The Force is still strong.

The other day I was walking through a local Target and walked by a little boy that was humming the Star Wars theme. He then ran around the corner making lightsaber sounds.

While I'll be one of the first to admit that Lucas did a very poor job with the prequels, I still find it pretty cool that there are children today that still are obsessed with the Star Wars movies. I know I was sure that I could float things with my mind if I only focused hard enough. I too vowed that one day, I would own a real lightsaber.

I probably shouldn't admit this, but somewhere, there's a tiny little boy left in me that didn't totally hate the new movies. Were they horribly written? Yep. Should Lucas have had someone else direct? Absolutely, but I think they did the job of winning a new generation to the Alliance and that's kinda cool to me.

Fortunately no one reads this blog, so I don't have to worry about too much backlash for that. Plus I'm happy to announce that the new Indy movie was fun and didn't suck at all...

and NOW a warning?

The other night yet another commercial for a drug made me chuckle. It was for an arthritis medicine that I won't name. What amused me about this was that the ad didn't waste time telling me how great it was. No, it spent 60 seconds telling me that the benefits out-weigh the risks involved in taking it.

Obviously the side effects are serious and have been causing hesitation to take this particular drug. Any drug that needs to take that much time trying to convince me to not worry about the serious side effects, I don't need.

Have I mentioned I hate pharmaceutical companies?

Raptor Rhinoplasty

Beauty the bald eagle had her beak shot off by some asshole hunter a while back. She was rescued by the Northwestern Raptor Rescue. Recently an engineer volunteered his time to rebuild her a new beak. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.

And the Oscar goes to...

Tonight the Red Wings won game two of the Stanley Cup Finals. Nothing like winning with help from the refs eh?

Anyway, I had to make a comment about their goalie, Osgood. I have never seen a hockey player with acting skills like him. Tonight Pittsburgh's Petr Sykora clipped Osgood as he was behind the net, barely. Osgood threw his stick, fell over backwards, arms flailing like he was hit by a semi truck. Of course Sykora received a Goaltender interference call. New hockey rules state that no one is allowed within 10 feet of Chris Osgood for any reason. I don't have a huge problem with that, except maybe the uneven reffing that the Red Wings have been blessed with this season. My problem is that any other player would be called for diving with embellishing like that, but Osgood, being a Wing is immune.

Osgood's thespian side had already been seen earlier in the period when he was bumped by Malone, and again Osgood flailed.

We saw the same thing in Game 2 of the Western Finals, Dallas VS Detroit. Everyone saw the slash that Ribeiro made on Osgood. It wasn't until later that it was apparent that Osgood speared Ribeiro as he passed the crease. In any case that incident was a prime example of Osgood's acting skills. Ribeiro hit him in the chest with his stick. While that may sound bad, bear in mind the padding a goalie wears, with the heaviest padding in the chest. Despite that, Osgood dropped to the ice and proceeded to role around as if he had been shot.

Don't get me wrong, I don't condone the slash, but I also think it was understandable. Ribeiro just had the end of a stick shoved into his face. I'd be irritated too.

Unfortunately the crappy refereeing has ruined this entire playoff series for me. I'm still rooting for the Pens, because...well...

RED WINGS SUCK!

Ho-humberry Street

I recently finished the second film on my Horrorfest 2007 list. This one is called Mulberry St. It's about a plague that breaks out in Manhattan. Not surprisingly, this pague turns the movie into a zombie horror survivor flick, sort of. They're not really zombies but something more beastial - and ridiculous.

Anyway, I found myself bored and awaiting the "over the top" graphic nature. Again I was disappointed. This film had fewer disturbing moments than Attack of the Clones. Unlike Deaths of Ian Stone, I didn't even really like this movie. It was a tad too "artistic" for my tastes. I found myself wanting to fast forward past all the artsy-ness, it really sdid nothing but slow the movie down.

I have to think the only reason this film didn't make general release was because it's really not that good.

Ah well, on to Borderlands...

Double tall heart stopper

Yesterday Starbucks introduced their "+energy" drink. Now, if that 4 shot latte doesn't have quite enough kick, you can have them add an energy shot too. Seems to me that if you're that groggy, maybe you should try sleeping more.

Apparently Starbucks is seing a decline in profits, a trend they relate to the increasing market of energy drinks. The answer? Offer an additional shot of energy and charging 50 cents more! That's the ticket!

I don't suppose the dropping profits have anything to do with charging $4 for a cup of coffee in the first place do ya? Of course who am I to talk, I plan on trying one tomorrow....

Fanta-TV

I recently found an decent way to waste some time online, if you can believe it. It's called TV Bigshot, and it's basically a fantasy league for TV shows. When you sign up you get $300 million to buy various tv shows that are or have been aired on network TV. After buying whatever shows you have money for, you earn points by how that show does in the ratings, among other factors.

The biggest deal is that the top player supposedly will win $100K. Of course the season is almost over so anyone joining now, like myself, is way out of the running. However, it's still kind of fun.

Here's my chance hopefully learn why TV execs cancel the best shows...