Hero Inc.

This past Saturday, May and I headed to midtown Atlanta to take a mutal friend out to eat for her birthday.  During our sushi/birthday adventure we enountered a moral dilema/karma moment.

As we headed back to my car, Erin spotted a set of keys sitting on top of a car that was parked behind mine.  We lightly joked that these keys might belong to one of the cars in the area.  I picked them up and pushed the “lock” button.  Sure enough, the keys locked the vehicle that were located under the keys.  Oops.  At this point in time, we had three basic theories on why the keys were here.

1. Due to the current recession someone was actually looking for the car to be stolen in order to cash in on the insurance because the current payments could not be made for the car.
2. This was a pay it forward moment.  I mean, it was a Lexus.
3. Stupid moments happen from time to time and this was one of those REALLY stupid moments.

Basically at this point we chose to go with option 3.  In order to produce good karma for all three of us, we chose to do something about it.  We wrote a short note stating that we locked the keys in the car for “safety.”  The owner might not have liked this option because they would have to pay for a locksmith, but at least this way they would still have a car (barring that option 1 wasn’t the correct one).  The note was left on the driver’s seat folded so that the words “Read Me!” were plain to see.

As we drove away, we all encountered a great sense of moral victory.  Go us!  We are good Samaritans without the need for a reward.  My only regret is not leaving a phone number to ensure that the car’s owner made it home safely that night from downtown.

Besides this interesting encounter, I visited the High Museum for the first time in order to view the Terracotta army.  Sorry for no pictures of them but no cameras allowed in the exhibit.

The unfilmable graphic novel is finally filmed.

Watchmen was written by Alan Moore (V For Vendetta) and he hates you for going to see this movie.  Really, he does.  He’s a purist and believes that his creation should never be reproduced in a different medium other than it’s original.  The Watchmen was a story based on a set of characters DC had bought and had no real avenue to use them until Moore decided to use them for his ultimate tale.  According to the wiki, the Watchmen is “set in an alternate reality which closely mirrors the contemporary world of the 1980s. The primary point of divergence is the presence of superheroes. Their existence in this iteration of America is shown to have dramatically affected and altered the outcomes of real-world events such as the Vietnam War and the presidency of Richard Nixon. In keeping with the realism of the series, although the costumed crime fighters of Watchmen are commonly called “superheroes”, the only character who possesses obvious superhuman powers is Doctor Manhattan. The existence of Doctor Manhattan has given the U.S. a strategic advantage over the Soviet Union, which has increased tensions between the two nations. Additionally, superheroes have become unpopular among the public, which has led to the passage of legislation in 1977 to outlaw them. While many of the heroes retired, Doctor Manhattan and the Comedian operate as government-sanctioned agents, and Rorschach continues to operate outside the law.”

I was quite worried that this story truly was unfilmable, but it seems that Zack Snyder (300) did the best that he could and the story came together quite well.  Better than expected in some cases.  Both the Comedian and Rorschach were brilliantly cast and I could not ask for better characters.  It almost feels that they were truly lifted off the pages of the graphic novel.

Now the downfall of making this movie great occur in 2 areas for me.  The first is a combination of gratuitous violence and sex.  I don’t normally mind both of these items in a film as long as they are truly used to move a story forward.  On both accounts, I felt that neither helped the film.  It was just over the top and I didn’t need it.  The second area was the music.  A real soundtrack (actual songs) were used and at time it made the film feel campy and underrated the “seriousness” of certain scenes.  Simon & Garfunkel during the funeral as well as Cole’s Unforgettable worked well, but many of the songs later used (during Vietnam scene, horrible “Hallelujah” cover, and final few songs) made me lose interest in actually listening to what was going on.

Overall, as you can already tell, the movie was good, but not great.  This is another film that proves the book was better than the movie.  However, the changed ending from the film, does work better in some ways than the one in the graphic novel.

[Rating: 3/5]

Many of you who see me on a regular basis have already heard the argument that is about to be presented.  This will be an argument I will make every year until I can eat them no more.  Here we go.

Reese’s Easter Eggs are the greatest candy.  Period.

I’ll give you a moment to take that one in, again.

…

…

Yeah I said it.  Sure there are other good candies, but the Reese’s Easter Egg is just so perfect.  I’m a believer that it has something to do with the new shape that calls for a new ratio of peanut butter to chocolate.  Maybe there is a math equation to prove it. Don’t even try to bring up those mini versions because those are not the same. It’s the large ones I’m discussing here today.

In college, I remember joining some friends home one night from downtown as we forced May, our driver, to take us to a store that would have them.  To our horror, all shops were closed.  Noooooo!!! Forgive the random story. It was a fun night.

Besides that horror story, every year I stock up like a bear preparing for winter.  If I can’t get girl scout cookies, then I have to get my number one fix.  You can point and laugh all you want, but I’ve already purchased 4 bags.  My roommate will vouch for me.  I plan to purchase more and more until I can buy and sell them like stocks (except these will have some kind of value).  And if Will was in town, I’d probably end up in the hospital due to Reese’s Easter Egg poisoning.

Here’s a nice advertisement for all that love the eggs as much as I do.

One of the latest WordPress plugins I have found is one used for Facebook. Facebook Comments will pull comments left on Facebook within the Notes application and import them into one’s WordPress blog. I’ve started using the Notes application lately and found it quite annoying that I could not keep my comments synced up in a single location. Well thanks to this plugin I can.

Except that now it is broken. Facebook Comments relies heavily on regular expressions to find the comments within the HTML of the Facebook page. Whenever the HTML is updated (which seems to happen often lately), a change to the Facebook Comments plugin is needed. The guy that originally wrote the plugin seems to be quite busy and wasn’t able to get around to a fix so I took a quick stab at it. Not only did I fix it (I think), I also added an additional feature that allows one to give a default url for all Facebook comment posters.

I haven’t been able to reach the original creator yet to offer my solution so I’ll post it here until he responds. Please enjoy it and let me know if you find any additional errors in it. I must state that my regular expression skills are nonexistent and I had to do the best that I could with my limited knowledge.

Change Log:

• 0.36 – March 21 2009 – Due to the latest changes from Facebook, a few changes were needed for the plugin. I’m now posting my 0.36 version that I’ve tested locally. This will remove the extra link Facebook adds when a comment is too long. I did notice a new bug that deals with how Facebook changes links within comments, but that’s a fix for another day and time.
• 0.35 – March 13 2009 – Due to the latest changes from Facebook, a few changes were needed for the plugin. I’m now posting my 0.35 version that I’ve tested locally.
• 0.34 – March 01 2009

Update for April 30, 2010: I have decided to end all development and future development related to this plugin. The reasoning for this change can be found here. I have closed the ability to post comments to this post and hope any further comments will be directed at my reasoning post.

I heard the rumors late this week that snow was headed for Atlanta, but I didn’t believe it.  Well, I woke up this morning and it was…raining.  However, when I started playing Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars by Vitamin String Quartet, all of that changed.  I’ve uploaded a horrible video (in quality) to showcase the snow for those that are not seeing it in Georgia or are not currently located in Georgia.

The forecast calls for about 1-4 inches of snow, which is a large amount for Georgia, but I don’t really see it sticking around. Yay for the snow we have!

I don’t really have enough for a complete post about anything important but over the past few weeks there have been several items that I’d like to spill my thoughts and ideas around. That’s right. This is one of those I don’t care enough to devote full time so you are getting my halfhearted approach.  Welcome to the hodgepodge.

• Alex Rodriguez is on steroids?  Really?  The savior of baseball?  The one that was to make all of the records right and legit.  Well, he is now just another cheater.  I wonder if he is actually upset at what he did or the fact that his name was released.  I mean, you can’t state that you never did steroids and then be exposed for telling a lie.  It just won’t work out well when you ask us to believe you when you state you are no longer taking them.  He’s a cheater to me and if I actually attended games I’d boo him.
• The World Baseball Classic is coming up and the world doesn’t care.  I’m starting to notice a trend with these world athletic events.  It seems that the athletes or owners are pushing to not let the players participate.  You don’t see this same concept with the World Cup.  The players will play regardless and the world wants them to play.  Is there a higher sense of honor in the world cup?  Why don’t the other sports show it?
• I’m a fan of Lost and 24, but Burn Notice is the show that really gets me excited each week.  When its Thursday, I have a smile on my face.  Not because it is almost the weekend.  It’s because that Michael, Sam, and Fie are about to kick butt.  Everyone I’ve suggested the show to has really enjoyed it.  It’s Spy + Equalizer + A-Team.
• I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again.  Heroes is not a good show.  Yes, I watch it, but it isn’t that great.  The stories are terrible and never really conclude.  The writing can’t develop characters and now there are too many.  The first season was good but only had 2 great episodes (“Company Man” and “Five Years Gone“).
• Free Agency starts tonight at 12:01AM for the NFL.  I don’t expect big things out of the Falcons, but I could see us going after lesser Free Agents.  Derrick Brooks’ name was thrown out today which I like in ways but you can’t pick up a huge rival such as this while you are dropping your loyal player (Keith Brooking).  Instead how about we get Jermaine Phillips?  I’m always a fan of more Georgia players on my dirty birds.
• I love it when the “good” NFL combine stories are released.  Especially the ones where a kicker beats the other players in the workouts.  A kicker who benches 225 lbs 25 times?  More than his USC LB teammate?
• I’ve recently purchase cymbals for Rock Band 2 and I must say that it dramatically increases the amount of fun one can have playing rock’s greatest tunes.  I’m barely moving into the area of “Hard”, but there are a few songs that I really feel like I’m a fake rocker.
• All this talk about a new stimulus plan reminds me of the following Ducktales Inflation lesson.  I’m just glad we are passing on debt further to our children.  That just means I don’t have to pay for this mess.
• Yes, the US and the world is in bad shape due to the economy.  We all know it.  All of our investments are dropping.  It’s terrible.  Let’s get over it and begin to move forward.  We can’t fix what most of us caused so we need to begin turning over a new leaf.  No more living outside of one’s means.  Change people.  Don’t wait for someone else to do it for you no matter what John Mayer tells you.
• Watchmen comes out next week and I’m looking forward to it.  Not because it is another heroes movie.  I’ve read this graphic novel and it blew my mind.  When I started it, I didn’t think much of it other than the writing was quite good.  It wasn’t until I reached the end that I truly realized how good it really was.  Take it how you want, but I will be upset if there is not fully frontal male nudity in this movie (it actually has a purpose here).  Wow, I can’t believe I just typed that.
• Reese’s Easter Egg time is upon us.  It is now time to begin hoarding for the winter.  If you go to a store and they are out, you know where to find me.

After being on the air since 1989, the Simpsons have updated their intro yet again as a new way to enter the world of HD content.  Here’s a copy of the new intro who missed it tonight (like I did).

I think the team did a great job of incorporating more of the people (angry baby) of Springfield into the intro as well as more of the town. For those true Simpsons fans, if you really watch closely, you can find many “odes” to Simpsons episodes:

• When Bart is writing on the blackboard, you can see Homer the astronaut on the wall.
• When Maggie is being scanned at the market, you will see a breakfast cereal from Homer’s brief stint in Japan.
• Bleeding Gums Murphy is now on the wall of the band room.
• The quick cut to the house includes God and the devil, El Barto, Blinkie, Kang and Kodos, and etc.
• It also seems that the Simpsons have a new HD tv in the living room.

I wonder if this new update will spawn a new update for the Halloween special as well.

I can’t wait to catch the full episode later this week on Hulu.

Liam “Qui-Gon Aslan Ra’s Jean Valjean” Neeson is one badass man that no one should ever mess with. Taken is the story of a couple of people who try to mess with his daughter.  This is also not a good idea.

When Neeson’s daughter heads on a trip to Paris, she is kidnapped in an attempt to traffic her into prostitution and drugs.  Thanks to Neeson’s background of being a Preventer (yes, it is a cheesey as it sounds because he “prevents” bad things from happening), Neeson has certain skills that will be useful on his quest of rescuing his daughter.  Now that I have thrown out almost all of the possible movie cliches, I can begin to state that this movie turned out to be pretty good.

Fast edits, Bourne-esque fights, and a dad seeking revenge were all that I needed for this movie.  Taken doesn’t try to be more than it needs to be and just lets the audience enjoy the action.  No matter how many open hand chops to an opponents throat I have seen, but it seems cool and painful every time.

And for those Losties out there, be ready to see Benjamin Linus die once Neeson realizes that Shannon was on that island.

[Rating: 3.5/5]

For those facebookers out there, I recently was tagged in a note by the wonderful and talented May Park Square Pants. Apparently the new hip thing in the world of social networking is to create a list of 25 things that people may or may not know about you….err….me. Since my notes are the same as posts on my site, this is the perfect place to put up my 25 Things That People May or May Not Know About Me.

1. I’m in a video game.  That’s right.  I have completed every boy’s dream.  I appear in NCAA 2006 (for PS2 and Xbox).  I’m the first “G” of Georgia when the Georgia intro is played.
2. My favorite vacation spot is in New Smyrna Beach, FL.  It is nice and quiet.  Not many people go to this beach but it is close to Destin and has many great places to eat.  My memories there are great and not so great.
3. My first concert was DC Talk at the Omni.  Thanks to Will for this trip.
4. For a class senior trip, Will (see above) and I headed on a road trip that followed the Warped Tour to multiple venues in Atlanta, Tampa, and Jacksonville.  I can quote Flogging Molly since their set was a repeat at every location.
5. In High School, I was the ultimate geek/nerd as I was a member of the marching band (trombone) for one year as a freshman.  The highlight of the year was when I performed a solo for Unchained Melody in Newnan.
6. My first speeding ticket (yes, I’ve had several) included 5 police cars driving up my driveway to give me the ticket.  They thought that I was trying to illude them due to my quick speed up the driveway.
7. The first NFL player I remember when I was younger was Reggie White.
8. I played chicken against my brother when we were younger.  I was on a bicycle and he was on the go-kart.  I won (because he couldn’t hurt the youngest) and he lost when he swerved and ran through an ant bed.
9. I’m terrified of having Alzheimer’s when I get older.
10. I was a member of the Thomaston Wrestling Federation.  That’s right, backyard wrestling at its best.  I was a wrestler, announcer, and referee.  Of course, we were all required to take on multiple jobs back then.
11. While I was in high school, I coached a U-10 team that went undefeated.  Of course, we did have 3 of the best players in the league.
12. I can’t stand to be called Benji.  Ben Ben, Ben, Benjamin, and Jamin are all acceptable alternatives. This is not acceptable.
13. I had my bank account cleaned out when I was hacked due to purchasing music online illegally while in college.
14. I never originally wanted to attend the University of Georgia.  I actually wanted to attend any other college, not limited but including Georgia Tech and Auburn.
15. When I was in the 2nd or 3rd grade, I had my left hand sliced when I tried to grab a rake from the barn at our house.  It required 5 stiches.
16. I can sing “The Distance” by Cake from start to finish without the music and stay on beat.
17. Les Miserables is one of my favorite plays mainly due to the songs.  Sometimes you can catch me at work or home listening to a full recording.
18. The first book I remember receiving on my own was Arthur’s Halloween.
19. In college, I would carry Donatello with me on big test days so that he could help me.  He was the smartest.  One guy even asked to borrow him once I had finished my test.
20. Late high school / early college, I wrote poetry.  It was really bad.
21. When I was in kindegarten, I tried to jump through one of the holes in a spiderweb.  I ended up hitting my head on the bar and had to go to the hospital to stich my head.
22. The best ringtone I ever had was one I had to program myself.  It was the theme to Zelda. Man, I miss MIDI ringtones.
23. Whenever I play Mario games, I always select Wario as my character regardless of his skills, or lack there of.
24. I had a huge fascination with Canada at one point in time.  I’ve never been there, but I’ve always wanted to go.
25. I still wish I had my old Crown Victoria to drive.

…by that much.

On Friday, it was the coldest it has been all year (and past few months) in Atlanta.  The temperatures dropped below freezing and this can mean many things to many people.  To me and my roommate, it meant the fear that a pipe bursting at our apartment complex could destroy our prescious belongings.

I arrived home Friday with news from my roommate that an apartment near ours was suffering water damage.  When I arrived and saw the multiple carpet cleaning vans and large pools of water, I was quite scared that the problem had grown since my roommate was at the apartment last.  Thankfully, our apartment was unarmed (not sure how truly).  Here are a few pictures (click for enlargement) I took of the damage.

	This is directly outside our door. Notice the large amount of salt laid out to prevent freezing.
	This is the apartment you see directly across from our apartment. We originally thought about moving into this apartment. I guess it was a smart move not to pick this one.
	Here is a zoomed in shot of the apartment from the picture above. Notice the standing water in the kitchen.
	Here is another shot at the apartment across from us.
	Here are the steps that lead to the front of our apartment building. You can see the carpet cleaning van and vacuum tube that is running for the top floor apartment. Even more salt.
	This is the bottom floor apartment. Two floors removed from the actual pipe. More standing water and fallen light fixtures.
	Here is a closer look at the same apartment from above. Man, I hope if anyone lived here that they had renter’s insurance that covered this problem.
	Even the parking area under the apartment building was harmed. When I walked down here to take this picture, water was steadily dripping from the ceiling.
	Another shot of the parking area under the apartment building. This is just bad.

These pictures are compliments of my new camera. Hopefully with more time, I can take pictures with better quality.