tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44678355987894487432024-03-13T20:11:26.220-07:00Jonny Does Journalism(but only sometimes)Jonnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13207932784237614779noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-25391484756516497522011-05-10T15:13:00.001-07:002011-05-10T15:13:28.087-07:00Portfolio: Gamer's Paradise Pilot(coming soon)Jonnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13207932784237614779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-40462802549747400202011-05-10T15:11:00.002-07:002011-05-10T15:12:57.659-07:00Portfolio: Geek Squad: Looking AheadOh man, has this day really come? Am I really graduating? Yes, it’s true – my time as a USF student is nearly over, and with that comes the end of Geek Squad, a column that I’ve been writing on and off since my sophomore year. Geek Squad originally was supposed to be just a one-off article about my favorite video games of all-time, but it quickly expanded into a weekly feature that looked at the history of all the major video game consoles and some of the best games they had to offer. After that, Geek Squad expanded even more to include technology – my growing interest in keeping up with modern technology lead to some informative pieces, some how-tos, and a pre-release analysis of the iPad that stirred the pot a little more than I expected. Well, in the spirit of looking toward my future as a USF graduate and beyond, I thought it’d be fun to take a peek at what the future holds for a couple of today’s developing technologies, starting with their modern-day roots and ending with my own personal predictions for what’s ahead. But before that, I’d like to give a big thanks to all my readers over the years – my one hope is that you’ve gained some greater appreciation for all things geeky through reading these articles, whether you’re a gamer or gadget freak or none of the above. So let’s get down to it and jump into this final article of Geek Squad!<br /><br />Augmented Reality<br /><br />You can tell this is a cool piece of technology just from what it’s called – augmented reality, taking reality and adding onto it. Of course, what this is referring to isn’t exactly changing the world itself but how you interact with it. Augmented reality (AR for short) refers to the usage of a device that can display a real-world environment while adding onto it with new visual overlays and information. Let’s dumb it down a little: you’ve got a device with a screen and a camera (aka every mobile phone in existence today) along with the augmented reality software and maybe even a GPS sensor. The camera takes in whatever you’re pointing it at, the screen displays it, and the software puts on its own context-sensitive information. An example of this is the Yelp! app for smartphones, which can display an overlay of markers that shows where nearby restaurants are located relative to what direction you’re pointing the camera. But that’s not all AR is capable of – the Nintendo 3DS’s AR software is able to mold any surface into a playing field, shifting its properties on-screen and placing game elements on it to create virtual-reality gaming experiences. So what can the future hold for this technology? Well, imagine wearing a pair of glasses – hell, imagine putting on contacts or getting eye implants – that allow for this functionality, bridging the gap between seeing augmented reality and living it. Built-in GPS, the ability to translate foreign text on the fly, a wealth of information before your eyes. If holograms don’t pan out, augmented reality is the next best thing – and that’s not a bad thing at all.<br /><br />Near Field Communication<br /><br />Now this is some high-tech stuff. Near Field Communication (NFC for short) is a technology that may very well be taking the world of mobile phones by storm in the near future. It’s a chip that’s capable of generating a small magnetic field around it that can communicate and interact with other NFC-equipped devices. It’s kind of like Bluetooth, but the downfall of Bluetooth is how long it takes to get things going – the startup time, the pairing process, etc. NFC foregoes all of that with automatic pairing and a startup time of less than a tenth of a second. Its only downside (which isn’t much of one if you think about it) is that the technology only has a range of about 4 centimeters between the two devices you’re using. While there aren’t many practical applications for NFC today and only a few smartphones that are sporting the chip, NFC’s specifications can make way for a future where the mobile phone becomes both wallet and keychain. Imagine storing your credit card information on your phone, which can then be used to make payments by pressing it up against a payment pad. Or how about ditching that Clipper card for Muni and just using your phone instead? What about starting your car or getting into your house with the swipe of your phone? Sure, there’s a lot of questions about security to be raised, but the fact of the matter is that our technology is evolving to be more and more mobile, and our phones are the core of that evolution, with NFC helping pave the way to make it all possible.<br /><br />These are but two of many technological advances that are being developed right now to shape the way we live our lives in the future. There’s also been huge leaps in solar energy, wireless charging, paper-thin malleable displays, multi-core mobile processors, voice and gesture-reactive feedback… the list goes on and on. I don’t know, maybe I find some sort of comfort knowing that no matter where my future leads me, it’s going to be filled with some really cool tech. Yeah, the future looks pretty bright.Jonnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13207932784237614779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-68675063118967297122011-05-10T15:11:00.001-07:002011-05-10T15:11:37.907-07:00Portfolio: Geek Squad: The Nintendo 3DSIt was 2004 when Nintendo released the original DS and started its campaign to innovate the gaming industry through the ways we interact with games. A touch screen on a handheld? Two screens? Both these things seemed absurd upon first hearing them, but the past seven years have been kind to Nintendo, and sales of the DS and its subsequent revisions have shown that the features of Nintendo’s ambitious dual-screened handheld aren’t just gimmicks. Last year, Nintendo unveiled their newest successor to their long line of handheld systems, the Nintendo 3DS. Offering up 3D visuals without the need for special glasses, Nintendo hopes to once again innovate gaming with the 3DS in the same way it did with the original DS. Now that I’ve had a few weeks to play with the 3DS since its March 27th launch date, I felt it was time to weigh in on what’s hot, what’s not, and if you should be willing to drop $250 on this hot new piece of tech.<br /><br />Hardware<br /><br />The 3DS is pretty much the same size as a DS Lite and only a half-ounce heavier. Launch colors are Cosmo Black and Aqua Blue – I went with Aqua Blue since it‘s better at hiding fingerprints. The 3DS has a front-facing camera and two cameras on the back, which can be used with games or to take 3D pictures. They’re not the best quality, but they get the job done. Just like all the previous versions, the bottom screen of the 3DS has touch capabilities, but the top screen is a brand new beast – a parallax barrier wide screen display that’s able to provide 3D visuals without the glasses. And as far as processing power goes, the 3DS has a new processor under the hood that’s powerful enough to provide some great graphics – seriously, this thing is more powerful than the Nintendo Wii. Of course, all these features come at a fairly high energy cost, which leads to the 3DS’s biggest downfall – its battery life. Depending on how you tweak some settings, you’re looking at a battery life of 3 to 5 hours, which is remarkably low for a handheld. I wouldn’t call it a deal breaker, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re a big fan of gaming on the go.<br /><br />3D<br /><br />So how ‘bout that glasses-free 3D? Well, I can tell you that it definitely works for the most part, but it’s the kind of thing you have to try for yourself. 3D may not be for everyone, though – there’s been reports of people getting headaches and the like from prolonged use of the 3D effect, but this doesn’t occur in everyone – I personally have no problem with it. To combat this, the 3DS has an adjustable slider that lets you modify the 3D effect to your preference, allowing you to even turn it off completely. When it’s on, though, it’s a spectacle – elements pop out from the screen, overlap each other naturally, and sink into the screen to create an incredible illusion of depth. The downside comes in the nature of the technology – the way the display works requires you to hold the 3DS in a very specific way, and moving it from this ‘sweet spot’ breaks the 3D effect and makes you just see double. It’s a big concession, but also a fairly manageable one.<br /><br />Software<br /><br />A system is nothing without games, and I wouldn’t be the first to admit that the 3DS’s launch lineup – like most of Nintendo’s launch lineups – isn’t so hot. There’s games like Super Street Fighter 4, Nintendogs & Cats, and Pilotwings Resort, but nothing interested me enough to actually buy a game. That’s not a completely bad thing though as it’s given me time to extensively play with the 3DS’s included games, which are great enough in their own right. Face Raiders is a shooter that has you take a picture of someones face then overlays it onto the game’s enemies, utilizing the 3DS’s cameras to make them fly around your surroundings. Then there’s Augmented Reality (probably my favorite thing about the 3DS), which uses special cards to transform any surface into a game of archery, golf, and much more.<br /><br />While the 3DS’s current gaming offerings is a tad weak, the future is bright with games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising, a 3D remake of Star Fox 64, and a brand-new Paper Mario game all coming down the pipeline. Third-party support is strong as well, with the 3DS seeing entries from major series like Metal Gear Solid, Assassin’s Creed, and Resident Evil.<br />Wrap-Up<br /><br />So is this thing worth the $250 you need to plop down to get it? While I don’t regret my decision to purchase one at all, I feel like its release was a little premature – its current game lineup could be much better, and the system is missing core features like an internet browser and game shop until Nintendo releases an update in late May. I don’t think the 3DS will hit its stride until June at the earliest, so I’d say holding off on the 3DS for a while is just fine unless you’ve already got $300 or so to throw around. But give it a little time, and I can see the 3DS shaping up to be a must-have.Jonnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13207932784237614779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-55539666586923434782011-05-10T15:09:00.000-07:002011-05-10T15:14:42.650-07:00Portfolio: Geek Squad: 25 Legendary Years Part 2Geek Squad’s back from Spring Break with even more Zelda-mania! Last issue I talked about two of my favorite underrated Zelda games (The Minish Cap and Spirit Tracks) with the promise of one more on the way. Well, I may have stretched the truth a bit, because this week I’m doing it like Billy Mays and doubling that offer! Why? Because it’s almost impossible to talk about just one of these two games without mentioning the other, so let’s get down to it!<br /><br />The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages (GBC)<br />First, a little behind-the-scenes information: these two games stand out from most other Zelda games in that they weren’t actually developed by Nintendo. No, the Oracle games were instead created by Flagship, a subdivision of Capcom, who also went on to make The Minish Cap. Because of this, these three games are the only ones in the series to have not been developed by Nintendo (there’s also the three games that appeared on the Philips CD-i, but I try to forget those ever existed). Another fun little tidbit is that Flagship intended on making a third game along with Seasons and Ages, but the linking system (which I’ll get into later) proved too difficult. But enough about all that, let’s jump into these two awesome games!<br /><br />Both games start the same because the idea is that they’re supposed to happen at the same time in two parallel universes – weird, I know. Link goes to check out the resting place of the Triforce, approaches it, and gets magically whisked away to some far-off land where surely something sinister is afoot that he has to take care of.<br /><br />If you’re playing Oracle of Seasons (my personal favorite of the two), you get dropped off in the land of Holodrum, where you meet Din, the titular Oracle of Seasons. Enter Onox, the General of Darkness (quite the title), who kidnaps Din and sinks the Temple of Seasons underground, causing all of Holodrum’s seasons to go out of whack. It’s your job to retrieve the Rod of Seasons (which allows Link to change the seasons at will), traverse eight dungeons to collect “Essences of Nature,” save Din and kick Onox’s dark booty.<br /><br />If you’re playing Oracle of Ages, you get dropped off in the land of Labrynna, where you meet Nayru, the once-again titular Oracle of Ages. Enter Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows (really now?), who kidnaps/possesses Nayru, causing the time flow of Labrynna to go out of whack. It’s your job to retrieve the Harp of Ages (which allows Link to travel 400 years into the past), traverse eight dungeons to collect “Essences of Time,” save Nayru and kick Veran’s shadowy booty. Seeing a pattern here?<br /><br />Okay, so the storylines of both games are pretty much the definition of cookie-cutter, but it isn’t really the story you should be looking at. Both of these games struck a brilliant balance of old and new – these were Zelda games through and through, but at the same time they introduced a whole slew of new characters, features, items, game mechanics, and more. There’s a ton of stuff unique to these two games. You’ve got the ability to befriend one of three animal buddies, who you can then ride around on and thoroughly stomp face with. There’s a ring collecting system where you obtain rings from a number of different methods, get them appraised, and wear them to give yourself new abilities. Items like the Roc’s Cape or Switch Hook expanded on old favorites while introducing new challenges.<br /><br />Point being, these two games are massive. We’re talking a whopping sixteen full-length dungeons between both games.<br /><br />And while they are indeed two separate games, they were always meant to be played together, as evidenced by a robust linking system via password. On top of using passwords between the two games to unlock new items and quests, beating one game and using its password on the second unlocks the true final boss, a certain villain that usually ends up behind most of these evil plots.<br /><br />As separate games, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages stand as full-fledged entries to the Zelda series, each with their own merits. But when you take full advantage of the password system and play the two in sequence, you’ve got what’s easily the biggest and most diverse Zelda adventure to date.Jonnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13207932784237614779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-13960130762566925922011-05-10T15:07:00.000-07:002011-05-10T15:09:18.675-07:00Portfolio: Geek Squad: 25 Legendary YearsIt was February 21, 1986 that Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda for the Famicom Disk System, Japan’s version of the NES. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, The Legend of Zelda was developed at the same time as Super Mario Bros., though the two were meant to be quite different – while Super Mario Bros. was completely linear and action-oriented, The Legend of Zelda presented the player with a wide open world that was meant to be explored in whatever way the player wished, and though the game definitely had its share of action, it also challenged players to use their brains in order to solve puzzles and explore the world even further. With The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo broke immense ground in the adventure genre of gaming while also laying down the foundation for role-playing games with its compelling narrative. Last but certainly not least, The Legend of Zelda was the first of many, a starting point to a much-beloved series that spans over fifteen entries.<br /><br />Of course, it’s hard to mention Zelda without thinking about the fond memories that come with playing a Zelda game – the freedom of sailing for the first time in The Wind Waker, the fear of the moon in Majora’s Mask, the awe of, well, pretty much everything in Ocarina of Time – it’s just so easy to wax nostalgia for each and every game in the series, and yet it’s only a select few that people really talk about. So what of the rest, the ones that didn’t make waves in the industry like the original or A Link to the Past or Ocarina of Time? I think it’s about time that some of the less talked about Zelda games got a taste of the spotlight, so in honor of The Legend of Zelda’s 25th anniversary, I’m going to show some love for three of the most underrated Zelda games!<br /><br />The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA)<br />I don’t know if this one just got overshadowed by the A Link to the Past remake that came out on the Game Boy Advance, but Minish Cap is up there as one of my favorite Zelda games. Unlike most of the games in the series, the main villain of Minish Cap isn’t that lovable power-hungry pig-beast we all know as Ganon. No, Minish Cap falls in line with the Four Swords games, where the resident bad guy is a power-hungry big-dark-eye-orb monster by the name of Vaati, who turns Princess Zelda into stone. As most Zelda games have a central gimmick that sets them apart from the rest, Minish Cap’s gimmick (as well as both the Four Swords games) is the ability to clone Link up to three times over. Link can also shrink to the size of a jellybean thanks to the help of his magical sorcerer-turned-hat companion named Ezlo, but we don’t need to get into that. Anyways, Minish Cap retains the spirit of the series with its inspired dungeon design and nifty items, not to mention that the art style is vibrant and lively. And yes, while it may be on the short and easy side compared to other Zelda games, Minish Cap’s greatness is in its charm and general fun factor. It’s a short ride, but one that you’ll most likely end up going through multiple times – I know I did.<br /><br />The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (NDS)<br />This one’s actually the most recent game in the series, and I feel like it just slipped under the radar for most gamers, which is really unfortunate. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks took the formula of its predecessor, Phantom Hourglass, and greatly improved upon it – I like to think of it as Phantom Hourglass’s mulligan. This time around you’re not sailing across the ocean like in Phantom Hourglass or Wind Waker, but instead you’re chugging along the great plains of Hyrule in your own magic train, which admittedly is a little more restrictive in its control, but it’s just so damn cool. And while Spirit Tracks has a central dungeon that’s traversed through sporadically during the game like in Phantom Hourglass, Nintendo has gotten rid of the hassle by eliminating the need to go through previous floors as well as that pesky time limit. The main baddie of Spirit Tracks is the demon king Malladus, a power-hungry spirit-train-beast. Yes, spirit-train-beast. You fight a train in this game. Anyways, Spirit Tracks is one of the few Zelda games that I’d consider to have a memorable story that stands out from the others, and the game’s cohesive soundtrack goes a long way to intensify the experience. I know, the 3DS is just about to be released next month with promises of a 3D remake of Ocarina of Time, but until that comes out later this year, Spirit Tracks is more than a worthwhile cartridge to stick in your handheld.<br /><br />As for the last game, well, you’ll just have to wait until my continuation in the next issue! That should give you enough time to go back and power through these two classics and be ready for my last pick for the most underrated Zelda games!Jonnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13207932784237614779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-31899236881251392009-05-18T01:35:00.001-07:002009-05-18T01:35:59.993-07:00Because I could use the extra credit.<object width="320" height="240" ><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/1127543462864" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/1127543462864" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="240"></embed></object><br /><br />Enjoy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-64557626746640217112009-03-05T20:26:00.000-08:002009-03-05T20:59:56.934-08:00I'm not big on blogging. I should be, but I'm not.Lemme drop a few facts on you: I'm a writer. Not only that, I'm a journalist. I'm a journalist who works for a quasi-top tier video game website. I own two blogs, this being one of them. I should be a blogging maniac, right?<br /><br />Wrong.<br /><br />It's a conundrum. Back when I was in Los Angeles for E3, my (now former) editor in chief and I were talking while dining on some sushi. We got on the subject of writing, and there was a clear difference between the two of us - he writes for fun, writes to excel, writes just for the hell of it. Me? I write when I need to. Write a news post, write an essay, write an article. I just can't see myself writing solid chunks of text unless it's to satisfy some requirement or deadline. That's just how I function. But as I contrasted our two writing methodologies, it got me thinking: am I a bad writer? Am I even a writer? Am I doomed to dissatisfaction if I continue down this path? Yeesh. Inner dilemmas ahoy.<br /><br />I mean, don't get me wrong - I do enjoy the act of writing. Or, I'm good at it (to some extent), at the least. But then again, writing doesn't take any effort for me - it's just like pulling thoughts straight out of my head and slapping them onto paper (or, in this case, a monitor). I just can't help but feel like I don't have the time to sit down and write blog posts. Either that or I feel like there are better ways to spend my time. Super Smash Bros. Brawl, anyone?<br /><br />Maybe it's true that we're all starting to lose our attention spans for reading/writing long strings of text and I'm just falling in line. I mean, I <span style="font-style:italic;">do</span> still write, it's just on more rapid means. And social means. You know, like Twitter. I guess writing articles for The Foghorn counts as writing for fun, but even then I only manage to gain up the motivation to write the articles out of the desire to meet a deadline.<br /><br />I guess it all just comes down to my lifelong lack of motivation. But I think that's a story for another time. Bottom line: blogging just isn't for me. I'll blog sometimes if I feel like, I'll blog if I have to for an assignment (hey, like this one!), but when it comes down to it, I just don't have the motivation to become a frequent blogger.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-8410461788841148182009-02-27T16:40:00.000-08:002009-02-27T16:56:01.267-08:00USF Human Rights Film Festival 2009: Taxi to the Dark SideAfter attending the student film section of the festival, I decided to head to the cafeteria to curb my hunger pangs, making sure to get back to the theater in time for the screening of Alex Gibney's 2008 Oscar winning film for "Best Documentary Feature," <span style="font-style:italic;">Taxi to the Dark Side</span>.<br /><br />When I think about that movie, I don't even know where to start... probably because it was so long and there was so much information crammed into it. But the main focus of the movie was the story of Dilawar, an Afghani taxi driver who was wrongfully captured by the US military as a terrorist and eventually killed during his detainment. This story served as a frame to discuss the various US detainment camps, the torture methods used within them, and the political aspect to it all.<br /><br />Truth be told, it was a gripping documentary. Audience reactions were heard left and right, from gasps in disgust at the gruesome imagery of the Abu Ghraib scandal to the rare laugh when a political figure's stupid decision or dialogue was mocked. The documentary lived up to its award-winning acclaim, though I must admit that it was a tad too long. Yes, there was so much information on the subject to convey, but you can only hold an audience's attention for so long. Perhaps it was my lack of sleep from the night before, but I found myself dozing in and out of sleep at around the hour and a half mark. Other than that, the film was a highly interesting watch that exposes a great atrocity in how the US military goes about its business "protecting America".<br /><br />A candid picture of the director himself, Alex Gibney (on right):<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/17487630@N00/3315123662/" title="Discussing human rights over coffee by jonnyhech, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3568/3315123662_48d83423e8.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Discussing human rights over coffee" /></a><br /><br />And here's a link to the main page of the Human Rights Film Festival:<br /><br />http://www.usfca.edu/mediastudies/hrw/films.html<br /><br />More information on Taxi to the Dark Side:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxi_to_the_dark_sideUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-89556608704727274842009-02-27T14:20:00.000-08:002009-02-27T16:56:45.727-08:00USF Human Rights Film Festival 2009: Student Films<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/17487630@N00/3315120712/" title="I guess not too many people are big on human rights by jonnyhech, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3315120712_21ac3d07a4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="I guess not too many people are big on human rights" /></a><br /><br />Ouch. The only thing worse than a tough crowd is no crowd whatsoever.<br /><br />Okay, so people didn't exactly flock to the student film portion of USF's Human Rights Film Festival - there was an audience of less than twenty. But I like to think of it as intimate. You know, an intimate group of people willing to devote their time to learn more about the various violations of human rights that plague our world today... and then there was me, a journalist in a Digital Media Production class who was only there because it was part of an assignment. But that's not to say I didn't enjoy myself and learn quite a bit. You know, because I did.<br /><br />First up on the block was a film made by Kate Elston called "Presente". It was a short, focused piece that revolved around one particular part of the protests held at the School of the Americas - a person calls out the name and age of a person killed by soldiers trained at the School of the Americas and the crowd (which lies in the thousands) responds together with "presente," or "present" in Spanish. I was surprised by how short the film was and, to be honest, I kind of expected more information to be given on the situation, though I can understand that it would have ruined the focus of the film. Nevertheless, "Presente" fulfilled its role well as both an artistic and informative piece.<br /><br />Next up was a film created by Alexandra Platt & crew called "Soy Niente," or "I Am Nothing". It documented the growing problem of gypsies in Italy not being recognized as Italian citizens or having the ability to obtain work permits in order to assimilate into Italian society, thus being perpetually pushed to the outskirts of Italy, diminishing in status even as their numbers grow. This film was definitely longer than the first one and had more of a traditional documentary feel to it. It left me interested in the situation even after the film was over, and I could tell the audience felt the same with the questions that were raised after the screening. Platt noted that the film is somewhat outdated as the situation has grown larger recently, so I would love to see a follow-up on it.<br /><br />After that was... nothing? That's it? No more student films? Lame. I expected something like 4 or 5 quick-fire short films. Oh well.<br /><br />You can check out the main page for the film festival here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.usfca.edu/mediastudies/hrw/films.html">http://www.usfca.edu/mediastudies/hrw/films.html</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-83531983622131529482009-02-24T03:40:00.000-08:002009-02-24T03:42:01.298-08:00I'm pooped. I think I'll go to bed.After that little splurge of posting, I think it's time to call it a day. I wonder how I'll be able to run on about 5 hours of sleep. I mean, I've been productive on much less.<br /><br />zzzzzzzzzzzzz...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-44165669836434201732009-02-24T03:37:00.001-08:002009-02-24T03:39:23.858-08:00Journalism 3 TV ReviewMmmm. The Office. I gotta admit, I'm actually not very proud of this one, but it's alright. They can't all be gems, right? ...Right? Ah well. Another one bites the dust:<br /><br />Let’s face it – when you’re a college student, sometimes you just don’t have the schedule to commit a half hour to sitting down and watching television at the exact same time on the same day every week. But on the other hand, sometimes you need to make time to just lay back and enjoy some no-strings-attached quality television. That’s why The Office, currently airing on NBC, is one of the best shows to watch even when your life schedule isn’t as consistent as you’d like.<br /><br /> The Office is a sitcom that’s an American adaptation of the BBC series of the same name. It’s shot as a mockumentary, which means that the characters in the show are aware of the cameras that follow them around, often looking at them and having one-on-one conversations to them. The series follows the somewhat miserable employees of the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, which is lead by the eccentric and sometimes inept regional manager, Michael Scott. Other notable characters include coworker lovebirds Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly, who share a common interest in pulling pranks on the even more eccentric Dwight Schrute.<br /><br /> The Office loves to utilize awkward dialogue and interactions as the driving force to its humor. The fact that the show doesn’t even have a laugh track brings the awkwardness to an even higher level by including the viewer, who is often forced to question whether they should be laughing or cringing at the embarrassment of the situations presented before them. Such comedy can much of the time come off as ‘dry’, however, and that may turn off potential viewers. But to those who aren’t turned off, The Office provides solid entertainment for a half hour, and the best part is that you don’t need to follow it religiously.<br /><br /> Like most shows, viewers of The Office are benefitted greatly when watching the episodes in its intended order and without skipping over any of them. What makes The Office so great, though, is that it isn’t completely necessary to do so. Because continuity takes a backseat in the series, you can get virtually the same enjoyment out of watching an episode without seeing any recent ones as if you had seen all the episodes preceding it. True, there is an overarching plot of some sort, but its bearing on individual episodes is minimal to the point that you don’t even have to worry about it. Add this to the fact that most major plot points are at least slightly explained when such information is crucial to the episode, and The Office makes for a great on-and-off series to watch when you’ve got the time.<br /><br /> So if your schedule is too demanding to follow the going-ons of television, The Office delivers a brand of comedy and entertainment that you can pick up and leave off from at your own leisure – because we can all use Casual Friday.<br /><br />Score: 8/10Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-24881340742631079812009-02-24T03:35:00.001-08:002009-02-24T03:36:47.078-08:00Journalism 3 Movie ReviewNext up is my review for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Woody Allen is damn lucky he was able to cast so many hot people. Here we go:<br /><br />Vicky Cristina Barcelona: three proper nouns that, without any given context, are tough to string together. In this case, Woody Allen provides the backdrop of two young adults, Vicky and Cristina, and their eventful trip to the beautiful Barcelona, Spain. The movie’s premise is one that showed promise, but ultimately, the execution in dialogue and mediocre acting performances bring down Vicky Cristina Barcelona’s identity as a romantic blockbuster that explores ideas like the uncertainty of love and polygamy’s role in a world so focused on single-spouse relationships.<br /><br /> Deciding to visit Barcelona for the summer, Vicky (played by Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (played by Scarlett Johansson) take notice of an eccentric painter at a local art gallery opening. The painter, known as Juan Antonio (played by Javier Bardem), goes on to force the two girls to question their ideas of love throughout their multiple encounters. Vicky, a prim-and-proper girl who was recently engaged, especially deals with her own inner struggle as she must call into question if what she had wanted in the past was what she had wanted at that present moment. The situation gets even more complicated when Maria Elena (played by Penelope Cruz), Juan Antonio’s ex-wife, makes a return.<br /><br /> I wasn’t really sure how to feel about this movie when I first saw it. As I went through it from beginning to end, I could see many things wrong with the movie and, at the same time, many things right. I suppose that’s why I consider Vicky Cristina Barcelona to be a fairly average movie in that its positive aspects strike an almost equal balance with its negative aspects. For starters, let’s take a look at the choice of actors and actresses. On the plus side, Penelope Cruz’s performance as Maria Elena is absolutely stunning. The wide range of emotions she was able to naturally and masterfully display throughout the film cemented her position as a perfect fit for the role. Additionally, Javier Bardem’s performance as Juan Antonio was above average. He was handsome, charming, and his line delivery felt perfectly natural. Truly, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem were the stars of this show, so much so that they both nabbed quite a few nominations for their performances, with Cruz winning two or three.<br />Scarlett Johansson’s performance was neither grand nor disappointing – she played her role well and, if I may add, served to be great eye candy. Actually, let’s be honest here: pretty much everyone in this movie is beautiful… even Javier Bardem. That’s right, I said it. But much in the same way that Cruz and Bardem’s performances uplift the movie’s status, Rebecca Hall’s performance brings it down. At least in the first half of the movie or so, Hall’s line delivery is almost painful. Each line felt so unnatural, as if it was just being read plainly off the script. Perhaps it was Allen’s intention to make Vicky’s character this one-dimensional, uptight girl who spoke in an almost monotonous voice, we may never know. But one thing remains: the role of Vicky could have definitely been made better.<br /><br />It wouldn’t be nice to put all the blame on Hall, though. While her line delivery did feel unnatural and stale, I think part of that could be attributed to the dialogue itself. At times, I couldn’t help but ask myself “is this how real people are supposed to talk?” While the story itself was enchanting and the ideas conveyed within the movie were appropriate for our current society’s beliefs on love, the dialogue itself is another down point for the movie.<br /><br />One last thing that must be mentioned is the music. Most of the movie’s music is a beautiful blend of percussion instruments and acoustic guitars with a healthy dose of Latin flavor, the movie’s main theme is unbearable solely due to the main vocals. I don’t know why, but I found the vocals to be absolutely annoying, and I dreaded each subsequent time the theme played more than the last.<br /><br />Despite its glaring problems, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is an enchanting tale of love that will at least hold your attention for the entire hour and a half. When its positive points are placed side by side with its negative points, it is apparent that the movie just barely hovers above the average line.<br /><br />Score: 6/10Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-7792464578811081612009-02-24T03:26:00.000-08:002009-02-24T03:34:29.127-08:00Journalism 3 Restaurant Review'bout time I put this up on here. I reviewed Hukilau because it's awesome. Check it:
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<br /> As any college student would know, cafeteria food gets old fast. Sometimes you just need to get off campus and grab a decent meal. Lucky for USF students, such a meal can be found close to home and at a price that suits what you get. Now, you may be anxiously asking yourself, “Where can such a heavenly notion like that exist?!” At ‘da Hukilau, of course! Located on the corner of Geary and Masonic (a walk that every USF student should be accustomed to), Hukilau serves up authentic Hawaiian flavor while surrounding you in an atmosphere that makes you feel as if you’re smack dab in the middle of the islands.
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<br /> Even from the outside, you can tell that Hukilau is ripe with decoration. A giant tiki statue stands right next to the door while a straw awning shelters the outside tables. Upon entering, the friendly staff greeted us with an “Aloha!” and promptly seated our party of four. I was caught off guard by the presence of an improvised stage to the left of the entrance, where two gentlemen in Hawaiian shirts were performing – one on acoustic guitar, the other on bass. As frequent a visitor as I was, this was the first time I had seen live performers at Hukilau. Perhaps it was the time that made the difference – Friday night at around 7:00 PM. Nevertheless, the host escorted us to our table (right in front of the performers) and took our drink orders, handing each of us a menu before going off to tend to other business.
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<br /> Looking around revealed even more decoration: the walls were decked out with pictures, paintings, surfboards, leis, and more. The bar, also sheltered by a straw awning despite being indoors, had its vast selection of alcohol proudly on display. Compared to the rest of the establishment, our tables were fairly simplistic: wooden, square, and no decoration whatsoever. Our chairs were none better, but they at least had flowery cushions that made sitting down on them tolerable.
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<br /> I had already decided on what I was having before receiving my menu, but I decided to take a look anyways. Hukilau’s selection isn’t exactly what one would classify as stereotypical Hawaiian food – you won’t find a roasted pig with an apple in the mouth or anything like that as an option. Instead, Hukilau’s menu reveals a more casual, true-to-life side to Hawaiian food, which is best encompassed within the restaurant’s flagship entrée: Loco Moco. If you’re completely lost as to what I’m talking about, picture this: three scoops of steamed rice, two hamburger patties, two fried eggs, and it’s all topped with brown gravy. Sure, when you look at the ingredients on paper it may seem a little nauseating, but when you taste it, you’ll see that the individual parts come together in a way that is simply unexpected.
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<br /> But no, my meal for the night would not be consisting of Loco Moco, an entrée whose portions were far more filling than I can take. Instead, I opted for something a little classier: an appetizer of spam musubi (think spam sushi) and a plate of grilled salmon and rice for the main course. My fellow dinner guests ordered fairly varied selections: tuna marinated in soy sauce and garnished with seaweed and onions as an appetizer, panko breaded chicken with rice, Loco Moco, and a seared tuna salad. Hukilau’s menu offers something for practically everyone, though I do have one complaint in its lack of vegetarian selection. Going through the menu, I counted only one burger, two salads, and two appetizers suitable for vegetarians. I’d definitely like to see more options for vegetarians, as I feel like five just isn’t enough for a menu the caliber of Hukilau’s.
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<br /> Our appetizers came quite promptly, and my spam was, as usual, perfection. It wasn’t long since I had my first taste of spam musubi, but from the start I had been amazed how delicious a concoction of cooked spam, rice, and soy sauce all wrapped in seaweed could be. I was offered a bite of the tuna appetizer, which exploded flavor with every chew. Sure enough, the appetizers were satisfying and left me wanting more.
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<br /> Little did I know, more was on the way quicker than expected – our entrées were delivered to us fast. Not so fast that we couldn’t enjoy the appetizers, but much faster than your ordinary restaurant wait. The food was fast, piping hot, and delicious. My grilled salmon was accented with the perfect amount of herbs, which added enough flavor to the dish without overpowering the natural taste of the salmon. It all rested on a bed of pasta and onions, a delicious surprise which they neglected to mention on the menu. My side order – three scoops of rice – also helped to balance out the flavors of the meal, making for a deliciously filling entrée. My dinner guests were satisfied as well, but we all managed to somehow make room for dessert: a Hawaii-manufactured brownie heated up and topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. When you taste the combination of the warm brownie and cold ice cream melding together in your mouth, you’ll see just why it was so necessary to leave a little stomach space for dessert.
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<br /> The live performers were a nice addition to our meal, but there was a problem in how loud the music was. Because of the performers playing at such a high volume, it was hard to make conversation with my dinner guests, and I believe that conversation is a crucial component to eating as a group. Nevertheless, the performers were friendly and had a very relaxing selection of music. They even made an effort to acknowledge the audience (specifically my roommate), conversing about specific places in Hawaii.
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<br /> All in all, Hukilau’s casual atmosphere, decorative style, and delectable food make for a must-visit for any USF student. The prices may be a tad high for the average college student’s budget, but they make up for it with big portions of great food. So if the cafeteria just isn’t cutting it, hit up the Hukilau for a satisfying taste of authentic Hawaiian.
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<br />Rating: 8.5/10
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And this time around I'll probably post on it more often and consistently. Joy.<br /><br />But why am I even making this post? It's not like there's anyone at the present moment who even watches this blog. I guess it's more of a "for me" thing, but if any future readers are still reading this, congratulations.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-48034738358277540212008-04-14T01:52:00.000-07:002008-04-14T01:55:25.602-07:00I think I might need to stop procrastinating.So I've got this paper due tomorrow (technically today) at 3:30 that's supposed to be about 8-10 pages. How much do I have of it done? 1 page, of course.<br /><br />I'm thinking one of these days I might need to kick the procrastinating habit. Then again, my inability to do so is procrastination in itself and - oh crap, it's already 2 AM. Oh well, I'm in the mood for an all-nighter anyways.<br /><br />Wish me luck.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-12946611559940275212008-04-06T20:43:00.000-07:002008-04-06T20:44:43.734-07:00Rest in peace, GameCube memory card, rest in peace.Today, I was forced to witness the death of a very close friend of mine: my Nyko 1,019 block GameCube memory card. It's the card I had been using to save my video game data since 2003 and yet was no where near its full capacity. It housed all of my best save data - Super Smash Bros. Melee, Wind Waker, both Metroid Prime 1 and 2, Pikmin 2, Cubivore, Tales of Symphonia, Sonic Adventure DX, Mario Kart, Mario Tennis, Spiderman 2, F-Zero GX, and so much more... I had intended to continue my seventh playthrough of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes when I was given the dreadful message of the memory card being corrupted.<br /><br />At this point, I can only hope the card will work when I test it out on my GameCube the next time I go home (I'm using my Wii right now). If not, I'll have lost many great memories from the last 5 years of my life.<br /><br />Rest in peace, old friend. <3<br /><br />Oh hey, has anyone done any huge work on their big story yet? I know I haven't. Gogo procrastination.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-53297894562158635872008-03-07T22:44:00.000-08:002008-03-07T22:46:03.055-08:00Friday night, 10:45 pm.Guess who procrastinated on his war story?<br /><br />Yup, you guessed it right. I think I'm gonna get to doing that now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4467835598789448743.post-65074152516779923122008-03-03T01:20:00.000-08:002008-03-03T01:21:15.970-08:00Blog entry numero uno.This is my first entry. It lacks substance. It is a test.<br /><br />lol hay guiz wutz ^Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0