Words cannot describe how cool this is

Alarm or Calling?

So I was doing my devotionals in the morning yesterday and as I was praying my stomach started growling. Now I thought I had gotten past those teenage years of constantly eating but for some reason in the last month I’ve been eating like a pimpled monster (no offense to those of you under 18). Coincidently I was reading through Mathew 4 where Jesus was being tempted in the desert, and I read the following verse.

Mathew 4:4

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'

It got me to thinking, when I miss a meal, I know it. My stomach tells me, it grumbles and gives me hunger pains. Sometimes, if I’m hungry enough, my whole disposition changes for the worse. It’s the exact same way with my devotional time. When I miss my daily spiritual food my whole day suffers as a consequence. There have been some days where I’m just in a rotten mood and I’ll wonder why, and then I’ll realize that I wasn’t in The Word that day. Just like the physical hunger pains those spiritual signs become apparent in my day to day life.

A lot of times I pray before I go to bed that God would remind me in the morning to do my devotions. I also put my Bible in a place where it cannot be overlooked. These actions alone have been integral when it comes to combating that convenient forgetfulness that often befalls us.

It’s such a blessing when I am in the Word spending time prayerfully seeking His Will in my life. There is nothing greater than waking up to our savior and starting the day with Him. I love a quote that Greg Laurie uses. It was something that he saw in some sort of computer advertisement, but it says “Do you wake up to an alarm, or a calling?” I would hope and pray that when I wake up in the morning it’s because of a calling that The Lord has put in my life and not just because I have to get up and shut off my alarm.

Wow this was way longer than I intended it to be but I hope you all are blessed by it.

-Dane

Pixar's newest trailer is "UP"

Click Here

John Williams is indeed the man

Another Tim Hawkins Video

I couldn't resist sharing another video, I hope it puts a smile on your face.

Logo I designed

So I originally did some artwork for a podcast called Christian Gamers 2.0. The guys behind CG2.0 have since changed their cast altogether and decided to do a World of Warcraft podcast. So they asked me to do another logo for them and of course I was more than happy to oblige. Check out the final logo I designed for them and if you are a WoW player you should definitely check out their new podcast. Heck, even if you are just interested in MMO’s you’ll enjoy the cast. I don’t even play WoW anymore but I still listen to WoW podcasts.

iTunes Link
The Crusaders World of Warcraft Podcast

I love this guy!

Plain and simple Tim Hawkins rules! Check out some of his other videos on his youtube page.

I need a DS

Wow this is looking and sounding really phenomenal! I had no idea Joe Hisaishi was working on the music for this project! From what I can tell the animation is on par with a full scale Ghibli production and this might be what pushes me to get a DS.

Batman/Toy Story Mashup

Philadelphia Harvest

The Philadelphia Harvest is about to begin! Tune in tonight, tomorrow night and day after tomorrow. It starts at 7:30 pm EST.

Having fun with the kittens

Best Halloween costume ever?

This is way too cool. Now he just needs a little sister to go along with it.

And now I give you this.....

Studio Ghibli game in the works

This is really exciting news! Level 5 and Studio Ghibli are working together on a video game called Ni no Kuni. Which means The Other World in english. Ni no Kuni is a DS exclusive title that will probably be shown at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show (TGS). For more photos click here.

I guess this means I need to start saving up for a DS.

McCain Gets BarackRoll'd

Lightpaint Piano Player

This is beyond cool.

Why can't more actors have this integrity?

Kirk Cameron: I’ll only kiss my wife
Ex-‘Growing Pains’ star refused to smooch co-star in new film ‘Fireproof’

In Kirk Cameron’s new movie, “Fireproof,” he has to kiss the actress playing his wife. That was a problem.

Cameron will not kiss any woman who is not his wife.

“I have a commitment not to kiss any other woman,” the former child star of “Growing Pains” told Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford Monday on TODAY in New York......Click here for the full story.

Not your normal lawnmower

I don’t think there’s anything cuter than a kitten.

This man puts Link to shame.

Has hell frozen over?

Xbox 360 Takes Console Throne in Japan

Wii pushed into second.

The console race took an unexpected twist in Japan this past week as the Xbox 360 emerged on top of a slowing Wii.

Famitsu.com, citing data from parent company Enterbrain, reported today that the 360 sold 28,681 units over the week spanning September 8 to September 14. This was well above the PS3's 8,050 units and even above the Wii's 27,057 units.

The 360's sudden success -- the previous week saw sales of just 843 units -- can be attributed to the convergence of a price drop, a new 60 gigabyte model, fresh hardware shipments following weeks of shortages, and the release of Infinite Undiscovery........read the whole article here.

How did I miss this?

"Ask a Ninja!" Ninja on Mythbusters.

Being Content in Singleness

It has been said before that he who has a small God has big problems and that he who has a big God has small problems. One of the ways in which we Christ followers tend to “shrink” our God is in our singleness. By saying things like “There’s no way that God could have somebody for me”, or “I want to get married but it’s never going to happen”, in thinking these things we end up disabling God’s power in our lives. I’ve had these same thoughts in my own life and there have been times where I have thought everything would just be better if I weren’t single. But how can I be content in a serious relationship if I’m not content in singleness?

The thing we need to realize is that Jesus is our all in all and that He has a plan for our lives that transcends anything that we could possibly come up with. Jeremiah 29:11 says,”For I know the plans I have for you”, Declares The Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” So if The God who created the entire universe says He has good things for you then you better believe it! But it goes back to my opening statement. If you have a small God then you have a Big problems and a Small God is not The God who created the universe.

There are a lot of people out there who don’t believe that God can bring them a spouse. Their reasoning is that God cannot affect free will. I agree that God cannot affect free will, we see this everyday. But there is a huge difference between free will and God’s Will. If a man and a woman are following God’s Will in their lives and it’s God’s plan that they are to be together then their paths will cross in a divine appointment that God has set up. Another way that I like to look at it is through Adam’s eyes. He was the only person on earth. I know sometimes we feel like we’re the only person on earth but in Adam’s case it was the truth. He looked around and saw that all of the animals had partners but he was alone. Now if God can provide for the only man on earth why can’t he do the same for you? Our world is filled with billions of people and God knows each and every person inside and out. He is the ultimate matchmaker.

But what this all goes back to is the fact that you need to be in God’s Will. Before we Christ Followers start thinking about a relationship with a person we need to make sure that our relationship with Christ is in order. Sometimes I think “Well I’ve been walking with The Lord for a while now and growing everyday, when’s it going to happen?” The truth is that God is in control and we cannot see what His plans are for us. Maybe it’s not me but my future spouse that God is building up or maybe He has plans for me in my singleness that I can't follow through when I’m in a relationship. We have no idea what’s going on and that’s why we need to rely on Him and know that His Will is better than ours.

Doubts can really tear you down and when it all comes down to it the root of those doubts is selfishness. Why am I still alone? How come I haven’t met that special someone yet? Why is God doing this to me? All we need to do is put God first in our lives and everything else will fall into place. So in the end we need to be like the apostle Paul and be content no matter if we’re single or if we’re in a relationship. In Philippians 4:11 Paul says “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” So therefore giving it all to our Lord and savior and trusting in Him is the only way that we can be content in both our singleness and our togetherness.

-Dane

GI Joe Resolute Trailer

This looks freaking awesome!

Dear Mr. Obama

Never Forget 9/11/01

I think everyone who was old enough to understand the significance of the attacks on that day remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they received the news. I was on my computer playing Deus Ex of all things when I got a call from a family friend telling us that we needed to turn the TV on because something was happening in New York. I remember flipping on the TV to foxnews and watching a skyscraper billow smoke as flames peeked in and out of the twisted gashes. At that point everyone thought it was a terrible accident but just a few moments later that was about to change. I remember watching the second plane come into the wide helicopter shot and my heart skipped a beat as it collided with the second tower. It went in one end and erupted in a fiery explosion that blew all the way through the building. After that I vividly remember watching the live footage of people jumping out of the buildings and landing to their deaths on the ground. Then I couldn’t believe what I was seeing when the buildings came crashing down and people were running away from the dust screaming.

The rest of the day I really couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. I remember being scared that we were going to be attacked next and I especially feared for my Dad who worked out at the Space Center. My mom was also gone that day and I feared for her too. Looking back now obviously the area where we live wouldn’t be any kind of a target but after seeing something like that your mind takes you places where it wouldn’t normally go and rational thinking goes right out the window. I remember in the evening just trying to calm myself by drawing and to this day I remember exactly what I drew all the way down to every single line and color.

I remember the days following 9/11 people would go to church who otherwise would have never set foot in one. Everyone proudly displayed an American flag. The patriotism in the air was palpable and people all came together for a common cause. People put stickers on their cars that said “9/11, Never Forget”. But too many people have forgotten. Too many people have taken down those American flags. Too many people of left those churches and haven’t been back since. Now there are these lunatics that claim our President, George W. Bush orchestrated those deadly attacks on our great nation. But today is the day that we need to look back and remember what that day meant to us as a country and as a people. Please, remember what happened on 9/11/01 and never forget it.

-Dane

Is your Church a Cruise Ship or a Battleship?

Death in The Family

My Grandma passed away at 5 AM on Sunday September 7th 2008.

Whenever a relative or somebody you know passes away our minds always tend to go back to the good memories that were shared with those people.

I have so many good memories of being with her especially when I was younger. Most of our relatives live on the other side of the country so it was always special whenever I got to see my grandparents. I used to love to sit in her lap when I was little and listen to her read to me. She had such a calming and loving voice whenever she read aloud. She was an amazing cook too and she took pleasure in serving other people. We could always count on a box full of her cookies during the holiday season and a hand written letter conveying how much she and grandpa missed us.

As I’ve mentioned before one of my favorite memories was during the 2000 Olympic Games when we’d all gather around the TV at their house and root for the American athletes. She would always go into the kitchen at around 10 o’clock and bring out bowls of ice cream for us kids and say “It’s never too late for Ice cream!”

My Grandma will always have a special place in my heart and her memory will live on.

-Dane

Homeschool Family

You'll probably only get this if you were home schooled.

Oops

Life Without Limits

I have previously mentioned Nick Vujicic here on the blog but he had an opportunity to speak at our church at two evening services on Wednesday night. It has been archived on the church's website and I highly recommend that you watch it.

Click Here

PC vs Mac in Japan

I'm not a big Apple fan but I love their Mac vs PC campaign, so it only makes sense for them to extend it to Japan.

Live Action Bleach

If you're a Bleach fan then you've got to check this out!

Saddleback Forum

This is the forum hosted at Saddleback Church and moderated by Pastor and author of "The Purpose Driven Life", Rick Warren. I missed this when it aired live but thankfully someone uploaded it on youtube.

Click Here

Don LaFontaine passes away

Even if you don't know it you've probably heard this guy's voice before.

"But LaFontaine was most famous for popularizing the phrase "In a world ...," used by seemingly dozens of movies determined to create an otherworldly atmosphere."

Click for the rest of the story.

This is the stuff of nightmares

Yes this is a real creature called a camel spider. For more info click here.

HTML FTW!

I’m taking a web design course this semester and as you can see it has already had some effect on my blog in the past week or so. There are still some small things I would like to do to improve it but I’m really happy that I can take the things I’m learning and apply it in the real world. Since I do a lot of graphic design I really should have learned to do all of this earlier but better late then never I guess.

Anyways, I’m really enjoying the course and hopefully I will be able to make a site from scratch when I’m done. I’ve had countless people ask me to build sites for them and after this I just might be able to say yes.

P.S. Wow I can't believe it's September already!

30 mins of 90's cartoon intros

If you're around my age this will probably take you back to those good old Saturday mornings. Make sure you have some time set aside because this is a little over 30 mins long.

Book Adaptations

So I got to thinking yesterday what book or book series would you like to see adapted to the big screen? It can be something that is in production or something that might never see the light of day. Here’s my list so far.

C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy

Now I know this would be incredibly challenging and require a lot of alterations but I really enjoyed the story and atmosphere of these books.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

I know that this film is in pre-production-hell and has been for several years, but this classic book would make for a really great original sci-fi film.

I, Jedi by Michael A. Stackpole

Of course this would have to come straight from Lucasfilm but the book’s story was good enough to stand apart from the franchise and it would probably exceed the prequels, at least story-wise.

This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti

Although I read the book a couple of years ago I really enjoyed it and could definitely see a worthy film adaptation, of course with a decent budget.

The Raft by Robert Trumbull

I’m not sure exactly how this would work on the big screen but I absolutely loved this survival story back when I read it.

Here, There be Dragons by James A. Owen

A fun and interesting fantasy that not only pays homage to Lewis and Tolkien but uses them as the main characters in the story. Last I heard, Harry Potter Producer David Heyman was involved with bringing this to the big screen.

Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund

If the Halo movie ever does get off the ground I hope they start with this story first, because I believe it would make a much better movie than a strict adaptation of the first game.

Post your picks in the comments

How would you like to get hit by this?

Not looking good

This is not what I wanted to see when I went to the weather channel. Click for more.

The 2008 Olympics

I’ll be the first to say that I really don’t care about sports at all. I was never into them growing up and the rest of my family feels pretty much the same way. That is the number one reason why people who know me were surprised at my evening devotion to the Olympics. As I was watching I began to think of the reason as to why the Olympics are my exception to sports viewing. One of the main reasons is that it truly is a global event where other countries participate in a common goal. That point really hit home during the opening ceremony (more on that in a minute). It really just gives you some perspective on how many people share the earth with us and how different their backgrounds are.

Another reason is that the Olympics were the only time that we ever watched sports growing up and I have good memories of all of us gathering around the couch in the evenings and cheering our fellow country men and women on. I still remember watching the Olympic Torch being carried through our neck of the woods before the Georgia Games in 1996. During the 2000 Sydney Olympics I remember watching it at my grandparents’ house and it was just a whole lot of fun. My grandma would always bring us chocolate ice cream at around 10 o’clock and she’d say “It’s never too late for ice cream”. And indeed it wasn’t.

So sitting down and watching the Olympics this year really brought back a lot of those good old memories. This year’s Olympics haven’t been a letdown either. The opening ceremony alone was unlike anything I’ve ever seen and I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to be sitting in the actual stadium. You’d almost have to come up with a new superlative to describe it because words like, incredible, amazing, astounding and groundbreaking just don’t do it. I was left with the same sense of wonder and awe during the closing ceremony.

Just the individual stories this year were awesome, the whole Michael Phelps thing and the deal with the men’s indoor volleyball coach. It really makes the games all that more compelling.

I think Volleyball, Gymnastics, BMX Racing and Mountain Biking were some of my favorite things to watch this year. But even watching swimming was interesting this year due to Mr. Phelps.

All in all I really look forward to the next Olympics that is going to be hosted by London in 2012, and I probably won’t watch any other sports until then.

-Dane

The Japan craziness continues

This time with none other than Mr. Harrison "Han-Solo" Ford.

The Skunk

This is old but nonetheless awesome. It's really funny seeing how people react to things differently.

Geometry Wars 2 Sig

Just go to mygamercard.net, type in your gamertag and then select geometry wars 2 signature.

Jesus was Left4Dead

This idea sort of came to me while I was trying to go to sleep. It's a parody of the XBOX 360 and PC zombie game coming out in November called Left4Dead. If you want you have my permission to use it.

Japanese Bruce Willis

Well minus the muscle and height that is.....

Michael Phelps FTW

I saw this on the inter webs today and it made me laugh. Thanks to Veetus for bringing this to my attention.

Schwarzenegger in a Japanese commercial

San Francisco Invasion

This is extremely well done.

Fun times with Fay.

The trash cans are still standing!

Yes that is a floating fire ant hive.

Thanks a lot Fay.

Wrath of the Lich King Cinematic

The Blizzard team never ceases to awe me with their incredible movie quality cinematics. I truly believe that they should make a full length film, especially after watching their latest creation. Check it out here in it's HD glory!

Force Unleashed Demo is out!

Wow, this game has really blown me away. I was really looking forward to it but I didn't expect it to be quite this good. The demo includes one of the first levels and it's not super long but this game has a high replay value. In fact I've already played through it three times. The new tech running in this game is phenomenal and is really going to change the way that games are played. If you own an Xbox 360 or a PS3 go download the demo now!

Star Wars according to a 3 year old.

This has been floating around for a while but I thought I'd post it for those of you who may have missed it.

McCain Green Screen

This cracks me up every time.

Cool Iris

This is a really fun and innovative way to browse media on the web. It only works on a handful of websites like youtube, facebook and flickr. But if you want to add some spice to your web browsing then I would definitely recommend it.

http://www.cooliris.com/

Muppet Rick Roll

Excellent editing.

The Harvest Crusade has Begun

Last night's service has been archived and you can catch it live tonight and tomorrow night, just click the banner above.

Willy Wonka Recut

崖の上のポニョ Ponyo on the Cliff Review

Note: Due to the fact that the film has only been released in Japan I will not be giving away any of the story.

So far very few companies in the film industry have a track record that can match that of Studio Ghibli. Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli has released a number critically acclaimed films that are adored by animation and film lovers all around the world. Just as with Pixar whenever a Ghibli film is released I always find myself crossing my fingers and hoping that the film will live up to the pedigree set by previous works. Well, I finally had the opportunity to see Ponyo and I was met once again with that apprehension, but after the opening credits those feelings began to dissipate.

Ponyo’s story is not as deep as some of Miyazaki’s other films like “Spirited Away” or “Princess Mononoke”. It is very simple and a great portion of the beginning of the film lacks a lot of dialog, but just like Pixar’s “Wall-E” this allows the film’s incredible animation to shine forth even stronger, and what incredible animation it is!

Miyazaki brings so much heart into this film that it just radiates through the characters onscreen. Just like his previous works Miyazaki reminds us adults of what it is like to be a kid again. It still amazes me that a man in his 70’s has been able to hold on to some of those memories and feelings and then express them in such a poignant way.

Instead of going for a hyper realistic animation style for the water effects Miyazaki delivers a beautiful and swaying world that makes you just want to dive into the screen. Some of the scenes are just breathtakingly fantastic and very dreamlike in their execution. The water comes alive and flows intelligently like paint on a canvas. But it’s the subtleties in the character’s movements and expressions that really bring the story to life like only Miyazaki and his team can do. One of the aspects that really compliments the on screen animation is of course Joe Hisaishi’s musical score.

I like to refer to Joe Hisaishi as Japan’s answer to John Williams, but in reality this is an unfair comparison for both of them especially considering that both have completely different ways of communicating through music. Mr. Hisaishi really brings a fantastic and unique style that just fits perfectly with Miyazaki’s films. The syncing of music, emotions and animation are spot on and doesn’t just compliment the film but rolls two different mediums into one beautiful package. From the angelic chorus, to the piano pieces and then the catchy theme song interwoven throughout the film, Joe has created another memorable score.

For a film that could very well be his last, Mr. Miyazaki has gone back to his light hearted and whimsical style

with a story about a boy and a fish. Much like the story of a young girl on a broom, or two sisters and their dad in the country side, this is a story that will live in the hearts of children and allow adults to reminisce about their own childhoods. Ponyo doesn’t have a US release date yet but according to an interview with the film’s producer Toshio Suzuki, it seems that Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy have been selected as the film’s US producers. So we can speculate on seeing the English version here in the states in about a year or so.

95/100

-Dane Gustafson

"Prince" Pushed to Summer '09

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has officially been moved from a Holiday '08 release to Summer '09. This saddens me a little but it's not like we haven't had enough good films this year. Read the full article over at IGN.

TV news anchor gets Rick Roll'd

Somehow I missed this.

Ponyo Review Imminent

I've seen it! Ponyo review should be up either tomorrow or day after.

Subtitle Movie!

Make your own here.

Star Trek Online

Could this be Sci-Fi's answer to World Of Warcraft? Well they certainly have a good universe to pull from but I wonder how it will all work out? My brief encounter with Star Wars: Galaxies left a bitter taste in my mouth when it comes to Sci-Fi MMO's. I do know one thing for sure, if I wanted to even try this out I'd probably need a new PC. Check out the debut trailer below.

Slo-Mo Lightning

GOW2 Violence and Language Filter

I really wish more developers would catch on and do this too. I personally know a lot of people who are more willing to buy games if some of the mature content is optional. Of course this is really nothing new to Epic, they've been doing this in the Unreal franchise for a while and the original Gears Of War had some watered down filters. Hit the jump for more info.
Read IGN's article.

Call of Duty 5 Co-op

When I first heard they were going back to WWII after creating such a fantastic modern day shooter I thought that the CoD franchise was taking a turn for the worse. But if this new video is any indication of what we can expect from the final product then I don't think we have to worry. Not to mention Jack Bauer is in it. (Warning there is some strong language).

Fantastic Contraption

Prepare to lose a couple hours of your day.

Firefox vs. Internet Explorer, Netscape and Safari

I've recently switched over to Firefox and while I don't hate IE I thought this video was hilarious.

Totoro Project

This site has some really amazing artwork
and it's all for a good cause. Check it out!

Montauk Monster

In this first photo (above) it looks like some quadrupedal animal with beak like jaws on its face, leading some people to believe that it is some sort of sea turtle without a shell. Now the second photo (below) that the press has sort of brushed over looks much more canine like and the "beak" is apparently bone from the skull that has been revealed due to the decomposition of the body. Either way it is extremely hard to identify exactly what this creature is because of the state of the body. But I personally believe that it is a pit bull or some other variation of canine, of course I could be wrong. Click here for more.

The March of the Unqualified

Pauline Baynes has passed away

Wayne Hammond reports the death of Baynes at her home in Surrey. She was 85 years old. Pauline Baynes was the original illustrator of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series, as well as of Tolkien's Farmer Giles of Ham (1948), The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book (1962), and Smith of Wootton Major (1967).

Read More

This is Epic

It's time to start digging in the sofa for some extra cash because this baby will set you back $379.

Link

Let's put a smile on that face.

Geometry Wars 2 Review

The gameplay formula for geometry wars is simple, throw a ton of colorful little shapes at you and see how long you can survive. Geometry Wars 2 takes that idea and expands upon it by giving you more game modes and better colorful shapes to shoot at. The new game modes really breathe new life into the game making it a true sequel and not just Geometry wars 1.5.

I really like all of the new game modes but my favorite besides the original Evolved is the new Pacifist mode. Pacifist is a mode that leaves you without the use of your guns and requires you to fly through little gates to destroy the enemy.

Another great little feature is the use of your Xbox Live friend’s list in-game. While playing a certain mode your friend’s name will pop up in the top right corner of the screen displaying his or her score on that particular game mode. Once you beat that person’s score then the next highest friend will pop up. It makes the game really fun and competitive and I spent a lot of time trying to get the best score out of everybody on my friends list.

My only real complaint with the game is the lack of online multiplayer. In this day and age it just doesn’t make any sense. It’s great that you can do it locally, but if they had the time to add it locally they should have spent a little extra time and make it work over Live.
Other than that little qualm I think that if you enjoyed the first game or you like old school arcade games in the same vein as asteroids, then you should pick this game up. It’s a little pricey at 800 MS points ($10) but it is well worth the money spent.

9/10