The game, obviously, is called Mouse Balancing, and you have to keep the mouse arrow facing down, otherwise you lose. I can’t get past 18.28 seconds.

Can you do better?

Celebrity deaths, as a whole, don’t really effect me. The recent spate of news-worthy passings has meant nothing to me, beyond two reactions: A) “Wow, I didn’t know s/he’d been sick.” and B) “Wow, this seems a drastic media overreaction.” David Carradine, Ed MacMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson… they were all celebrities, yes. But they were also PEOPLE. And, believe it or not, people die every day, every minute. And most of them are not famous.

But still, I understand WHY people get so emotional. (more…)

Hey Girls and Guys, I would like to ask the City of Brotherly Love and Friends if they have any thoughts on my state’s Gov’ner Mark Sanford and his behavior. After all, when Pres. B.O. asked if the state of South Carolina would like some more money, my gov said no thanks. I guess he wasn’t thinking with his head that day hmm…

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/special_reports/sanford/

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I was on Twitter when I came across this:

Apparently it’s a custom-made toy version of the oldest Autobot in the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which in case you didn’t know, is one kickass movie! It’s up for auction on eBay, and it’s going to go for a pretty penny. Ok, ok, a lot of pretty pennies. Over 30,500!

If you’re rich and like this thing, place a bid on it! Auction ends on July 8th.

I don’t know why, but I’ve become obsessed with this online “game” called My Brute. It’s essentially an automated rock-paper-scissors contest, in which you, the user/creator, have no control over your character except who they next fight. But I’ll be DAMNED if I don’t go a day without logging on and getting in my three Arena battles allotted.

(For those interested, and in the interest of full disclosure [because I am all about transparency {as it were}], my Brute is named Deathface McGee, and here is his home: http://deathface-mcgee.mybrute.com Come say hello!)

You gain experience, earn new weapons and skills, gain proficiency in three areas (strength, speed, agility), and can even earn attack pets, like dogs, wolves, or bears. That’s right: BEARS. Your own attack bear. Totally great, right?

But don’t just take my word for it. Go ahead and click through this here link and create your own little fightin’ bastard.

If you make one, or if you already have a Brute, go ahead and share it by leaving a comment. Maybe you’ll get some interesting fights out of it.

THERE IS NO FEAR IN THIS DOJO. THERE IS NO MERCY IN THIS DOJO.

POST SCRIPT: I like to make up movie titles for every day of fighting I go through, because I am a giant nerd and easily amused. Hence: post title. Come up with some of your own, and share with the class, children!

This week on PWI Weekly, Brady discusses how WWE might go on without Rey Mysterio, looks at the concept of WWE employing a shaky cam (to maintain its PG rating), talks the idea of a possible Kennedy swerve, and runs down this Saturday night’s Legends of the Arena ECW reunion show. In part two, he takes a look at last night’s TNA Slammiversary and the potential ramifications of the card.

Courtesy of Who’s Slamming Who.

Welcome to My Music Mondays. Each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at a new artist going somewhat randomly currently but eventually from A to Z. I’ll examine why I first started listening to them, my favorite album and my top 10 songs for the artist. As my music collection is pretty extensive and I have a lot of one offs, I have set a qualification to be featured here. That is that I have to have at least two albums of the artist’s music before they can be considered. This week I look at The Clarks.

I have a very particular taste in music when summer roles around though, the music should generally be upbeat but not very heavy, almost laid back in a way but filled with the positive vibes that the sun is sucking out of my soul every minute I have to be out in it. Over the next few weeks for My Music Monday’s I am going to highlight some of my favorite “summer” bands. That’s not to say that their music isn’t good for me during more ideal forms of weather (like maybe a blizzard) but listening to these bands during the hot summer months always makes me feel less like killing small children than normal.

The second band on my small checklist is The Clarks. Despite being pretty big in the Pittsburgh area, The Clarks never seemed to latch on elsewhere, so despite being around for over two decades I never had heard of them until one fateful night last summer when I took my wife to the Beach to see one of our favorite bands, Sister Hazel. The Clarks opened up for them and while I wasn’t expecting much, what I got was a band that has a very polished rock vibe and was one hell of a live show. They sound a slight bit country and a slight bit pop but somehow they pull it all together to play their own style of bar rock.

Favorite Album: Let It Go

Let It Go is one of most polished rock albums I have listened to in the past decade. Sure it leans decidedly pop-rockish with its reliance on catchy riffs and hooks but it is a great listen and not only is it one of my favorite albums to listen to in the summer but any time.

10 Favorite Songs

10. Happy
9. Highwire
8. The River
7. Snowman
6. Let It Go
5. All the Things I Wanted
4. Shimmy Low
3. On Saturday
2. Better Off Without You
1. Butterflies and Airplanes

So what do you think of The Clarks? Better yet, how many have even heard of them as once again they are kind of a East Coast thing.

At 9am EDT on June 22, 2009, Matthew Perdie will begin his six-month journey across the United States of America. He will be traveling by foot, and carrying that massive American flag. Why? Because he has something he believes in. His ambition is to “bring awareness to the government’s spending and dangerous increase in power,”and to that effect, he is bringing his message to the people.

Most people will see problems with the world and be content to kick back and complain about it. Perdie isn’t so much complaining about it, and definitely not kicking back. His walk will take him from Long Island, down the East Coast, through the Deep South,  and all the way to California. From there, who knows?

Last weekend was his sendoff party, at Through the Looking Glass Cafe in Jim Thorpe, PA. I listened as he talked about this passion. Listening to him, one couldn’t help but feel invigorated. His devotion to this project, his pride, and perseverance is very uplifting. And this guy knows how to succeed.

He’ll be filming his journey and posting episodes of the trip on his website, Perdie Across America. All he has is the flag on his back, a tent, and his video camera, and if you believe in his cause, you can send money to him.

Even though, by the time you read this, he’ll already be walking, you can still donate money through his website. If you have a PayPal account, he can have your donation right away. If not, I guess you’ll have to wait till he comes to town. Do you believe in his cause? If he’s coming through your neck of the woods, walk with him. Spending even a few minutes with this guy is like spending a few minutes with a dedicated individual with a goal. What do I mean, “like?” It is exactly like that, because Perdie is one dedicated individual, and he has a goal.

Perdie, I wish you the best of luck, and a safe and prosperous cross-country trek, and I hope your message is spread across hundreds, nay, thousands of people!

(Check out the Chronicles of Perdie for more information and insight into his decision to spread awareness through the country, and check out Perdie Across America for more detailed information about the walk, his mission, and what you can do to help)

Like many gamers I have a long standing relationship with Nintendo and an innate love for many of their franchises. And while I wait with bated breath over every announcement for the newest Mario or Metroid, there is one franchise that I have wanted to be brought back for quite a long time now. That franchise of course is Punch Out!!. My history with the series dates back to when I first received a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) as a Christmas present in December 1989. I did not receive Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!! alongside the system but it was the first game I ever purchased for the system. I spent many a long gaming session attempting to beat Iron Mike and sadly I don’t remember it ever happening.

My game cartridge stopped working a long time ago and no amount of blowing into it would get it to work. But a few years ago I was able to relive some of my childhood memories by playing the Mike Tysonless version of Punch Out!!. Attempting to take Little Mac to the World Title re-kindled my long forgotten love of the title and got me to think about how great an updated version of the title would be for the Wii. After all wasn’t the boxing portion of Wii Sports just begging to be made into a full game labeled Punch Out!!. Late last year my visions were answered when Nintendo announced that Next Level Games, developer of the generally well regarded Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged, were going to be in charge of a Wii version of Punch Out!!.

(more…)

You can thank @nicholasreed for the hilarity.