Star War movies

Boba Fett has a sad story. 

Love Han.  

From the Technabob blog:

Boba Fett and Han Solo to Be the Focus of the Two Standalone Star Wars Films Posted: 07 Feb 2013 07:27 AM PST I mentioned yesterday that rumors were swirling about what Star Wars character the first of the standalone feature films from Disney would focus on. Early rumors said Yoda would be the subject of one of the films. The characters of the films will cover have now been confirmed, and Yoda isn't the subject – at least not of the first two films. The two initial standalone films will reportedly focus on Han Solo and Boba Fettseparately. Those are two of my favorite characters from the franchise while Yoda is one of my least favorite so this is very good news for me. A lot of details on the films remain unannounced. The Han Solo film is rumored to take place between two existing movies in the franchise. The Han Solo film would reportedly take place between the Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope movies. The Boba Fett film is rumored to take place either between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back or between Empire and Return of the Jedi. Either time period would allow for the return of fan favorite characters including Darth Vader and Jabba the Hutt. I wonder how the part of Han Solo will be cast since Harrison Ford is clearly too old to play a young Han. I'm guessing they won't go with Sean Patrick Flannery again. [via DigitalTrends]

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Federal Reserve

I love how our government thinks that this will work. They don't even give a shit. Must be nice to be able to create money to get rid of debt.  I call this an epic fail and a let down to the American people.  

From Dan Celia:

 

Federal Reserve

   

  ...was formed with the goal and objective of controlling deflation and inflation, of setting policies controlling our monetary system and the banking system...and to prevent any catastrophic event in the market...     

    

I spent a few days this week at an investment conference and thereby had an opportunity to listen to, and speak to, some of the largest investment managers (mostly institutional) in the country. It was interesting to hear their perspective on the Fed. On the one hand, most of them indicated that the Fed now has $3.1 Trillion of U.S. debt on their balance sheet. On the other hand, they still talk about China owning so much of our debt. Is the problem really China? Of course, the problem is China from the standpoint that they could call in the debt at a

ny time and decide they want out, thus causing  chaos in our financial markets. But I have begun to wonder how much chaos it wouldtruly cause. My guess is that we would print the money, pay China off, and then shift that debt to the Fed by printing the $1.2 Trillion that we owe China. After all, they are already planning on taking another Trillion Dollars in debt from us this year. What is another Trillion? When it comes to the Fed, the fact is that we have a system that has gone awry to the say the least. The Fed is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. It was formed with the goal and objective of controlling deflation and inflation, of setting policies controlling our monetary system and the banking system...and here is the big thing: to prevent any catastrophic event in the market. It is interesting as we look at the reasons the Fed was formed by Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was a progressive who was concerned about inflation and deflation but primarily, of course, in having a watchdog that would avert any catastrophic event. The fact is that the Fed has done an absolutely pathetic job at all of this. It was deflation that was instrumental in creating the depression just 20 years or so after the Fed was formed. I think theymissed that one. We have had numerousrecessions - some very deep (like the one we are in now which the Fed has totally missed). As a matter of fact, in 2007, the Fed actually addressed the real estate market and the debt market and did notthink there was anything about which to be concerned, again missing a big one. The fact is that the Fed, who is supposed to be on the lookout for any catastrophic events, is instead causing the next catastrophic event. The part which I find most interesting is that the Fed, as we again saw w  ith Ben Bernanke last week, continues to whine about the fact that Congress needs to do something. The Fed, having all the powerof the monetary system, now also has the power of controlling Congress. But for some reason, they refuse to exercise that power. All 

the Fed would have to do is say "We are no longer buying any debt." Period. By those words alone, the government would have no choice but to act very quickly on cutting their currentspending. There is no chance that the Treasury could sell the kind of debt to foreign nations that the Fed is currently purchasing. If the Fed would agree to stop buying, then Congress would, of necessity, be forced to act. The problem, however, is that the Fed actually believes the scenarios under which it is working. They actually believe that they can control the economic system and avoid any more catastrophic events. It is difficult to expect the Fed to do anything that is really positive when they believe that they have all the power and all the control they need, and that they can continue on their current path.

 

The most amazing thing to me at the investment conference this week was thatno one seemed willing to address this, to talk about it, or even to make an attempt to understand the dangers in the financial markets that the Federal Reserve is creating.  

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Gov't spending cuts

Kinda scary but the truth. 

If only we had leaders in with a backbone. 

From Dan Celia:

 

Sequester & Mandatory Spending Cuts

   

...we could come down to a point where we see the government cutting spending in order to   prevent the sequester...  

    

 

It appears as though, for the first time since the election, Republicans have the upper hand, and have some power over the President. The President announced this week that he would like to take a look at the whole "sequester thing" and consider the idea of postponing these cuts while working out a deal. The Republicans have said "This is your deal."

 

Remember that it was the President, in 2010, who came up with the idea for these mandatory cuts. Now he is saying 'Uh oh...this is not such a good idea because it looks like we may end up back in recession.' He would, therefore, like to see them prevent it. Of course, he willsomehow blame the Republicans, and the mainstream media will buy into it. The Republicans will take the hit - which could obviously cause them to againcompromise. But if they hold true to what they are saying and do not budge, this could force the hand of the Administration to come up with the $1.2 Trillion in cuts equivalent to the sequester, maintaining their spending on some of the social programs. But this Administration does not want one nickelof cuts - not even the cuts to which they agreed in 2010, when they decided to move ahead with the idea of a sequester.

 

It will be interesting to watch but wecould come down to a point wh 

ere we see the government cutting spending in order to prevent the sequester from happening. This couldbe very good for the economy. It would likely be looked on as a very positive move by the government, as we would then be reducing spending for this year and lowering our debt burden. However, do keep in mind that next year whenObamacare comes in full swing, it will be the largest entitlement in the history of our nation...and all of the estimates are likely to be off by hundreds of billions of dollars. We will likely then be back intovery deep debt with a healthcare system that looks as bad, if not worse, than Europe

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Disney knows how to do Valentine's Day

From the Disney Park blog:

Celebrating True Love Week with 'Limited Time Magic' Surprises at Disney Parks

Posted: 08 Feb 2013 09:00 AM PST

Our "Celebration of True Love" is just one of many experiences planned during Valentine's Day week as we continue our "Limited Time Magic" surprises at Disney Parks.

True Love Week happens February 11-17, at both the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

Here's a look at some of the "Limited Time Magic" Pixie Dust you can expect at Walt Disney World Resort:

• Blushing Castle: At dusk, hues of pink, red, lavender and blue bathe Cinderella Castlewith themed lighting synced to musical melodies adding to the ambiance.
• Dinners for Two: Candlelit dinners for two with prix fixe menus at select restaurants during the most romantic week of the year. Specially created menus at Artist Point (Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort); The Wave of American Flavors (Disney's Contemporary Resort); Hollywood Brown Derby (Disney's Hollywood Studios); and Yachtsman Steakhouse(Disney's Yacht Club Resort) make an ideal setting for a romantic evening. To book visitDisneyworld.com or call 407/WDW-DINE.
• Valentine's-themed Takeaways: Limited-edition pins, plushes, newly-designed apparel and Vinylmation available at select merchandise locations.
• Romantic Setting: Guests will feel the romance at every turn, as banners proclaimingTrue Love, heart-shaped signage and sweetheart-themed décor adorn Magic Kingdom Park.
• Royal Gathering: The rare opportunity to get a photo with Disney Princes as they escort their Princesses to enchanting character greeting locations.

Also, in Town Square Theater you may find Mickey and Minnie, Aurora with Phillip or Rapunzel and Flynn. Mary Poppins joins Bert in Fantasyland, while Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana meet guests in the Enchanted Glade in Liberty Square.

And here are some of the "Limited Time Magic" surprises at Disneyland Resort:

• Cupcake Lovers: Chefs have prepared a specially themed Valentine's dessert: a chocolate cupcake with raspberry mousse filling and dark chocolate mousse frosting. It will be available at Jolly Holiday Bakery Café inDisneyland park; Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café and Pacific Wharf Café inDisney California Adventure park; and Disneyland Hotel Coffee House.
• Romantic Setting: Guests will feel the romance at every turn, as heart-shaped signage and sweetheart-themed décor adorn Disneyland park, making it an ideal place to celebrate Valentine's week.
• Blushing Castle: At dusk, hues of red and pink will bathe Sleeping Beauty Castle, with projections of flowers and hearts.
• Floral Heart: A giant floral heart makes a sweet setting for a Valentine photo, in Town Square, Main Street, U.S.A., in Disneyland park.
• Valentine Wishes: Flowers, garlands and decorative doves will create a second ideal photo location around Snow White Wishing Well near Sleeping Beauty Castle. At night, magical lighting adds a romantic touch to the wishing well and Snow White Grotto.
• Disneyland Sweethearts: Also near Town Square, guests will find a photo location with resident Disneyland sweethearts – Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck.
• Dinners for Two: Romantic dinners for two with prix fixe menus will be offered at select restaurants during the most romantic week of the year. Specially created menus at Blue Bayou and Café Orleans in Disneyland park,Carthay Circle Restaurant in Disney California Adventure park, Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel or Napa Rose inDisney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spamake ideal choices for a romantic evening. To book call 714-781-DINE (714-781-3463).
• Valentine's-themed Takeaways: Limited-edition pins, plush, newly designed apparel and Vinylmations will be available at select merchandise locations.
• Ears for your Sweetheart: The classic Disneyland ear hat gets a total glitz makeover just in time for the most romantic time of the year. It will dazzle your Valentine and become the most sophisticated pair of ears in your collection.
• Royal Romance: Guests will enjoy a rare opportunity to get photos of Disney Princes as they escort their Princesses along The Royal Walk in Fantasyland. In New Orleans Square, guests will find another pair of sweethearts, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen.
• In Search of True Love: Guests may also encounter the Wandering Wallflowers, in search of "true love."

For more information about "Limited Time Magic," check www.LimitedTimeMagic.com or use the Twitter hashtag #LimitedTimeMagic.

Celebrating True Love Week with 'Limited Time Magic' Surprises at Disney Parks by Thomas Smith: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog

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Next gen Xbox

This seems pretty cool, but not something I would spring for just yet. Now if it cleaned the house then yes. 

From the Technabob blog:

Next-Gen Xbox to Feature Siri-esque Voice Control Tech Says Rumor

Posted: 08 Feb 2013 01:00 PM PST

We're almost certain that next-generation Xbox and PlayStation game consoles will be launching this year. Rumors continue to point to the first unveil of the consoles sometime before E3 with a launch later this year for both products. While the next-generation Xbox had been expected to debut before the next-generation PlayStation, that no longer seems the case with the PS4 all but a sure thing for a February 20th reveal.

A new rumor is making the rounds today that the next Xbox (aka the "Xbox 720″) will support more sophisticated voice control technology than is currently offered by the Kinect. According to the rumor, the Durango, which is the codename for the next-generation Xbox, will feature support for "wake on voice." That would mean you could turn the console on using your voice. The console is also tipped to support natural language controls, which should be a major improvement over the current voice commands. The voice control technology is said to be similar to Apple's Siri technology, allowing you to ask things like "what are my friends playing." A speech-to-text capability could also allow for faster text messages and data entry without need for a keyboard.

Microsoft is also reportedly investigating the ability to allow Kinect sensors to detect the individuals in a room and suggest appropriate multiple player games. 

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OMG - massive gamer collection....

For sale. Sure if I had that much money I would consider it. Wowza. 

From the Technabob blog:

30 Years Worth of Gaming Products in One Massive Auction: Over 9000-in-1

Posted: 08 Feb 2013 12:00 PM PST

We've featured a handful of videogame collections forsale, but this one takes the cake. eBay membervideogames.museum is selling what amounts to uhm, a videogame museum. Hundreds of consoles, thousands of games and hundreds upon hundreds of accessories and promo items.

The collection includes more than 330 consoles, from the Atari 2600 to the current generation consoles and everything in-between, including rare variants as well as obscure flops like the Virtual Boy, the Gizmondo and the Nokia N-Gage. There are also more than 6,850 games; the seller claims that he has completed all the games from some franchises, including Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, Castlevania, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Sakura Wars and Super Robot Taisen. There are also controllers, action figures, magazines, strategy guides and countless other stuff.

If you still don't appreciate just how insane this collection is, videogames.museum has this to say: "I spent the last two months of my life taking pictures and making lists, working about eight hours a day just in order to make an inventory and to figure out what I have. Even now after all the time spent checking things I'm not sure to have included all in the lists…" You can download that list as a pdf file. It is 135 pages long.

        

Videogames.museum is asking at least $550,000 (USD)for all of these goodies. He may also be persuaded to sell off the items per lot, but he'd really rather sell them as one package. Although I wouldn't be surprised if he'll gladly pay anyone who'll get the N-Gage off his hands. You can check out a lot more pictures of the collection on hisImageshack account.

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Walking Dead

From the Technabob blog:

This is creepy and cool all at the same time. 

The Walking Dead Season Three Blu-ray Box is a Real Head Case

Posted: 08 Feb 2013 10:00 AM PST

Season three of The Walking Dead may still be airing, but it is never too soon to get a sneak peek at the case for the limited-edition Blu-ray set. MTV Geek has outed the collectible packaging, and it's nice and gruesome and features a replica of the Governor's head-filled aquarium.

This is a must have for Walking Dead fans and I'm sure it is creepier than anything you have on display on your shelf already. This Blu-ray case was a collaboration between Robert Kirkman and McFarlane Toys comes with five plastic decapitated heads – all nicely decayed and nasty as you'd expect. It's even got LED illumination to proudly showcase your floating heads.

If you collect Blu-Ray sets and love this show, you will want to get this one when it is eventually released.

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