You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!

The College of New Jersey is performing Star Wars: The Musical.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Click here and here for more info.

It is a parody, but still...

Thanksgiving 2007

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Remember not to overdo it on the turkey!

Have a safe and happy holiday.

Lightsabers Galore!!!

Okay, I'm pretty sure it's been well-established that I am a huge Star Wars fan, to the point of wanting my own customized lightsaber. You probably remember the big fuss I made when I discovered Random Sabers, an outfit that would custom-make unique lightsaber hilts for its customers. Unfortunately, by the time I'd finally saved up enough money to make an order and had a design for a saber in my head, the company announced it had a massive backlog of orders and would not be taking new work orders for at least two years. Needless to say, I was crushed.

Recently, however, I happened upon a breath of fresh air, a light at the end of the dark tunnel, a glimpse of hope in the midst of my despair... okay, maybe I'm being a bit over-dramatic. The point is, within the last week I have discovered not one, but two websites that specialize in customizing lightsabers.

The first outfit, which I discovered by means of a Popular Mechanics magazine, is called Advanced-Light Weaponry. This site is run by a sculptor who specializes in high-end one-of-a-kind sci-fi props. He makes anything from simple stunt sabers to sabers that field-strip down to the "working" components to ultra-realistic sabers with LED-powered blades and working sound boards. Since every saber is ultimately designed by the customer, styles can range from generic Star Wars-style hilts to steampunk sabers to lightsabers that look almost organic. The site also offers custom-made sci-fi guns, some of which can include custom holsters as well. Probably the only downside to ALW is the steep prices; since each saber is hand-made out of high-quality materials, prices start at around $200 for a stunt saber; LED blades and sound boards jack the price up to over $500. Still, if you can afford it, the end product is well worth what you pay for. Also, since each saber is hand-made, construction can take several weeks, and that's before you factor in the long waiting list the guy has for other projects; which can tack another month or two onto the turnaround time. But again, given the amount of effort put into these sabers, they're well worth the wait.

The second site, appropriately named The Custom Saber Shop, bills itself as having "all your lightsaber building needs in one convenient spot." (Just listen to the theme song) While this site doesn't sell completed sabers, it does sell everything, and I mean everything, you need to custom-build your own lightsaber. The site has developed what it calls "The Modular Hilt System" where all of the major components (Hilt, center grips, pommel) easily screw together, making for easy upgrades and customization. In addition, the site sells all the electronic equipment necessary for adding LED or Electro-Luminescent (EL) blades and sounds to the saber, along with the tools required for some assembly aspects (drilling and tapping holes for set screws, for example). While this does make everything much cheaper than a saber custom-made by someone else, it does require a bit of electrical know-how in order to get everything working properly. Fortunately, the site does provide tutorials on hot to properly assemble all of the different electronics, as well as a Modular Starter Kit for an EL saber. Another downside is since all of the components are made of machined aluminum, this restricts the possible hilt styles to generic Star Wars-style hilts, so unless you're a skilled sculptor or you know someone who is, you won't get any steampunk or organic-looking hilts. Still, this is a great place for anyone who wants a saber on a budget.

Links to both Advanced-Light Weaponry and The Custom Saber Shop can be found in the "Links" section on the blog's sidebar. Check 'em out, especially if you want you're own custom saber (like me!)

Lindsay Lohan Serves 84 Minutes for DUI

Straight from CNN.com:

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Lindsay Lohan was a jailbird for just 84 minutes Thursday, becoming the latest celebrity to serve less than a day for a drunken driving offense.

Lohan, 21, turned herself in to the Los Angeles County women's detention center in Lynwood at 10:30 a.m. She was searched, fingerprinted and placed in a holding cell in the inmate reception area but got to keep her street clothes, sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

"She was cooperative," he said.

Lohan was released at 11:54 a.m. Her original daylong sentence was reduced because she met criteria that took into account overcrowding at the lockup and the fact that her crime was nonviolent, Whitmore said.

Did the celebrity receive special treatment?

"Absolutely not. This is what we do for most everybody in this position," Whitmore said. In fact, 30 to 50 women are granted early releases from the facility every day, he added.

An e-mailed message seeking comment from Lohan's publicist was not immediately returned.

In May, the star of "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday" was arrested after crashing her Mercedes-Benz into a tree in Beverly Hills. She was arrested again in July after the mother of Lohan's former personal assistant called 911 to report that her car was being chased by an SUV. The chase ended in Santa Monica, where police arrested Lohan for being behind the wheel. In both cases, Lohan was found in possession of small amounts of cocaine.

In August, she reached a plea deal on misdemeanor drunken driving and cocaine charges stemming from the arrests. The judge sentenced her to four days in jail -- the mandatory minimum for a second drunken-driving offense -- but gave her credit for 24 hours already served. She elected to complete 10 days of community service instead of 48 hours behind bars.

The total deal called for her to enter treatment, spend a day in jail and perform community service.

"It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs," Lohan said in a statement released by her publicist in August.

Lohan had until January 18 to serve the jail time.

She spent two minutes longer in lockup than Nicole Richie did in August for a similar offense.

Richie was arrested December 11, 2006, after witnesses reported seeing her black Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle headed the wrong way on a freeway in Burbank. She pleaded guilty in July to a misdemeanor DUI charge in a deal with prosecutors that helped her avoid a potential year in jail because it was a second driving-under-the-influence conviction. She served 82 minutes in custody, during which she was booked but never actually placed in a cell.

Richie's co-star on TV's "The Simple Life," Paris Hilton, served 23 days at the same jail this year after she was found guilty of driving on a suspended license while on probation for an alcohol-related reckless-driving case.

I'm so pissed that I don't even know where to begin. 84 minutes. That's less than an hour and a half! Had that been pretty much anyone else, they would be in a cell, in a prison-issue uniform, for at least two days while their court-appointed lawyer who can't even find his way to the restroom tries to defend them!

This, for me, is a perfect demonstration of the absolute nonpartisan nature of our justice system. Actually, no. This is the perfect example of exactly how perverted and corrupt our so-called Justice System really is! It is absolute proof that if you are rich and famous, than you truly are above the law. This is sickening. It's obvious that the system does not work, and it will not be changed because the people who should be fixing it are the very people that benefit from its corruption!

"Liberty and Justice for all." Yeah, right.

To Those Who Serve, Thank You

To all those serving in our Armed Forces, thank you for defending our country, for keeping us, and the world, free from tyranny and oppression.

To all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to those who have given their lives in pursuit of freedom, thank you. Thank you for sacrificing your todays and tomorrows for us, people who you never knew, yet were willing to give up everything for. You are gone, but you and the sacrifice you made for us are not, nor will they ever be, forgotten.

Freedom is never free. It is paid for with the blood and innocence of our youth, and what a frightful cost that is.

Quick Update

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. College is crazy. I've been busy as heck for the last couple of weeks.

Anyway, I've got a new story brewing that I'll hopefully get posted up on the blog. It's kind of a fantasy story, only with 21st-century technology thrown in. When I find time (Thanksgiving? Hopefully sooner) I'll start posting it. Hopefully, this will evolve either into a mega-novel or (more realistically) a series, as I have three separate-yet-connected plot lines figured out.

BTW, new Mythbusters episodes are on Discovery Channel. Wednesday nights at 9:00 if you're interested.

Bugatti Veyron vs. Eurofighter Typhoon

The world's fastest car vs. the worlds most advanced jet fighter in a winner-take-all drag race. Cool.



I'm not gonna tell you how it ends, so you'll just have to watch for yourself. And if you think you've already figured out the winner, the Bugatti goes from a dead stop to 60mph in less than 2.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 254mph. The Eurofighter might be faster, but it takes longer to get up to speed. Plus, the Veyron is going horizontally, while the Typhoon's going straight up...

Al Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize

I don't even know where to begin with this.

Firstly, it's called the Nobel Peace Prize. Now you might call me an idiot, but will someone please explain to me what global warming has to do with furthering world peace?

Furthermore, the Nobel Peace Prize is supposed to be awarded those who have dedicated their lives to a particular cause and worked at it for decades. Al Gore has only spent four years promoting the dangers of global warming. By the way, his "crusade" started right after his political career took a nosedive. That's a little too coincidental (or convenient), don't you think?

What gets me even more is that the man is promoting bad science. Now I'm not saying that global warming isn't happening, and I'm not saying it's not a problem. But what I am saying is that Gore is making outrageous claims with little, and often times zero, evidence to back them up. Ask any scientist, any real scientist, and they'll tell you that the global warming "crisis" isn't a tenth as bad as Gore claims. The man has used false data and scare tactics to get our government to institute environmental policies. If you want an example of what happens to policies that our based on bad information, allow me to kindly direct your attention to Iraq.

Even worse, Gore is deluded enough into believing, and getting us to believe, that the United States alone can solve this so-called crisis. What he either fails to realize, or else just doesn't care about, is that the USA isn't alone in this problem. Brazil is cutting down the rainforests that absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Latin and South America still produce cars that run on leaded gasoline. China has no environmental protection laws whatsoever. Even if the environmental crisis was as bad as Gore has made it out to be, the US acting alone wouldn't solve anything. Furthermore, mankind alone is not responsible for this climate change; Greenland is a frozen glacier now, but when the Norse colonized it 1000 years ago it was warm enough to farm on.

I don't like Gore. You've probably figured that out by now. It's not because of his political ideologies, although it's true that he's far-left Democrat and I'm a moderate Republican. What I cannot stand about the man is that he is a liar and a hypocrite. Plain and simple. He claims to have invented the Internet in 1991; the Internet is an evolution from various systems developed by the military since the 1960s and entered its current form in the early 1980s. He denounces the automotive industry and says that everyone should be "carbon neutral," walking, biking, and driving hybrids everywhere, while he himself uses far more energy than the average American is chauffeured around in an armored limousine and a private jet, both of which make him far more carbon negative that the majority of Americans. Leaders should lead by example, something which Al Gore has proven himself unwilling to do. "Do as I say, not as I do," may fly with some, but not with me. If Gore ever wants my respect, he should start actually listening to the speeches he's making about the environment and live life according the rules he sets for others. Until the, to paraphrase Charleton Heston, he can have my Mustang when he pries the steering wheel from my cold, dead fingers.

The fact that the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to a man such as Al Gore is sickening. This so-called award wasn't about peace, it was about politics. There were candidates who were far more deserving of this award, candidates who had worked for causes that would further actual peace. Instead, bad science, political rhetoric, and scare tactics came out ahead. Alfred Nobel must be rolling in his grave at this insult to his legacy. And I can't blame him; I used to think that the Nobel Peace Prize stood for something important. Looks like I was wrong.

IT'S BACK FROM THE DEAD!!!!

Anyone remember, my old movie review blog? If you don't, don't worry about it. It's been a very long time...

Anyway, I've updated it at long last. The lucky winner this time is, what else, Star Wars.

Since I don't think I'll be very busy this week, I plan on adding a few more reviews to the blog, specifically Red Dawn and The Adventures of Robin Hood, along with the video game Heatseeker. There might be a few more (and definitely one that no one will expect!) so check back soon to see.

The Bloggies are Coming!!!!!!

Check it out here.

NOW!




That is all

Updatin' Again

Quasimodo's got something against me. Not sure what, exactly, or why, but Jeff says he does, so I guess I gotta believe him. Don't think this will become a habit or anything like that.

I'm kinda psyched because the paintball club (yes, we have a paintball club at my college) is going skirmishing this weekend. This'll be the first time I've gone skirmishing in about a year and a half, and the very first time I've gone outdoors. Since this'll be outside in the woods, hopefully I'll do better than I did last time. Take it from me, US Marine Corps small-arms close-quarter-combat tactics, when applied to speedball, are good for one thing and one thing only; getting your team quickly and utterly slaughtered. They do work outdoors, however, so I'm betting that I'll do a decent job this time (i.e. at least get a kill). I'll let you know how that goes.

A Noble Experiment

I'm setting up a new blog. Yes, you think, what else is new. But this blog really is different.

I've done my best to remain apolitical on this blog. With the exception of one or two semi-heated debates on gun control, I've succeeded. But there are some things that I just can't remain silent about. Not anymore. But at the same time, I did not want to ruin the character of this blog by turning it into a political battlefield. So, and yes I'm a moron for not doing this sooner, I've decided to set up a separate blog which is dedicated to my views on both politics and current events.

The new blog is called Raptor's Reactions and can be found here.

Rather Sues CBS

Fresh from the Associated Press:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Dan Rather filed a $70 million lawsuit Wednesday against CBS, alleging that the network made him a "scapegoat" for a discredited story about President Bush's National Guard service.

The 75-year-old Rather, whose final months were clouded by controversy over the report, says the complaint stems from "CBS' intentional mishandling" of the aftermath of the story.

The lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, also names CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves, Viacom Inc. Chairman Sumner Redstone, and former CBS News President Andrew Heyward.

Rather is seeking $20 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages.

CBS spokesman Dana McClintock said: "These complains are old news, and this lawsuit is without merit."

Come on, Dan! You violated Rule Number One of journalism; always double check your sources. You didn't check. That's a firing offense no matter where you are on the journalism food chain. You screwed up big time, you paid the price. End of story. Let it go.

You know, Dan, I actually respected you for taking your dismissal from CBS with dignity. To me, at least, you seemed to understand that you had made a grave error and had only made things worse by trying to cover your mistake. You knew you were in the wrong, so you walked out with your head held high. Guess what, Dan. My respect for you just disappeared. To me, you're now just another immature slimeball who can't/won't accept responsibility for his actions and is trying to get revenge on the people who rightly terminated his employment and make a quick buck in the process.

Grow up, Mr. Rather. Face the music like a man. Whatever grudge you have with CBS, let it go. It's unbecoming. And don't give me the old "I screw up for the first time in 25 years on the job and they let me go just like that." Welcome to the real world, Danny. That's what happens out here. You make a major screw-up, you get fired. That's how life works. Always has, always will.

I'm looking forward towards watching The O'Rielly Factor tonight. I can't wait to see what Bill has to say about your suit, Dan. I'm sure it will be very entertaining.

Random Blurb

Ok, this this just a random blurb from a story idea that struck me tonight (literally 45 minutes ago, probably less). Let me know what you think:

<><><><><><><>

The first surprise came when the door to the cottage opened. They had been expecting a peasant girl; the two figures walked into the darkened structure were too tall and muscular to be female. No matter; they’d take the unexpected visitors prisoner regardless.

The second surprise came when they leapt out from the shadows onto their two unsuspecting victims. They expected the capture to be quick and effortless, but instead of quickly succumbing to the ambush, their preys' bodies seemingly disappeared is a blur of motion. The attackers found the tables suddenly turned against them as their “victims” began to lash out violently at them. Bones snapped and joints crunched as a flurry of fists, feet, elbows, and knees sent the attackers flying from the epicenter of the brawl. Some lay where they fell, some unconscious, a few dead, but those who retained their lives and senses dove back into the fight, more terrified of their mistress’ anger at their failure than of the sure slaughter they faced.

In the room’s far corner, the attackers’ mistress stood silently, her eyes wide in shock and horror. No, this could not be happening! She had planned for every contingency! But not this one. She had speculated that these two men might spring her trap and determined that her minions would easily defeat them. But she had reasoned that a prince and his teacher would spring her trap; the two men who were sweeping her minions aside like dust were warriors that had been training for a situation such as this for their entire lives. Master and apprentice, between them they had over fifty years of practice in this most brutal and effective martial art. Alone, they were formidable. Together, they were unstoppable.

At that moment, Gavin found his boot knives, tossed one of the blades to Phillip, and the slaughter became a bloodbath.

The (Almost) Perfect Jedi Knight Costume

At long last, I've determined exactly what I need to make the perfect Jedi Knight costume:

• Karate Uniform ($24.95)
• Jedi Robe ($49.99)
• "Master"-style Jedi Belt ($80.00)
• Custom Lightsaber w/ belt clip ($65.00 minimum)

Unfortunately, the costume is not yet complete. Anyone know where I can find a pair of brown leather knee-high boots, size 11.5?

Only downside is that of price; this getup's gonna cost me big. Even without the boots, it's costing me $219.94. Before Shipping & Handling. And that's assuming I get a relatively cheap lightsaber. Darn.

Yes, I admit it. I am a huge nerd.

Okay, now that that randomness is out of the way...

I've got a new story that's going to get posted soon. It's tentatively titled The Eliminator, but that's probably going to change. Look for it soon.

The Eliminator is also what I'm calling my new profile pic: it's a 1969 Mercury Cougar with the top-end Eliminator performance package. And the one in the picture is one of only two Cougar Eliminators equipped with the rare Boss 429 V8 engine. Schveet, ja?

Back From the Dead

Well, sort of.

I haven't posted recently for a couple of reasons:

1. First I was kinda (okay, really) bummed that no one read my blog and didn't feel like wasting the effort writing something no one would bother to read.
2. Then I went on a camping trip in the Adirondacks for a week. Real primitive; no flush toilets (I'll never take indoor plumbing for granted again!), much less an internet connection.
3. College started (again) last week and I've been busy as H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks.

So now I have a minute to write, but I really have no idea what to say.

Metroid Prime 3 is out already?! Wow! See, this is what happens when I let my Nintendo Power subscription lapse. I'm going to renew as soon as my credit card statement comes (I think I'm pretty close to maxing out, courtesy of all the $$$$ I had to spend on collegen books) I wonder what other game releases I've missed. I bought Heatseeker about a month ago, but still...

And I still haven't seen Bourne Ultimatum either. Man, I'm slipping. DON'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS!!!!!!!!!! I REALLY WANT TO SEE IT! Definitely this weekend...

So, yeah, I've got another idea for a story I'm thinking about posting on the blog. Actually, I've got a couple. And don't worry, these won't get taken down 'cause I really don't care if anyone steals them. Well, no, actually I would care, but not a whole lot. I wouldn't lose sleep over it or anything like that.

Also, check out the new poll. And actually vote this time, please.

Hot Foot!

So, yeah, I was sitting on my sofa this afternoon, reading a book, when I hear a helicopter flying over the house. No big; planes and news choppers fly over us all the time. So then my mom, who's out on the back deck yells that I should come outside and see this. So I run outside just in time to see a CH-53E Super Stallion fly over our house. Mom goes back inside, but I think I hear another one, so being the military aviation nut that I am, I stay outside on the deck. Sure enough, about fifteen seconds later, another Super Stallion flies right over me. Cool, yes?

Okay, I know you're all thinking 'Why should I care?' Well, it's a very warm and sunny day today, our deck is made out of a composite plastic-wood material (please don't ask; I don't know) that does a swell job of retaining heat, and everything happened so fast that I ran out onto said deck with bare feet, where I stood in the hot sun for a good minute while the helicopters flew overhead. So to make a long story short, I toasted the bottoms of my feet. Ouch! Think I burned 'em, but it's not so bad now. Still kinda hurts to walk, though...

You don't care, do you?

Oh, yeah. Check out my new poll -->

Failure

That's what my blog's become; a complete and total failure.

My last two polls have, between them, garnered exactly one vote (not counting mine: I voted on the second poll just so it wouldn't go vote-less), the only one who leaves comments is my brother, bottom line, no one cares.

*cha-chock*

*BOOM!*

That was the sound of my blog attempting to blow its brains out with a 12-Gauge. Fortunately, nor maybe not-so-much, it's a very lousy shot, not having hands and all. But who knows, next time it might get lucky...

I leave you with this random videos, courtesy of The Muppets.

My ThinkGeek Fortune

I decided to submit a random comment to ThinkGeek:

Darth Maul Double Bladed Lightsaber: $180
USB Laser-Guided Missile Launcher: $50
Megazooka: $25
Sonic Grenades: $13 each
Maverick Dart Guns: $26 for two
Metal Desk Catapult: $35
Airsoft Submachine Gun: $20
R/C Shooting Battle Tank: $40

The look on that annoying co-worker's face when he realized he's about to get seriously pwned: Priceless

There are some things money can't buy. For total workplace domination, there's ThinkGeek.

-Jedi_Raptor07

Look for it and let me know what you think.

That Was Discouraging

Wow. One whole week and not one vote on my poll. That's disheartening.

So, with my customary stubbornness, I'm going to try again, and this time it's going to be simpler: Who's cooler, Ninjas or Pirates?

Wait, too simple. Howzabout this: Captain Kirk vs. Captain Solo?

Or I could go back to my original one, Who'd be a better Robin Hood?

But that didn't get any votes. How about; Who'd Make a Better David Pierce?

Forget it, I pulled those stories down and I doubt you'd remember the character enough to make educated votes.

You know what? It's all theoretical anyway right now: the Blogger Polls are down.

*double-checks*

Never mind, they're up.

So, yeah, after all that, I'm stickin' with Ninjas vs. Pirates. Though once my job end next week (hallelujah!) and the David Pierce stories come back up, I think I'll put the Casting David Pierce poll up.

So yeah, that's it for now. Check out this great pic from I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER?:



Kudos to nerdjedi for findin' it for me.