Team Afterburn is at Questival today!! Check us out on the Llama Judge app and give us some likes (we are pretty Llamazing).

Design Quotes

I was reading up on some simple design tips and then I found this on Google+ so I wanted to share it.

15 Inspiring Design Quotes

I'm sorry, I'm busy

I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry
I cried as I sat on the web
I'm busy I'm busy I'm busy
My chest has been filled up with dread

The finals the finals the finals
Are next week and I'm not prepared
The projects the projects the projects
Are making me pull out my hair

The summer the summer the summer
Is so soon that I could just cry
The quarter the quarter the quarter
Has been so hard I thought I would die

I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry
That I haven't posted for you
I'm busy I'm busy I'm busy
And I'm sure that you have been too

Snapshot!

I've been working on taking great photos with my smartphone! I've always loved photography and photo editing. What do you think of these shots?

These are just a couple of my favorites! If you want to see more like this, check out all of my photos on my Google+ profile! --->

Bringing back America

Let's be honest with ourselves: no one can deny that America has begun a seemingly never-ending fall down a slippery slope. Each year our debt grows by leaps and bounds and the population of the country on welfare just keeps growing. Meanwhile, the taxpayers are getting taxed more and more.

Where will this fall end? Or will it even end?

It's time for the next generation to stay taking control of this country. We have to change something in America, or there will be no America left to live in.

The land of the free has gotten rather expensive. What will you do about it?

The time has come: Comic Con 2014

It's finally that time of year again. Time to get up incredibly early on a Saturday and pray that our internet connection is strong. Time to click as quickly as possible and then watch the queue of thousands of people trickle down until you are next in line. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to preorder your Comic Con tickets.

Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Comic Con 2014 tickets will go on sale. Don't miss this once in a lifetime chance to join the exclusive club that is Comic Con. Have your member ID ready and be prepared to log on the second the clock strikes nine.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Nowhere to Hide

Some of you may have seen a video by PBS that aired about 2 years ago regarding a super camera called the ARGUS-IS.

For those of you who don't know, this is a
1.8 gigapixel camera that takes pictures from a drone at 17,000 feet with such high  resolution that it can zoom in and see what your individual is wearing on the streets below.

The camera isn't exactly common knowledge. In fact, it was only 2 years ago that the government released any information regarding the camera at all. What is used for? Well apparently, the government isn't at liberty to say.

What we do know is that the camera is intended for use as a surveillance device. Where do they plan on using this? Well, we aren't sure. All we know is what the government has shown us through this short video. If you're interested in learning more about the camera, I'm posting a link to a web page that has a lot of information on it. 

One thing we know for sure if the camera is intended for use 24 /7 over the areas where the government would like to place it. We don't know where this is, but we can assume that some of the areas are in this country.

How do you feel about being watched 24 /7 with what is possibly an infrared camera?

One thing is certain, we have a few questions need to be answered. For instance, what does the government plan to do with such a camera? Where do they plan to station it? Will the public be notified if they are being monitored 24 /7? Is it ethical to monitor the public 24/7? Are we entitled to privacy in our homes or businesses?

There's a lot that needs to be answered, but the government is not offering up any more information at this time. Feel free to look up what you can find in post it in the comments below. I'll be very interested to see what everyone else can find in terms of information on this camera.

Here's the link: http://petapixel.com/2013/01/28/argus-is-a-1-8-gigapixel-drone-camera-that-sees-everything-and-then-some/

How Many Justin Biebers Could You Take In A Fight?!

Created by Oatmeal

Revolutionizing Online Shopping with Luvocracy

My roommate introduced me to a new website a little while ago. It's called Luvocracy!



So basically, as far as I can gather, this website is a lot like pintrest except instead of gazing longingly at all the things you wish you had or could make it allows you to buy what you see.

The coolest thing about this website is that you can get all these unique items from small businesses or individual sellers and you can earn money back while doing it. All you have to do is become a curator. This section of the website is very much like pintrest with just a splash of Tumblr. You create collections (whatever you want, they don't have to be themed) and "trust" other curators (follow them). If people buy things after seeing them through you or they "luv" them from your page and someone else way down the line buys the item, you get money. It's just like youtube: get people to watch your videos, make money. Easy, right?

WRONG! To establish a "truster-base" on such an unknown site is nearly impossible. So what's the solution? Make the website more popular! I don't normally like to support companies that are likely to turn into large corporations, but this situation seems like a win win. If you want to get involved, go to luvocracy.com, make a quick account, and starting sharing the luv.

The Future of Smartphones

I've been doing a little reading, and I came across an article that rated smartphones and offered short little reviews for them.

I was intrigued on what other phones were rated so I read on. As I went further and further down the list, passing Samsung Galaxies and iPhones of various shades and colours I realized that my phone (a Motorola MotoX) wasn't on the list, or if it was it was near the bottom.

Now, I don't know how much you know about the MotoX so let me give you some comparisons.

iphone:

Please press and hold the home button to talk to siri

MotoX:

Just say 'OK Google Now" to talk to your phone!

iphone:

If you want to check the time, you're going to need to press a button

MotoX:

Want to check the time or any notifications you have? Just jostle the table that the phone is on, or pull it out of you pocket, or just move the phone a bit

I could go on and on with these comparisons, but I believe my point is made. When I start driving, my phone knows that I am driving and reads my texts to me and starts playing my music over bluetooth without any actions from me. When it's bedtime, my phone knows that it's bedtime and silences all notifications until it's time to wake up. The point is: touchless control is the future of smartphone technology. Sure, you can customize the hell out of the MotoX but what really makes it the phone of the century is the fact that 3 words from you will wake your phone up. You can have your hands covered in paint and ask your phone to set a timer for when your painting will be dry. You can send a message to your Mom in the car without even looking at the phone. The developments that have been made on the MotoX signal the coming of a new age in smartphones and I cannot wait to see what Google puts out next.

Join the Goodreads group

The Tales of Old
14 members
Open group. Fill up the discussion boards with: Outlandish statements, book questions, video game...

Books we've read

View this group on Goodreads »

Good Reads!

I have decided that this year, I'm going to read a lot more books. (Shocking, right?) In any case, I will be posting a book reviews I do make to the blog so you all can see what I have been reading and what I thought of it.

I tend to get very sarcastic in some of my reviews (as I'm sure you have noticed), so you're going to have to deal with that. If a book is really (and I mean really) good, then you'll be the first to know!

Alright, let's bring in 2014 with some new, amazing books.

Comic Con 2013 Re-Cap

So after four exhausting/amazing days at the con (plus a few days of recovery) I'm back and ready to re-cap the coolest things I found at the San Diego Convention Center.

Thursday

On Wednesday night I camped out with my two sisters for Hall H so that we could get fantastic seats for the Divergent and Ender's Game panels. We actually ended up in the front row which was so amazing! Seeing the actors up close and personal (especially Harrison Ford) was like a dream come true.

This is us on Thursday morning, waiting to go into the hall. I had started Divergent the night prior and blazed through about 200 pages of it before the panel began. Needless to say, it's a fantastic book (written by Veronica Roth if anyone wants to pick up a copy. Insurgent, the sequel, is also now available). The footage they showed us in the Divergent panel appeared to be intended for future use as a trailer for the film. It showed some of the early scenes of Dauntless initiation including Tris' jump off of the building, the climb up the Ferris wheel, and some of the training scenes. 

You'll have to excuse the poor quality photos (I only had my iPad) but this is the view from our seats. Very up-close and personal. 

Summit brought along the actors that will play Tris, Four, Caleb, and some of the Dauntless initiates as well as the author herself, Veronica Roth. Everyone seemed very nice and excited to be a part of this new movie. While they didn't want to give away many details, the cast did say how much they felt like the characters they played were a part of them. 

The Enders' Game panel was very exciting not only because it is one of the best sci-fi novels ever written, but also because Harrison Ford (one of the greatest actors of all time) was on the panel. The footage shown for this panel also seemed to be a trailer in the works. The graphics were incredible and the fight scenes we were shown looked epic and intense. I can't tell you how excited I am to finally read this book and then go watch the movie. Oh an for good measure, here's a photo of Mr. Harrison Ford.

Thursday night was full of surprises as well. My sister Chloe and I attended a party in downtown called SherlockDCC at the Brick and Mortar where we got some great fandom-themed teas, buttons, and sketches. The night got even more interesting when Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss crashed the party. They were really cool about it too, they milled around the party for a bit and chatted with the Sherlock fans for a while. Myself, I have a personal policy where I try not to bother celebrities that much so I didn't ask them for a picture or anything like that, but it was really cool just to see them there.

Friday

On Friday, I spent all day in Hall H again. This time in the second row. We had camped out again to see the Game of Thrones panel! The day's programs also included the Walking Dead panel and The World's End among others, but I was most excited for Game of Thrones. The panel was, to say the least, a little crowded. Sitting on the panel were stars John Bradley, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Kit Harington, Rose Leslie and Richard Madden, executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and writer/co-executive producer George R.R. Martin.. It was exciting to see the cast and hear what Mr. Martin thought about the transition from book to television for his series. The moderator, however, didn't do a great job with directing the questions for each member and did not allow them to provide in depth answers. All in all it was a satisfying panel even so.

I was also able to pick up several Advanced Reader Copies on the floor after the panel Friday evening.

Saturday

Saturday was a glorious day for me. Personally, I'm not that into meeting the famous people other than for the purpose of bragging rights. My favorite part of Comic Con is walking the floor, getting lots of free books and playing games that have not yet been released. On Saturday, I tried out Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD (which was completely amazing and I cannot wait for my copy to come in the mail) as well as a bunch of new Nintendo games in the Nintendo Gaming Lounge at the Marriot. My little sister, Elle, and I played Pikmin 3, Super Luigi, Mario Land 3D, and the new Donkey Kong Country. The Gaming Lounge this year convinced me of a few things. First off, having a 3DS is totally worth it, and second, I need to get a Wii U. Those things are amazing. They have so many added features that you can't even imagine unless you have tried the system yourself. The gaming pad, which I thought was going to be a lame addition that was unnecessary, turned out to be really cool. It has a little camera on it, which adds to the fun of the party games that the Wii system is famous for, and it also senses tipping motions just like the individual remotes so it can be used as a remote too. 

Sunday

Sunday is known as kid's day at Comic Con but I call it sale day. Towards the end of the day, most of the stuff on the floor will go on sale and booths will start giving away their display items because it's just not worth shipping them back. Sunday is the day when I get all the books I've had my eye on for the whole con. This year though, I spent most of the day in the Marriot where I learned how to play Magic the Gathering, and acquired a free deck for that, as well as Dungeons and Dragons which was without a doubt the nerdiest game I have ever played in my life (but it was still fun). 

This year's con was really fantastic. I didn't pick up any junky free stuff (a miracle) and made it home with twenty-six new books to read. I also got to see a bunch of stars from shows and movies that I love and met some of the minds behind one of my favorite television shows, Sherlock. Can't wait for next year's con!

Entertainment Weekly Panel - Hall H

Electra is confirmed as the main villain in the amazing Spider-Man 2, directed by Marc Webb. He talks of extensive planning for stunts and the choreography behind each scene. 

The World's End casts Martin Freeman where he does stunt and fight sequences. Director Edgar Wright say she put Martin through the most challenging aunt scenes to make it a point of pride. His favorite part is a fight between 14 year olds and the 40 year old actors including Martin where the 14 years olds "kick their asses." 

Gravity, directed by Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azcaban, Children of Men) places Sandra Bullock inside a 9 by 9 cube with walls lined in LEDs and creates the sense of zero gravity by making a moving space scene around her instead of moving her.

Gearing up for SDCC 2013

Alright, so it's only a few days away now. It's time to gear up for Comic Con! Just a quick list to remind you all what you need to bring:

• Your badges
• Costume
• Water
• Snacks
• Sunscreen (for those outdoor lines)
• Backpack or Bags (You'll probably pick up some bags on the floor too)
• Camera!!! (really cool people come to Comic Con)
• Phone
• Chargers (there are outlets EVERYWHERE)
• Comfortable shoes (even if they don't match your outfit, you will love these shoes later)
• Cash (most booths will not take credit card)
• ID
• Something to do while waiting in lines (Recommend a Nintendo DS)
• Sharpies (in case you meet someone cool)
• Books for authors to sign
• Poster Tube

While you don't want to over-pack for Comic Con, these are some of the items that I consider essential to have an epic time! Have fun everyone! Pictures to be posted afterwards!