June 29, 2008 by traveler.

You ever find yourself trying to find a gift for the person who has everything? Maybe they’d like a ghost in a bottle. I can almost guarantee that they don’t have one of those. Be careful, though. The site says that they “cannot be held responsible for any misfortune to befall you should you take possession of this object.” It’s pretty bad when the home page has the tagline “Supernatural or Novelty?” Not much of a satisfaction guarantee. Anyway, if you have $20 to get rid of and you seriously can’t find anything more worthy to spend on, you too can buy an empty bottle. If you’d prefer to save your money, fish through a trash can and you can also dig up an empty bottle. Now if they were selling a Genie in a bottle, then that would be a different story.

Posted in Junk, Video | No Comments »

June 25, 2008 by traveler.

By now you’ve heard- Maricopa Sherriff’s office yanked Shaquille O’Neal’s special deputy’s badge. Can they also yank Kazaam?

I’d even settle for Shaq Fu.

Posted in Video, Sports, Movies, Games | No Comments »

June 24, 2008 by traveler.

The Electronic Software Association issued a press release highlighting the results of their recent study. They studied whether employers used training that includes game-like simulations. Check out the chart below for a run-down.

93% of companies surveyed either offer interactive training currently or plan to in the next 5 years? That’s pretty good. I’m guessing that the other 7% of companies are represented by Jack Thompson.

Posted in Business, Tech, Games | No Comments »

June 23, 2008 by traveler.

Comedy Legend George Carlin passed away Sunday night from heart failure. Whether you knew him as Mr. Conductor or as the edgy comedian, George was special. Based on his website, he had a number of shows scheduled all the way out to December, and he was due to receive the 2008 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Here’s to you, George- we miss ya already.

Posted in Comedy | No Comments »

June 22, 2008 by traveler.

I’ve always liked the street art/graffiti aesthetic. From stenciling to characters to lettering, graffiti/street art encompasses some of the most energetic and inspiring works in the art world. Too bad many people don’t consider graffiti part of the art world. If you played word association with 100 random people, I bet at least half would immediately say “vandalism.” A new form of street art emerged which may break that association.

Clean Graffiti, or Reverse Graffiti, creates art by cleaning dirty surfaces. How does this work? Check it out…

Pretty clever. And the Reverse Graffiti Project is sponsored by Green Works (from Clorox)? Wow. Who would’ve thought a cleaning company would help produce a graffiti project? Keep an eye out to see if this is a sales gimmick or future art trend.

Posted in Art, Doing Good, Video, Design, Environment | No Comments »

June 15, 2008 by traveler.

I came across this bumper sticker the other day.  What a great message.   Once we go, there isn’t much reason to bury/burn our remains when so many people are waiting on transplants.  99,000!?! Nearly a hundred thousand people praying for a miracle.

It is inspiring to hear stories of people who have donated and the lives they have saved. I encourage you to consider donation- who knows whose lives you might be able to save.

If you have questions about your religion’s views on donation, there is an extensive list you should read. If you decide to become a donor, here’s how you can get started.

Posted in Doing Good, Health | No Comments »

June 15, 2008 by traveler.

Brace yourself for the Happening. What are the effects of the Happening? Across the world, movie audiences simultaneously burst into fits of yawning, then fall asleep. Finally, audiences awaken, walk out of the theater and demand their money back.  

I made the mistake of paying to see The Happening. Don’t make the same mistake. The movie is probably the least-suspenseful movie I have ever seen. The premise (which might’ve had some potential) is poorly executed. It is really hard to be afraid of the wind, especially when the acting is so wooden. M. Night Shyamalan would be wise to take his name off this film. The writing is downright awful, from stilted dialogue to awkward scenes. 

Do yourself a favor and DON’T SEE THIS MOVIE. There- I just saved you $10. Don’t say I never gave you anything.

Posted in Movies | No Comments »

June 6, 2008 by traveler.

I was browsing the candy aisle when I stopped abruptly in my tracks. Elvis Presley Collector Edition Reese’s Peanut Butter & Banana Creme Cups. The marketers did their job- they convinced me to part with my change to purchase a product that I guessed would be terrible.

A few minutes (and several grams of saturated fat) later, the candy exceeded my expectations. It was even more terrible than I had guessed. Of all the artificial fruit flavors out there, I have always hated fake banana flavor the most. Fake banana flavor is so bad, it makes me hate the taste of actual bananas. Burying that flavor among enjoyable chocolate and peanut butter doesn’t work well. Skip the ‘collector’s edition’ and go with the tried and true PB cups. These Peanut Butter & Banana Creme cups are so bad they beg the question- is this what killed Elvis?

Posted in Food, Eww, Pics | No Comments »