Yesterday, I dropped by the newest vape shop in Los Angeles — Viper Vapor LA. Located in Koreatown, the store has been opened for a few weeks and is off to a promising start.
Mod choices include the venerable ProVape ProVari, the Joyetech eVic, and the Kamry K100, as well as various eGo models for those looking for “standard” e-cigs. The sexy and sturdy Vape Affinity glass tanks are available for carto/tank fans. The store will be adding additional hardware, including rebuildable atomizers, in the near future.
The store’s e-liquid choices include juices from Black Label Vape, Illusion, Caterpillar, and White Rhino. The store will stock Pink Spot Vapor juices in the near future. Similar to my experiences with the other LA vape shops that have opened in 2013, there was a lack of good tobbaco e-liquids. The Vapor-Mart has a pair of naturally-extracted tobacco juices, while Vaping Ape LA and Viper Vapor LA have none.
Amenities include a comfy sofa, a pair of tables, and several chairs. A water cooler — a must for any vape shop — is on the way and free WiFi will be available soon. The environment is fun and relaxed, while the owners are friendly, young entrepreneurs. I dig the vibe there and will definitely spend more time at the shop in the future (full disclosure: it’s a few blocks from where I live, so it’s the easiest vape shop for me to hit up).
The Los Angeles vape scene is thriving and I’m jazzed that another vape shop has opened this year. I’m excited to see how Viper Vapor LA will differentiate itself from the competition (one super-exciting idea was thrown around yesterday) and I hope that the store grows into another vaping success story.
Kingdom Come is one of my all-time favorite comic books. Mark Waid wrote a spectacular story that was complemented by Alex Ross’ unforgettable art. Many consider it the pinnacle of both mens’ careers. With all of that in mind, I was curious when a fellow fanboy (thanks Dan!) sent me a link to this Kingdom Come fan film trailer. While some of the costumes aren’t the best, the tone is spot-on and some of the scenes look just like the comic book panels.
Ideally, I would love an animated movie based on Kingdom Come, since Ross’ painted art could mimicked. However, I was impressed with Andrew List’s live-action trailer. Kindly give it a watch and let me know what you think (please!).
Okay. My heel pain has been downgraded to heel soreness. That nasty surprise attack from food poisoning has been vanquished. I still have some remnants of a cold, but it’s not as bad as it was earlier in the week. That means it’s time to play Packing II! Yeah, moving a few weeks before E3 2013…isn’t the best, but it’s time to leave lovely Wilshire Vermont Station and the silly rent hikes. Despite my weakened condition, I’ve managed to get a lot done. Most of my games and CDs have been packed. I’m going to trade in a bunch of DVDs, simply so they won’t take up space in my new apartment. I’m going to move my consoles, coffee gear, and vaping gear myself (priorities). Packing clothes and swag is going to be this weekend’s challenge. The kitchen stuff…I’ll leave that to the movers. Doesn’t this sound like a fun game?
Here’s an interview with Reverb Publishing executive producer Ted Lange on Sanctum 2. The game was developed by Coffee Stain Studios for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. It combines tower-defense strategy and first-person shooter action. Lange talks about improvements made over the original Steam-only game, the different types of levels, the various characters and classes, and more. Check out the interview and let me know if Sanctum 2is something that interests you!
On a side note, I think this is the first videogame interview I’ve done that incorporates vaping. I’ve known Ted for a few years (I think we first met when he was working on the first Guitar Hero games) and I’m thrilled that he has made the switch from smoking to vaping.
My friend and socio-political crush Tara Reed wrote an excellent and insightful blog post on the perils of crowdfunding. She has been using indiegogo to acquire funds for her book Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda: A Novel Approach to Dating. Her first experience with indiegogo…wasn’t the best. While some of the company’s practices are clearly stated, some of them are vague and a potential roadblock for creators trying to get funding for a book, game, project, etc. Tara’s story will help creators understand indiegogo’s system, help them understand how to game it, and hopefully help assist some crowdfunding successes.
I highly recommend reading Tara’s blog post. It’s an informative, interesting, and personal story about how crowdfunding can go wrong. I also recommend checking out Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda. It’s like a Choose Your Own Adventure book with romantic comedy and dating advice elements. As a complete sucker for rom-coms, of course I’m going to dig it!
TNA Wrestling’s Austin Aries has been fined for an on-air incident with announcer Christy Hemme. On the last episode of Impact Wrestling, Hemme announced the wrong tag-team while Aries and partner Bobby Roode were making their way to the ring. A-Double played up his heel persona by getting in Hemme’s face, telling her to announce the correct team, and eventually putting his crotch in her face. TNA president Dixie Carter tweeted that the company “has ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior.” According to TMZ, Aries has been…more
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 dreaded triumvirate of physical pain, flu, and stomach problems, Koreatown’s new vape shop, or Google I/O happenings, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
TNA Wrestling’s Austin Aries has been fined for an on-air incident with announcer Christy Hemme. On the last episode of Impact Wrestling, Hemme announced the wrong tag-team while Aries and partner Bobby Roode were making their way to the ring. A-Double played up his heel persona by getting in Hemme’s face, telling her to announce the correct team, and putting his crotch in her face. TNA president Dixie Carter tweeted that the company “has ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior.” According to TMZ, Aries has been slapped with a “severe fine.”
Some of the Internet reactions have been harsh. Some have accused Aries of bullying and sexual harassment. That seems ridiculous to me. Aries is a heel — a pro-wrestler that’s actslike a villain. He’s playing a part. This is, after all, a character that refers to himself as, “The greatest man that has ever lived.” Of course he’s going to get annoyed and act like a dick when the announcer botches his entrance. Hemme’s mistake was insulting, so Austin Aries — the character — insulted her in retribution.
A few people have compared the situation to Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) getting fired from the WWE for choking announcer Justin Roberts with a necktie. Certainly there are similarities, but ultimately both punishments were stupid. That said, I understand WWE’s stance more than I do TNA’s. WWE has been upfront about making its programming “PG.” Danielson crossed a (vague) line and was unemployed for a short time before being rehired by WWE. As far as I know, TNA doesn’t have the self-imposed restrictions that the WWE has.
While Aries’ actions were improved, a crotch to the face isn’t the worse thing wrestling fans have seen. Triple H once simulated necrophilia. Kane covered Jim Ross in gasoline and set him on fire. Paul Bearer was buried alive. From that standpoint, I don’t see what the big deal is here. Some are claiming that Hemme was put in an uncomfortable situation. I would completely agree with that…if Aries and Hemme weren’t characters that were part of a show. While I don’t condone men shoving their crotches in women’s faces, the act made sense for the Austin Aries persona. They’re actors on a stage, not accountants in an office.
Obviously I’m biased. Some of you are aware that I know and like Dan Solwold, the gentleman that portrays Austin Aries. As a friend, I’m supposed to stand by him when he’s wrong. The thing is, I really don’t think he did anything wrong. Of course, I’d love to hear your take on the matter. Do you think that Austin Aries crossed a line? Was the alleged “severe fine” by TNA appropriate? Or do you agree with me and think that it’s ridiculous that an actor is being punished for playing his part? Do you think this is all an elaborate angle that will help TNA, Aries, and Hemme get some mainstream press? Am I part of the angle? Shout it out in the comments section (please), but don’t put your crotch in my face or I will fine you.
Pop superstar Rihanna was recently spotted buying a Razer Naga Hex Wraith Red gaming mouse and Razer promptly sent out a press blast on the purchase. Here’s a clip:
Rihanna, the undisputed queen of pop, has set her sights on getting a leg up in hardcore gaming with Razer’s best-in-class Naga Hex Wraith Red edition gaming mouse. The pop songstress was spotted picking up the hardcore gaming mouse with her younger brother in a NYC BestBuy over the weekend.
Being the inventive lot that you are, I know you guys and gals have some inappropriate Chris Brown jokes in you. It’s not that I want to make light of the heinous crimes he committed against the Barbadian beauty, but this is a fine opportunity to point out what a horrid piece of crap the he is. Fire away (please)!
Sorry for the late start today, guys and gals. On top of my busted heel, I’ve caught a cold. I’m going to blame it on the weather shifting from 70F to 90F in a week. Anyway, one of the latest rumors on Microsoft’s next console is that it will be called Xbox Infinity. A few of my sources said that the name is legit, while a few have said that it’s not. Let’s forget about that for now and judge the name Xbox Infinity. Do you love it or hate it?…more
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 joys of siphon-brewed coffee, the fascinating Silicon Knights shell game, or E3 2013 judges week, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Sorry for the late start today, guys and gals. On top of my busted heel, I’ve caught a cold. I’m going to blame it on the weather shifting from 70F to 90F in a week. Anyway, one of the latest rumors on Microsoft’s next console is that it will be called Xbox Infinity. A few of my sources said that the name is legit, while a few have said that it’s not. Let’s forget about that for now and judge the name Xbox Infinity. Do you love it or hate it?
On one hand, it’s a dynamic name that should make for some cool branding. There’s also that built-in Buzz Lightyear marketing. On the other hand, some tech pundits believe that Xbox Infinity is too close to Comcast’s Xfinity brand. Additionally, the name kind of boxes Microsoft in, no? Where does the company take it from here? Xbox Infinity + 1? Xbox Infinity and Beyond?
As a fan of the Scott Pilgrim books and movie, I immediately thought of the scene pictured above when I heard the name Xbox Infinity. It’s not that I think the name is bad (it does nothing for me either way), but rather I’m going enjoy reading about Sony fanboys going off on the name (should it pan out).
Former boxing heavyweight champion “Iron” Mike Tyson is headed to Adult Swim in Mike Tyson Mysteries. Armed with a magical tattoo and a pigeon, Tyson will be featured in weekly 15-minute episodes later this year. Here’s the official description from the press release:
Mike Tyson Mysteries — In the new animated comedy series Mike Tyson Mysteries, Mike Tyson is taking the fight from the boxing ring to the streets…by solving mysteries! Armed with a magical tattoo on his face and a trusty associate by his side — a talking pigeon — if you have a problem that needs solving, Iron Mike is in your corner. The series incorporates live-action appearances featuring Mighty Mike himself, and the gloves come off as the former heavyweight champ and his fowl-mouthed partner gear up for weekly adventures as they put unsolved mysteries — like how to defeat a super computer at chess or why a famous author/werewolf can’t finish his novel — down for the count. Animated quarter-hour from Warner Bros Animation.
This show sounds like all kinds of awesome. It places one of the biggest sports icons of the ’80s and ’90s in an animated adventure that pays homage to his trademark tattoo, love of pigeons, and Batman-like detective skills. While I’ve had some fun debates with RPadholics over Tyson’s place in boxing history, there’s no denying that he’s one of the most fascinating and interesting athletes the world has seen in the last 30 years. Mike Tyson Mysteries adds to his cult of personality and amazing reinvention.
Tyson started out as a fierce young heavyweight, went onto become a controversial boxer known for biting off ear pieces and making threats to eat opponents’ babies, and later cracked people up in The Hangover movies. And here he is in 2013, as a lovable mystery-solving cartoon character with a pigeon sidekick. Remarkable.
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has introduced the Television Consumer Freedom Act of 2013, which calls for “a la carte” cable television and the elimination of sports blackouts. The aim is to give consumers more control — and hopefully lower total prices — over their cable bills by allowing them to buy the channels they want and ignore the ones they don’t.
One of the reasons cable and satellite television prices are so high is that companies bundle their offerings, often forcing consumers to pay for several channels they don’t want in order to get the ones that they desire. For example, there are many ESPN fans that don’t give a rats ass about Disney or AMC channels. Since Disney owns the whole lot, it strong arms cable and satellite providers into carrying all of them, passing the entire cost to consumers. Cable news channels are another example. While I enjoy and recommend watching both Fox News and MSNBC in order to hear what both sides are saying, each network has viewers that would never watch the other. Yet, the majority of those viewers are paying for both networks.
Here’s a clip from Senator McCain’s press release on the Television Consumer Freedom Act of 2013:
Mr. President, today I am introducing the Television Consumer Freedom Act of 2013. This legislation has three principal objectives: (1) encourage the wholesale and retail “unbundling” of programming by distributors and programmers; (2) establish consequences if broadcasters choose to “downgrade” their over-the-air service; and (3) eliminate the sports blackout rule for events held in publicly-financed stadiums.
For over 15 years I have supported giving consumers the ability to buy cable channels individually, also known as “a la carte” — to provide consumers more control over viewing options in their home and, as a result, their monthly cable bill.
Excusing that period of time when he totally caved to the Tea Party, I’m generally a fan of Senator McCain. As a boxing fan, I love his work on the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. I’m totally digging what he’s doing with the Television Consumer Freedom Act of 2013. While I’m cynical enough to believe that cable and satellite lobbyists will squash the act, at least McCain is trying to do something about these companies (like crap bag Time Warner Cable) and bringing attention to the issue.
I’d love to hear what you think about the Television Consumer Freedom Act of 2013. Do you think it will accomplish anything? Fire away in the comments section (please)!
