Caught the new Texas Chainsaw the other day. Well, today actually. There’s really precious little to reccomend it. It isn’t like the thing has to be Kramer vs. Kramer or anything in order to hold my attention, so that is not necessarily a bad thing.

For those of you who didn’t see the trailer, it is the story of five hippies on their way to a Skynard concert (Freebird!) who run afowl of Lee Earmy and his bizzare redneck cannibal family. Long story short, big guy with no face cuts people up with a chainsaw, then makes their faces into masks. There’s an odd aside at one point where the enormously (god i hope she was wearing a fatsuit) corpulent matriarch says something to the effect of “You’re just like the ones that made fun of him” or something to that effect. I guess it was going for a “moment of depth” thing rather like that one shot in Monster Squad where the grizzled old neighbor says “I know all about monsters” and then there’s a closeup of his concentration camp numbers on one arm.

I always wondered if they got a real survivor of the camps or if they just wrote numbers on some guy.

Anyway, back to TCM. Personally i can’t find much to fault the movie with. I mean it was simplistic and the people were idiots right into the meat grinder, but it is a slasher movie, so i guess that’s par for the course. The main thing that stands out is how very many weapons the hippies pass up. They are pacifists and all, but there still has to be a point where even Ghandi would go for the revolver. I imagine that point would line up roughly to the point where you find your friend impaled on a meathook and a guy wearing your boyfriend’s face butchers somebody with a chainsaw right in front of you.

Kristi says that because they only had Ataris at that point they wouldn’t have the Survival Horror instincts bread into them. Personally i was just happy to see a damn horror movie where characters never do a self-aware “This is just like that time in the horror movie” moment. I am so damn tired of that whole schtick. Its also another example of why horror movies can be set at the latest in the mid 70’s. This way writers don’t have to come up with good reasons why the protagonst’s mobile phone doesn’t work, and so forth.

Anyway, if you like horror movies and are barred from ever renting or buying a movie, then i guess this is good enough. Otherwise rent Dawn of the Dead or something. Just see this as a last-resort, i’ve-seen-all-the-other-movies sort of thing. You could do worse, but don’t expect it to break ground.

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I’m at it again. This time it is more computers. Well, computer. At least this one is a workstation.

See i’ve hit surplus again, and i’ve turned surplus cash into surplus junk. I am now the proud owner of a Silicon Graphics Octane workstation and SCSI CDRom that came with it. The thing ran me $100 and change, which is pretty cheap considering. It needs a little work, but a co-worker says he’ll buy it off me if i don’t want it. Otherwise, well, there’s always eBay if i panic and have to dump it. Mainly i bought it because i’ve always wanted an SGI box to play with, and this one just called to me. So what this means is that i’ll not be buying much in the way of extravigant meals or tons of manga this month. Just Haibane Renmei #2, the new re-release of Texas Chainsaw, a few comics, and the Trigun released by Dark Horse. And my everyday comics habit, of course. Nothing to exceed a total of $100, i think. I may even open a savings account with Walkallovaya and transfer some cash into it, just to keep myself straight. This whole “One paycheck a month” think is a bit crazy. I do need to set up direct deposit though, that sounds like the bomb.

The damn cable that connects a Sun w13 monitor connector to a standard VGA port cost me $35 though, so that should tell you about the caliber of crap i’m trying to buy.

But yeah… Octane. High-end graphics powerhouse box. It looks sweet and it should perform sweet once i diagnose its PCI… issues. It takes a regular PS2 keyboard and mouse, which is a wonder with SGI, usually they require some crazy proprietary interface. And there is this big ass lock on the back that’s keeping me from openning the box. The people at surplus said they had the keys a week ago, but now they say that they don’t. So i guess its bolt cutters or a dremel for me. If its just missing a hard drive then that’s one thing, if there is actually a problem with the mobo or graphics card then it may leave my hands. I’ll take some pictures and post ‘em up in a second to let you guys know what’s up.

And in other news, i won’t be making Florence this weekend. You guys could come down weekend afer this one though. I completely forgot to mention that i’m going to a model airplane fly-in with a co-worker on saturday, and that should take up most, if not all, of the day. Should be kickass though, and give me a chance to further break in the digital camera.

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Well, time to break it down old-school, cause i’ve just played the best game of Mario 3 that i think i’ve ever played. I just died for the final time on the first Tanks level in Bowser’s world. This doesn’t sound like alot until i tell you that i’ve got, in my inventory at the time of death three (count ‘em THREE warp whistles.) I’ve beaten almost every level in the game except about three. I skipped one in Sky World, one in Giant World, and as many as i could get away with in Ice World. The real thorn in my side was Ice World, let me tell you. I entered with over 40 lives, and i left with less than 10. Single fucking digits. I hate that place. There was one world in particular that ate lives like a bitch. I can’t rememeber the number, but it was on the bottom of a square of roads, and its only purpose was to bar entry into a Toad’s House. The one with the Hammer Suit, but still.

I rocked Pipe World like it wasn’t no thing though, and i’m damn proud of that.

If i had the good sence to hold on to clouds and P-Wings i probably would have gotten to the numbered levels in Bowser’s World, but them’s the breaks, i guess.

Oh well, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

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So i’ve (finally) become One of the Family to Kristi’s familial unit. Only took 5 (6 this february) years. All it took was playing the fool for her six-year-old niece (for to entertain the girl) and whipping out the Exilim when it came picture time. Even with just the 14 shots on-board it more than served. I now have to print or transfer them somehow (USB hard drive, i’m thinking.) I got some good pictures though, and may even put some up here. Of course, i appear in none of them, so that means they are perfectly ok for public consumption.

Hey, i don’t care how anybody else looks, as long as i’m not there it is golden.

I really need to get on that whole “Photoblog” thing i’ve been kicking around for a while now. I have the motive, means and oppertunity. I just need to sit down and set the damn thing up. It should be more conducive to “something set up as a second ‘blog but part of the index” than my “i’ll make a blog for each project” plan.

Speaking of projects, i guess i need to appraise people of the ideas that are bouncing around in my head. Well, the 4u Rackmount is dead. I’ve decided that the case just doesn’t fit what i need it to without allowing for massive outlay of cash that i don’t feel like spending on it. I’d need a RAID controller, more drives and a removable cage just to make the thing work, not even to make it work well. So i got this ancient VAIO that some person at one of the High Schools was throwing away and i think i’ll start using it as my disk server. It is a more conventional Mid-Tower with a suave door to make everything look nice. with the door closed parts fold together that basically makes the front a completely featureless expanse, and i like that in my servers. Either show off your removable drives if that is what you do, or hide the whole damn thing. Minimalist is in.

The only problem i can see is that it doesn’t really have intakes to speak of. Not intake fans that is. I’m not looking for much though, so it shouldn’t be a big deal. I think i’ll be moving the Micronics board from the 4u into the VAIO and setting up an IDE RAID array in there. If there is any heat issues i’m sure a blowhole or some other venting wouldn’t be too hard to take care of.

I’ll still have the 2u box, i’ve spent too much time on making it work, and it does kick so much ass that it would be a shame to see it go. I need some Vantec Stealth 80mm fans for the back and a sheet of bent metal for the top, but after that its all over but the buying of a SCSI hard drive for the OS, a thin CD and Floppy for the drive enclosure and some tapes for the backup drive and i have a intranet/backup server for the house. I mean if i’m going to be rocking a four 80 gig IDE drive RAID array for file storage and sharing then i should have a backup tape drive somewheres right?

This is all pie-in-the-sky stuff now though, i’ll be lucky if i can get the single 80gig drive into the VAIO and get Win2k or something on it. Then i’ll probably just set up terminal services and so forth, get a web interface going, and remove any monitor/keyboard/mouse the thing is hooked up to. I think that can be Sunday’s project. Next Sunday that is, not tomorrow. But if i can get a nice, quiet box running WinMX and sharing my files then i don’t even have to do the Terminal Services thing right now. I’ll just reproduce my current setup with the OS on one drive and the files on the other and everything can be wiped and re-configured at a moment’s notice. What are the minimum system specs required for Windows Server 2003? Oh, i’ll find out and see if i need to upgrade, or sell the 4U all in one fell swoop (i like fell swoops, can you tell?). I should be able to fit it on s system with 2 200 mhz processors, 132 meg of ram, and a 4 gig drive. It will run like a bear though… oh well, it doesn’t have to run well, it just has to run.

The Masamune project is somewhat dead at the moment. I just can’t really say that i need to funnel hundreds of dollars into a toy gun that is just as fun to play with when it has no laser sight or silencer as it would be to when it has those things. Maybe one day when money grows on trees.

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So i just saw “Kill Bill.” I think Tarantino may need a friend somewhere whose only job is to sometimes say to him to calm down, take a deep breath, and think about what it is that he’s doing. Of course this would probably ruin everything that he’s ever done, so it is a horrible idea. Oh well, just a thought.

KB is pretty awesome. The first half does a great job (joerb?) of setting up some incredibly realistic violence. Incredibly believable, and really really visceral. Then when Luci Liu’s character is introduced (by a short anime segment [awesome!]) the movie starts breaking new ground with blood geysers. I mean not-since-Evil-Dead amouts of crazy spurting limbs. It isn’t for everybody, is what i’m saying. I thought it wasn’t bad, just a little loud. Kristi thought it was crazy loud and therefore beneath her notice. I think that, rather like Matrix: Revolutions, Kill Bill Vol.2 will silence all complaints. I don’t think it should have been cut it half though. While Matrix stands on its own inasmuch as a member of a trilogy can, KB1 just doesn’t really exist without KB2. The kendo was insane though, and that’s a good thing. The people next to me were surprised at the amount hands and feet lost to the swordplay, but then they were idiots and do not know that unarmoured people struck by katanas are lucky when they lose a hand. The Desert Eagle used at one point to completely remove someone’s foot at the ankle is also realistic. I mean .50 cal bullets generally don’t wound gently. These idiots can’t tell Japanese ladies apart though, so i didn’t really listen to them except when i wanted somebody to completely break the mood. That is they just intruded on my movie going and did their best to ruin the mood.

There are a few issues with the flick though. The out-of-sequence filmmaking that is Tarantino’s trademark is in full effect here, and causes some issues. They go though all the trouble of introducing Luci Liu’s character before she makes her appearence in the movies “current” timeline, but they do nothing for the other Viper Assassin, played Vivica Fox, who appears before Liu in the movie (not on the revenge list though). I’m holding out hope for a Blaxploitation themed intro to make an appearance either on the DVD or in the next movie. Hopefully. Of course they still have to intro and kill the Woman with Eyepatch, Cowboy Guy, and Bill. So the next movie may be a little bit faster or longer.

They did a lot right though. The anime was top-notch, and the one-liners were amazing. The line of Vivica Fox’s daughter in the kitchen is incredible, and i’ve never seen its like.

So i’m almost all primed for the Texas Chainsaw Remake next weekend. I feel i should limber up though, i will be laughing quite alot i can bet you.

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So my free time is dieing. I’m sorry to say that it never saw its demise approaching. LIke all other kickass people, i have purchased Disgaea, and lord it has completely ruined me for just about anything else. See, remember when you guys left last weekend? When i was in the very beginning of chapter 3, and hadn’t entered into any part of the storyline. Well… i’m still there. And my play time is up to nearly 20 hours. By the time i get to setting this to “publish” it will most likely be over 20 hours. I’ve been doing nothing but making new characters and transmuting existing ones. Laharl has made his first “Skilled” transmute (just to see how it works) and is back up to Level 16 already. My Brawler is a fighter. I made a Ronin and she is now a Samurai. My Warrior is a Centurion (and possibly thinking about becoming a Knight). My Scout is now a ranger. And i’ve been in so many item worlds that i’m to the point where i’m saying “Oh, +4 level? That should be ok.” Then beating it in about 20 minutes with very few dead guys. My rogue died just now but then i need to level him. He was an experiment in stealing. So far he has died more than he has stolen. But then eight hp does not resillience make.

Oh, and my Scout is a badass. Model 44 pistol and a set of Magnifying Glasses with a 150 Statistician in them. I’m working on unlocking everything in the glasses so i can combine specialists and move everything into his new Nerd Glasses i got from a bonus. I’m looking for weapons (any weapons) with Professionals in them (any level). I want Critical Hits to happen all the time. I mean we are talking “Bulls-Eye” from every attack.

My main guys have all passed the three levels of tests (of course) to allow for transmutation. But i’ve also passed the eyewear, belts, and shoes inventory bills. Not that i’ve bought any of them, mind you, but just so’s i can when i feel like it. Usually i’ve not bothered with any of those three types of equipment except in extreme circumstances, or when they are legendary or otherwise kickass. For instance my Fighter has a set of cross-trainers that feature a Coach of almost 100 levels. Most of my heavy hitters have been equipped with Bushido Armor, and Power Jackets (leaving a space for Etc’s) and my mages with Chain Mail/Bushido Armor and Dimensional Capes. The hospital has been most obliging and has hooked me up with Rare Dark, Blood, and Star orbs with decent Residents. I flubbed the Dark Rosary and got one that was A.) Not rare, B.) Had one resident, C.) and he sucks. Its a coach or a gladiator. To be honest i just don’t look at the damn thing. It shames me.

I’m holding out hope for the Feather Token though, it should be pretty sweet. Now i have to work on a rare Muscle Ace though, so that may take a while.

Nope, it didn’t.

Well, when i finish this Oroboros of Item Worlds (and atleast start knocking them down to mayhaps three or so items to enter) then i’ll get back to the plot. I should have Prism Mages by then though, so whatever right?

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So i’m back and as it is Rock-tober i will be working on the time machine that takes me back to September (a month with slightly less rocking). Yeah, when i get some time later i’ll fill in Sept and then we can all start foreward on the brave new world that is October. The reason for this sudden invigorating leap into posting is quite simple, really. I’m setting up a MT blog for some friends of mine at work, and that’s just getting me back into the swing of using this system. For some reason it just became… i don’t know… rote. Boring. I felt that all i did was say “I bought this, and it rocked/sucked” or “I saw this movie and it rocked/sucked.” Not that i’m not going to do that anymore, god knows i’d have nothing to talk about. No, i think i just made peace with my rut and i’ll try to streatch the envelope when and where i can. Yeah, so maybe some musings or whatever the cool kids call thier ‘blogs these days.

Is it still e/n? i have no clue.

(Read the article)

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