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T-Hybrid

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  1. T-Hybrid

    1 In 8192

    By T-Hybrid,

    There's a party at the Haven. After having played Pokemon since Red first launched so many years ago, I finally...after having two previous failures...have caught my first Shiny Pokemon. First it was a Rattata that I accidentally fainted in Silver. Then a Pidgey that used Whirlwind in Leaf Green. But this time, this time I was ready.
     
    While training in the Tower south of Solaceon in Diamond, a Green Zubat popped up. Thankfully I had my Lvl 63 Luxray in the lead. So all it took was a Quick Balll and I was good to go. Needless to say I saved IMMEDIATELY after. So now I have a Green Zubat. I don't know what I'm going to do with it, but it's there. And it's MINE!
     
    So break out the spirited beverages and the pixie stix. ViceGreymon's letting everybody in today!
  2. T-Hybrid

    Mistika Or Mistake?

    By T-Hybrid,

    $13 for the Toa Mistika? Uh, ouch!
     
    I was with them when they became $8, then defended $9. But I said a long time ago $10 was pushing my limits. And now they've not only hit my limit, they've surpassed it.
     
    The "canister' sets are supposed to be like action figures. And $13 for an action figure (even if I can build it) is a stretch. Even DLX sized Transformers are only $10.
     
    Wow...I was not expecting this. Hopefully my fellow Bionicle collectors share this concern and will stand by me as I postpone my purchase until they hit the clearance prices. Or at least go on a sale for a few bucks.
     
    $13...yikes.
  3. T-Hybrid

    Skol Vikes!

    By T-Hybrid,

    For anybody following the NFL, feel free to root for the Minnesota Vikings as they go up against the #1 seed New Orleans Saints. Last year the two teams met in a thrilling Monday Night Game, where the Vikes came out on top despite giving up two TD punt returns to Reggie Bush. With Favre at the helm instead of Jackson/Ferrotte this time around, and hopefully Kluwe having learned his lesson about kicking it away from Bush....this is going to be one heck of a matchup.
     
    Who dat sayin' they gonna beat them Saints!
  4. T-Hybrid
    Well, Brawl launches tomorrow at midnight. And Gamestops around the country are holding the first round of a nationwide tournament. There's one in my area, and you can bet I'm going to take a shot at it. It's cool, if by some luck I make it through the first round...the next two are both at the Mall of America, which is like a 10 minute drive if even.
     
    Other than that, anybody else picking this up? I'd love to get some Friend Codes and start brawling online with some of fellow BZPers.
  5. T-Hybrid
    Last night at work, a guy came through the drive-thru (yeah, I'm in fast food) and asked the manager about a car sitting in the lot. He was interested in buying it. Turns out it was mine.
     
    Now, I drive an '86 Acura. It's been through a lot, has about 96k worth of miles, and most likely won't survive much past me finishing college. Each time I turn the key I expect the engine to just fall out of the thing. It's that old.
     
    So naturally, I get a bit curious when somebody asks about buying it. I've never considered upgrading to something newer, but you know...opportunity knocks. So I get talking to him while he waits for his order. Turns out he races at the local track, and my car is the kind of thing he's looking for. I get a little interested, ask what kind of money we'd be talking.
     
    "Oh, it wouldn't be much. The idea is to buy junker's."
     
    ...My heart sank. My poor little baby, a junker. He could tell I was disappointed, but he was able to say a few words of encouragement.
     
    "Well, it gets great gas mileage. It's worth more than it used to be just for that alone."
     
    Yeah, I suppose it is. But still, did you have to call my car a junker? I mean, I work in the foods industry. I'm normally a nice guy, but is it always the right idea to put somebody in a foul mood who has control of you food for that first few minutes before it's handed off. Oh don't worry, I've never actually done anything like that. Just saying, respect your fast food employees.
     
    So the rest of the day passes without event, and we come to today. My sister was flying in to visit for the summer. Her flight was due in at 5, which was great. The Twins game started at 7, and with flamethrower Francisco Liriano on the mound, I was guaranteed to see a good game.
     
    Alas, it wouldn't be the case. Due to a "mechanical error," her flight was delayed a full 3 hours. We couldn't make it to the game. Well, needless to say I missed a historical outing.
     
    Now I have a new chance to get my hopes up. There hasn't been a Twin voted into the All-Star Game since Torii Hunter in...*forgets year*. You should remember the game. It ended in a tie, and resulted in the current "Winner gets home field" format that has drawn some controversy.
     
    Well, with Online Voting closing in a few days....I once again call upon Twins fans of BZP to support our team. Vote Mauer.
     
    Because he'd do the same for you...
  6. T-Hybrid

    Go Twins!

    By T-Hybrid,

    The Minnesota Twins are playing pretty well, and tomorrow I make my first trip to their new home at Target Field. It's been raining off and on all week...so hopefully it holds out. I'm even debuting my new Justin Morneau jersey when I go there. If things work out, I should have some pictures!
  7. T-Hybrid

    Kaboom!

    By T-Hybrid,

    My head is still spinning from the LOST season 5 finale. So many storylines starting to come together, and a much clearer picture of what's going to happen in the final season is in place. 2010 will not come fast enough. I'm going to have to rewatch this to see if I can piece together some more clues. But I have to admit the writers did an amazing job of wrapping threads together.
  8. T-Hybrid

    More Arting

    By T-Hybrid,

    So having been struck by the doodlebug a second time, I've come up with the vocalist to this band I'm apparently creating. I was going for a grungier look, but as somebody pointed out elsewhere the hair is definately more of a mullet than the typical long hairdness you'd expect from a guy like Cobain or Grohl.
     
    I'm really glad with how the pose turned out. I was going fo a non-chalant hodling the mic and stand behind his back. Originally I was going to have him holding the stand rather than resting it, but I think it looks better this way. I'm still struggling on drawing faces, though I didn't hide his eyes behind glasses (in retrospect I should've hid them behind his hair). The shirt is a straight ref to Cobain's attire in the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video. Which is funny since if you consider the guitarist I drew earlier had an acoustic guitar...yeah...not exactly a hard rock band at the moment.
     
    I don't know if I want to draw the bassist or drummer next (since I'm apparently inventing a band). I want one of them to be female, but I really am not looking forward to making her actually look like feminine.
  9. T-Hybrid

    It's Not A Race!

    By T-Hybrid,

    So I've been getting a lot of comments on my profile and through PM regarding Kex and his post count. Yes, I know he's close to passing me. No, I'm not going to suddenly start posting a lot to "keep ahead".
     
    I sincerely hope that my time on BZP has been memorable for more reasons than just my high post count. And I hope that when Kex eventually passes me, that people won't forget his contributions as well.
  10. T-Hybrid
    I would've written the review last night, but the movie was about 2 hours long, plus an hour or so hanging out with my friends afterward meant I didn't get back home till about 4. In other words, I was VERY tired Friday. But now that I'm more awake, here's my spoiler-free review. And since this film is Rated R, I'll be careful about what I discuss.
     
    Pros:
    Soundtrack - Watchmen has what has to be one of the best opening sequences I've seen in a long time. Excellent use of music, imagery, and light humor helps the audience become quickly accustomed to the universe in which the movie exists. And from there, the film puts together a varied soundtrack that uses easily recognizable tracks to somewhat parody the atmosphere of the scene in which they play. You'll come out of this movie wanting to listen to the full CD. Characters - With the exception of Dr. Manhatten, there isn't a single superpowered character in this movie. And that's what makes it so entertaining. You get to know the characters primarily as their real-world personas, with their superhero lives almost being the "other" story that we occasionally look in on. Even when fighting crime, characters refer to each other by their first names (except for Rorshach...who nobody knows). And while some of the backstory is a little light in places, you still get a feel for the type of person each one is. Surprises - There are some fun twists in this one. One of which actually makes you go "Oh...wow!" A few potential surprises seem telegraphed, but otherwise the film does a good job of keeping you guessing as to what's going on, and trying to solve the mystery along with the heroes. Cons:Uh... - This is an R-Rated movie. So keep that in mind when going with your group. Definately not a superhero movie to take the kiddies too. Aside from the elements that make it R-Rated, most children would likely not understand what's going on anyway. Pacing - The early parts of the movie focus on developing the backstory for the universe and it's characters. And at times this can lead to the viewers losing track of the main story (the murder mystery). But if you can make it through this portion of the film, you'll be rewarded when the second half kicks into gear. History - This film takes place in the 60s and 80s, creating an alternate history for the US (And the rest of the world). The opening sequence is entertaining in its own right, but becomes moreso once you begin to understand the history behind each scene. However, this leads to a number of pop culture references that can cause the humor to get lost on some viewers. There were a few jokes where I'd sit quietly and watch people around me laugh with no idea why. Also, the Nixon impersonation in this film is terrible...to the point where I was beginning to wonder if it wasn't intentional. My overall verdict, however, is to go see it. If you're a fan of the superhero/comic book film genre, you owe it to yourself to see this. It's not as action packed as you would expect, but the story is pretty deep. And as far as the revised ending is concerned, I never read the novel. But with that in mind, the new ending still made perfect sense to me. Take that with a grain of salt though...as I really didn't care that Optimus had flames either.
  11. T-Hybrid

    Another Year Older

    By T-Hybrid,

    It's that time of year again! Now at the ripe old age of 24, I'm still able to say I'm "early 20s" vs. next year when I'll be "late 20s" and "almost 30". Sorry for the short entry, but now is the time for CAKE!
  12. T-Hybrid
    With all the talk about the Inika, many have started posting in various forums about their favorite Toa sets. Since I haven't seen a place for that topic to actually be discussed, I decided to take it to a blog...where if it you want to ignore it. You can.
     
    But without Inika in hand, it's tough to do any sort of fair review. So while I sit and wait for the next generation of Toa to arrive on my doorstop, I've been left to ponder something that's been bugging me since the "Top Toa" comments have started.
     
    Put simply, it doesn't sound like many people liked the Hordika. I see them consistantly ranked as the worst Toa behind the Olda and Nuva. And I'm somewhat surprised. The common complaints appear to be that they weren't unique enough, had awkward pieces, and a lousy action feature.
     
    This is unfortunate. LEGO had a great idea with the Hordika, they just apparently didn't execute. Half-Toa/half-Rahi...from a storyline approach they were set. The attempts to control their feral side, fears of being trapped that way, the new abilities that came with it...all seemed to work.
     
    So what went wrong?
     
    Well, for one....what kinds of Rahi were they? Each Toa is aligned with a certain element, which would lead one to believe that they'd each be likely to liken in appearance to some Rahi associated with the same element.
     
    Instead, they were just Toa with some different faces and various weapons. They looked feral, but they didn't look like anything else. They all had the same feet, the same torso, the same arms....their weapons and their face were all that set them apart.
     
    What could LEGO have done differently? Well, just as a suggestion, they could've made the various animal forms more noticeable in each Toa. This could be done with only minor changes to the Kanohi and possibly the feat.

    Vakama becomes a dragon. His Kanohi is modeled after the dragons of chinese lore. A more prevalent snout, perhaps fins behind the eyes. That sort of thing. He's given talons on his feet rather than just the standard design. Nokama takes on a form similar to a mermaid. Her face is moled to have scales, and perhaps gills near the base. The feet are modeled to look more like flippers or fins. Matau becomes an eagle. He's given a crest w/feathers and a beak in his design. His feet use the same talons as Vakama. Nuju becomes a bear. He's given a snout (similar but a little smalelr to the one he has now) He's given a similar pair of talons to Vakama and Matau (they could be molded in a way that they work as both talons and claws) Onewa becomes a boar, he's given the flippers of Nokama (which in a clever design job can resemble either hooves or flippers). His head is molded to contain a ridge of fur and tusks. Whenua is a mole. His head is made pointer...perhaps with molded whiskers and the two teeth we associate with rodents. He's given the claw mold used on Vakama for feet. The idea of half Toa/half Rahi creature is something I would like to see LEGO go back to. With the gusto in design that they've shown with the last few releases. I'd like to also see them take some lessons from the Inika and perhaps make the sets more unique as time goes on. Part of what made the Toa Olda interesting was the little odds n ends . Remember Tahu's chest ball? Gali's little pegs on her hips? The four pegs on Pohatu's legs?
     
    It's stuff like that which would add to the flavor of the newer sets, and make the Hordika idea work this time. A tail here, or a wing there....the little touches.
  13. T-Hybrid

    Question For You

    By T-Hybrid,

    Can somebody tell me just what "figgy pudding" is? I hear it in that durned song all the time...but still have no clue what it is. Even my dad (who was raised on a farm in an old-fashioned style family) has no idea what that stuff is.
  14. T-Hybrid
    The summer days are flying by at too quick a pace to even realize what's going on around me. In a few weeks, I'll be in my apartment preparing to graduate from college. I'll be on the job hunt, and quite possibly moving to some new state. But through all the changes that have come in my life...there has remained one constant.
     
    BZP has marched on.
     
    2001 seems so very long ago, but I remember the first day I joined a little community out in the middle of no-web. It was Bionicle Zone at the time, and only had 20 or 30 members tops. I remember following a chain of links...starting at what was a downed Xitan's, to a rival site which shall remain nameless. I followed a random link, and found myself here.
     
    I was 16 at the time, and had never been a member of an online community before. But something about BZ felt right. It was just getting started, had a small group, and everybody seemed nice. Heck, it was linked off of a site called RedDimension...and the topic of the day was a slide puzzle of the creator and his daughter (I really hope I remembered that correctly).
     
    There were a few threads on custom designs people had built. Proudly I started a thread displaying Whiringa Toa, my first MOC. Being the newbie I was, I tried to link the pictures from my home computer. Thankfully the one and only Staffer at the time helped me out, and in time I was posting pictures of all my creations. And though I've matured over the years...my MOC skills seem to have stuck at the point I was all those years ago.
     
    Thankfully though, I can credit BZP with helping me develope my netiquette. There are a few other forums I visit. BZP is without a doubt the largest, but out of all of them it's also the friendliest. Though one would expect a forum based on a toy would have such a community...I could easily show you examples where that isn't the case. And all of that can be attributed to the staff members that have come, gone, or stayed throughout BZP's history.
     
    I remember when I was offered a posistion on the staff as moderator of General Discussion. I remember being put on the staff in charge of the growing Completely Off Topic (which at one point was home to "Bionicle After Hours"...BZP's once and former Nightclub). Ah yes, Rahi Master. One of my best buddies on this forum. The two of us cause quite a it of havoc in our day....quite possibly being part of the reason that CoT no longer counts towards post counts. Anybody who was around in those days can tell you about "Word Association" in all it's glory.
     
    Rahi Master and I were also behind the Follower Fiasco. What started as a joke between a handful of users expanded into one of BZP's first big fads. Soon the Staff made special accomidations and rules to allow for people to be Leaders and Followers. Then just as quickly as it had taken off, it was ended...and we were shown what should've been viewed as a warning of things to come.
     
    I was on the Staff assigned to the Clubs Forum, too. Anybody remember that? I don't remember how long it lasted...but similar to Leaders and Followers...the Clubs only seemed to seperate and isolate members from one another more and more. I don't recall the details, but I remember the headache. And soon, Clubs went the way of Followers.
     
    There was the DTotA (Dark Toa of the Apocalypse), one of BZ's first group projects. In it's early days, the members of the time combined their writing, building, and creative processes to name, design, and assign powers to a team of Toa based on the Four Horsemen. It was honored during BBC's 7th Contest
     
    From it's early days on BZ...to BZC...and then BZP, this forum has evolved into the cornerstone of the Bionicle universe. It was the fans of this forum that got the Vahi back into the story. We've even witnessed as our fellow members have gone on to become staff on the actual Bionicle team.
     
    The names and faces may change throughout the years, but the constants will always be there. The sets, the story, and the overall creative spark that the toyline and this forum have seemed to bring about are noticeable. Compare MOCs today to those in BZ's early days. It's almost impossible to think that something like this could've happened.
     
    When I first learned of Bionicle, I expected it to eventually wind up like the Throwbots and the Roboriders. But something went differently with LEGO's third try. And I'd like to think that we here at BZP were part of that something.
     
    So to all the members, young and old, Staff or otherwise, veteran or newbie....congratulations all. It's been five great years. And with the Inika trickling into stores...and teases of what lay ahead, it looks as though LEGO and Bionicle are giving us enough to keep on trucking for years to come.
     
    On a more personal note: to LtJ, melvin, Matoro, and RM. The Alliance may have long since faded from the forum...and who knows how many of you I'll hear from again. But I want you to know that I'll never forget the fun times we had.
     
    And because I'm old enough now, here's a toast to the good ol' days. Along with it, a moment of silence for BAH.
     
    ....
     
    Somewhere out there, there are pixie sticks being eaten...and the DJ is playing on.
  15. T-Hybrid
    There's a new Digimon series coming this year. Digimon Around. Not sure what the title means, but the new promo pic is interesting...

    Looks like we're going to get a Digimon meets Power Rangers with a touch of Transformers. Kinda interested in what we're gonna see from this toy wise. I could use an excuse to buy some more transformers!
     
    The only downside...no Blue Digivice. At least not yet. So no opportunity to induct a new member into the Blue Vice. More details as they become available!
  16. T-Hybrid
    I was at Target today and saw that they're running a pretty good promo right now. Buy any Glatorian set (Legends or otherwise) and you get a free smaller set of your choice (I have no idea what they are called....Agosi?). On top of that, the sets are a buck off...so really it's too good to pass up.
     
    I took advantage of the promo to pick up Mata-Nui (finally) and then since it was free I grabbed the quadrupedal Zesk. I have to say, I'm glad I finally did it because Mata-Nui is an awesome set! Zesk is also really fun for a little set.
     
    For starters, it's great seeing a quality yellow set without being overblown like the last few have been. Also, the overall build is pretty impressive, being obviously humanoid and having....HOLY COW...hands. The only set back was that my set apparently got mispackaged, as the groin plate and the piece on his back are the wrong colors. It looks REALLY off given the overall color scheme.
  17. T-Hybrid
    Day 1 of my post-college career started yesterday at 8am. And I have to say I think I now know what KIE was talking about. As I was slowly going through the different forms and notifications, I had that feeling that it was all for real now.
     
    401(k), Insurance, Vacation Time...what were all these numbers and terms being thrown at me? Apparently "becoming vested" doesn't mean you get a new overcoat. Who'd a thunk? Thankfully I've got a month to get everything set up, which gives me a chance to learn a few things from the parents.
     
    After a full day of overview training from HR yesterday, my first full day on the actual team came today. About 10 of us in a company of 6000. That's pretty cool that even when it's that big they're able to keep teams small. Will make working together a lot easier, and I think that everybody in the group except me has about a decade of work with the project...if not far more. That means I'm really green comparred to them. Extremely green. My first team meeting was today, with a three-hour block of meetings slated for tomorrow morning. Looks like I'm getting the crash course in reality pretty quick here.
     
    But I'm looking forward to it. Something I've really only said about two jobs in my life...both of which have been in the last year.
  18. T-Hybrid
    Olda, Nuva, Metru, Hordika, Hagah...
     
    Since 2001, we Bionicle fans have been introduced to five generations of heroes. Each with their own quirks, designs, and stories. And now, in 2006, we're introduced to the future of Bionicle: The Inika.
     
    But with so many heroes, and so many designs, just where do the Inika fit into the grand history of the toyline? Well, many who have recieved their Inika over the past few weeks have taken to ranking, and though I usually don't like actually trying to rank my favorites of various things (just look over my posts in any "Top #" discussion to see what I'm talking about), I felt it would be a great blogging exercise to actually try and do a Countdown.
     
    So, without further ado, I present:
     
    Torhu's Toa Countdown
     
    #6: The Nuva
    If the Nuva had been introduced during the 2006 storyline, it's quite possible they'd have been built just like the Inika we have today. Instead, we saw the classic Olda sets transformed into these armored heros. But why would I rank the Nuva at the bottom, below even the designs they replaced? Because looking back, it was the Nuva that began the trend of reducing the unique elements between canister figures. The Nuva each had the same armor, and essentially identical designs. Yes, we had to suffer through the Bohrok, but it takes a second go to actually begin a trend. And that's why I put the Nuva at the bottom of the Toa hierarchy.
     
    #5: The Metru
    Holy cow, what a difference time makes! I remember seeing pictures of these and thinking LEGO had done it. They had brought Bionicle into the era of action figures. With articulation at every major joint (except the waist, but I'm not complaining), the Metru were able to stand in every pose I could think up. And with a variety of weapons (including a clever Kanoka launcher/jetpack), the characters promised a new direction in the storyline. However, they were about as identical as two sets could be. Take off the Kanohi and the weapons...and which Toa are you looking at? I had no idea, and it quickly turned me off of the sets.
     
    #4: The Hordika
    Okay, I have a feeling this one is going to draw some questions. When looking at people's rankings, I usually see the Hordika ranked dead last. I don't see them that way. The Hordika were an interesting experiement from the designers of LEGO. The first (and so far only) Toa to not wear Kanohi, the Hordika also incorporated the gear gimmick into the arm. Combined with the Rhotuka launcher, these were also the first Toa to boast two action features. However, the Hordika once again suffered from the lack of individuality that plauged both the Metru and Nuva. On top of that, the concept of being part-Animal was lost in the details. The Hordika had very mechanical looking feet, and their faces (though unusual) didn't draw any particular animals to mind. But I liked the action features enough to look past the similarities, and the posebility was on par with the Metru. This to me puts them above their predecessors. Well, except for one group.
     
    #3: The Olda
    With my comments regarding the Metru and Nuva, you must be curious why I'd rank the Olda over either of them. Let alone both... I'll admit when I started writing this, I had the Olda ranked dead last, with the Nuva up in this posistion. But as I wrote my explanations, I came to realize something about the Olda. As it stands, the original Toa were basic figures. Featuring no elbow, knee, or neck articulation, the Olda were more showy then functional. However, the upside of these sets were their indivduality. From Tahu's chest ball and Gali's little blue chest bump to Pohatu's upside-down torso. Every Toa had something unique about their design that helped them stand out when together on a shelf. This made the character's (and figures) memorable. And it's why I place them near the top, above even their evolved form.
     
    #2: The Inika
    This one took a lot of deliberation in my head before I was able to make an honest choice. I've already written a review of the sets, so hopefully that will help you get a feel for what I think of them on the whole. The Inika are a step back towards individuality that I hope to see continued as the generations of Toa continue to come forth from the LEGO creative team. Each Inika has the same 13 points of articulation that the Metru featured, while also going back to adding unique elements between sets. Nuparu's shoudler-mounted Zamor launcher and Hewkii's chain are the most prevalent. However, the Inika feature two different types of chest armor and two different foot designs. It's a small difference, but each Toa makes use of these pieces to bring their own style to the set. This was something that hadn't been seen in any of the regular Toa releases. It was, however, seen in a pair of very special Toa.
     
    #1: The Hagah
    Bionicle fans in the US were lucky to get their hands on both of these sets, and it's a shame that the full squad wasn't released. I have heard rumblings about the original intent for these two sets (Norik's resemblance to a certain Turaga of questionable allegiance should be mention enough of this) that explain why this was not the case, but I can't help but feel slighted. The Hagah had it all, poseability, playability, and personality. Using slightly modified Metru designs, the Hagah were also given the Rhotuka shield, which allowed the focus of the set to remain on the figure itself. Meanwhile, the two Toa were given distinct design differences. Iruini wore Metru shoulder pads and a Bohrok claw, while Norik sported a silver Dume chest plate and Nuva shoulder armor. With the clever use of previous sets to fill out the armor, I'm left wondering what LEGO designers could've done if given an opportunity to build the full team. It's this perfect blend of form and function that should earn the Hagah a special place in the collection of any Bionicle fan. And it's why they take home the #1 spot, only in my opinion of course.
     
    Though our opinions may differ when it comes to exact rankings, I'm sure one thing can be agreed upon. In the last few years, LEGO has taken big steps in the design of the Toa. With the release of the Inika behind us, and the initial feedback coming through...it's clear that they've struck gold with these new heroes. I can only look at the current generation of Toa and wonder what LEGO has in store for the future years. And I truthfully have no idea what to expect.
  19. T-Hybrid

    Talk About Timing!

    By T-Hybrid,

    So go figure, I return to the blogs after a long hiatus...and what should happen but two days later I come across the full assortment of Mistika, Takanuva, and vehicles sitting on the shelves in Wal-Mart.
     
    The Makuta Mistika look amazing. Excellent variety in design. But judging from the containers for the Toa...not so much there. Now, I've only purchased Onua Mistika at the moment. I would've bought more, but I'm a bit short on fun money this time of the month (rent and car payment come due about this time). They also had Leader Megatron, Supreme Optimus (both from TF: Animated) and several new Classics 2.0...so I had to grab Onuva, Takanuva and run before I ended up blowing over $100 on toys.
     
    Takanuva is a solid design, though he has a pinhead. It's a huge turn-off that distracts from the rest of what's a REALLY good set. I could do with more gold and less generic silver/black...but I guess there's a story reason for it all. It's funny seeing him absoltuely dwarf Toa Ignika.
     
    Onua is a great set...but definately not worth $12. At all. He seems less "fancy" than the Phantoka, and I really don't "feel" Onua when I look at him. Kopaka, Pohatu, and Lewa don't suffer from this...but Onua's not recognizable at all. I could say the same for Gali and Tahu. I'll eventually get them...but I may wait for sales/coupons. And I haven't bought villian canisters since the...oh man...was it the Vahki? I bought Irnakk, but I don't count that since I didn't buy the other Piraka. I'm tempted to do that with the Mistika (maybe even Phantoka), but at that price?
     
    The big question though, what do I do about Khultak and Rangi? Traditionally I've purchased an extra white, black and brown/orange Toa to build them. But they're split between the two lines this year (white and orange are Phantoka while black is Mistika). If I mix in parts from the Makuta I'll be tempted to buy them all, that wouldn't be good in the least.
     
    Once I finish the Mistika collection, I may end up reviewing them in more detail.
  20. T-Hybrid
    So I'm going crazy trying to find a movie that came out a loooong time ago. It's called Sidekicks and it stars none other than the legendary Chuck Norris. I know somebody that is a huge fan of his, and I'm pretty sure they've never actually seen this, so I want to get it for them as a joke gift of sorts. The only problem is I can't find a Region 1 DVD of it, anywhere.
     
    If anybody knows a reliable place that might have copies of this, that would be awesome. Best Buy and Amazon have been busts.
  22. T-Hybrid
    "But T," you'll say. "There was never a Volume 1!" And yes, that's very true. But I figured there's been so many instances of stupid advertising that I've left the first volume on the shelf, in honor of all those campaigns that have come before.
     
    Today's topic comes hot on the heels of breaking news today. Boston officials were put on edge this afternoon when a number of small "devices" were found around the city. Working carefully, it was discovered that these devices were not active, and quite benign in nature.
     
    It was later discovered, much to my personal chagrin that they were intentionally left there by employees of a certain broadcast company advertising a latenight program. More shockingly, there were similar devices left in cities such as New York and Atlanta. And according to reports, they had been there for a number of days prior to their discovery.
     
    Why am I displeased? It's because I cannot stand viral marketing. Though they have apologized and claimed to not have any harmful intent with the use of these devices, I have a gut feeling that they knew just what they were doing when they laid out this campaign. What better way these days to get a moment in the spotlight than to dig up a controversy. Considering the nature of the 24-hour news monster, it's not surprising how easily one can accomplish such a feat.
     
    I hope that those involved get more than a slap on the wrist for this. Considering that there are usually some serious consequences for causing a commotion such as this. I didn't watch the show much before this. Odds are I probably won't go back at all now.
  23. T-Hybrid
    Today was payday, and with my birthday coming up I treated myself to a...treat.
     
    Gathered up a bunch of games I rarely play anymore (all my Dynasty Warriors games except 5, and the two LEGO Star Wars games....and all four Guitar Hero games), and went to Gamestop. Traded them in for a slick $150 bucks. Took that and picked up GHIII and Dynasty Warriors: Gundam (hereafter referred to as Gundam Warriors) for the Xbox360.
     
    "But Torhu," you're probably saying. "You don't have a 360."
     
    Well, that was the treat I was talking about.
     
    I have a gamer tag, but only GHIII can do anything with it. And that's only for the time being while I decide if I want to sign up for XBox Live Gold on a more longterm basis. For the time being, I'm more than open to start adding people who want to rock out for a month or so. I'm also looking for suggestions to fill the Online gaming portion of my life (something I'll slowly be delving into if I decide to go Gold).
  24. T-Hybrid
    I've seen two movies over the last 7 days. Iron Man and now Indiana Jones.
     
    Go see Iron Man. If you like super hero movies, this one is for you. It's just as good as the first Spiderman. Robert Downey Jr. is amazing as Stark, and the mix of humor, drama and action is just right.
     
    Indiana Jones on the other hand...oh man did they make some mistakes there. I'm not a diehard Jones fan, in fact I only recently had a chance to watch the movies during some marathons on various channels. But even in my brief experiences with the series, I can tell something was msot definately not right with this installment.
     
    I can't specifically say where, but you'll feel it almost immediately when it happens. There's some great action, and Shia LeBouf ain't too bad as Mutt Williams...but there's a specific point in the movie where things take a turn. And after that I just couldn't get the movie to "sit" if you catch my drift.
     
    So in summation, Iron Man great...Indiana Jones not so much.
     
    ....oh, and stay after the credits for Iron Man. It's worth it. I didn't really bother with Jones.
  25. T-Hybrid

    Pokemon Is Work

    By T-Hybrid,

    Pokemon Diamond came out Sunday. It's now Friday and I've already put around 30 hours into the game. To put things in perspective, I work only 20 hours a week. And I'm only just now about to challenge the third gym leader.
     
    I've been spending time in the Underground getting fossils, spheres, and decking out the secret base that nobody will probably see (nobody I know is getting Diamond or Peal so odds are I'm never getting Spiritomb legitimately). I've also entered contests (already won Cute, Cool, and Smart at Normal Rank). There's honestly just so much to do in this game. Battles are hardly the most of it.
     
    Plus I don't have fly yet, so when nighttime rolls around I have to stop what I'm doing and go running around various areas trying to grab time exclusives (Murkrow's the big problem child right now). My team is pretty set right now, though I can see future need for expansion (won't get far without a good psychic type). If anybody's interested, I'm slowly trying to collect extras of the version exclusive Pokes, this includes future need for GBA exclusives.
     
    I've got Leaf Green, Sapphire, and of course Diamond available. As well as Collisseum (though I've yet to beat it...and can't get them to the GBAs until I've purified all of them...at least I think). Whatever the case, if you start having offers available (starters who aren't Piplup, Bulbasaur, or Torchic), or just want to help me swing a temp trade so your Machoke can evolve, let me know. I'm about to graduate, and with work being only M-F my weekends will and evenings are hopefully going to start freeing up so I have time to hop on the WiFi...once I get it set up of course.
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