My Opinions About Eve Online

There is no secret that I like MMO's, I have found very few I have ever really gotten into, besides Guild Wars, Runescape, and Fusion Fall...but I like MMO's I have played a lot of them, so naturally I am looking for a new MMO to play since guild wars has gotten a bit tiring. Well I decided to try Eve Online...for a second time.

The first time I played Eve Online I played it for 20 minutes and was so exhausted from docking in my first station I quit playing. This second time, I was committed, to start playing and well....it worked out about as good as the first time.

Here's the story, I do the ungodly boring slow tutorial for about 30 minutes, until I ultimately get tired of playing the tutorial, I docked at a station and started my first mission, it is a simple misison go to a location find a cargo crate and bring it back. Its level 1 for gods sake how hard can it be.

After spending an ungodly amount of time on trying to figure out, I end up after numerous trial and error and reading help stuff, I get to a beacon which is suppose to be around where the cargo container is. Now I need to find said container, after reading the instructions and talking to people in the rookie help chat for about an hour, I end up finding out that boring slow tutorial is something you need to play through or else you can't figure out anything.

Also finding cargo and clicking on it is a 1 hour part of the tutorial. At that I point I just gave up playing, because if it takes me 3 hours or so to figure out the first noob mission, and I can't even figure it out. It is way to complicated of a game for me. Plain and simple, I am not sure how anyone figures out the game!

New Song, "Sunday Afternoons"

This is just the demo version, but here is Sunday Afternoons: Sunday Afternoons by Storey County Line

I hope you guys enjoy!

Also remember to like my band Storey County Line on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Storey-County-Line/106309989452435

or follow us on twitter @SCLRock

Dragon Age 2: A Quick Review

Over the years I have found very few games I have fallen in love with as much as I have with Dragon Age Origins. The only other 2 games that even come to mind are Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas (BTW I think New Vegas is better than Fallout 3). It should come as n o surprised I have been hyped for Dragon Age 2 since I beat Dragon Age: Origins in roughly March of 2010....after waiting a year I finally got my hands on Dragon Age 2...and I am kind of disappointed!

I am always the optimist when it comes to sequels and video games, I thought the best Halo game of the original trilogy was 3, THPS2, Crash Bandicoot 2, and Spyro 2 are two of my favorite PS1 games of all time, and not to mention my absolute love of Fallout New Vegas....all these games are examples that sequels can be better then the original!

Then we get Dragon Age 2....what can I say...the world isn't as big, the game isn't as long, the story not as engrossing or engaging...Its all the inhumanity of I hated from playing Mass Effect 2...except multiplied by like 3 due to the small world.

All that said the game doesn't SUCK...its just not as much fun as DAO...its like Dragon Age wants to grow up and be Mass Effect and I am not sure I like it that much. I love the changes to combat...and I love the dialog and voice actors, but a lack luster story leaves me to wonder...whats the point of having Bioware make a B grade game...with no story...my suggestion for DA2 is buy it if you want a good 20-30 hours of fun in the world of Thedas...but don't ask much more of it!

Playstation Move Sucks!

As what can be easily called a "playstation fanboy" I should be all up for anything Sony releases, and be all like *GASM IMA BUY DAT*, well upon release of Play Station Move, I was...well I was like *GASM IMA BUY DAT*. Fast forward to my most recent visit to Best Buy, where I saw the PS3 had Move, I was like OH YEAH, so I get the move controller in my hand and start playing!!! It was awful...the movement wasn't 1:1 like the Kinect and the controller didn't even work as good as the Wii's. I even had the guy at best buy show me how to do a full recalibration...and the stupid thing still was god awful. Just stay away from the Move if you own a PS3 and buy a Wii!

Dear Script Kiddies that are Keeping My Site Down

You guys are pricks for making it so no one can see my main webpage! Hammy (my friend and webhost) has been under a massive DDoS attack, because he made a couple of you kids a lil a mad at one point or another...NOT COOL. Anyway FOR A BRIEF PERIOD my main site will be this blog which is http://blog.mlrtproductions.com sorry for any inconvenience these script kiddies may have caused you, I will update this post when my site is back up and running!!!

*UPDATE* Site and blog are back up!

Thank You, Happy Birthday (Cage The Elephant Album Review)

Cage The Elephant is one of my favorite bands to come out in the last 5 years, I praised their first album for reviving alternative rock, and the songs "Back Against the Wall", "In One Ear", and "Ain't Know Rest For The Wicked" are great tracks! Fast forward to now, and I have had a week to absorb their sophomore attempt; Thank You, Happy Birthday.

Like its predecessor the lyrics on this album are very metaphorical in some spots hiding great symbolism other times they can be blunt and brash. This fluctuation keeps this album from being to shallow as well as staying coherent. The lyrical theme of Thank You, Happy Birthday is that of...well there is none really, you have songs about drugs, booze, women, and fame.

Now what I am about to talk about, is what every reviewer has talked about, but just like Stan Lee said about comic book; Every review of an album is someones first review they've read about the album. This entire album sounds like The Pixies, which is not a bad thing at all. I am one of the biggest Pixies fans ever, and I am disappointed at the fact that they haven't released a new record since reforming a few years ago. So for me this album feels like a pixies record, the distortion distortion in the guitar , the wailing vocals, the hidden themes within the lyrics of what seems to be very shallow pop songs. Its all here, but beyond that not every song sounds like Pixies, "Always Something", "Indy Kidz", "Rubber Ball" and "Flow" sound like they could have been a songs off the first Cage The Elephant album, which is good! I do wish that this release would have been more like the Self Title, but instead I get a good record that sounds like the Pixies, so that is a positive.

Overall, Thank You, Happy Birthday was generally fun to listen to, you could hear songs were written to be fun to mosh to, which for those who don't know CAGE THE ELEPHANT HAS THE BEST LIVE SHOW EVER... the lyrics are strong. Though I do wish they would have made the record sound more like their own as opposed to a pixies tribute band, I recommended this to everyone it's a fantastic alt rock album that gives me hope for popular rock music. I give Thank You, Happy Birthday a 4 out of 5

I will leave you with the Unofficial Video released by the band for "Shake Me Down"

2010 in Music

201 IN MUSIC

an end of the year summary by Phillip Smith

This is going to be one of my biggest blogposts ever, and one of the very few that I will be dual shared on my personal blog and TGWTG.com, this is going through the past year of music, and with the last CD release day of 2010 being over, I believe its time we get on with the show!

Best Rock Album's of 2010

If your into Rock 2010 has been good to you. The amazing releases from many bands have shown that, beyond anything else rock is not dead! Choosing the Winner of best rock album, and the runners up WAS HARD beyond belief, and these choices were not easy to make at all! Before I list them I would like to make an honorable mention to to Exhibit B: The Human Condition by Exodus, that was just so close into making it into the second runner up spot and was probably one of the very few GOOD metal albums this year!

Second Runner Up: Light Me Up By The Pretty Reckless

A band that I really liked, that got awful reviews from pretentious critics who can't look past frontwoman; Taylor Momsen's acting career and personal life. Good CD if you are looking for a little bit of late 90s revival alt rock.

First Runner Up: Hurley by Weezer

Amazing album, what can I say. Combining the sound of old school Pinkerton and new school Red Album, it is Weezers redemption song....album. After how awful Raditude was, Hurley was a godsend.

Rock Album of 2010: The Dissent of Man by Bad Religion

I would place No Control at the top of any list of best albums albums of all time, that said...I think I might like The Dissent of Man better...being a BR fan since I was like 5 that's a heavy thing to say, but I think its true. Its a really hard call to make, but whether you agree or disagree, this is one of the best punk albums to come out in AGES! This masterpiece should be on every album to listen to before you die list.

Worst Rock Albums of the 2010:

Alongside the amazing feats that prove that rock music is alive and well...there are albums that...make me cry for humanity. These are them, the most god awful pray you never hear them again rock albums of the year!

Second Runner Up:There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret by Bring Me the Horizon

This is a CD that I just don't understand why people like it. The lyrical structure is awful, the nearly non-existent solo's suck, and every song sounds like RAWGRAGRAGRGRWRGWFUCKRAGRARAGRSR.

First Runner Up: Invented by Jimmy Eat World

The most drooling same song being played over and over and over again album of all time. This LP should have been an EP. With a length of 55 minutes, the same song over and over again gets a bit repetitive.

Worst Rock Album of 2010: Will Never Die by Brokencyde

I am going to have to defend putting this album in the "rock category" which I can easily do. Brokencyde is kind of rock kind of pop...and which ever category I put them in they'd be one of the worst. Since I have a worse pop album (I know surprising), I decided to put them in the rock category, because they need the title of worst something! Brokencyde is so bad they are awful....no redeeming factors...yet 12 year old wanna be scene girls think they are cool. This album is so bad, I am in fact going to tell people to buy it just to annoy their friends!

Best Pop Albums of 2010:

POP MUSIC POP MUSIC POP MUSIC POP MUSIC...I may not show it a lot, but I love all kinds of pop music. From indie pop to R&B to hip hop I LALALALALALOVE IT. These are the best Pop Albums of the year!

Second Runner up: Harmony/What Is Love by NeverShoutNever!

I know its not fair for 2 albums to be second runner, but both of these CD's are roughly 20 minutes long, so together they make an LP. NSN is one of those rare bands that can make the emo acoustic pop thing work...and they do it well! Both albums being produced by Butch Vig and Butch Walker respectively...they are damn good albums that are worth a listen and a buy!

First Runner Up: Connect the Dots by Rabbit!

This was an LP I discovered through the band. Rabbit! started following me on twitter, I followed back and checked out their music and loved it. Even saying they were better than XTC...which got me crucified, but I don't care its true! Their indie pop style defines what the next generation of songwriters should be looking at!

Pop Album of the 2010: Teenage Dream by Katy Perry

Oh boy I am gonna get a mob after me for this one...I like it what can I say. Teenage Dream, TGIF, Firework, ET, and all the other tracks (minus the worst track on the album California Girls) are just perfect. The perfectly produced pop album that makes you want to listen to more mainstream stuff. Plus Katy is HAWT HAWT HAWT <3

Worst Pop albums of the year:

There were some Clunkers in 2010, from god awful pop country to god awful pop...pop! These are the lows of this year.

Second Runner Up: Speak Now by Taylor Swift

I hhhhhhhhate Taylor Swift, singing awful pop music with a southern accent doesn't make you country, it doesn't even make you pop country! In the case of Speak Now, it get sentenced to 25 to life for udder stuppidity!

First Runner Up: Plastic Beach by Gorillaz

If the previous Gorillaz albums weren't to pretentious and mind numbing rambling....MAYBE THIS IS THE ALBUM FOR YOU. If you aren't a hipster or a pretentious music snob, stay clear of this junker.

Worst Pop Album of 2010: The Incredable Machine By Sugarland

AGSGADADDasjdhsakjsdhaksjdh Okay I think I am better now. This album is the single worst abomination Pop Country has ever brought us, if you NEEDED another reason to burn down Nashville this is it! Horrible lyrics.... horrible everything...just ARGGRHHHH! Jennifer Nettles must be stopped before she destroys all of music!

Music Video's of the 2010:

Music videos can be effective ways to communicate the message of a song and these were my picks as the best of this year!

Second Runner Up: Take It Off (version 1 video) by Ke$ha

This video is awesome, the filters used make this a very pretty video. I honestly have to give director Paul Hunter props, he is a veteran in the music video industry, with credits ranging from the video for Everclear's Father of Mine, to Lenny Kravitz's American Woman, and Eminem's Superman! This video has everything, people exploding into glitter, trash cans being thrown, an empty pool, and a post apocalyptic desert!

First Runner Up: Teenage Dream by Katy Perry

The video tells the narrative of the of the song's story, it uses very soft lens and soft filters. It is very pretty music video, and I am glad it went viral!

Best Music Video of 2010: Here We Are Juggernaut by Coheed and Cambria

This is the single defining track in Coheed and Cambria's album Year of the Black Rainbow. The video stays true to the concept of the album. The special effects are amazing and it looks like it could be in a movie! Great video, matches the song perfectly, also the video got me really into Coheed and Cambria!

2010 in music a synopsis

In 2009 I was dissapointed and betrayed by the music industry. We had a good Eminem album and a good Green Day album then for 5 months nothing until Bowling For Soup's Sorry for Partyin'. This year we have seen so many amazing releases all year long, its a wonder I have been able to keep up.

2010 will be remembered as the year the music industry let a filthy hipster whore like Ke$ha make music...and it turned out good. The year Eminem was back..and not as Slim Shady, but as Marshall Mathers. The year new acts were born, like NeverShoutNever! and the Pretty Reckless, and old acts continued to do what they do, like Weezer and Bad Religion.

The thing I will remember 2010 as is the year that...music became good again. No filler, no garbage, just amazing albums from amazing artists.

From the looks of it 2011 will be just as good, with new albums from; Cage the Elephant, Saves The Day, Sum 41, Green Day, Weezer, Eve 6, Blink 182 and SO SO SO MANY MORE, I think I will be even busier than before ;)!

Visit my website http://mlrtproductions.com for more info on me, and links to my other hubs on the web!

Eggnog+Coffee=Pretty Damn Good!

What do you do when you have a ton of left over eggnog after Christmas? Try mixing it with things, like the classic eggnog and captain crunch, or how about eggnog milkshakes, or my new favorite eggnog and coffee. Heres what you'll need:

A coffee cup

Some eggnog (bonus points if its traditional hard eggnog, but negative points if you get drunk and puke)

black coffee no sugar

Put half coffee and half eggnog together, stir, drink, enjoy! Since I am a minor and don't drink, I used store bought eggnog, though friends who have tried this with traditional eggnog have said it tastes good! So there you go!

You Can't Fight the World, but Thats Just the Way It Is

I was listening to the band Zero Down, Jim Cherry's band before he died of a congenital heart condition. I noticed every song was about how no matter how hard you try, you'll never change the world, but you can at least try. Its a beautiful concept to me, but the idea of that realization is kind of deep. Is it true, I mean can we really do nothing? I am not sure, but I like to stay an optimist, and hope everything I try to do good for the world will help! If not I guess I am just a fool like Jim was!

The title of the blog comes the song the called "The Way It Is" by Zero Down, go to Fat Wreck Chords website, and buy this album and support the surviving members of Zero Down, and maybe just maybe understand the message Jim Cherry was trying to give to the world.

What Christmas Means to Me

This is a blogpost I decided I'd write for 1 of 2 reasons. First and foremost I am trying to post more content that is interesting and people will like. Secondly, I am writing more to improve my style and form, so doing essay type blog posts like this will help.

When I was younger Christmas was all about the excitement of the morning, and from ages 1-10 the magic of Santa. Waking up at 6 in the morning bugging my parents to start doing stuff. This stuff to me was the highlight of the day.

As I have gotten older though I find something new I like about the Holiday every year. I realized that I am a huge fan of ham and roast, along with all the other common Christmas foods. There is also something REALLY cool about giving someone a gift and knowing they liked it!

Though I could never buy into the "religious" aspects of the holiday, I have always been intrigued by the Jesus mythos especially about the birth. The idea of even thinking back as far as 2000 years ago is already something to wrap my mind around; but adding in virgin birth, a couple fleeing for their lives in the dead of night, and 3 kings giving presents to a baby...just makes it so cool! Its probably the most interesting story in The New Testament.

I have also grown to hate Christmas music...to the point where I walked out on my parents decorating the tree when my dad starting playing some really awful Christmas music! The worst offenders on my list of Christmas songs I hate would have to be that damned horribly depressing song about the kidding getting his dying mom shoes for Christmas...I believe that, that song IS specifically designed to depress death! If I had to pick a few songs I can stand it would be Santa's Beard by They Might Be Giants, 30 Days by nevershoutnever, and Happy Holidays You Bastards by Blink 182.

As far as Television Christmas specials go, there are 3 I HAVE TO SEE! Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Flintstones Christmas Carole, and Olive the Other Reindeer...these specials OPTIMIZE CHRISTMAS FOR ME! If I don't see these specials...I think I would cry! Call me a big softy, but I love Christmas specials, almost all of them. Bonus points if they have a depressing ending or are animated OR both!

So, what does Christmas mean to me? It means good food, god awful music, an interesting myth, and tearjerker TV specials, and maybe, just maybe family to ;)!