ADK Adventures

I've been too busy to provide a full write-up on our vacation since returning a week ago.

Fortunately, Kris took care of that over on the Rooney Train.

I did get around to posting the video up above. I also shared some pictures on Facebook. Note: you don't have to be a registered Facebook user to view them.

Stars & Stripes Forever

Happy Fourth of July (a couple of days early). God bless America -- and keep it safe from weirdos.

Less than meets the eye

I was pretty miffed when the last "Transformers" movie came out in 2007. It seemed pretty obvious that the movie was made for guys in the their 20s or 30s who played with the toys or watched the cartoon when they were kids.

But director Michael Bay and the rest of the people involved with the film seemed to lose sight of the fact that there were still kids playing with the toys today. Nolan and Thomas were 7 and 4 at the time. They both had Transformer toys and kept seeing ads for the movie on Nickelodeon and commercials for Burger King kids meals and tie-in toys in the store.

We skipped the PG-13 movie in theater. Some time later we found it on HBO while visiting Kris' parents and started watching it. It wasn't long before we saw that our first instinct was right -- it wasn't for kids and we flipped the channel.

Now the sequel, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," is coming out and we're facing the same issues all over again. So far I've seen nothing but negative reviews. This one from Harry Knowles at Ain't It Cool News really jumped out at me:

The filmmakers, studio and toymakers behind this film should be ashamed. To spend this type of money to bring this sort of hurtful and repugnant work to screen - it is an insult to every DREAM that so many have WORKed for, for years.

I'd like to ask you not to support this film, but those of you with young boys, I know there isn't a chance. But realize you'll be taking them to see a film with the lowest forms of humor, stereotypes and racism around. Not only that, but its packaged for our children. Which makes it all the more offensive.

Not only did Harry think "Revenge of the Fallen" was an offensive movie marketed to kids, he also just didn't think it was a very good movie period.

I can't say I'm surprised. After Nolan went to bed that night at Grandma and Grandpa's, I watched a good chunk of the "Transformers," figuring it would be fun to watch giant robots duke it out. I can't say I was impressed. I honestly had no idea what the hell was going on in that movie. It sounds like the sequel is a lot more of the same.

I hate to sound like a square, but it is possible to make an action movie that the whole family can enjoy. It doesn't have to be too kiddified or too full of violence and sexual innuendo. There is a happy medium. Maybe you've heard of a little movie called "Star Wars?"

Fortunately, our kids don't seem to have any expectation of seeing the movie. But how many other parents aren't so lucky. I mean, seriously, what business does Megan Fox have being in any sort of movie for kids?

Yet another disappointment from Hollywood. And the most frustrating kind -- the kind that will probably rake in millions at the box office.

Okay. Old man Rooney is done shaking his fist.

Father's Day fun

So in the end, on Father's Day I did not get around to claiming my free juicy hamburger or having a free 8x10 printed up.

However, we did take advantage of the waived entry fee at the Saratoga Battlefield.

It made for a great Father's Day. I enjoy history and touring sites like the battlefield. So it was fun to get to do something that I enjoy with the whole family. We all had a good time and learned a little bit along the way.

This social media thing is catching on

I attended the first Social Media Breakfast - Tech Valley this morning. It was a gathering of people from all walks of life and all sorts of professional fields to talk about all things social networking-related.

I went partially for business reasons – looking for ways to improve WNYT’s social media standing – and partially for fun as an amateur consumer/producer of blogs, tweets and pointless Facebook junk.

There were certain names I’ve come to recognize from following them on Twitter or reading local blogs and I was looking forward to meeting some of these folks face-to-face.

Much to my surprise, people seemed just as interested in meeting little ol’ me! When I walked into the room, the event organizer, Amy Mengel, spotted me and said, “It’s nice to see more than just the top of your head.” Mary Darcy, one of the people behind All Over Albany, introduced herself to me, saying she follows me on Twitter.

There was another person, Kristen Campbell, who recently started following WNYT’s Twitter feed. When she did, she publicly asked who was doing the tweeting for the station. So I announced who I was to all of our followers. It turns out she was at the event today and upon spotting my name tag, she introduced herself.

Not to go all narcissistic and “yeah, me,” but it really took me aback that anyone would actually know and/or care who I was. I work in a business with people who are easily recognized. I’m not used to being one of them.

It just drives home the point that…people are actually looking at this stuff! It also illustrates the power of social networking to bring people together – not only the people you already know (Facebook friends), but also the new people you don’t know yet (Twitter followers).

Another Father's Day Freebie

This one comes from @amymengel on Twitter. The National Parks Service will waive entrance fees for three weekends this summer. The first will be this coming weekend.

If you can't make it this weekend, the other weekends are July 18-19 and August 15-16.

You can find a list of the parks nearest you here.

If you're a history buff living in the Capital Region and have never been to the Saratoga Battlefield, I highly recommend it.

Keep the freebies coming, folks. I'll keep posting them!

More Father's Day Free Stuff

Special thanks to Mike Sussman for tipping me off to another entry in the Free Stuff Files.

It seems CVS is giving away free 8x10 photo prints. Just go to CVSPhoto.com and upload your picture. Make sure you enter the promo code FREE8X10. Then head down to the store to pick up your free print.

The offer is good now through Father's Day (apparently it's already been going on for a while). So if you're still hung up on a gift idea for dad, a nice enlarged picture of the kids might just do the trick.

'In brightest day, in darkest night...'

I know this has been floating around the Internet for a while, but I just saw it again this morning on SCI FI Wire and figured it was worth posting here.

My kudos go to the whoever put this together!



UPDATE: I guess I should clarify that, yes, I realize this is a fan made trailer.

Once upon a time in Albany...

I spotted this nice little recap of recent events at the state Capitol in Albany on CapitalNews9.com...