Hi friends, hope your all well and apologies if I have not visited your blogs of late, but I can assure you I have been trying to. I do have a day off today so I will make an effort.

I'm taking some of this time off to tell you about a date I had a while back...

My work, which which I wont divulge upon in detail, is is art related, sometimes it takes me to some interesting places for research purposes. A little while ago I was granted permission by the head curator of marine biology at London's Natural History Museum to take a rare close look at a fascinating creature. The creature we today call Giant Squid.  The same creature that gave birth to the legend of the Kraken.


My Date with the Kraken


After having adorned myself with a white lab coat, I met with Carmen the head curator at the reception of the facility. After some quintessentially English pleasantries, she lead me onto a open lift that descended into the depths of the Darwin Centre. That's the name of the large research facility that's connected to the back of the Natural History Museum. She told me en route to the "Tank Room" that the facility had cost many millions pounds to make, and that it required unprecedented global cooperation. She added that it housed some of the worlds most rarest specimens. including many bizarre creatures like the one I was about to see. She told me that many creatures the facility had are so rare and live in environments so extreme that humans never ever come across them, and that they were in effect aliens. It was then that felt like a intrepid explorer as the lift descended through the floors.

Once we had hit the bottom, with a gentle judder, I was then lead through a series of temperature controlled corridors and rooms with security doors which seemed straight out of Star Trek. The swooshing sound they made as they opened was very cool. I had never thought this s**t like this existed for real. I was pleasantly surprised by it all..

As we made our way to the Tank Room we passed many rooms specimen room, huge rooms, dedicated to a wide array of land animals.  Some were preserved in fluid, while others, which were clearly a lot older, had been stuffed many  years ago. Carmen kindly switched the lights on as we walked through. She showed me around slowly and was happy to pass on her knowledge, despite the fact she was no expert due to land creatures not being her field.

There were a lot of WTF moments, I saw stuff I had no idea existed. it dawned on me then how amazing this planet must be if there are so many creatures people still have no idea about. I would love to be able to show pics of what I saw but unfortunately I did not have permission to take photo's of those specimens and I did not want to risk not being able to return one day for more research.

It was certainly quite a macabre scene, I imagine it would have upset some people to bare witness to it.. I adore nature and understand the quest to understand it is vital to our existance and the animals that survive today. .As a result I have problem with it. Although I will admit to feeling queasy at times.

We finally came to the doors of the Tank Room. I looked above and noticed a odd looking rail that ran beyond the door. I naturally wondered what that was for, so asked. Carmen replied, "you'll see.." she pressed her finger upon the touch pad and the doors swooshed open. I was immediately struck with a revolting stench of chemicals merged with what can only cleanly decribed as a fishy smell :  /. I looked around the room in peering into the jars in astonishment as I stood at the door, not having moved one inch.

At the end of the room there was a very large tank with the Giant Squid inside, I was taken back by it's sheer size. I walked towards it and around it in wonder of it... It was like that scene in Aliens when they come across the face huggers, in those specimen jars lol.  I told her it was bigger than I thought, Carmen told be that was actually a juvenile and that a fully grown adult could grow to be three times that size!. She said the rail on the ceiling was how they moved the Giant Squid specimen into the room because it was the only way.

In the centre of the room were a series of large metal tanks, she lifted the lid off one and I immediately realized the source of the terrible smell. The fluid inside was deep brown and murky looking. I couldn't see anything in there myself,  while I peered in covering my mouth and nose. My nose caught the terrible whiff despite my attempts, my gag reflex was tickling my throat and I was about to throw.. She told me to stand back forcefully, I did so happily.

Carmen then walked over to a nearby drawer and snapped some some gloves on while staring at me. Carmen walked over and reached into the tank and grabbed onto something, something I could not see. With both hands she lifted out this huge fish, If you can call it that. She told me it was a newly found specimen of a prehistoric fish thought to be extinct some years ago. It was a fish called a "Coelacanth". Apparently it was in the tank because they had earlier been studying the specimen. She took me over to a PC and showed me images of why it was so special. It's internal anatomy was totally bizarre!. Bishop would have loved this shit!., it did not look like a fish at all inside. And I have cut open a few I can tell you.

She then opened a lid of  another tank and showed me a "Angler fish". the fish made famous by Pixar's Finding Nemo. It still had it's dangly bit still intact. It looked as evil as any creature could be in my mind with it grotesque over-sized mouth and long spiny teeth. She opened another, and lifted out what looked like a monster, she asked me to guess what it was, I laughed an naturally replied I have no idea!. She told me it was a dismembered Penis of a Minke whale, lol.

Carmen then brought me over to a shelf which had a numerous cylindrical jars lined up and said, this is a "Oarfish." What's a Oarfish I replied?. "The Oarfish sir, is the longest bony fish in the world!", she replied.  I then asked how it could possibly be the longest fish in the world when it looked so small?. Carmen told me every jar on the shelf had the cut up segments of the specimen inside. If that was the case the specimen in question must have been nearly ten meters long. She allowed me to take one sneaky pic of that but old me not to tell anyone, or she would have to drown me in the tank if I did.

She then walked me over to a cabinet on the wall and pointed to a few smaller specimens. She told me that what I was looking at were in fact some of the very examples Sir Charles Darwin had brought back after one of his research missions. I thought that was kind cool to be able to see also.


The Giant Squid





































Anyone for deep fried squid?

Hi friends, I hope your all well and playing some cool games right now. I imagine many of you are catching up on a few like me. I'm still staring at the Mirrors Edge PC 3 weeks on. I havent even installed the thing.. it's insane..anyway catching up on a few is being done.


The Art You Heart
 
I adore art, it plays a huge role in my life and profession, that love of art also carries over to those examples found in videogames. Over the years I have come to appreciate many games because of the high quality of art they display. Both for the degree of skill that has been apllied (by sometimes numerous people), and also how well they work to aid the spirit and nature of the game.

I have just been browsing my collection wondering what games I think are special, putting them under the same analysis/scruiting as I would do a painting. In turn, naturally pondering what games have shown a degree of genius, comparable to a great painting or any other form of art. Something as powerful. A painting can be just so, a static image can cut into you and make you feel something intended, if you look upon it with the right mind.. In my eyes the art in videogames are certainly capable of doing the same, and it can be equally powerful when done right.


What are the best examples of Art found in videogames ?

 Feel free to post pics and videos and apply short lists and thoughts.

No Aussie rules trolling.





Latest Purchases

I bought these two art books today, I love Udon's art, it features in Street Fighter Turbo HD, that bares testament to how fondly Capcom view their art. The second is pretty darn awesome for any fan and features cool little move sets images from the arcade game...I may well have to get some printed up and stuck into a custom Joystick one day.









Anyone else got any art books?, if so, from what games?



Have a cool weekend all.

I'm going to the arcade

 
 
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Please use this thread to rate and review a film you have seen, be it recently or in the past.  Please rate it out of 5, which in line with GB's review system and preferred, but if you choose to do so out of 10 that's fine also.  If you are going to review a film, do take the time to add some ample text to your post,  avoid simply posting your score rating alone. The intention of this thread is to inform GB's community to good films they may not be aware about. A good film review is informative to the reader, it should give them an good idea of your own personal responses to it. 
 
 
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Click the "insert" tab above in the posting box, then click "video", and then paste the embed code into the box that appears, Press the red tab and the video will show.   
 
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Thanks.
 
 
 

Mum and Dad 

***

I watched this grim film last night and I am still thinking about it today. I really wish I wasn't :( I recommend that you watch it with some dudes, and not take the GF out as I stupidly did. It's really not that kind of conventional horror film. Although, if your GF is a Rose West wannabe, she will love it.
 
Certainly very grim stuff, but well worth watching if you like your horror. It has really good acting and direction which makes for some really painful viewing at times.

Hello everyone, I hope your all enjoying your time off right now, if that's what you actually have right now. I know some unfortunately are still working . It's my birthday on the 2nd of January , it's going to get really messy, it always is . Fear not for my safety though!, it will be one of my new year's resolutions to stay well away from potential harm when tipsy after the last incident in Paris when I nearly fell off a hotel balcony :O

What cool pressies did you receive this Christmas?.

My lovely girlfriend gave me a iPod Touch 16G, and a friend got me a Orbitsound T3 to go with it. It's this mobile speaker that creates a bubble of sound around your head while you wear it around your neck. It feels very strange at first but it's very cool because it actually works to great effect. To others it sounds like weak low volume speaker, but when it's around your neck it can feel loud and very immersive. It works very well with the PSP and the DS, and the consoles also if you have the right cables. It creates genuine stereo sound, not the x2 mono sound you get in headphones.

Orbitsound T3

Anyway, I also got the Harpers and Collins 100 Classic Books Collection , which is fantastic. it's about time such software surfaced. It features many of my favourite books, like Charles Dickens Great Expectations and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice *cough* ("oh Linky, you old romantic you!"). You can adapt the font on all the books and can even download some books free straight away. I heartily recommend  it to all with a DS that also have a love of books, It really is a great way to read and It's also very cheap. I think it's only available in the UK at the moment unfortunately, but do check the Amazon UK link above, it also has a list of all the books it features.

I got a load of cool presents, but I really do not wish to sound so materialistic. Aside from the gifts I am very thankful of, I am also having a great festive season, I only hope that you have all too

I will be back full force in the new year posting all manner of news stories to cater for all the consoles, not just Nintendo exclusively. As well as that, me, Endogene and Oldschool will be getting a Nintendo related podcast in full gear next year, one that will cover all the major events primarily, so be sure to look out for that. If only to hear my soothing english accent :D

What will you be doing on New Years Eve?. Me, well I am going to have another insane party at my house, for a ton of people as per usual. I pretty much have a open door policy, I just make sure I look all my beloved belongings safely away behind doors as things have a habit of getting rowdy when peeps are drug fueled. it will certainly last at least 3 days, what with my birthday on the 2nd. Unspeakable acts will will surely take place. It's going to be insane, I am going to need another week off after to recover. It always feels that way ;) I will be holding a fighting game tournament for sure, it always ends up being a good laugh.

 

Recent Purchases:

Have a good one people!, you all have best wishes for the new year!. I hope that within it many of your wishes come true.

Have a great new year all

Linkyshink X

Hi all, I'm keen to find out what cartoons and kids TV shows Giant Bomb's members were raised on. Take yourselves down a merry memory lane, do post videos, be them clips or intros, and if you wish a brief commentary.

Just a few here from me to get the thread going

In no particular order;


Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds

Awesome intro music, so awesome my two year old neice loves it now  :D





Fraggle Rock

I absolutely adored this show!, I really believed that such places existed and that all you had to do was to delve into holes to find them.




Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors

I loved this rousing intro.  I remember it having really great characters and a compelling story. The Lightening League were awesome. I would get real happy if this was ever made into videogame that's for sure.




Ulysse 31

It featured a lol worthy intro song



I have a load more to ply into this thread, but lets see what you have...