VHS is now completely dead

Saw this online and thought "Huh, thought this format had been dead for years..." Guess it finally is.


The last of the somewhat big distributor of VHS films has shipped the beloved (and hated) tape for the last time.

Ryan J. Kugler, co-owner of Distribution Video Audio, Palm Harbor, Florida said "It's dead, this is it, this is the last Christmas, without a doubt."

However, VHS had an amazing run and I'm sure it is a testament to the fact that DVD will also be here for many years. When a format becomes as main stream as DVD and VHS it takes some time to kill them completely off.

Source: CNET.

Another reason to fear baths...

Going Purple

Well Christmas came and went and I find myself not only going purple but enjoying it. For those of you not fascinated with the world of High Definition DVD you might not know what this means. When Hi-Def DVD came out a few years back there was 2 camps, the HD-DVD(which came in red cases and although they use the red laser lines like traditional DVDs, they also use the blue-violet lasers to allow for the High Definition) & the Blu-ray by sony,(which came in blue cases and does the same as HD-DVD but with more room available on their disks). Most people chose a side and they were then a member of the "red" team or the "blu" team.

I waited until early this year when HD-DVD made a bold push and lowered prices and offered a huge free HD-DVD incentive, and purchesed my first system. It was great and everything I read said this was a good choice. Although Sony only provided movies for Blu-ray; Universal, Paramount and Warner Brothers still produced HD-DVDs. If you have a High Def player you can upconvert all your standard DVDs to "like" HD quality. So many of the Sony's I already had looked fine even if they weren't true HD copies. Then the evil empire, Sony, made a move to crush Toshiba and the HD-DVD line. They offered a bunch of cash to Warner Brothers to be exclusive Blu-Ray providers. At the time there were 2 exclusives on each side with Warner Brothers doing both, however, Warners Brothers did more in HD-DVD and preferred the format(especially since they helped perfect the technology). Another arguement is that a continued war between the two formats would end in both loosing, which is a good arguement as well, but we all know money pushed this deal through.

Toshiba cut it's loses and said no more, the other studios joined Warner Brothers and by April of 2008 no more real HD-DVDs were being made. This was ok because of the fire sales and the hope the Blu-ray would maybe come down in price, which it didn't at first. Enter a bad economy and Black Friday. Walmart has a decent Blu-Ray player for under $130, so I decide I want to get one now. I'll fight through the nonsense I've read about Blu-ray and get the new movies coming out that deserve a High Definition showing, ie Iron Man and Batman: Dark Knight.

I opened it a few days before Christmas. I was blown away...not just the picture but the sound was amazing. I watched Iron Man, Dark Knight, and Kingdom of Heaven and all 3 just sound like you are in the middle of the action. I love my HD-DVD player and movies but after 2 weeks I already have 11 Blu-rays and they all look and sound great. So no longer am I a supporter of red and I've never been on a soap box for Blu, nope now I am purple because I love them both.

Hernias are for wimps...

Monday, April 23, 2007

OUCH - WHAT'S BEEN A HAPPENING WITH ME Current mood: drained Category: loopy Blogging I haven't been on for a while so I thought I'd get on and whine. I went to the doctor last Tuesday and after a very uncomfortable search was told, "You have a hernia and lovely brown eyes". I then stumbled out of the office with a surgery date of Friday the 20th. I was stunned and a bit nervous. Well everything went ok and it turned out I had 2 hernias and lovely brown eyes, 1 was there at birth and finally just "blossomed" and #2 was working it's way out....I guess too many deep squat thrusts will do it to you. Now here is my whine...my f*ing crotch hurts! I had to remove my magical ball of dope yesterday. Actually Dawn removed it because I couldn't see it and although it didn't hurt and it was easy to do, I know it was the same as asking her to cut of my little finger or any other surgical procedure. That's true love for you! So anyways this ball is set to give me magical medicine every hour for about 50 hours. On top of that I also get some pain meds that are pretty good, but I'm starting to think advil would be just as good but only for one reason. I can't sleep on those pain pills. I sorta fade in and out, but I haven't actually slept much at all. It's more like time traveling...I'm doing something then it's 20 minutes later and I have no clue what just happened. It is very annoying to wake up every 20 to 40 minutes all night long. Although I don't feel totally exhausted so I must be doing something right. Now here is the worst part. At 2:30 in the morning yesterday I woke up with hiccups...that's right the affliction of all 10 year olds everywhere who need to be on ridlin, or however you spell it. Those bastards lasted til 4:00. They were so bad my wife woke up and tried to help me get rid of them like she does when Hunter gets them, although hearing Batman isn't my real father didn't scare me half as bad as it does him!:) After a few minutes of her helping I found myself having to lean over, kiss her on the head and apologize for leaving because there was a good chance one of us wasn't going to make it out of that room if I heard her say "shhhh" one more time. I was past the point of calm. I did greet her at 3:50 in the kitchen. I grabbed a kitchen knife and presented it to her, begging her to stab me in the chest. Anything to get it to stop. 10 minutes later a wall of pure hatred finally beat those air bubbles down and this "gentle giant" slept. Lucky for me, the meds give me crazy dreams when I do sleep so I can be on edge when I wake up. Hunter woke me up at 7:00, minutes after Dawn left. He startled the ever-living shite out of me and guess what...that's right the hiccups started immediately. I could have cried, but I didn't. No I got up turned on cartoons for my son, started the shower for myself, bit my lip to hold off the pain of a new hernia free day and curled into a ball and sucked my thumb until the water was at a temperature I could handle. Just kidding...but I'm not. So in the shower after both begging and threatening God, the evil hiccups stopped. Too bad I don't know which one I was doing when they relented, but really we all know it had to have been pity that spared me, right? I'm going to say no, I think he paused me to round up JC and the boys because really nothing is more funny than a man days after surgery with a handful of hours of sleep dealing with the hiccups as he tried to shower for the first time by himself since he was sliced open. They came back minutes later. I had them for another hour before, as I was leaving the house with Hunter, God took pity on me and they left for good, crossing my fingers. I have a follow up appointment with the doc on Thursday, my birthday, and I wonder if he'll be able to explain why I only seem to get a fever when I take the pain medicine and what the burning pain that flashes through my lower thigh now and then is, but most importantly why they shaved "Harry Potter rocks!" on my crotch when everyone knows The Ring is King!

off my space

i am getting rid of myspace...one less thing to keep up with. Therefore I am going to post some of my previous blogs on this so I have them in one place. Oldie but goodies I hope.

All you liberal d. bags can suck it

This Picture is Worth A Million Words.

We truly take a lot for granted. Forget the football 'heroes' and movie 'stars.' Pass this on so that all may know the price of freedom.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,

Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.

One died for your soul; the other for your freedom.

Surprise!

Hard at work...or hardly working

That's what I wonder about blogging. In truth I started this as an attempt to get myself writing again; thinking if I wrote a couple of times a week on the blog, it might help me start writing fiction again. I am finding it a struggle to make myself write a few paragraphs now and then on the blog, not from lack of ideas, but simply from an inability to inspire myself to actually get up and do it. It's like a piece of my brain is shut off and I can't figure out how to turn it back on. As frustrating as it is, I am sure this is better than going through last years b.s. again. Even though this is a busy time of year, I am going to try and get 3 things a week posted. I guess my whining counts as the first post for the week, maybe I'll writing something useful or insightful next time...although probably not.

Check your penis at the door...

That should be posted on all movies made by Pixar. I don't mean this in a bad way; I'm not saying only girls should watch the greatness that is computer animated movies. What I am saying that traditionally us guys are not allowed to show any feelings but the brain dead ones attributed to all males throughout the world. Which is why guys get ragged on if they like say...oh I don't know...Pride & Prejudice. But I digress.

Now I admit I get choked up in certain movies, ie Armaggedon, and during sporting events,GO 49ERS! But somehow Pixar hits a nerve with me everytime now. I was reminded of their power this week while watching Wall-e with my son. Even if you don't have kids you should watch this movie. It is one of the best and most powerful love story I've seen in cinema...wow that sounds gay. Anyway, I found myself watching the movie with a dumb grin on my face as I see the love grow between 2 things that should not have feelings...robots of course. Now there are other things going on in the movie, attack on big business, pollution, obesity, etc...but once you get down to it, once the layers are pulled away...you have a love story.

I noticed the strength of Pixar after Hunter was born. I enjoyed Toy Story and Monsters Inc, but they were just movies at the time. I watched Finding Nemo on DVD into the first year of my son's life. And while I enjoyed the movie for all its humor and great story, I connected big time with the fear and do anything attitude Nemo's father displays in his quest to get his son. I remember feeling silly as I teared up at the end, my son in my arms, thinking how I too would be that one minded if anything happened to my son.

So I remembered this fondly as Wall-e ended and I thought how luck I was to have found my EVE, for those not in the know that is the robot Wall-e falls for. And I feel kind of silly because I'm not sure I'm telling her that enough lately. She was giving me a hard time for titling this "Lasagna for One", but for the record it's for "one" because we are sharing the plate(cutting costs)...love you honey.

If I didn't lose my pick up ticket, I need to get my penis back. I'll have to go watch a big blow up movie or something funny and brain dead. Hope my man card won't be revoked for this...

forgot login

Sorry to anyone checking the last week. Couldn't remember my login info, but I am back in business and will post something in the next day or so.

Birthday surprise

Well all worked out on Saturday. We had a handful of kids show up at the house after moving it from the park on the day of. He had a good time and the kids played for a couple of hours. The family birthday worked great on his actual birthday and he was super excited to have everyone come and share his 6th birthday. He told me later it was the best birthday ever. Of course he made out like a bandit, like most only kids do I would think, getting a Nintendo DS, some games, and tons of toys. He also got a really cool tommy gun that shoots darts and he likes to play this game where he runs and I shoot him, so this is perfect. We used to do it with a small dart pistol. This is way faster and harder for him to dodge so he thinks that is more fun. I just want to say thanks to everyone who could come and for sharing so much with Hunter. It means alot to him and to Dawn & I to have such special people sharing in his life. Yes, I am even talking to you Liz:)

For the love of God, make it stop...

I am in pain. It's the type of pain that started off as an ache and has graduated to a full blown owie. This because I was helping out a friend, seemed harmless enough, but I should have known better. I mean when a friend asks for a favor that involves hiding a body in the woods...wait different blog...I was asked to play softball on a co-ed team that needed more dudes. That is pretty weird because usually you need more chicks but whatever. I haven't played softball in nearly 15 years, but I've been exercising more lately so I thought no problem. I was more worried about reaction time and just remembering the 30 pages of rules that weren't enforced the last time I played.

Well #1 cold front came in last night. Oh and it decided to bring 30 mile per hour winds as well. It was cold, and I was miserable. Luckily once the game started it became tolerable. I played alright at first, caught most of the balls thrown to first. I was miserable at the plate: 1 walk, 1 force out, and thrown out at first. The sudden running to first, and the running of the bases has destroyed my creamy inner thighs and butt cheeks. They ache. And my right arm is dead, threw too much in warm up I guess, definetly wasn't in the game.

All in all I had a good time, and would help out again if needed. But I'm not sure it's worth it if I am going to ache like this. I think this proves one thing...I'm an old man.

blogging is hard

Since I have an audience of one is there any thing specific my target audience wants me to blog about. TV, movies, music, life, history, pets, family? Give me a topic and I'll see what I can come up with...

Worried Dad part 2

Should say not so worried. Weather report already has the temp up a little more, and we've had some parents say they are coming. Crossing my fingers and hope the weather is nice enough for everyone to come and for the kids to have a good time. We're going to have coffee and hot chocolate for everyone to help keep them warm.

Worried Dad

My son's birthday is next week and we have a family get together planned for that day. Weather will be nice, but won't matter because we will be inside. This weekend however we have planned to have a party at the park. We chose this because he had an invite list of 18+ kids and we thought it was either that or he was going to have to cut the list. He didn't want to cut anyone so the park was the best option. Well this Saturday will be cold, around 60 and we had to reserve the park area at 10 am. I am worried that for the first time in his short 6 years he is going to have poor turnout, and from talking to him, it seems like he's worried also. He says it will be sad if people don't come to his party. That really sucks...I hope there is a good turnout. I would hate to see him sad on the day he is supposed to celebrate his birthday with his friends.

You should be watching...

The Mentalist on Tuesday nights on CBS. This show is great. It's not an original idea, just a team that solves tough crimes, but it's the characters that make up the team. Although I enjoy all the characters, it is Simon Baker as Patrick Jane that steals the show. He has 100% charisma and really draws you into each episode. Even though I usually figure out the who in the episode, it is always entertaining to see how he will explain who done it. If you have to pick 1 show to try this season, check out an episode or 2 on line and see the best new show this fall.

KICK IN THE BALLS

Being a 49er fan is not easy. Every day I pay for the greatness of the 80s and 90s. What sucks is I was too young to understand that the 49ers wouldn't be great, or even good as I aged in the town of the cow.

I hated Nolen, coach of the 49ers until he was fired 3 weeks ago. I felt that he was a liar, an idiot, and not head coach material. I welcome the hard nose Mike Singletary and the benching of JT "Suckivan". I felt like the team was offering hope. Hope for a better team, hope of some direction, and hope of a win. Tonight they should have got it. Holy sh-t you have it on the 2 1/2 yard line and enough time to run 2 plays and they don't get it in. If you are going to run the ball, use #21 not your tiny little crappy piece of crap 3rd down back...and one more for good measure...CRAP!!!!!!!!

I'm almost glad I don't have the ticket anymore so I am not paying for weekly disappointment.

Wonder Hoax...crushing

As a fan of all things comics and being a major fan of Wonder Woman, I was excited about the news today...I think the picture says it all. I mean a picture is worth a thousand words and this one is worth double that.

My biggest fear with a Wonder Woman movie is a mis-cast. No offense but Beyonce or Angelina Jolie would be awful. They don't capture the spirit of the character. Wonder Woman isn't just hot, there's more to it than that. That being said, she darn well better be hot and for the record Megan fox is just that. I wouldn't even need to know the story or see one preview to want to watch Megan Fox for 2 hours as Wonder Woman. Makes me smile just thinking of how great that movie would be. Heck it would take all your will power not to slowly lower your pants and have at it, even while the rest of the theater is doing the same...creepy thought.

Then I saw someone else report it as a hoax. It is nothing more than a person with photoshop toying with us. I am crushed that the greatest thing since a computerized monster hobbit or a man in an iron suit or a green hulk of a man fighting in New York will not be. Cross your fingers and any other body part you think will help and let's get this done. If we can elect an African American to office, we can get the Wonder Woman wet dreams are made of...

Random movie thoughts

Go see Madagascar 2. If you have kids or don't. This movie was funny and filled with enough "adult" humor to make you forget that it was made for kids. It is one of the funnier movies I've seen this year.

Because 95% of the movies I see in the theater I see with a 5 year old, I am behind on most other movies. I see them when I buy them or if they are on TV. So I just finished There Will Be Blood. Is this movie for everyone? No. It is not something you sit down and watch when you are in the mood for a fun movie. That being said I loved it. I was captivated by Daniel Day-Lewis and find myself wondering why more people don't have him #1 on top actor lists. He is simply amazing. Paul Anderson has made a beautiful movie. It captures the early 1900 landscape beautifully and really makes you feel like you are in that time period. The dynamic between Lewis' character and his son is amazing and brutally honest as is the interaction Lewis has with everyone in the film. It is almost 3 hours long so either break it up for a couple of views or be prepared.

I also saw Get Smart this week. I really enjoyed that one, for sure. It was funny, with good writing and great acting from the main characters. This is a fun movie and one I've already seen twice this week. I am interested in the sequel and hope it comes out sooner than later.

Totally useless...

That's how I felt today at Midas. I took in the truck because I thought there was something wrong with the front breaks. Same something I thought was wrong before the Disney vacation, but worried would drain us of the money put aside for the trip. The break made a grind/squeak and had a "sticky, spongy" feel when applied, it went away though and I attributed it to the rain we had that day. Well it came back yesterday so I took it in.

I told them about the feeling, and was looked at like I had just cut a fart. I guess my complete and total inability to speak "car" showed. I left after being told I would get a call in about an hour. Now I have had nothing but bad luck from mechanics, they sense that I am unable to see through their bs. But Mr D and John both had good things to say about this Midas so I took a chance.

They called me within the hour and told me nothing was wrong with the front brakes. :)
It was the back ones that were totally F****d. So much so that one had to be completely replaced. They were also going to do an oil change and said it might be ready by 1. It wasn't cheap but this would be the 3rd vehicle with brake work done and it sounded about right. I was shocked when they called to let me know it was ready at 11:30.

Now here is the part where I felt useless, since I know nothing about cars. I get there and before I pay the mechanic takes me into the back to show me the damaged drum. First, I have no idea what a drum for a '99 Rodeo looks like, or any other car for that matter. He could have held up a snare drum and I would have been like "Ahh, I see the problem, it is damaged." Anyways he showed me a drum with damage, which truth be told I couldn't tell where since I didn't have a undamaged drum to compare it with. I nodded said uh-huh, thanks, and see ya later.

I wrote the check and left with my new drum...all that said, I was impressed with the Midas on Rufe Snow in NRH. They were fast, easy to deal with, and even tried to explain to me, the moron, what was done.

Dawn of a new age...

Or is it? Will we get the change we've been promised or has another politician won simply because he wasn't associated with the reigning party. I will be honest and tell you that I voted for McCain. I will also tell you I lean towards all things Republican and have trouble trusting or even believing anything the Democrats have to say.

That being said, I would be a liar if I did not say the Obama's acceptance speech did not move me; That for the first time since I started to pay attention, during the debates, Obama actually showed what a skillful and powerful speaker he really is. I found myself hoping that what he was saying was what he had meant to say all along. I know in the 2 debates/town meetings, I felt just like I did when I watched Kerry 4 years ago...the Democrat is lying to me.

I felt unease as I looked at his record and saw that of the 4 canadates, Presidential and Vice Presidental, Obama has the least experience. I was uneased by Obama's links to known radicals, terrorists, and American haters...most notably of "white" america. If McCain was known to hang out with members of the KKK, the entire Rebublican party would distance and he wouldn't have been able to sniff a chance at the Presidency. Funny how we've gotten to the point that racism is unexceptable...unless it's against white people. I know terrible things happened in the past and it should never be forgotten...but hate is hate and should be unacceptable no matter the color of your skin...I digress(this is for another day)

However, it matters not. The people have spoken and they have gone with Obama and his message of change. I voted today not because I knew my choice would win, but because any complaints I have in the next 4 years are hollow if I did not vote. I think in the long run, McCain and Palin would have offered more change. I'm not sure Obama is ready to be the man in charge. I hope so, because times are tough and we have a long way to go to make this country great again. I hope his words tonight weren't hollow, meaningless, fluff he was spouting off from memory, but the beginnings of the change he promises.

Obama said he is hoping to earn the support of those that voted for McCain. His speach tonight was a good start. Let's hope he can back them up...