Redefining the image of Greece
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Watching Meryl Streep dance as Donna by the sparkling, blue water and white concrete buildings in Mamma Mia and Alexis Bledel as Lena in the Sisterhood of Traveling Pants walking through a beautiful town perched on a mountain totally inspired me to travel to Greece.? However, I am not seeing that scenery on this trip to Greece.? Those views of Greece are only in a small portion of the country, and they’re simply stereotypical images of Greece.? I’m in Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece, where I am seeing some true images of Greece.? As a traveler, I need to go outside of the touristy zones to see the true lifestyle of the country.? The true purpose of traveling is to break the stereotypes portrayed in the media.
Thessaloniki is simply a big city with lots of simple apartments and shops.? At the edge of the city, a stunning harbor stretches for miles.? People bustle through the city on buses, mopeds,hermes belts, and in cars like any other fast-paced city.? Bus are packed as they can be during rush hour moments.? Vendors sell fresh fruits and vegetables at market stalls.? Ancient ruins nestle sparsely throughout the city.? Mountains surround the city creating a beautiful view from the harbor.
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Tip #5 Don’t Date Your Sister
At the end of the letter, Berman said the show would be on the air for many years to come, so long as ratings were there to justify it, and unfortunately that is the bottom line, Considering the Fox of today really is the cesspool of mindless filth that it’s always been rather unfairly characterized as (such as when Married With Children was its flagship show) but only now does it actually apply, I highly doubt it. Afterall, Americans don’t want smart comedy with talented actors and brilliant scripts, they want to see “real” people, i.e. folks off the streets that are desperate for fifteen seconds of fame or complete been (or soon to be has been) celebrities, acting like spoiled brats and dragging down the entire human race in beach house.
“… contrary to rumors you may have heard of read on the internet, [Arrested Development] is NOT cancelled.”
- Speaking of DVDs, a season 1 collection of Pete & Pete has officially been announced. Actually, I’ve known about a Pete & Pete DVD for a while, but didn’t want to say anything due to the fear of spilling the beans, though as I’ve discovered, it’s actually been a really poorly kept secret. Then again, it’s not hard to believe that someone at Nick posts at the Something Awful forums.
- Have you heard of the game, the 7 Sins? It’s another one of those games who people who find Sims 2 not sexually satisfying enough. Just check out this video which shows the player drugging up his date, looking up her skirt and playing with her breasts.
But the true highlight of the party was seeing Raph whom I had also lost contact with and assumed to be living in California. Raph and I share a special bond which was forged on the day of the big black out back in 2003; after walking 50+ sweltering blocks in Brooklyn for any sign of friends, I found him still at his place where he gave me a cold Japanese beer and cooked me a hot dog. Later that night we drove around the city (driving around Brooklyn without traffic lights and much traffic is the only way to go around there), walked around a pitch-black park (while careful not to step on people having sex in the grass), and got drunk. We still say there should be a mandatory black out at least once a year.
- Speaking of the star of Arrested Development, the uncertain future of the show has been pretty big news the past couple of days for most folks (or at least for those who have good taste in television).
And anyone who’s familiar with Fox’s history of stopping production of shows has good reason to cry bullshit. Afterall, even though Fox seems rather cavalier about the show wrapping up this season, all reports seem to indicate that a proper final episode hasn’t been filmed, nor will it be. Given how intricately structured the overall story is planned out (which means that every episode is important in the scheme of things), its impossible to believe that things could have just ended this past week with no complications. But then again, it’s just another sign of Fox not giving a shit.
Meanwhile, Jason Bateman appeared in Conan O’Brien the next night. Even though he didn’t directly address the situation, Bateman did constantly stress that people should watch the show, as did Conan. Plus he talked about wanting to have his sister appear on the show as his wife and sex with his real life wife. Some found the interview to be pretty weird, but I though it was awesome (and like Bateman explained, the show’s all about incest humor).
It was nice seeing Steph whom I had lost contact with due to the overly hectic past couple of months (her and I go way back, to my WSVA days). Highlights on her end included a “crazy Matt Hawkins story” of her own. BTW, I love it when people have a story about some absurd, bizarre, or even life threatening incident and dub it a “Matt Hawkins story”; Dave has a few, and Steph was even in one of them not too long ago… the time some creep asked me to check out his dead friend with him. Anyway, Steph’s story was about a psycho tenant of hers that was moving out and how he went nutso when she gave back his security deposit minus $10 for some damage he did to some wiring; the guy pulled down his pants, spread his ass cheeks wide, and started yelling about getting raped up the ass (good thing he didn’t start pooing right then and there).
Then the next day, a letter was released by the president of Fox Entertainment, Gail Berman, and stated…
Plus she told me about her latest internet romance: some D&D freak who lives in his parent’s basement somewhere in the mid-west. His name is “Moth Tron”. Awesome. And I swear to God, there is no better joy on earth than asking Steph if her latest love has crab-like claws for hands or tank treads for feet (she has a history of going after dudes with psychical deformities, such as one guy who had a malformed hand and another dud with a lazy eye).
Here’s hoping DVD sales will also help keep the show on the air. I would have to assume they’ve been great thus far; it was a pretty popular gift this past Xmas.
Some have even stated that the reason Strider has a teddy bear when he later appeared in Street Fighter Alpha 2 (in Ken’s background), as well as each subsequent appearance, is to act as tribute to the institutionalized programmer.
- This weekend MK and I had a ton of work to get through, so the plan was for her to finish up some pages for a comic that was past due while I refined and tweaked a game design since development of the game was actually coming along ahead of schedule. But instead, we mostly just sat around and watched the Ben Stiller Show on DVD. Actually, I did get some work done, while MK chose to continue her game of Pikmin that she started a while ago.
While most of the action was going on downstairs, MK, Robin, and myself, along with Raph, his girlfriend, and our friend Adam mostly hung out in the “pink room” which was just the bathroom with pink stuff all over the place. Pink champaign was served (pretty digesting actually) and at one point we were all goofing on Def Leopard (I made a really dumb… not tasteless, but just plain retarded… joke about the one armed drummer and Raph, being the kind hearted soul that he is, managed to salvage it somehow). Plus, and I forget how, but I ended doing my old death metal routine from high school. I really wish I could remember more.
Now I can finally play the Street Fighter Anniversay Collection and Virtau Fighter 4 with some semblance of control.
- Meanwhile, the biggest news this week video games wise was the announcement of a Sega Saturn-styled pad for the PS2. Ask any Saturn owner and they will tell you that the system has easily one of the finest 2D pads ever (which makes total sense since it was one of the finest 2D systems every). Now I don’t feel too bad for missing out on the USB Saturn pad.
- After 3 years in the making, Patrick, aka Transfatty, has finally finished Deep Space Mayonnaise.
- Hey, remember the JFK assassination game that was pissing people off not too long ago? Well get ready for a game based on the Oklahoma City bombing.
Now if I can just find out what the deal is with that guy who jumped off the top of Sega HQ during the Saturn/Dreamcast changeover, and the 147 Dead Or Alive fans that committed mass suicide.
Shortly after news of Fox’s decision to shorten the season in favor of the overrated, unfunny, and just plain retarded American Dan hit the net, David Cross went on the Jimmy Kimmel show to talk about the situation. Needless to say, he was pretty pissed, mostly because the network never bothered to contact anyone on the show about the decision. Instead, they all found out about news like everyone else, on the internet.
Neat story, huh? Well according to at least one person, it’s probably bullshit. Personally, I want to believe it.
Cross further said of the Fox network…
- Here’s your bizarro video game tidbit as provided by the GAF of the week: remember the arcade, and Genesis, classic Strider? Some might recall a SuperGrafix version that never came to be in Japan (it was downgraded to a PC Engine Arcade Card CD version that apparently sucked). Well the story goes that management put so much pressure on the long programmer behind SuperGrafix version, which was supposed to surpass not only the Genesis version but the arcade one as well, that he cracked under the stress and had to be admitted to a mental hospital, which lead to the game’s cancellation. And because of his failure, it’s even said that he even took his one life.
By the end of the night I was pretty drunk, but Robin was much more so, and MK was so smashed she could barely walk. But I managed to get her back to my place, though we were too spent to stay up and watch SNL that I had taped in advance (Jason Bateman was on). She couldn’t even stay awake for the Venture Brothers.
Plus we went to a party in Brooklyn last night. My friend Stephy threw a pre/anti-Valentine’s Day bash at her house, though it was mostly an opportunity for friends who are oh-so familiar with my horror stories from the world of dating (among other things) to actually see me with a actual living, breathing, fully-functional (and non-crazy) girlfriend, which as expected, was ten times the thrill for them. Robin also came along for the chance to meet girls and some booze.
- And lastly, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, so to celebrate, here are some cards courtesy of X-Entertainment to help spread the message of love via Mario, Link, and the Ninja Turtles…
There was also plenty of other familiar faces, plus plenty of eats: there was chocolate fondue, but instead of the assorted fruits on-hand, I dipped brownies and Hersey’s kisses. By the end of the night, I had so much chocolate that I was convinced that if I was sick, I’,hermes belts;d be throwing up pure fudge. And of course there was plenty of booze, with MK making all my drinks, and all of them stiff.
“I hope Fox puts in its place, like, you know, America?s Cutest Retards. What?s left for them to do? We got midgets trying to pull an elephant. What?s left? We?ve got orphans trying to figure out who their dads are?come on. Let?s go with retards. OK? Let?s do it”
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You See, It’s Especially Extreme When You Captial
- Meanwhile on the DS, Monkey Ball is headed its way with a control scheme which is not necessarily a surprise, but is still very much welcome, at least to those who tried to deal with the GBA controls,hermes belts, such as myself (basically, you just roll the monkey ball with your stylus on the bottom screen… just like that recent Pac Man rolling game):
- There’s a new Sonic game on the way and its called Sonic Riders. Here’s the write-up, courtesy of IGN…
Storm the Albatross? Jet the Hawk? Air as fuel? The return of eXtreme? Jesus H. Christ…
- So here’s what Rockman Rockman looks like:
Its basically part 1 with a graphical overhaul. Gotta say…. I’m not a big fan of this new “Chibi” Mega Man. But hey, at least the game comes with a level editor, so I’m still interested.
Since I have a little bit of downtime here at work…
- Also jut announced for the PSP in Japan is the action-RPG classic Landstalker which was originally for the Genesis. No word if its a straight-forward port (which would be pointless since one could play that already on the PSP if they really wanted to) or an enhanced version, or a sequel of sorts. If they include the Saturn sequel, Dark Saviror, then that would be an awesome deal.
“In Sonic Riders, Dr. Robotnik has set up a speed challenge, and all the Sonic characters, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna, Storm the Albatross, Jet the Hawk, Miles “Tails” Prower and Web the Swallow, have decided to compete. To the victor goes a Chaos Emerald.
Air is a big element of Sonic Riders. Your board’s “fuel” source is air…”
Anyway, here’s an awesome Photoshop from the GAF that sums my feelings, and others, quite perfectly:
Unlike the classic SEGA Saturn racer Sonic R (now appearing as a game in Sonic Gems Collection), Sonic Riders promises an “eXtreme” experience. Yes, SEGA is actually using this buzz word that we thought had died two years ago to promote the game. Sonic and friends speed through tracks on air boards, using individual special moves to strike down opponents.
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Samples and Tracks
This will probably only work with new material – at least as far as melodies are concerned – because the Publishing departments of Sony and Higher Octave won’,hermes belts;t see things the same way I do.
It sure would be great to hear what people might create…
While I would freely give away any rhythm samples/tracks (guitar, percussion etc.), I might require that people using one of my melodies for a commercial product contact us to license the usage of the melody. I think of it as throwing some of my work into the web’s simmering melting pot for digestion by all. Maybe in a few years we can release a collection of remixes done in this way…
I have been thinking about the downside of making samples and whole individual tracks of my music available to people for remixing or having their fun with – and I can’t think of anything!
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