Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Major League Baseball 2k12 isn’t half bad

MLB2k12

I almost didn’t buy Major League Baseball 2K12 for the Xbox 360 because the title got so many so-so and/or poor reviews.

One review started off referring to MLB 12: The Show for the Playstation 3 and then bashing the 2K Sports title without mercy after that. Another did talk up the improvements made to the series, but ended up touting The Show.

Here’s the thing – if you have an Xbox 360 and you want a baseball game, you don’t have much choice in the matter. You can grab a copy of MLB 2K12, pick up an old copy of The Bigs (complete with larger-than-life plays and all) or throw a fit. Cruise through an Xbox-related message board or two and you’ll find plenty of people complaining that Xbox 360 owners deserve more choice when it comes to baseball.

They may have a point, but here’s the thing – if you want a better baseball game, rush right on out to the nearest Target or Best Buy, pick up a Playstation 3 and grab a copy of The Show. If you don’t want to do that, at least give MLB 2K12 a shot because, truly, it’s not a bad game at all.

homerunBesides, what’s so horrible about having just one game from which to choose on a system, anyway? Back when I was a kid with an Atari 2600, we had one baseball game for years – an abomination called Home Run (1978) that was so awful that Mattel Intellivision commercials used to ridicule it. It couldn’t even properly be called baseball because Home Run was to baseball what Pong was to tennis – a simulation so primitive that it aped a sport only on its most basic levels.

In other words, we’ve only got one real choice in baseball games when it comes to the Xbox 360 but it is at least a solid game. MLB 2K12 features some pretty innovative stuff such as a pitching mechanic that utilizes the right analog stick and requires the player to get some timing down so as to not throw a bunch of rotten pitches. The batting is solid, too, and also requires the skillful use of the analog stick (well, you hit the “X” button to bunt). That also requires great timing that is truly hard to get down effectively.

The fielding is solid, too, in that a hit from an opposing team will put the player in charge of the fielder with the best play on the ball. The player can dive for catches, scale walls to rob hitters of home runs and pull off a lot of other nifty tricks. And, yes, there is a timing element in fielding, too – if you don’t flick that ball to a base when the “throw meter” is in the right spot, you’ve just committed an error or blown a double play.

There are some other elements about the game worth mentioning. The presentation is outstanding and the developers did a good job of mapping the major league stadiums around the country. You view the game in a familiar “television broadcast” format and commentary keeps the game active. Online play is smooth and players can opt to develop their own players and develop them from the minors through the majors in the game.

In short, MLB 2K12 is nothing less than a solid baseball game that allows players to concentrate on winning games, diving into the management aspect of running a franchise, etc. You can, in other words, become as immersed in the game as you want to be – while checking on rosters can be a nice diversion, I prefer to let the computer AI handle it while I concentrate on winning games. Still, those who love the management aspect of a baseball sim won’t be disappointed.

Is the game perfect? No. No it is not. For one thing, the players are rendered fairly well but they are stiff and tend to lurch around, zombie-like throughout the games. They are almost always scowling, too – it’s hard to imagine that people who get paid very well to play a game would look that miserable, but 2K Sports seems to think so. Also, you’ll notice the occasional framerate dive that can be a real drag at times and there are some graphical glitches that pop up from time to time. Yes, it is creepy to see bats floating through midair as they’re whirling around on-deck circles or making themselves to the plate. While 2K Sports may eventually deliver a patch to clear up that particular problem, I hope they don’t – the phantom bats are a hoot.” Another graphical shortfall is that the crowds are made up of about 20 distinct people that are repeated – clothes an all – throughout the stands.

The computer AI is also a problem because it does idiotic things at times. Here’s a scenario. Let’s say I’m up to bat. I’ve got two outs and a man on first. My player hits a grounder to the shortstop and the second baseman is covering his bag. The shortstop, by the way, is maybe a yard away from second base. The logical thing for the shortstop to do in that situation is to either flip the ball over to second or simply step on the base and force the runner out, thus ending the inning. In that situation, I’ve seen the computer choose a third and stupid action – make a terrible throw to first so the batter is safe and the runner is on second wondering how he got there safely. The computer AI seems to have trouble with the concept of throwing a ball home when runners are on base and a hit lands in the shallow outfield. More than once, I’ve sent a runner from third all the way to home while a fielder is holding the ball and acting like the play has ended. Strange.

The biggest flaw with this game, however, is that there is no tutorial mode. That oversight is glaring when one considers there’s a steep learning curve to MLB 2K12 and getting the timing necessary to play the game is essential. Bear in mind that every button, both analog sticks and the control pad are mapped to do something and the pitiful instruction manual (actually, it’s more of a pamphlet that sums up the control) isn’t much help. Yes, 2K12 does offer players the option of downloading the “full” manual (a cheap move when one considers this game retails for $60), but that online PDF isn’t much more detailed than the awful black-and-white pamphlet that comes with the game.

The solution to that problem becomes obvious after a time – set the difficulty level to “rookie,” set up your favorite team in a franchise then play through spring training to learn how master timing and the controls.

Once I invested some time in spring training, I found the controls to be intuitive, the pitching mechanism to be a blast and the overall game to be very enjoyable. The Show might be a better game, but that’s not an option for me as I’ve got enough video game systems plugged up to my HDTV set as it is and don’t need a PS3 adding to the clutter (buying another gaming system might cause my wife to throw a fit (yes, I do still have my old Atari and at least one console from every generation since)). MLB 2K12 is more than good enough for Xbox fans wanting a solid baseball game.

There are a lot of PS3 games that have made me question my decision to purchase an Xbox 360. The Show isn’t one of them – MLB 2k12 is a very good game and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything by not having another title available for my system.

If you want to read a review of MLB 2K12 that concentrates on that title rather than how inferior it is compared to The Show, click here.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Need help finding a place to stay in Scotland?

douglasapartment

A couple of years ago a friend of mine visited Scotland with his fiance and some high school buddies.

He had a great time during those two weeks and, frankly, some of us are a bit surprised he ever came home. Yes, the vacation was that excellent.

There were, however, some obstacles to taking his Scotland vacation. It had nothing to do with airfare, making travel arrangements, taking time off work or anything like that. Indeed, his biggest problem was finding a place to stay while on his Scottish holiday.

Here’s the thing – he, like most Arkansans, had no experience with dealing with such things overseas. What kind of places are available for those visiting Scotland? What prices are reasonable? What kind of accommodations can one expect?

Those questions used to be hard to answer until just recently. Yes, the Internet makes it very possible to do some quality research before embarking on such a trip, but even then there’s a problem – what Internet sources are worthwhile and which ones are misleading garbage? A rotten site can, after all, waste your time or even lead you to a scammer ready to swipe your cash in return for nothing.

So, let’s make this easy – click any of the links in this post to find a site that will give you some good advice on quality Scottish accommodations.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Skies of Arcadia, Shenmue coming to Xbox Live Arcade?

ArcadiaDC

It happens regularly – just when I’ve decided that wasting my money on an Xbox 360 was a bad idea, something comes along to give me hope for the console.

Now, don’t get me wrong – the problem with the Xbox 360 has nothing to do with the console. Rather, the video game market isn’t exactly tailored to 43-year-old married guys who grew up on the Atari 2600 and hate Halo with a passion that borders on irrational. While it stinks to realize that it seems I’ve outgrown video games, that’s exactly what’s happened (well, when it comes to the latest batch of consoles, at least).

At any rate, one bit of news that has given me hope is an announcement that Sega might be working on high definition versions of both Skies of Arcadia and Shenmue to release for download through Xbox Live Arcade. That’s great news for those of us who still think fondly of our old Sega Dreamcast systems and count Skies of Arcadia as one of the greatest Japanese RPGs in the genre.

I’ll not get too excited until I see the games actually show up, however. Those of us who have been waiting for a sequel to Skies of Arcadia have been teased in the past. Sure the video game was ported to the Nintendo Gamecube in 2002 as Skies of Arcadia Legends, but that game wasn’t terribly different from the original.

If Skies of Arcadia does show up on Xbox Live Arcade, one can only guess whether it will be a substantial update to a 12-year-old game or merely the same thing with high definition graphics. The truth of the matter, however, is this – if it shows up for the Xbox Live Arcade, I’ll probably buy it regardless of whether it’s substantially different from the original or not.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Foreclosure bottleneck opened?

Over the past few months, we’ve seen foreclosures down drastically in Arkansas.

RealtyTrac.com, a company that keeps up with foreclosures, reported those had dropped by around 79 percent in the Natural State compared to the same first three months of 2011. Was the decrease due to a booming economy?

No, not exactly. Foreclosure rates started falling last year in the wake of In Re Johnson, a chapter 13 bankruptcy case in the Eastern District of Arkansas, Jonesboro Division. In that case, the court held that a lender not authorized to do business in the state of Arkansas could not take back homes through the state’s non-judicial foreclosure statute.

Out-of-state banks claimed they were authorized to do business in Arkansas because they had been chartered nationally by the federal Officer of the Comptroller of the Currency and, therefore, had no need to register with the Arkansas Secretary of State or anywhere else. An appeal was filed and the Eastern District took up the matter again in May.

On May 11, the Eastern District reversed the earlier decision and held that, indeed, those banks that are nationally chartered are also authorized to do business in the Natural State.

So, where does that leave us and why should anyone care?

First of all, it’s important to keep in mind there are two types of foreclosure actions in Arkansas – judicial and non-judicial. Lenders prefer the non-judicial route as they are less expensive than going through the courts system and the foreclosing on a home through that method typically doesn’t take as long.

When the non-judicial option was tossed out the window for a lot of lenders, the foreclosure rate slowed considerably. That does not mean that financial woes vanished for people who couldn’t pay their mortgages.

It does, however, mean that title companies were reluctant to write insurance on transactions involving foreclosed homes when there was a question as to whether those houses were taken in line with Arkansas state law.

In other words, a lot of people purchased homes that were taken prior to the decision and were left in limbo. They couldn’t close on their purchases because they couldn’t get title insurance on the homes.

So, the murky foreclosure picture may get cleared up before long. It certainly appears that it will if the reversal stands.

Having said all of that, it’s important to point out that no one wins in a foreclosure. The borrower is left without a home and banks almost always lose money when they have to take a home through foreclosure and then sell it.

That being the case, buyers should know that there are options for them when they fall behind on their mortgages or are in danger of doing so. Your mortgage banker is well aware of those options, so feel free to call to find out what they are. Banks prefer to work with borrowers rather than file a foreclosure, after all, so finding out what your options are if you’re mortgage is at risk of falling into default is a good idea.

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Home Sweet Home is distributed weekly by the Mortgage Bankers Association of Arkansas. Visit the Association on the Internet at mbaar.org.

Spice rack heaven

spiceracksource

Just head on down to your local retailer and see what spice racks are available.

The chances are good you’ll find a typical, wall mounted spice rack and maybe one of those “lazy Susan” things. The fact of that matter is that retailers behave according to the laws of supply and demand – since there’s likely not a huge demand for spice racks in a given area, the supply of those items will be limited.

Ah, but that’s one of the reasons the Internet is great. While that wall spice rack at your local retailer might suit your needs, you might want to expand beyond the limited selection your retailer probably has. If you want plenty of kitchen spice racks to choose from and find some great prices to boot, just click one of the links in this article and get ready to shop like crazy.

The laws of supply and demand still apply to Internet retailers, but here’s the difference – those retailers market to a huge customer base, while that’s not the case for regional stores. More demand equals more supply, after all, and that’s very good for customers.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Music Monday: The Replacements

Here's one of those things I'm really glad I got to see in my youth. When I was 16-years-old, the Replacements appeared on Saturday Night Live, played "Bastards of Young" and "Kiss Me on the Bus" while stinking drunk and then got banned from the program.

You've got to love the irony -- one would think the folks in charge of a comedy program would have a sense of humor. Alas, that was not the case. At any rate, I did get to see this performance back in 1986 and I'm glad I did -- it was like a big, middle finger from a band that deserved a lot more success than it got. When you watch the clip, make sure to watch Paul Westerberg right before Bob Stinson's guitar solo -- apparently, dropping an "f bomb" on live TV guaranteed an SNL ban. Here's a bit of history, so enjoy!

For the curious, the below is the album version of "Bastards of Young." The video is noteworthy as it reflects the band’s “don’t give a damn” attitude quite well.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.   PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

The cure for the low power blues

batteryheads

A few months ago I went ahead and got an iPhone 4S.

Folks, don’t be fooled by Apple’s hype about how long a battery lasts in one of these things. Mine sucks down power at an alarming rate. That’s not problem, really, as I’m typically at my home, office or in my car often enough to keep the battery in the iPhone charged.

Ah, but there is a problem when I need to be away from a charger for an extended period of time. Simply put, the battery in my phone will not last a full day under normal use. The solution to that problem? A portable USB battery charger. That device is priced very reasonably and is simple to use – just pull it out, slap the Apple charging on it, connect the phone and you’re rolling.

Of course, Apple isn’t the only company guilty of making a battery-sucking device (just ask a friend of mine about how fast his HTC Thunderbolt smartphone can drain a battery). Smartphones suck power, tablets and a whole host of things do. If you can charge it through a USB port, the chances are good that USB battery chargers will work out very well for you.

Click one of the links in this article to find out about a low-priced device that can charge two USB ports at once, holds a lot of power when charged and is very convenient.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Hawg gets interviewed

hog

Yes, it has been hard to update this blog lately. That’s been going on for the past few years, actually.

Why? Well, I’ve been busy. While I do have a regular gig, I spend a lot of time writing for a lot of online and offline publications. I even have the good fortune of laying out a quarterly journal for a trade group here in Arkansas in Adobe InDesign.

I was thinking about these things earlier when trying to bring myself to update this little ole blog. About the time I was thinking about a topic, the phone rang – a local radio station wanted to interview me about the reversal of a Bankruptcy Court decision that had slowed down foreclosures in Arkansas. I talked about that issue a bit in this article for an online publication just yesterday (I got called for another interview).

The point? I’d like to update this site more, but I’ve been busy as heck with other things. That’s a true shame. I’ll try to do better. Promise.

The cure for skin care blues for all ages?

Ah, the joy of being a teenager!

Teens have more energy than their poor parents (I know this from experience), can eat pretty much anything they want and are – compared to us poor adults – pretty darned spry. There’s a tradeoff for all that dandy youth, however – acne.

My 15-year-old is going through all of that fun right now. The poor little rascal fights with the stuff about daily and appears to be in a losing battle. However, there’s one company out there that claims to offer some help and that’s good news (click the above “acne” link for details about that and I’ll mention it again in a minute).

Ah, but skin problems don’t stop with acne, do they? No, once those days are over, it’s time to start worrying about aging. Yes, few things are harder on skin than aging, but a product called (appropriately enough) Resurgence may help people restore that youthful glow.

Why mention both acne treatment and the Resurgence product in the same post? Because both products at issue here are made by a company called Murad. You can get Murad coupon codes at the aforementioned link and see if those products work as well as the company claims. There’s a lot to be said for a company that puts its money where its mouth is – give those products a try on the cheap and see if they work for you.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Enrolled agent? Need continuing education?

fastforward_logo[5]

Every enrolled agent in the country needs at least 16 hours annually and 72 hours of continuing education to stay current with the IRS.

An enrolled agent, of course, is an IRS-authorized individual that represents taxpayers in audits collections and appeals. Where does one go for enrolled agent continuing education? Try clicking the aforementioned link and you’ll find all the information you need to get those hours and keep your certification.

Any questions? Check out the enrolled agent continuing education requirements and you’ll likely find your answers there.

Good luck!

Monday, May 7, 2012

Horoscope for the week of May 7

Dr. Zodiac tells me he’s gotten a new dog.

A terrier. A small puppy that’s taken up a lot of his time. In hopes of turning his mind back to important things – namely communing with the stars and producing this horoscope (for which he is paid nothing) – I’ve been giving him some dog training tips.

What’s the best way to potty train a pup? Very simple – take the little critter to bed with you and, when it squirms, you know it’s time to take it outside. Of course, there are a couple of drawbacks to this method. For one thing, you’ll wind up staggering through the house with a pup every couple of hours for at least a month until the beastie gets trained. For another, you’ll have a dog that wants to sleep under the blanket with you for the rest of its days.

So, you’ll lose a little sleep and will have a dog that is bonded to you so closely that it might stun you.  Still, it’s an effective way to potty train a dog quickly and it even works on stubborn terriers.

Ah, but enough dog advice and rambling. What do the stars have in store for you this week? Come on and find out, pilgrim.

Aries

Mar 21-Apr 19

You’ve heard that old wisdom that suggests there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues, right? You will discover that there is a certain shade of blue that’s associated with spring and there’s not much of a cure from that, either. It’s called allergy season, ace, and it’ll give you fits this time of year. Buy some Benadryl and learn to deal with it. Your lucky number this week is 50 mg.

Taurus

Apr 20-May 20

You will consider getting a hobby this week. Good for you! Here’s some advice – things like gardening, bicycling and playing tennis are great hobbies. Knife throwing, red baiting and joining a cult are not good hobbies. Good luck. Your lucky number this week is 29.

Gemini

May 21-Jun 21

Remember all those New Year’s resolutions you made? You’ve broken them all, haven’t you? Here’s some advice – make some obtainable resolutions next year. Anyone on the planet can resolve to watch less television or lose weight, but how many people can actually meat those goals? Sticking with things like giving up, say, fish sticks and canned spinach are far more realistic. Your lucky number this week is square 1.

Cancer

Jun 22-Jul 22

Do you know how one can tell that the economy is bad? The number of stray animals increases substantially. Several of those strays will find their way to your home. Be kind to them, Cancer. Someone has to do the right thing, so it might as well be you. Your lucky number this week is 57.

Leo

Jul 23-Aug

It’s tornado season, so don’t let the relative calm of this spring fool you. Those tornadoes are out there. They’re waiting and hiding. Make those preparations to avoid them, like now. Your lucky number this week is 5.

Virgo

Aug 23-Sep 22

The stars are really angry with you this week, Virgo. Now, don’t take it personally – it’s just your turn in the barrel. Now, they won’t do anything truly horrible to you this week, but you will be very annoyed. I’m talking about paper cuts, spilling lunch in your lap and that type of thing. Grin and bear it. We all have to at some point. Your lucky number this week is 820,912. 

Libra

Sep 23-Oct 23

”Scat singing” at random annoys the heck out of people, but you’ll do it anyway. Why? I’m not sure and you won’t be able to help yourself. Your sanity will return after your run around spouting nonsense such as “scooby doo whop du bah” for a week, but you will feel embarrassed at the end. And, yes, you should feel embarrassed. Oh, yes you should. Your lucky number this week is 111.

Scorpio

Oct 24-Nov 21

Do not – I repeat do not – come up with any baby names this week. Perhaps you’ve got a baby on the way. Perhaps a friend or relative is expecting. You will be put in a situation this week to come up with some baby names this week. Resist. Every one you come up with will be awful. Your lucky number this week is 664.

Sagittarius

Nov 22-Dec 21

Go see a movie on Friday night. Or go bowling. Just do anything to avoid being home at 7 p.m. this Friday. Trust me on this. You’ll be very, very sorry if you instead decide to say at home. Heed my warning, pilgrim, and plan accordingly. Your lucky number this week is 314.

Capricorn

Dec 22-Jan 19

The stars have been very vague about your forecast this week. Actually, it seems they’ve completely forgotten about you. Consider yourself lucky. Think of it as a week off from the cruel fortunes mandated by the stars and enjoy yourself. We should all be so lucky. Your lucky number this week is ???

Aquarius

Jan 20-Feb 18

That person that irritates you at work this week will be more annoying than usual. Just remember – hitting is not allowed, but minor vandalism (letting air out of that person’s tires and that sort of thing) might be OK. Proceed with caution and be mindful of those criminal mischief laws. Your lucky number this week is 99.

Pisces

Feb 19-Mar 20

It’s time you took responsibility for your behavior. Stop blaming Tourette’s syndrome on your constant profanity. You just have a potty mouth. Shame, shame! Your lucky number this week is 86.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Couch Thieves

thedoggies

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday entries.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Music Monday: The Pixies

It still makes me sick that these cats didn’t last longer than they did. What a band!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.   PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Horoscope for the week of April 30

I was a little concerned about Dr. Zodiac last week when he failed to turn in a horoscope.

It seems the good doctor had an excellent reason for not providing a horoscope last week – his Crystal Ouija Rune Board broke, thus robbing him of his ability to talk to the stars and find out what kind of misfortune they were sending our way this week.

Of course, a phone call, email, text or singing messenger from Dr. Zodiac would have been nice. Yes, I was concerned something had happened to him, and a simple phone call could have cleared up everything.

Oh, well. Considering I’m not paying him a dime to provide a horoscope every week, I suppose I can’t complain.

What’s in store for you this week? What kind of misery will the stars inflict on you? Will they be nice for a change? Find your astrological sign and read on, pilgrim.

Aries

Mar 21-Apr 19

So, let’s see. You played by the rules and work hard, yet still struggle to pay your bills. Meanwhile, Charlie Sheen has abused substances, abused women, accused the Bush Administration of causing the Sept. 11 attacks and has generally acted like a jerk for years. He’s stinking rich and has a new television series. If that doesn’t prove that life isn’t fair, I’m not sure what will. Your lucky number this week is 15 (not that it matters).

Taurus

Apr 20-May 20

The phrase “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” will, sadly, be proven true by a building inspector taking a hard look at your home or office. Wow. Who would have guessed that plywood from China would be so awful? You should have looked for the Union label, ace. Your lucky number this week is 7.

Gemini

May 21-Jun 21

Your cat will go missing and it will take you at least three weeks to notice. Cats aren’t as much fun as some people claim, are they? Your lucky number this week is 9.

Cancer

Jun 22-Jul 22

It’s time for a new best friend and you will find one in the form of a Louisiana Catahoula leopard dog! Remember to walk it a lot and remember at least once a day how much fun it is to say Louisiana Catahoula leopard dog. Enjoy your new pet. Your lucky number this week is 13.

Leo

Jul 23-Aug

You will be the victim of a cruel hoax this week. You’ll be minding your own business when someone will drop a briefcase at your feet and say, “You know what to do.” Of course, you won’t know what to do, and that’s precisely the point. Your lucky number this week is 93.

Virgo

Aug 23-Sep 22

One of your parents (or both) will tell you something about themselves that is so shocking you’ll feel ill for a week. What is that horrible truth? Guess you get to find out for yourself. Here’s a hint, however – EWW! Your lucky number this week is 32. 

Libra

Sep 23-Oct 23

Tragedy will strike this week unless you remember a simply mantra – righty tighty, lefty loosey. You might want to make sure you’ve got a socket wrench handy this week, too. Your lucky number this week is 5/8.

Scorpio

Oct 24-Nov 21

Do you know what’s harder to give up than smoking? Fruity Pebbles. Sadly, you will learn just how true that is this week. Ah, fruity pebbles. Wish I had some right now. Your lucky number this week is 1,492.

Sagittarius

Nov 22-Dec 21

Your doctor suggested more yogurt in your diet, and you will try to cheat. Remember – frozen yogurt doesn’t have the same nutritional value as the standard, yucky stuff you’re supposed to eat. It takes a lot better, but you know exactly what your doctor meant. Your lucky number this week is 33.

Capricorn

Dec 22-Jan 19

Don’t panic. There is not a garbage strike. The folks who collect your trash have just gotten lazy. Still, they won’t charge you any less for the subpar service they provide. Welcome to life as an adult. If it all that you thought it might be? Your lucky number this week is 2.

Aquarius

Jan 20-Feb 18

Things are finally starting to go your way. Don’t overanalyze it Just enjoy it while it lasts. Those are words to live by, junior. You can thank me later. Your lucky number this week is 47,468.

Pisces

Feb 19-Mar 20

You will feel pressured into taking up with one side or another in your office’s swirling political climate. Don’t do it. Why? You’ll end up backing the wrong side. Look at it this way – if your office was the MLB, you’d root for the Pittsburgh Pirates. If you have some vacation time coming, now would be a good time to use it. Your lucky number this week is 23.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Weekend OTR: Jack Benny

Jack-BennyYes, it’s the weekend, so why not relax with some great entertainment from the Golden Age of Radio?

This time around, we’ve got a Jack Benny episode on tap. Yes, he was a comic genius, so sit back and get ready to laugh until you break all your furniture.

By the way, if you’re a fan of old time radio, you should pay a visit to OTRCat.com. Trust me on this. OTR fans should also head over to First Arkansas News every Sunday to check on the latest Lum and Abner comic strip. Yes, that’s an original series over there and you don’t want to miss it.
Having said all of that, click the below link to listen to this weekend’s OTR episode.


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Politics 101 (say it with graffiti)

DougCurtis

Click here for other Wordless Wednesday entries.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Music Monday: The Waitresses

Anyone else miss the 1980s?

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.   PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Weekend OTR: Meet Mr. McNultey

ray_milland2Yes, the weekend is almost over so this is very late.

It could be worse – I didn’t get around to posted an old time radio episode at all last weekend as, well, things have been busy around here. That’s just how it goes.

By the way, if you’re a fan of old time radio, you should pay a visit to OTRCat.com. Trust me on this. OTR fans should also head over to First Arkansas News every Sunday to check on the latest Lum and Abner comic strip. Yes, that’s an original series over there and you don’t want to miss it.

Having said all of that, click the below link to listen to this weekend’s OTR episode.



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Wordless Wednesday–Hank Hill chastises Bobby Petrino

bobbybobbybobby

For more Wordless Wednesday entries, click here.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Horoscope for the week of April 16

Dr. Zodiac – our resident psychic, soothsayer and general purpose mystic – spent the entire weekend in a supernatural funk.

Why? He has learned that the stars – those mean ole critters who love picking on mankind for the fun of it – have been working on a plan to torment everyone in the state of Arkansas. That plan involves bringing in Josh McDaniels to replace the disgraced Bobby Petrino as head football coach of the Razorbacks. The good doctor said that only the stars could think of something so devious and pull the cosmic strings necessary to inspire a university to make such an insane move.

“They’re kind of like Hannibal Smith in terms of making plans come together,” Zodiac said. “Yeah, kind of like Hannibal Smith. Only evil. McDaniels? Really?”

Fortunately, Zodiac pulled himself together long enough to commune with the stars and divine our horoscopes for the week. So, what’s in store? Read on and find out for yourself.

Aries

Mar 21-Apr 19

You will spot a Frisbee with sparklers attached to it flying through the night sky and will feel compelled to tell everyone that space aliens are invading. Resist that urge. Flying saucers look nothing like that and, what’s more, you’d be surprised to learn that you’ve probably seen one before and didn’t realize it. Trust me on this. Your lucky number this week is 9.

Taurus

Apr 20-May 20

They stopped publishing the Weekly World News five years ago and you’ve been lost since then. After all, you learned that Dick Cheney was a robot, that the C.I.A. had infiltrated al-Qaueda with an intelligent spy cat and relied on the Weekly World News to tell you which presidential candidates should get your vote. With your primary source of news gone, where can you turn? Fortunately for you, there’s always The Onion. Give it a look. Your lucky number this week is 36.

Gemini

May 21-Jun 21

No, you’re not paranoid. You actually are being watched. That’s right – followed, monitored, stalked, etc. People used to just harass people through anonymous phone calls, but those days are over thanks to caller ID. That’s good. Now, people who want to keep tabs on you are forced to sneak around and observe you directly. That’s bad, but it is progress, isn’t it? Your lucky number this week is 90.

Cancer

Jun 22-Jul 22

You will come to the realization that you spend too much time playing video games. Here’s the question – is that really a problem? There are worse things you could do in your spare time, such as abusing various substances, cheating on a spouse/significant other or volunteering to work in a political campaign. So, play on and stop feeling guilty. Your lucky number this week is 27.

Leo

Jul 23-Aug

If that cop sees you talking on your cell phone while driving one more time – just one more time – he will throw you under the jail. The call can wait until you’re car is stopped, can’t it? Your lucky number this week is 99.

Virgo

Aug 23-Sep 22

You will realize the truth this week – Elvis was underrated as an actor. This realization will strike you when you happen across Blue Hawaii by mistake, resist the impulse to change the channel and then laugh your fool head off. Rock-a-hula, Baby. Your lucky number this week is 45. 

Libra

Sep 23-Oct 23

The truth will hit you like a ton of bricks – M&Ms are truly awful. Yes, they are the Chicken McNuggets of the chocolate world and there’s no getting around it. You may attempt to spread the word about M&Ms, but will be greeted by silence at best, disdain at worse. Take comfort in the fact that you, at least, know the truth. Your lucky number this week is 81.

Scorpio

Oct 24-Nov 21

A lot of people have second (or third) thoughts about their careers, but you’re different – you really should have been a veterinarian. It’s probably too late to do anything about it now, so live with it. By the way, statistics have shown that a lot of people say they’d be vets when asked what career they’d choose if given the option of “doing it all over again.” Here’s the question – what alternate career paths do veterinarians wish they’d taken? Your lucky number this week is 18.

Sagittarius

Nov 22-Dec 21

You run the risk of making some off-color jokes this week and offending a lot of people. Remember – Nazis are the only people you can safely ridicule these days. Enjoy that while it lasts. Your lucky number this week is 63.

Capricorn

Dec 22-Jan 19

Yes, you were proud of that new smartphone, weren’t you? Yes, it’s great for playing games, updating Facebook, keeping a calendar, checking email and all sorts of nifty stuff. The only problem is that the call quality is terrible. Odd how that pricy new phone is great at everything but making and receiving calls, huh? Your lucky number this week is 108.

Aquarius

Jan 20-Feb 18

There are some things you are just not good at and you will try your hand at some of them this week. I, the great Dr. Zodiac, decided a few weeks ago that I would master the illusive art of cooking. I failed miserably and wound up depressed. It seems there are times when it’s best to not even try. Keep that in mind. Your lucky number this week is 54.

Pisces

Feb 19-Mar 20

The word for the week is pescetarian – someone who eats fish but avoids meat. You may decide to become a pescetarian, yourself, but the cravings for a Wendy’s hamburger will become too much to bear. Oh, well. Your lucky number this week is 72.