Off topic: Popular TV shows are just as bad as popular online shows.

'Popular' shows just don't do it for me

Every time I watch something that's considered 'popular' or 'succesful', my first reaction is: this is crap. It's kind of weird. Maybe I'm cynical, a bit pessimistic, counter-culture... but it's my observation, and I know I'm not alone. Here's an example I like to use: Arrested Development and Two and a Half Men. Both aired around the same time in 2003.

One went on for three seasons, was absolutely brilliant, had an amazingly talented cast, and the script was genius. The other is going on its ninth season and has Ashton Kutcher. So what happened to Arrested Development? If it was so great, why were the ratings so bad? To be honest, I don't know. A lot of critics said it was 'too smart for TV', which I kind of agree with. I just think it's awful that a show has to be dumbed down so people can understand it. Not only does it drain the creative genius from the actors/writers, but it also paves the way for even crappier TV shows, like My Name is Earl. Wow that show blows.

That being said, Arrested Development is going to come out with a mini-season and a movie after that, which I'm really excited for. There's also exceptions for certain shows, like The Office, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Modern Family. All great shows, but still haven't received as much commercial success as Two and a Half Men.

All hail the internet

YouTube is the same way. Hilarious YouTube shows like Between Two Ferns (a mock interview show hosted by Zach Galifianakis), Harvard Sailing Team (a show that reverses the stereotypes of men and women) and The Michael Showalter Showalter (another mock interview show), are all trumped by this guy:

 

Wow. Something is wrong.

I understand that not everyone can share my taste in comedy, and the thought of everybody laughing the same robotic laugh at some government sanctioned comedy show scares the hell out of me. But Fred? Really? Comon' people.

Off topic: What a restaurant shouldn't do...

On Saturday, I went out with my family for my mother's birthday. We went to a little restaurant in Selkirk. I hate going to restaurants like this one because I've seen the movie 'Waiting' 13 times.

Anyway, our meals are fine and the beer is beer. I excuse myself and go to use the washroom. I can't help but notice an unusually terrible smell upon entering the washroom. I turn the corner and there it is: a toilet bowl smeared with feces. I gag, but decide I should take a picture to show the staff. I snap the photo (gagged again), head upstairs and show the woman at the front desk. She puts her arms down on the table and drops her head into them.

"You would not believe how much that happens," she said.

I don't know how to respond to that.

Then, (and this is my favorite part) without mentioning that anyone is going to clean this up or if I can use another washroom, she asks me if I'm planning to still use the toilet.

"Eh, I don't think so," I say, politely as  I can.

Then she starts writing something  down on a piece of paper, which I assume is a gift receipt or something. Now, of course I wasn't ACTUALLY expecting a gift receipt from this experience, but you never know. I mean, a paying customer needed to use your facilities and couldn't. I'd accommodate that, I'm just saying.

Anyway, she writes "Out of Order" and asks me to put it on the door downstairs.

So, instead of cleaning up the washroom, you render it useless to every male customer in the restaurant? Sure! Why not? And of course! Get the customer to do it! After all, he's already been down there and experienced it, no need subjecting two people to that odor.

Ok, maybe I'm being too harsh. This is probably the work of a chronic poo-smearer that's well known in the Selkirk community. She was probably just calling the cops to go and round him up so he could clean up his mess. Cause' who wants to clean up somebody else's poo?

Counter-Strike: Source Zombie Mod

So, when I do have time for video games, I find myself playing Counter-Strike more and more. That's how I discovered this mod that lets you play as humans, running away from zombies. It's pretty fun, but it can get really repetitive.

Here's how it works:

1. Everyone spawns as a human.

2. After about 45 seconds, a few players are selected at random and turned into zombies. (The more people in the server, the more zombies are selected.)

3. The zombies have to stab the humans to convert them into zombies.

4. The humans (who have weapons) try to keep the zombies at bay until the round is over. (5 minutes)

5. If, by the end of the round, a human is still alive: the humans win. If the zombies get everyone, zombies win.

I won't rave about this mod, it is what it is. My favorite part is when 10 people try to setup in the same room, and I turn into a zombie and stab everyone. People get really angry when you do that.

Oh, I should also mention something right now: I didn't realize that the video conversion/editing software I was using was a 14-day trial, and it has expired. So, until I figure out a way to covert my own videos for free again, I will be using youtube videos. My apologies.

Off topic: Guilty pleasure.

Do you love 80 pound white girls rapping? Me too. This song is horribly addictive and the video is even better.


I'm not quite sure what the pink thing that she's wearing on her head is, but it sure adds to the craziness of the video. Lil' Wayne even did a remix to this song on his 'Sorry 4 The Wait' mix tape. You can check that out here.

I've checked out Kreayshawn's other stuff too... there's not a lot I'd recommend.


I see the resemblance.

Black Ops: Zombie Mode

Two words: So awesome. I had foot surgery in November 2010 and when I wasn't messed up on painkillers, I was playing Zombies. Although I hopped on the Zombies bandwagon a little late (it started with Call of Duty: World at War, released in 2008) it didn't stop me from quickly appreciating the unique concept of game play. Black Ops Zombies is better than World at War: Zombies anyway, so I didn't miss out on too much.

Here's the premise:

-You play either by yourself, or with 1-3 partners (online)
-Your trying to survive as many 'rounds' as you can
-Each map is different and you need earn points for killing zombies
-You use your points for purchasing improved weapons, gear, perks or to unlock new doors

** I should also point out, you can't 'win' zombies, but the more rounds you survive, the higher on the 'Leaderboards' you'll be and thus receive street cred. It's all about street cred.

Also, 'rounds' are just X number of zombies that come at you. Once you kill all the zombies in that 'round', you start the next one. The number of zombies increases with each round, by how much, I'm not sure.

I can keep trying to explain what I mean, but as always it's easier to just show you.

There's two other parts to this video, check them out on my gaming channel: AaronsGameReview on youtube.