Monday, March 1, 2010

Forever Geek

Forever Geek

The Otaku Elimination Game

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 03:00 AM PST

If you've found yourself searching the net for something amusing to read lately, you might want to check out something called "The Otaku Elimination Game" here. The main purpose of the OEG is to weed out bloggers from the anime blogging community who use the term "otaku" incorrectly. As explained on their site, the original definition of an otaku was someone with an unhealthy obsession towards something (usually anime). Nowadays, however, it seems like anyone with a remote interest in anything related to anime is calling themselves an otaku. At some point the creators of OEG felt that enough was enough and started their campaign to separate the true otaku from the average fan.

Unlike elimination games that you find on TV, the OEG does not involve contestants running through obstacle courses for a chance to win some cash. Instead, they search the internet for any and all anime-related blogs that they can find and add it to their list of competitors. Every so often, they will then pick out 4 or more blogs from the list and put them on the chopping board. The team at OEG evaluates each blog by searching through it and determining whether or not it misuses the term otaku. Blogs that throw the word around everywhere are given the axe, while blogs with no mention of the word get to move on to Phase 2 of the game.

What makes the OEG site interesting to read though, is that unlike most people in the anime blogosphere, the team at OEG isn't afraid to criticize your blog by dragging it through the mud. They look at everything, including content, writing style, site layout, colour scheme, photography skills, and even who's on your blogroll. These guys tell it like it is, if they see a horribly layout, don't be surprised if they compare it to something that comes out the rear end of your dog. Think of them like Simon Cowell from American Idol and The X Factor, but for anime bloggers instead of performers. So if you're looking for something to kill some time and you enjoy seeing (or in this case reading) peoples' reactions to harsh criticisms, then give the OEG a shot. You might also find an interesting blog to follow in the OEG’s list of approved sites.

Rock-It – Speakers Everywhere

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 12:37 AM PST

I go on a lot of business trips, and along the way I’ve developed quite a collection of gadgets that I take with me. My iPhone is always handy so I don’t always need a dedicated iPod, but there are times when I’d rather hear the music through a pair of speakers rather than my headphones.

Meet Rock-It, a portable speaker system that turns ordinary objects into speakers. How does it work? Honestly, I’ve got no clue, I don’t have enough XP to understand it. But what I can tell you is that the device plugs into the headphone jack on your iPod/MP3 player, and then there’s a corded device with a sticky surface that pulls out on the other side. You pull it out and stick it onto any surface – although they say that boxes and flat surfaces work best – and then play your music. The only other thing it needs are a pair of AAA batteries or a spare USB port.

On paper, this seems like the craziest idea ever. But when you see the video on their site, well, it makes you a believer. Better yet, for only $49.99 it can be yours.

Classic Clash of the Titans on Blu-Ray March 2nd

Posted: 28 Feb 2010 11:43 PM PST

One of the first movies I ever saw that pushed me down the road to geekdom was the original Clash of the Titans movie. I was pretty young when the movie first came out, but it was played so often on the TV that I must’ve watched it 100 times before I turned 10. The at-the-time amazing special effects and Greek hero storyline sucked me in and made me a believer.

The movie featured a lot of big names for the time, including Laurence Olivier. This is the movie that made Harry Hamlin a household name, and through the 80s, he was a pretty big star. Now, not so much. But hey, give the guy a break, there have been bigger Hollywood losers than him.

The big deal with this story though was the special effects. Ray Harryhausen was the stop-motion expert who turned the film into reality, and made those fight scenes with the giant monsters look so realistic. Sure, they were no Star Wars, but they were no Star Trek, either. Put this movie in my top 5 Sci-Fi with old-school FX, along with Flash Gordon.

Well come Tuesday, it’s available on Blu-Ray for the first time. I’m not quite sure how well stop-motion will translate in pixel-perfect clarity, but I, for one, will be adding it to my collection for sure.
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