Where'd you get your wallpaper?

Next time, surprise your friends by saying, "I made my wallpaper." That's right, readers. You can make your own amazing wallpapers with the help of X3 Studios—completely free. You can create, share, download and rate wallpapers. Give it a try. There's no harm in that. The image above is one that I made quickly. Make something better. On a side note, when you click the link, scroll to the bottom and select the "create your own wallpaper" option to get started.

Titanium Chef

So, I don't know if you all have heard about Titanium Chef. It's an awesome flash game on the internet and it's all FREE. Check it out and give it a whirl. If you have kids, they should love this game. The idea is that you are a robot that is aspiring to be a chef. The intro is hilarious and the interface is easy to use. The purpose seems to be teaching kids proper portion sizes and healthy food choices. I'm just getting into it, so I can't give you a complete rundown, but we can discover it together. Play it now.

Andrej Belic takes you for a dive under the sea

I have the pleasure of sharing Andrej Belic's photography with the you. Although I cannot put all of it on my site, I can direct you to his site for more. It is a stunning look at what is under the sea. These are all taken while he scuba dives. Impressive, right? For more information, contact Andrej yourself.


Images Andrej Belic

Book and Film Recommendation | Watership Down

After getting all of my junk from storage (I hate to admit it, but I have a lot of junk), I realized that I do not own the Watership Down movie although I have managed to find the book. Watership Down was written by British author, Richard Adams and it started off as a story he told his daughters on long car rides. I don't know how he thought of this idea, but it's quite interesting. You'll never look at rabbits the same again, trust me. I suggest that you add this to your Netflix, Blockbuster, library list or whatever rental service you use. And also, I would not recommend this for really young kids.

Antilimit photography

Since joining StumbleUpon, I've discovered so many great sites. For example, check out Eric Gustafson's work. Not only are his photos rich and well-composed (like the one above), but the design of the site is also very clean and easy to navigate!

Stumbling

Well, readers, I have joined StumbleUpon. I was debating whether to do so for a while. Naturally, you can find me as Newfoundjoye. Find out where I have stumbled lately.

Sad discovery

When I was in college, I would often check Blue Sky Studios Challenge blog for inspiration. The work was usually top-notch (nice office buzzword for you) and entertaining. Today, when I remembered about the site, I went to visit and discovered that they haven't updated since last Fall. Perhaps because of the release of Blue Sky Studios' recent 3-D film, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, they stopped doing it or because of a general slowdown. Either way, it was a depressing discovery on my part. The employees used to create illustrations based upon random themes. Lots of them were very creative. Check out the past images on the blog—since it's still there. Considering that the idea is really amazing, I'm thinking of starting another blog for themed illustrations. If you have some beginning ideas, comment. I'll do one illustration per week. Expect more coming soon.

Comic fandom strikes again

Are you a Spiderman fan? If so, are you one of the fans snatching up rock agama lizards because of their resemblance to Spidey's colors? Shame on you. This Telegraph article explains the hype in full detail.

Say what now?

Studio Ghibli—amazing Japanese animation studio whose works include Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and the recent release, Ponyo. Nintendo DSi—portable gaming goodness. Game developer Level 5—the creators of the Professor Layton series. Now put them all together and what do you get? A visually stunning RPG (that's role-playing game for my non-video game playing people) called Ninokuni: The Another World. Check out the trailer below. It's in Japanese, but you can kind of get the gist from the visuals. It's not slated to come out until next year, but for a great game like this one seems it will be, I can wait.


Shout out to electro^plankton for his post. Otherwise, I'd be out of the loop.

Blown away by the "windy city"

Over this past weekend, I was in Chicago. It was a truly stunning city. Although not as tall as New York, Chicago has a very beautiful skyline. The streets are much larger than ordinary city streets—no running across last minute here, especially with the reckless taxi drivers you'll encounter. I had a great visit even though I unfortunately caught a cold (darn air-conditioning) which hindered me from getting out too far. But, I am able to present you with some nice eye candy for your Monday night! Check it out after the jump!

Images via NewfoundJoye (me!)

Sweet rant

I'm really fed up with commercials displaying women as being overly concerned with eating sweets. I mean, physical health is very important as is eating a balanced and nutritious diet, however, I have to put my foot down at these advertisements. Some of the worst commercials often show women worrying about eating a piece of cake (or something similar), but opting for a cup of yogurt instead (an obvious Yoplait reference). I don't know what crazy planet these people are from, but no amount of yogurt will ever equal one delicious slice of cake. Besides, what harm does one slice of cake or bowl of ice cream really do? Chances are, you can easily work off the extra calories (if you count them) and be just the same as you would be anyway. I am probably biased because I love baking and eating sweets, but I'm still a size 6—I'm sure to some of you, that's super fat, but not me. So, dear readers, please, tell me if I'm wrong, but do we really need to stress out over whether to eat the whole cupcake?

Image via flickr/Ban Bakes

What is Sony thinking?

The PSP Go will be coming out soon (by soon, I mean I don't know the exact date, but sometime this week maybe). Still, I read the review on Engadget and I already know that I'm not making the switch. "Why?" you ask? Simple. The PSP Go, which will not play UMDs or work with any of my accessories, is going to cost $249.99. Do you know what that means? That's the price of a Wii! That's $50 less than the PS3 Slim! That's a brand new keyboard! So I ask, "What is Sony thinking?"

Image via CNET/CBS Interative

Been out of town

I've been out of town this past weekend, thus the reason why I had no updates. However, I am back in action again. Look forward to more posts later today including a quick rundown of my first visit to Chicago. To all of my readers, thanks for checking out newfoundJoye and I am deeply appreciative of your time.

Where the stars are...

You know a niche that most people don't realize celebrities are all over? Kid's shows! For example, I was watching The Backyardigans this morning—don't ask—and Alicia Keys was the voice of the martian. While I haven't found a good video of the whole thing, I have found good audio which is below.

Where I will be October 16th

Where the Wild Things Are, where else?

Génial

One thing that happens when I browse the internet is that I find interesting things that I feel I should share with the world. While on TheFWA, I decided to check out this site called INCREDIBOX. At first, I thought it would be drab and boring, but was I ever proved wrong! I won't explain anything. Just go to the site and try for yourself—like, right now!

Well, what do you know?

I just read an article on npr that explains something very interesting. There is water on the moon. I never would've guessed it. However, how does that change anything? The moon can't sustain life can it? We aren't going to start growing Moon trees and Moon crops are we? Oh gosh, this is getting way to sci-fi for me. Next thing you know, it'll be like the Adventures of Pluto Nash.

Image from NASA

T2 makes motion delicious

Hello Monday created a very interactive website for motion design company T2. Not only does a constant reel of T2's work play, but your entire visit to the site is recorded and played back to you through very engaging visuals. The interface is rather nice and it loads quickly and clearly. Go ahead and take your cursor on a journey.

Electricity, e-lec-tric-ity

Energy is always in the news it seems. Solar energy, wind energy, nuclear energy—I think you understand what I mean. On a random search, I typed in hydroelectric power and was completely wowed by the plants for these things. How is this for eye candy?




I do not own these photographs.

Some success starts slowly

Nothing I say will give any justice to this AP article about the first vaccine that prevents HIV infections. However, I will say that this is a great achievement. So many lives have been lost by the spread of AIDS and hopefully, this discovery will lead to more effective and successful vaccines. So, read the article for yourself.

Kah-blam!

I am fortunate enough to have a freelance gig—yay!—but I don't get paid (but it's okay because I'm getting good experience). Still, this job has put me in touch with some very creative people. One of these people is Scooter Hayes, a really energetic, funny, loud guy who works with kids. I discovered one of his videos on YouTube. Check it out!

My beef with Apple

I love Apple products. My Mac is excellent, I have a great iPod (not the newest though), and the service has always been exceptional. However, I cannot stand Apple's commercials. Obviously, Apple has a great slew of products, but why can't they come up with great ads? The clean look is nice, but the subject matter is played out. Until they stop Windows bashing, I'm pretty much ignoring them. When they come out with something new, I'll be surprised.

Update | 40 Days of Holiness

As many readers are well aware, I have been practicing 40 Days of Holiness as a challenge presented by the pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church during the monthly Come As You Are (CAYA) service. The basic idea is that if for 40 days, we can be holy—truly striving to be like Jesus—we can achieve a better relationship with God and a better outlook on life. 

Today is the official halfway mark of 20 days. How have I been doing you ask? To be honest, readers, I have slipped. I notice that whenever I don't act holy, I feel guilty about it and I've been feeling guilty lately. Mostly, I have been impatient, lazy and a little blunt, but I don't like these qualities. However, these 40 days are not over and I am sticking with it. Have any of you started taking the challenge? If so, sound off and let me know how it is going.

Who wants to live forever?

Apparently, Ray Kurzweil has been working towards a future where we—humans—could be immortal. The secret? Nanotechnology. While immortality seems nice in novels and films, I don't know how I could be excited living forever. These are the reasons why I would not want to be immortal:

• I would be bored. You can only re-invent the wheel but so many times before it isn't new anymore.
• Jobs would be scarce. Since we have issues right now, imagine employing an immortal workforce.
• Old age would no longer be special. People living to 300 years old would be commonplace.
• Life would no longer be precious to people. Everyone would partake in dangerous behavior regardless of the consequences as they will no longer be "dire".

What about you, readers? Would you be for or against this? Sound off and let me know. 

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

As the days become more equal, I have had several quotes from Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" in my head. I don't know if it is the gentle rapping, or repetitive tapping and tapping, that makes this work my favorite poem. I first read it when I was in middle school. I discovered it after reading "The Tell-Tale Heart" and fell in love with it. Every subsequent visit to "The Raven" has had the same effect on me. If you have never heard of this work before, you can read it in it's entirety after the jump. If you are familiar with this work, then by all means, give it another glance.

Korus festival 2009

Culture is an amazing thing. Some countries have richer cultures than others, and this is true of many Asian countries. One such country—Korea—celebrated its culture this past weekend in Annandale, VA for the 7th annual Korus festival. The free festival brought in performers such as: Ock Hee, Kaba Modern and Park Mi Kyung. The food was amazing! From kimbap to ddukbokki to bulgogi, you could find something to stimulate the taste buds and leave you with that feeling of "yum contentment". Vendors sold wares such as jewelry, toys and food. Hit the jump for some more.

Kyung's Bead and Flower Creations

Here is a shoutout to Kyung's Bead and Flower Creations. I love when something simple (a bead) is turned into something beautiful (handmade jewelry). You can see Kyung's work from the images above. For more examples, visit the store.

Oktoberfest-ivity

One of the ultimate German experiences is during Oktoberfest. Usually, the people are in a happy mood—I'm sure the beer helps—and the food is awesome. Days like today, I wonder why I wasn't in Munich this past Saturday enjoying the atmosphere. Instead, I leave you with a heavy sigh and some eye candy. Hit the jump for the full experience!
via The Big Picture

Eclipse-ing yacht

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has a high-tech paparazzi photo deterrent system for his yacht. The exterior of the Eclipse is swept by lasers that are programmed to fire a flash of light at guilty paparazzi resulting in a ruined image—boo hoo. This seems like something that will lead to more advanced paparazzi shields for celebrities.
via Wired image Bojan Pancevski

Keep those fingers warm

Since cold fingers while typing is apparently an epidemic, you can purchase the bear or bunny USB hand warmers to combat icy conditions. Fear the chill no longer, office citizen!
via Technabob

Author Spotlight | D. M. Cornish

The South Australian author and illustrator D. M. Cornish deserves a bit of recognition. Similar to J. R. R. Tolkien, he creates his own world complete with language and culture. Although his books are marketed towards younger readers, you will find that his Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy is a well-written, expertly crafted read for almost any age. While you must wait until next year for the debut of the third book (Factotum), you can check your local bookstore for Foundling and Lamplighter (that is the proper order in which you should read the books). Below, you will see an advertisement for Foundling. For more information about Cornish and his works, refer to his blog.

Kisses unaware

Surprise attack! Some eye candy for Sunday night.
via The Big Picture — image by Reuters

Game recommendation | PC

So, it's late at night and you are a bit restless? Well, give the latest Nitrome game a try. Nebula is a game played using your mouse/trackpad to guide a little sun around space—I guess—to gather stars and keys. It's a good diversion if you are having a little trouble sleeping. Happy playing and good night.

Day off

I normally have Fridays off for my internship, so I spend them doing things that I enjoy—like playing video games, job searching, browsing the internet, reading and the like. However, I decided that this Friday I would get our townhouse cleaned (I live with my sisters). I am used to cleaning and I'm a tad OCD about having the house together. Well, I'm proud to say that I got the house spic and span and everything feels cozy and warm. Now, I am completely ready for Fall to begin—and with a clean house!

President Obama, off the record

If you haven't heard the audio to President Obama's response to Kanye West's VMA antics, listen below.

Season Premieres | Fringe and Community

Earlier, I blogged about my Fall line-up. At first, things got off to a dismal start. Since So You Think You Can Dance was in the audition stages, it's nice to watch, but doesn't really merit my full attention. Glee has such a strange storyline that I don't know how much longer I'll continue to watch it. I was hopeful—but wary—that tonight's episodes of Fringe and Community would be more promising. Luckily, my gut instinct was correct!

Fringe (FOX) debuted with a surprising new character and its trademark plot. The entire episode kept me on the edge of my seat (and startled me at a few parts too). Of course, the previews for the rest of the season look phenomenal and I can barely wait to see how the relationship between Charlie and Olivia changes.

Community (NBC) stars Joel McHale (most notable for being on The Soup) and was a non-stop riot of comedy. The lines that I will be using from watching that show. Although several of this episode's scenes were in the preview (and most likely the pilot that aired on facebook), they were still fresh and funny. So, my Fall line-up is looking pretty good right now. Next up for discussion will be House on Monday for its two-hour premiere!

DIY | Straw ribbons

How often have you decided to decorate a gift box or bag with a touch of ribbon? Well, regardless of whether you do it all the time or not, I wanted to give you another alternative. Straws can be used to create reusable, unique ribbons for your presents. Check out WikiHow for details!

image TOHGIN minako

Eye catching

Here's a nice bit of eye candy for you. Take on this optical illusion for size.
via Yahoo! and photo from Paco Calvino

Definitely want to see this movie!

Surrogates looks like it will be a great movie. I am thinking that it will be an interesting film—I didn't read the graphic novels, but I probably will after seeing it in theaters. The idea of being able to live your life as an "avatar" of yourself in the world seems like it will be something to witness. Not only that, but Bruce Willis will be playing the lead role and I respect him as an actor. This film will be in theaters September 25.

A wave of your magic wand

I came across this really great site when browsing through posts at electro^plankton. The Wand Company created a very simple (but creative) site to advertise their Kymera Wand. It can be used to control most any electronic device that can be controlled by a remote. Yes, that's correct all you witch and wizard fans—this wand is a remote control. Astound and amaze your peers with a flick of the wrist. What will they think up next?

Childhood memories | "It" rhymes

Honestly, kids are really great at making up stupid rhymes and such for choosing the person who is "it" during games. The following are my favorites:

Eenie meenie miney mo, Catch a tiger by the toe; if he hollers let him go, eenie meenie miney mo. My mother told me to pick the very best one and you are not it.

Johnny had a booger and it tastes like sugar, what color was it? (person selected chooses color and it is spelled it out)...And you are not it.

Bubblegum, bubblegum in a dish, how many pieces do you wish? (person selected chooses number and it is spelled out)

Did you have a different rhyme? Share it with me.

Author Spotlight | Dan Brown

Today, Dan Brown released his latest book, The Lost Symbol. Although I have not read his works myself, he is an award-winning author whose books have spurned films (The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons). Several friends and family members love his books and they seem to have captured a diverse audience. If you like puzzles, mystery, intrigue and religious undertones, perhaps it would be in your best interests to visit your local library or bookstore so you too can discover the acclaim behind the author.

Image from NY Daily News

Looks savory, but tastes sweet!?

Don't be mistaken—these aren't real sliders. Ilene Powell made these cupcake slider look-alikes. The "cheese slices" are flattened out Starbursts. The ketchup and mustard is actually red and yellow frosting. Coconut with food coloring makes up the lettuce and sesame seeds finish off the top. Convincing, isn't it?

via insanewiches.com

Robots I love to love

Robots. With the upcoming release of Astro Boy, I thought about robots that I really like. While shows like Transformers made robots cool to me, I am not the biggest fan of clunky robots. In fact, I actually have a group of unusual favorites. Hit the jump to find out who they are.

What color was it?

So, the Nintendo DSi is now being sold in white and pink (in addition to blue and black) in the United States. Honestly, I wish that Nintendo would release all of the colors at one time. Why be so selective? Maybe more people would want it if they had it available in their favorite color. I would like for it to be available in red or green. Check out my color preferences after the jump!

The rumored Mac tablet

For many months now, sites have talked about the rumored Mac tablet—sort of Apple's response to netbooks. They thought that it would be mentioned at the Apple event on September 9th, but there was not a single inference to its existence. Supposedly, the Mac tablet will drop next year in February, but this is all speculation based upon some moves that Apple has made recently—batteries, screens, close AT&T relationship, etc. However, there is some pretty great concept art for the tablet. Hit the jump for images!

Shower of death?

According to a CNET article, your showerhead could be loaded with germs and pathogens linked to the development of pulmonary disease. The pathogen in question, Mycobacterium avium, was found in hundreds of showers studied for the testing of this theory. Presently, cigarette smoke is the leading cause of pulmonary disease, but scientist say that your showerhead and indoor air quality could be an inhibitor as well. They do not have any actual number correlations between the pathogen and disease cases, but to be on the safe side, you should avoid plastic showerheads in favor of metal. It is probably a good idea to clean and replace your showerhead periodically.

via CNET

DIY | Gummy Bears

You are probably aware of the colorful and tasty gummy bear, but have you ever thought about making your own? I came across an article that will allow you to do just that. I haven't tried it yet, but I plan on making these sometime before Halloween. For the instructions, visit WikiHow. Let me know how it works for you and I will update once I've made mine.

Recycled plastic? Fantastic!

This is one of the many sculptures created by Shadetree Studios. They are available for purchase.

My fall line-up

When I was in college, I was too busy to watch a show's entire season. Now that I'm one year out, I'm not going to let this be the case. In fact, I've already put together a line-up of the shows I want to watch this Fall. At the very least, this is what I'm tuning into...

Identity crisis

The world wide web is filled with endless possibilities for you to put yourself on multiple platforms. You can be on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, specialized forums and more. This can lead to an interesting dilemma—how should you display the "you" seen on all these sites? Give some of these sites a try...

Game recommendation | PC

If you are a fan of the Hasbro board game, Monopoly, you've probably heard about the new, global online game, Monopoly City Streets. The gist is simple: try to become the richest property owner in the world. Buy city streets and plant hazards to thwart your friends and strangers. You have until January 31, 2010. Do you have what it takes?

Perhaps it's time to rethink this idea

According to People, Harrison Ford is gearing up for Indiana Jones 5. I think that he should quit while he's still ahead. I loved the Indiana Jones series, but this latest installment was a major disappointment—what, with the nuclear bomb and the aliens. Perhaps, it's time to redo the series with a different take? But I guess you can never tell, this might just be an amazing film. I suppose I'll just have to wait and find out.

Sprite Step-Off stepped off

Despite the really long wait, the Sprite Step Off officially kicked off in DC during the Black Family Reunion. There were several talented sororities and fraternities, but the Just Us Steppers group from DC really stole the show. These young steppers gave the Divine 9 something to think about, that's for sure! The next qualifying show will be in Philadelphia at Penn's Landing if anyone will be around there.

A moment of silence

Today, to honor the memory of September 11, 2001, newfoundJoye will be taking a moment of silence. Come back tomorrow for more posts.

Let down your hair

Obviously, both Disney and Pixar are releasing a lot of information about movies that are in the works. I spoke earlier about Cars 2. Well, there will also be a fairy tale adventure to look forward to. Rapunzel, the story about the girl with the long hair and the witch and the prince—you understand—will be in theatres December 2010. Apparently, the story will take place after she has escaped from the witch, so this should be fairly interesting. For more, check out Wikipedia or Empire.

Revving up for 2011

According to Empire, Pixar has revealed the plot details for Cars 2, which is set to premier summer, 2011. It seems like it will be a really interesting sequel with lots of action and adventure. The cars will be going all over the world. Lightning McQueen with the rest of his new pit crew (which includes Mater, of course) will be in places like Tokyo, Germany and England. For full information, read the article. With Toy Story 3 coming out next year and Cars 2 the year after, I only wonder if 2012 will lead to a new Incredibles film. I can only hope.

Like being in a candy store

Not surprisingly, the iPod nano is like candy. The only problem is that it costs money that I can't spend right now. Not until I get a kitten, at least.

Update | 40 Days of Holiness

If you are unfamiliar with the 40 Days of Holiness topic, please refer to my previous post. Basically, I committed to a pledge of holiness one week ago. The idea is that if we can choose to actively be "holy" for a period of 40 days, we will notice a change in ourselves and the way we view the world. This takes WWJD ("What would Jesus do?" for those of you who don't know) to a whole new level. So far, I have noticed that I am much more aware of unholy choices and therefore constantly telling myself not to do them. It's becoming second nature for me to be more polite and more understanding. You should give it a try and let me know how it works for you. It just might change your life.

Not quite the whole 9 yards

If you've been reading at newfoundJoye for a while, you'll know that I was looking forward to the animated feature 9. For this reason, I saw it on opening night, 9/9/09 and left feeling very disappointed. First, let me tell you that the animation was spectacular. The detail and sound were so amazing. It seemed like a real place and time. The characters felt real even though they were sock puppets. However, the storyline leaves a lot to be desired. I hate spoiling films for other people, but I will admit that the film was promising but fell short of the mark. The plot was engaging at first. There was some action and some tense moments. Then, by the end of the movie, you realize that several arguments were left without a conclusion. The purpose of the film becomes a point of confusion. Therefore, while the visuals are stunning, the storyline is too dry and unfinished. I leave it up to you to decide whether you will see 9 or not, but don't say I didn't warn you.

Film review grade: B-