Archive for December, 2009

Million Dollar Terrapin – Fear the Turtle

by dwayneb on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

A few weeks ago an unthinkable crime was committed and I was its victim by proxy. By now you’ve heard the rumors, maybe you’ve seen the shocking photos, but I’ve been asked, warned even, not to go to the police. So I’m going to you.

My terrapin was kidnapped right from my work place. Not even Captain America and Hawkeye could protect him. They were overpowered. Though I did not witness the struggle, knowing those brave Avengers I can only assume they fought valiantly to guard their reptile in arms. Now my terrapin is out there all alone. I’ve been sent proof of life in the form of a photo of Testudo with his limbs bound together and a gag shoved in his mouth. (more…)

Delta Delta Delta Can I Not Help-ya Help-ya Help-ya?

by dwayneb on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

I’m a firm believer in the guideline to get to the airport two hours before a flight. It’s a pain and often means a lot of sitting around bored, but I like the peace of mind that comes from everything being handled so I can sit back, enjoy an overpriced coffee and watch something I’ve watched a dozen times before. So I arrived at the airport almost two hours early and got into the short lines for Midwest. Rather than having the long snaked path through retractable straps, Midwest had arranged it into six or seven short lines that each led to a kiosk. It was the Tuesday before Christmas, so naturally they were short staffed and some of the kiosks were broken. The guy behind was on his way to New York and then on to Saudi Arabia. His flight was at 7:25 and mine was at 8:30. Despite being the next person in line for about fifteen minutes, I hadn’t moved due to various problems. (more…)

Turning Off the Lights on 2009

by dwayneb on Monday, December 21st, 2009

The ball is about to drop on 2009 to draw this year to a close. For the past few years I’ve written an end-of-the-year wrap up about my life. Last year was a little difficult given the events that transpired so I tried to find the highlights amidst the darkness. While this year did not have anything so life altering it was still not a year without pitfalls. However it was also a year of some great things. So here we go, diving into the year that was 2009. (more…)

The Barter System

by dwayneb on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Quaydo was growing impatient as he watched the Imperial captain look over the permit.

The Rodian wrapped his long fingers around his elbows as he crossed his arms.

This kept him from drumming the suction cups at his fingertips onto his belt and the pistols holstered there.

“Is there a problem Captain Reeves?” he said in his eerily soothing tones. (more…)

The Year in Pop Culture

by dwayneb on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Once again it’s time for me to make picks that hold no meaning for the world, but might possibly make some of you a little irritated. Actually some of these even irritate me because I look back at them and think to myself, “Boy was I stupid.” Mostly this relates to my praise for Gears of War. As I type that I realize something. We don’t italicize the titles of games, which only adds to Roger Ebert’s statement that video games are not art. That is a statement with which I disagree.

At any rate here are my choices, feel free to disagree vehemently but not violently. (more…)

Modern Warfare 2 Review: Spin ‘Em Up

by dwayneb on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

The day that Modern Warfare 2 came out, I was at work eagerly awaiting my time to leave and pick up the game. The whole day the phrase, “Spin them up” kept running through my head. For those that don’t know, it’s a phrase that pertains to mini-guns. A mini-gun is a six-barreled weapon where the barrels rotate as it fires. Because the weapon will not fire immediately upon pulling the trigger, the operators will frequently rotate the barrels with a light squeeze of the trigger prior to needing to fire. It’s a way to warm up the weapon and keep it ready. This process is often referred to as “spinning them up.” (more…)