Thursday, October 31, 2013

Review of Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness

The Disgaea series, much like Final Fantasy, has never really one for direct sequels, opting instead for new stories and new takes on its setting of the Netherworld and generally I'd say the series has been all the better for it. But fans will be fans and apparently outcry was strong enough for the series to make a return to the original Disgaea so now we have Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness, a full on sequel to the first Disgaea game. But put away your hate sticks and mocking jokes of dress-spheres and pop singing priestesses because in standard Disgaea fashion this game is still quirkily good albeit in the exact same way that all the other Disgaea games are quirkily good.



Same to you Disgaea, same to you.

WWE Main Event results: Fight or Fright

Kofi Kingston vs. Ryback: WWE Main Event, Oct. 30, 2013Santino Marella vs. Heath Slater: WWE Main Event, Oct. 30, 2013The Great Khali vs. Fandango: WWE Main Event, Oct. 30, 2013Los Matadores vs. Los Locales: WWE Main Event, Oct. 30, 2013Kofi Kingston uses his words carefully: WWE App Exclusive, Oct. 28, 2013WWE Hell in a Cell 2013 KickoffKofi Kingston vs. Damien Sandow: WWE Hell in a Cell 2013 Kickoff



TAMPA, FLA. - On the night before Halloween, the WWE Universe was in for an action-packed edition of WWE Main Event. Kofi Kingston did his best to survive against the monstrous Ryback, while Heath Slater tried to avoid the venomous bite of Santino Marella's Cobra. Fandango came face-to-face with the Frankenstein-ish Great Khali and Los Matadores charged into action with the costumed El Torito by their side.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Cult Slasher Pic Sleepaway Camp To Receive 21st Century Makeover

Love it or hate it, the original Friday the 13thushered in the era of the promiscuous-teens-stalked-by-murderous-psychopaths/monsters-while-at-camp trend (more commonly referred to as the slasher pic), which prevailed in cinemas throughout the early eighties. One of the lesser-known entries to follow in Friday's bloody wake was the cult classic SLEEPAWAY CAMP, which is now getting a 21st century makeover courtesy of ex-Fox/New Line executive Jeff Katz.



Sleepaway Camp spins the wicked tale of Angela (Felissa Rose), who is spending her summer at the idyllic titular camp when a deranged lunatic begins offing kids at the campground in gruesome fashion. The film is notorious for its infamous twist ending which to this day, manages to shock and surprise.

Here be monsters: toons with bite

TWILIGHT, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, TRUE BLOOD AND TEEN WOLF MIGHT ALL BE POPULAR MODERN SPINS ON CLASSIC MONSTERS BUT FOR US PEOPLE IN OUR 30S THE SITE OF FOLK WITH FANGS AND SPROUTING HAIRS AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A FULL MOON WAS COMMONPLACE IN OUR SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS.



FANGFACE

Favorite All Hallows' Eve TV episodes

Take a break from scary movies and enjoy Halloween with your favorite TV characters.

ParenthoodSeason 2 - ep 6Orange alert

The officeSeason 8 - ep 5Spooked

Top 100: '80s Horror! (#10-1)

Finally, we arrive at the top ten and the very best, in my humble opinion, of '80s horror. I have to admit to feeling a little relieved that this project is over. I feel like a kid on Halloween night, half-asleep in his Batman costume, surrounded by candy wrappers, his belly swollen and his breathing labored.



I'm actually eating a mini Butterfinger as I type this. When kids love Trick 'r Treating but don't particularly care for candy, dad wins.

How to Build a Fame Monster

The following is excerpted from BLOCKBUSTERS: HIT-MAKING, RISK-TAKING, AND THE BIG BUSINESS OF ENTERTAINMENT, by Anita Elberse, published by Henry Holt & Co.



Standing backstage at Boston's sold-out TD Garden in March 2011 during Lady Gaga's smash-hit tour, the Monster Ball, her manager, Troy Carter, paused a moment to take it all in. "It is amazing how far we have come in such a short time," he said.

Beating an Undead Horse [ Halloween post! ]

People often ask me if I watch the series The Walking Dead. and I can see why they'd think I would.



On any given day, I'll probably be wearing a black shirt, my leather bracelet, and any number of articles of clothing adorned with skulls and the like.

'Salem's Lot

BARLOW SUGAR



'SALEM'S LOT

Is a Good Scare Bad? Or is a Bad Scare Good?

I've been a horror fan since shortly after, or .



However, I don't find a lot of modern horror to my taste.

Situation does not end here

Tropic Rock Snapbacks,



Situation does not end here; the fashionable accessory can be described as beloved headwear linked with people, just who behave like assorted modern sub-contract cultures like emo, history, skater and then which includes. You be certain of finding them. It is the best choice you each players man to have this one which will give you a great help while you have a competition. This is how the hair root is nourished and revitalized, helping it to grow strong and full. This kind of student is not popular.

PN Review: Super Castlevania 4

It's that time of year again. All Hallows' Eve. The time when the dead rise from the underworld to terrorise the living for one foul night. The balance of good and evil shifts as all manner of ghouls, ghosts and other ungodly creatures come out to cause fear oh and Super Castlevania 4 is released on the Wii U Virtual Console.



Super Castlevania 4 was the first outing of the series on the Super Nintendo, and certainly earned the "Super" title it was given. The game sees legendary Vampire Hunter Simon Belmont return as the playable character having been left out in Castlevania 3, and it's down to him to return Dracula to the land of the dead, yet again. All the familiar gameplay features one would expect are present in SC4. Whipping candles gives you hearts, which in turn provide attack points for your secondary weapons (an axe, a knife, holy water and a boomerang as throwing projectiles, and a stop watch to momentarily freeze enemies). Whipping the walls still occasionally offers up the stale old dusty pork chop for health. Yum, wall food! Similarities aside, what really sets the game apart from it's NES ancestors is the plethora of improvements that SC4 received.

Halloween Food For Thought

THE BELLOW ARTICLE WAS POSTED ON THE NAMI WEBSITE. I FOUND IT TO BE INTERESTING FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON HALLOWEEN.



ARE YOU HAUNTED BY HALLOWEEN STIGMA? HERE'S WHAT TO DO

Nintendo Download

Last week's Nintendo Download mostly featured Wii U retail games that were downloadable like Assassin's Creed IV and Batman Arkham Origins.This week is similar but with a couple notable Virtual Console releases; the main one being the infamous Super Castlevania IV for the Wii U Virtual Console.If you need help deciding if this game is worth checking out, head on over to our review of the game .



Also, the Wii Fit U trial starts tomorrow and the Wii Fit U meter goes on sale tomorrow as well.You can download Wii Fit U for free tomorrow and if you sync a Wii Fit U meter to the game, you'll be able to own the game forever.You can purchase the Wii Fit U meter via the link below:

Providence Kindles Love Of Horror Writer H.P. Lovecraft

An artists's rendition of pulp-fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft is just one example of the author's growing popularity.



The Lovecraft Anthology

Gungrave, Black Heaven

GUNGRAVE



The only cool thing about this anime is this picture.

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The Five Best Made-for-TV Horror Movies

What's Halloween without a post on classic fright films? This year, we are paying homage to the best horror films made specifically for television. And since this is a classic movie blog, all of our choices were broadcast no later than the 1980s. Hey, that's the classic era for made-for-TV movies anyway!



1. - A rare network TV-movie excursion into visual horror, Gargoyles opens with a prologue that explains the ancient creatures are the devil's offspring and are reborn every 600 years. They exist to "battle against man to gain dominion of the earth." This theme closely parallels horror writer H.P. Lovecraft's mythos, in which creatures known as The Old Ones lurk in a parallel world, waiting to regain control of this world from mankind. Set in Mexico, Gargoyles is a lively, entertaining film with solid performances by Cornel Wilde, Bernie Casey (as the lead gargoyle), Scott Glenn, and Grayson Hall (Dark Shadows, The Night of the Iguana).

Top 5 Horror Anime Series

THIS IS MY TOP 5 HORROR ANIME SERIES, REMEMBER THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. IF YOU DON\'T AGREE WITH THIS LIST YOU CAN COMMENT YOUR TOP 5 HORROR ANIME SERIES BELOW!



5.ZOMBIE LOAN

Cover Reveal: The Undertakers: Secret of the Corpse Eater, by Ty Drago

THAT BEING SAID, I AM EXCITED TO HAVE A HALLOWEEN DOUBLE HEADER. WE START WITH A COVER REVEAL FOR OUR MONTH9BOOKS BROTHER, TY DRAGO'S NOVEL THE UNDERTAKERS: SECRET OF THE CORPSE EATER (AND IT'S QUITE A COVER!). THEN, DON'T FORGET TO SCROLL DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH TRISHA HADDAD. BUT, FIRST THINGS FIRST...



Title: THE UNDERTAKERS: SECRET OF THE CORPSE EATER

Welcome to my 21st century sweatshop

+++lou.reed.reflected+++lou.reed.reflected+++.lou.reed.reflected.+++



"I'D PUT YOU IN THE MIRROR / I PUT IN FRONT OF ME"

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Red Sox close out Cards, clinch title at Fenway

VIDEO PLAYLISTRed Sox Win World SeriesFarrell A Champion In His First SeasonPedroia: 'Special Group Of Guys'Red Sox Redemption



BOSTON -- There hasn't been a party like this in New England for nearly a century.

Child's Play Blu-Ray + DVD Review

CHILD'S PLAY

DIRECTOR: Tom Holland

STARRING: Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, Brad Douriff

We Love Scary Movies And Horror Novels

Englund as Freddy Krueger (Photo credit: Wikipedia)



Once I saw the Stephen King movies, which are based on his novels they were frightening at the time. I have read The Stand and it left me at a complete scare. The movies from before like in the 80 s and 90 s aren't scary anymore compared to today's. At this point he is still writing horror novels, and his novels are much scarier. If you see today's horror movies you won't even try to come back home. It is that scary the horror movies of today. The movie The Possession will freak you to death. Rosemary's Baby was psychologically scare. The Exorcist frightened most movie-goers. We want a good scare and this is the reason we see them and read them. Those creatures from movies and novels are real freaky. Some people feel monsters like Michael Myers feel real. The Omen once it came in theaters at the time brought most fans off their seats as if their lives were in danger. The special effects from these movies look real, but can give you nightmares. I remember Freddy Krueger gave me nightmares when I was a teen. I still love horror movies and novels. There are always dark sides from these creatures. Jason Voorhees had dark sides from his mother in Friday The 13th movie series. Norman Bates from The Psycho series still thought his mother is alive, and to us it is still creepy. Once you see the TV show Bates Motel you get to see the beginnings of Norman Bates and his mother in action. Jigsaw was real frightening in The Saw movie series. Most of us love good scares. We can't help it. We just love it. Back then Clive Barker has written so many horror novels and were also real creepy to read. In this future Stephen King's sons are now supernatural horror novelists. I have heard their novels are scary as their father's novels are. This is the reason we love to watch movies and read horror novels. Most of us love all the gore and suspense from it.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

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Nursing Home Trick-or-Treat

Colleen came with the kids and me to go trick-or-treating at a nearby nursing home with MOMS Club. The residents were happy to see all the kids in their costumes, and the kids were excited to trick-or-treat! Oliver went around the room with Colleen and trick-or-treated with everyone. He was a little ham and just had the best time. Joanna liked the candy and trick-or-treating, but she wasn't sure what to make of the residents at the nursing home. She started to cry a couple of times, so we ended up hanging back quite a bit.



After trick-or-treating, Colleen treated us to lunch and then took us to Gigi's Cupcakes as a special birthday surprise for Oliver. We each got a Halloween cupcake! Joanna got a red velvet mummy. See her hand in this next photo? That's her pulling the cupcake down. The moment after this photo was taken, it landed with a big splat on the floor.

Kickstarting Kudzilla: a kudzu-covered monster roadside attraction

Chris Lindland (who founded the awesome writes, "I went to college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with my partner in kudzu crime, Anthony Jaffe, who now lives in Atlanta. For years, we've talked about building out of the famed Vine That Ate The South. While everyone knows what Godzilla is, for the most part only Southerners are truly familiar with kudzu. It's an invasive vine that grows up to a foot a day and fully envelopes trees, telephone poles, and buildings -- making them look like giant, leafy monsters.



"So we naturally thought, "Why not crowdfund an enormous, Godzilla-like structure and allow it to be covered in Kudzu." The result: Kudzilla.

What's That Word? My Guide to Asian Terminology

GUIDE TO ASIAN TERMINOLOGY



A 'SAMUEL JOHNSON DICTIONARY' IMITATION BY DAVID LAM-LU.

Psychedelia Gothique: genre-bending short fiction collection

Dale Sproule writes, "My new book, , collects 16 horror/cross-genre stories that endeavor to re-envision the familiar from perception-bending new perspectives. Rather than stick to customary fantasy, sf, mystery and horror routes, these tales seek out the unmarked trails in order to take you on 'hallucinogenic rides' to 'dark and surprising places.'" Through movements like new wave and cyberpunk, and writers like Bester and Dick, science fiction explored the limits of that aesthetic, resulting in some of the most mind-bending and influential stories ever written. Fabulism and post-modernism similarly changed the face of mainstream literature. But genre fiction - particularly mystery, epic fantasy and horror - remained largely unaffected by the real world perceptual revolution. I took it as a personal challenge to meld the gothic and the psychedelic, by opening the gates of perception and demonstrating that fear is closer to the surface of our everyday reality than most of us ever suspect.



Psychedelia Gothique features 16 stories including five new to this volume. Most are horror and virtually all are cross-genre (sf, mystery, fantasy). These include: "Fourth Person Singular" - harrowing and Faulkneresque have both been used to describe this story of two boys growing up in the 1960s with a very scary dad. "The Onion Test" - an envelope pushing sf/horror that appeared in Pulphouse the Hardback Magazine issue #1. "Touching the Screams" - post-apocalyptic sf with a horror twist wherein horror movie monsters from our times are used to cement the faith of the masses who are still ignorant of re-emerging technology. "Masks of Flesh" - a creepy post-apocalyptic first contact story with an alien race that has accidentally almost obliterated humankind. And there's considerable humour in the book as well including the metafictional detective story, "Labour Relations" (from Ellery Queens Mystery Magazine) the Lovecraftian "Flushed" and the just plain weird "Showdown in Kitschtown."

Red Sox aim to win title at Fenway, 1st since 1918

Grounds crew members dismantle the batting cage after the Boston Red Sox's workout at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. The Red Sox host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of baseball's World Series on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)



Grounds crew members dismantle the batting cage after the Boston Red Sox's workout at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. The Red Sox host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of baseball's World Series on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Exclusive: Talking 'American Horror Story,' 'Walking Dead,' and other horror TV with Dave Alexander

With tomorrow being , what better time is there to chat about all things strange and spooky? That is what we're hoping to do today as we share another entry in our Netflix Halloween series.



Earlier this week, , where the winner will receive a free six-month subscription courtesy of Netflix Canada. Today, we're talking Halloween with Dave Alexander, the editor-in-chief of , who is one of the foremost experts in horror entertainment out there. We always enjoy sharing a new perspective on the present state of television, so we hope you enjoy this discussion. (If you want to see some Halloween-themed Netflix highlights, then just scroll down to the bottom of this article.)

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Nom De Plume

Hey guys! Sorry to have been MIA again, but after the much-needed fiery re-fueling of this year's NOHSCBWI conference in Cleveland, I've finally taken the opportunity to take a break from the meticulous process of novel editing to put in a blog post for the month of October (I have to get in at least one). It also doesn't help that I've been re-bitten by the anime monster, and the effects are far more virulent than they were when I was a kid, probably because now I'm older I can appreciate the adult content-and I'm not strictly talking fanservice-



Sorry about that.

Halloween Update: Day of the Dead and Other Halloween

Wednesday 10/30/2013 6pm

Meltdown Comics

7522 Sunset Blvd.

Halloween Scene: The Burning (1981), The Mist (2007) & From Beyond (1986)

Halloween's the best you guys! I've been able to watch more horror flicks than I expected considering our toddler staked her claim on the TV long ago. Still, I've been able to go back and watch some old favorites and also check out a few new films like the amazing .



A few weeks back, after earning a few extra bucks at NYCC, I decided to splurge on some Scream Factory Blu-rays. I snagged The Burning and From Beyond on sale. A subdivision of Shout Factory, Scream is a horror centric imprint that goes all out when it comes to special features, extras and great looking transfers.

Grand River Film Festival Short Shorts Night

I had the pleasure of attending the Grand River Film Festival Short Shorts Night in Waterloo last Wednesday. This night consisted of nine films that were previously narrowed down from 59 films submitted from Waterloo Region and Canada-wide. This must have been a very difficult task!



The night started with opening remarks from the MC Gayle O'Brien who is the morning host of 107.5 DaveFM and our very own Rebecca Carrigan who is on the Grand River Film Festival (GRFF) board and Co-Chair of the Short Shorts. They introduced the various films that would be screened that night and gave them certificates to recognize their work. Following this, it was now time to watch the Short Shorts.

Pedrito Martinez Group Covers Pop And Jazz And Avoids Kitsch

The Pedrito Martinez Group has a following many can envy. Since their formation in 2007, they have excited Latin music circles with their blend of folklore and dance music, as well as jazz and international pop. Banning Eyre says the band members are writing a new chapter in Cuban music history, and their shared excitement on the debut album is irresistible.



Copyright (c) 2013 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

Crazy Uncle Rich's Halloween Round-Up

It's that time of year again: I watched a whole bunch of "scary" movies, and you get the capsule reviews.



THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987)

8 Terrifyingly Plausible Non-Horror Films

It's almost Halloween, and so you're contractually obligated with Satan to watch a horror movie. He takes those contracts seriously, folks. But as you go over all the countless sub-genres to watch, keep in mind that just because it's a sub-genre of horror doesn't mean it has to be a horror movie at all - or even fantasy.



After all, reality is way scarier. Here's proof, listed conveniently with the horror movie tropes they echo.

Just for Halloween: Zombies: Monsters of the People!

Have we not all at one time or another felt like a zombie? We work ourselves into a mindless blob of humanity.



My last blog was on vampires, so I thought I would give equal to zombies. It is true that in the American media that zombies regularly appear, especially in so-called "troubled times." For example, Night of the Living Dead (1968) came along during the Vietnam era. Zombies are an unfinished portrait of what scares us, and they reflect the crisis of the moment.

Supernatural 9.04 "Slumber Party" Review: There's No Place Like Home

This week's Supernatural episode "Slumber Party," was written by Robbie Thompson and directed by Robert Singer. It was another memorable episode as the series paid homage to The Wizard of Oz. A very, very twisted Wizard of Oz, of course, but this wouldn't be Supernatural if they didn't make us re-think what we thought we knew!



The episode also features the return of fan-favorite (well, this fan, in particular!) Felicia Day as Charlie. We get to see a lot more of the Men of Letters bunker in the episode, so I'd be remiss in not including a shout out to Jerry Wanek (Production Designer) and his amazing crew. I loved Sam's (Jared Padalecki) room, the kitchen - loved Dean's (Jensen Ackles) dismay over it being dirty when he'd just cleaned it, the lab, the computer room, and, of course, the garage - even baby has a home now! There was a lot to like in tonight's episode, but it won't go down as my favorite episode.

Kool Keith Hasn't Heard Eminem's "The Monster" Yet

When Eminem released his highly anticipated collaboration with Rihanna earlier this week, fans didn't know what to expect. With its infectious vocal delivery from RiRi, reflective rhymes from Em and an undeniable hook from newcomer , has quickly been catching on. Though the track feels designed for chart-topping dominance, it also finds Eminem shouting out one of his fellow hip-hop icons: Kool Keith.



XXL dissected "The Monster" and found the reference may have gone over people's heads. Keith, who is a founding member of the 1980s rap group Ultramagnetic MCs, remains a cult figure in hip-hop, mainly because he's an eccentric MC with many different personas and a distinctive voice. Last night, we got on the phone with the underground sensation to talk about Em's honorable mention, wanting to produce records for Rick Ross and Jay Z, and his forthcoming album.--

New toys!

Last week I finally got the sewing machine that Odd-Even has been pestering me to buy for the past few years. In his wild fantasies, I acquire a sewing machine, learn to sew like a professional, and fill our wardrobes with Saruman-inspired cloaks and medieval tunics. And as my magnum opus I sew him an .



Well, so I did get a sewing machine. From IKEA, even. It cost less than 500 NOK, which is really saying something. (Sorry, no pics as Odd-Even put the monster lens on the camera in order to photograph the build progress of his 3D printer, and I'm too afraid of destroying said lens to replace it with the more normal one, but you can see the product page . It's cute and comes in Swedish colours.) Anyway, "Sy" is my new friend. And "Seam Ripper" is my new best friend.

A Very Scary Visit to Watson's

Is this a comment about patrons staying a little too long at the nursery?Oh sure, pack a lunch, stay all day, in fact why not spend eternity here!



Flowering cabbage/kale looks gorgeous to me but some of you find it quite frightening.BOO!

97

BOSTON - Fenway Park has borne witness to more baseball history than any other major league ballpark still in use, but the 101-year-old bandbox has not seen a World Series-clinching win by the home team since 1918.



Tonight, the last vestige of the twice-broken Curse of the Bambino will be vaporized forever if the Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6, and the city is primed to explode with frickin' wicked tribal joy.

Bowel-shifting

Every year since 1995, or at least whenever I've remembered or been able to, I try and find/purchase Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror, an annual anthology of "spooky" Simpsons comics. This year's was a bitter disappointment (in that it wasn't funny at all), but that's par for the course with The Simpsons these days.

Anyway, in that very first issue eighteen years ago, this page was in it:


My Top Ten Movie Monsters

With Halloween being the time of year when all the ghosts, goblins and monsters come out to play and as films are a big passion of mine, I decided I would share a list of my top ten favorite movie monsters. This is just my personal preference so is only based on my personal opinion. After writing a long list, I then had to whittle it down to ten. Some of the monsters were easy to decide on. But for some it was hard to decide on which to keep and which to discard. So without any further delay here is my list of my favorite ten movie monsters.



10. KING KONG (1933)

Present Tense: Allie Brosh, Donald Glover, And Hurting Right Now

There is much to praise about Allie Brosh's wonderful blog , perhaps the greatest gift the crude, blocky graphics of MS Paint have ever given us. Brosh's posts are hugely evocative, gut-bustingly funny, and startlingly inventive in using simple drawings in ways that allow for pauses and comic timing, not to mention things like blur effects that represent ... well, . Brosh draws both giddiness and anger more effectively than perhaps anyone since Bill Watterson.



But the release of her first book also follows a long period in which she wrote less frequently than she had before, but wrote some of her most admired and shared posts, particularly two that dealt with her experiences with depression. , she draws her pink-dressed, triangle-ponytailed self -- a self readers had seen for years -- stretched out on the couch, standing in corners, and huddled in a ball. She describes what her self-loathing inner voice sounds like in a way that is undoubtedly familiar to many: "I followed myself around like a bully, narrating my thoughts and actions with a constant stream of abuse." , she describes the moment she realized that, as she puts it, she wished nothing loved her -- "so I wouldn't feel obligated to keep existing."

Gungrave, Black Heaven

GUNGRAVE



The only cool thing about this anime is this picture.

Top 10 'Tales From The Crypt' Episodes

SO FAR DURING MY RETROSPECTIVE OF THE EC COMICS FRANCHISE I'VE EXAMINED THE ROOTS OF THE PHENOMENA THROUGH WILLIAM GAINES, THE TWO 1970S MOVIE ADAPTATIONS AND THE GENESIS OF THE LEGENDARY HBO TV SERIES. IT'S HIGH TIME THEN THAT I TOOK A LOOK AT SOME OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITE EPISODES FROM THE SHOW THAT BROUGHT BIG SCREEN NAMES AND BIG SCREEN GORE INTO OUR LIVING ROOMS.



I had originally planned to count down my top 20 favorite episodes, but quickly found it had become a process of eliminating weaker episodes rather than singling out the most powerful and memorable. 'Tales From The Crypt' was rarely anything less than entertaining and its impressive level of quality only began to dip in the final season, so you're more or less guaranteed agood-to-great half hour regardless of what episode you dip into. Instead then, here is the first half of my top ten essential, must-see 'Crypts' - a Halloween marathon of the scariest, funniest and most shocking terror tales.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

'Supernatural' season 9, episode 5 preview: See Jensen Ackles in 'Dog Dean Afternoon'

Just in case you have been very excited about the idea of seeing Jensen Ackles's "" character of Dean turn into a four-legged friend, you are going to get the chance to see something close to that in the new episode "Dog Dean Afternoon" airing on The CW next week. We can only imagine what being a fly on the wall would have been like while watching Jensen try to stick his head out the window or go after the mailman.



There is a method to the madness here, though, and it is not just the result of Dean drinking some sort of magic potion that allows him to suddenly develop dog-like abilities for no reason. As a part of a new mission, Dean really needs to get inside a dog's head in order to save themand in order to save a dog, you apparently have to be a dog. In the end, we cannot even really say just how excited we are to see the rest of this play out. Just based on the concept alone, this may be our favorite one-off since "LARP and the Real Girl."

Japanese Story-Telling: the Strange and the Meaningful

A videogame debate I've long cemented my own views on is "Story Vs Gameplay." The debate here is where how much story is appropriate for a game, and whether or not there is a line where story gets in the way of a more streamlined and active gameplay experience. There are solid points on each side, but my own conclusion is this; I don't play videogames for the story, and I don't play videogames for the cinematics; I play videogames for the gameplay. While I can appreciate a gripping plot and unique roster of characters as much as anyone else, it is not why I play videogames; for those things, that is why I read literature.

As much of what I write about on this blog is rather strictly Japanese-based, I feel it's thematic to make a literature list exclusive to Japanese authors. I don't mean to say that Japanese authors are "more" than Western authors or anything like that, but from the books I've read by Japanese authors there certainly is an artistic-separation in comparison to Western authors, no different than as in videogames. Even though literature, which obliges a goal of expressing something universally human, the way these stories do so I felt was just a bit different than from what I've typically read. Rather, that it was a bit Japanese from what I've normally read, and because of so was just a little bit more perplexing and, at times, a little more meaningful also.


Halloween Viewing Options

If you're anything like me, when Halloween rolls around you don't wanna put on a slutty costume and get drunk at a party at the house of someone you barely know but you're there because your best friend insists that gay guys throw the best Halloween parties, or at least that's what Sex and the City told her. No, if you're like me you want to sit home maybe handing out candy to neighborhood children and watch scary movies alone or with family or a few friends and a pizza.



But maybe you've grown tired of watching The Exorcist, Halloween, The Omen, Psycho, and It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown year after year. Isn't it time for something else? Well, here are some more out-of-the-box suggestions that I like for Halloween viewing. This post will focus just on TV episodes or specials; I may do a follow-up post with movies tomorrow. Television shows are great though because you can marathon a bunch of episodes or try different things as your mood changes.

Dracula's Curse

Sometimes the path our lives take is automatically shaped by those who gave us life in the first place. It's not unusual for a child to end up becoming a similar person to how their father or mother was. On the other end, it's also not unusual for a child to fight to become a completely different person than their parent(s), removing all shackles of similarity and relation. However, the effect a parent has on their child could also be akin to a curse at times. Sometimes the wrongdoings of a parent may go unpaid for by them directly, becoming a sort of plague on their child, continuously haunting them throughout their life. But by a textbook definition, a parent is there to leave a positive impact on you, and influence you in a way that will ensure you the best possible life. That's not the case if your parent happens to be Dracula



*SPOILERS FOR CASTLEVANIA: LORDS OF SHADOW AND LORDS OF SHADOW - MIRROR OF FATE*

Lady Gaga heads towards a second hip op by stepping out in dangerously high PVC platform boots

She never fails to disappoint when it comes to stepping out in the most outrageous get up and lately she's on a role.From wood shavings to sea shells and steampunk glasses - she's worn it all recently during a promotional assault on the UK before the release of new album ARTPOP.

But the star took care not to come a cropper in the towering PVC boots she wore on Tuesday.Careful Gaga: The 27-year-old wore the black PVC boots with a plaid shirt and bare legs with a blue baseball cap as she confidently walked along in the super high boots

The 27-year-old wore the black PVC boots with a plaid shirt and bare legs outside studios in London. On her head she fixed a baseball cap and sunglasses while greeting passers by with a peace sign.

Race Report: 24 The Hard Way (2013 USATF 24-Hour National Championship)

First, let me make one thing clear: running as many miles as possible in 24 hours, on the same loop, over and over again, is its own special type of hell. If you're looking for a "good time," look elsewhere. The race ends only when either the clock stops, or you give up. Until that point, your reward for completing a mile is . . . the chance to complete another mile. Your reward for fatigue and pain is . . . more fatigue and pain.

So why, on earth, you may ask, would I want to do this? Well, I've been pretty quiet about running this race, because for me, this was a very personal endeavor. Here's why:

My introduction to ultrarunning was a 24-hour race (Around the Lake in Somerville, MA in 2007), and I was instantly and irrepressibly fascinated by what could be possible under such unusual rules. How many miles could somebody run in 24 hours? More importantly, how many miles could I run?

Best Nutrition for ADHD & ADD

ADHD DEFINITION



Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral disorder that affects an estimated 8% to 10% of school-age children in which boys are about three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with it.

Hurricane Sandy One Year Anniversary

SEARCH AND RESCUE DOGS TO THE HURRICANE SANDY RESCUE!



A year later -the East Coast still strives for normalcy after the monster storm Hurricane Sandy hit, we have to thank the search and rescue teams and their dogs that came from all corners of the country to aid in the recovery efforts. Search and rescue teams arrived in Staten Island, New York and throughout New Jersey to help rescue those stranded by Sandy and search for those who went missing.

Hurricane Sandy One Year Anniversary

SEARCH AND RESCUE DOGS TO THE HURRICANE SANDY RESCUE!



A year later -the East Coast still strives for normalcy after the monster storm Hurricane Sandy hit, we have to thank the search and rescue teams and their dogs that came from all corners of the country to aid in the recovery efforts. Search and rescue teams arrived in Staten Island, New York and throughout New Jersey to help rescue those stranded by Sandy and search for those who went missing.

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Hurricane Sandy One Year Anniversary

SEARCH AND RESCUE DOGS TO THE HURRICANE SANDY RESCUE!



A year later -the East Coast still strives for normalcy after the monster storm Hurricane Sandy hit, we have to thank the search and rescue teams and their dogs that came from all corners of the country to aid in the recovery efforts. Search and rescue teams arrived in Staten Island, New York and throughout New Jersey to help rescue those stranded by Sandy and search for those who went missing.

Case Study No. 1081: Staff of Unnamed Library (SCTV Network)

1:45

SCTV, 11/26/82 - Bobby Bittman's PSA for The Public Library Association, promoting the importance of getting kids to read. Eugene Levy.

Tags: SCTV PSA Bobby Bittman Public Library Association books librarian reading kids education knowledge ignorant ignorance showbiz Moby Dick cigarette ashes Eugene Levy

Horror Comic Roundup

Horror Comic Roundup Image drawn by Travis Wayne Pursell, colors by Decapitated Dan

Welcome to the HORROR COMIC ROUNDUP! Join Decapitated Dan,Billy Dunleavy, Denise Dutton and friends each week as they review new and old Horror Comics that you will either be dying to read or terrified to check out!


Lady Gaga's 'living statue' costume took a lot of effort: amazing or crazy?

I don't mind saying it. I think this might be Lady Gaga's best costume so far. Usually, I find Lady Gaga's . I remember when she used to really TRY to be weird and fun, like the time that she wore a coat made of Kermit the Frogs. But for the past few years, Gaga's fun has been replaced by Gaga taking herself way too seriously, like she's saving the world one Madonna-esque pop song at a time. Her costumes reflect that too. But as I said, I kind of like this one. It's a lot of "look". She looks like a statue come to life. And I kind of dig it.



So, what else does Gaga have going on? There's still the long-simmering feud between Kelly Osbourne and Gaga, and the feud took a weird turn over the weekend. Since I find Kelly O. just as annoying as Gaga, I'll let Us Weekly explain this mess:

Haute Tension in the Broken Heartland.

Dog Poet Transmitting.......



May your noses always be cold and wet.

Hurricane Sandy One Year Anniversary

SEARCH AND RESCUE DOGS TO THE HURRICANE SANDY RESCUE!



A year later -the East Coast still strives for normalcy after the monster storm Hurricane Sandy hit, we have to thank the search and rescue teams and their dogs that came from all corners of the country to aid in the recovery efforts. Search and rescue teams arrived in Staten Island, New York and throughout New Jersey to help rescue those stranded by Sandy and search for those who went missing.

Favorite Underrated Horror

Brian is an assistant programmer at Fantastic Fest, a Brian Trenchard-Smith and home video aficionado and an avid beer drinker living in Austin, TX. His random musings can be found on Twitter ().



ALIEN RAIDERS (2008) - A low-budget horror/sci-fi hybrid done with style and mostly practical effects, ALIEN RAIDERS is an impressive feat and fun every time.

And Then Emily Was Gone #2 Debuts at Thought Bubble!

And Then Emily Was Gone is a dark horror-mystery that tells the story of Greg Hellinger, a man who sees monsters. A former detective driven to the brink of madness by terrifying apparitions, he is tasked with finding a missing girl called Emily. Hellinger's search takes him to a remote community in the Orkney Islands, where strange and terrible things are happening



Since its launch in local markets here in Glasgow back in July, the first issue of And Then Emily Was Gone has enjoyed great success.It got nominated for 4 SICBA awards at this year's Glasgow Comic Con, the only comic to get nominated for every category.And upon making its US debut at this month's New York Comic Con, And Then Emily Was Gone #1 completely sold out at the show!

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Altered Coffin and Halloween Finery... and I'm probably going to sewing hell for this project!!

A week or so ago I stumbled across a cool channel on YouTube that someone I subscribe to had watched so now I have subscribed to follow myself. The channel is Serena Bee and you can find her on YouTube .

The first video I watched was her . The prize Serena is offering is totally cool and packed full of Halloween goodies, but it was the challenge itself that attracted me. Either alter a miniature coffin or make a Halloween inspired ATC. I love making ATC's but the idea of altering a mini coffin was just too cool to resist so I set my mind to participating in the challenge.

And here was where I encountered my first hurdle...

Second Stop

SECOND STOP - JAPAN 27 OCTOBER 2013



Konichiwa. A Few Hours Ago We Landed In Japan. Everything Was Very Clean And Most Buildings Are Very Tall. Because Japan Has Such A Large Population And The Country Isn't So Big, The Japanese People Have Built Man Made Islands. Rokko Island Is One Of These Islands And That Is The One We Are Staying On. There Are Two Man Made Islands In Kobe. It Was One Of The Hardest Hit Areas During The Great Hanshin Earthquake In 1995 Where 6000 People Died, Mostly In Kobe.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Case Study No. 1080: Peter Durant

9:57

Doc Holliday meets some locals who tell her a bit about Rustin Parr and Burkittsville's history. She also makes some plans for the next day but firts she's gonna have to survive the night...


Gungrave, Black Heaven

GUNGRAVE



The only cool thing about this anime is this picture.

The 7 Worst-Looking Games on a Terrible Publishing Website

We of HalfBeard's HUD like to get to the point of the matter, and that point tends to be rather humorous. When we found Gamemill Publishing's website during our usual meeting and brainstorm session, we were simply in awe of just how awful the games sounded and how cranked out and packaged the site made all of the games look. The site feels boilerplate, soft, and gentle, all for the chance to make a buck that it is simply disturbing to look at. Then we got to the games they published, and we simply couldn't stop laughing. The fact that they think anyone would play these games, adult or child, is laughable. And to prove it, we offer up seven games from this site that we thought were the absolute worst. They don't even deserve the usual humorous captions, they're so bad.



[ED'S NOTE: I JUST WANT TO SAY WE'RE NOT SPECIFICALLY TRYING TO BE CRUEL HERE BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO CALL A FIG A FIG, A TROUGH A TROUGH, OR IN THIS CASE TERRIBLE PIECES OF SHOVELWARE TERRIBLE PIECES OF SHOVELWARE.]

Gungrave, Black Heaven

GUNGRAVE



The only cool thing about this anime is this picture.

Batman: Arkham Origins Swoops In At No.1 In UK Charts; Sells 50% Less Than Arkham City

Despite accumulating half the first week sales of its predecessor,withstood competition from Grand Theft Auto V and FIFA 14 to claim the number one spot in this week's UK charts. The figures, which were published by chart-tracking agency , also unveiled that sales for Warner Bros. Montreal's prequel were on par with that of 2009's seminal Arkham Asylum.



Here's the top ten list for this week in full:

Miz calls out Bray Wyatt and Kane returns!

MIAMI - The Miz wasn't cleared for a match at WWE Hell in a Cell, but he was ready for a fight with The Wyatt Family. Instead, what he and the WWE Universe gotwas one Hell of a surprise return from one of WWE's most monstrous figures.



During Sunday night's WWE Hell in a Cell Kickoff, Miz tracked down SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero in an attempt to have a match made for later in the evening that would see The Awesome One battle Bray Wyatt. However, because of the attack Miz suffered at the hands of The Eater of Worlds and The Wyatt Family on SmackDown, he was not medically cleared to compete, and Vickie refused to make the match.

COFFIN HOP WEB TOUR

Coffin Hop Web Tour, day five, at Angelic Knight Press, belongs to Bryan Hall! Being the sneaky guy that I am, and Stacey not aware of what I'm up too, we are giving away all three of Bryan's great ebooks. Stacey will have a puppy! I was thinking, though, that the best way to read and get a grip on the horror involved is to start with book one and go through the series. Makes sense, doesn't it? Look at all the great reviews I have included below. You know you want to read these super tales.



How do you win? Merely be the first one to tell me the name of the main character in these tales. Easy as pie. Make certain to add your response on the blog. Good luck, and happy reading!

Kelly Osbourne Unimpressed With Birthday Cake, Tells Lady Gaga To "Eat S

It seems as if the feud between Kelly Osbourne and Lady Gaga isn't ending any time soon.



Maybe Kelly's not a fan of cake and Gaga would've been better off passing along a slice of humble birthday pie. Or maybe Kelly objected to her mother once again being a go-between in her ongoing battles with the singer.

Another New Trailer For 47 Ronin

Here's another promo for 47 Ronin. As this one is cut for English audiences there's a bunch of previously unseen footage, distinct from .



Okay, so that's not the original story of the 47 Ronin. Not by a long chalk. Not by around 46 Ronin, some might quip. And by some, I mean Craig.

30 Days of Halloween

You can no doubt tell from this series that supernatural horror is generally my favourite area of the genre.Be that as it may, today I want to add one more entry (in addition to ) on a 'literary' author in the 'realism' tradition that contributes to all this darkness and monstrosity.Endless reams, academic and journalistic, have been written about O'Connor, and her books occasionally make their way into pop culture.

Flannery's cameo on the TV series Lost

Steve Carell recommends A Good Man is Hard to Find to Juliette Binoche in the movie Dan in Real Life

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ABC's 'Scandal' season 3 spoilers: Mellie's big move; plus, what's next for Huck and Quinn

In addition to having one of the coolest / craziest shipper names out there, we know that there are a good many fans of "" "Huckleberry Quinn." With that in mind, we're pleased to present some sort of scoop now on what is coming up for the pair on an especially interesting "Scandal" season 3 episode.



This installment airs on November 14 and is entitled "Everything's Coming Up Mellie," which suggests that things could finally start to go the First Lady's way. (Given her history, though, we are not particularly inclined to think that this could actually happen.) What we are personally more intrigued about is what could be pushing Quinn so much towards violence, and why Huck may be starting to feel as though he created a monster with her:

Permanent Records Update 10.29.31

7IN - ENDLESS BUMMER - RIPPER CURRENT EP (LIMITED EDITION) - $5.99 - - 7IN - ENDLESS BUMMER - (REGULAR EDITION) - $5.99 - -

ATTENTION: PERMANENT RECORDS IS SOLD OUT OF THE LIMITED COLOR VERSION! THE LINK ABOVE WILL DIRECT YOU TO THE IN THE RED RECORDS SITE. AS THIS RELEASE IS EXTREMELY LIMITED THERE IS NO GUARANTEE ON THIS.


.finding the time.

Guys, the Time Management monster ate me. Seriously. He gobbled me up and spit me out. I stand before you clothes shredded, ship-wrecked on the shore of my to do list, gasping for air and calling for water.



Ok. Maybe it's not quite so dramatic. Or is it? Working two jobs (I also teach on the interwebs), writing a dissertation, commuting, blogging, preparing meals, seeing friends, working out -- it seems that there are just not enough hours in the day or days in the week.

D&D-Themed movie Zero Charisma pits Nerds vs. Hipsters

Early in Steven Spielberg's 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Elliot, his brother Michael and his friends are seen playing a Dungeons & Dragons-like role-playing game (RPG) around the kitchen table. We hear standard gaming banter. "You got an arrow right in the chest and you're out ten melee points." "Don't worry about it, Mike. I got Resurrection. I'll bring you back." In wanders Mom who, like many clueless parents of the day, asks the gathering of wise-cracking, young males a classic question: "So how do you win this game anyway, huh?"



"There's no winning," one of the boys replies. "It's like life. You don't win at life."

How To Survive, DKCR 3D, Phoenix Wright, Arkham Origins, Wonderfalls and Super Fun Night

Games: If you haven't been paying close attention it's probably been pretty easy to miss, but I would like todraw your attention to a recent XBLA to release called HOW TO SURVIVE, from EKO SOFTWARE.



In a nutshell, it's a zombie survival game that takes place on a small chain of islands in the tropics.It looks a lot like DIABLO with a similar top-down perspective, and feels a bit like it, too.However, the game places quite a bit of emphasis on finding food and water, and also hosts a respectable crafting system which allows players to create different sorts of weapons and armor (which actually show up visibly on the character) from random bits of junk.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Billy Wilder and Jack the Ripper Take on Sherlock Holmes

James Mason as Watson and Christopher Plummer as Holmes.



The 1970s featured two revisionist takes on Sherlock Holmes: The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes was released in 1970 and Murder By Decree appeared at the end of the decade. While neither film is wholly successful, they each boast a lot of star power either in front of or behind the camera. They also overcome convoluted conspiracy plots and miscast actors to justify a couple of hours of your time.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Schlock Talks

ONE OF THE MOST DECORATED AUTHORS OF CONTEMPORARY FANTASY FICTION, JEFFREY FORD- WHOSE LATEST ANTHOLOGY, CRACKPOT PALACE, COLLECTS SOME HIS MOST MEMORABLE SHORT STORIES - TELLS SCHLOCK HOW IT ALL STARTED "AROUND 125 STORIES AGO", THE ONE THEME THAT DRIVES HIS WRITING AND THE ONE REASON WHY ANYONE SHOULD WRITE IN THE FIRST PLACE.HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOUR FIRST EVER STORY SAW PRINT?



I believe the first story I published was 'Eclipse' in The Nantucket Review. I was in my early twenties. I was happy as hell. I'd been writing and sending stuff out for a few years before that. I'm not sure how I feel about the story today. That's about a 125 stories ago. I haven't read it in years and don't have a copy of it. I remember it was about a neighbour of ours when I was a kid. I could see the swimming pool in their yard from my upstairs bedroom window. It was a little bigger than a kiddie pool. The father in that house would come out every evening just as the sun was going down and get in the pool and do the dead man's float, holding his breath for exceedingly long periods, to the point where sometimes I thought he'd actually drowned himself.The story was about him trying to connect with his crazy kids.

New Madoka Magica Movie!

The new movie opened this weekend, so naturally I made time to go see it. Whereas the first two films (which ) were a compilation of the series, the third movie features a great new story that starts where the series left off. (I'll avoid spoilers, but will say that the movie was great, with lots of everything that we all love about Madoka.) I like Madoka Magica because of the way writer cleverly deconstructs the magical girl genre in the same way Western comics like Astro City or Top 10 toy with the superhero genre. Viewers go into Madoka expecting something in the tradition of Rayearth, Nanoha or , yet the series refuses to conform to expectations, eschewing predictable monster-of-the-week stories and transformations that happen at the same point in every episode, instead jumping around chronologically and giving us a heroine who doesn't even become a magical girl until the series is mostly over, when the drama is highest.

The Madoka story continues with a new movie.
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Halloween Frights!

It's Halloween week! Time to frighten ourselves silly. Add your favorites to our mix.



RICH WALLACE...

Jones reflects on career day in Cincy

Sunday morning started out just like any other for Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones.



It began with waffles and eggs and a drive to Paul Brown Stadium to take care of some business.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Although it's successor has been out for a couple of weeks, the Galaxy Note 2 is still a more than capable device. After more than a year of using the GN2 as my primary device, read on to find out why the it was one of the best smartphones that I have ever owned.



First off let me correct myself, the GN2 really isn't a smartphone. It's a MID (mobile internet device) with cellular connectivity. Popularly known as a Phablet. It's the most capable mobile device to serve as a true smartphone/tablet/laptop replacement on the go. Yes even a laptop. With the GN2, you don't have to lug around a smartphone and tablet, or a smartphone and laptop, or even a smartphone, tablet and laptop.All you need is the GN2.And that's really awesome.

Exploring Santa Cruz

Beat and I enjoyed a quiet weekend, working on a few projects and being lazy tapering for Frog Hollow. My friend Jan was in town for the weekend, and was interested in venturing out for a mellow ride on Saturday. Jan moved to Seattle recently and has been enduring autumn in the Pacific Northwest, so he was stoked about clear sky and temperatures in the 70s. He told us about the horrors of bike commuting in the cold rain, and I was quick to commiserate. "I lived in Juneau for five years. They get three times the annual precipitation of Seattle." Jan related his trials and I joined in with back-in-my-day war stories about showing up at the office covered face to foot in road grit and rigid, refrozen sheets of ice, which is what happens when it's 32.1 degrees and you ride a bike through three inches of slush, even with fenders. I'd have to stand outside the building until I peeled off the top two drenched layers, shivering with full-on convulsions as my extremities went numb, and, Sonny, you don't know the true indignity of bike commuting until you've commuted through a winter in Juneau.

But it's true that weather toughness is like muscle mass -- it steadily gets softer and weaker the longer one lives in a friendly climate. Now I'm Californian through and through, and I don't even blink when it's 70 and sunny in late October. Yawn.

2008 Jill would not be amused.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

RAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Tieg, as well as the girls, do a fair amount of things these days to make us laugh (that's one of the joys of having kids, right?)... but one of the things I MOST enjoy is when I hear the bottom drawer of our oven mitt area close.... as I know what is coming next. From there, Tieg often attacks - treating the mitt like a monster of sorts and makes a loud, "RAAHHHHH!" as he tries to grab you with it and kind of hits with it too. The more you react, the better time everyone has. The girls even entertain him.

His selection has grown beyond oven mitts... he's also done it with a gardening glove and a winter mitten- he also has a red dinosaur that attacks occasionally as well. It's to much fun.


Horror Comic News

Solar City's monster-bashing undead hero has a lot to be happy about as he enters his 13th year.

Halloween Man creator Drew Edwards has signed a deal with Kerry Gammill's Monsterverse Entertainment that will help the independent comic reach its broadest audience yet. Not only will Monsterverse be presenting the vast back catalog on Comixology and other digital outlets, but the Halloween Man creative team is also hard at work crafting new tales for a monthly Halloween Man digital comic.


2013 Monster Dash Race Report

If you are friends with me on Facebook, you know that yesterday didn't go as well as I had hoped.It was a really rough race for me, mentally and physically.My goal of finishing under 3:00 didn't happen, I came in at 3:03:41 (my first half was 3:01:20).



Yes, I finished.Yes, I ran with an amazing team and helped raise money for 26 people.Yes, I ran while I was fighting a cold.Yes, I am still frustrated and a little bit sad.....and if I have learned anything while working with our therapist over the past couple of months, it is that I am allowed to feel the way I feel, even if it isn't the way I "should" be feeling.

Body Nutrition

Re-Built Mass is a monster mass gainer that is used to help up your strength, increase stamina, and muscle size. The formula in Re-Build Mass contains 850 mass building calories of good protein and ingredients to give you lean mass, and a hard physique. This product is a big anabolic stack that is loaded with 60 grams of fast, medium, and slow-acting protein for very important nutrient timing of amino acids that fuel your muscles. Also contains 130 grams of energy boosting carbohydrates. To feed your hunger to get size, it has an intense 10 gram Advanced Creatine Complex with 5 forms of creatine, including micronized creatine and creatine precursors for the forceful, mind-blowing workouts you live for. I use Re-Build after my workouts. Also I have been using this product for a year now. So from a user's point of view I highly recommend using Re-Build mass because i've seen substantial improvements myself using this product. But keep in mind there is no magic supplement that will just "give you gains". There is so much more into the process of getting where you want to be. But I can assure this product is a stepping stone to achieving your goal!
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Halloween: Shedding Light On The Shadow

"One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." ~ Carl Jung



It's the time of the year when the veil between the ordinary world and the supernatural thins. A time when children dress as goblins, pumpkins flicker, plastic skeletons rattle, and talk at late night party's turns to all things woo-woo. A time we raise the hairs on our necks and scatter goose bumps across our skin, and make room for what normally has no place in the daylight of our daily lives - things that go bump in the night.

My Progress This Season

Well, I figure that my dear readers deserve to know how I have been occupying myself recently with anime, so I have decided to write a post on my general progress.Some older shows with which I have been dallying are Hunter x Hunter, a series of shorts named Sparrow's Hotel (completed in one evening), Majestic Prince, The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye, Solty Rei, and Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk.At last, I've almost finished with the original Hunter x Hunter, having just watched Kurapica's major battle with one of the Spiders gang.It was so pleasant to see the god-like and glorious victory over a certain murdering blackguard-whatever his name is-that I have difficulty putting my feelings to words.Sparrow's Hotel is a great comedy about a kunoichi working at a midsized hotel, which I heartily recommend to anyone needing a laugh.I'm still trying to finish off Majestic Prince, which has to be one of the greatest mech shows of recent years-I place it next to Code Geass.You might know that two of those last three shows figure on my top fifty list, and hence deserve their own posts.Tower of Druaga is a great fantasy, and the first episode alone, which parodies fantasy anime in a grand style, suffices to give it a large place in any otaku's heart.



But, now onto some brief descriptions of this season's shows.I still have to get around to Samurai Flamenco and Coppelion, but I expect to accomplish this soon.At any rate, my ability to keep up with new shows is much the highest since 2009.That says something about the quality of this season!

Gungrave, Black Heaven

GUNGRAVE



The only cool thing about this anime is this picture.

Rat Queens #2

by Kurtis J Wiebe (Writer), Roc Upchurch (Artist/Colorist)



The Story: The Rat Queens fight the giant, then learn that the other groups charged with small tasks have been targeted by assassins as well.

Awwww Nuts!

First of all, there is probably not another fan out there who wanted Penn State to win more than me.I trained in Ohio for four years in the heart of Buckeye country (Akron--not Columbus, but no less overzealous or rabid) from 1991-1994--the start of our Big Ten association with the Buckeyes.Our victory in 1994, ironically enough a 63-14 beat down of the Buckeyes was AFTER I had graduated in May and moved back to Pennsylvania and the comfort of Lion Country.I used to write a blog for PennLive--I am the founder of the 50-Yard Lion Blog--but was fired unceremoniously from that position after a BUCKEYE FAN complained about a personal email exchange that HE initiated.At the time, that cost me $2400 per year.If your story of Buckeye misery can beat that--leave it in the comment section.Perhaps I'll reward the best "worst" story with tickets to a game sometime.



But the above emotion notwithstanding, I am curiously not as enraged as I normally would be.I have been known to break things after losses.(I broke our front door off the hinges slamming it after Lloyd Carr stole a win from us in 2005.)I have not broken a TV . . . yet.Give me time.I rode a bus from hell from Ann Arbor after a 14-9 loss and I swear, with God as my witness, had I had a gun, there would have been some dead THEM fans that night, and I would be rotting in a jail cell in Ypsilanti or some other God-forsaken Michigan town.Probably bankrupt Detroit.But I digress.

Daredevil #32

By: Mark Waid (story), Chris Samnee (art), Javier Rodriguez (colors)



THE STORY: Daredevil refuses to engage in a monster mash.

Star Trek Viewin', Henry Street Remembrin', and California Dreamin' -OR- A Saturday Night Blog Entry Posted Sunday Afternoon

THE SUN sinks toward the horizon over the Pacific Ocean as seen from Will Rogers State Beach. This is along the stretch of Pacific Coast beach (relevant to part of this blog entry) that is either in the northwestern-most part of the of the City of Los Angeles or next door Pacific Palisades. Picture taken .



This entry is being completed and posted Sunday afternoon even though I started it and intended to post it on Saturday night. The updated content in places and some of the images reflect this.

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 5 Preview: Hook and Emma Kiss, and a Dangerous Henry (VIDEOS)

Tonight is the much anticipated Hook and Emma kiss on Once Upon a Time season 3. All season, the two have been walking the line between becoming friends and something more. Their kiss may seem sudden, because last week Emma was declaring her love for a presumed dead Neal. However, smartly, the Once Upon a Time season 3 writers managed to give both fandoms what they wanted without making the other too mad.



In the Once Upon a Time season 3 preview released for this week, Hook and Emma kiss. Nevertheless, it's not exactly a kiss filled with all consuming passion. Hook saves David. Emma is grateful for it. Then cheeky Hook basically says if she was really grateful she'd give him more than a thank you. Then the two basically challenge each other to see who has the biggest guts. Emma proves she does by making the first move. Then she says that the kiss was a one time thing, and she plans how they can leave the scene without creating suspicion. Hook is a little taken aback by it. He's clearly developing feelings for Emma. But Emma is just not there yet.

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TV Recommendations: Sunday, October 27

Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:



4:30 PM:

What I've Been Watching: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (seasons 1, 3, 4 & 5)

This was just going to be one of those brief 'what i've seen on tv' mini-reviews I've done before. Turned out rather longer and more detailed than normal, however, so I thought I'd put it up by itself. Unusually for me, THERE ARE SOME SPOILERS BELOW. I have, however, tried to avoid specific spoiler details and anything too central to the main plot.



BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

And we're back...

Wow. It's been a while since I updated! The reason I didn't update last weekend was...well, there just wasn't a whole lot to say. The weekend before, Lukie's cough had gotten a little worse and then gotten better. Then I got the bug and came home early from work on Monday, stayed home Tuesday, lost my voice, and was back at work (though not happy about it) by Wednesday. Pete started feeling icky on Friday and was sick Saturday and Sunday, causing us to cancel a planned date night and a bonfire with friends to get our little boys together to roast marshmallows. Ah, well. Is what is.



Mom and Dad, knowing Pete would probably be better by Monday, went ahead and visited this week! They came in on Monday and stayed until Friday morning! I am always a doofus about remembering to take photos, so I just have a couple from their stay, but I'll pepper the post with other pictures of Lukas.

Christmas in July. Yep, you heard right.

So. Back in July (ahem. Where has that time gone?!) I was invited to attend the very popular Christmas in July event. My two favourite things being talked about together - Toys and Christmas, how could I refuse?!



Back when I had a LBC (Life Before Children) I was a stationery and toy buyer for some top retailers, so I always have one eye on what is happening in the industry. I actually attended this event in 2012 too, so I knew what to expect. Great brands, and a preview of what is going to be out there for all our girls and boys at Christmas time.

WORLD SERIES WATCH: Cards take 1-0 lead after 4

BOSTON (AP) -- A look at Game 2 of the World Series at Fenway Park on Thursday night as the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Boston Red Sox:TURNING TWO: Big double play turned by the Cardinals to help Michael Wacha in the fourth inning.



Pedroia leads off with a Wall ball that clangs loudly off the Green Monster scoreboard. Matt Holliday played it fairly well -- perhaps a good sign for St. Louis fans worried about how Holliday, a shaky defender at times, would adjust to left field in Fenway Park.

Matt's Week in Dork! (10/20/13-10/26/13)

I've been trying to get a lot of reading done, and I have.But I'm not finishing a lot.Too many things going at once.Still, when it comes to geeky stuff, this was a pretty good week for this Dork.And as I've given it more of a listen, I've been really digging that new Devo CD I picked up.Which is handy, as it plays right into some of the reading I'm doing about AI and robotics.



In the Mouth of Madness:"God's not supposed to be a hack horror writer."The last great John Carpenter movie, this Lovecraft inspired journey into madness is fantastic.It's just the right mix of creepy, weird, and pulpy, with a great Lovecraftian hero in insurance investigator John Trent.Nobody pulls his strings.And he's on the trail of Stephen King type bestselling horror writer Sutter Cane.Cane's writing seems to be having an effect on his readers, and that effect is becoming more pronounced and more violent.Can Trent find him, find his last manuscript, and get back to civilization?Or is the Door about to open, letting the Old Ones spill back into our world?

What Color is Your Monster?

Whole Life Yoga's advanced yoga teacher training started this past weekend with a three-day retreat, the primary goal of which was build a single, cohesive community out of thirty students from ten prior trainings--some that took place almost a decade ago.



I planned several small group activities, but I consciously decided to leave out the introductory large group circle, in which every person shares information about themselves, their goals, and their challenges to the rest of the group.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Include Your Nuts Photoshop Pictures 2010

PHOTOSHOP



ADD YOUR NUTS PHOTOSHOP IMAGES 2010

Cardinals, Red Sox set to renew October rivalry

IN this image taken with a fisheye lens, Boston Red Sox players take batting practice as a rainbow appears in the sky above Fenway Park Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox are scheduled to host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of baseball's World Series on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)



IN this image taken with a fisheye lens, Boston Red Sox players take batting practice as a rainbow appears in the sky above Fenway Park Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox are scheduled to host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of baseball's World Series on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Log Horizon: Episode 3

Log Horizon is an anime that tells the tale of what happens when players of the MMORPG game, Elder Tale, mysteriously find themselves actually inside the game after the 12th expansion, "Novasphere Pioneers," is added. The main character of the series is Shiroe, and he is joined by his two companions Naotsugu and Akatsuki.



Episode three sees Shiroe, Naotsugu, and Akatsuki reaching the Depths of Palm as they travel on their way to Susukino in order to rescue Serara from the Crescent Moon Alliance. During their time in the Depths of Palm, Shiroe provides the audience with a couple of instances of exposition that feels like it came straight out of a manual on how to play Elder Tale. During this episode, Shiroe explains about the rat-men and an explanation of how communicating via telepathy works in the game.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

The Mummy- 1932

To another creature to Universal Studios Monsters, played by the same guy who played the monster in "Frankenstein" and that's related to that, is Boris Karloff in "The Mummy".



Filmed in 1932, same story, same curse before the 1959 version, when a resurrected mummy takes on Egypt after being woke up by that scroll, and made one of the 3 men screamed, and laughed in all of his life until he died in a asylum with a strapped jacket. As he does that, he's disguised as a old man, as he finds a woman that's just like the one he tried to bring back to life with.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Attack on Titan

TYPE: I Kill Giants, the Anime



SYNOPSIS: Humanity is on the brink of EXTINCTION. Hundreds of years ago, giant humanoid creatures called TITANS appeared out of no where and nearly eviscerated the human species. Humanity managed to enjoy 100 years of peace by building a multi-walled city for protection.Everything ended, however, when a gigantic Titan and armored Titan breached the walls, forcing humanity to once again fight for their survival against the Titan menace. Three youths that witnessed the attack, EREN YEAGER, MIKASA ACKERMAN, and ARMIN ARLERT, are the focus of the series.

Abbott and Costello- Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

To Abbott and Costello, to their latest movies before "Meet The Mummy", they have a big monster problem that's even worse. After being fired by the police department in London, they run into a strange case until they met Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde played by Boris Karloff!! In the case chasing, they try to bring Mr. Edward Hyde to justice, until they are being fooled when they find Dr. Jekyll instead. Lou could be sure about that, but Bud is crossed about the way they think they did.



As they searched in Dr. Jekyll's lab, Lou was injected by a formula which he had the head and paws of a mouse!! The bartender and two customers were being nuts and frightened when they saw his head. Even a small little mouse. At last finally, he was back to his normal self.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde- 1931

Based on the book by Robert Louis Stevenson, filmed in 1931 by Paramount Pictures, and played by Frederic March, Dr. Jekyll wanted to prove about the witness between good and evil as he takes a formula which transforms him into a monster. From Dr. Henry Jekyll to Mr. Edward Hyde.



But when he was gone nuts, and his Hyde side would make him transform, he and Hyde did not stop until he was shot by a revolver by the police, and died in his own lab. They way he dies and so does Hyde, Hyde burns in hell as Jekyll lives in heaven.

Horror Movie Review #26

I like to find as many new horror movies as I can, in the hopes of finding another horror movie favorite to watch.Anyone who watches horror regularly knows they aren't all perfectly done masterpieces of cinema, so it takes a LOT of viewing before you find a good horror movie.OR, a good guide.Which is where I come in.

The SyFy Channel isn't exactly known for their movie excellence.But the ones they make are generally enjoyable.Zombie Night (2013) is about a pair of families living next door to each other who have to cooperate to survive a zombie attack.We have some major stars in this one, Anthony Michael Hall of Weird Science and the Dead Zone, Darryl Hannah of Splash and Kill Bill, and Alan Ruck of Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Twister.There's even Shirley Jones!Of... The Partridge Family.lol

Zombie Night starts pretty innocuously.A family is caught in a traffic jam.Although this traffic jam is apparently caused by people trying to evacuate the city, in advance of the zombie horde.As the cars are overrun, a father (a barely recognizable Anthony Michael Hall) and daughter manage to escape (through a graveyard no less), and make it home to the wife and mother (played by Darryl Hannah).The neighbors have a safe house, more of a panic room, I guess, stocked with provisions.Unfortunately, the father (played by Alan Ruck, who I just saw in Ferris Bueller's Day off a few hours ago, man he's aged) is too scared to open the door long enough to let anyone inside.Apparently, the zombies are quiescent during the day, so the families only have to make it through the night to survive.The trouble is, making it through the night...

80 movie ideas for halloween

Not that you need my help, but I've run across several good choices over the years and I love an excuse to talk about movies....



Obviously, pretty much any of the old Universals of the 30's and 40's, or the Hammer cycle of the 50's and 60's, will make for a fine choice. The best among these include HORROR OF DRACULA, THE BRIDES OF DRACULA, THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF DRACULA, etc. etc. If at a loss, reaching for a Frankenstein or Dracula film is usually a good place to start! This list will focus on the less obvious choices, however, the ones less likely to turn up on TCM every year.

Cookie monster and off the page

The inspiration is a cookie monster cupcake.

I've made a mistake and done a layout.

Here is my layout featuring my nephew's dog,Honey.

My Review of Blood C

Disclaimer: This reivew contains some spoilers, and since they tie in directly with my most imnportant points about the show, I won't be hiding them. Read with discretion.



Blood C (2011)

'THIS IS THE MODERN WORLD'...

SCOTLAND HELD TO RANSOM BY A CAPITALIST DICTATOR



"Relief" is the most widespread feeling after the eleventh-hour reversal of the closure of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant on Friday 25 October.

Gungrave, Black Heaven

GUNGRAVE



The only cool thing about this anime is this picture.

World Series scene shifts, Cards right at home

Grounds crew workers prepare the field before a baseball practice, Friday, Oct. 25, 2013, in St. Louis. The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox are set to play Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)



Grounds crew workers prepare the field before a baseball practice, Friday, Oct. 25, 2013, in St. Louis. The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox are set to play Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

31 Days of Goosebumps

BOOK 57: MY BEST FRIEND IS INVISIBLE

Everyone thinks Sammy is crazy ever since he's been seen talking to Bren an invisible kid living in his bedroom who wants to be his friend.

Finally he steals his parents light molecular device (they're scientists) and shines it on Bren revealing that Bren is a monster. Bren is the almost extinct human being.

Fall TV 2013 Pilot Reviews: The Up, Downers and In-Betweens

Why hello, and welcome back to our Fall TV 2013 Premiere Reviews series. Sorry for being a week late with this, I decided to postpone a week to wait for NBC's Dracula to premiere and that way I could review all the October premieres at once. I hope you don't mind. And I also did the same review in my last week, and I plan on doing with every post from now on, so if you want to read the same thing in a different address -- because why not, change it up a little -- do check out my Squidoo too. :-) Anyway, there were five new shows that premiered this month that I happened to watch and well, let's just say so far Fall 2013 has not improved at all. It's a little sad that every year networks just can't seem to do it right, but what can you do, eh? Let's just be thankful that there are still great shows out there - they're just few and far between. Now, let's look at the up, the downers and the in-betweens of this month's new shows and who knows, maybe with time and patience they'll improve and become our new favorites.



THE UP:

Doctor by Doctor #9

WORKING CLASS HERO



Christopher Eccleston, 2005

"Expect The Unexpected"

The roadworks were a pain, although not as bad as expected, still adding to the monotony of driving. The landscape once again transforms with the luscious greens becoming sparser and the views turning more barren, reminiscent of Pride Rock under the Scar leadership.



We did however spot our first Kangaroo in the wild. Decapitated. Not exactly the way we envisaged seeing skippy for the first time. I pictured groups of them, bounding through fields parallel to the highway. The victim of a horrific accident, the stiff body looked to be almost standing as we wheeled past, grimacing. This wouldn't be the last we would see either. Before travelling people would often joke and say "Don't hit a Kangaroo!", including the Van Hire company. These jokes now becoming increasingly real.

The Caucasian retroviral ofBreaking Bad

For those of us who long ago tossed out the trappings of modernity, including entertainment, television is experienced through the words of others. But don't worry -- they'll tell you. Since we lack much in common at any level in the modern state, people have to find neutral topics of conversation and TV is high on the list.



As a result, television serves a role that is an inverse of the old line, "Don't adjust your set." Let your set adjust you, and tune you to the pulse of culture and the harmonies of contemporary thought, or hive-mind behavior, whichever comes first. Television is both an interactive poll and a propaganda device, made by elites to please the tastes of the masses and flatter their assumptions.

Animation Alley: Treehouse of Horror VI

(this episode directed by Bob Anderson)

Matt Groening has talked about how he feels the less lines needed to convey a character or emotion, the better. This show, and to some extent Futurama, has always hinged on simplistic design, but in an incredibly economical way. A great example is Homer with pantyhose on his head here. Two lines on his forehead to represent the stretching, and his nose being pushed down, and that's it, you perfectly understand what's happening. The second frame is unrelated to this topic, I just love Lard Lad's pose as he comes to life with a Godzilla roar.


Yu Gi Oh! 2010 Red Nova Dragon Collectible Tin [Toy]

The Red Nova Dragon 2010 Collectible Tin is one of five Collectible Tins for the 2010 holiday season. Each Tin comes with 5 Booster Packs and 5 different Variant Cards! Red Nova Dragon glows with all the intensity of an exploding star! You could probably see it from across the galaxy. But no need to travel that far, because now you can add this Synchro Monster to your Extra Deck. This fiery Tin is a great way to store your Decks, your favorite cards, or anything else you want to keep safe! Red Nova Dragon is an upgraded version of another Synchro Monster: Red Dragon Archfiend. It's so powerful that in order to Summon it, you'll need TWO Tuner monsters to combine with your Red Dragon Archfiend. But all that work is worth it, because it hits the field with 4500 Attack Points - or more! - and cannot be destroyed by your opponent's cards. Red Nova Dragon can even protect your weaker monsters by stopping your opponent from attacking them.
Full Post

From Coastal Living to Thrill Rides

Carpinteria Sunset, stunning!



FROM CHRIS - Hey guys.Loving being on the Californian coast.We managed to grab our first beach day at a beach called Mesa Rea which was just near our campground, about 15 mins south of Santa Cruz.It was 2 ft and glassy, flocks of pelicans swooping by, seals playing in the water and dolphins doing laps of the beach -idyllicOnly 1 problem -arctic temperature water!!!We had all grabbed 4-3 wetsuits, but it was pretty painful on the feet.The kids lasted about 15 mins, me 30 mins and Mike an hour or two. It's pretty cool being in the water with so much wildlife around!

Mrs Adebowale helps a Stranger

I apologise that it's been a while since we put up anything. Been busy, life and its works. But you know us, always ready to kill you with awesomeness. Right Tele?



TELEOLA: *giggles sheepishly while reading text from lover*

Paper Plate Monsters!

I have to say that this is one of the most Bean-approved crafts we've done in quite some time. At 2.5 years she's all about doing everything by herself, and so in preparing our next Halloween craft I wanted to make sure she could do ALL of the steps totally by herself. Granted, this approach does mean extra thought and preparation time, but as far as i'm concerned it was absolutely worthwhile!



To make some silly and scary Paper Plate Monsters, you will need:

My home in Laos

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]



When I came back to Laos in October 2012 I moved into a nice guesthouse where I stayed for 4 months but I realized quite quickly that it would be nice to cook your own food every now and then instead of eating out every day. As there are no apartments in Luang Prabang the only option you have is to rent a house. Some people share big houses or you just get your own house. So I started looking around in November but it was a bit trickier than I thought as most of the houses I saw were either completely unfurnished (and you don't want to buy a whole set of furniture for a short time) or too dark and often in a pretty bad state or too big and expensive. After quite extensive search I ended up renting a house on the main street towards the end of the peninsula (so top location because in the center but in the quiet part of town). My house is approx. 100 meters from the Mekong and 10 meters from the Nam Khan river, surrounded by beautiful temples and looking out into my garden I get the feeling of living in the tropics.

Witches of Galdorheim

SIANACH AND CUSITH



The only Witches of Galdorheim book with fairies or the fey is "Scotch Broom." I found some great Celtic fey characters to populate the pages of this homage to the Wizard of Oz. Oh, you didn't realize the book was about Oz? I know, I know. I'm so subtle people don't even notice I'm visible much less what themes I use to tell my tales. But if you didn't notice the tornado created by an old hag, Thordis and Ardyth following the Yellow Brick Road, or Cailleach casting a spell right out of the Wizard book...well, it's there if you choose to look. It's a great time to do so considering the BOGO deal going on right now at MuseItUp Publishing for my books. Link is at the bottom of the post.

Public Relations and Professional Burnout or Gun Meet Foot

Any professional can tell you that moment they had just one too many bad days at work, felt completely disillusioned, or lacked the energy to be productive.What they might not have told you because they didn't know it themselves is they were suffering from professional burnout.



This is a serious concern not just for our own mental health, but to avoid any messy blow up that could end up costing a company millions in bad PR. The Mayo Clinic defines professional burnout as "a special type of job stress -- a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work."

Gremlins And Glitches: Lexical Queries After HealthCare.gov

When it comes to describing problems with the Affordable Care Act website, one word has been used a lot: glitches. But does that really capture the major problems with HealthCare.gov? And where does the word come from? Ben Zimmer, executive producer of vocabulary.com and language columnist for The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the word's origins.



Copyright (c) 2013 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

The Vampire Diaries Sneak Peek: You're Allowed to Be Happy!

Next week on The Vampire Diaries, Damon and Elena attend the Whitmore Historical Ball dressed as Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. Only one of them seems to be in a festive mood, however.



Still reeling from the events of last night's episode (follow the link for our ), Elena can't get past what happened to Bonnie or the fact that she didn't find out sooner.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Monster Mania Day 20: Murder Party

Written by Stu Cooper



I found this film a couple years ago after seeing the trailer on youtube. The film is called "Murder Party" , written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier and released in 2007. I saw the film probably sometime around 2010 and it was love at first sight. The film tells the story of a lonely awkward guy named Chris who is a meter maid. Right before Halloween Chris is doing his regular walk through, ticketing cars in the neighborhood when he finds an envelope on the ground. The envelope contains an invitation to a "Murder Party" which Chris believes to be some kind of Halloween party. Chris decides to create a costume and attend the party but upon entering the party he realizes it's much more than he bargained for. The party is filled with psychotic "artists" who have organized a party in which they will attempt to murder someone in an artistic fashion in order to receive a grant. Sadly for Chris, he is that special someone. Each of the guests at the party are in costume and they are all sadistic in a different way. What ensues from that point on is like a horror comedy version of The Breakfast Club. I can't say much else because I don't want to spoil the outcome of the film.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

NBC's 'Dracula' Sure Is Sexy, But It Isn't Scary

It's a peculiar thing when a network launches a horror series-the week before Halloween, no less-and there's one glaring, frightful problem with it: it's not scary.



That's the issue facing NBC's ambitious Dracula, which bares its fangs for the first time Friday night, launching a 10-episode run. The series reimagines the world's most famous vampire. NBC's (re)imagination, it appears, has run wild.

Monster Mania Day 21: Goosebumps "The Haunted Mask"

Written by Stu Cooper



If you were a child of the 90's then you most likely experienced the gigantic "Goosebumps" book fad. Every kid in my school had a collection of Goosebumps books. The book fairs at school would shill them left and right, and we often had reading time in class and kids would always bring their newest Goosebumps story. Capitalizing on the massive popularity of the book series FOX began developing a "Goosebumps" television show. I actually remember when the show made its debut and it was immediately terrifying and interesting. The first episode was actually a two parter entitled "The Haunted Mask". The episode itself was based on one of the early books. The series would continue to just adapt books that had already been released, making the books we grew up reading into visualizations to scare kids even more. It was essentially "Tales From The Crypt" for children.

Monster Mania Day 22: The Sounds of Horror

Written by Bobby Ramos



Many believe that a great horror film has to have a great monster, great direction or acting, personally to me a lot of those elements would mean nothing without a great soundtrack. Now I am not talking about a mix tape soundtrack (Though Return Of The Living Dead was a Super Bad Ass Soundtrack). I am talking about songs that let you know what you are getting yourself into, that can tell you the story by letting chords speak and also will make you remember what Impending Doom sounds like. Here are the Top 10 Horror Themes.

Deep Discussions with Decapitated Dan: George Warner

I RECENTLY HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO GEORGE WARNER ABOUT BRINGING BACK THE HUMAN GARGOYLES AND SO MUCH MORE. CHECK IT OUT:



DECAPITATED DAN: Hey George thanks for taking time to talk with me about The Human Gargoyles . First of all lets talk about you. Who are you and what do you do?

A New 'Deadworld' Tale Crawls Your Way From IDW

IDW Publishing has plans for yet another "Deadworld" arc, slated for release this December. The Ghastly Award winning zombie classic will be brought back to life by Gary Reed and Sami Makkonen in "Deadworld: Restoration". The arc follows Donna, the new leader of the zombies on her journey through the American wasteland. Check out the details below.



Official Press Release:

Review: 'Kiss Me, Satan!' #2

Victor Gischler's "KISS ME, SATAN!" #2 is dripping with the kind of cultural atmosphere expected from a book set in the historic Garden District of New Orleans. But it isn't until Gischler, and artist Juan Ferreyra, take readers through the antiquated gates of Lafayette Cemetery that the issue enters the wonderfully ethereal world of lore and legend.



WRITTEN BY: Victor Gischler

Review: 'The Crow: Curare' #3

As the mystery comes to a riveting conclusion, "THE CROW: CURARE" #3 ends with a gripping cat and mouse game between an ex-cop and a child killer. A terrific combination of police procedural and horror, the pulse-pounding suspense is undeniably gripping. With its finale, "The Crow" series continues to say so much about its universal themes of grief and redemption.



WRITTEN BY: James O' Barr

An excuse to be crafty

It`s two weeks holiday in France so we have plenty of time to do crafts.



The Nightmare before X-mas playset seen on www.spoonful.com. My daughter is already very skilled with scissors.

MLB Fall Classic: Dang those Old folks & Ad Men

MLB FALL CLASSIC: DANG THOSE OLD FOLKSpeople only care about their own team. I believe that sentiment will grow as the years go on.



The juxtaposition is that baseball is actually easier to follow nowadays. While the culture may be moving past the sport in real-time, box scores and stats can be checked immediately after every game has concluded to see how the league is doing. It is much easier to keep up on the sport as a whole without actually tuning into any game play. I...don't know what this means for the future of the sport. Maybe you have some idea.

Mexico:The Courage of Celaya, Its Abandonment by Jorge Ramos, from Dolores Del Rio to Loreto Peralta, Amnesty and the Quincea era

OUR LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY PROFESSOR AT USC USED TO TAKE US TO EL TEPEYAC CAF , IN BOYLE HEIGHTS, TO MEET AND CHAT WITH ANCIENT VETERANS OF PANCHO VILLA'S HOMERIC BATTLE AGAINST ALVARO OBREGON, THE BATTLE OF CELAYA (April 6-15, 1915).



When you thought of Mexico in those halcyon days, you thought of courage not corruption, courage not consumerism, courage not victimhood. Mexicans were not seen as whining victims of La Migra but as the revolutionaries who made the Homeric cavalry charges at Celaya.

Why You Should Give NBC's Dracula a Chance

Thanks to Twilight, vampire fangs have gone limp. The monsters of lore have become neutered romantics, who'd rather swallow their every instinct than a pint of human blood. But finally, NBC has presented us with a bloodsucking alternative -- and one that will hopefully help combat the world's current vampire fatigue.



Set in Victorian England, Dracula (Friday, 10/9c, NBC) isn't the story of the famed vamp as we've come to know him. Instead, the series draws upon the monster's own inspiration, Vlad Tepes (a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler), played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. It's this former Bulgarian warrior who is Dracula's true protagonist, though he spends most of his time masquerading as Alexander Grayson, an American industrialist. Only when it's absolutely necessary -- or when he's hungry -- does Vlad ever reveal the monster within (aka Dracula).

Lizard Man

IN 2012, PUBLISHED WHAT I PERSONALLY CONSIDER TO HAVE BEEN THE FINEST CRYPTOZOOLOGICAL TITLE OF THAT YEAR: LYLE BLACKBURN'S . IT QUITE RIGHTLY RECEIVED EXCELLENT REVIEWS AND JUSTIFIABLY THRUST BOTH LYLE AND THE FOUKE MONSTER, ITSELF, FIRMLY INTO THE LIMELIGHT. SOMETIMES, HOWEVER, WHEN AN AUTHOR PUTS OUT SUCH A GREAT FIRST BOOK IT CAN BEG A POTENTIALLY AWKWARD QUESTION: HOW DO YOU FOLLOW IT WITH AN EQUALLY GOOD SECOND ONE?



Of course, Lyle could have done the literary equivalent of what the Sex Pistols did with their classic 1977 album, Never Mind the Bollocks. That's to say, the band put out an amazing record and then split up only mere months later. Their legacy: astill stunning, stand alone collection of anthems from a group that went out with a more than memorable bang.

Gungrave, Black Heaven

GUNGRAVE



The only cool thing about this anime is this picture.

WWE: WWE

WWE - MONEY IN THE BANK 2013 (15)1 Disc Blu-ray / DVD (Distributor: Freemantle Media) Running Time: 170 minutes approx.

The annual stunt fest which sees WWE stars literally climbing the ladder to success took place on July 14, 2013 at the Wells Fargo Centre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in front of 18,147 fans. Starting life as a gimmick match on the Wrestlemania 21 undercard it became a regular fixture on the show until 2010 when the concept was extended to its own PPV. This time there were two Money In The Bank Ladder matches on the card - one for RAW and one for Smackdown (later assigned for the WWE title (red briefcase) and the World Title (blue)) - with the idea of elevating fresh faces into the main title pictures. Everyone who won the MITB match cashed it in to become a champion - with one exception but he didn't need the title or the briefcase in the first place.

Your commentators as always are Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and JBL and while my match review won't contain any results, expect plenty of opinion.

All month that Anton spent behind bars,

Surapin wants to marry a girl who sent him pictures of bears

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Joseph Morgan on Painter Klaus and on being a "refined" monster [INTERVIEW]

Don't you know that Joseph Morgan is a painter in real life? Just like his hybrid (vampire-werewolf) character Klaus who made a painting of Caroline in . Read this interview by to our new rising star, Joseph Morgan. Learn more about him and about his role as Klaus ofThe Originals.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE STAR OF THE VAMPIRE DIARIES SPIN-OFF, THE ORIGINALS?It's incredibly rewarding to be given this opportunity to explore this great character even further. I joined as a guest on The Vampire Diaries for four episodes and I always knew there was a possibility of becoming a regular - but when that happened, it was only supposed to be for one year. A year was always my plan because I didn't see what this role could offer me for any longer. I thought, 'How would I be interested in this villain for more than a year? Are they going to turn him good if he sticks around too long? And do I really want that?'

WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND AND MADE YOU WANT TO STAY ON THE SHOW?I started having so much fun with the character - and I didn't want it to end. My opinion changed after episode nine in Season Three when Klaus has the confrontation with his father and ends up killing him. After that episode, I decided I wanted to do this for a lot longer, so I went to see [The Vampire Diaries and The Originals executive producer] Julie Plec. I said to Julie, "I think there's a misconception that I want Klaus to die. I really want you to know that I want to do another season if I can."