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Vaping Diaries #224: NeoVapeTek E-Liquid Interview (Chris Chapman)

Following up on my chat on the unique NeoVapeTek Venturi RDA, here’s an interview on the company’s upcoming vaping e-liquids. At E-Cig City 4 in Riverside, I hung out with NeoVapeTek head of e-liquid research Christopher Chapman. He told me about his background as a vaper and how he got into juice making, as well as three of the company’s launch flavors and what’s coming next.

I’ve tried two NeoVapeTek e-liquids and been pleasantly surprised by the flavors. As a former clove cigarette smoker, I was curious about NeoVapeTek’s Dejarum blend. There aren’t too many clove juices out there and most of the ones I’ve tried were a little bit off (or more). Dejarum is on point. In the interview, Chris talks about exploring the culinary uses of clove and adding complementary ingredients in order to achieve an accurate approximation of clove cigarettes. The other NeoVapeTek juice I’ve been enjoying is Are Why’s Mallow. This is a unique twist on the RY4 formula — arguably the most duplicated and imitated flavor in vaping. Wanting to stand out from the crowd, Chris experimented with numerous complementary flavors until finding toasted marshmallow. As a huge RY4 fan, I’ve found this unique take on the flavor quite compelling. Lastly, Chris talks about Orango Tango, which is his partner’s favorite e-liquid in the NeoVapeTek launch lineup.

In addition to talking about the company’s six launch flavors, Chris discusses what he’s working on and what flavors you can expect next from NeoVapeTek. I’ll be giving his juices a full review in the near future. For now, kindly check out the interview above to learn more about the company’s efforts in the e-liquid space. If you have a chance, please let me know which of the company’s launch flavors you’re most interested in (leave your pick in the comments section…please!).

Special thanks to Handsome Vapers Club for introducing me to the NeoVapeTek crew!

Coffee Talk #642: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan

One of the most frequent arguments I’ve heard between wrestling fans is about “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan. Both are cited as the biggest WWE Superstar of all time and there are compelling arguments for both wrestlers. Naturally, I want to hear your opinion on the matter. Several of you are longtime smarks and I’m sure that you’ll make excellent cases for both WWE Superstars. Before you make your pick, let’s take a closer look at the Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan issue.

Fans that pick Austin as the greatest WWE Superstar of all time point to the fact that he was the top guy during the most popular era in the business. He has sold more merchandise than any other pro-wrestler. Working a program with boxing great “Iron” Mike Tyson, Austin was part of the biggest crossover angle in wrestling history and garnered a ton of mainstream coverage. He has had all-time great matches with Bret “The Hitman” Hart, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, The Rock, and more. His mic work and sketches are some of the best in WWE history. I’ll never forget the awesome sight and sound of Steve Austin smashing a bedpan on Vince McMahon’s head.

On the downside, Austin’s career was cut short due to a number of injuries. In addition to having knees that were beat up to hell, he suffered a serious neck injury from a botched piledriver delivered by Owen Hart. While the injury helped Austin develop his character on the mic and through sketches, it probably shaved of a decade or so from his in-ring work.

Hulk Hogan supporters point to the fact that the man took wrestling to the mainstream. He was the top guy for a ridiculously long time and paved the way for future WWE Superstars. He’s had dozens of iconic moments, perhaps none bigger than when he bodyslammed Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III. His interviews were legendary and he was a master at getting fans charged up. Unlike Austin, Hogan was a main-event guy in both WWE and WCW, selling out arenas around the world for both companies.

Hogan detractors point to the fact that he was never all that good in the ring. His work in TNA Wrestling (arguably) tarnished his legacy. While Austin’s in-ring work had to stop because of injury, Hogan kept on going…and that resulted in some really ugly matches. Austin fans say that Hogan never achieved the merch and ratings numbers that Stone Cold did.

Now it’s your turn! Kindly vote in the poll below and make your case in the comments section. It’s Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan time — fight!!!

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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, the alarming rumors of a Nutella shortage, Curt Schilling battling mouth cancer, or Mick Foley’s daughter getting hot, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Vaping Diaries #223: NeoVapeTek Venturi Atomizer Interview

At a recent LA Vapers Club meeting, I met NeoVapeTek’s head of hardware production & design, Jack Dallas. He told me all about the Venturi atomizer, one of the most unique vaping products I’ve seen in 2014. While there are loads of rebuildable dripping atomizers (RDAs) geared towards cloud chasers, there aren’t many that are made with flavor fiends in mind. As someone that’s way more concerned about flavor than vapor, I was excited about the Venturi atomizer. After using it for a week, I’ve been extremely impressed by this novel RDA. A full review is in the works, but before I get to that, let’s learn more about the Venturi atomizer from its creator.

With its atypical design, I naturally wanted to learn more about how this unique vaping product came to be, so I met up with Jack at E-Cig City 4 in Riverside. He told me a great story of how the design for the Venturi atomizer randomly came to him while he was taking a shower. He also spoke about the number of revisions the product went through, his unusually great customer service, and what’s next for NeoVapeTek. The company has a number of additional caps for the Venturi atomizer, including brass and copper models, as well as the C-Cap that’s made for cloud chasers. Jack’s next product will most likely be a Genesis-style atomizer, with a box mod likely to follow. If his future products stand out and perform the way the Venturi atomizer does, then you’ll definitely want to keep you eyes out for NeoVapeTek’s future wares.

As I said earlier, a Venturi atomizer review is currently being worked on, so stay tuned for that (please). Later in the week, I’ll post a video with Chris Chapman, the gentleman that handles the e-liquid side of NeoVapeTek. Former clover cigarette smokers will definitely want to check out that video. (*tease*)

Special thanks to Handsome Vape Club for introducing me to the NeoVapeTek crew!

Coffee Talk #641: Turtles Forever Negates the Crap TMNT Movie

As I mentioned in my last column, I was pretty much disgusted by the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. If movies could hear, I would invoke the immortal words of Butt-Head and tell the 2014 TMNT movie, “You’re a miserable piece of crap.” I haven’t been that traumatized by a movie since Green Lantern (that one still haunts my dreams). Thankfully, the dreadfulness of the new TMNT movie was washed away by the delightful Turtles Forever. This made-for-TV movie is great for all kinds of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans, whether they love the original 1984 black-and-white comics, the goofy 1987 cartoon, or the surprisingly slick 2003 animated update. If you’re a fan of any or all of those incarnations of the Turtles then I highly recommend watching Turtles Forever.

Turtles Forever starts off in the 2003 setting, where the modern Turtles are surprised by the 1987 team. Due to some time traveling mayhem, the characters from the 1987 show are transported to the 2003 show. It’s fun watching them interact with each other. The 1987 is campy to the core; they excel at making silly jokes, breaking the fourth wall by talking to the audience, and defeating villains with trash cans. The 2003 Turtles are more serious and, aside from 2003 Michaelangelo, think the 1987 Turtles are a bunch of goofballs. The contrast between 1987 Shredder and 2003 Shredder is even greater. Those two should have an abusive comedy spin-off of Turtles Forever.

After some plot development and a brief visit to the 1987 world, the two Turtle teams head to 1984 to meet the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As a big, big fan of the comics, I marked out for this chapter in the story. The black-and-white art style was fantastically on point. I loved the overuse of dramatic lightning (a parody of Frank Miller’s style) and my inner fanboy swooned when dialogue from the original comics was used in Turtles Forever. Again, it was fun watching the 2003 and 1987 teams interact with the originals. There’s even a brief cameo by the original Shredder, which lasts about as long as his first appearance in the comics.

The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is what happens when Michael Bay and his minions take something you loved in your childhood and try to update it in a misguided manner. It lacked the charm and sharpness of the comics and the first movie. It sucked the clever joy out of the source material (originally a parody of grim and gritty comics) and replaced it with lots of explosions. Turtles Forever does a much better job at blending old and new, because it literally takes the new, old, and older Turtles teams. While they’re blended into a single animated movie, each team is allowed to stand on their own and shine in their own unique way. Turtles Forever is vastly superior to the new TMNT movie and I’d love for you to check it out. Give it a watch and let me know what you think (please!).

Vaping Diaries #222: Illuminati Vapor Erik Todorovich Interview

I first came across Illumunati Vapor in a Vapor Liq subscription box. The company’s Lion e-liquid quickly became one of my favorites. This mix of vanilla custard and ube (known as purple yam to white people) was striking. Vanilla custard is an extremely popular e-liquid flavor, while Ube is used in many Asian desserts. When these flavors combine, they ~~form Voltron~~ come together for a unique and delicious dessert vape. Lion stands out from the numerous vanilla custard juices on the market and it made me want to learn more about Illuminati Vapor.

Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Illuminati Vapor owner Erik Todorovich at Monster Vape Lounge. We chatted about how the company got started, three of his e-liquid flavors (Lion, Veritas, and Live Forever), what the company has planned for the upcoming Electronic Cigarette Convention (ECC), FDA regulations, and more.

Earlier in June, I tried the company’s Veritas e-liquid. This lovely mix or blueberry and lemon meringue was most excellent. Objectively, I like it even more than Lion. Subjectively, I will always say that Lion is better…because I’m Asian-American and have to give props to the creative use of ube. I’ll be doing a review on some Illuminati Vapor juices in the future, so stay tuned for that.

I’ll also be chatting again with Erik at ECC 2014. The company has some interesting things in the works for the show. Flavors are being relaunched and Illuminati Vapor has plans that will appeal to vapers that are into the collectible aspect of the hobby. As a collector nerd (comics, videogames, etc.), I’m curious to see what the Illuminati Vapor has in store.

Check out my Illuminati Vapor interview when you have a chance and let me know what you think. Do any of the company’s flavors appeal to you? Are you interested in juice companies getting into collectibles? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Coffee Talk #640: Who’s Your Favorite Ninja?

I recently saw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot and was incredibly disappointed. The movie is a wretched piece of crap that tarnishes the TMNT franchise and is an embarrassment to ninjas around the world. Thankfully, I watched a superior TMNT movie (more on that later this week) to cleanse my palette. The whole ordeal got me thinking about ninjas and wanting to discuss ninjas with you. There are so many awesome ninjas from comic books, movies, television, and videogames. Who are some of your favorites? Let’s use today’s Coffee Talk column to discuss the wonderful world of ninjas.

Michael Dudikoff (American Ninja): I have a feeling that many of you will choose Dudikoff as your top pick. That’s a completely understandable selection. As a gaggle of British videogame developers once told me, American Ninja is the pinnacle of American cinema. Dudikoff — possibly the most underrated action star in movie history — totally makes this series and shows that a white man can succeed in the Japanese art of ninjutsu.

Lee Van Cleef (Master Ninja): This Western ninja is awesome, simply because he’s so ridiculous. An old Lee Van Cleef is completely unbelievable as a master of ninjutsu. The unbelievability is a fantastic source of unintentional comedy in Master Ninja. In addition to a washed up cowboy playing a ninja, the series also blessed the world with Timothy Van Patton’s gratuitous voiceovers. These two negatives combine for positively awesome entertainment.

Elektra Natchios (Daredevil): On a more serious note, Marvel Comics’ Elektra is one of the most kick-ass women in the history of comics. She’s deadly and ruthless. She made sais cool way before TMNT’s Raphael ever did. She has come back from the dead. She’s been a hero, villain, and anti-hero. Most importantly, she executes all of her ninjutsu bad-assery while wearing clothing that’s completely inappropriate for combat (and way to revealing). On the downside, she was killed by Bullseye and replaced by a Skrull.

Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden): The star of the Ninja Gaiden series and a competitor in the Dead or Alive fighting games, Hayabusa is arguably the most accomplished ninja in the history of videogames. A rare crossover star, he has appeared in some excellent action games and fighting games. He has also made cameos in other games, like Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce and Super Swing Golf: Season 2. Ninjas are generally awesome. A ninja that can play golf is…breathtaking.

Your Picks: Now it’s your turn! Kindly share some of your favorite ninjas from comics, TV, movies, and videogames. Please leave your picks in the comments section.

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, the sad death of Robin Williams, the casting choices for the Saved by the Bell behind-the-scenes movie, or the best meat for fried rice, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Endless Legend Preview

A couple of weeks ago, I caught a demo of Endless Legend, an upcoming 4X strategy game (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) for PC. The game is being developed by Amplitude Studio, the creators of Endless Space. Endless Legend takes place in the same universe as Endless Space, but is set during an earlier time period. As you’d expect from an experienced 4X strategy game developer like Amplitude Studio, Endless Legend is shaping up to be a deep, cerebral, and engrossing experience.

Versatility is one Endless Legend’s fortes. The game accommodates a wide variety of playing styles. The different clans offer various strengths suited to a particular style. Whether you prefer a militaristic offense, an airtight defense, or economic supremacy, Endless Legend offers complex gameplay that will tickle your fancy. Best of all, you can experience the game in different ways, depending on the play style and clan you choose.

Like other 4X strategy games, combat and exploration are heavily featured on the surface level, while intense resource management serves as the game’s underpinning. There are four basic resources in Endless Legend: food, industry, science, and dust. The last one is a resource that can be used for purchasing and maintenance, while one clan uses it in lieu of food. I was told that “influence” serves as a fifth resource of sorts, making it the Brian Epstein of Endless Legend resources (What? No Beatles fans?!?).

Speaking of clans, the developers gave me a quick rundown of some of the factions in Endless Legend. The Wild Walkers are the rough equivalent of elves featured in numerous fantasy games. The Broken Lords are knights and builders, that may or may not have a problem with dust-related vampirism. The Necrophages are evil, zombie-like insectoid beings that aren’t particularly nice. The Roving Clans are renowned for manipulating dust for profit. Lastly, the Vaulters are the science nerds of Endless Legend and their society revolves around ancient technology. The last one was slightly disappointing, as a strategy-game clan comprised of pole vaulters sounded all kinds of awesome. Lastly, I was told that there are up to 16 minor factions that can drastically alter gameplay.

The game’s main quest is divided into eight chapters, with each faction offering a unique experience. While side quests for minor factions are more generic, the developers told me that they aimed for variety with the main factions. In addition to battling, there will be quests that revolve around exploration and economy building. The player will sometimes be given broad goals, with multiple ways to achieve them. For example, the player can be tasked to get 10 of “resource X” and can do so through different means.

From what I was shown, Endless Legend looks like an intense game that will satisfy a very particular type of gamer. While 4X strategy doesn’t have the broadest appeal, gamers that are into it are super into it. Endless Legend looks like a home run for those kinds of gamers. At the same time, the game is surprisingly approachable. Yes, it’s very involved, but it’s also accessible to gamers that are curious about 4X strategy and have never delved into it. It certainly won’t appeal to balls-and-guns gamers, but there’s a chance that Endless Legend will create new 4X strategy fans while satisfying existing ones.

Endless Legend is currently in public beta and available through Steam.

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Vaping Diaries #221: Vapor Liq Michael Carey Interview

Earlier this year, I checked out an e-liquid subscription box from Vapor Liq and was very impressed by what the company offered. Like several of its competitors, Vapor Liq offers top-quality vaping e-liquids from some of the best companies in the business. What makes Vapor Liq stand out is its customization and profiling system — one of the most detailed and user-friendly I’ve encountered. The profiling system is very visual and easy to use, while allowing you to make precise adjustments to your flavor profile. Vapor Liq’s packaging is also some of the best I’ve seen from a juice subscription service.

To get more details about what makes Vapor Liq different from its competitors, I spent some time chatting with company co-founder Michael Carey. He spoke about how the company got started, what makes his service unique, and where the company is headed. Check out the clip above to see why Vapor Liq is one of the best companies in the highly competitive field of vaping e-liquid subscription services.

The Flash Trailer (CW)

Following up on the success of Arrow, The CW Network will continue its comic-book assault with The Flash. One of the DC Universe’s most important superheroes, Flash was blessed with super-speed thanks to a bolt of lightning hitting a batch of chemicals, dousing his body with a mystical concoction. By day, Flash is Barry Allen, a forensics officer in the Central City Police Department. In the comics, Flash is best known for sacrificing his life in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Naturally, the television show will take some liberties and deviate from the source material. According to the official show page, the CW version of Barry Allen was given his powers due to an accident with a S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator. I really don’t have a problem with that origin story, as (in some ways) it makes more sense than a bolt of lightning hitting a bunch of chemicals. While the show description notes some similarities to recent Flash storylines, I’m curious to see if the show will explore the “Speed Force” and how it impacts to the Flash mythos.

The Flash will debut on The CW on October 7, 2014. For now, check out the show’s trailer below and let me know what you think (please!). While Arrow is popular and slick, I’m looking forward to The Flash simply because he’s a nerdier character. Yeah, they’re going to make him beautiful for television and I’m sure there will be some overbearing romance angles, but dude is a science nerd at heart. Any television show that glorifies science nerds is a benefit to society.

Check Out the Dino Skater Trailer (Please!)

Following the super-fun Pogo Plumber, Apptly has released a trailer for its upcoming game Dino Skater. Another old-school platform game from Apptly, Dino Skater features traditional platformer elements like side-scrolling action and coin collecting. Instead of playing as a kindhearted plumber or a speedy hedgehog, you play as a skateboarding dinosaur. As you know, skateboarding dinosaurs are all kinds of awesome, because…skateboarding dinosaur! Dino Skater is a free to play game, with in-app purchases available for “cosmetic upgrades.” When you have a chance, check out the trailer below and let me know if you’re interested in Dino Skater.