I finally got around to watching the 1st season of The Walking Dead.  I probably won’t be watching the 2nd season, and the image above is why.  That’s a google map of gun shops in the Atlanta area (where the show is supposed to take place).  Note that google only puts pins on the first 10 results and every one of those little pink dots is a store that sells guns.

Now I can deal with all the whining and petty human bullshit that infuses the show, but I cannot stomach how half a dozen guns in a duffel bag became one of the primary motivators for half the season.  It’s the south.  There are guns everywhere!  Break into any house and check the nightstand in the master bedroom - even odds there’s a gun in there.  Same goes for the glove compartment (or, FFS, the gun rack) of any random vehicle.  If you’re picky, just head to any of those pink dots and get your shopping spree on.

Sometimes I wish I could just shut my brain off and enjoy shows despite stupid shit like this, but I can’t.  I am cursed by my superior intellect.

If Game of Thrones was a 16-bit RPG.  Dead-on-balls accurate (it’s a technical term).

This guy has a whole youtube channel full of Star Trek The Next Generation clips overdubbed with gibberish.  I could watch this shit all day.

Awesomesauce from the 80s

The Chive collects 50 pics of toys, movies and memories from growing up in the 80s.  Some really good stuff here, mostly taken from I’m Remembering! (another great site).  (via Digg)

Greenscreens are Everywhere

This gorgeously-produced clip shows reality vs what we see on TV.  I knew greenscreens (chromakey) are prevalent in film, but I didn’t realize just how prevalent they are on TV as well, even for seemingly mundane scenes.  It’s reasonable for explosions and other scenes that would be expensive or difficult to reproduce in real life, but it would appear they get used all the time even to show people just walking down the street.  Cool stuff.  (via Boingboing)

Do you like to watch ripped dudes in leather thongs beat the snot out of other ripped dudes in leather thongs?  If so, I’ve got good news for you.  Starz is producing a new ripped-dudes-in-leather-thong-centric series called “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”.  Now for the bad news - The series doesn’t start until early next year.  I guess you’ll just have to make due with your Wrestlemania DVDs and Tom of Finland “art books” until then.  (via Digg)

I’ve started yet another website, this time specifically about TV.  Even more specifically, about really bad TV.  There are a lot of abysmal shows out there, but some are so bad that you would have to be mentally defective to enjoy them.  This is a blog about those shows and the simpletons who watch them.

I’m going to aim for one review per week, but based on past performance, it will be a miracle if I can be bothered to post more than one per month.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog has everything going for it.  It’s written / directed by Joss Whedon.  It stars Neil Patrick (Doogie Howser) Harris, Nathan (Mal) Fillion, and Felicia (that girl from The Guild) Day.  It has an “evil genius” theme.  It is a totally awesome musical.  The only thing that confuses me is why I’m only just now finding out about it.

For fuck’s sake people, you need to advertise!

I see what they did here.  Cylons are called “toasters”, and this is a toaster that makes toast with a cylon picture burned into it.  If only the branded-in cylon was eating a piece of toast.  (via Engadget)

State of the Tech - IPTV Roundup

I have created a comparitive review page for the current major IPTV offerings. I’ve been watching the technology for a while and I think we’re starting to see some legitimate options. If you’re at all interested in watching TV and movies over the internet, follow the link to my roundup.