Linky Love aka Social Net 2.0

Dear readers, I’m posting a blog entry for the second night in a row. OMG! WTF! CYFBLI? Before we begin, let me just say that I’ve already thought about the conversation with my daughter, you know, the one where I tell her she shouldn’t text the Lord’s name in vain. Wait for it…

OK.

Yesterday I threw up a post about the Bloggers I linked to in a previous domain. Today, I’m throwin’ up some mad links for new folks. In no particular order, here goes some link love:

Bernskiold Media - I have a feeling that if I had any idea what I was doing when I was younger, I would have been Erik. His website easily surpasses anything I ever did with Azarok.com, and it’s much more relevant to the times. Make his blog a daily read, and buy his photographs.

Freebies by Firgs - This site is a few days old, in its infancy and already has 119 subscribers. That tells you something about the power of Twitter, and the appeal of content. And really, who doesn’t love free stuff for Photoshop? You better hurry up and comment before she starts chargin’ for the party.

Pursuing Photoshop - Mitzs reminds me why I love teaching Photoshop so much. No matter how many times I demonstrate the same features over AND over again, for beginners each lesson is a creative discovery. Tell me Mitzs, do I dazzle you?

Janinealogy - Just discovered the blog via Twitter, but I’ve seen Janine’s work at Landailyn R&R. Just across the way in Ft. Worth, I’m always happy to promote local Photoshop services around the metroplex.

Sage Family Studios - Lisa just hopped on Twitter today, which is groovy because more people need to know about her excellent portfolio.

If you checkout the Photoshop User website you can see the NAPP (Nation Association of Photoshop Professionals) Portfolios of Erik, Firgs, Mitzs, Janine & Lisa. You’re sure to be impressed, and certainly inspired.

UPDATE - I missed a couple of sites. Color Me Badd. That’s what happens when I blog two nights in a row.

My Home Sweet Home - I missed Dawn at Photoshop World this past September, which was funny given she was twittering about the event just like me. Dawn recently debuted her first screencast on her blog. Be sure to check it out and give her some feedback.

Antique Mommy - Dawn’s friend Tina writes some good stuff on her blog, and I was especially fond of her Bailout entries. This is a blog I read, and hope to read more often.

Adobe Releases Lightroom 2

Adobe has released Lightroom 2. Information Week has a summary of all the new Lightroom 2 features for anyone who did not download the beta. Eric Bernskiold has a blog post with links to learning resources for Lightroom. Go visit the Lightroom Community education center where you can chat with Dallas’s resident expert Gene McCullagh.

As with the CS3 suite, I would recommend this upgrade to anyone looking to improve their Adobe digital workflow. The improved Library support, and targeted adjustment brush in the Develop module expand both the function and creativity of Lightroom. Look for a more detailed review on this blog in the upcoming weeks.

Movie Review - The Incredible Hulk

The Plot - After being exposed to gamma radiation, Dr. Bruce Banner is transformed into a green creature of incredible size and strength. Hunted by the government for a power he has no control over, Dr. Banner is on the run, looking for a cure. While he cannot control the transformation, Dr. Banner has learned his rage is the trigger. Will he find a cure before the government finds him?

The Review - I have to agree with John, this version of the film beats the Ang Lee version. Not only does the story arc follow the comic series more closely, there are some nods to previous renditions of the Hulk. Younger viewers main not recall the Hulk TV series, but Marvel Studios acknowledges the work of Bill Bixby (who played Bruce Banner) with a television snippet, and Lou Ferrigno (who played the Hulk) has a cameo in the movie, while also doing the voice of the green monster. (Side Note - Lou Ferrigno at over 50yrs old still looks HUGE… GINORMOUS even.) There were items that I caught, but a few I overlooked. John has more tidbits listed in his review.

Marvel Studios should pay attention to what is making certain films successful, e.g., Spiderman, Iron Man, The Hulk versus ones that are mediocre, e.g., Fantastic Four, Ghostrider. The story is a big part, but I think the casting has played a more important role. Toby Maguire, Robert Downey Jr., and Ed Norton have all done a fantastic job humanizing the heroes they portrayed. In my opinion, character development separates the Marvel films from their DC counterparts.

With the release of Iron Man & The Hulk, Marvel Studios has stirred up the buzz around future releases. There are references to Captain America, SHIELD and other phenomena of the Marvel universe, which can only build the hype for anticipated future releases

GRADE: A- (The only knock I have against the film is the CGI rendering of the Hulk)

UPDATE - Laura just saw the movie and she used “humanizing” in her review. Great minds think alike. LOL.

MMA Review - What’s Next For Matt Hughes?

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) 85: Bedlam - Thiago Alves TKOs Matt Hughes.

After another stunning loss, Matt Hughes may have just exposed himself as a fighter past his prime. Like the Mike Tyson of old, facing Hughes warranted courage just to step in the octagon, but the aura & mystique have long since passed. Matt Hughes has lost three of his last four fights, and none were even close contests. A 9-time welterweight champion, Matt’s contribution to the UFC, and mixed martial arts are unquestioned. His future in the sport is what many are pondering.

Steve Cofield makes some good points that perhaps it’s not so much Hughes being old (if 34 can be called old), as it is 2008 debuting a better breed of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighters. I have watched Matt Hughes fight many times, and his powerful takedowns were absolutely impressive. In his last bouts, the other fighters have been faster, their takedown defense better, rendering Matt Hughes as a mere mortal.

In this new age of MMA, the best fighters are pushing the limits of the sport. It’s simply not striking vs grappling anymore. The longevity of a fighter and his (or her) success depends on a complete set of MMA skills not just a specialized mastery of techniques.

After the fight Matt Hughes called out Matt Serra giving way for perhaps his last MMA contest. It begs the question, with so many talented MMA fighters out there, what audience is going to pay to see these two fighters both coming off significant losses?

Personally, I think Matt Hughes is up to the challenge. Time will tell if he feels the same way.

MMA Review - Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson

EliteXC (Elite Extreme Combat) made their mainstream debut on CBS network television this past Saturday night (May 31). I was curious what changes (if any) would be in place for an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) experience that previously was only available on the Showtime cable network. I think the sponsors will be happy with the Nielsen ratings, but there are definitely some improvements that can be made. Here’s my breakdown of the main event Saturday night:

- Kimbo Slice vs James Thompson -
Kimbo Slice has been making a name for himself on the YouTube circuit for many years now with a showcase of streetfights. Before his MMA debut on Showtime, comments were abundant about how Kimbo would fair in a true MMA arena. His first test was an unsanctioned streetfight against Sean Gannon, a former Boston Police officer trained in MMA. That YouTube video is one of the first known defeats suffered by Kimbo, however, controversy rose at the time due to Sean using his MMA skills. Brought to media attention by an online marketing machine it was inevitable that Kimbo would make his way into the MMA.

Kimbo came to this fight undefeated, a record that could be argued as being “light” in terms of competition. Listening to Pugs & Kelly (Live 105.3FM) this afternoon, it is clear that many have the opinion that EliteXC may be padding Kimbo’s fight resume, feeding the marketing machine in order to capitalize on this fighter’s story. It’s safe to say many expected this fight to end quickly, under some power-punches by Kimbo or perhaps a quick submission. Little did anyone know that James Thompson (coming off a few losses) would not easily submit the match.

In the ensuing rounds, James matched Kimbo blow-for-blow, and managed to take him down in the first round. Fans got more than they expected as most of Kimbo’s fights have been stand up affairs favoring his striking ability and power. Could Kimbo win on the ground? How would he fair in a strong MMA battle? The first round proved two things - Kimbo had worked a bit on his wrestling skills (ground game), but his conditioning needed A LOT of work.

The second round would prove to be controversial. Again the fighters exchanged blows, with Kimbo throwing more power-punches, and James trying to match. James once again took the fight to the ground, and Kimbo’s lack of MMA experience, and poor conditioning started to be painfully obvious. Even though Kimbo managed a few “pile driver” submissions, he couldn’t maintain the hold for long as James repeatedly freed himself. Towards the end of the second round, James had managed to smother Kimbo, pounding him with a barrage of elbows. In fact, with one minute & thirty seconds left in Round 2, Kimbo took roughly two dozen elbows & hammerfists to the head. If this were a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fight, it would have been stopped. Kimbo was doing a poor job defending, and while he may not have been hurt, he was clearly being outgunned by James Thompson.

Slow to get up after the bell, a winded Kimbo made his way back to his corner. Entering the third round, both men were tired, but Kimbo managed to get off a final assault of power-punches. James’ ear burst open, and after taking four headshots the referee stopped the fight. James was visibly upset, and pushed the referee, but the match was ended. Kimbo celebrated by laying down in the ring.

EliteXC did a lot for the sport with a network television debut. I have to agree with comments made on the Pugs & Kelly show that by running on network vs cable the fights were managed differently. I concur that the Gina Carano vs Kaitlynn Young, and Robbie Lawler vs Scott Smith fights would not have been stopped had they been shown on cable tv. Scott Smith clearly could have (and wanted) to continue, and while Kaitlynn was a bloody mess, she didn’t seem down for the count. (Gina demolished her last opponent even worse on Showtime, and that fight came to decision)

I heard somewhere that Dana White the President of the UFC stated he would pit BJ “The Prodigy” Penn (the current lightweight champion) against Kimbo if there were ever a UFC bout. After watching the match, I agree that Kimbo has a long way to go in his quest to become a respected MMA fighter. In my opinion, top on his list should be his conditioning. More MMA experience will only make him a better fighter, but I think Saturday’s fight only proved Kimbo would be vulnerable to a top-ranked MMA veteran. Brock Lesner made a similar appearance in the UFC, and lost due to his lack of complete MMA skills. While some consider the UFC the “bully in the schoolyard” I’m of the opinion that they have the best MMA brand right now. However, healthy competition from competing brands will only make the MMA fight market better.

UPDATE - Kevin Leong has an editorial on the flaws of this CBS debut, and Ben (the ultimate MMA fan/practitioner) chimes in.

Movie Review - Prince Caspian

The Plot - It’s been over a thousand years since the High Kings & Queens ruled Narnia and it is not the same magical place. Telmarines have invaded & conquered the land, leading many Narnians to go into hiding. It is only when Prince Caspian, heir to the throne, is betrayed by his Uncle Miraz that events are put into motion that bring the Pevensies (Peter, Edmund, Susan, Lucy) back to Narnia in its time of need. Will the High Kings & Queens be able to save the Narnians once again?

The Review - I first became aware of the C.S. Lewis series when I was in the third grade. I watched the first story, “The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe” on TV as an animated movie. Within the next few months I had read the entire series of books. When word came that the series was going to be launched in epic movie fashion, I envisioned something grand along the lines of the Lord of the Rings series. The first movie was a bit of a disappointment. Good, but not great.

I found that I enjoyed the sequel a lot more. The original actors reprise their roles as the Pevensie siblings, and new faces are introduced. Unlike the Lord of the Rings & Harry Potter, this series does not call upon the same characters in every book, which may allow for all seven stories to be brought to screen. I thought the characters & story were better developed in the sequel, and overall it drew me more into the film.

While not Oscar winning performances, I was moved by Peter’s growth through the story as his arrogance leads to failure at the expense of Narnian life, and his willingness to accept his failed faith brings about a moment of redemption. The pace of the movie kept the Peter/Pevensies story arc from overtaking the rise of Prince Caspian, but the Prince felt like a support character at times.

Overall I was happy with the film, and hope the quality of the series continues to improve as the next books are brought to life in film.

Grade: B+ (The series hasn’t quite reached EPIC status yet)

Movie Review - Redbelt

The Plot - Mike Terry is a Jiu-Jitsu instructor who shuns competitive money fights because he believes competition weakens a fighter. He seems content to run a small dojo west of Los Angeles until a series of events begin to intrude on his daily life forcing him to evaluate his principles, and their impact on others.

*Spoiler Alert*

The Review - This is not an action film. This is a drama about the internal struggle of a martial artist, and his principles. The movie trailer, and IMDB reviews would lead you to believe that this is a film of emotional substance. Fans a David Mamet showered IMDB with praise for message of this film, and its artistic qualities. I must have missed all that.

While Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a good performance, and spouts some memorable lines, I found the lack of character development makes the movie fall flat. Now I can appreciate the minimalist approach to setting up the story arcs, but when the film ended (with a hug) I found myself asking what did any of the characters have to do with the story?

One of Mike Terry’s students is a brooding police officer. Maybe it’s not important to know why he’s brooding, or what troubles he has with his wife, but these plot points are just dropped on the viewer as factual items. When the officer in question commits suicide, I was neither compelled to feel the honor of that act, or the impact it had on his family. In fact, the introduction of his wife could have been completely left out, and it wouldn’t have changed the impact of that scene.

Mike Terry’s wife chides him throughout the film for not being financially responsible, or more to the point his principles keeping him in the poor house. When she sells him out, I really didn’t see why she would have stayed with him for over five years in the first place.

Given the one-dimensional snapshots of every character in the film, the story was very predictable, and only Chiwetel Ejiofor’s performance as Mike Terry led me to believe something was about to happen. That’s probably my largest complaint about the film. The emotional moments that are meant to inspire the audience, seem pointless because of the lack of character development.

Grade: C- (Maybe this is the type of movie that requires multiple viewings to get the point)

Blandford Visual Art

There are quite a number of great photographers I have had the pleasure of meeting personally during my travels around the country. They’re the folks with the books, the seminar series; the photographers every wants to meet, and say they’ve met.

The trouble with the famous or up-and-coming, is they generally know they’re famous, and some act the part. I have been surprised by the modesty of some, not so surprised at the vanity of others.

Which leads me to today’s post. Keith Blandford is a local north Texan with a love of photography. I met him during a class on Adobe Bridge I conducted for GUILD (Graphical User Interactive Learning & Development) some time ago. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some of Keith’s work in person, and he recently dove head first into iWeb to publish his work online.

Keith is a minimalist when it comes to digital editing, and his work certainly does not need any post-processing help. I envy admire his ability to see through the lens. His landscape photography catches my imagination, and I can’t help but study his images each time I look at his collection.

I would encourage you to visit his website Blandford Visual Art, and browse his pieces. Keith also has photographs for sale, which he masterfully prints himself.

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe

Maybe I’m late to the party, but I just got wind of the next MK series — Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe — which will debut on the PS3 & XBOX 360. Opinions very, Ricardo Torres over at Gamespot thinks the game will surprise you, and Ben Kuchera with Ars Technica reveals his disinterest in a long forgotten fighting series. I caught the teaser video for MK vs DC over at Gamespot.

While both reviews weigh in on the concept of Mortal Kombat characters taking on the likes of Batman or Superman, neither really emphasizes what I feel is paramount to making a successful fight game - the combat system.

A combat system succeeds in the potential number of strikes & combinations a character can produce matched against the player’s ability to pull them off. In my experience, a good fight game can be as entertaining to those watching, as it is to the people actually playing. The trouble is finding the balance in making the gameplay challenging, but accessible to the widest possible audience. When the Dreamcast came out with its four-player console, the instant hit at any party was Power Stone, due mainly to its crazy animated action. The key selling point was the combat controls were so simple (maybe too much so), even folks who didn’t gravitate towards fight games could jump right in. (And really, who doesn’t love bashing other players with a big hammer?) Evil Zone on the PS2 is another fight game that mixed simple playability with entertaining animated segues. (I could mention the success of the Wii console, but that’s an article for another time)

Titles in the Tekken & Mortal Kombat series have had a roller coaster ride of popularity. Throughout their evolution the titles have improved their visual appeal, and been hit or miss when adjusting player controls. Common complaints when a fight game is tweaked in release are characters becoming too powerful or downgraded. Mortal Kombat Gold was a bust to some, but in my immediate circle we appreciated the faster game play over the original Soul Caliber title. Sure Quan Chi’s teleport stomp was a cheap move, but nothing got the crowd riled up quicker than pulling it off successfully or have another player freeze/zap Quan Chi mid-stomp.

The idea of mixing comic characters within the realm of a fight game is nothing new. I could see today that comments are already being tossed back in forth that this is a poor man’s Marvel vs. Capcom wrapped in a 3D package. However, even with the argument that the idea is not so original, the real question is are the characters compelling enough to draw interest? More importantly, will the game generate the necessary buzz with a strong combat system as fatalities (one of MK’s identifying trademarks) have been removed? Midway Games needs a hit, and given its recent struggles some could argue the new MK game is quite a gamble.

Personally, I’m more excited about the next Soul Caliber IV release coming in June. Sure guest fighters Darth Vader & Yoda are a stretch in the mythology of the game, but I enjoyed being able to play Heihachi, Link & Spawn in Soul Caliber II. It’s enough to make me think about buying a PS3 and/or XBOX 360.

Wild Wild West of Arts & Technology

I posted a summary over at the GUILD (Graphical User Interactive Learning & Development) website for those that missed last weekend’s one day conference. Kudos to everyone who participated in the Wild Wild West event, turnout was good, and the presenters were outstanding. I look forward to a bigger event next year.

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