Texting when driving

I think that the last non tech portion of our society must have finally caught on to texting because the myriad of already bad drivers has really kicked up a notch in the last few months. The number of people I see texting while driving is terrible. These people are bad at driving already and then you add typing, a small screen, and word selection. While there is a current ban in Indiana on kids younger than 18 using cells while driving there is no such law for any other part of the population. While I personally feel that there is no need to go as far as a total cell ban, I do think that texting is going too far. There is going to be a proposal for 2010 in the Indiana legislature on a texting initiative, let's hope something gets done.

Scribblenauts

I don't play the Nintendo DS often, in fact my iphone sees more game action. A game that has increased the portable system's usefulness is Scribblenauts, a game released in September of 2009 that was designed by 5th Cell. In the game you solve short puzzles by typing the names of props in the form of non vulgar nouns. The nouns appear in the game and interact with you character, the environment, and other characters. The game has a deceptively simple appearance, but the library of words that the game hold is enormous. Simple word can be combined to make items like "spring shoes". It is a fun, clean game that is addictive.

DaFont.com

Another great website is DaFont.com. A good number of fonts and access designs are available on the site for free and the rest are free for personal use only. I used the site making a mock game design logo a while back and the download was usable in illustrator, photoshop, and loaded directly into word. There are a lot of places to find fonts, but this is a great start.

Grandma's Boy

Video Game design, karate monkeys, the old lady from Everybody Loves Raymond. If you are looking for a geeky and underappreciated movie try this one on. Steady pot referrences aside most could find humor with this movie. Make sure to get the 2006 movie, not the 1922 movie of the same title (Doris Roberts might have been in that one too). Critically panned on release the movie went on to make more than 4 times its box office on dvd sales. It is up for rent, or purchase for around $10.

ThinkGeek.com

From the last two entries you knew it was coming. ThinkGeek.com is great online store. The Microbe Plushies and the NES/SNES duo system are but two of hundreds of products on this site. Survelance cameras, science tech, movie props are all just some of the many things available. Ever want your own phaser? Laser Keyboard? Check out this site. Products are available for any event. There is gonna be something you want.

Dual NES/SNES Gamesystem

This is a break for me, as someone who has gone through many gaming system over the years. The line had to be drawn somewhere, systems were piling up, although each one had some fond memories you didn't visit them much. With this duo system two of them can be reclaimed. Available on thinkgeek.com the NES/SNES system is smaller than either one of the original systems. Also available in an NES/Genesis configuration this system runs $50 for either.

Unusual Plushies

Giant microbe plushies, anime plush toys, video game dolls. The standard in America was always the teddy bear in plush toys, but the increasing influence of Japanese culture on the United States has given rise to more unique and dynamic plush toys. What began at amusement parks and carnivals with a Mario or Sonic seen here or there has become a online influx carried on by the special cultural interest groups. Above is a picture of plush microbes in a special petri dish container that is sold by thinkgeek.com. Other online vendors include yukariskawaiishop.com (kawaii being the japanese equivalent to cuteness) and gambattletoys.multiply.com.