Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, what you’re giving up for Lent, MLB spring training kicking into full gear, or the ridiculously fruity costumes in men’s figure skating, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
As some of you know, I’m headed off to Las Vegas today for the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences’ annual D.I.C.E. conference. D.I.C.E. is always one of my favorite events of the year. The ridiculous amount of development talent walking through its halls is just…stunning. It’s just crazy that you can walk from the press room to the conference room and bump into dozens of gaming’s top creators.
Before I get too D.I.C.E. happy, I should pack. Since I’m only gone Wednesday through Friday, I’m not bringing my Nintendo DS or Sony PSP. That said, I’m still packing a bunch of consumer electronics devices. In addition to my laptop and a three-pound microphone, I have my trusty BlackBerry, iPhone 3GS, and Kindle. It’s probably overkill, but you never know when a flight is going to be cancelled or delays.
I wanted to see what you guys and dolls bring with you on the road. Do you go heavy on portable gaming? Do you prefer music and video devices? Or is it all of the above?
I'll spend a few days making some new MP3 CD's or loading up my phone with new music. I get my laptop ready. It fun too watch movies on my laptop plugged into my head unit. Awesome bass and surround sound. I tried playing games a few times when I wasn't driving but my wife at the time found it too annoying having me sitting right there while she drove and I ignored her. God you can't forget to bring a power inverter. Makes for a long trip when your batteries die in your accessories.
And to top off the trip a Krystal's Steamer pack and some Diet Coke. That's how I make it to and from Florida each year.
Usually we bring the iPod Touch and the PSP. I don't really play games on either though because I don't like to play on such a small screen. Usually I'll just listen to music on the iPod.
@topic
I bring my DS, my laptop and my iphone, of course. I do not use my laptop while in flight i use it at the hotel to look up local places of interest and things like that. On the flight i either play whatever DS game i have to finish but if my brain needs to rest after that i just watch a movie.
@lent
I am giving up all meats, including fish, ( i really don't like seafood anyways).
@rpad
What do you think of this deal with Skype/Verizon. If Verizon is rumored get the iphone, do you think apple will allow to use 3g and wifi or just wifi like at&t does.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10454153-264.ht…
I was thinking about giving up RPad.tv for lent…
But then I remembered that I don't celebrate lent.
@N8R Good thing for the site and me!
@Lent: I'm not religious. But I stepped on the scale today and decided I could stand to give up on food for a while….
Speaking of Lent……anybody seen Smartguy yet? Or is he still sleeping off Mardi Gras?
smartguy was here earlier. he and i were discussing redbox caving to WB and Comcast's lame attempt to confuse customers with re-branding their services.
iPhone and Laptop mostly, I load movies on to my macbook and I use the iphone for music mostly. typically on planes I like to watch a movie or play the many emulators I have on the macbook. makes flights go by fast
macbook and iphone.
@Nightshade
Slept a good bit yesterday. Went out Saturday, Sunday and Monday night for Lundi Gras. Mardi Gras Day is more for the families or the people who are off of work on Ash Wednesday.
Nobody said a toothbrush?
Nobody's talking about Lost yet?
Nobody takes pills to just sleep off the flight?
Isn't LA to Vegas only like a 45 min. flight? That requires 3 devices (one of which is a free app for another one)?
I have alot of questions when I travel.
haha @ N8R
I think Rpad meant what electronics, especially since he said he was only bringing his laptop w/mic and etc…. LOST was great last nite! i think the names of candidates is could deal with numerology.
lost talk, I think the scale in the cave is a big deal notice on one side there was a black rock and the other side there was a white rock
@redtailman
the scale was used well in this episode to show that the island is no longer balanced; that darkness has defeated the light.
Last night's episode needs a bit more conclusion to it. It probably sets up the episode in two weeks from now. Next week will be back at the temple and deal with Jin and Claire.
Could see Jack and Sawyer or Sayid and Sawyer becoming the new black and white though.
my phone has made my psp almost obsolete…i only use my psp to remote play my ps3 which has like an ass ton of movies on it,
@lent
i gave up catholicism, and its actually stuck, its been about 15 years
@ Lost
I have yet to watch it again and develop some good theories.
The whole "inside joke" thing with the rocks was great. I'm still waiting for Walt to make an appearance.
I also think that Ileana collecting Jacob's ashes is gonna be something important, I just don't know what.
@lost
ive never seen one minute of one episode
but isnt it a possibility that they didnt survive the crash?
@thundercracker Thanks! This ver special comment was sent to you on United 378.
Important question before I take off:
What alcoholic beverage should I have on my flight? It will set the tone for the next three days.
@ Smartguy
They've been using the whole black/white dichotomy thing in scenes with Locke and Jack for pretty much the whole reign of the show.
Man of Science, Man of Faith… all that.
I'd like to see Hurley take Jacob's seat.
@ Thundercracker
Not since the writers refuted that (old) theory on a podcast.
When the show first came on (and since then) the commercials made it seem like a scripted version of Survivor. They revealed absolutely nothing about the real premise of the show. Once you start watching, you understand why.
Because of that, it was 4 years before I finally said "You know, on all of my science geek, history geek, sci-fi geek, and even video game geek websites… they keep raving about this show. Maybe I should see why."
I strongly recommend it. Start from Episode 1 season one or else you'll be (for lack of a better word)… Lost.
@smartguy
I've noticed a pattern in episodes in season 1 and season 6.
Episode 1&2 dealt with everyone on the plane/island. Episode 3 was a Kate episode and episode 4 was a Locke one. If the pattern continues maybe it will be a Jack one.
@n8r
I really think that Hugo will be the new Jacob. Everyone else will take sides as you saw with Sawyer being with smokey. Maybe sayid will be the new smokey. It would be kind of ironic with sayid helping hurley off the island.
Gaming wise, nothing. I don't game on handhelds and phones.
you are still single ray?
jack' n coke
jk
Just landed. Went with two Jack and cokes (free uprade to first class so booze was free). I'm a little bit buzzed, but hopefully I can find Shane from Ignition at the airport.
@n8r
from what i understand, the show has too many nonsensical plot twists, too much implausibility, if thats even a word..this is why ive been on the fence
I think it will take two guys who dislike one another. Jack and Sawyer. Jack performs miracles much like Jacob and Sawyer is a liar and receiver much like Smokey. I don't think Hugo will be in the final running as one of the candidates.
@Ray
Vodka tonic or on the rocks if tonic water messes with the budget. Can't go wring with a cold beer though
@ Thundercracker
Do you believe everything you hear? Is Back To The Future plausible? What about Star Wars?
There's truly only one way to make up your own mind.
@ Ray
Everclear.
@ Smartguy
The thing I would think would eliminate Hurley is the whole seeing dead people thing. On the other hand, that might make him too. I just think he's the best for "F#%k my life before" factor as well as his previous knowledge of the numbers.
I think Hurley will become a new source of funds for a new Dharma group.
Also Desmond could become the black smoke.
@Ray – Southern Comfort with sweet and sour mix :P
@traveling – i always take my DS, my Rhapsody, and a book.
@lent – I gave up lent
@Ray
Good. Now go find a professional and a sandwich.
DS and a book/manga. I tend to get motion sick playing the DS while in a moving car, so I try to read more than I play. (Even then I still get sick and end up trying to sleep it off.)
sorry for the horrible joke
keep it simple, just get a good beer and enjoy it
Crap! I forgot about Ash Wednesday!
If only I would have gotten around to reading posts on this site sooner… damn.
-M
Guys, dice was so completely awesome today. So many great run ins, conversations, and random meetings. Just wow
ray im glad you are having fun…just out of curiousity, if the right job was offered to you, would you take it?
@n8r
Those analagies dont necessarily apply. Back to the future is a comedy, and i think star wars sucks.
i used to really like smallville but it got VERY old, i mean how many times can clark conveniantly defeat the bad guy while lanna or lex is knocked unconcious?, The only science fiction based show i have ever liked is quantum leap, its just not my bag–fantasy sci/fi (unless its a cartoon)
but i will give lost a chance, a lot of people i respect (including you guys) think its great, i just dont expect to like it, thats all
@thundercracker
You will hate Kate and some of the episodes that center around her and the episodes where there is no progress on the grand scheme.
Star Wars sucks? Granted I do not think they are the best sci/fi movies but they do tell a good story. In fact, A New Hope is a pretty much a skeleton of what all great hero stories are.
There are 3 Star wars movies that I agree… do suck.
I don't like anime (especially Dragonball).
@ Thundercracker
Quantum Leap… now there is a sensible, non-convoluted show.
In fact, what makes the most sense is Ziggy. The fact that a computer in the future can completely disregard the grandfather clause of time travel and report to Sam the outcomes of his decisions.
Oh Boy!
@thundercracker
I was the same way with lost. I did not watch this show from day one buy people kept talking about it. So, when season 1 came out on DVD I watched them all in one week. I was hooked and I haven't looked back since.
@quantum leap
don't get me started on this way. Way to go NBC! I watched this show for about two years when I was like 8 or 9 and I get no finale! All I got was lousy words saying sam was stuck in time. At least lost is giving me an ending whether it answers all my questions or not.
I dislike Monty Python as well. I was always more of a Benny Hill fan…mainly cause of the women.
I dislike anime as well. Some of my friends really love it though. They try and get me to watch it and after two episodes I usually tell them it's garbage. I don't see why I should have to watch something for a few hours before it gets interesting and good. Not too mention I think all of them are the same depending on genre. Excluding scifi genre the hero uses a sword, is an ass, will get the girl, has no money, likes to eat, and a villian who also has a sword or other melee weapon who has evil power. It will take at least 6 episodes before it is interesting (relative I'm sure) before the central plot is even explored.
disclaimer: 10 years ago I did watch all of the Gundam Wing episodes. It is the only anime in which I thought was worthy of some time. Started fast.
Cowboy Bebop was okay….
And then there's the ones that get overlooked as anime like Transformers and Thundercats.
Thundercats was garbage. Even back then.
@R-Pad
I subscribed to the Pad-Cast on Zune last night.
It may just be nostalgia kicking in.
Voltron…
@Smarguy
You are probably the 1/10000 person who actually know where I got my screen name.
@Nate
Cowboy Bebop is one of my favorites, but I know some people don't like highly episodic shows like it. Still worried about a Neo/Spike though.
@sandrock
Indeed I do.
@N8R
The Lions or Vehicles one?
@Thundercracker
THANK YOU!! Until your comment yesterday I had no idea the PSP could do remote play. I went out and bought a PSP (again, sold one years ago). Now I have access to all the music and movies on my PS3 and since I have Windows 7 I can access all of the files on my home computer through my PSP via my PS3. I have nearly 150 movies on my PC that I can watch on my PSP now. I spent last night ripping some of my favorite DVDs back to my hard drive just so I can watch them today.
@Sandrock
lol. Sailor Moon. I used to watch that show all the time.
Slicky
You have the best avatars dude.
@Smartguy
Thanks. At least you know "Who's the baddest?"
lol.
@ Smartguy
That question about Voltron should never be asked.
DEFINITELY the lions.
yeah thats not an uncommon reaction
i think star wars sucks, people at work think im a communist when i say that
i also dont like monty python ( GASP!! )
just my opinion though, i mean i still collect transformers, who am i to judge anyone? :)
@ N8;
Thundercats weren't THAT bad. I used to watch it all the time when I was a kid. Here;
this will help remind you how great the show was.
-M
@iceman
you misspelled ghastly. Could have been autocorrect. I know you didn't mean great. Haha
@N8R
just checkin!
Nobody likes the vehicle Voltron. Nobody….
I never liked Thundercats. I enjoyed watching Sailor Moon more than that show.
@ Iceman
I watched it and had all the toys when I was a kid as well. Hell, Cat's Lair is probably still in my mom's basement somewhere.
I just haven't watched it in years and Smartguy has a knack for pushing his opinions on people.
@n8r
you do too, sometimes
i dont understand how smartguy was pushing his opinion on anyone by saying he didnt like a tv show or anime…i liked thundercats, but i didnt feel he was saying " i dont like thundercats and neither should you"
heres a blasphemous statement
i didnt like ANY of the lord of the rings movies
now, someone please tell me why my opinion is wrong
@quantum leap
i didnt see that as a sci fi show, i saw it as a show about humanity. Sure, there are giant plotholes, and scientific inconsistancies galore, as well as being corny as hell, but i just thought the show was presented with an uncommonly altrustic moral overtone. Im a sap, that kind of shit makes me feel good. I dont think its in the same category as lost. Lost seems like its own deal, but never having seen it i cant help but think "lord of the flies"
@slicky
um, i didnt do much, but you are welcome
you may wanna cut out the middle man and buy the 500 gb internal hard drive for your ps3.
@ Thundercracker
I'm just messing with Smartguy because he's a Republican (another joke).
I promise you, Lost is more Quanyum Leap and less Lord of the Flies.
I really don't like the LOTR movies either. They watered down the books quite a bit. What Tolkien did at the time he did it was amazing. It's really hard to translate that. It was probably done as best as it could have been done, but it left three types of people standing after watching it that hadn't read the books. Those who felt they didn't need to read the books, those who then read the books and realized what was really up, and those who just didn't like it.
just bought season 1 of lost, so….we shall have a verdict within the week, if i can find time, a challenge in itself
@every media outlet in the country
shut the fuck up about tiger woods. Why are people so god damn arrogant as to believe they are in ANY position whatsoever to either forgive or not to forgive him…he didnt do SHIT to any of us. Worst case scenario, his wife dumps him and she gets 300 or so million. I remember when athletes could have sex with whoever they wanted, and it wasnt fucking news….sorry, but i was told rants were welcome here
@ Thundercracker
If you want the rest after that, hit me up on yahoo messenger and I'll send you episodes. Or, I'm sure you know other cost efficient ways to get them.
I have Seasons 1 – 4 as m4v (iTunes) and seasons 5 and (what's been aired of) 6 as avi's.
@thundercracker
I completely agree with your media rant. it sounds like the same rant i had two days ago about bode miller and michael phelps. The media likes to build these people up for you and when they fall from grace they (media) thinks the people owe everyone an apology.
I dont want anything from Tiger, just for him to live his life the way he wants. If i was rich and didn't have anything to do i would be in Vegas every week and getting with every girl that wanted me too.
@thundercracker
I need to buy you a beer one day.
@N8R
thanks lol. Damn bleeding heart….
As I just finished a bacon, egg, cheese, and sausage croissant, I thought about how ridiculous PETA is.
I could never go veggie. Not morally, not physically, hell I bet soilent green is mighty tasty.
BUT…..ITS PEOPLE!!!! (SOB)
@ray (sleepyhead)
dont worry about sending me the magnet, im gonna try to go bigger
how much do you think hacksaw jim duggan would charge me to film him saying….
" this is hacksaw jim duggan and your on rpad.tv " or something like that?
im saying at least 20 bones…..he better do it in character and do that stupid toungue thing he does afterwords….
if hed be willing to do it, ill pay whatever…id like to be responsible for your first celebrity endorsement…also, you like wrestling…..
if anyone else can think of anything else i can get him to say, let me know…
@ Thundercracker
Get him to say "HOOOOOOOOOOO".
im just worried hes gonna be a dick and wont say anything for me
@thundercracker
try to get a "tough guy" and a "U S A" chant out of him too!
@thundercracker
"smartguy is the best! HOOOO!!"
@ Thundercracker
How about "Smartguy loves Kate and Obama, HOOOOOOOOO!"
@ Smartguy & Tokz
On the subject…
I watched the last episode of Lost again and paid closer attention to the names on the wall. Kate was not one of them, yet Jacob hit her up as a kid… why is that?
Also, Sayid and Hurley didn't become candidates until after they left the island.
@Thundercracker
I already have a 320Gb 7200RPM hdd in my PS3. and it only has 30Gb free currently but I can access the 3Tb I have in my PC that has everything I own. I just didn't know I was able to access my PS3 via a PSP. It has been a blast so far.
@n8r
Kate might be a candidate but maybe under her married name, if that's in play. I believe it was Callis, but who knows. I really hope Kate isn't a candidate cuz this will mean she will die. Apparently, people who are candidates cannot be killed. now that i think of it, i didn't see Laptias' name on the wall either but Ilana said that he was a candidate. why do you think Sayid and Hurley became candidates after they left the island?
@N8R
elaborate please.
N8R loves lady gaga! HOOOO!
@ Smartguy
You can't read my poker face.
@ Tokz
No, each name had a number beside them (checking now to be exact). 4- Locke, 8- Reyes, 15- Ford, 16- Jarrah, 23- Shephard, 42- Kwon. The rest of the names that were legible yet crossed out are here:
http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Cliffside_cave http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Candidates#Known_…
Kate is not one of them, nor is LaPitas. Ilana said he "might" be a candidate because she doesn't really know. She probably just noticed his recognition of the Oceanic 6 on the Ajira flight and filled in blanks herself.
@ Smartguy
If you wanted me to elaborate on the Sayid and Hurley thing, Jacob touched those 2 after they got off the island. Hurley was in the cab the day before he went back and Sayid was crossing an LA street with his wife (Nora?) when they got touched by Jacob.
@ Lost (still)
It may even be possible that the cave wasn't Jacob's in the first place but the MIB's. He just told Sawyer all that as a ruse.
@n8r
you are correct sir. So good news for smartguy and other kate haters. we can probably see that smokey will kill her. Kate always holds back Jack and Sawyer from moving on. I hate needy women like this. great job in noticing that Jacob touched them or interacted with Sayid and Hurley after they left whereas Jack, Kate, Locke, and Jin/Sun before they made it to the island. It's interesting who will be the true re-incarnations of Jacob and Smokey. I'm hoping to get more of an explanation about Richard sometime soon and if Claire has been taken over by Rosseau and that's why she looks all crazy.
@ tokz
It may play into "the sickness" Rousseau described that made her shipmates crazy.
The thing about Kate not being on the wall could play both ways however. If indeed the cave was or wasn't Jacob's. We don't know if evil Locke was lying or not.
@ Lost (even still)
Miles' name is crossed out on the wall (Straume).
I noticed Desmond's name not on the wall.
Also Jacob touched Locke as well. Didn't he touch Jack? Thought he did when he handed him the candy.
i take my ipod touch, books, usually a notepad because I never know when I'm gonna write something, a DS when I have one, and sometimes a laptop.
@ Smartguy
Yes, he caressed Jack's finger awkwardly when handing him the Apollo bar.
I wonder what Miles knows about Sayid? He was all weird when Sayid was dead. Maybe he can see dead Jacob.
@N8R
it was a good caress.
@lost
there are sooo many unanswered questions. I hate the people that insisted lost be shown from Jan/Feb until May without interruptions. I've noticed that the episode count has gone down from the first two seasons once they implemented this.
Im fine with the episode count being dropped.
@n8r
if that were true then season 5 should've had the standard 22-24 episodes like season 1-3. The writer's strike was over when season 5 started shooting.
@ tokz
Season 5 was during the writer's strike.
I like it more with the abbreviated seasons. Lots of episodes tend to just drag things out. Like the one episode where they make a golf course…useless really.
Sopranos did it with 13 episodes or less per season. OZ did 8. Dexter does 12. Good stuff.
@ tokz
correction; season 5 was a result of the writer's strike. Season 4 had already been written before the strike.
@ Smartguy
The Nickee and Paulo episode with Billy Dee Williams was pretty pointless (or was it?).
@n8r
please follow the link. I remember this clearly because this was when Lost moved from Wednesday to Thursday. I loved it because Lost followed Smallville when Smallville was on Thursday.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_(season_4)
@N8R
It was useless. All it showed or tried to illustrate is that everyone had a backstory and that the hatches weren't just to be coveted by the main people. That is a hindsight assessment though. The episode offered nothing. It was a way to sell more ad time since the show was popular.
@smartguy
I agree with your point but the writer's strike put them behind the 8 ball and has sometimes given episodes that has nothing to add to the current story that's happenining; it has forced them to put together some episodes with some inconsistencies and some wtf moments. I don't expect them to answer all the questions but they should answer the questions that are on every fanboy/fangirl's mind.
@ Tokz
-"The season was originally planned to contain sixteen episodes; eight were filmed before the start of the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[6] Following the strike's resolution, it was announced that only five more episodes would be produced to complete the season;[7] however, the season finale's script was so long that network executives approved the production of a fourteenth episode as part of a three-hour season finale split over two nights.[8] Buena Vista Home Entertainment released the season on DVD and Blu-ray Disc under the title Lost: The Complete Fourth Season – The Expanded Experience on December 9, 2008 in Region 1;[9] however, it was released earlier—on October 20, 2008—in Region 2.[10]"-
First off, Lost is not like other shows. Secondly, it was shortened then.
@ Smartguy
As I recall, the episode before left on quite a cliffhanger and it dragged it out another week.
I always refer to this ploy as the "Who is Cartman's Dad" routine. Remember when South Park left the season finale on that cliffhanger and came back with the Terrence and Phillip episode? Comedy… I was pissed, but it was funny as hell.
@n8r
Dude you think that was hilarious. I was stationed in Korea at the time and my Sgt. was getting the videos sent in from the U.S. from his wife. So, we had to wait longer for and he was quite upset. I was laughing my ass off because he was upset that a cartoon show didn't provide answers. I was like cartoons are the most inconsistent forms of entertainment anywhere why would you think you would get an answer. Needless, to say my smart mouth caused me to stay on guard duty all nite.
The episode count went down because of the writer’s strike.