Car Porn...

Something different in terms of YouTube awesomness this week...

First up is Rendezvous. Here is a 1976 short film of a car doing a high-speed run through the streets of Paris. He is driving very fast, and there are a few close calls with other cars, pedestrians & birds. The film car is a 6.9 Litre Mercedes-Benz 450SEL, but an odd thing about it is the audio is dubbed, with a Ferrari 275 being used for audio.

The dubbing does take away a bit of the gloss for me, but alot of respect is needed for this classic car porn.

Rendezvous has inspired many films, and the second video tonight is a fine example. Getaway in Stockholm is a very high speed romp through the streets of Stockholm in a Porsche 911 which begins with the driver being pulled over by a Volvo police car.

I hope you enjoy these videos as much as I have, and I wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Canuckistan Recommends...

Now that Christmas is over, alot of us would have some giftcards, or maybe have received Microsoft points/PSN credits. I was lucky enough to receive 1500 Microsoft points (space bucks), and the idea for this post was born.

In order to maybe help you spend up big, I have compiled 2 quick lists of must-have PSN & XBLA titles. You might not want to buy many/any of these games, but it definately is some food for thought.


Playstation Network (PSN)

1. Super Stardust HD - An excellent twin-stick shooter, set on a 3D 'globe'.
2. Fat Princess - Multiplayer mayhem, with surprisingly deep gameplay/strategy.
3. PixelJunk Shooter - Another twin-stick shooter... with a grappling hook!
4. Burn Zombie Burn - A top-down shooter with ZOMBIESSSSSSSSSSS!
5. PAIN - Catapult your character into targets/objects for points.


Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA)

1. Pinball FX - One of the best Pinball games around.
2. PacMan C.E. - An excellent reboot for the PacMan franchise.
3. Geometry Wars 2 - The best twin-stick shooter on XBLA.
4. Battlefield 1943 - Excellent multiplayer action. Alot of fun & variety.
5. Castle Crashers - Classic styled side-scrolling beat-em-up.

From those lists, Battlefield 1943 is the only title on both PSN & XBLA. Download the demo's for the XBLA list and try them out. Unfortunately, I don't think any of those PSN titles have demos, but you can check gameplay out by searching on YouTube.

What other titles do you think are must haves?

Impressions: Borderlands DLC

This week I finally got around to completing the first DLC pack for Borderlands: The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned. From the very vague title, this DLC pack is set on an island with zombies on it, and erm... Dr. Ned is there too. ZOMBIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Gameplay wise, there is nothing really new. Most of the missions are very straightforward "go kill this enemy" missions, but with a different enemy set (did I mention zombies?). The major difference is the setting, with most of the levels being set in either a swamp or beachside environment. This is a vast difference from the 'wasteland' environments in the main game.

All in all, I really enjoyed the DLC. There is enough content, and variety to make this a worthwhile purchase. It took me around 6-8 hours to beat all of the DLC missions, and I think the $12.95 for PSN and 800 MS (space bucks) points is good value. This DLC also adds trophies/achievements, which is great for the score whores like me.

People who have & enjoy Borderlands should buy this DLC.

Merry Christmas/Happy Xmas!

Today's message is a dual purpose message, catering for both Christians (who celebrate Christmas), and the Xtians (who celebrate Xmas)...


With today being Christmas/Xmas eve, I wish a very Merry Christmas/Happy Xmas to you all and your families. I pray/hope that Christmas/Xmas day is a great day full of family,food & reflection/drinking.

Due to the commercialisation of Christmas/Xmas, it is often a day that children appreciate more than the adults. With this in mind, I hope that Santa/Mum & Dad bring/buy lots & lots of presents, as there is alot of pressure for adults to 'deliver the goods'.

It can be easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas/Xmas, but I trust that tomorrow will be fun for you all. If not, you all have a long weekend to recover!


Merry Christmas/Happy Xmas!

1000 hits!

Wow. It is very humbling to know that many people enjoy reading the things I have to say, even if most of it is rubbish!

1000 hits in the first couple of months is an amazing result! A big thanks to all readers of this blog. I have received alot of positive (and a bit of negative) feedback and look forward to writing more for you all.

Thanks, without your support the blog would not have survived this long.

BILathon!

I had another gaming session with my mate Michael, and his brothers (strangely, also named Michael) yesterday. It was a hard fought battle over Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2.

This CODathon was a much more even contest than the last, as they all have improved greatly over the past few weeks. Because of this, I enjoyed the contest yesterday alot more than previous BILathons.

The only bad thing about yesterday was me fucking up my back from sitting on the floor for 4 hours!

FREE Game With Achievements!

I'm sure the title speaks directly into that achievement whore brain of yours - it certainly speaks my language!

The game in question is entitled Tinker. It is, as previously mentioned, FREE. What's the catch (I imagine you asking inside my head)? It's not an Xbox 360 title. It is a Games for Windows title, which means all of you can try it out - EVEN you PS3 fanbois out there (ESPECIALLY you, Mr. Mu!)... For FREE!

Head over to www.gamesforwindows.com, and download the Games for Windows LIVE client. If you have an Xbox 360 gamertag, you can use that one, otherwise setting up a new one is easy.

Now you can find Tinker in the Games for Windows marketplace & start to whore those FREE achievements.

... I should also mention that Tinker actually is a good game.

Impressions: Pixeljunk Shooter

This is not a review, but a brief rundown on a game. Today's impressions are for the PS3 dual-stick shooter, Pixeljunk Shooter.

The goal for this game is to guide your spaceship through caverns to rescue... erm, people needing rescue. You are doing this while dodging things like rocket turrets and lava flows.

Controls for this game are easy to learn. The left stick guides the ship, with the right stick used for aiming. R1 is to shoot (hold R1 for homing rockets), and L1 deploys the grappling hook (used to pick up rescuees, and treasures).

Not just being content with being a shooter, Pixeljunk Shooter also throws puzzle elements your way. The way that lava interacts with water and ice (lava turns to rock when combined with water, lava melts ice, and ice freezes water) means that a bit of creativity and brain power are needed sometimes to get to people needing rescue.

Here is a short trailer for this game:



I am very impressed with this game, and recommend it to fans of shooters and puzzle games. Pixeljunk Shooter is available for download from PSN and costs around $13. Due to PSN being shit (and inferior to XBL), there is no demo unfortunately.

Canuckistan needs you!

I'd like to see if anyone can assist me by lending me an Xbox 360 HDD transfer cable? The brother of Canuckistan asked me if I still have mine, and I cannot find it. Once he has transferred the stuff between HDD's, I will post it straight back to you.

If anyone can help, please post a comment or send me a message over Xbox Live.

Cheers.

Taste Sensations

This edition of Taste Sensations features an alcoholic drink: Crown Royal. I am a big whiskey fan, but usually drink Malt scotches (Dalwhinnie, or Green Label). I am rather particular in my drinking taste, and basically stopped trying new drinks when I discovered scotch.


So what made me try something new? It's Canadian! Being a wannabe Canadian, and after hearing good things about it I had to try it for myself. After looking around the local bottle shops for a few weeks without luck, I turned my attention to the internet. Again, after alot of searching I found a place which sells Crown Royal (in Melbourne too!), and ordered a bottle.

It arrived a few days later, and I was very excited to try it out. I poured a Crown n' coke and tried it out. How did it go? I hated it! I could not have been more disappointed, and felt betrayed: How could Canada do this to me? Desperate to improve the situation, I went looking through the fridge to see what else I could mix it with. I found lemonade. While, I don't normally drink scotch with lemonade (it's nice, but goes better with coke), I was determined to make things work.

I love it! Crown n' lemonade has become my drink of choice. If you do happen to come by it in the bottle shop and have a spare $80.00, give it a try. I have only come across one problem with it so far, and have demonstrated in the below picture...


... I don't have any left!

Youtube Friday!

Sorry I missed out last week, but as a peace offering I will give you FOUR videos this week. Hopefully an extra video this week will help fill the void.

First up is Mario: Game Over from comedy sketch group POYKPAC.
Next we have Sugar Lumps by Flight of the Conchords.
Third: LEGO PORTAL!!!!!!!. No need to say more.
Lastly, another video from POYKPAC: 'The Booby Trap'

-Enjoy.

Canuckistan's Top Games of 2009!

Most of the gaming websites are posting lists of their top games for the year, so I'm going to do the same.

Before I get to my Top 10, I will give out a couple of honourable mentions to Red Faction: Guerilla & Street Fighter 4 (PS3 version... the 360's d-pad is TERRIBLE!). Both of these games were very close to making the list. Street Fighter would've gotten in for sure, if they had not gimped Sakura.

10. Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising (360)

This FPS is more like a battle simulator, with it's in-depth gameplay & gritty realism. A great single player experience, but is so much more when played co-op with buddies online.

9. Need for Speed: Shift (360)

After being bored with the racing genre for many months this year, I can credit NFS: Shift for bringing back the love. An amazing game to look at, NFS: Shift truly shines in one area: FUN!

8. Katamari Forever (PS3)

A very hard game to describe, Katamari has a very 'Japanese' look and gameplay elements in it. If you have never heard of Katamari before, shame on you. Katamari Forever is essentially the 'greatest hits' for the Katamari series.

7. NHL 10 (360)

Hockeyyyyyyyyyy! More than just a roster update, EA added many features to an already awesome NHL 09. A must for fans of Hockey.

6. Killzone 2 (PS3)

Killzone 2 is an excellent shooter for the PS3. It has amazing graphics, and is a must for PS3 owners. It is a game which I haven't played too much, but am eager to play again after the 'silly season'.

5. Modern Warfare 2 (aka COD6) (360)

A very good single player campaign which lasts for only about 5 hours (LOL!), but is full of twists & memorable moments. The multiplayer portion is where the real meat of the game is though. It is so much fun with mates, especially when you are pwning the n00bs!

4. Pinball: Hall of Fame (PS3)

This features a dozen or so classic tables from the 70's, 80's and 90's, all perfectly recreated with amazing physics. This game is a must-buy for fans of Pinball.

3. Borderlands (360)

Borderlands is a classic blending of the FPS & RPG genres. There is alot of variety in terms of missions and weapons, and is an excellent game when played co-op.

2. Battlefield 1943 (360 - xbla)

A great multiplayer-only game which is available for download on XBLA & PSN. There are only 4 maps, but there is alot of variety with character classes, and vehicles. Like the other Battlefield games, there are many many ways to kill an opponent. This is the best $15 I spent all year!

1. Forza 3 (360)

This game is porn for a car fanatic! Forza 3 would have some of the best physics system around, and it's graphics are not shabby either. There is so much depth with 100's of customisable cars to choose for - each with their own handling charecteristics. Add to that an amazing livery editor, custom parts and tuning setups, there is something in this game for casual or hardcore racers.

Forza 3 Tune Release: Volkswagen Golf R32

It's been a while since I have released a Tune setup for Forza 3, and this one is for the Volkswagen Golf R32. This was one of my favourite C class cars in Forza 2, and now I have tuned one upto A class this time around.

I am sporting this car with my Vancouver Canucks livery, but unfortunately I cannot upload due to having 'locked' vinyls. This is a solid car which would be very competitive on smaller/twisty circuits.

This Tune file is available for purchase off my Forza 3 storefront, and the parts for this tune should cost around $100,000.

NOTE: I currently have an A class Golf R32 for sale on the Forza 3 auction house. Starting bid at $50,000 with 24 hours to go.

Weekend Update

Just a quick post, as I'm writing this on the iPhone...

YouTube Friday may be delayed for a while, as I'm off the grid for a few days. Not much to report really, I've been very busy at work & haven't been gaming too much. I have only been playing a bit of Geo Wars 2 and Pinball Hall of Fame on the PS3 during the week. Last night I did have a great COD session with Wound though. We were pwning the noobs, so much so that I should change my gamertag to "xXx_n00bhunt3r_xXx". It's scary how much I enjoy COD online, but only when I'm winning. Normally, I find the game horribly frustrating.

That's it for now, I will try to think of more interesting things to post over the next few days.

Halo 3 is teh sux0rs!

It's true, Halo 3 sucks.... Well in comparison to Canuckistan favourite, Ms Pacman. Even when given a head start (by being reviewed against an average Atari 2600 version), Halo 3 simply cannot compete with Ms Pacman.

Here is journalistic proof of Halo 3's suckiness:



Edit Station 1 does make one excellent point about 'Pacman fever': Once you do have it, you will never get rid of it. Pacman fever is the gift that keeps on giving. The Pacman series is one of my favourites, and that is despite not being good at the games at all.

Halo 3 will be replaced by another sequel (or another hollywood-style space marine game), but Pacman will be forever.

Canuckistan: State of The Union.

The breakaway republic that is Canuckistan is in trouble. Since gaining independence earlier this year, there have been many up's and down's. In the beginning, it was celebrating independence with absolute joy, and everything was great. Now, Canuckistan has fallen into tough times. It's economy is currently the second worst in the world (after the United States), and tough decisions need to be made.

Canuckistan currently has a treaty in place which needs to be honoured. This treaty secures (or leases if you prefer?) land, and this treaty is fundamental to Canuckistan's survival as a nation. This treaty will be expiring in late April, 2010.

The tough decision which I have had to make is to not renew this treaty. Canuckistan will be rejoining with the Motherland. This is not an admission of failure, but an admission that Canuckistan had rushed into things. Put simply, it was not ready. It sought out the glory, but Canuckistan was not built on a foundation of financial security.

As leader of this nation, it was a very humbling experience to admit I could have done things better. Canuckistan is very grateful that the Motherland understands, and wants to help.

Canuckistan will regain it's independence, but knows it may take a year or two to be where it needs to be. Canuckistan will be reborn, and it will be better and stronger. I am looking forward to those times, and the end goal will be the motivation for all of the tough times and hard work which is needed.



... I am not talking about a country, or this blog. I am talking about myself. To free myself of the financial struggles of the past few months, there is only one solution. I will be moving back with my parents for a year or two, to get my finances in order - The goal is to be debt free.

This is the hardest, and most embarrassing thing I've had to do. All of the feelings of failure, and working my arse off will be worth it.

This is something which I will not enjoy, but it is something which must be done. It is a shame the financial revolution wont begin until April. It may seem strange that I'm sharing this with you all, but I feel I needed to say it in order for me to accept it, and move forward.

CANUCKISTAN WILL BE BACK, BETTER THAN EVER. THAT IS MY PROMISE.

Youtube Friday!

Today's edition of Youtube Friday brings you the following:

1) Charlie the Unicorn. I don't need to say anything more than "heeeeeeeeeeey Charlieeee"
2) Cool for Cats, by the band Squeeze. This video is the embodiment of my love for the late 70's & 80's pop music. I especially love the costumes of the two backup singers.
3) Fairlane by Tickford. This is a video of the car model which I own. Only 106 of these were built, and it shocks me to see one treated like that.

Enjoy.

Impressions: Geometry Wars 2

This is not a review. I am not a game reviewer, as that title implies completion. I rarely finish games, and when I do, it usually happens a year or so after first playing the game. Instead, I can offer you some impressions. Today's impressioneering will offer up Geometry Wars 2 for your reading pleasure.

Geometry Wars 2 (or Geo Wars 2 to the cool cats) is a twin-stick shooter released for the Xbox 360. This game was released a year or two ago, and is one of my favourite XBLA titles.

The gameplay is rather simple (probably why I like it so) with the left stick moving your ship, and the right stick giving you 360 degree control on the shooting. You kill an enemy, and it will drop a little sesame-seed thingo which increases the multiplier and therefore increasing the points you can earn. There are 6 different modes including Time-trial and Survival. The best thing about this game (apart from addictive gameplay) is the leaderboard battles with your friends, as this game definately stirs up those competitive juices (I'm leading the Time-trial mode BTW).

Check out this gameplay trailer:



Geo Wars 2 can be downloaded from the Xbox Live Arcade, and costs 800 space bucks ($10?). There is also a free trial for download too.

Also.... I must add that I really hate those green diamonds!

A BAD PACMAN GAME?

As a massive Pacman fan, I cannot believe that a bad pacman game could exist. But after seeing the abomination that is in this video of Pacman 2 for the Sega Megadrive, I think anything is possible.

MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON US ALL!

PODtacular!

I think podcasts are a great thing. No matter what your interests are, there will most likely be a podcast for it. Whether you're driving, catching the train or at work, a good podcast can always help pass the time.

Podcasts are a big part of my daily routine, and here are the ones which I listen to on a regular basis:

ESPNsoccernet - A weekly recap of football, with a focus on the English Premier League.
ESPNsoccernet Fantasy - A weekly podcast which discusses fantasy football for the EPL. A good source for fantasy tips.
Video Game Show - A weekly show which usually runs for 30 minutes talking about video gaming, with a focus on PC gaming. Is part of the 'Gamercast' podcast network.
Destructoid's Video Game Show - A weekly show from the people at www.destructoid.com, this show normally funs for 90-120 minutes.
Sarcastic Gamer - A weekly video game show from the chaps at www.sarcasticgamer.com, this show runs for about 30 minutes.
SModcast - A weekly podcast hosted by movie director Kevin Smith. This is Kevin's take on popular culture & social taboo's, and usually runs for about 60 minutes.
Major Nelson Radio - Hosted by Xbox community manager Larry Hyrb (gamertag Major Nelson), there are alot of interviews and xbox related news.
Retronauts - A fortnightly podcast which takes us back to the good old days of video gaming. This is hosted by the people at www.1up.com, and usually runs for about 60 minutes.
ESPN: PTI - This is a daily podcast of PTI, shown on ESPN. This podcast is all about North American sports news, and runs for about 30 minutes.
TEAM 1040: Pratt & Taylor - Pratt & Taylor is the daily 'drivetime' radio show from the TEAM 1040 radio station, based in Vancouver. 3 hours of sports talk, with a focus on the Vancouver Canucks & BC Lions football team.

So there you go. Check out these podcasts on the iTunes store, and subscribe to the autmatic updates. Other 'gamercast' podcast's covering a wide variety of gaming topics, can be found at www.gamercastnetwork.com.

Enjoy.

BILathon!

I was lucky enough to receive an invitation to the latest BILathon, which was held on friday night in Preston. This event, hosted by my friend Michael pitted us and 2 of his BIL's (Brother in Law's. Steeley & Wella REPRESENT!) in a battle for Call of Duty supremacy.

This BILathon featured the new game to the Call of Duty franchise, Modern Warfare 2. After a hard fought 4 hours of killing, dying, laughing & general n00bhunting (xXx style!) it was time for me to return home and wait by the phone for the next BILathon invite. I had a great time with alot of laughs, and I managed to get a few lucky shots off too.

Also, we had pizza.... and beer! LOL

Good company, good laughs, and good gaming.... a recipe for a great night out.

Youtube Friday!

Here is this weeks selection for your viewing pleasure....

First up is a trailer for one of my favourite films of all time: The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. This is a spoof of sci-fi films from the 50's & 60's, and as you'll see from the trailer, it is a very funny film.

The second video for this week is: Hitler Gets Banned From Xbox Live. There are many varieties on this "Hitler gets..." theme, but this is one of my favourites.

Video number three for this week is a classic skit from A Bit of Fry & Laurie which shows the early days of Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie (I bet you didn't know DR. HOUSE is English, did you?).

Enjoy.

Forza 3 Tune Release: Audi S5

This week Canuckistan friend (and Forza 3 painter) Jelly Muffin had gifted me a personalised version of his S5 paint. To do this awesome paint justice, I have released not one, but two tune setups. There is a B Class & an A Class tune for your racing pleasure, and are both available on my Forza 3 storefront. The parts for the B Class setup should come in at around $50,000 and the A Class parts should add upto around $120,000 (I think).

Please check out some more of Jelly Muffin's Forza paints on his blog (http://craigbruyn.blogspot.com/), and I'm sure if you send him a message over live, you can request a personalised S5 paint for yourself (tell him I sent you).

Taste Sensations

This is a special Taste Sensations post: This is probably the closest thing to a "family recipe". While I was growing up my family wasn't too big on eating well, or with alot of creativity. I think this is born from that laziness.

Today's treat is a slight variety on my mother's* "Filet o fishfinger" (it sounds ridiculous saying it!), and is probably something i'll have once or twice a week. I really enjoy the taste, but what I probably enjoy most about this recipe is it's simplicity.

Ingredients: Fish fingers (x6), english muffins (x2), cheese slice (x2), tartare sauce & margarine/butter.

Method: Bake the 6 fish fingers in the oven for around 15 minutes. Toast the english muffins until crispy (cut in half, so there are 4 halves), then spread on some margarine/butter. Put the 2 cheese slices on 2 of the muffin halves, then place 3 fish fingers over the slices of cheese. Now spread some tartare sauce onto the fish fingers, and put the remaining muffin halves on top.

I present to you, the FILET O FISHFINGER...

Don't knock it until you try it.

*My mother's twist to the recipe had bread instead of the english muffins. The bread was lightly sprinkled with sugar, and then lightly toasted.

Trekkkkkkkk!

I picked up the new Star Trek film on bluray the other day. This is now the 2nd time I've watched this film (I also watched it in the theatre), and all I can say is WOW! This film is exactly the reboot that the Star Trek franchise needed, and the casting is spot on - especially Zachary Quinto (Spock) and Simon Pegg (Scotty).

J.J. Abrams' direction and vision of the Star Trek universe is interesting. As a consequence of this, some familiar Star Trek races (Vulcans & Romulans) may not feature as big as previous Star Trek series/films. I'm not 100% sure how I feel about that, but this film is extremely entertaining.

I am very much looking forward to further Trek films, and recommend the fans of sci-fi fans that they pick this one up on bluray/dvd.

Somewhat related to Trek is the novel I finished reading last week: Just a Geek. This novel was written by Wil Wheaton (he played Wesley Crusher in The Next Generation series), and chronicles his struggles from being a former Star Trek actor to being a successful writer & husband/father. This novel is full of amusing & intersting stories which shows Wil as a normal person (well, a geek actually - he's a gamer!), and is a very good read.

Wil has his own website too. Check it out at: http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/

Youtube Friday!

That's right kids, Youtube Friday! I'm starting a new craze, a crazy craze! I'll be serving up a few youtube funnies each week, because there is nothing better than youtube funnies, erm... on a friday.

First up is the Cooking with Christopher Walken skit from The Wedge (the ONLY amusing skit on that show - a collectors item). Christopher Walken is an absolute champ, and any impression of him is very funny.

Second is a cover of Lady Gaga's (Even if she isn't a hermie, she still LOOKS like a man!) Poker face by talented musician Molly Lewis.

The BONUS ROUND features another song by Molly Lewis. This time it is Still Alive, which is the ending song of Portal - a most excellent gaming experience.

Do The Right Thing

Wow. Those illegal asylum seekers have won. I cannot believe it. I cannot believe the nerve of these people...

Their shit boat was sinking, and the Oceanic express rescued them in INDONESIAN waters. This Australian ship was doing the right thing: helping people in need. Given that they were intercepted in Indonesian waters, the Oceanic express took them to Indonesia for processing. But nooooo, "We don't want to goto Indonesia. We're going to Australia". What fucking right do they have to demand that they goto Australia?

I am 100% FOR immigration. Our country is great because of it's migrants. The diversity of people and cultures is what makes Australia an excellent place to live. I love hearing stories of people who have come from all over the world. Hearing them describe their homelands is very exciting, and often makes me want to read and learn more about these places.

Immigration is a great thing, but you NEED a Visa. If these people get in the country WITHOUT Visa's, it is queue jumping and it might mean people who have done the right thing may miss out. We cannot let everyone in. We simply do not have the natural resources (especially WATER) to support everyone who wants to be Australian.

They must be so happy that Mr. Howard is no longer in charge. He would've torpedoed their ship with them still on it. Now? They get to bide their time in Indonesia for 3 months, and then get everything handed to them on a platter (housing, money, etc). As soon as they refused to get off the boat, our government should have flown them back home.

Go home, and get a visa. Please do the right thing.

Lest We Forget

With today being the 11th of November, it is Remembrance Day. It is a day to remember the sacrifice and commitment of our armed forces over the years. Without their sacrifice, our country would not be as great as it is today.

I send out my love, respect and appreciation to everyone who has served our country: You are all heroes. To anyone who has sacrificed their lives for us, we will not forget what you did.

Have a great day everyone.

-Lest We Forget.

Haunted House

A little while back, I started hearing strange noises in the house. At first it was rather infrequent; Just the occasional thud from the other end of the house. I really didn't think much of it. Steadily, the noises occurred more often & were louder. Mostly the noises seemed to come from the roof, but sometimes there would be strange noises from inside the walls and under the floorboards. I was a little freaked out at this point, maybe I'm living in a haunted house?

Still unsure what it all was, I was trying to ignore it my turning the TV up: If I cannot hear it, it is no longer there, right? I think these roof-demons can read minds, because everytime I turn the TV up, the screams begin. These high pitched screams sounded like they come straight out of hell; Think fingernails on a blackboard, and amplified by 100.

At this point, I don't know what to do. Do I say to my friends and family that my house is possessed? They'll think that I'm crazy!

I needed some divine intervention. I looked upto the sky and screamed SAVE ME, CHUCK NORRIS! I honestly didn't think that would have worked, but the next night the mysterious noises and screams were gone. Chuck Norris had triumphed over evil. I think he roundhouse kicked those demons straight back to hell!

Two nights later, while feeling great about my demon-free house, the evil one had one ace left up his sleeve. Unleashed from the bowels of hell were unimaginable smells! These smells engulfed the whole house. There was no escape, and this November heatwave only made things worse.

It turns out my house is in fact NOT haunted. A family of possums were living in my roof. The sounds coming from the walls and floorboards were electrical wires being moved around from inside the roof. The horrible smell did happen though. I think one of the possums couldn't handle the high temperatures (has been mid-30's since last week), and died. One night, the smell was so bad that I even contemplated sleeping outside.

The next morning, the smells were gone... Thank you, Chuck Norris.

Weekend Update

I feel really neglectful for not updating the blog since friday (maybe I thought the hockey fight would keep you all busy?), but I guess I haven't had anything interesting to say? I was going to rant on about the boat people this morning, but I think I should steer clear of the political topics for a while... I don't want to scare away you all after only one week!

It has been a great week for the blog, with over 250 page hits. This is so much more than I ever expected, and I hope I can continue to build on this early momentum and repay the support to my friends. I find my enthusiasm is still there, but interesting topics can sometimes elude me. I don't want this blog to be a journal, and just report on my uninteresting life.

With that being thrown out the window, I will tell you all what I did for my 3-day weekend... NOTHING! I gamed... alot! On friday night, I had an awesome Forza 3 sesh with a few Canuckstan buddies (Wound & Jelly Muffin) and with Mad Danno & Gloom Trooper who are from the Dad's Army forum (http://dadsarmy.forumotion.com/forum.htm). I had also spent the last few hours tonight playing Borderlands with Canuckistan friends debear and KC. Borderlands is an excellent game (escpecially when playing co-op), and is a perfect blending of the first-person shooter and role-playing game genres.

The last bit of news may be a shock to those who know me... I played the PS3! I was having a great time on Pinball Hall of Fame (pinballlllllll) and got a few games in on Fifa 10. It hadn't gamed on the PS3 for so long that after I powered up there was a very loud scream of pain, because all of it's internal companents had siezed up.

I think that will be it for tonight. I will try to come up with something more interesting, and slightly less gaming related for you tomorrow night.

Canucks vs Rangers: FIGHT!

Here is some footage from the hockey game between the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Rangers which was played the other night:



The fight broke out during a line change which meant that the Rangers (wearing white) had 10 players on the ice, compared to the Canucks who had 8 players involved (normally there are 5 skaters and the goalie on the ice for each team).

Scuffles often break out during hockey games, but bench spillovers are rare. Even more rare are scuffles from players who are STILL on the bench, like when Vancouver's Shane O'brien was poking New York's Sean Avery from the Canucks bench.

At one point there were 4 or so players fighting with Canucks skater Ryan Kesler. 5 players (3 for Vancouver, 2 for New York) were sent to the changerooms for 10 minute Game Misconduct penalties & Shane O'brien later received a 1 match suspension for his stick work on Avery.

Strangely enough there weren't any penalties dished out for "Too many men on the ice". The Canucks went on to win 4-1. GO CANUCKS!

Friends of Canuckistan

All of you are friends of Canuckistan, but I thought I would quickly pimp out a couple of blogs of some Canuckistan followers:

http://gordonsphotography.blogspot.com/ A good friend of mine, Gordon's blog mostly chronicles his travel and photography exploits.
http://craigbruyn.blogspot.com/ A new friend of Canuckistan, Craig has been very supportive of this blog and a big contributer to the Forza 3 community. Craig's blog is themed on Forza 3 and his artwork.

Please check out these blogs to support the people who support me and this blog.

Sock-Lotto

There is a little game I play every morning. A game I like to call "Sock-Lotto". Let me first point out that I am rather lazy, especially when it comes to household chores. Sock-Lotto is a game born out of my laziness in regards to clothes washing & folding.

Washing day for me is Saturday. Saturday is also the day when I visit my parents (they have a washing machine, I don't) & it means I can kill those two birds with one stone. Anyways, when returning from my parents house with a basket full of clean clothes, instead of folding & putting away like most people do, I keep the clothes in the basket.

Sock-Lotto is a game of chance. All of my socks are white (with different coloured stripes), which means pulling out a pair of socks from the bottom of the basket with matching stripes can be difficult. Some days are more difficult than others to get a match. The first few days of the week can sometimes get 6 or so socks before finding a pair, but the Sock-Lotto gods show mercy and make the game easier to beat later in the week.

This morning (as pictured above), took me 4 attempts before finding a match. I think the highest score has been 8 or 9 (last summer), but when you manage to get a pair on the first 2 socks you really feel like you can do anything.

...I really wish every morning would start with a perfect round of Sock-Lotto.

Forza 3 Paint/Tune release: 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 (997)

My newest Paint/Tune release has just been completed & can be downloaded via my Forza 3 storefront. The Porsche 911 GT2 is an amazing car to drive on any type of track: It is so versatile and easy to drive. This tune is an A class (600) setup which should cost about $150,000 with purchase of the car - Even less if you have received it as a reward car.

I hope you enjoy the "Double Cheeseburger" motif from this blog. Canuckistan represent!

Amazed

Just a quick one before I head off to bed...

I just want to say a massive thanks to all of you who have supported this blog. I only started the blog on sunday, and it already has had over 100 hits! I went into this unsure of how it will be received, and assumed I would get very little traffic. Over 30 hits a day is well and truly over what I had expected & this only encourages me to continue.

Thank you, this has really made my day.

May the HORSE be with you

As you may or may not know, today is Melbourne Cup day. The race that supposedly "stops the nation". Everyone except for me I guess. I have ZERO interest in horse racing.

I think there are three kinds of people in regards to Cup Day: People who love horse racing, people who (like me) have no interest, and the phoney's. The phoney's are the worst. The "one day" experts who treat today like it's fucking Christmas and then tomorrow return to ignoring horse racing. The phoney's are usually the ones drunk on the trains afterwards. There is nothing more sad than some drunk chick comatose with her legs wide open for everyone to see.

On second thoughts, maybe I like Cup Day?

May the horse be with you.

Forza 3 Paint/Tune release: Maserati GranTurismo

It's time to pimp out my newest Paint & Tune files which are available for download via my Forza 3 storefront. The Maserati GranTurismo is one of the sexiest cars around & this subtle paint design really suits this most elegant car. My GranTurismo is tuned for Class B action with an emphasis on speed & handling. Give it a go: this setup/car combination should cost a reasonable $100,000 all up (even less if you still have the gift car).

To locate my storefront within Forza 3, first load up your own storefront, hit the Y button then select me in the "view your friends" menu.

Taste Sensations

I've had this idea in my head for a while, but to be honest have been too afraid to run with it. Too afraid of what others might think and most importantly, too afraid of how I would change after going through with this. Would I be the same person? Could I ever go back? What if I got it horribly wrong?

I could potentially ruin a few things too. Would I have to stop eating this particular food (a food which I really like), and could be shunned by my friends & have to eat alone. A combination of the two would be devistating. Who would I rant to? Who would I voice my observations with? Who will I bitch about others to?

It turns out I have all of you for those things, but my fears were all for nought.

I went for it today. Went for the glory, and can now share it with you all. I am a pioneer and it feels great. I have created something new, and will hopefully inspire others to try new things.

I give you the Double Cheeseburger.... Canuckistan style:



A cheeseburger... within a cheeseburger! Also, what is a cheeseburger without fries in it? Who eats them without fries? Pfft. Shame on you. Be sure to remove BOTH sets of pickles too: You don't want any nasty surprises.

Try it out - You will be a better person for it.

What weird food-things have you invented? Post some comments & let me know.

Banner help

Just a quick post before I get ready for work: If anyone is bored & want to whip up a "Canuckistan" banner for the blog that'll really be cool. I have a couple of ideas, but there are many people out in internet land which are more creative than me & can better use fauxtoshoppe.

If there is no offers for help, that is ok.... I think I have a fairly good idea in my head, I just need to sit down and do it.


.... There should be another Forza post tonight, pimping another design/tune.

Forza 3 Paint/Tune release: 1954 Mercedes 300SL

My first Paint & Tune files have been completed and are ready for your downloading pleasure via my Forza 3 storefront. The 1954 Mercedes 300SL (aka The Gullwing) is one of the most beautiful & iconic cars of all time. This particular paint is a throwback to a Forza 2 paint I did for my buddies at www.oldskoolgamers.org . The tune is a basic Class B tune which may not be perfect, but I think it is alot of fun to drive. The price of the car/tune is high (over $500,000), but I do think it is worth every cent.

To locate my storefront within Forza 3, first load up your own storefront, hit the Y button then select me in the "view your friends" menu.

Canuckistan are go!

If you are here by accident I'm sorry, but you might have just stumbled upon the GREATEST BLOG OF ALL TIME. Most likely you have just come across the ramblings of someone who THINKS he has something to say, and someone who THINKS he knows how to convey it effectively. Either way it could be fruitful for you to return? Be just like the people who slow down on the freeway to look at a car accident. I know you do that.

To the people who are here on purpose, what took you so long? I thought the blatant pimping of my blog via "goto www.canuckistan.org" messages, or on my Forza paints (If you're here because of Forza, kudos to you) would have worked sooner.

Ok, what is Canuckistan? What is the purpose of this blog, it's direction? To be honest, I am not 100% sure of where this is going yet. Most likely it will be me writing about the things I enjoy most: Video gaming, Sports (Hockey, Football (soccer, the REAL football) and cricket), and random ranting. The KING of Canuckistan is a massive nerd, and this blog will be an extension of that too. I'll need to iron out a few things, but I am sure the quality of the blog will improve in no time.

Please be patient, I hope this will be as entertaining for you as I hope it will be for me. Do come back.

PS - The title of this post is grammatically incorrect on purpose. Bonus points for those who "get" this reference.

...I bet you now wish you took the blue pill, don't you?