Random Firefight

I'm a Marvel... I'm a Hellboy (video)

Pilipino Basketball shenanigans (video)

LOL together (video)

Kid Gets Launched Into Space (video)

OSHA Arrives (video)

I'm Not Here to Make Friends! (video)

BB Gun Sniper (video)

Tender moments (video)

"I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" parody - NSFW (video)

sexy cosplayers (pix)

My automatic signature in message boards usually read "You're allowed an opinion, so think for yourself." It's really not as simple as it sounds though, because there are many seen and unseen factors involved, when it comes to people's opinions. So I pose the question, "how easily influenced are you really, by other people's opinions?" It's easy to say that you have your own opinion about things, but do you know where that opinion started? Did it really come from you? Can't you say that it may have originated from what you read or heard from somebody else? But then, any thought has to come from someone or something right? It's how you use those information and experiences to allow yourselves to form your own conclusion about something, and in turn rightfully say that it is "your" opinion.

Critics for movies, music, video games, etc have been getting really popular lately, especially in the entertainment field. The reason is because some people don't have the time and money to find out what they think of a particular movie, music, or game anymore. So they go ahead and use their favorite critic's opinion as their own. When they do that, a lot of the times they would start it off with "I heard..." which at least suggests that it isn't entirely their opinion, but then there are people who would blindly just accept it as fact and will go as far as fight for it.

On the flipside, there are those who would automatically have an opinion based on the sole purpose that it follows the opposite stance of another person's opinion. A person says "yes" to something, the other person automatically says "no." Is that just out of spite, because isn't that a very argumentative way of forming an opinion? Is it just because it's "cool to be different?" Is it just a way to try and invalidate another person's position, by contradicting their opinion? It's one thing to play "devil's advocate," it's another thing completely to have a blanket opposing opinion just for the purpose of provoking someone.

Opinions aren't finite and can easily change through time. Looking at the different opinions will only help you understand your own opinion and how valid it really is. The important thing is to always have an open mind to understand that there are people who may not share your opinion, and that's completely alright. Unless they are clearly wrong ofcourse...

My friend who works at Disneyland told me this story about how at the end of the day, he noticed a little 5 years old kid having a temper tantrum, while in the tram ride to the parking structure. He assumed that it was because the kid did not want to leave Disneyland. When they got off the tram, the kid proceeds to continue his temper tantrum, lying on the ground, while everybody was just staring at him as they pass by. The dad decides to whip out his camera and starts to capture the moment on video. Now imagine that kid ten years from now, and his parents decides to whip out that video of him in a temper tantrum, while in front of his girlfriend. Embarrassing isn't it? So that's the way it's going to be done now? Instead of photos of the past to embarrass someone, it's now videos. Wow, sign of the times indeed.

This also goes to show the current trend on how it's easy for just about anyone to capture something on video or photo. Whether it's something entertaining, or if it's something horrible. This is the "youtube generation" afterall, and people want to be able to be junior journalists capturing a moment to share with everyone. Even if getting a particular shot could cause them their life. This is just the way things are I guess. "Somebody's in pain, get it on camera phone now!"

Chase This Random Light

Judge Orders YouTube to Give All User Histories to Viacom (video)

Viacom vs YOU (video)

24 Unforgettable Advertisements (pix)

BeKanye (video)

Messing with driving instructors, Part 2 (video)

Most Obnoxious Tourists? The French (link)

dancing bear (video)

Woman loses contol of her car (video)

ninja warrior (game)

Quinton Rampage Jackson Vs Forrest Griffin (video)

Me and my wife recently did our annual one day visit to the Anime Expo. For the first time ever, my wife decides to go in costume for the occasion as your everyday stereotypical dime a dozen anime character that is a Japanese school girl in a sailor uniform. I thought she looked cute in it, so yay for her. This was also the first time the Anime Expo was at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and I think that due to the larger space compared to past years' locations, they really should make huge attempts to continually use this place every year.

Like I mentioned in a previous blog post, I don't really watch a lot of anime like I used to, so we once again opted for the "exhibit hall only" pass, which suits me just fine since we're only there for the dealer's room and taking photos of the cosplayers. Unfortunately, I later learn that AX08 was premierring "Evangelion : 1.0 You Are (not) Alone," which is the first movie of the "rebuild of Evangelion" project, which is pretty much the newest iteration of my most favorite anime of all time! Since I did not get a standard member pass for Anime Expo, I couldn't have seen it anyway, so I'm hoping they also show it at the San Diego Comic-Con in a couple of weeks from now, because I really want to see it.

Besides the new area and size of the Anime Expo, the dealer's room was more or less the same as it is every year. There was an increase of vendors selling real or fake swords though, which I thought was kind of an odd thing for it to be more popular than ever. I did not really buy anything this time around, which I guess is good since I'm saving money? As far as taking pictures of the cosplayers, I honestly have to say that this year was not up to par to the past couple of years. There were some good costumes there, but a majority of them look like stuff you can buy off a store. There were some spectacular self-made costumes, but since I was only there for a couple of hours, I know that I was not able to see all of them. Still nice to see a lot of cosplayers though, and that's something I can rely on Anime Expo for.

Anime Expo was fine as it goes, and one of the things that puts a smile to my face is how the geeks get to finally "let loose" at a place like this. You have people in costumes doing inpromptu dances, or acting in character to their costume, and in Anime Expo that's all okay. Some notable random occurances that I experienced was what can only be described as a parade of cosplayers marching along to what I will later learn to be something called the "Caramell dansen." Another moment I witnessed was what looked like a group or club of performers doing kung fu gymnastics. These are all part of celebrating this wonderful medium that is Japanese Animation folks. The geeks will rule the world.

- Photos I took at Anime Expo 2008 (pix)
- that "Caramelldansen" parade (video)
- more photos taken by "openhappy" (pix)
- even lots more photos taken by "conpix" (pix)
- Anime Music Videos from AX2008 (video)

Out of all the decades out there, a lot of people (especially from my generation) would say that they absolutely love the music of the 1980s. It really was a great decade of music and a lot of big name artists started out in that era. On the flip side, I don't know if it's just my personal experience, but a lot of people seem to be quick to downplay the music of the 1990s. Maybe it's because it was a great big difference to what made the sound of the 80s, "the sound of the 80s." Recently I caught VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s. It brought back a lot of memories, and pretty much reminded me that I loved the music of that decade as much if not more than the '80s.

The list covered the whole spectrum of music from pop, rock, grunge, R&B, etc... From one hit wonders, boy bands, popular cover songs, to artist defining hits. I actually think that a lot of the songs went farther than just being just another song from a particular decade, which is the problem that a lot of songs from the '80s have. A lot of these songs are classics that still work today, will probably last forever, and it's time of origin will simply be irrelevant.

I think it's obvious what's the first song you think of when it comes to this decade *cough*smellsliketeenspirit*cough* and sure enough it did get the number one spot. I have the top 25 songs listed here, but click the link and take a look at the rest of the list. I think that you'd be hard pressed to deny the significant impact to music the '90s had.

http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/127759/episode_featured_copy.jhtml

01. Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
02. U2 "One"
03. Backstreet Boys "I Want It That Way"
04. Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You"
05. Madonna "Vogue"
06. Sir Mix-A-Lot "Baby Got Back"
07. Britney Spears "...Baby One More Time"
08. TLC"Waterfalls"
09. R.E.M. "Losing My Religion"
10. Sinéad O'Connor "Nothing Compares 2 U"
11. Pearl Jam "Jeremy"
12. Alanis Morissette "You Oughta Know"
13. Dr. Dre (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang"
14. Mariah Carey "Vision of Love"
15. Red Hot Chili Peppers "Under the Bridge"
16. MC Hammer "U Can't Touch This"
17. Destiny's Child "Say My Name"
18. Metallica "Enter Sandman"
19. Beastie Boys "Sabotage"
20. Hanson "MMMBop"
21. Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On"
22. Beck "Loser"
23. Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue "Whatta Man"
24. House of Pain "Jump Around"
25. Soundgarden "Black Hole Sun"

Here It Goes Random

BitTorrent seed farmer found guilty, faces 10 years in jail (link)

christian the lion (video)

Chopsticks Chopped With a Dollar (video)

hamster fight (video)

what cars are selling with gas prices so high? (link)

Insane Office Sports (video)

deuchebag and a soccer ball (video)

puppies chase boy (video)

Church Hymn Translated (video)

PWN or DIE (link)

Anime Expo, the United States largest Anime and Manga convention is once again being held on the July 4 weekend. This time it's at the Los Angeles Convention Center, as this event has simply outgrown the places it was held before. Besides the fact I'm actually going to visit Anime Expo this Saturday as I have done many years now, I've got to say that I still have not gone back to being a huge anime fan like I once was. This coming from someone who used to be the President of an Anime club back in college over a decade ago, and was the primary "Anime geek" of all my friends at that time. I used to be "that anime guy" who knew more things about the genre than what should be normally allowed. I'm that anime guy who (still) could tell you the cultural and historical significance of why lots of anime has a plot revolving young girls piloting huge robots.

I pretty much turned my back to what's new in Anime at the turn of the century. I'm starting to be an old man who only really remembers and loves the
anime of "my time," and hardly knows the ones that are released
nowadays that today's kids go gaga over. There are still some series / movies that I was able to see this decade however; like Naruto, Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex, Paprika, etc... but it's nothing like last decade when I was practically hungry to watch all the anime available out there. I believe that was the reason I gave up on anime. I've seen too many! I've seen so much, that a lot of the anime of today just come off as retreads of the series / movies that I've already seen before. People criticize Hollywood for releasing the same old same old movies, but in all honesty the anime industry is far more guilty of churning out the same thing everytime. There are so many similar anime out there, you'd think they had an exact scientific formula in making one.

Although I'm pretty much ranting that "the Anime of today sucks!" I don't really mean it to that extreme of a statement. I am aware that lately more so than ever, there are more avant garde anime being released, like "Paranoia Agent" for example. So in a way it's my fault for acting like there's nothing good out there for me to watch anymore, when I know that all I have to do is look. The truth is that I simply kept exposure to anime at the very minimum, that I have now become the casual anime fan. The only way I'm probably going to catch an anime that I've never seen before, would be on TV; which I guess is one of the true signs of a casual fan.

Me a casual fan? My anime fanboy self of ten years ago would be shocked!