Capt Bad Advice - The Shipsmas Clause

Happy Holidays, Everyone!!!

Election Eve 2016

Thank God... this 18-month political campaign nightmare is almost over! Seth Meyers distills it all perfectly with his last "Closer Look" segment before we head to the polls to exercise our patriotic duty tomorrow. Regardless of what you believe... VOTE! As they chanted in Chicago in the summer of 1968, "The Whole World is Watching"! VOTE! You have no right to complain if you don't.

World of Warships - Halloween 2016 Replays

Despite a few computer connection issues I finally got some Halloween World of Warships gameplay recorded tonight using a couple of work-arounds. You'll get to see the spooky world Wargaming created for us and the amazing detail they poured into the special event ships we had to sail. Almost all gaming companies go all out for Halloween and players look forward to the surprises in their favorite titles, and this one was no exception, although I found it quite frustrating and difficult at times. Eventually I figured out that it was much like the April Fools Day "Jacuzzi" event in that it was great opportunity to harvest materials that can be put to good use in the game later... in this case, ship camouflage.

Sit back and relax. This is a longer video than normal but you get to see each of the ships in the series in port and in action. Enjoy!

World of Warships - Halloween 2016

Twice a year - first during the week of April Fools Day and again during the Halloween week - Wargaming and many other gaming companies pull out all of the stops and treat their players with special events. We look forward to them like a 6-yr old looks forward to Christmas morning. If you look back thru the archives here or search for WoWS postings you'll see what happened in the Jacuzzi this past April. Well, Halloween 2016 is right around the corner and Wargaming's teaser for this year's World of Warships event just dropped and it's looking nothing short of AMAZING! In my estimation 80% of the allure of games like these nowadays are the visuals anyway, so...

Buckle up, swabbies! Strap on those life jackets! Grab a life saver ring! And you might want to swallow a bottle of Dramamine too. This is about to get epic!!! We'll be sure to post plenty of spooktacular battle action in the days ahead. Stay tuned. :)

John Oliver ~ Donald Trump's Lewd Comments

WARNING: This video contains mature language!

I've come to believe that something similar to the warning above should be plastered over our television screens every time Donald Trump's name is mentioned. This slow motion train wreck of a presidential campaign is putting a stink on all of us that may take many communal showers to wash off. Only the late night comics seem to have the perspective needed to cut thru the crap and reduce the soup to its basic ingredients. This is another example of how it is done best.

Enjoy!

Blended Clinton (HRC)

Here at 20/20 HeinSite we subscribe fully to the Equal Time rule of politics... so sit back and enjoy!



See also: Blended Trump

Rosa's Lounge ~ Chicago

This is what I consider the real blues of Chicago!... local musicians sitting in for a set in a small and intimate club. Both Nigel Mack and Pete Galanis are regular headliners of their own, and this clip shows why. There are so many outstanding blues artists in Chicago! I really enjoy seeing as many as I can everytime I get back there.

Enjoy!



For more information on this particular gig see the Info section of the YouTube clip.

Shakespeare... of sorts

Gotta luv Johnny T. So now you know what you never learned in high school English.

Out of Office Message

As if I need any help packing. We plan to ride out the two (yes 2!!!) hurricanes bearing down on us and then fly out of here to parts unknown and a well deserved, and long awaited break!

Capt Bad Advice

... and it's not napalm in the morning... unless they use napalm in torpedoes I guess. Enjoy!

Last Week Tonite (DNC)

John Oliver says what a lot of us are thinking about Trump these days; that Trump should have been taught the definition of the word "sacrifice" by the time he was 10 years old. A candidate seeking a key to the most powerful office on the planet should not have to be reminded that its meaning has nothing to do with personal wealth or success.

Blended Trump

Oh, if only...

Orlan Division

Something a little different: a Tier I cruiser. Or is that crusher? Watch and see.

Enjoy!

Capt Bad Advice

We sink these guys all the time. ... and their fishbowls.

A Closer Look - Abort Trump

Pro Choice? Pro Life? Pro Punishment?! Really?!!! Trump talks about issues, "... in the vague way middle schoolers give book reports on books they haven't read." That really nailed it.

Trump, daily proving the wisdom of Venkatesh G. Rao, H. L. Mencken, Albert Einstein, and others when they said: “For every complex question, there is an answer that is simple, elegant and wrong.”

We don't punish women for having abortions, we don't build walls to stop immigration, we don't ban wide swaths of ethnic groups from traveling here because terrorists are unraveling societies elsewhere, and we don't encourage more guns in a society that's already awash with them because it will never stop a home grown lone wolf massacre. Who's buying this constant delivery of bovine scatology?!

I'm not. If we want an ass clown with a bad hairdo for president maybe someone should nominate this one:

... Just sayin'...

A Closer Look - Trump University

Ever been conned into a high pressure sales pitch? Maybe it was for time share condos when you visited Disney World and they called just as you entered your hotel room. Or maybe it was that time when you were offered a free $50 gift card for a major department store if you just showed up to hear a quick talk about investing strategies. Has anyone ever come to your house with a pitch about the dangers of fire and how your family can be saved by smoke/fire/heat detectors? That one was scary. They're all scary... and worse than sitting in the showroom buying a new car.

The one thing these con jobs all have in common are the salesmen; like the guys selling ShamWows, Vegimatics, super knives at the state fair, or used cars. Yeah... you got the picture.

Trump. Scam. Don't be fooled.

Sampson on the Loose!

This battle just has to be shared and re-shared. Sadly however it isn't one of mine. Jammin411 does a great job of narration, and his excitement throughout is justified many times over. It's easily one of the best World of Warships battles I've ever seen regardless of tier. The fact that it was fought in a tier II Sampson makes things even more amazing.

Enjoy!!!

Clemson Screening

The YouTube notes for this video describe today's replay as being as much about a battle as it is my freshman Adobe Premier Pro video editing "skills". I'm finally dipping a toe into the game of real video editing and as such am still at the low end of the learning curve. There isn't anything special here, I'm just getting a taste of the basics and moving away from the live commentary idea. Over time I hope to refine the editing workflow, set a template, and improve my narration (too much dead air at times... I'm a quiet sort anyway), and create more standardize content. For now however sit back and enjoy a little carnage on the salty waters surrounding the Solomon Islands as delivered by Capt bubby_koa's USN Clemson tier IV destroyer.

Field Trip

The Axe Files - on Trump

The video that follows was a live podcast taping on May 9, 2016. In a uniquely American way it illustrates why the American voting public needs to be as informed as possible before going to the polls in the upcoming presidential election, and why they should do some serious thinking about what the implications truly might be if they cast a misguided vote.

The divisive, reckless, ill conceived, and bombastically simplistic arguments being put forward by the presumptive narcissistic GOP misogynistic candidate are alarming to the intelligentsia of this country, to many members of the candidate's own political party, and world leaders around the globe. If elected, a Trump presidency would present nothing less than a clear and present danger to our economy, security, near, and long term future. Many people have already, and will yet, cast votes in frustration and protest - justifiably maybe at a dysfunctional federal government - but they have done so without first doing due diligence on the candidates or with any clear and informed thought of the implications their vote may have.

Be informed. Listen to all sides of the argument before casting your vote. Make up your own mind based on objective and researched facts - and not on 20-second sound bites, late night Twitter rants, or Nielson ratings.

Final Disclaimer: If you're offended by profanity, frank discussions of politics, or the concept of objective free speech, just leave now. But if you're open minded enough to put up with a little rough language there is a message here that shouldn't be missed. One other note; the comments feature for this posting has been turned off for no other reason than I'd like the video to stand on its own. If you do have comments, objections, or otherwise feel the need to vent on anything Jon said, feel free to send them to The Axe Files directly as they'll have much more impact there. Otherwise, simply sit back and...

Enjoy!

Prince, 2007 Superbowl

I have watched every Superbowl ever broadcast, and of course every halftime show. Most are forgettable within minutes, but Prince's show in Miami in 2007 is unforgettable. I'm so sad, as a music fan, and as a fellow Midwesterner, that he's gone. His talent was unmatched and legendary. Anyone who was fortunate enough to see him live will be forever blessed. Enjoy this amazing performance once again.

RIP, Prince

One of many, but possibly his greatest solo performance. Guitars weep worldwide over this loss... as do we all.

Cat Logic

You know it's true ... if you have a cat or have ever had one.

Capt Bad Advice

Sigh... too true... too often.

Fast Track

Ow.

Shipshape

Captain Bad Advice checks out his Das Boot boat.

Enjoy!

The Bottlesheep

The Pokeboat, Bathyscape, and Das Boot to follow... stay tuned.

Torpedo Science

It's amazing how many players still haven't read this book! Thankfully, sometimes!

Clemson Encounter

Notser, who is an outstanding (!) WoWS player and posts daily high quality Warships content, shared a similar Clemson replay the other day. (See: "Clemson by Reikoku" on his page) What struck me was that the base experience (XP) achieved in that match and mine were just about the same... in the mid-1600's range. So I did well enough in my battle to be comparable to something worthy of a Notser replay sans four (4) kills of course. But it's a team game, right?... not entirely individual glory. :p I've learned a lot by watching Notser's videos... not that everything he says always sticks or sinks in right away, unfortunately. Sometimes you've gotta throw a lot of mud at a wall like me to get any to stick. Eventually even I need a shower, so he's doing good.

The replay above is in my current collection, but it felt good enough to post here separately. The commentary gets sparse part way in... that's how you can tell I'm thinking. At some point I might be able to verbalize what I'm thinking and analyzing in those moments, but for now I can't afford to split the core processing time. :)

Enjoy!

Tough Love (Simon's Cat V-Day Special)

Game of Chicken (Juicy Bit)

For the curious... we lost this battle. And somehow (I think the CV stole it from me) I didn't get credit for a kill or a medal. But if you're going to go down... and in this scenario you pretty much know you will... you might as well take somebody with you and grab the style points. :)

Enjoy!

Darth Trump

OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! This little movie simply cannot wait for Friday! It has to be seen now. You'll laugh for hours. Trust me. It's that good.

Enjoy!

Something Completely New

Yes, it's true. I've started creating and posting my own World of Warships replay content. So far unfortunately I seem to be swallowing a fair bit of saltwater. But that will change. Or not. We shall sea. (see what I did there? :)

The videos in the playlist will continue to grow over time, and I might even expand to other categories. For now if you click the small icon next to the numbers at top left a dialog will open showing the entire set of videos available at the time of your visit. From there you can select what you'd like to watch. The most current upload will be shown here as #1 on the list. Production quality will probably be all over the map for a while as I sort out settings here and there, but things should settle down eventually.

Enjoy!

It Ain't Over Til it's Over

Jammin411 has been kind enough to post another of my replays, this time I take out my Tier IV Phoenix on the Solomon Islands map. The score flips back and forth between teams and comes down to a tight 2 vs 2 to end the fight. Enjoy!

Friday Night Movie

It's been a while since the last one of these, I know. Enjoy!

TIMEDRIFT II from Martin Heck | Timestorm Films on Vimeo.

One Tight Squeeze Isn't Enough

Jammin411 was kind enough to feature and commentate on one of my World of Warships gameplay uploads today! So I'll share it here with all of you. Unfortunately, by design, the replays for WoW still cut off abruptly at the end, and so does his narration. But the full game is shown just short of the results. I'll post those here separately because I took screenshots.

Enjoy!!! (I did! :) Thanks again, Justin!!!

WoWS

I came to this party quite late... only starting in Nov'15 just before the Thanksgiving holiday. But it's unlike anything else I've ever tried. Completely immersive, unbelievably realistic, and as addicting as chocolate. It can be frustrating however as you make a LOT of stupid mistakes in the beginning and see a lot of good iron slip beneath the waves on its way to the bottom of the ocean. Still, for those who hang in there, are willing to study a bit, learn from mistakes, and have nerves of steel (because WoW *will* elevate your heart rate at times!), this is one fantastic pastime. And the best part: It's completely free to play if you chose to go that route!

WoW: World of Warships. Simply amazing. Have a look, Captain, if you dare!

Cmdr bubby_koa ... Currently sailing mostly American, IJN, and German cruisers Tiers III-VI.