Avengers Trailer #2
I’ve been trying to add this directly here to imboden.org, but something’s acting all stupid with my FTP client. So, here it is embedded for now:
This
http://imboden.org/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Avengers-trailer.flv
SWEET CHRISTMAS!!! May 4th can’t come quick enough!
“Avengers, Assemble!!!”
NYT Best Selling Author?!?
Hells, yeah (#6 on the paperback list)!
Yes, this accomplishment is not mine alone – I was but a fraction of a larger group, but then again, not everyone can say that something they worked on has made this list.
So I share this honor with some of the hardest working small press and Indy folks in the business right now. And we ALL have YOU to thank for helping us get there.
Here’s the NY Times List itself
Censorship Sucks
It’s no surprise that big businesses and corporations run this country, and if SOPA and PIPA pass then it will be even more obvious as websites that they don’t agree with can be taken down, with its assets frozen and the domain withheld all under a dubious claim of copyright infringement that nobody will have to prove.
As a creator I am hip to wanting to protect copyrights, but neither of these bills really make any progressive strides towards doing that. Saying I am against bills that aim to help protect copyrights is only taking half of what is going on and claiming it as fact. It would be like saying that because you don’t like the idea of banning automobiles means you’re in favor drunk driving.
Piracy and copyright theft are real problems. But they are real problems that need real answers, not half-assed, crossed fingers behind the back kind of pabulum. Solving a problem does not need to entail a total disregard for the law by doing things like flipping the bird to due process. Solving a problem does not involve forcing people to circumvent blocked secure servers which will open them up to a world of digital vulnerabilities. Solving a problem involves listening to EXPERTS and third-party specialists.
Congress is back in session in less than a week and a vote on these atrocities will take place soon thereafter. You can sit and do nothing, thinking that the latest Zynga game will be there waiting for you (until someone in some corporate boardroom tires of Facebook and says that they’re providing links to copyrighted material and needs to be shut down) or you can take five minutes to contact your Representative and let them know, in no uncertain terms, that a vote for SOPA or PIPA means one less vote for THEM in the next election.
Best Buy Update
Well, look what just showed up in my email Inbox:
Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 14:39:42 -0600
From: Best Buy Consumer Relations <cr@bestbuy.com>
To: <mike@imboden.org>
Subject: re: Advertising CampaignDear Mike-
Thank you for sharing your reaction to our TV advertising campaign, “Game on, Santa”.
We apologize if you were offended by the content of our ads. This certainly was not our intent. We will be sure to pass your comments on to our marketing department and advertising agency.
Sincerely,
Best Buy Consumer Relations
Nice to know they actually read it, considering I believe I said TWICE that I wasn’t offended, just sad that they’d chose such a mean-spirited ad campaign.
Color me not surprised, though. Anyway, at least some closure.
Or… should I press on and move up the chain?
If the Atari 2600 Was Honest
I had an Atari 2600 and I loved it. The thing I didn’t love was buying a game with my hard earned money (read: saved up lunch money) only to find out that the game was NOTHING like the box. If wish this guy had been around and working for Atari back in the day. He found a bunch of Atari games in their boxes at a yard sale and with a little Photoshop magic, made the game titles a little more accurate, based on the art.
http://mightygodking.com/fun-from-yesterday-static.htm
Here’s an example:
One game that nags me to this day was “Slot Racers”. I bought that game only for the box art. This is the box, with – while not a more accurate title – at least a much funnier one.
Here’s what that fucker looked like:
Anyway, go check out this guy’s re-worked game boxes. I promise you’ll laugh at some of them.
Beware the KRAMPUS!
I posted a painting of Krampus a year or two ago here, but I don’t recall if I added any real explanation of what it was. The short version is that he is the most awesome frickin’ beast you’ve probably never heard of. The long version, according to Wikipedia (the bastion of truth and facts that it is), is this:
Krampus is a mythical creature recognized in Alpine countries. According to legend, Krampus accompanies Saint Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children. When the Krampus finds a particularly naughty child, it stuffs the child in its sack and carries the frightened child away to its lair, presumably to devour for its Christmas dinner.
So, basically, he is the “Anti Claus” and that makes him kinda cool and scary.
Think about it for a second – instead of threatening kids with not getting toys because some stalker in a red fur suit knows when they’ve been bad or good, if we just told kids that this was coming to eat them if they were bad, things would be a lot easier:
