featuring Simon Peg and Nick Frost on the run with an Area 51 Alien might be more down my path.
The end of the month, 25th, brings Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch to screens and, given the dearth of anything else of note looking to play that week, is probably what I'll see if I go for anything.
April
Opens up on the 1st with Source Code staring Jake Gyllenhaal but, more importantly, directed by Duncan Jones who brought us the hugely under-seen sci-fi psychological thriller Moon. I'll be seeing this and probably nothing else this week because the rest of the sched outside of maybe Super looks dire.
The following weeks, 8th and 15th, looks like a dumping ground - there's an Arthur remake starring Russell Brand here and an attempt to resurrect the Scream franchise with a 4th instalment... While Hanna might be interesting this will likely be time off.
April 22 at least brings a film with an interesting premise, though I probably still won't see it. Apollo 18 jumps into the "found footage" horror genre with the idea that the mission actually happened, but what we found up there wasn't just rocks. I'd see it simply 'cause I like the concept, but I'm not really a shakey-cam scary movie guy.
Finally, the 29th brings us the 5th Fast and Furious movie which adds Dwayne Johnson to the cast and I'll probably see because I likes me a good car chase.
May
The 6th opens up the month, and kicks off the "Summer" with Thor. Yeah. Going. Because this is either going to be awesome or a clusterfuck of glorious proportions and I'm sure as hell not going to miss the chance at partaking in either.
Things look kinda dire until the 20th when we get the 4th Pirates movie: On Stranger Tides which, having finally shed the love story screen time Bloom and Knightley's characters demanded, promises us pure un-interrupted Captain Jack Sparrow; which may either be awesome or an overdose. Gonna see it and find out.
Next week, the 27th, brings The Hangover Part II which I'll probably see despite the reality that I'm not sure it's gonna hit as hard the second time through. Gonna find out though.
March
Starting on the 4th, I'm totally catching Rango and The Adjustment Bureau; the former because the trailers have been awesome and the later 'cause it's Matt Damon in a sci-fi action/thriller which tends to be a good mix.
The 11th brings us Battle: Los Angeles which I might see simply to contrast it against Skyline, the movie accused to have ripped off the premise from and paid for itself by doing the CGI work for the former. Disney's next CGI flick, Mars Needs Moms, might grab my attention too.
On the 18th, Limitless looks like good fun, though my gut tells me I can run off the plot points right now. Paul, featuring Simon Peg and Nick Frost on the run with an Area 51 Alien might be more down my path.
The end of the month, 25th, brings Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch to screens and, given the dearth of anything else of note looking to play that week, is probably what I'll see if I go for anything.
April
Opens up on the 1st with Source Code staring Jake Gyllenhaal but, more importantly, directed by Duncan Jones who brought us the hugely under-seen sci-fi psychological thriller Moon. I'll be seeing this and probably nothing else this week because the rest of the sched outside of maybe Super looks dire.
The following weeks, 8th and 15th, looks like a dumping ground - there's an Arthur remake starring Russell Brand here and an attempt to resurrect the Scream franchise with a 4th instalment... While Hanna might be interesting this will likely be time off.
April 22 at least brings a film with an interesting premise, though I probably still won't see it. Apollo 18 jumps into the "found footage" horror genre with the idea that the mission actually happened, but what we found up there wasn't just rocks. I'd see it simply 'cause I like the concept, but I'm not really a shakey-cam scary movie guy.
Finally, the 29th brings us the 5th Fast and Furious movie which adds Dwayne Johnson to the cast and I'll probably see because I likes me a good car chase.
May
The 6th opens up the month, and kicks off the "Summer" with Thor. Yeah. Going. Because this is either going to be awesome or a clusterfuck of glorious proportions and I'm sure as hell not going to miss the chance at partaking in either.
Things look kinda dire until the 20th when we get the 4th Pirates movie: On Stranger Tides which, having finally shed the love story screen time Bloom and Knightley's characters demanded, promises us pure un-interrupted Captain Jack Sparrow; which may either be awesome or an overdose. Gonna see it and find out.
Next week, the 27th, brings The Hangover Part II which I'll probably see despite the reality that I'm not sure it's gonna hit as hard the second time through. Gonna find out though.
Monday, February 14, 2011
TyL: I Think my Wedding's Gonna be Small...
... should I ever get around to it.
I mean, really.... budgeting $25000 and spending $60000? Yeah, you know what? I'd rather put a downpayment on a nice house with that money to celebrate and hold a little pot-luck family and friends wedding in the back yard.
More importantly, how does one "budget" $25K for the event and then simply not notice they spent $35K, including lump sums like $6K on the wedding dress and $3K on the tux, on top of that? That's not exactly chump money, that's mid-tier luxury car money. The thing about the story is that it's still so outrageously over the top in terms of the money that went out and was shrugged at that, even in comparison to the billionaire weddings the writer tries to counter-balance with, I honestly can't see that union being that of a box packer and cashier. More like Doctor and Lawyer maybe.
When the media tries to set the bar of "perfection" or "normalcy" this high, you begin to see why more folks are happily living common-law these days.
I mean, really.... budgeting $25000 and spending $60000? Yeah, you know what? I'd rather put a downpayment on a nice house with that money to celebrate and hold a little pot-luck family and friends wedding in the back yard.
More importantly, how does one "budget" $25K for the event and then simply not notice they spent $35K, including lump sums like $6K on the wedding dress and $3K on the tux, on top of that? That's not exactly chump money, that's mid-tier luxury car money. The thing about the story is that it's still so outrageously over the top in terms of the money that went out and was shrugged at that, even in comparison to the billionaire weddings the writer tries to counter-balance with, I honestly can't see that union being that of a box packer and cashier. More like Doctor and Lawyer maybe.
When the media tries to set the bar of "perfection" or "normalcy" this high, you begin to see why more folks are happily living common-law these days.
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