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Audiobooks and X-Files

8/3/2017

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Somehow my thoughts of the Audible Exclusive The X-Files: Cold Cases turned into a story about me. Weird, right?

I remember getting my first Kindle about 10 years ago. It didn't have a back-light and I had to purchase a camping clip-on so I could see the pages. Kindle wouldn't take off into a Netflix marathon, it couldn't drag you into Clash Royale or Candy Crush game, not even solitaire was available. There was no checking email, no ordering food to be delivered within an hour, nor could it play out a list of music and movies so large it wouldn't fit on an external drive. And there were absolutely no audio-books acted out by A-List celebrities of the day. It was a book reader. It did it's job. Random memory: the Amazon Beta Web Browser, which was a complete failure. They've come a long way. The Kindle of the day was clunky, heavy, awkward to hold and impossible prop up. It did have free 3G to get books, keep in mind there was not a functioning browser so you had to pick your books up on the website and 3G would download them for you automatically. It was a mixed bag of nuts and they were just starting to tap into the way people would view the world and books.

At the time I missed the the flip of the page after I licked my thumb, the smell of a classic book that carried me from childhood into adulthood, it's not unlike the feeling I get with old comics. It was a severe change that took a while to get used to. The perks of carrying thousands of books, comics and newspapers in my purse or hand has power for someone like me.

Today the impossible is possible. Everything I have been discussing plus so much more has simply changed the world. Why do I bring this up? Because I am an old hardhead that has a difficult time with drastic changes, but I love technology. I got very acquainted with Kindle, all versions, and I ended up relying on Kindle on so many occasions. As a true book nut to the bone, there are times when nothing could've helped, except Kindle with its 1,000's of books at my fingertips. You could say we have a deep understanding with each other. It tells me what books I might like and I tell it if it's true or not so it has to change and I don't. It is a one-sided relationship.

After getting the newest Kindle versions as they were released and having the world at my fingertips in tablet form, I found another conundrum: audio-books. I struggled with this and I still do. Something has changed and X-Files helped me see the benefit for many people. The last few years there has been a boom in people who self-publish eBooks and now there are book publishing houses that seek eBook writers and needless to say, some have become very big artist. With the boom of weekend warrior writers came a sub-genre of audio-books. At the time and still today, they get one person, possibly an actor, to read the book in different voices, but they weren't necessarily voice-over actors or actors at all. They are not very good. This is where my opinion comes flying off the page: why listen to a horrible voice job instead of reading book and allowing yourself the chance of the fantasy world come forth through your thoughts on what the author wrote. I simply love that. Books are made for reading with your eyes.

A few years ago I saw Amazon splashed with ads for a new audio-book for Stephen King "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" Volume 2 that was read out by Kathy Bates as top billing, but it also had Matthew Broderick, Tim Curry, and Stephen King himself narrating the short stories within. I knew then.
I checked and sure enough Nightmares and Dreamscapes Volume 1 had the same thing; Stephen King, Tim Curry Whoopi Goldberg and the delectable Rob Lowe narrating. I still refused to buy an audio-book. I do own all the volumes of Stephen King's Nightmares and Dreamscapes in actual hardback. Audio-book....ppfft. Who am I to talk? Later I bought all of King's Audibles. You can by clicking the pink up there.

It wasn't long after that I landed in eBook Land and got Kindle Unlimited, which were mostly self-published authors. I love a good book series and one day I noticed that a 14 book series I was clearly deeply involved in had the audio-book for .99. Yes, I will try it now. The narrating was by one person and there was not a stretch to the voice and I couldn't get swept away, but it was fun to read along. It was the best of two worlds for me. After that series was done I randomly picked up the very cheap accompanying eBook-Audio-Book, but I never really got anything from it except that it would automatically turn the pages for me as the audio went. I got lazier reading books. I still hadn't joined Audible.

A few days ago there is was. Sparkling like gold and it was magical like a level 101 wizard, (my red wizard didn't need food). It was reaching out to me, speaking to me, grabbing at me again and again.
The X-Files: Cold Cases. Cold cases! I frantically searched for the book. To no avail, I Google searched every eBook and called hardcover bookstore I could find a phone number for all over the world. It was a maddening, crazy dash like the world was ending if I didn't get my hands on this.
But this was special. It was only available on audio-book form. Yes, I bought it. You can by clicking here.
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Listening to this with Beats Pro covering my ears, I grabbed a mug and settled into a comfy couch and dove in. I was thrilled to hear the voices from all the cast come up. This was so much more than your regular Audible. The sound effects, the surround sound, the original actors acting it out in my ears! The background story is easily recognizable for anyone who is a fan. I won't spoil it because it is great. I will say right now that I strongly suggest you purchase this and take a vacation. I will let you find the spoilers on another site. I will end by saying I am now a proud owner of an Audible subscription but words will always come first..
THANK YOU: Joe Harris (Author), Chris Carter (Author), Dirk Maggs - adaptation (Author), David Duchovny (Narrator), Gillian Anderson (Narrator), Mitch Pileggi (Narrator), Willliam B. Davis (Narrator), Tom Braidwood (Narrator), Dean Haglund(Narrator), Bruce Harwood (Narrator), Audible Studios (Publisher)

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I Love Science

6/7/2015

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The website I am going to bring to your attention is epic, it is about current science, but it still has that old Tumblr fad for a name "I F*cking Love Science". It is time to remove the f*ck from your loves, love from your f*cks or, well, you know what I mean! 

On with the purpose of this blog: I F*CKING LOVE SCIENCE. They are the best in the industry for getting cool science news out on a daily basis in short bursts for the commoner. They utilize Twitter which is where I found them, of course, but they are in other places, like Facebook. I lovingly call them IFLScience, which is what they go by on Twitter. I strongly suggest you follow them and like them and all the social media things that we do. Despite the crass name, they are very cool and don't use f*ck in the actual work they produce. 

I just saw this and I knew it was time to bring the people to the knowledge and the knowledge to the people. It is a weekly round-up of the newest, freshest, coolest science news out there and they are not bias as to what they report or what subcategory of science they report about. 

Here is this weeks links and photo:
Biolimb: bit.ly/1InE9In
Global warming: bit.ly/1AZhSkg
Virus test: bit.ly/1AUR2tT
Plasma tubes: bit.ly/1QCT2IR
Quantum mechanics: bit.ly/1JxigJI
DNA: bit.ly/1QCTl6j
Mini brains: bit.ly/1Kj7Dct
Vessels: bit.ly/1HUKAjt
You are welcome. Enjoy their awesomeness. 
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Justin Lin and Star Trek 3

6/7/2015

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They call it "Star Trek 3", which in itself is confusing, but now the word is Justin Lin may be using new worlds and unknown species in his version of the JJ Star Trek Universe. Is he the right guy for the newest Star Trek movie? Does he know Star Trek? We all know JJ had his true passion in Star Wars. To many it showed when he made the Star Trek movies which fell short to so many fans. Here is a quote Lin made in an interview with deadline.com where you can read it in full.

"Growing up, my parents had this little fish and chips restaurant in Anaheim in the shadows of Disneyland, and they didn’t close until 9 PM. As a family, we didn’t eat dinner until 10 PM, and we would watch the original Star Trek every night at 11. My dad worked 364 days a year, only took Thanksgiving off, and from age 8 to 18, the only time I could hang out with my parents was by staying late. And every night, it was Star Trek on Channel 13 in L.A. That was my childhood. All my friends were Star Wars kids but I didn’t go to the movies, so I was the Star Trek kid. Thinking about this, it became a very personal and very emotional decision."

I read this and I immediately get excited. Here is a guy taking over the new Trek franchise and he actually states it is a major part of his youth and his family time together, which is how many of us know Star Trek on a personal level. This is very promising. He goes on to suck me in more in the same interview.

“As great as JJ’s films were, there’s still a lot to be mined from these characters, They haven’t really gone on their five-year mission, so what we experienced in the TV show hasn’t been touched on yet. That sets up an opportunity for exploration and the deeper you go, the more you are examining humanity. Those are the things that I absorbed as a kid and hope to tap into and embrace and celebrate. By the time this movie comes out, Star Trek will have been around for 50 years.” 

At this point I am sold on Lin. Maybe he does know what he is talking about and he realizes there is a big missing hole in the new franchise, exploration and humanity. Up to this point, all the new Star Trek films have been about action, special effects, and I will say it: lens flare.

Then he puts his foot in his mouth and loses me for a moment. “It’s all new and fresh. The Klingons, Romulans and other species are great, but it’s time to go further. It has been fun to focus on creating whole new worlds and species.”

This one statement puts me back so far in my mind I couldn't even comprehend what he was saying. New species? New worlds? Oh, wait, isn't that part of the original opening statement of the TV series? "Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go.." Yes. Yes it is. Now I am back on board the Lin train. 

As with the other new Star Trek movies and the franchise itself, I will go in with an open mind and see if I like it. Until then, I will keep Klingons, Romulans, Andorians and other species close to my heart and hope they are still part of the Lin franchise of movies because they made Star Trek what it is. They should always be part of the Universe we love so much. I love you Worf!

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USS Enterprise Morphed

6/7/2015

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Star Trek USS Enterprise Morphed - from sea to air 1775-2372! What a brilliant collaboration and celebration of our fair ship. I do wish the makers of the video had taken their time and given us more to oogle at. No matter what, it's a brilliant display.
 "The USS Enterprise has a grand history spanning centuries of exploration. Watch as the famed ship morphs through each iteration! Broght to you by PicClick.com"
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160 Million Dollar Enterprise

5/25/2015

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What would you do if you had buckets, make that buildings of money? Grab an overpriced trip to space? Buy a mansion? Open a business? Buy every Star Trek Gnome? 
What if you couldn't get to warp speed but you could afford to make a building look like the Enterprise? And for a mere 160 million. Would you do it? 
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The world’s only officially-licensed Star Trek building, designed after the USS Enterprise, is boldly going where no other piece of architecture has gone before. Commissioned by NetDragon Websoft, a China-based gaming and mobile Internet company, this building probably makes going to work the highlight of several people’s day. The building sprang from the mind of NetDragon Websoft’s Chairman Liu Dejian, a reported Star Trek aficionado. After licensing the rights from CBS to construct the building, it took six years (2008-2014) and $160 million to make.

Congratulations! You made many a geeks dream come true! 
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Oh Gnome!

5/25/2015

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It is a great day for Gnome, gardening, Star trek fans everywhere! Today at ThinkGeek you can get one of these for $24.99. Will you be buying one or the whole set? I think I would buy them for indoors, that Gorn is calling my name! Get yours here.
NOT YOUR GARDEN-VARIETY GNOMEDid you realize there's a whole subculture of Star Trek horticulturists? There are daylilies named after Trek, a handful of hostas, and even a Star Trek begonia.
The perfect statuary to go with your newly-acquired Star Trek plants? Why, that would be the Star Trek Garden Gnomes, of course! They come in four flavors. Here's how the base reads on each:
  • Kirk - To boldly go where no man has gone before
  • Kirk & Gorn - I shall be merciful and quick - Gorn
  • Redshirt - Join Starfleet they said. It'd be fun they said
  • Spock - Live long and prosper
Personally, we're getting the Spock first because we need all the help we can get in making our garden LLAP.
Product Specifications  
  • ST:TOS gnomes for your garden
  • Officially-licensed Star Trek merchandise
  • A ThinkGeek exclusive
  • Choose Kirk, Kirk & Gorn, Redshirt, or Spock 
  • Protects your lawn from tribbles
  • Upright gnomes would also make great table centerpieces for a Star Trek wedding
  • Materials: Durable cast polyresin
  • Dimensions: Upright are ~5" diameter x 9 1/2" tall; Redshirt is 8 3/4" long x 5 1/2" deep x 5" tall; Kirk & Gorn is 8" long x 6" deep x 10" tall
  • Weight: Upright gnomes are ~1 lb. each; landscape-mode gnomes are ~2 lbs
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Fast Phone Games

4/26/2015

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If you're a normal non-stop person you never have enough time in the day to sit down and grab a good gaming session. When you are on the go it's even harder because there are some excellent time consuming mobile games out that are as good as any console game, and some have even gone on to be a PC or console game. I found some simple level up games in an early arcade simplicity, yet beautifully designed with an excellent UI. One game even suggests you wear your headphones so you can have surround sound, similar to sounds of BASTION, which is also on iPhone, iPad and originated as a PC indie game. 
This list of mobile iPhone games is nothing like the adventures of Bastion, but you can really enjoy the fun, intrigue, thrill and still have a mind enthralling game in short bursts with a challenge,


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1. ON THE LINE by Kevin Chateau

Get it HERE

On the line is a fast paced endless runner and for the first time your finger is the main character!
It’s never been so easy to play, you just have to hold your finger on the screen and try to stay on the line as long as possible…


- Generated maze, each time you play it's different.


- Compare the distance travelled with world famous monuments heights.


- Complete monuments to unlock new objectives and background colors.


- Compare your score with friend on the game center leaderboard
2. GROOPS by Torched Media

Get it HERE


Groops is a puzzle game that will put your mind to the test. Match tiles three at a time based on either shared or completely unique attributes - the number of possibilities will tie your brain in knots! Keep your mind sharp! 


• Hundreds of levels of increasing difficulties! 


• Infinite, unlimited gameplay in “Time Attack” mode. Get to the top of the leaderboards and send your friends Challenge requests to beat your score! 


• Unlock dozens of Achievements! 


• Compete against friends in multiplayer mode - who can get the most Groops before time runs out?
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3. LYNE by Thomas Bowker

Get it HERE

Deceptively simple. Infinitely complex. LYNE is a minimalist puzzle game that will knot your brain as it calms your soul.
Connect the shapes. Fill the board. Lose yourself in the interflowing paths of LYNE.

Features
- Hundreds of pre-built puzzles


- An infinite number of procedurally-generated puzzles, released daily


- No in-app purchases. No ads.


- Slick, intuitive interface


- Soothing dynamic audio


- Unlockable colour palettes
4. ...AND THEN IT RAINED by Megagon Industries

Get it HERE 
I saved the best for last. It suggests headphones for a good reason.
...a game as simple as challenging – a unique interactive, visual and acoustic experience you can play for hours.

One-Finger-Gameplay • Build for Touch Screen • Universal App • iCloud Support • Game Center Support • No inApp Purchases • Just Pay and Play

...and then it rained is a minimalist arcade game as well as an acoustic and visual experience. 

Set in an abstract world, you have to catch colored and different sounding rain drops by dragging and reordering matching towers, resulting in a rhythmic and nearly meditative world of sounds and colors. 

The gameplay is optimized for mobile devices: It's simple at the beginning with intuitive one-finger-controls, but later levels require fast thinking and good reaction times. 

Different game modes let you decide whether you want the game to be a relaxing, Zenlike experience or a swift and difficult challenge.
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Relax and have fun for a few minutes! Enjoy! 
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Big Brother: The Gateway Drug to Zombie

8/8/2014

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ZOMBIE PEE UPDATE:

I passed during the early Friday morning hours at 10:30am CST. My eyes were wide open during the "turn". I was staring blankly at my Big Brother Live Feeds pc screen a mere 2 hours ago......watching other strangers sleep. You read correctly. The line has been crossed. I went there. I watched and listened to 9 strangers lightly snore, toss and turn from eviction stress, and I passed away happy and smiling as they had serious gas from eating "BB Slop".

I just got up to pee and saw the major errors of my ways. I'm currently craving brains since I wasted my cells away. I have died and turned into a bloody brains craving Zombie.

Children, Tweens, Teens, Adults: Stay away from BB. Don't cave into peer pressure. It kills. Just say no. Parents: Teach your children the dangers of using BB and becoming addicted.

Hello. My name is Bennifar (anonymous) and I am addicted to Big Brother and its Live feeds. Straight BB is the gateway drug to the BB Live Feeds. They have turned me into a zombie. Don't let the BB Houseguests take your life. Thank you.

See below for a visual of "why I watch".

Jackshack

BB Slop

Showmances

Bromances

Streaking

Live Feeds

DingusFruitloop

Zankie

http://youtu.be/6RJBTv8bT5A

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The Sunshine Vitamin

4/14/2014

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Source:

http://ahealthblog.tumblr.com/post/82673348013/some-studies-show-a-link-between-low-levels-of

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Food Safety

3/15/2014

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Everyone knows I love a good PC game, I want to be a zombie when I grow up, I collect mountains of comics, cars, books and every gadget made by humankind and I'm a general geek. Nothing new here, right? I am not one that openly discusses dieting, nutrition and exorcise because where is the fun level in that? Zero fun level. Plus you can get that on every social site known to man and there is always that person that publicly frowns on you for eating a cookie. Let us have our cookies and worry about yourself, yah? I've kept my running theme of dorkdom and volunteering and special causes. These geeky and giving things that I care about bring me personal joy and harmony in life. Still, I am health conscious for reasons most don't know about and periodically I see something I feel the need to share. Henceforth, I've decided to add only a few, super tiny and sweet health blog. 
WAIT!
Don't give up on me yet! They will all be cool infographics I find with a minimal amount of copy and paste from site it originates from for explanation purposes. (See below for a taste, literally, eat safely!)
PLUS, who doesn't love a good, short cartoon style photo story or educational bit?
Here goes:
"According to the WHO, the 5 keys to food safety are:
Keep food clean by preventing contamination from pathogens spread by pets, people, and pests.
Keep raw and cooked foods separated to prevent contamination.
Ensure that foods are cooked for the right amount of time as well as the ideal temperature to kill pathogens.
Keep food stored at the correct temperature.
Ensure that safe raw materials and water are used for cooking food."

Short and sweet like I promised, plus they have comic type of infographic. I win!



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