Category: Just For Fun Database

The location for blog posts related to video games, movies and social events.

Forza Motorsport 3 Write-Up

Forza Motorsport 3 (FM3) finally came out on October 27th, 2009 after years of development. There are few games that I have been more personally excited about. For the Xbox 360 console, there just was not as solid racing game as Grand Tourismo until Forza Motorsport 2. Forza 2 featured hundreds of cars that were upgradeable, realistic tracks and solid racing simulation.

In summary, Forza Motorsport 3 builds on FM2 by adding more tracks, more cars, more car customization, superior graphics engine, improved driving simulation, improved Xbox live capabilities, more single-player game options (drift/drag,etc) and interior driving views of every car.

First Thoughts:

Continue reading Forza Motorsport 3 Write-Up

12 of the most annoying types of Facebook users

Here are 12 of the most annoying types of Facebook users, by Brandon Griggs for CNN Tech. I have posted the list here because I thought it was so perfect! But please support CNN.com by viewing the article there.

The Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-My-Day Bore. “I’m waking up.” “I had Wheaties for breakfast.” “I’m bored at work.” “I’m stuck in traffic.” You’re kidding! How fascinating! No moment is too mundane for some people to broadcast unsolicited to the world. Just because you have 432 Facebook friends doesn’t mean we all want to know when you’re waiting for the bus.

The Self-Promoter. OK, so we’ve probably all posted at least once about some achievement. And sure, maybe your friends really do want to read the fascinating article you wrote about beet farming. But when almost EVERY update is a link to your blog, your poetry reading, your 10k results or your art show, you sound like a bragger or a self-centered careerist.

The Friend-Padder. The average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site. Schmoozers and social butterflies — you know, the ones who make lifelong pals on the subway — might reasonably have 300 or 400. But 1,000 “friends?” Unless you’re George Clooney or just won the lottery, no one has that many. That’s just showing off.

The Town Crier. “Michael Jackson is dead!!!” You heard it from me first! Me, and the 213,000 other people who all saw it on TMZ. These Matt Drudge wannabes are the reason many of us learn of breaking news not from TV or news sites but from online social networks. In their rush to trumpet the news, these people also spread rumors, half-truths and innuendo. No, Jeff Goldblum did not plunge to his death from a New Zealand cliff.

The TMIer. “Brad is heading to Walgreens to buy something for these pesky hemorrhoids.” Boundaries of privacy and decorum don’t seem to exist for these too-much-information updaters, who unabashedly offer up details about their sex lives, marital troubles and bodily functions. Thanks for sharing.

The Bad Grammarian. “So sad about Fara Fauset but Im so gladd its friday yippe”. Yes, I know the punctuation rules are different in the digital world. And, no, no one likes a spelling-Nazi schoolmarm. But you sound like a moron.

The Sympathy-Baiter. “Barbara is feeling sad today.” “Man, am I glad that’s over.” “Jim could really use some good news about now.” Like anglers hunting for fish, these sad sacks cast out their hooks — baited with vague tales of woe — in the hopes of landing concerned responses. Genuine bad news is one thing, but these manipulative posts are just pleas for attention.

The Lurker. The Peeping Toms of Facebook, these voyeurs are too cautious, or maybe too lazy, to update their status or write on your wall. But once in a while, you’ll be talking to them and they’ll mention something you posted, so you know they’re on your page, hiding in the shadows. It’s just a little creepy.

The Crank. These curmudgeons, like the trolls who spew hate in blog comments, never met something they couldn’t complain about. “Carl isn’t really that impressed with idiots who don’t realize how idiotic they are.” [Actual status update.] Keep spreading the love.

The Paparazzo. Ever visit your Facebook page and discover that someone’s posted a photo of you from last weekend’s party — a photo you didn’t authorize and haven’t even seen? You’d really rather not have to explain to your mom why you were leering like a drunken hyena and French-kissing a bottle of Jagermeister.

The Obscurist. “If not now then when?” “You’ll see…” “Grist for the mill.” “John is, small world.” “Dave thought he was immune, but no. No, he is not.” [Actual status updates, all.] Sorry, but you’re not being mysterious — just nonsensical.

The Chronic Inviter. “Support my cause. Sign my petition. Play Mafia Wars with me. Which ‘Star Trek’ character are you? Here are the ‘Top 5 cars I have personally owned.’ Here are ’25 Things About Me.’ Here’s a drink. What drink are you? We’re related! I took the ‘What President Are You?’ quiz and found out I’m Millard Fillmore! What president are you?”

Hilarious and very true at the same time. I have seen each of these many times and am responsible for a few myself.

Best,

Adam Faragalli

Netflix Coming Soon to PlayStation 3

The Playstation blog recently reported that Netflix is coming to the PlayStation 3 next month. Considering NetFlix has been on the Xbox 360 for the past yea and it works really well from streaming movies to watching TV shows, not huge news.  But in any case now the 9 million plus Sony PlayStation 3 enthusiasts have something else to get excited about. If only the Xbox 360 played Blueray movies it would be by far the best system in my opinion. You just can’t beat games like Gears of War, Halo, and now Forza Motorsport 3. Though the PS3 does have some solid titles.

In any case if If you want to get a head start on your PS3 Netflix experience, you can sign up today at http://www.netflix.com/ps3.

Cheers gamers,

Adam Faragalli

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

According the imdb.com, The Boondock Saints II: All Saints day is on limited release for October 30th, 2009. Troy Duffy returns as director with the original cast. Pre-screen people who were lucky to have seen it reported “”simply AMAZING” and that the “anticipated sequel did not disappoint.” I’m a fan of the first movie, one of my favorite movies. Very excited about this sequel!

“For the last 8 years the brothers have been living with their father on a sheep farm deep in isolated Ireland. One day their uncle tells them that they have been framed for the murder of a Bostonian Catholic priest. The boys must return to Boston to not only clear their names but find the men who framed them.”

Check out the official trailer here:

Cheers,

Adam Faragalli

Apple’s Get a Mac Ad: Broken Promises

Apple has had some of the best advertising for the past 20 years. Working with Jay Chiat, the advertising guru of sorts, TBWA and who knows who else the Apple ads have gone from to the one featured below.

1984 Ad

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Now I really love Macs, and I like Windows as well. Both have benefits and both have issues. I have experienced crashes and freezes with every Mac, new or old, I ever worked on. Of course the same can be said of Windows. Recently, over the past 6 months, I have been using Windows 7 and I have to say I do like it. It is stable and gets the job done. A vast improvement over Windows Vista.

But this blog is about the new Apple Ad, Broken Promises. I believe my favorite part of this ad is the change in clothing as the Windows guy goes all the way back to the 80’s. Classic.

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Verizon Droid vs. Apple iPhone

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Verizon_Droid Preview Image

Verizon’s upcoming phone Driod has been advertised to compete with Apple’s iPhone. Verizon’s teaser preview with a large media buy has stirred up some hype for the phone. If anything, it has raised some eye brows about some of the phone’s claims to have and exceed the Apple iPhone’s capabilities. Check out the ad below to see what I mean.

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Now some have said this is not an  attack on the iPhone. The ad seems obvious to me as the “idont” comment throughout the ad is targeted to the i in “iPhone”. Verizon’s  Web site for the Driod phone does not have much detail and adds little to the hype generated by the advertisement.

The iPhone Blog recently wrote about “Verizon Attack Ads — Claim iPhone iDoesn’t do What Android 2.0 Droid Does.” In the blog Rene Richie counters each point that the Driod ad raises.

For example, “iDon’t run simultaneous apps: Again, it does. The iPhone can run iPod, Email, Phone, Messages, App Store/iTunes downloads, Quicktime streams, and other functions in the background with full multitasking. Apple restricts two or more 3rd party apps from running at the same time, but that’s obviously too subtle a difference for Verizon.”

From Daring Fireball, “Droid” is going to be a Verizon-owned brand. It’s purportedly a Motorola-manufactured phone, but Verizon is the licensee of the “Droid” trademark. (Which name, by the way, strikes me as the perfect name for an Android OS phone — sort of implicitly establishes it as the Android phone.) That’s the big thing. Verizon doesn’t see itself as a mere carrier for other companies’ phones. It sees itself as being bigger than the phones. It’s Verizon-vs.-Apple in this spot, not Verizon-vs.-AT&T.

So that is some of the hype going on between Verizon’s Droid and the Apple iPhone. Personally, I think the hype is all hot air. My bet is the phone will launch and ultimately fall short of the advertised claims. The iPhone with all it’s applications is just to hard to beat!

Cheers,

Adam Faragalli

25 inspirational pumpkin carvings

It is almost Halloween and it is a tradition for many to carve a pumpkin. I know my girlfriend and I have made plans to carve two this weekend. In that spirit, I found this article on some seriously legit pumpkin carvings and some that are just plain stupid. The story comes from The Chicago Tribune. If you are interested in seeing all 25, please click here to view full article. I have posted just a few of my favorites.