Michael David Huen

Busy, busy, busy. I haven't posted in quite awhile partly because I didn't have anything to talk about along with me getting very busy. I'm not exactly sure how I became so busy so let me explain it for you and myself.

The start of 2011 I had just completed my time as a seasonal design associate at an online company. I was pretty much unemployed with nothing to do but go back into job hunt mode. A network from the online company had a lead. I interviewed for a freelance design position and I got the job.

For several months I worked on and off for one of my first freelance clients. Actually I'm still working for him. So far he's been a dream client. He signs contracts, is laid-back, lenient, knows what he wants, and pays on time. Why can't all clients be like this?

With only one client I felt like I was hardly busy. I was definitely not making much money. I then received a call from the Taproot Foundation, a non profit that I was accepted into a year ago. They had an opening for a designer to create a pro bono brochure. I wasn't busy and I always need to pad my portfolio so I signed onto the project.

The online company I had worked for in the winter did a callout for bug testers. I was one of four to bug test their new system. It was draining monotonous work. However since I was the fastest one on the team I was called back for several more days of work. It always seemed like they had some work for me so I kept adding days.

Meanwhile a few weeks later I received another chance to interview at a company that I previously had interviewed for. So I interviewed again and it felt like I wasn't going to get the job again. Three days later I received a job offer and I took it immediately (of course).

The job seems complicated and disorganized at first. It's a challenge finding images, making out design orders, and using outdated technology. Although there are gripes about the job and pay I'm at least doing a lot of stuff I've never done before. My hands are definitely deep into projects and my opinion counts.

While I'm working at my new job I get several job offers. One is for the past online company. This doesn't stick because I don't have the right qualifications, still I'm a bit relieved since I don't think I would have enjoyed the position. Funnily when I got back home from the interview I received another job offer from them in the design department. I reply but it takes me nowhere. I also had a freelance interview with a guy from LA. It was very odd because I didn't really know how he found me. I believe it was through linkedin.

I don't have much experience with clients but I have built up a certain sixth sense when it comes to people. So my intuition and design experience led me to steer clear of this guy. He couldn't really get a hint, well more like explicit statements. He said he was still interviewing other designers so I'm not sure why he sounded frantic all the time. Recently I just missed some phone calls from him. I'm confused why he's left no phone messages or sent me an email.

Up to this point I'm working one part time job, one freelance client, and one time consuming non profit team project. All of which are challenging in a new unexpected ways. Then comes that online company again with an option for me to work weekends. I take the offer. I won't turn down guaranteed money especially when work is so rare.

If this 6 day work week isn't enough already my friend asks if I'd like to help create a the visual brand to a web app they're developing. How could I possibly say no? I don't have many developer friends so another opportunity as promising as this is rare. I say yes mostly since it's completely different from anything I've done in terms of application. A week later I my part time job asks me to extend my hours. Really? Why couldn't you have told me earlier? Gahh.

Just as I was about thinking about changing careers I started to pick up a lot of jobs. It also seems like once you pick up a job or two it makes you exponentially more marketable. It gives you a chance to show that you're active, challenged, and insightful. Sure the pay and recognition could be better but at least people respect my position and I'm constantly learning on the job. I'm getting job offers now and then. I don't feel like turning down anything but I know I can't do everything. If I can make it through the rest of the year I will be relieved. Right now I feel a bit overwhelmed and overworked much like college life. One day of relaxation is a far cry from a life of unemployment.

Harry Potter has no doubt been one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons since Lord of the Rings or even Star Wars. Millions of books sold, boat loads of merchandise, and SEVEN movies. SEVEN MOVIES? Wait, I mean EIGHT MOVIES. Star Wars doesn't even have that many movies.

Last week our house went through a major update. All of our first floor carpeting, stairs, and upstairs hallway had new carpets put in. In order to prepare for such a project we had to move all of the small furniture, drawers, and items into either our garage or patio. It took us about four weeks but we did it. The actual carpeting job took only two days with two men. Those guys make it look so easy. One of the guys was even shorter than I am!

The first time I watched Shutter Island, I highly enjoyed the acting, creepy atmosphere, and gorgeous production ($80 million budget). Yet the entire time I guessed the twist in the story so when the ending revealed what was what I was pretty disappointed. After reading a couple of websites Shutter Island I decided to take a second viewing.

This rain is driving me nuts. A week prior and the weather was idyllic although a bit chilly during the night. Now it's just gloom and doom with the rain, rain, rain, rain. I know I'm sounding like a whiny Californian who's ungrateful for this timid weather, but I need a break!

The new year has been looking like the start of apocalypse. Earthquakes, floods, extreme snow storms, tornados, mass shootings, riots, and even dead birds falling out of the sky. The sky is falling, the sky is falling! But how am I doing, fine I suppose.

Being out Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and prepping for a job interview I am now sick. I have a cold that makes my nose and throat spew with bodily fluids. Somehow I got the job. It's a seasonal temp job but hey it's something. Yesterday I had to go to a day of job training and it wasn't so bad until the last three hours. I thought I was going to dieeee. This will be a short blog post because I have to go back to bed. Byeeee.

So my life was thrown into a whirl when my 15-inch Mac Powerbook G4 died. I didn't really know what happened at first. The day before I was using it just as I always had. Later in the night I properly shut it down. The next morning my computer made the proper startup machine sound yet without the classic Apple chime. Strangely the screen stayed black as night. This has happened to me before but I think it's just because the button somehow didn't connect with the computer correctly. After restarting my computer about twenty times, I resorted to panic then denial then acceptance.

San Francisco brings a California leisurely pace to just about everything it does; business, food, and of course fashion. It's more of a lifestyle choice than anything. So if we're speaking of fashion and lifestyle, what can be more iconic than the messenger bag? SF bike enthusiasts, laptop carriers, and urban dwellers love their messenger bags, also known as the carryall.

Messenger bags are typically one shoulder strap bags that wrap around the lower part of your back. The one strap design makes it easy for carriers to quickly switch around the bag to the front for loading and unloading. Fast paced cities mean fast paced citizens. These bags have been popular since the days of the Pony Express and to this day messenger bags are created in a variety of styles and construction methods. Increasingly bag companies have been designing to include different laptops and gadgets such as the netbook and iPad.

So where can you get your own messenger bag in San Francisco? Here are some suggestions:

CHROME 580 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Chrome has been making messenger bags for 15 years now. They can be easily spotted by its iconic use of a car seat belt strap and red sphinx-like logo. They also tout that every bag is hand made within the United States. Chrome is the name the pops up first when speaking of bag messenger enthusiasts.

TIMBUK2 506 Hayes, St San Francisco, CA 94102
If you're not talking about Chrome then you're probably talking about Timbuk2. Timbuk2 is most known for their customizable bags and inventive constructions. Timbuk2 is one of the more affordable places to get your bag. You can even recycle your old bag to get a discount off of a new one. While they do make their bags in San Francisco they also outsource their bags to China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. They are fairly consistent on offering new products and their annual blowout clearance sale is a favorite amongst urban insiders and discounters.

RICKSHAW BAGS 904 22nd St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Formed by the co-founder of Timbuk2 after disputes, Rickshaw is a younger version of Timbuk2 offering customizable bags and accessories. Rickshaw differs itself with an eco-friendly and human-friendly mission statement. The fabrics tend to be earthier as well as softer.

CRUMPLR 845 Market Street, Level 3, San Francisco, CA 94103
Although more of an international brand, Crumplr is dedicated to a variety of bags for messenger, laptop, and camera. Their colorful and well tailored designs make Crumplr a handsome addition to the world of bags. Some might say that their bags are a little too cute for the man's man.

Additional places to look:

MISSION WORKSHOP 40 Rondel Pl, San Francisco, CA 94103
Made in the USA with a lifetime warranty. Sturdy with an almost militaristic style.

HLSAKA 2033 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94199
High end store carrying upscale men's wear and accessories.

SPORTS BASEMENT Four locations in SF
Variety of different brands and sports apparel.

BETABRAND Online only
Even though its technically not a messenger bag. This transformable urban bag is created by a new online only SF clothing upstart.


Who are your favorite messenger bag creators? What ones do you own? Leave a message you messengers.

One of the worst things that can happen to an Apple is the black screen of death. And that's what happened to me. For six years my 15-inch Apple Powerbook G4 has been serving me with close to no hiccups. Then without a warning -- dead. Shock quickly turned to panic, then denial, then acceptance. After turning my computer on and off a dozen times I sought any kind of help.

Online tutorials and DIY forums were a great help but it turns out the problem could be due to a variety of reasons. I don't have a lot of hardware experience with Macs so I decided to seek professional help. Yelp was a great resource to find local computer repair businesses. I found Union Square Computer Repair along with several other shops. I emailed them all but USCR quickly replied back to me within ten minutes. The others shops took much longer, a day or two. I also noted that USCR received SF Weekly's award for "SF's Best Mac Computer Repair Shop" and SF Gate's "2010 Best of the Baylist", so I decided to go with them.

USCR is unusually located on the tenth floor of the historic Flood Building. Stepping out of the elevator you'll find yourself in a hallway of a yesteryear. A small glass door asking you to ring for service awaits. After being greeted by a spectacled man I was led into a small office with two desks, three iMacs, and one water cooler. The wall on the left had a curtained entry that seems to be where they do all their tinkering. Although this is a computer repair shop it has the medical uncertainty of a dentist office. I wouldn't be surprised if a man came in with a surgical mask. A guy named Daniel helped process my issues. It came down to a number of options yet the most pragmatic one was to do diagnostic test. This would cost $95 for an hour diagnostic; nonetheless, Dan told me that they would take as much time as needed to find out what was wrong. I agreed with the plan. Dan told me it should be ready the next day or so. I waited anxiously.

I hadn't heard anything so I called on Sunday. Surprisingly, they hadn't started working on it yet. Finally Tuesday afternoon, two days later, they notified me that my logic board had failed. This would be a $400 replacement along with a $200 labor fee. They said it'd be smarter just to buy a new computer, I agreed. Luckily my hard drive was saved. They offered to put the hard drive in an external enclosure for $60 except I found one for $19. I know they want to make a profit but that's a $40 difference.

Once I picked up my faulty Powerbook I felt a little better knowing that I had a diagnosis. The best thing about the the people at Union Square Repair is that they are nice and blunt. They tell you how they can fix it but it seems to come at a premium. At times it felt like I had to pry the information out of them. Even though they know what they're talking I wish they would have told me my options without hesitation. The customer service I had with Dan was a bit dry. I thought it was just his personality until I brought up the SF Giants. He's a huge SF Giants fan so let him know you're one too. You just might get better service.

____________________________

I don't have much experience with other computer repair stores but Union Square Computer Repair is a fair choice.
Union Square Computer Repair
870 Market Street, Suite 1090
San Francisco, CA 94102

External hard drives can be a convenient fix for storing and transporting your vital, or frivolous, information. There are many affordable external hard drives already on the market but can you repurpose your old internal hard drives or build one from scratch for cheaper. Don't worry if you're not technically savvy or hardware experienced. If you know how to read packages, make toast, and use a screwdriver you're set.

Read Packages
Probably the hardest part of building your own external hard drive is figuring out what kind of hard drive you have or want. The three biggest factors you want to consider when buying an internal hard drive is physical size, storage size, and revolutions per minute (RPM). The more features the hard drive has, the more it costs – bigger drive, higher price. Other considerations are audible noise (dBA), transfer rater, and power consumption. You could do some research to find the most reliable hard drive but as long as you stick with the name brands and SATA you're pretty much set. Amazon is great for the cheapest drives or you can go to your local electronics shop for additional info. If you want to take out a hard drive from your computer you can go to iFixit for Macs or HelpWithPCs for Windows. Be sure to backup information before you start pulling things apart.

Make Toast
Now that you have your internal drive you need to put it inside an external enclosure. External enclosures protect your hard drive and supply power to your drive. There are a lot of different enclosures to choose from, each with their own capabilities and features. The three most important things to consider are the enclosure size, connector pins, and connection cable. The hard drive has a specific connector pin that needs to fit in exactly with the external enclosure. If you're not sure what kind of pin connection you need, your best bet is to ask someone at the store. It's better to be safe than realize you have to return the wrong enclosure or realize you've just short circuited the hard drive you just bought. Typically if you have a notebook hard drive you'll want a 2.5 inch enclosure while if you have a desktop hard drive you'll want a 3.5 enclosure. Enclosures come with many different types of cable connections like USB, Firewire, and eSATA. Most, if not all, come with USB 2.0. You shouldn't really be spending more than $15-$50 for an external enclosure.

Use A Screwdriver
Now that you have an external enclosure follow the external hard drive's instructions. You'll often need a properly sized screwdriver such as a Phillips Head. You'll probably end up taking one side off, inserting your hard drive with the connecting pins, and placing the hard drive into the enclosure along with replacing the screws. Be sure you're as anti-static as possible. One static charge can kill your hard drive. If you're connecting to a MAC you can pretty much plug and play while a Windows machine might need some CD installation. After you plug in your newly created external hard drive you're good to go. Have fun with your new external hard drive!

What if you had the chance to pitch your dream product? Well that's what eight startups had the chance to do this past Monday (October 18th) in San Francisco, CA at the 2010 CEA i-Stage Awards. The startups have working products but they only have 3-minutes for an "elevator pitch" presentation. The winning startup will receive $50,000 in prizes, attendance at the 2011 CES in Las Vegas, and of course plenty of exposure.

The winner of 2010 CEA i-Stage was Mavizon Technologies with their Autobot, scoring them $40,000 and also the $2,500 People's Choice Award. Touted as "everyman's OnStar" Autobot is a $300 ad supported cloud-based device that plugs into vehicles. It allows users to control nearly anything in the vehicle with the use of the Web or mobile app. You can do such things as track the car, emergency contacts, or have minute to minute update.s The only thing that Autobot doesn't let you do is drive the car itself. Autobot will be coming soon to specified retailers and car dealerships.

Runner-up Tremont Power presented the nPower PEG, a product that strangely resembles the As Seen On TV "Shake Weight." The nPower PEG makes kinetic energy from such movements as hiking and water wave generation. As you carry the device, the kinetic energy will be stored as a battery charge. An electric cord connects to the nPower PEG and any other device such as a cell phone or laptop. The nPower PEG is ideal for emergency situations or outdoor activities.

Continuing the trend of cloud-based monitoring devices Pomdevices presented Sonamba. Sonamba looks like a GPS device but it's geared to senior citizens and caregivers. The device can communicate between senior citizens and caregivers, give medication reminders, text message, and make emergency calls. When the device isn't in use it can be used as a digital picture frame, gaming device, or well-being quote frame. Sonamba is the start of a new generation in health care devices. The only problem is that Sonamba's starting price is $459 with a monthly subscription of $39. Health care is still expensive these days.

The startup Eyecon presented a mobile app available for Android and iPhones, and future release for the iPad. Eyecon acts as a kind of middle man for video and audio. Instead of searching for videos and music with the remote control, you instead use your phone or iPad. Once you find the media you're looking for you can streaming that content to either a PC, television, or audio system. Now if you find a Youtube clip on your phone you don't ever have to search for it again.

Sonomax Technologies presented Soundcage as the best custom-fit in-ear headphones. What's unique about these headphones is that they require a one time, four minute session to create a custom fit. They will debut at CES 2011 and sell for $199-299.

PowerBeam offers a wirelessly powered LED lamp. The power is generated with a line-of-sight undetectable wavelength that charges a panel similar to a solar panel. It's essentially "wireless electricity." The benefits are immediately simple to understand and appreciate. While PowerBeam only presented the LED lamp, the application of the technology holds many possibilities.

Oxygen Audio North America is transforming the iPhone into a car stereo experience with O'Car. The O'Car, priced at $299, allows users to listen to their iTunes library, dial hands free, use apps, and listen to Internet radio. This is all done with an in-dash car stereo that integrates with the iPhone.

The most expensive product was the $15,000 robot from Anybots. The Anybot is like a remote controlled video-conferencing system on wheels. The only problem is that the robot doesn't have a face, so it looks more like an inhuman overlord instead of a personal face to face interaction. Anybots is out of reach for small to medium sized businesses, but it might make sense if you have to oversee a huge warehouse or production company.

Although the CEA i-Stage Awards was more of a competition, each finalist has demonstrated award winning innovation. What remains to be seen is if these innovative products will win their way with the consumer market. Give it a couple of years and you might just see an Anybot robot rolling down the street.

On October 10th, 2010 Wiki.com's Healthy Recipes Wiki hosted a free event at the San Francisco Ferry Building exploring the mingling of food and technology. There wasn't much exploration on how technology effects food but there was plenty of delicious food made by celebrity chefs. A high profile panel discussion hosted by Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales included: Wikia Inc. CEO Gil Penchina, New York Times bestselling author Dr. Dean Ornish, Chow.com Editor-in-Chief Jane Goldman, leading Internet strategist for U.S. non-profits Dr. Bill Pease, and Monterey Bay Aquarium's Senior Manager of Online Communications Humberto Kim. The hour discussion was interesting yet didn't really dive too deep into the relationship between food and technology. If you're already up to date with food it was more of a refresher. This fact wasn't helped at all by the horrible sound system that couldn't be controlled. It was ironic that an event labeled "Food & Tech" had a malfunctioning piece of technology.

Interesting points were made about how the cell phone has changed the game when it comes to food. Since people have to take their cell phone wherever they go, it's something they always remember to take unlike a pedometer, medication, or nutrition booklet. Mobile food apps are a huge addition to the cell phone experience as well. The panelists constantly brought up The Good Guy App. I've never heard of this app and can't find it yet they state it's a great app for nutritional info. Additionally, the cell phone aids people in eating locally, environmentally, and healthy.

Jane Goldman brought up the idea that since there's so much information out there, the current technological need is actually just a better search or conglomeration tool for relevant information. People want information that is obviously out there yet it is often not as accessible as we might think. For those entirely without technological advantages such as a computer, cell phone, and car it is much more of a difficult process.

At the end of the panel discussion was a short Q&A with the audience. The Q&A was ended with more delicious free food. What's great is that all the recipes for the food provided is on the food wikia. For more information and recipes you can visit the healthy recipes wikia.

Adobe is further branching itself out in the consumer market with its new beta product "Project Rome." Project Rome features content creation tools for print, web, and animation. Adobe has concentrated most of its time on professional software such as Photoshop and Illustrator. Starting in 2003 Adobe released Adobe Creative Suite as a collection of designer applications offered at different premiums. Adobe Creative Suite 5 starts at $1,900 and works it way up to a steep $2,600. A current version of Adobe Photoshop CS5 by itself costs $700. The steep price point leads many to either seek pirated versions of Adobe software or be shut out of experiencing any Adobe programs at all. Project Rome aims to be an affordable all-in-one package for casual consumers and small businesses.

Project Rome doesn't feel like any of the professional applications Adobe has put out before. On first impression Project Rome is very reminiscent of Apple's iWork applications like Pages or Keynote. But unlike Apple's iWork, everything from animation to print publishing is housed within a single black-toned window. Adobe has stripped everything down to the bare bones with tabs, panels, and tools. This is good if you don't want to be overloaded with options, except, there aren't any options to customize your workspace. Hovering only nearly anything will display your options. This is convenient for people who don't have time to learn a specific program. Additionally, Project Rome comes preset with a decent amount of templates, fonts, and images.

Within Project Rome you can create content whether you're linked online or working offline on a desktop app. Working online is noticeably slower depending on the level of complexity. The obvious benefit of working online is that you can share documents quickly for revisions, notes, and direct document editing. Project Rome runs on Adobe Air so it's not the quickest of operations; however, being an application that's only 10.2 MB big is a pretty big achievement.

As a user of Adobe's professional software I found using Project Rome to be very cumbersome, unclear, and difficult. Creating a business card or flier is easy enough however for more complex documents such as animations and websites there wasn't enough information guiding me. Surely after a couple of hours I could get the hang of it, but if my mom can't use the application within the first fifteen minutes Adobe has a problem. It doesn't feel apparent when using Project Rome who Adobe is targeting – teenagers or hobbyists or small businesses? Targeting such an incredibly broad consumer market makes it more difficult for Adobe.

Saving and exporting documents is limited. You can only save the document as an "anh" file (a file extension that's not even listed under Wikipedia's file list). You can work around this to save documents as a PDF but you has to preview the document first, then go to the print panel, and finally save it as a print document. On top of that Adobe will be charging a subscription fee instead of a one time payment application.

Currently Adobe is offering a trial free preview program for Windows, Mac OSX, and web. It seems that Adobe is looking for user feedback before major release. As of now Adobe has a lot of work ahead of itself. If it wants to branch out into the broader consumer market it will have to compete against more powerful and free applications out there. Just Googling "free ____ creator" and you'll be bombarded with a lot choices. The biggest advantage Adobe has brand name recognition, online/offline utility, and all-in-one application. But if you can't operate an application, would you really want to use it?

Thomas Edison would be proud of us, either that or really jealous. Within the past two years LED (light-emitting diode) technology has flourished. LEDs were very costly in the 1960s but today their affordability has made them synonymous with consumer goods. You can find LEDs in such frivolous things as colorful Christmas lights or higher end products like high definition televisions and computer monitors. Petzl, a manufacturer of professional and enthusiast outdoor gear, has incorporated the LED into a practical item, the headlamp.

On first hearing about the headlamp I was reluctant to buy the hype. What can a headlamp do that a flashlight can't? It's essentially a light bulb stuck to your head right? The actual usefulness and simple design speak volumes as soon as you start to use it. The Petzl's Tikka 2 comes with an adjustable elastic headband so fitting it over a head cap or helmet isn't a problem. I found the headband to very snug and comfortable. After a few minutes you start to forget that you're even wearing a LED on your head. It redirects the focus of aiming a light beam to the focus of what you're actually trying to accomplish or enjoy.

Operating Tikka 2 is as simple as pressing a button. The first push brings up the maximum light, every push afterwards dims the light, while the final button push option is the strobe light. The light button sits right on top of the round light mechanism so each button press is like squeezing a small lemon. Tikka 2 has an adjustable light mount as well. This is great when you're around other people because a direct shine into the eyes is blinding.

Tikka 2 has four LEDs that shine at a maximum of 40 lumens or 29 meters. Replacing the lithium batteries and LEDs is easy since there is only one compartment for both. You don't really have to worry about the batteries unless you're on an extended trip. The lithium batteries last up to 120 hours. Not only that but the Tikka 2 is water resistant. Using the Tikka 2 is a dream especially if you need the use of your hands. If there was one thing to improve on, it'd only be more color options. Wiring gear in the dark, hiking at night, or biking in the city, the Tikka 2 is multi-use item that is a smart investment for anyone.

It's a widely accepted knowledge that the World Wide Web is a constantly growing force of information, entertainment, and media. It thrives on a being ever-changing and interactive. If the World Wide Web stopped mutating it would cease to have the fascinating draw that it own. If it did stop mutating it would still be incredibly useful, but probably the hugest disappointment ever. That is, of course, ludicrous. But seeing that the average person can have 100 real relationships with people, typically watch between 5-10 television stations, and tend to stick to routines; what is the number of web sites that one can regularly visit?

I used to have a huge sheet of websites on my bookmarks link. After a time I felt overwhelmed by how many websites I had to individually visit. Then I adapted to newer smarter bookmarks. That helped but I still needed to organize everything. After organizing hundreds of bookmarks I found it much simpler to find what I wanted to keep. Although I use "start.io" as a great page for websites I frequent, I'd say that I primarily use 15-20 websites for my needs. These needs include: search, reviews, social media, work, entertainment, and shopping. But beyond 20 websites, I think my mind starts to forget some web sites no matter how useful they tend are. I can remember only a certain limit.

Google and other search engines are trying to fashion the best algorithm to find the most relevant information. But it's been shown that search engines aren't perfect. Even news sites have been using the same sources just because they've entered the same Google search. Sites such as Facebook are trying to tie together the web into an even more social experience. If you're friend likes something you'll be updated. Twitter famously does this through viral marketing, otherwise known in the past as "buzz" or "word of mouth." RSS feeds do an amazing job of sending the most current posts to you on a monthly, weekly, daily, or even minute by minute basis. I admit that subscribe to hundreds of RSS feeds; yet, the amount is so great that I usually go through twenty pages of RSS feeds before I give up at the seemingly endless amount of content. It's not that what I subscribe isn't something I want, it's that I want it all – just not all at once. Even if I get through all of the posts, as soon as I hit "refresh" the process resumes.

So I keep to 15-20 websites. This keeps me sane and allows me to function in the digital age. Yes I want more, more, more – but less seems the most logical, most sane route. This will be the great challenge of the future. Making the Web not only a knitted collection of content or bottle of wine, but an clear container that is organized like the human brain. Meanwhile this challenge is almost paralleled with the challenge of information overload. I stick to 15-20 websites, but the danger is of information inundation is always present, always attractive. I suggest that until we solve the problem of informational clarity, stick to 15-20.

I was dying to see 'Scott Pilgrim Versus The World' on the day of release but was tied up with other stuff. The next day however I got my ticket and was super anxious to see what director Edgar Wright had in store. After sitting through a ridiculous amount of movie trailers the Universal Studios logo came on with video game treatment along with proper video game music. I think I fell in love at that moment but reminded myself that many films start brilliantly but end horrifically.

That love for the movie never ended. Even past the credits there's a small little animation taken from the newly released 'Scott Pilgrim' video game. I was so satisfied with the movie that I didn't want to "catch" another one. My imagination was stirred. I really felt like drawing, kicking ass, or jumping up and down. I'm definitely getting this when it comes out on DVD.

So what's this movie about? It's an adaptation of the similarly titled six graphic novel series. They're more like comic books or anime of the Japanese counterpart than a heavy hitting graphic novel. I only read the first two books in the series and couldn't really empathize with the protagonist enough to warrant me reading the rest of the books. I mostly saw the film because I'm a fan of Edgar Wright and the trailer did look promising.

From the very get go the movie does a great job of laying out the "rules" of the universe. In fact, it does such a good job that you don't even think about it. The film takes you by the hand and you just run with it. It doesn't jerk you as much as guide you. It's exhilarating. I felt like in the other recently released 'Inception' you were constantly forced fed how the dreamworld worked. 'Pilgrim' instead just throws you into the mix. Wright explained this movie as a musical but with fight scenes. Somehow Wright brilliant makes this work in a logical fashion.

Not only is the direction great, the performances and casting is top notch. I didn't see one actor miscast or out of sync. I've never been a big fan or hater of Michael Cera; however, he does a great job here even though it's fairly clear that he doesn't do all his stunts. I loved Knives Chau played by Ellen Wong. She really reminds me of a lot of teenage girls in my past.

The fight scenes and special effects are the main attraction – they don't disappoint. This is some amazing visual effects both computer generated and practical. The effects really shine when both computer and practical effects blend into a visual treat. It's like watching a real life version of Itchy and Scratchy throughly mixed in with 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit', 'The Mask', 'Kill Bill', 'Kung Fu Hustle', and 8-bit gaming. In some ways I like this kind of special effects more than 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Avatar. The over the top special effects, or cartoon-ness, make a blatant statement that "this is" special effects and we're going to take it far as possible – not a simulation of reality.

So far this is either my favorite or second favorite movie of the year. Toy Story 3 is still really amazing and hard to beat mainly because it covers so much emotional real estate. I never felt like crying in 'Scott Pilgrim', nor should it have played those cards. 'Scott Pilgrim' is a joyous, funny, action packed film that never stalls. It just might be one of the best comic book adaptations. Unfortunately the box office has the movie debuting at the number five spot. Hopefully this movie finds its audience and makes its mark on DVD. Hollywood needs to learn from 'Scott Pilgrim', not ignore it.

I've been hearing a lot of discussion of whether video games, or even games, can be considered art. Some people state that video games will inevitably become art because of the increasing technology and experiment talents of its designers. Others oppose this with the idea that games are unfinished because they need to be played by the user. One player experience is not the same for every user, therefore it is never complete. I disagree with both arguments of the video games as art/video games not as art.

The problem with the argument that video games will be art in the future, is that this doesn't argue for art in general. To understand what could make video games art you need to understand what makes art, art. To have a validity as a piece of art, it needs to be a byproduct, an object, from an artist. An oil painting or a composed piece of music is easily seen as a piece of art. The artist, in this case either a painter or composer, has created an outcome of individual expression. The expression is stated. It is there. So why aren't video games art now?

I argue that every video game created is a piece of art (even Pong or Tic Tac Toe). It has an artist or artist and an outcome of physical objectification. Yes, they are forms of entertainment; but so are movies, books, music, plays, paintings, operas, fashion, and even cooking. Now the expression of the piece of art depends on the artist. Right now games are not very expressionistic nor experimental; however, they are still art. If Van Goh created a bad piece of art, wouldn't it still be a piece of art. The value of art depends not only on the expression of a medium, but the value also depends on the context of its origin, history, talent, and rarity.

Let's take a stab at the argument that games cannot be considered art because each person with have a completely different experience when playing a video game or game. Although the fact that people won't have a similar experience is true it doesn't discount it as a piece of art. Art without a viewer/audience, isn't art. Art is a constant experiential medium. Without a viewer, a painting merely becomes a painting. Without a viewer it cannot become art. Without a listener, music cannot become art. If you agree that art needs an audience, then you must agree that people will have different experiences, opinions, and considerations. That's what makes art so powerful and even vital to humanity. The power to uplift and express the human condition cannot be harnessed by one medium, but many including the medium of games.

Studying art history can illustrate how different mediums become recognized as art. Photography had to battle against painting for a long time to be considered art. Because the photographic process seemed stilted and out of the "hand" of the artist, it wasn't considered art. This would seem insane by today's standards since we've lived with it so long. The quality and expression of photography is clearly visible. But did it start out with such quality? No. But that doesn't mean it's not art. Once photography gained traction there was a lot of animosity toward painting. People thought it was the death of painting because no one painting could produce such a realistic image as photography. But instead of retreating, painting found its own identity as being more than just a depiction of reality but a painter's depiction of reality.

This process of argumentation and validation is true for all mediums and genres of art. Such examples are Jazz, Hip-Hop, Rap, cinema, electronic music, abstract art, dance, fashion. Every time a new medium arises everyone has to readjust. This only diversifies and enriches the world of art. Soon the time will come when video games will be not only seen and played in arcades, but also our museums and academic circles.

Summer is brilliant. I look forward to summer like I used to look to winter as a child. It seems like the older you get the more you appreciate warm/hot weather. I suppose that's why so many senior citizens move to Florida. This summer has been a drag. The weather started horribly, picked up with several screeching hot days, then went back to Fall like conditions. I hate it. Today looks like it's going to be a great sunny day. The forecast states that the weather is going to pick up in the coming days; yet, the summer is almost over. I haven't been to the beach yet!

Being a freelance designer is a fickle occupation. When I was starting out, I got really excited when I got a prospective client or project. Everything seemed to go well. The interview, project outline, and online/offline communication are all elements that are needed to start the fire. But then all of sudden, whether due to client confidence or depleting budgets, the clients and projects suddenly vanish without explanation. It's the oddest thing – perhaps the rudest thing I've encountered.

I'm not sure who to blame. If you were to read some of my email conversations, you'd expect that I was a good old friend with my clients. Additionally, if you were to look at my work I doubt you'd say it looked unprofessional. Added to the fact that the emails state that it's exactly what they're looking for. Recently I've changed my tactics. But have they been working?

Now when potential clients contact me I talk about logistics first including money, time, and commitment. If I do this up front it seems to weed out the baddies from the goodies. A contract is signed and we get going; well, that is if they sign. Typically people bail out as soon as there's a hint of contractual agreement. I'm not sure why. We're talking about really cheap projects too ($100-300). People always sign for things like packages, email newsletters, and other frivolous things. So if they don't sign, what were they expecting to do once the project was completed? They're essentially saying, "I wasn't going to pay you in the first place." Even though I don't get totally upset when someone disappears, it's still disappointing if not depressing.

So I'll keep on trucking. The good news is that this case of client rudeness is not solely my problem. Every designer I've met has clients like these. The bad news is – every designer I've met has clients like these. I hope that the more design becomes understood and valued in the public arena, designers and their contracts become more valued.

I attempted to get away from my computer by catching a matinee of 'The Other Guys' starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. I thought the trailer looked like some ridiculous fun with decent action, yet, I was only right with the "ridiculous" part. The film starts off well enough. There is an over the top action scene starring The Rock and Samuel L. Jackson as standard action heroes everyone loves. I found myself really loving the absurdness of the action. It reminded me of the first ten minutes of 'Austin Powers 3'. But, just as Austin Powers 3 falls into oblivion after the first ten minutes, 'The Other Guys' follows suit. I'm not really sure how a good ensemble falls to pieces.Michael Keaton over acts, I've yet to see Steve Coogan in a good role, and the rest of the cast falls into line. It feels like the direction is really off. It's as if nobody knows what kind of comedy they're going for so everyone pushes 110% on their comedy belts. All of the characters in the 'The Other Guys' are total morons. It works for some movies, like my favorite 'Anchorman', but the setting and subject matter established in the film is somewhat serious. There needs to be a straight man of some kind – either Mark Wahlberg or some of the side characters. Without a straight face on screen it's like a little child waving his arms trying to get your attention.

I walked out of 'The Other Guys'. I rarely walk out of movies in the cineplex but this one really tested me. The jokes were hitting the fan over and over. The breaking point for me was when Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell's character are fighting at a funeral of two officers. I can get some dark humor and absurdness, but they hard hardly established a respect for the characters so I couldn't take this scene with a light heart. Real officers die in real life. Why the hell am I going to like these characters fighting at a funeral of two dead cops? It just doesn't make sense. If this film had been about firefighters or our soldiers would we be laughing? I don't think so. After twenty minutes or so of film I walked out in disgust.

WIth only twenty minutes of watching 'The Other Guys', I decided to walk into Angelina Jolie's 'Salt'. I caught it from the beginning but fell asleep for about fifteen minutes half way in. Yeah I was a bit tired to begin with, but this movie is so BORING. The strange thing is that when I woke up I already knew what was happening. Why? Well this movie is not only boring but it's incredibly predictable. It's like you already know who's who, who's going to die, and who is a spy when you lay eyes on them. Even though action scenes start off good they're over as soon as you start rooting for Angelina. There was motorbike chase sequence that I thought was going to turn into something great. Just as soon as they get going, the chasers are stopped by, urm, traffic? What the hell?! There are instances where people do the same three things in the same scene. Angelina jumps on a truck. Then she jumps on another truck. And finally she jumps on a van. Three – yay! Next scene, she tasers an officer, Then she tasers him again, And again, And yet again. Is this supposed to be funny?

I do have to say that Angelina somehow pulls off being a badass spy even though she looks like she weighs 100 pounds. There's one scene where she has her arms exposed and they look like they haven't been to the gym in a long time. However for the rest of the movie she's bundled up so you can kinda buy her in an action scene. After seeing this I wouldn't mind seeing her in another action film, just pick one with a good script. The rest of the cast looks really bored. The two supporting characters are acted by Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor. I liked Schreiber in 'Defiance' and even in the horrendous 'Wolverine'. Chiwetel Ejiofor was really good in 'Serenity'. So what happened here? These two actors feel like they're phoning in this action movie just so they can get to the next movie.

After watching two terrible films I felt like walking on heated coals to get the images out of my head. I can't wait for Scott Pilgrim VS the World. I hope it's as good as it can be because this summer is turning out to be one giant black hole.