Nice Graphics...

I'd like to get my hands on that game!

11 String Mario

So, aside from the fact that he is really good and that he's playing the Mario theme... he's playing an 11 STRING GUITAR!!!

Superbowl Commercials

My brother Peter pointed out his favorite superbowl commercial, the MacGyver / Mastercard spot. Here are some other commercials that aired last night during the superbowl. Of course the tradition has been that all the greatest commercials are premiered during the game, but in the last few years I, for one, have been quite disappointed with the lack in quality of the ads. This year was pretty good... the "dark light beer" football one was good, and the Full Throttle one was kind of funny. I did most enjoy the MacGyver one and I have to admit, I thought the part where Tim Allen tackled the old lady with the walker was really good. What do you think?

Books and Blockbusters

So, not having the internet or the television (yes, not even non-cable TV) at home has made me more of a book-worm than I have ever been in my life. Mom, you would be amazed at the number of books I have consumed in the past few months. I just read an interesting article in wired about books becoming blockbuster movies and, since I am still a movie lover, here is the article for your reading pleasure.

Apple - "A New Low" or "Such Great Height"?

Video from Google Video

The Postal Service vs. Apple Computers
See for yourself the rip-off of The Postal Service's music video "Such Great Heights" by the new Apple/Intel ad. Supposedly Apple actually hired the same film studio to do their commercial as had done the music video. Still, both are pretty cool.

"It has recently come to our attention that Apple Computers' new television
commercial for the Intel chip features a shot-for-shot recreation of our video
for 'Such Great Heights' made by the same filmmakers responsible for the
original. We did not approve this commercialization and are extremely
disappointed with both parties that this was executed without our consultation
or consent." -Ben Gibbard, The Postal Service

The Matrix IV - or - Neo, The Chick

Do you want to see the matrix again? Well, this is not going to be anywhere near as cool as the Matrix, but it'll try. It's got some chick (I have no idea who it is, maybe she's from Lost or something) and she likes to beat up humans becuase she hates them, but get this, she's the good guy! Anyway, the trailer even has Clubbed to Death by Rob D, from the Matrix soundtrack, playing in the background --- I love that song! Don't waste your time, go watch the Matrix again (the first one).

My Rating: 4/10 - Cool special effects, bad acting, bad story, bad ending.

A Month of Birthdays

In the Crum family there are particular months that are known for having many Birthdays, February being one of them. Michal told me last night that we will be having a birthday celebration at her parent's house next Monday and it made me wonder... whose birthday are we celebrating? Granted, I don't know when all my inlaws birthdays are, but I didn't think any were coming up so soon. It turns out we are celebrating Michal's birthday --- over a month late!!! Michal and I talk about this all the time, but I just can't get over the idea of celebrating a birthday (or any other special day) on a day other than the day itself. I realize that there are sometimes meetings or events that conflict and so you would celebrate the day before or the day after...or maybe even postpone a birthday party so that it can be on a weekend... but waiting over a month? I don't get it.

I suggested that we also celebrate Joseph's birthday since it will be coming up soon and we probably won't celebrate it for another year or so. Michal told me her mom had already thought of that and that we might just celebrate "birthdays" two or three times a year and combine people on to one of those days. I guess I am just rambling, but it seems to me like the significance of the celebration should center around the event... on a birthday we are celebrating that person's birth! If she was born on December 28th, we would celebrate on December 28th.

I guess being married really is a learning experience. So, happy birthday Pop, David, Nate and Peter and Jill and Jess and anyone else whose birthday is within 5 months of today!