Tuesday, March 10, 2009

YouScore

How many times have you watched a movie, only to be disappointed by the song selection? It happens to me all the time, especially with those low budget movies that can't spring for quality songs and end up with someone's little brother composing a score on a $60 Casio keyboard. What if you had some type of software on you computer that enabled YOU to be in charge of the songs in a movie?

I have an idea for a software that lets you sync your iPod with any DVD that is playing on your computer. I will call it YouScore. I think this would revolutionize movie viewing in the home. Wish that Rage Against the Machine pumped you up for every fight? This can make it happen. Do you think that Gimme Shelter should be played during every 1970's drug scene? Just plug in your iPod and sync it up. The software would make every movie fully customizable to the viewer.

Imagine cuing up Bullet with Butterfly Wings during Blade right when a vampire is about to bite someone. Talk about awesome. Take the move below. This scene kinda sucks by itself, I mean it's Crocidle Dundee, not exactly the pinnicle of modern cinema. But with YouScore....well here is a little taste of the greatness. Just let both videos load, turn off the sound for the first video and start the second video when the first one has run for 25 seconds...



Thursday, March 5, 2009

Christmas in Osaka

After doing all there was to do at Universal Studios, Frank and I headed into Osaka. We split up as Frank met a friend for dinner, as I wanted to try some of Osaka's famous takoyaki. Takoyaki is basically a pancake ball with octopus inside of it. They were delicious. I ate 10.



About 10:00 Frank and I met up and we headed into Namba, which is the part of Osaka where all the nightlife is at. We were looking for a certain British pub that Frank had previously visited on an earlier trip. After walking around in circles for 2 hours, Frank finally relanted and asked for directions. Come to find out, the pub had been closed for six months. We then walked around for another hour before finally finding another British style pub. By now it was past 12:00 so it was officially Christmas. We sat down next to a girl who was receiving a box of take-out from the kitchen we asked her what she ordered. Much to our excitement and surprise, it was a turkey Christmas dinner! We immediately ordered some, and I am happy to say I ate a full turkey dinner on Christmas. (with cranberry sauce!)



The girl introduced us to her friend, who upon hearing that we had come all the way from Sendai on local trains, decided she was going to be our Namba Tour Guide for the night. So after our meal was finished, Laura (our new tour guide) took us to a cool little place owned by one of her friends. Apparently, the owner of this particular establishment, although born in Australia, was half Irish (I will call him The Austrish from now on). I was wearing my totally awesome Guiness hat, and he offered to buy it from me. As it was my only hat (and also since it is an awesome hat) I politely declined. This did not please The Austrish, and he spent the next half hour doing his best to convince me that he needed that hat. Finally Laura suggested that we play foosball for it. She had seen me and Frank playing at the previous pub, which, as I would later find out, was formerly managed by The Austrish. As I am a very competitive fellow, I immediately accepted.

On our ten minute walk to the British pub this guy talked more trash about foosball than I have ever heard in my life. Apparently, he had never lost a game on this particular table. I did my best to pump up his confidence, and told him that I might be lucky just to get 5 points in a game to ten. Frank was trying to talk me out of it, but at this point there was no going back. The match would be best two out of three. Right off the bat I won the drop, and had the ball on offense. One beautiful snake shot later, and I was up 1-0. Boom Tho.

I won the first game 10-4 and the second 10-3. I returned to the bar a conquering hero. The bar staff could not believe that their boss had lost. The Austrish, however, was a good sport about it all. As my prize for winning, he reached into the cooler and produced a bottle of Jagermeister. I then poured a drink for everyone in the place. I was suddenly a very popular man. Every guy wanted to be me, and every girl wanted to be with me. (note: the last statement may be false)

This was probably the first and last time that being good at foosball has ever made somebody a hero.

Yup, I experienced very own Japanese Christmas Miracle.