Thursday, July 16, 2009

Michael Jackson Music Videos On DVD or Blu-Ray

Being that I am a little older than my wife, the death of Michael Jackson had more of an impact on me than it did for her. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t start balling like a baby curled up in the fetal position in the corner of the room when I heard that he died. But growing up, he was like an idol to me. So much so, that I remember owning a jacket just like the one he wore for the music video “Beat It.” I was a huge Michael Jackson fan growing up. Even to this day, his music carries a certain appeal to me that just takes me back to my childhood and teenage years.

Anyway, like any other fan of Jackson’s, my wife and I got into a brief conversation of his life and music. And I was kind of surprised to learn that she hadn’t seen a couple of his more popular music videos. Well, I told her that I thought that she should watch them and I went online to purchase some DVDs containing some of them. So I was rather surprised to learn that a couple of his movies were never released as a region 1 DVD, well, at least not officially.

Now, I could have easily bought the unofficial DVD copies I saw online, which were nothing more than copies people had made by transferring the movie from VHS to a DVDr. But that is not what I want. I am a collector. And part of the appeal of collecting is owning the original or licensed materials that were put out. But there was none.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of licensed region 1 DVDs that have some of the best music videos he has made. Michael Jackson – HIStory on Film, Vols. 1 and 2 are readily available as well as Michael Jackson – Dangerous: The Short Films. But what about having some officially licensed DVDs for Moonwalker and Ghost? Those two short films have never been released in region 1. Why not? Were we not big enough fans here in North America to warrant a release of them here? I own Moonwalker on VHS, but I am not willing to go out and buy a VHS player just to watch one video. I would also rather have it now on DVD. And while we are at it, why not an official DVD for Thriller? I have this on VHS as well, so why not sell it on DVD? Or why won’t they make a home version of the Disneyland attraction, Captain EO for people to watch? It was really one of the best shows they ever had there. And it’s not like it won’t sell. I mean, sad as it is to say, Michael seems to have seen a spike in his popularity to a level he had not seen for years before his death. Right now, the fans would eat it up.

But that is pretty much all I wanted to say here. I know it was a bit of a rant, but I just had to vent that.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

092306 25 Random Things About Me

Well, I guess I just had to receive this one day… and here it is. Someone asked me to do the 25 Random Things About Me thing that made its rounds last year on Facebook. Well here we go.

25. I am deathly afraid of syringes. But only if they are meant for me. I can give people shots… I just can’t take one myself.

24. I have a slight fear of unfamiliar dogs and cats. Once I get to know them, I am fine afterwards.

23. I had my first “real” kiss at 10 from an older friend. For a while, I thought she was my cousin, but that turned out not to be the case.

22. I lost my virginity at 13. And I kind of wish I had waited. I don’t regret what happened, I just wish I knew more about what I was doing.

21. I have to chew anything that I put in my mouth… ice cream, drinks, pens… anything. Just some obsession I have.

20. I have been diagnosed as having obsessive compulsive disorder. I have to have certain things done a certain way or organized a certain way, if not, I can become angered or disappointed.

19. I also have slight anger issues that I was prescribed Celexa but I refused to take. I relied on old martial arts training and meditation to get me through it.

18. I was officially hired into the L.A.P.D. on September 11, 2001. Scary huh. Though because of the events of that day, I didn’t start until the following Monday.

17. I have been engaged twice. Once to a girl who I was only with for physical reasons and stopped the ceremony just short of the altar in Vegas. The other time was to my wife, Desiree.

16. I am addicted to any candy with chocolate and peanut butter. Put those two together and you create sheer candy bliss.

15. I used to fight for money in street fights around my old neighborhood. It wasn’t bad either. Sometimes I walked away with up to $500 a fight.

14. Even though I used to fight, I am still afraid of being hit. Funny, cause usually I would let them take the first swing. Just had to do it that way though.

13. When angered, my first instinct is to hop in the car and drive so as to avoid a big fight or argument. I don’t like letting people close to me see me lose my temper.

12. From about the age of 12 until about 20 going on 21, I had a pretty bad drug and substance problem. I quit on my own, but only because of finally letting my family closer to me.

11. I am probably the most accident prone person I know. I have broken bones on more than 10 occasions, I have 13 known concussions, and I have torn so many things, I lost count.

10. I have survived 3 major accidents. One, a car ran a stop and sideswiped me. Two, when my car caught fire and exploded. Three when my best friend was hit with me in the car.

9. I would still be working at for Disney if I had a choice. Only thing that made me leave the company was that the pay was not on par with what other companies paid.

8. I met my wife on MySpace.com. For as much I as avoided internet dating, it is funny that I would meet my wife cause of a random message to a fellow Sailor Moon fan.

7. I hate cell phones. I do not like the idea of being contacted at all hours of the day. But I do understand the convenience of them.

6. If given the choice of sleep and video games, video games wins hands down. Video games are probably my best outlet for anything that I have ever come across.

5. I have been known to just sometimes start singing just out of the blue. Even without realizing it. A coworker once told me I sang for my entire shift and I never noticed that I was doing so.

4. In the entirety of my life so far, I can count on one hand how many people I have sincerely said “I love you” to outside of my family and actually have meant it.

3. For being the age that I am, it is hard for me to think of myself as anything but still a kid. Yes, I am grown up, but deep inside, the child in me will always be the most important part of me.

2. The greatest thing I have been called, or ever will be called, is “daddy.” My children are the greatest part of my life and I can’t see myself without them ever again.

1. For as much posturing and bolstering that I do, I really am shy at heart. I come across as extroverted and friendly, but deep inside, I am shaking right down to my very soul.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

090521 My Top 25 Comic Book Artist, Part I

The list that follows is certainly going to be one of the most divided lists I will ever make. This is a five part list of My Top 25 Comic Book Artist. I have been working on this list for more than three months now, and while some people will agree with the choices I made, those same people are going to wonder why I didn’t put so and so on this list for whatever reasons. And I understand that. Comics have a way of doing that to the hard core fans. So before any of you fans out there get mad, understand, this is just my own personal list based on my taste. This is not the definitive list of comic artist, just one fans opinion on what he likes. So while I recognize the contributions and influence that legendary people like Jack Kirby, Bill Sienkiewicz, Frank Miller, and many others have had in this medium and its current artists, that does not make them my personal favorites, and I ask that you respect that as you look through this list. So without anymore pause, here is my list…

PART I

Alex Ross

Acclaimed for his photorealism style of painting, Ross has worked on such titles as Marvels, Astro City, Kingdom Come, and Project Superpowers.












Arthur Suydam

Recognized at a young age an art prodigy having come from a family of artist, Suydam has worked on such titles as Ghost Rider, Marvel Zombies, and Raise the Dead.












Greg Horn

Best known for his work on covers using digital painting in a photorealistic style, Horn has worked on such titles as Emma Frost, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Elektra, and Jenna Jameson’s Shadow Hunter












Marko Djurdjevic

This German born artist best known for his covers has worked on such books as Thor, Wolverine, Thunderbolts, and Cable.












Stjepan Sejic

This Croatian born artist is quickly making a good name for himself working on the red hot Witchblade series as well as proving covers for Savage Tales.









Wednesday, May 20, 2009

My Top 25 Video Game Hotties

25. Sniper Wolf from Metal Gear Solid



24. Jenny Burtory from the Bloody Roar series



23. Nakoruru from the Samurai Showdown series



22. B. Orchid from the Killer Instinct series



21. Palutena from Kid Icarus



20. Nariko from Heavenly Sword



19. Princess Kitana from the Mortal Kombat series



18. Cortana from the Halo series



17. Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda series



16. Rinoa Heartilly from Final Fantasy VIII



15. Taki from the Soul series



14. Sofia from the Battle Arena Toshinden series



13. Ling Xiaoyu from the Tekken series



12. Chun-Li from the Street Fighter series



11. Candy Cane from Rumble Roses



10. Bastila Shan from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic



9. Princess Peach from the Super Mario series



8. Sylvia Christel from No More Heroes



7. Jill Valentine from the Resident Evil series



6. Firona Vie from the Everquest series



5. Rayne from BloodRayne



4. Kasumi from the Dead or Alive series



3. Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series



2. Morrigan Aensland from the Darkstalkers series



1. Samus Aran from the Metroid series