Invisible Iron Man

I had a mini adventure today.

Iron Man came out on DVD today. I let my discount at my mall's Suncoast lapse, so I haven't really been in there lately. I didn't bother to reserve it. I didn't think it would be a problem. It turns out it was a little one.

When I go to Best Buy, I tend to think they'll have a good amount of something like Iron Man. It was a summer blockbuster and fantastic film. It is also the first summer release to hit DVD. Sure enough, they did have a lot of copies... just not the one I wanted.

There are a couple versions of the DVD release. One is the standard release that is just the movie and whatever extras they see fit to stick on the sole disc. The second is the suped-up version with a 2nd disc that contains documentaries and other extras, like gag reels. The third is Blue Ray. The final is the extra-sized 2nd version with a bust of some sort. I tend to shoot toward the 2nd, 2 disc version when it comes to comic movie releases. I am a comic nerd, so I appriciate dork-talk and interviews with people that handle comic properties. In most cases, the interviews are with creators (in Iron Man's case Stan Lee), writers and artists for the character and possibly editors and other producers.

The problem came when I couldn't find the 2 disc version. Best Buy had a dump, or standee in the front of the store with a big cardboard Iron Man. It was full of dozens of copies of the single disc movie and even a few Blue Ray versions. The new release section sported a few slots for the 1 disc verison and empty 2 disc versions. I saw a woman looking for the same thing as me. She went and found an employee to help her. I walked to where it should be in the regular movie section. There were a ton of the single version. I am talking about two full shelves worth of the single disc. Proper scouring and knowing what a cardboad sleeve looks like on the side produced some results.

Thankfully, there were 2 copies of the 2 disc version left on the shelf. I quickly snatched mine and hoped the woman from earlier was there before me. She showed up a few seconds later while I was looking at other things in the isle. She had a Best Buy employee in tow. His computer told him they had a few in stock. I told her there was one left and walked over and grabbed it for her. She thanked me for my help.

That was my good deed for the day. Now, I have to go do something evil to counter balance.

Halloween 2008 Song List

So, I am commissioned for more Halloween music. A party I am attending later in the month wants music. I was suggested as a go to person for it. Granted, I like doing this kind of stuff. I am just curious as to which music I should pick and in what capacity it should be presented. It is for a party, so I may keep it upbeat. I'll have to do some digging to get some adequate stuff.

With that said, I have had my Halloween 2008 mix done for a few weeks. I haven't designed any type of art for it though. Well, I don't know how to the the whole upload thing so everyone can download it, so I won't attempt it. i will however set up a track listing.

Halloween 2008

1. Hellboy II Titles - Danny Elfman
2. It's Halloween - Shadow Reichenstein
3. Lament for a Toy Factory - Dr. Steel
4. Silence - Taku Iwasaki (from Witch Hunter Robin)
5. Haunting Me - Stabbing Westward
6. No One Lives Forever (live) - Oingo Boingo
7. Knuckle - C. Portwin/T. Stasica/F. Love (from Hunter: The Reckoning)
8. White Noise Monster - Arcturus
9. Cassandra's Waltz - Murry Gold (from Doctor Who)
10. Devil In My Car - The B-52's
11. Next Time - Yoko Kanno (from Song To Fly)
12. Little Deamon - Screaming Jay Hawkins
13. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer - Fantômas
14. Murdertrain a Comin' - Dethklok
15. Black Lagoon - Dave Edmunds
16. The Undertaker (Renholder Mix) - Pusifer
17. Mutant Message - Juno Reactor
18. Halloween In Heaven - Type O Negative
19. Dead Girls - Voltaire
20. The Gonk (Remix) - Kid Koala The Noveltones
21. Vampolka - The Devin Townsend Band
22. Vampira - The Devin Townsend Band

So, there you have it. I haven't updated in a bit. If anyone wants a copy or something, let me know. I know many people won't have most of this stuff in their music library. I think I went a bit eclectic, but it grew on me.

For the relief of nasal congestion

Originally found on Boing Boing, I thought I would share this with whoever reads my crap here.

Apparently, there is a study out there that proposes the ejaculation in males could help relieve nasal congestion.

Screw the sudafed: When your nose ain't great, masturbate!

The emission phase of ejaculation is under the control of the sympathetic nervous system, which of course has lots of adrenergic receptors. The author reasons that ejaculation will stimulation adrenergic receptors in the refractory period immediately afterward, and stimulation of your adrenergic receptors will give you relief from your cold.

The author proposes that, with proper scheduling of masturbation and/or sexual intercourse a guy could keep his nose clear for the rest of his life!

I have actually read reports and stuff about something similar to this. For the most part, I thought it was the increased blood flow and endorphins released that eased the sick feeling. Apparently, there may be more scientific reason.

Exsanguination

I give and give.

All I really did tonight was give blood. That's about the extent of it. While at my appointment, the whole grade school gym looked bare compared to the last time I donated. There were 4 tables set up for people to donate. They took me as soon as I finished signing papers and reading pamphlets, acknowledging that I have never been to Africa or England, nor had a blood transfusion there.

When I was on the table, the nurse wasn't the nicest, but she was all right. She was at least a little sympathetic. Granted, I don't usually think needles hurt that much, but support is always a comforting thing. Apparently, the changed the needles they usually used. The one tonight felt like a pencil being shoved in my arm. After the took my essence, they felt it was good to take some more. The second nurse/doctor, evil person wasn't so kind. He was an idiot from some foreign land. My guess would be India. English wasn't his first language. He unattached me from the bag of blood, but forgot to take the appropriate samples. Instead, they decided to used my other arm as a pin cushion. Now, my arms look like a heroin addicts. The Idiotic Indian couldn't find my vein either. It took another nurse to show him. He had no bedside manner at all.

The only semi-benefit of the whole ordeal was sitting across from a cute college girl afterward, as I drank my apple juice and ate hard pretzels. The girl was concerned about her blood type. Apparently, she had something like B on her birth certificate but the blood people said she was O positive. She wasn't sure how that could happen. Sometimes people make mistakes was the answer. Hell, when I found out my blood type, I thought I was originally B as well. I got something in the mail to join the "B" team for blood donation. It wasn't till I got my blood donation card that I realized I was O negative.

So, here I sit. I spent the rest of the night playing demos for the Xbox 360. Nothing really grabbed me. I headed to the bar to get out of the house, and it was extremely quiet. Scary quiet. There was about 10 people total in the bar including the 2 that worked there. Now, I am fighting sleep with a bandage on each arm. I have no idea what the new day will bring. I will probably sit home alone watching various TV shows on Dvd and if I am ambitious, maybe a movie or two.

Bloodletting

I am giving blood tomorrow. I do this every once and a while. Mainly, I try and give whenever the church around the corner from my house is having a drive. It's in easy walking distance and doesn't force me to drive. I can avoid vehicular accidents that way. I just have to remember the whole fluid thing.

The first time I gave blood was in high school my senior year. It was during 2nd into 3rd periods. I only remember that part because I had calculus the 3rd period and it was on the third floor. I had to walk from the gym in the basement to the third floor with a pint of blood drained from my body. It was a weird experience. Still, once I gave blood, they were after me ever since.

Turns out I am a prime candidate for bloodletting. I have no tattoos, don't regularly practice unsafe sex, and have never visited a foreign nation, especially one in Africa. It also helps that my blood type is the universal donor. Whoo hoo. I should start selling the stuff. I just don't know where to go for that though.

The last time I remember donating was about last year. Afterward, I drove to my friends' sideshow performance in West Philadelphia. At the time, I didn't take highways because I was a coward. It was a long drive, but I made it fine, even home fine. I think I only had a beer or two. I decided on Guinness because I rarely see it places I frequent and it's think enough to just sip. Also, the stout doesn't have that high of an alcohol content. I want to say it was the first time I witnessed the straight-jacket escape, but I'm not sure.

In any case, that's my whole plan for the weekend. I just give blood. Everything else is up in the air. I may attend the Renaissance Faire on Sunday as well, but you never know. Also, the Olde City Sideshow is performing at the Philadelphia Tattoo Convention this weekend. Should be a good time. I heard their name mentioned in a radio ad. No tattoos from me though.