Happy Halloween!

It is officially Halloween. This year has been a pretty hectic Halloween season for me. I have no plans on the actual Holiday.

Any peoples partying tomorrow night in the Los Angeles area?

Any ideas?! Post a comment!

The Killers - Sam's Town

The Killers most recent album, Sam's Town is a great CD. At first I wasn't digging it much but after listening to it a few times I started to dig all most of the tracks. It seems as though The Killers hired a sound engineer from the 80's to come up with many of the tracks that include many synth sounds.

I highly recommend picking up (read: download) the Killer's newest creation. You won't regret it!

Good Riddance...Century Club

Last Night me and a couple friends rolled down to Century club in Century City. This was my first time there and the only reason I went was because they were gonna demolish that bitch.

I suppose my expectations were set too high since it's supposed to be the "world famous Century Club".

The place was mediocre at best. It kind of reminded me of the first club I've ever been to, Live Bait.

:(

Good times nontheless, so good in fact that half of my artificially drawn in mustache is gone!

Happy Halloweeny

O and wtf was up with the valet parking situation? worst shit evar!

Decisions, Decisions (Canon Vs. Nikon)

I went to a local camera store yesterday to get a feel for which dslr was right for me. I played around with a Nikon d80 and with a Canon 30d. Both cameras were pretty nice but it felt as though the 30d's autofocus system was superior to that of the d80. Prior to this, I was set on getting the d80 but now I am confused. The 30d can be had for about the same price as the d80 (give or take $200 w/ the Canon rebates). My search continues...

Cnet Nikon d80 Review

Dpreview's Nikon d80 Review\\

Imaging-Resource's d80 Review

Hawaii Trip Planner

My friend introduced me to this travel site on yahoo that allows you to plan out your trip day by day. You can search for all the main attractions based on a number of catagories such as; things to do, hotel, entertainment, shopping, restaurants, etc.

I found a plan that another user had already completed: Trip planned by some random person

I will probably use the above link as my template and include my very own points of interest.

Yahoo! Trip Planner

Six Thousand Dollar Burger Combo?

So late last night after a long days work I decided to watch some television... after the usually crap on tv (I don't have cable), I saw a commercial with the Maloof Brothers, the owners of the Palms casino and resort. The commercial itself wasn't that interesting but at the end it stated that they have a 6 thousand dollar burger combo at The Palms. I did some further research and I could not come up with anything. According to the official Palms website, they don't even have a Carl's Jr there (only a McDonalds). So I am confused. Did I not get the joke? Normally I would think it's BS but since the commercial said it was available only in Las Vegas I believed it was true . High rollers are willing to drop six thousand dollars on a burger combo. At least the combo came with some expensive wine instead of a Dr. Pepper.

I will keep you posted.

Here's the commmercial:

Nikon D80 + ____?

Found out I get some pretty good benefits from Nikon at my work. I am pretty set on the d80. Now I am just wondering what my first piece of Nikon glass will be. 18-70? 18-200 vr? shizar!

I will have to make this critical decision soon. Can't wait! Must get it before Hawaii.

Can't wait to open a Flickr account with my DSLR images! Yay.

Epson's New PictureMate 4x6 Printers

After playing around with some 4x6 Printers I have come to the realization that Epson's PictureMate Flash is the BEST 4x6 printer on the market. PERIOD. I've had the opportunity to play with Canons, HPs, Kodaks, and Lexmarks and none of these printers have a chance against Epson's new line. Epson wins in pretty much all catagories: speed (45 seconds), image quality, fade resistance, water resistance, functions, and ease of use.

The PictureMate Flash retails for $299.99 and comes with a built-in CD-RW which gives you the ability to save all your images on to a CD if you wish to do so. The price may seem to be a little steep but the quality is well worth it. If $299.99 is way out of your budget, the PictureMate Snap is the next best thing. The PictureMate Snap retails for $199.99 and is identical to the PictureMate Flash minus the CD-RW. Supplies for these units cost 34.99 and 39.99 for 100 and 150 prints respectively.

Nikon Sweepstakes for a D80 + accessories

Contest Link

Nikon is having a pretty cool contest where you get to enter once daily for a chance to win a New Nikon D80 w/ accessories!

Howdy, partner!

This weekend was great. I went to a Halloween party on Friday dressed up as a ghostbuster (sorta) and went as a gay cowboy from brokeback mountain on Saturday. I had a blast at the house party on Saturday. Pictures will be up soon (hopefully), although I don't remember taking any. EKK.

1 more week of Halloween celebrations... can't wait.

Work tomorrow! It's 12:35 am and I am writing in my F'in blog. Am I a geek or what? (don't answer that).

Who you gonna call...?

Ghostbusters!

After my search for a costume failed last night I borrowed my buddies Ghostbuster's costume. It was basically a tan colored jumpsuit with some ghostbuster's stickers on it. LAME but my mattress was FREEEEEEEEEE!!

You're killin me Larry!!!!

I am in search of something else for tonights event...

Halloween Parties, but no Halloween Costume :(

So I got 2 parties to attend (tonight and tomorrow night) both are Halloween themed and tonights party required a costume to get in. It is 3:30pm and I have no idea what to be and I probably won't have much time after I get off from work. Hmmm... I went searching around the Internet and came up with a option:

Tshirt Ninja


A very nice inexpensive easy to do costume, but there are some problems with this as well. I don't have a matching ninja bottom (wonder if there is a ninja pants site?), how will I drink through my ninja "mask", and finally being a ninja is pretty lame and isn't creative at all.

The search continues....

whuuuuuuuuuatttt?!? "Scientists create cloak of invisibility"

This isn't your Harry Potter or your typical Star Trek movie... According to this article I saw on Yahoo, scientist may be able to cloak objects in the near future! Invisible man coming soon. (sooner than I thought)

News Article

Awesome Wedding Photographers!

John and Joseph Photography based out of Seattle, WA have some real talent. I stumbled upon the site a few months ago and was really impressed (it takes alot to impress me).

Check it out:

LINK!

Breaking News: The clitoris has 8000 nerve endings!

More than any other part on the human body. Twice that of a penis! Not really breaking news but it was news to me nonetheless. Carry on.

Hawaii is confirmed!

Going to attempt to darken up this pasty ass of mine. We are going to visit Oahu, Hawaii. Can't wait! It should be a blast. Hopefully I will get my DSLR in time!

Halloween Horror Nights Pictures

2 pics from that horrid event. At least we look happy. :)

Thanks Christine + Charlene for the pics.

Steve Wynn puts a hole in a $139 Million Picasso.

Steve Wynn accidently pokes a half dollar sized hole in Picasso's "Le Reve" painting. He is reported to have said "Oh shit, look at what I have done."

Story

Search Engine Optimization: The Journey Begins

I am about to download or purchase a few search engine optimization books as well as general web marketing books. I am gonna pick up "Search Engine Optimization for Dummies" By Peter Kent and "The AdSense Code: What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense" by Joel Comm. Hopefully these SEO tools will help me along. I also plan on sprucing up my HTML skills as well as come up with future web development opportunities.

The REAL David Blaine. LOL

6.3 Magnitude Quake in Hawaii!

Just booked some tickets to goto Hawaii yesterday. Today I get the news that there was this massive quake! A sign? Hopefully not. The good news is that there hasn't been any reported casualties.

News Article

Canon Rebel 400d (XTi) Review is out

From DPreview.com

Dpreview.com's Review of Canon's 400d Rebel XTI

The reviewer only gives the Canon Rebel Xti a higher value (8.5 vs 8.0) in image quality but stated, "...they [Nikon] also managed to close the image quality gap to a degree where the differences are as good as irrelevant."

It is probably a more relavent comparison between the Nikon D80 and Canon 30d. More to come as I decide on which DSLR is for me.

Fun Fun Fun!

Not really. Universal Studios Horror Nights was the saddest "Halloween" themed park I have been to and I want my $25 back! The only thing horrid about the park were the lines and the lame excuses for mazes. If you plan to go even after reading this, I would suggest that you go during the nights that close at 2am. Avoid the "terror tram" unless you have finished everything else. My friends and I were only able to go through 3 attractions. All of which were lacking. If I were you I would definitely check out Knotts, Queen Mary, or your neighborhood haunted house before going to Universal's "Horror" Nights.

Need alcohol? Not a Costco/Sam's Club member, Not a problem!

Basically, state laws regarding alcohol sales require that warehouse clubs (Sam's, Costco, etc.) permit the purchase of alcohol without requiring a membership, allowing you to save 10-30% without having to pony up the $40-$50 a year. Here's the article:

Article: No Membership needed to purchase alcohol.

It's Friday The 13th!

I am going to Universal Studio's Halloween Horror Nights tonight with a group of friends. It should be entertaining since I get to walk on the backlot! I hope it turns out to be like Michael Jackson's Thriller. Minus Micheal Jackson of course. Come to think of it, that would be REALLY scary. EEK.. I will post pictures next week when someone sends them to me.

BTW... if you enter the promo code: "scream" on the Universal Studio's Hollywood website, you get a discount on admission.

Built Ford Tough? Think again!

This is an AMAZING video of what kind of things a Toyota Truck can go through.

Watch both episodes from Top Gear. Very cool.

Is it really still going to be Your Tube?

After the buy out from online big dog, Google. Many users of Youtube are concerned that they may succumb to the forces of corporate biggies.

Wired: YouTubers to Google: Now What?

Mobile Clubbing: Ipod Flash Mobs!

Here's a story about this new trend. Interesting in deed... wonder if there are any in California.

____
Pod flashmobbers dance in their hundreds at station


Hundreds of people descended on Liverpool Street station for the biggest ever turnout for the latest internet craze - mobile clubbing.

Armed with MP3 players loaded with favourite tracks the "clubbers" arrived on the concourse just after 7pm last night. Students, business people and office workers danced in silence as they listened to their iPods among commuters listening to announcements about late trains.

Details of the time and venue were sent by email. The event is similar to the flash mobbing movement pioneered in New York which involved large numbers of people gathering to conduct bizarre activities.

One commuter said: "It was entertaining if strange to see all these people gyrating to their own beat. It was the Soul Train arriving at platform one."



News Link

Hiking Gear: Black Diamond Spot

I was in the market for a headlamp for outdoors activities such as hiking and camping. My search resulted in a few choices. The first being the Princeton Tec EOS. The online reviews for this unit are great but when I was trying it out at REI, the brightness of it did not impress me at all. Who knows, maybe using it out the field would have been a completely different story. The next headlamp I looked into was the Petzl Tikka XP. The only reason I took a look at this unit was because of it was named editor's choice for 2006 by "Backpacker magazine". The price on this unit was $45 but is currently $34.99 @ REI. Both of the aboved mention lights are regulated which is an awesome feature for those who need consistent light for long periods of time. But I decided to go with Black Diamond Spot. I bought it @ campmor.com for 29.99. This is the only light that I have had an opportunity to use in a real-life situation. It is great for walking in the dark and the battery life thus far has been good too (4 hours on various settings and still running), even with the spotlight on the throw on this light isn't so far. I would definitely want to see how the other 2 lights perform against this one but my impresssion is that most LED headlamps perform the same way. The only way to get a long throw is to invest in a higher powered flash light (i.e. 3-5 LED or even a incandescent).

Here are more in depth reviews of these lights and other various light resources:

Princeton Tec EOS Review
Petzl Tikka XP Review
Black Diamond Spot Review
Campmor.com - Black Diamond Spot
REI - Petzl XP

I want my PS3!

Sony is about to launch their new console (11/17). I am on a preorder to receive one. The problem is...I am number forty something on the list of 50. Which means 1 of 2 things; I will get my system just in time for Xmas or I won't get my system before xmas. Sony is expected to ship 400,000 units on launch and about 2 million before the end of this year.

I sure hope I will be one of the lucky few to own such a GREAT system to sell on EBAY.

If I am not that lucky I may have to camp outside a retail store.

North Korea: Dont' F with Them

A few days ago our good pal, Kim Jong-il decided to test some nukes. Although it hasn't been confirmed, the fact that he has made an official statement about the test threatens the security of the world. This testing is probably fact just based on the fact that the NK regime never lies (when it comes to things of this nature).

If Bush had his way... I'd doubt he would attempt to attack NK. It is just too risky, the terrain gives NK a huge advantage. Bush's approval ratings are not great as it is. NK really has nothing to lose. They could do whatever type of testing they want and the world cannot do a thing to stop it(besides sanctions).

Here's a video of bodyguards for Jong-il:

Bored at work? I mean REALLY bored at work?

I discovered this online about a month ago. The name of the game is Hobowars. For anyone who has played "Drug Wars" on a old TI-83 will pick this game up pretty quickly. Everyone else should get the hand of it within a day or so.

Here's the link:
Hobowars!

Who needs Red Bull when you have COCAINE!

Apparently a company has decided to give you the Ultimate in energy drinks and what did they come up with? yup... Cocaine. Although, some people are pretty upset with this and are trying to get them to stop.

http://www.drinkcocaine.com/mainindex.php

Coke may be bad for Women

And I am not even referring to the controlled substance. All women should take a look at this article.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061010/hl_nm/cola_dc

This is how you properly write to friends.

I found it hilarious that one of my friends decided to write out an email to all the people who are invited to goto Universal Studio's Halloween Haunt. The hilarious part wasn't the fact that he sent out an e-mail but it was the fact that it was so proper (read: formal). I thought I received it from my boss (well my boss isn't even this formal!) haha... props for the planning though.
_
___

You are receiving this email because you have confirmed your attendance for the upcoming trip to Universal Studios this Friday the 13th. As it currently stands, the tentative plan is as follows:

6:00pm -- Meet at my house for subway sandwiches and drinks (the happy kind)

6:30pm -- Leave for the theme park

7:20pm -- Arrive at our destination

PLEASE BE ON TIME! If you are not there by the time we leave at 6:30, YOU MAY BE LEFT BEHIND. You will then have to arrange your own transportation at that point. Please plan accordingly.


Now, this is what I need to know from you ALL,

* Would you like to eat before you go (Subway)?

* Do you want to drink alcohol before you go? -- the more the merrier! (FYI - as I understand it, they serve alcohol in the park as well)

* What would you like to do afterwards? The two options on the plate so far are Saddle Ranch & IVAR (please keep dress code in mind)

* We'll need three drivers, does anyone care to volunteer? If not, then we'll just draw straws (or something of that nature) to select the unfortunate few.

To xxxxx,xxxxx, and xxxxx... Please coordinate with xxxxx, xxxx, and xxxx (respectively).


Cheers!


NOTE:
- Your tickets have already been paid for. If you choose not to go, you will still have to pay for your ticket(s).
- Please reply as soon as you can. We need to know how much food to get.
- If you have something you want addressed as a group then "Reply All." My intentions aren't to plan this trip, just facilitate.

Testing, Testing... 1 2 3

I plan to use this blog as a means for me to try out some SEO'ing. It seems like web development is the wave of the future! C'mon now.... if you haven't heard... Youtube (www.youtube.com) was bought out by Google for 1.65 Billion Dollars! BILLION with a B!

Here's a video of the dorky creators of Youtube:
There is hope!

My very first post!

I have my very own blog now. I know what you are thinking, "what took you so long?!".... I know, I know I had many things to take care of (not really). But anyways, here I am now. This is going to be fun. I should probably introduce myself to make this first post official. My name is Alan. I was born and raised in Southern California. I am a recent graduate of California Polytechnic, Pomona with degree in computer information systems. My interest include but are not limited to: music, people, photography, others (can't think at the moment). That's it for now... I am going to figure out how to customize this thing.