Something to "Marvel" about

Disney, the powerhouse of dreams and magic, is trying to close out a $4 million deal to buy Marvel Entertainment lock, stock and barrel. What does that mean for the future of both companies? I like to imagine it thus: Disney will continue to expand their borders and provide more mature content than they do now. Steps have been made with movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, so that could help give the company a bigger arena. Marvel will gain the support of a corporate giant. This could give them a larger fanbase and better means to put their stuff out there. This might just be a really good deal! For more about this, check out Wired.

Seriously? Rambo V?

You know, Sylvester Stallone should reconsider this one. Under normal circumstances, having trilogies are a stretch. Often, the first film (or book, for that matter) is the best and the sequel is a sloppy second. While some films have really brought the best out in their sequels and series, it is not likely that Rambo V will be something amazing that you will die if you miss. For more about Rambo V, check out Variety.

College students rest assured

When I was still in college, I remember pulling up Wikipedia to do hasty research about a topic before trekking to the library to do some real work. However, I would sometimes discover that the information gleaned from Wikipedia was not accurate and therefore, my light research was completely invalid. Thanks to WikiTrust, you can discover what is credible and probably fake with color-coded information. The basic idea is that the longer information remains on the page without edits, the more credible it becomes. Wouldn't this have been nice a few years ago? To learn a bit more about the new WikiTrust, check out this Wired article.

Image found at: adirectory.us

What's the point?

Yesterday, I saw a man wearing iPod headphones while driving his convertible. How does it make it safe to drive this way? I mean, really! What is wrong with just plugging your iPod into the radio? Will it kill some people to think that way? Honestly, more people will probably have to pay for your stupidity about not using your radio. If you are one of these iPod headphone wearing drivers, reconsider that stance. If you don't do this, good on ya!

Zen A Go-Go

For the ever popular Restaurant Week in DC, I went out to eat at Zengo with my sisters. The Asian/Latin mix of flavors marry well together to produce a delicious meal. It's located directly outside of the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro station for easy travel. As long as you have a reservation, you will not have to wait long (just make sure that you have your entire party or you won't be seated)! The food was excellent and I'm ready to dish on what I had.

For Restaurant Week, restaurants prepare special menus consisting of an appetizer, main entree and dessert for a set price (usually $30–35). I settled on a Unagi-Shrimp (unagi is eel, in case you were wondering) sushi for the appetizer. It was very fulfilling and savory. For the main course, I had Asian style pork that was very flavorful and masterfully presented. Finally, I had their bread pudding which was okay, but not as good as I thought it would be.

So, if you are ever in DC, I'd recommend stopping by Zengo for a really good and fun meal. It's best to go with a group to embrace the idea of "give and take" that is the restaurant's mantra.

Movie speculation

When reading about Steven Spielberg's plans to develop a film based on the late Michael Crichton's book, Pirate Latitudes, I was surprised to find that Disney is planning to put together a fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie together with Jerry Bruckheimer. Following the thread of the supposed 2011 release of the latest "Pirates" installment, I found that Johnny Depp is planning to play Tonto for the "Lone Ranger" film adaptation. Well, shiver me timbers!

Gaming cuts

Lately, the prices of video game consoles seem as though they are continually being cut. The surprisingly cheaper PS3 Slim will be released next month with a brand new look and logo (thank goodness that Spiderman looking logo will be gone). Apparently, the folks at Microsoft had to compete by lowering the prices of the Xbox 360. The elite is now at the same $300 price range as the PS3 Slim. If you buy the Xbox 360 Pro edition, you will find that it is the same price as the $250 Wii. Now the only question I have for you is how many people will go buy an Xbox 360 when they could buy a PS3 Slim or a Wii for the exact same price? Hopefully a new marketing campaign is coming along with these lowered prices. To follow more about the Xbox 360's recent price cut, check out PC World.

Disney's Vinylmation series

I just got an email from the Disney store advertising their new vinyl Mickey Mouse figurines. Believe it or not, a lot of them are really well executed, but there are a couple of those not so nice ones in there too and unfortunately, you cannot request a specific design. The Vinylmation series comes in Clear, Park or Urban—of course, there are blanks as well. They sell for $9.95 each or $238 for a tray. As an extra incentive to buy, there are limited "Mystery Chaser" designed figurines that could possibly be sitting in your box. If you are a fan of vinyl toys or Disney, you should check it out.

Unexpected repercussions

While browsing the internet, I came across a small entry about Joseph Carnevale (21) being arrested in Raleigh, NC after creating this interesting traffic barrel monster. According to Very Weird News, the police chief's wife lost control of her car and crashed into some of the barrels down the road after seeing it. Here's the punch: the reason for her loss of control was that she was laughing too hard. Poor kid

Digital reading gets smarter

Just in time for Christmas, you can get your hands on the new Sony Reader Daily Edition. Not only will you have the option to download ebooks from the library for FREE, but you will also have access to AT&T's 3G network to get your literary fix (and boo hoo, the connection really is only for the online library). Still, it looks sleek enough and it seems like the perfect gift. "Isn't there a catch," you ask? DUH! This thing costs $400, but if you are willing to shell it out, it will probably end up saving you money in the long run. I'm too in love with printed books, but for more info, check out the press release from Engadget.

Author Spotlight | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

In honor of the esteemed doctor and author, I have decided to give Sir Arthur Conan Doyle a bit of spotlight this morning at newfoundJoye. He is known best for his invention of Sherlock Holmes and his famed creation will soon be on the big screen. So, whether you decide to read a couple of Holmes mysteries or delve into a couple of Professor Challenger stories, take a moment and read a few of Conan Doyle's works. For a brief history of his life and a list of his works, visit Wikipedia.

Game Recommendation | Wii

Obviously, I am in love with video games and I'd like to throw an upcoming gem out there for your radar. Coming sometime in the not so near future, Nintendo will release New Super Mario Brothers Wii! From the description on the company's site, the game boasts cooperative or competitive multi-player goodness (up to 4 participants at once). This should not only make the game more enjoyable, but more interactive. Also, they are hinting at a new Penguin Mario! CUTE!

Looking forward to the big 9

This ought to be a great, animated film. The look and feel is something different from other movies that are coming out nowadays. This style of 3D is rough and more strikingly real thanks to the combined forces of Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. I'm looking forward to 9/9/09. For more about this film, visit the official site!

A little aquatic action

Found this at Black Bunneh Sees.

Have time to do a little browsing?

The internet is teeming with good and valuable information. However, there is also a lot of random dribble that is not necessarily worth your time. Luckily, Time magazine put together a list of the best sites and blogs of 2009. If you have some time, browse through them. You might find something you didn't know existed.

Is it really worth 1000 words?

You know the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, I really believe that they are, but I won't be counting out my words to see if I've amassed that many to find out! Instead, I give you all the works of Bob Eddings, a photographer who describes himself best by saying:

"I'm no different than the millions before me: I seek to let those images I see in my head have a life outside. To exercise this age old struggle, I've accumulated some electronic tools and a few craftsman-like skills to help externalize them. The process is often tedious, filled with apprehension, second-guessing, and self-doubt. What emerges is, nearly always, a joy. Freed from the mind, I hope my images find acceptance, happiness, and their own little place in the world."

Give his site a look at AssociatedPixels. The image above is his. Pretty nice, right?

A little Lovecraft anyone?

If you aren't familiar with H.P. Lovecraft, you are missing out on a great series of horror stories. He really was a genius of his genre. The most popular of his muses being Cthulhu (Ka thoo loo), a god-like creature with an octopus head, awkward limbs and the ability to drive those who witnessed his existence into absolute hysteria. If you want a cleverly composed and coherent description of his work, I suggest that you read up on it.

So, there is a free flash game called Necronomicon that pays homage to this astute author and its release actually matched his birthday (August 20th, that is). While I have yet to try it, Lovecraft fans everywhere will most likely enjoy it.

Also, shout out to Wikimedia Commons for having this image.

S-p-e-l-l it out

Remember those spelling bee days? Standing in a sloppy line fidgeting as you awaited your word. You worried that it would be really hard and you cringed each time someone made a mistake on words you could have easily spelled in your sleep. Then, when it is finally your turn, your mouth becomes dry and you feel like the entire English language has seeped out of your ears? I remember them well! When I was in elementary school, I won my grade spelling bee with the word "honey"! Talk about bragging rights. Still, this has nothing to do with my whole topic.

I discovered The Times Spelling Bee while searching through some results on Hunch. I gave it a try and spelled 13 out of 15 correctly on a quick play. Give it a go, it's really interesting—especially if you are waiting on some responses at work. Make sure you have headphones!

Sketch happy

So, I have just discovered Odosketch, an online sketchpad. You can make a sketch and it remembers all of your impressions and plays them back in super speed. If you've ever wondered how people create their masterpieces, take a gander at their sketches. Also, you can sign up for free and sketch your own images. Take a look and find out for yourself.

Voilà!

Some Paris eye-candy to brighten up your morning.

Game recommendation | DSi

I know that not everyone in the world has a DSi, but I do. I have discovered that I am happy with casual games. They keep me from becoming too addicted (like I am to k-dramas). Anyway, if you have a DSi (or a DS), I recommend getting Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box. It comes out on August 24th and it is going to be good. This is a sequel to the charming and challenging Professor Layton and the Curious Village. If you haven't played the first one, you should pick it up along with the Diabolical Box. If you don't have a DSi, you should consider getting one.

The first installment of the Professor Layton series was enough to have me spending hours trying to decipher and solve puzzles and other mysteries. The soundtrack was okay and you could easily play while listening to your own music or in silence. The controls are easy to pick up and the gameplay is paced very well in terms of moving from easy to tough puzzles as you progress through the game.

In short, go to the site and give the demos a whirl. If you don't like it, that's on you. I will definitely get this at some point, so look out for my game review to come soon.

What's your name?

BIG news! If you can think of a name for the new Kodak Zi8 camera, you could win a trip to Las Vegas and the new Kodak Zi8 camera! Don't be discouraged if your name isn't chosen. You could be randomly selected and win one as well. Of course, it won't be a Zi8 anymore then! You can tweet it by using the #NameAKodak hashtag or comment on their blog.

Good luck and know that you have at least 1000 other competitors (including me).

Addicted to Korean dramas

I am always addicted to something. Chewing gum, chapstick, watching television shows, baking, video games—my addiction always changes, but is usually present for at least two or three weeks. Now, I am addicted to Korean dramas. It all started with Coffee Prince. I got into the whole "love triangle" and before I knew it, I had wasted an entire weekend watching seventeen hour-long episodes. Then, I discovered Thank You, a very sad series of episodes that upset me and made me laugh and left me somewhat disappointed.

I know, this is pathetic! Anyway, now I'm on to watch One Fine Day. You can say whatever you want about me, it's my new addiction. And hey, the first step is admitting you have a problem, so I am making progress.

Ugly Betty's ugly new position

I am depressed that according to Yahoo!'s Fall Preview, Ugly Betty is one of the worst shows returning to TV. I won't lie, it is not necessarily the MOST amazing show the world has ever seen, but I really did like it! Why does it seem like whenever I actually get into a show, it goes off? Now that Ugly Betty will probably disappear on Fridays, what can I get into? I'm thinking Royal Pains but I can never be too sure. Luckily, House seems promising and Dexter will be back on.

Still, I really liked Ugly Betty.

A fresh start

It's Wednesday and I am starting this blog in hopes that it will serve as a sort of journal and thought space. I often find things that interest or surprise me and I love being able to share them with anyone willing to read about them. So, here's hoping you all enjoy the content.