If you were into Dragonball Z as my kids were a few years ago, you'll be amazed and astounded (maybe) that it be made into a movie. It's in shooting right now and will be released sometime in 2009.
Here's a link to short announcement and one at the IMDB.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Dragonball Z - the movie
The good husband
MacBook Air parodies
In recent weeks you've probably sat through the MacBook Air commercial, what, a coupla hunnert times? The computer is obviously not for everyone but it does have that unique thinness.
Below are a couple of other videos which are spoofs at the ad and also are digs at other products. Same premise, same song.
Watch below.
Official rules for calling Shotgun
The "shotgun" position is the front, passenger seat of a car next to the window. This obviously hearkens back to the days of the stagecoach and the guy who sat with the shotgun next to the driver.
For example, you and your three buddies decide to drive Burger King (or anywhere for that matter.) If you want to sit up front, you have to be the first to call out, "Shotgun!" to get dibs on the passenger seat. The other guys have to sit in the back.
We did this when way back when I was a teen just after the Civil War. My kids still call "shotgun" today. But, there are rules. Yes, official rules for Shotgun.
Here is the history of the shotgun position. For the Official Rules of calling Shotgun, click here.
Quantum Jujitsu
Jujitsu, the gentle art, has been eclipsed by the fights in the octagon of the UFC. But I must say that the martial art of Jujitsu should not be overlooked as a means of self defense.
Shown below is an amazing demonstration of what's called "Quantum Jujitsu." Watch as the the fighter in the blue ghi (or whatever they call it) throws himself all over his opponent to effect some phenomenal takedowns.
Traffic jams
The picture at left was taken in Moscow. I have no explanation for actions of the drivers in this situation. But we've all been in traffic jams at one time or another, and I pity the poor fools who drive in one every day.
Some Japanese scientists did a little investigating and devised an interesting experiment to prove how traffic jams happen and the shockwave that travels backwards through traffic.
The video is below.
Road construction engineers aren't helping matters any. They design some some crazy and ensnarled interchanges that would cause any GPS system to get a nervous breakdown.
Check out some of the world's worst interchanges right here.
(DarkRoastedBlend)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
New site snippet
The new SixPackTech website is almost complete. One more graphic header, a php change and a coupla widgets and we're good to go. As frustrating as it is, I'm enjoying the challenge. Things are starting to gel.
Jeez, it seemed to take forever but it'll probably happen maybe next weekend, God willing and the creek don't back up into the toilet. If that's too soon for me to get everything ready, I'll postpone it a day or two. Measure twice; cut once. Don't worry. I'll still put up a sixpack of posts every day right here until then.
Hang with me, True Believers. The time is nigh approaching. It will be interesting.
Half-fortnight of babes
The weekly babes have been posted in the left column selection observation scrolling area at the left opposite of right.
Our featured Butt of the Week is a great view of a bedewed female form practicing her baseball catcher stance. As the umpire would see it.
Our Nat or Not will most likely have you chin scratching while you pause to determine your vote.
Last Week's NorN vote was pretty conclusive.
View the new babes over by dair, you know where and cast your vote.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Saturday Night Blue Collar Brew Review
Just a little heads-up for all you Brew Review readers: I'm going to change the rating method for brew reviews starting with this one. At first I thought I'd judge beer the way guys judge babes, on a 1 to 10 scale. But, if you think about it, is a beer rated as a 9.2 that much different from one rated at a 9.5? After frequenting the Beer Advocate website and reading their reviews, I thought I'd try their A through F rating system. It seems simpler and we can all relate to a school grade. Wouldn't you agree? Now, on with the review->
Ya know, I'm not an impulse buyer, or maybe I am. I'm a sucker for a pretty girl and fancy labeling when it comes to beer. That's why, on my Friday foray to the highly acclaimed, world renowned Morris Beer Store, I fell prey to Gail, the Beer Store Maven's suggestion that I try out a new brew they just got in. I listened to her pitch and then ambled over to the primo beer shelf to eye the goods. I decided to take her advice and, for review, I purchased a sixpack of Walter Payton Pilsner. It's brewed by America's Brewing Company, right down the road in Aurora, Illinois (don't pronounce the "s".) It's a part of good ol' number 34's Walter Payton's Roundhouse, a combo brew pub, restaurant, cigar and cognac bar, museum and historical landmark housed in a completely refurbished railroad roundhouse which was built in 1856. I was there for a company Christmas party a few years ago, and I must say, it's a really nice place. Hmm. Now they're brewing their own beer. Interesting.
So how could I go wrong? America's Brewing Company? America? Walter-frikkin'-Payton? The greatest football player in the history of the game? How much more manly can you get? I totally expected the labels on the bottles to have hair. One slight gee-that's-too-bad fact: the sixer cost 9 bucks. A little steep for my genuine Bob Vila Craftsman wallet (with built-in LED flashlight and combo-screwdriver.) But I went ahead and bought it anyway. For America. For Walter. For Da Bears. I liked the label too.
Right after Earth Hour on Saturday, it was beer time. I grabbed the first bottle while humming the Bears fight song in my head and situated myself at the computer desk. Tonight, I'll try a new vessel which Gail gave me. It's a giant 16 or 20 ounce beer glass with a Pilsner Urquell (never heard of it) label on it. I can dump the entire contents of a 12-oz. bottle into this tub and not worry about the head flowing out and drenching my mouse.
I popped the first cap and wetted my smell organ on the neck of the bottle. Nothing jumped out at my nose. The aroma was barely perceptible. Into the giant beer glass it went. The brew came up with thinner head and slightly larger bubbles. The color was a cloudy orange-yellow and lots of micro-bubbles clung to the side. The first taste left a slight tang while going down but it was not unenjoyable. The taste quickly faded and my mouth asked for more. As more tasting continued, the flavor smoothed out and was quite enjoyable. Soon, a mild citrusy flavor manifested itself and rounded out the taste.
But something happened. The head dissipated in a very short while and all the carbonation seemed to disappear. No bubbles. Hmm. Did it go flat? Maybe it's the glass that went flat. Maybe one of my kids ate his breakfast cereal out of it. Next bottle, I'll go back to the mug.
The second bottle goes into the mug. Once again, the head dissipated within minutes. The carbonation seemed to be at a minimum and got me to thinking if I wasn't merely drinking beer-flavored water. The micro-bubbles, albeit fewer than I expected, lasted longer in the mug but the bubble population dwindled towards the bottom of the mug. The taste, however, remained quite good throughout the session. This beer has a distinct flavor all its own and is a delight all the way down.
I wonder if this sixpack was a victim of an overlooked quality control inspector or a glitch in the bottling process. The beer has all the earmarks of a good, hefty beverage (taste, flavor, smoothness) but the flagging carbonation makes me wonder if I didn't get part of a bad batch. Alas. It hard to give this beer a bad rating just because of bubbles, but I feel the carbonation enhances the taste. I'll have to try it again in the future. It's really a great taste. I have to reserve judgement (R.J.) on this one until next time.
The SixPackTech ratings for Walter Payton Pilsner are:
Taste: (R.J.) Nice; sweetness aptly named.
Smoothness: (R.J.) Like a beer smoothie.
Drinkability: (R.J.)
Bang for the buck: C- A bit pricier than most.
Wife's all-encompassing opinion: "It's a bit bitter." (Here we go with the 'bitter' again.) "It leaves your mouth dry, like you want to drink." (Isn't that the whole idea?)
Friday, March 28, 2008
The magic of Photoshop
The quintessential photo editing software is obviously Photoshop. It's so widely used that the name has morphed into a verb. Now one wonders whether a picture has been "photoshopped," or "'shopped.
Watch the time-lapse video below and see a demonstration of just how powerful this editing tool is when used with the proper skill.
Big Rig racing
A couple of eighteen-wheeled behemoths, fully loaded, race down the track in Quebec.
So much for global warming.
Will Ferrell will never go away
Will Farrell has appeared in as many movies as Gene Hackman. Well, almost. Just when the hubbub from his last smash-hit/fiasco movie dies down, there he is again, in something new.
He's now starring in Semi-Pro, a movie about b-ball in the 70s. He's been in numerous commercials, YouTube videos and Lord knows what else.
I'm offering up a coupla ads in which he stars and the ads are on two of my favorite subjects, beer and Apple. Watch below.
(Note: be mindful of the sound volume. The second ad comes in louder than the first.)
Basic shop tools - a handy guide
Basic Shop Tools and Their General Purpose
DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted vertical stabilizer which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it.
WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light . Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, "Oh shit!"
ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age.
SKILL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.
PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters.
BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.
HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.
VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.
WELDING GLOVES: Heavy duty leather gloves used to prolong the conduction of intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.
OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for lighting various flammable objects in your shop on fire. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub you want the bearing race out of.
TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity.
HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes, trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper.
EIGHT-FOOT LONG YELLOW PINE 2X4: Used for levering an automobile upward off of a trapped hydraulic jack handle.
E-Z OUT BOLT AND STUD EXTRACTOR: A tool ten times harder than any known drill bit that snaps neatly off in bolt holes thereby ending any possible future use.
BAND SAW: A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge.
TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST: A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect.
CRAFTSMAN 1/2 x 24-INCH SCREWDRIVER: A very large pry bar that inexplicably has an accurately machined screwdriver tip on the end opposite the handle.
AVIATION METAL SNIPS: See hacksaw.
PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids and for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.
STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws.
PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.
HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to make hoses too short.
HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit.
MECHANIC'S KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only while in use.
DAMMIT TOOL: Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling "DAMMIT" at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.
(Source)
Top 10 most extreme custom cars
The Blastolene B-702 is by far the most outrageous motor vehicle ever concieved. Something out of a 1930s comic book, perhaps. But there it is.
Read about it and the other nine cars, including a Chevy Caprice on 30-inch rims right here.
Movies - see these before you die
This is the embodiment of all things which define a "guy." Far from chick flicks, these are the movies with the baddest cars, action, explosions, chases, mayhem and sometimes stupidity which define the American male.
Check out the list here, then save it for future reference. Chances are, you've already seen half of them.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
If celebs moved to Oklahoma
Here's an interesting pictorial obviously showing off the power of Photoshop and the creativity of the artist(s).
The question is, what would celebrities look like if they were from Oklahoma (or any other mid-western, corn-belt, Bible-thumpin' state?)
Can you guess who the actor on the left is before the jump?
Okie celebs are here.
Big Dog robot
Under development by Boston Dynamics, the Big Dog robot is designed to carry heavy loads on the battlefield, as is hoped by the company.
After some fits and starts, they finally seem to have a viable product on their hands.
Check out the video below. Sounds like a giant wasp.
Of course, there's a parody video of the same robot performed by humans. It's so stupid, it's hilarious. I'd call it, "Mega-Mongrel - Microsoft's answer to the Big Dog Robot."
Urban recycled furniture
Some uban artisans have created some useful and unique furniture items from thrown away objects.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
Check 'em out.
(Neatorama)
Reporter upended by sledder
Destined to be a sort of mini-classic vid clip on the Internet, this is some hilarious footage of a die-hard reporter takin' one for the camera.
(Staged or not? You be the judge.)
Auto company ownership
You can argue for days about the benefits of an American car and "buying American" and all that. My Tundra was built in Princeton, Indiana by American workers using Japanese parts (and who knows what other country's parts.)
Then it comes down to which car companies have an ownership stake in which other car companies. Jalopnik has a great pictorial graph which you should print out and stick on your beer fridge out in the garage. The topic is bound to arise sometime in the future.
Jalopnik has 2 versions of the auto ownership graph, the second of the 2 looks like a wiring diagram for an old microprocessor and is impossible to follow.
Check out the ownership chart right here.
(Note: shouldn't that be "who owns whom? Probably, but then no one would understand it. - FCG)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Top 10 loudest noises
Dontcha just hate those kids who cruise your street in the neighborhood and bump the walls and windows of your place as they drive by? (Some with buzzing trunks, pfft!) Or maybe you are one of those kids who, etc.
Who cares if you have a 6-times-ten-to-the-eight-watts of power blasting out of your "system" when the human eardrum only responds to decibels. 120db to 130db is the threshold of pain in human hearing. To avoid permanent damage to one's hearing, it's wise to wear hearing protection.
Here are the top 10 loudest noises to be prepared for.
Car show girls
The babes at a Japanese auto show are no different than their western counterparts. Or are they? Especially western car show babes.
The young ladies featured are somewhat more elegantly garbed and exhibit a special "style," if you will. One other thing puzzles me: they seem to have more "westernized" facial features as well. Some even resemble Anime-style faces. Perhaps I've been out of the loop too long.
The cars are unique as well.
Check 'em out here.
(Funtasticus)
What a load!
There are some places in the world where apparently they just hate making two trips. So, cleverly and carefully, they strap the entire cargo to the vehicle and proceed merrily down the road as if nothing's wrong.
Here's a cool pictorial of overloaded vehicles from places other than your county.
(CrookedBrains)
The Door to Hell
A few decades ago (so it is told,) geologists were drilling for natural gas in the Turkmenistan Desert when they hit an underground pocket, a very large pocket of natural gas. The ground gave away and their drilling rig collapsed into a huge crater and ignited the gas.
It's been on fire ever since. They call it the "door to hell."
(Neatorama)
Before we forget...
Couple of photos of the past winter and our patio buddies, before we get all wrapped up in the gloriousness of spring.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Beer fridge robot
Great Satan computer case mod
Guys have been modding their PC cases for years, turning them into exhibits of scenes from games or themes which bring to mind a certain related scenario. The MacQuarium is probably the first Macintosh mod ever done.
Check out this interesting step-by-step pictorial of one guy's idea of turning his PC case into a satanic cyber-chassis.
Step 1 - get a fake spinal column.
African pole dancer
Not what you're thinking. The video shows the amazing skills of a male pole dancer in Africa who exhibits the unique ability of balance and agility while clinging to a pole.
The referee whistle is thrown in for effect.
Bust your nuts
Forget WD-40. PB Blaster works better on breaking free rusted fasteners than oxy-acetylene. Spray. Wait. Loosen.
I've tried it and I think it's great.
Check out the bleeping video ad for PB-B below. You'll get a little chuckle.
(Incidentally, just in case you didn't know, WD-40 stands for "water displacement - 40th try. What the "PB" stands for is anyone's guess.)
Is this the next Hummer?
The U.S. Army is asking for proposals on a possible replacement for the seemingly ubiquitous Hummer, or HumVee, or HMMWV, or High Mobility Multi-purpose wheeled vehicle.
"On February 8, the military issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to suppliers, soliciting concepts for a new Joint Light Tactical family of Vehicles (JLTVs)."
So far, 8 companies are involved in the bidding process and, as yet, there are no details on the engine or other specs. Like miles-per-gallon.
MotorTrend has more info and more pics here.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Wearable motorcycle airbag
I've seen pictures of a motorcycle airbag that deploys from the dashboard, but that doesn't afford any protection if you put the bike down on her side.
This idea is for an airbag that the rider wears on his back. If he gets too far out of the vertical, the bag deploys across the shoulders and can offer some upper body protection when going down.
How soon before we see these? Maybe a coupla two-tree years. Watch the video.
(BoingBoing)
10 freaky car crashes
This will have you scratching your head, wondering how this could have happened.
Autos shown in various states of wreckage are photographed after the crash. The accompanying text gives a brief explanation, but still. How does stuff like this happen?
10 freaky car wrecks right here.
