Forward Progress Addresss

Recommendation for Facebook friends: click on this note and comment on my full blog entry!

This is my first video in some time. I've created this blog entry to discuss a few things.

* I didn't buy anything during Black Friday, but I was able to do some window shopping. I saw a few different things I was looking for. I even saw a girl between maybe between the ages of 17 and 24 wearing flip-flops, short shorts, and a simple hoodie on a 50°F morning. During the madness of Black Friday shopping, I was able to see a program that I found would fit my computer specifications very well. I went to an Office Depot store and saw a program called Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD 9. I grew interested in this for two reasons- (1) something worthy to graduate from Windows Movie Maker, and (2) it fit my computer specifications very well. I felt you can do so much more than you can with WMM (then again, you can say this for almost ANY program). In fact, the whole Vegas Movie Studio series (not the Vegas Pro series) have system requirements that are within my specifications. Vegas Movie Studio HD is within my budget, abilities, and needs.

* I now talk about camera and camcorder options. My best option would be the Sony Webbie HD (MHS-PM1) for point-and-shoot camcorders. My best traditional webcam option would be the Vivitar DVR 870HD. I seem a bit more comfortable with the Sony Webbie HD because of its portability. I'm really torn between getting a point-and-shoot camcorder (like the Flip lineup of camcorders) and a traditional camcorder. A best-of-both-worlds model would be the Sony Webbie HD MHS-PM1.

* This blog you're reading now has been seen by people from as many as 32 different countries, spanning every continent besides Antartica (obviously). So make sure that if you're reading this, you check out my full blog entries and make a post on them with your comments.

* People have joined Twitter. Some people have requested me to join Twitter so they can follow me. But in my view... Twitter is just too much for me. I'd rather use this social networking site than Twitter. Actually, this social networking site IS my own Twitter.


I am planning on making other videos in the future. So please stay tuned! Subscribe if you love my YouTube channel! And don't forget to see more of my blog!


Video:

Forward Progress Address (Audio Only)



Thanks for reading and watching!

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YouTube Sadly Reminds Me of AOL Chatting Sometimes

YouTube, as I meditated about it a bit, reminds me of my AOL chatting days in certain ways. In my chatting days on America Online (in case you don't know what AOL stands for), I remember my days chatting in rooms like "Japan - Make Friends." And yes... I like Japan and Japanese culture. Every so often, somebody will jump into the room and start hating on everybody. There are people who'll burst into the room calling people all kinds of Asian racial slurs, acting purely classless with other people, and that kind of thing.

But what's the difference between AOL chatting and YouTube? Anyone can basically come in and say anything. While that sounds perfectly fine, there are pitfalls to this logic. For one thing, people can say anything senseless and immoral. I remember watching a video about the Lexus LF-A when someone talked about how we should all buy American cars, otherwise, you're "supporting terrorism." I don't need to share anything that's racist. You can look around on YouTube for almost any video and find some kind of racist comment. That's even if there's nothing racist at all to talk about. So many times before, I've had people remind me that I'm black, so they use... that "n" word. Like, do you have better things to discuss about my videos than my race or my looks?

Here is where YouTube and AOL chatting are different. When a hater has a field day on AOL flooding up the chat window with terrible comments, you can report all you can. On YouTube, a block is a block. You have a better chance of reporting people and not have to live with the kind of bull crap they say about you. Be ready to defend yourself on YouTube EVERY DAY, because some jackass will come on and say anything terribly stupid about you or your videos.



That's the problem. People hide behind their screen names to be invincible. I may look ugly to a lot of people in my videos, but at least I'm not afraid to speak my mind with my face on camera. I am not just a screen name. I don't just hide behind a screen name like Elementary School students at recess. That's why I'm so hateful of people who like saying any kind of bull crap they want, just because you don't know the people you're hurting. Likewise, no haters really know me. But if I had to choose between AOL chatting and YouTube video sharing, I'd go with YouTube. You still have to deal with jackasses, but at least you know who all the cool people are.

That's something I just realized. Hope your Thanksgiving weekend was a great one. Please take care, everyone!

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What's So Funny?

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Please see my video: "What's So Funny?"

When your video isn't supposed to be funny in any kind of way, getting a comment like "LOL" is mostly to make fun of you. I did a video talking about how much I've missed Greg Moore when he was killed at the CART season finale at California Superspeedway in 1999. Someone posted a comment saying "I lold" or something like that. Like, what the hell is supposed to be so funny when there are no jokes or when nothing was meant to be funny? Now if you're trying to tell a joke, that's understandable. But if you're just saying this like I look funny or talk funny, that's basically an insult. And if people think making fun of me is more than important than staying out of trouble on YouTube, then all I can do is block people.

It's true. People have said all kinds of things about me. I'm more like the kind of person that's the butt of most people's jokes. Here is a comment I once received about one of my videos:

"Lol in a negative way :)" -undisclosed screenname

I know I appreciate comments, but I don't accept hate. Someone once had the nerve to flood ten of my videos with racist and foul comments, four of my blog entries with more racism, and even shown his racist self to me in an IM session on Facebook. I've made a habit online of negating haters. It's not because I only want to meet people who only agree with whatever I say, but it's because I don't want haters ruining my material. It's okay not to like me for any reason, but just don't REMIND me. I do report racists and haters on YouTube and elsewhere. So if making fun of me is more important than staying out of trouble online, go right ahead and show your hate.





So one last time... what's so funny?

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Black Friday

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Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. Besides Christmas, nothing is like Thanksgiving. There's a special reason why Black Friday exists... after you get a little more weight from chowing down on Thanksgiving grub, that's why you wake up early in the morning to walk off Thanksgiving weight (walk it out, player! ^_^). I'm breaking up the two into seperate posts.

This one involves Black Friday. Before some of you racists want to send me something negative, actually pay attention to my material before typing out of your backside.



--- Black Friday ---

Black Friday is the first day when many shoppers nationwide hit the malls and shopping centers to get a leg up on Christmas shopping. Since these stores and malls will be getting all kinds of money from sales and such, it's referred to as Black Friday. Companies and business deals that are profiting are told to be "in the black." Or at least, this is how I learned from the Super Nintendo game, Aerobiz Supersonic.

What does Black Friday mean to me? Two things- exercise and holiday shopping.



--- Black Friday Last Year ---
Last year, I got up around 4:40 AM CST and left the house with my family at 5:31 AM CST. We would go around Houston, around Pearland, and around Pasadena going to various stores looking for various things. We dropped off a few things back at the house before heading out. We even got breakfast at a GREAT place called Dot's. Then in the 10:00 AM CST hour, I visited Katy Mills for the first time. I've spent about six hours there. Katy Mills is a massive mall, but nowhere near the massive and high-end appeal of the Houston Galleria shopping mall. We all headed back home to drop off a few more things in the 4:00 PM hour. Finally, we've been to various other places between 5:00 PM before eventually coming back home around 10:00 PM CST. I didn't really start feeling the pain in my legs and feet until about 7:00 PM CST at a K&G (you know, the men's fashion store that also sells some women's clothing. Yeah, THAT K&G) store. I saw myself dragging my feet at times, feeling like

It was one of the longest days for me. I began to feel it in my ankles and feet as it would hurt a bit to walk around so much. It was also where I learned to wear shoes with ample cushioning. It was thinking of getting some better sneakers, but I never got around to getting some better, more comfortable sneakers. You see, I usually wear these flat American Eagle sneakers which serve me well on a normal day. And when you mostly walk around for a long while, you begin to feel it in your feet. I'm kind of a fast walker, too. So make sure you either wear comfortable shoes or just don't be out for so long.





--- Gotta Love Black Friday! ---
Otherwise, there's NOTHING like Black Friday. It's the only time of the year where Friday morning at a mall (most of which aren't even open so early) feels like Saturday afternoon. It's where being at a Best Buy at 7:00 AM on Friday feels like being at a Best Buy at 2:00 PM on Saturday. SO much activity goes on when it's Black Friday. Depending on how many shops you visit and how much shopping you do, you'll feel it later that day or tomorrow morning, guaranteed!





I hope all of you have a great time shopping on Black Friday. Or if you don't have much money to get anyone anything, then just get yourself some exercise and work off the poundage you got from Thanksgiving. Either way, I send you my best wishes!

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Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. Besides Christmas, nothing is like Thanksgiving. There's a special reason why Black Friday exists... after you get a little more weight from chowing down on Thanksgiving grub, that's why you wake up early in the morning to walk off Thanksgiving weight (walk it out, player! ^_^). I'm breaking up the two into seperate posts.

This one involves Thanksgiving.



--- Thanksgiving! ---

There's nothing like Thanksgiving- food, family, get togethers, and for sports fans- football (as in gridiron/American football). The best place where I've loved to celebrate Thanksgiving is at my grandmother's house. We usually love playing video games while also enjoying some good Thanksgiving food. Food I usually like include turkey, cornbread dressing, macaroni and cheese, peas, and sweet potato pie. I do like watching football on Thanksgiving. I usually watch college football, but don't mind a little NFL football on Thanksgiving.

What depresses me about Thanksgiving is when people don't have a family or a home to celebrate the holidays with. And so for this purpose, I'd like to honor and salute all the different people and groups that offer cooked meals to the homeless, ill children, and people like that.

Also (so I don't forget), happy Thanksgiving to all of our policemen, firemen, all in the medical field, and all the American troops protecting our nation here and abroad. Even including a member of my family about to head to Iraq.





If you're reading this, I wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving. And thanks for reading!

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How Do You Take Losing?

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(updated: 12/3/2009)

The losing I'm talking about is mostly in sports. How do you accept losses as a sports fan, or maybe even as an athlete? Losses can be demoralizing as it is. You know, everything in your power to try and win, and you fall flat. Or you have a chance to win or tie, but fail to do so. The inspiration for this blog entry came when I was watching Monday Night Football as the Houston Texans hosted their rival Tennessee Titans. I was a great deal angry when Kris Brown failed to cash in a long field goal that could tie the game. It happened two weeks ago at Indy when we had a chance to tie- WIDE LEFT. It happened earlier tonight when we had a chance to tie- WIDE LEFT. I am a Texans fan and love my favorite NFL team. But in trying to become an elite team or really go to the next level, I feel next level teams have to PLAY like next level teams.



--- How Most Fans Take Losses ---
It usually depends on the team and the athletes. What if Ohio State played in a BCS Bowl Game... only to lose by a few points or get blown out? With Ohio State's recent inability to win major bowl games recently, most fans would react differently depending on the loss and how a team lost. A close loss feels every bit as anger-building as losing by three touchdowns.

What I hate more is when teams just give up on their favorite teams. Take my Texans. They lose 24-7 in their 2009 season-opening match hosting the Jets, and most fans already gave up on the Texans like they were expecting a 16-0 season. And in typical ESPN, "always hate Houston" fashion, Matt Sanchez gets praised and looked on like my Texans are some FCS school going up against a BCS powerhouse.



--- How I Take Losses ---
When my Houston Rockets lost by 40 in the 2008-2009 playoffs at the Los Angeles Lakers, I already gave up on the Rockets as it is impossible to come back from 40 points with hardly any time left. When my Texans have lost on the leg of Kris Brown both at Indy two weeks ago and at home against the Titans, I felt that knocking in the field goal will at least give us hope of sending a game into Overtime (though we've NEVER won a game in Overtime). I'm always the hopeful type when my favorite team is involved. Unless a team has no chance of coming back, I just look to another TV program or do something else.

What about single-athlete sports? Take NASCAR's season finale at Homestead, where Jimmie Johnson (whom I love and respect) won his fourth-straight Cup championship. I talked on GTPlanet.net's forums that I call Mark Martin as NASCAR's tragic hero- so many years in NASCAR... never won Daytona 500 and never won the Cup championship. He still soldiers on and races with purpose even in defeat. I remember a year or two ago Texas, I was pulling for Danica Patrick to win as it was a three-way fight for the win. My heart rate doubles (and sometimes triples) when Danica leads or has a chance to win. She ended up finishing 3rd in that race, but in the eyes of most skeptics (by the way... this was before her first win in the IndyCar Series), it's still a loss on the record.

So I tend to take losses to my favorite teams and athletes in certain ways depending on the sport, the situation, and how a loss happens. I even sometimes can't get certain thoughts out of my mind of losses, mostly because of all the sports highlights showing defeat. How do you think I feel when I have to keep seeing highlights of North Carolina State beating the University of Houston in 1983 for the NCAA men's basketball national championship? I usually call ESPN/ABC as the "Always Hate Houston" network. Either that, or just the network where my favorite Houston teams fail constantly. Almost like we're jinxed when playing on ESPN/ABC in front of a major audience.





How do you take losses for your favorite teams and athletes? Are you upset that a team/athlete chokes an opportunity to extend a game or win a close game? Or do you feel terribly upset when a team trying to contend for postseason glory keeps hurting themselves when they could be in a much better position in the season? How do YOU take losses?



See my video here:

Link: "How Do You Take Losing?

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A Dating Site... for ONLY the Beautiful?

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Video:

^ "A Dating Site... for ONLY the Beautiful?"
Direct Link: "A Dating Site... for ONLY the Beautiful?"

On Eyewitness News Tonight here in Houston on KTRH Channel 13 here in Houston, there was "A Closer Look" segment on this dating site. But it's not just another dating site- it's a dating site... for BEAUTIFUL people only! That site can be found here: beautifulpeople.com. Now understandably, there would be controversy on this matter for more reasons than one. What do I think about this? That's why you came to my blog. That's why you're going to have something comment about with all of your friends.

Before I share my ideas, here are a few things you need to know according to facts I've read and heard. Only people who are deemed as beautiful are allowed. People vote to see if you're beautiful. If they agree, you become accepted. If not, they want you to reapply in the future. What you see is not really what you get. There are no deals regarding honesty about personality. So you can get on there saying you love Metallica and love wearing Rocawear... when you really listen to Vanilla Ice and wear fitness clothing from the '80s. A few figures from this site claim that the most attractive people are mostly from Brazil and Sweden. The least attractive people come from Germany and Russia on that site. And back two weeks ago, the site claimed that (this is THEM saying this, not me) British people are the most unattractive people in the world. I also learned American males on this dating site are 24% of all members, and 37% American females on this site.



--- Reaction to This Concept ---
My initial reaction to this deal is... wow. Just matching up people based on outer beauty? That's stupid to me. People may say that it's good because it's a different concept. However, different doesn't always mean better. If you just assume that beautiful people date only beautiful people, then (at least in the minds of most people I deal with on YouTube), that I'd never get a girlfriend for as long as I live. I've known (speaking as a male) females of many ages with immense beauty, and then I've known females who look like males or are often mistaken for males. I've known people who are beautiful within (regardless of their exterior appearance), and those who are ugly within (regardless of exterior appearance. Why would you take part in something like this, unless you are completely desperate to find love? People have to think you're beautiful before you can even think about finding the love of your life (if you're lucky). While I don't trust dating sites, at least I'd know better than to only visit a site connecting beautiful people with other beautiful people.

On another front, what is considered beautiful to the people who set this up? The idealized male in society is heterosexual with a chiseled-from-stone body, incredibly handsome, wonderfully charming, great sex appeal, and a great personality. The idealized female in society would be one with a slender or fit body, beautiful face, lovely hair, lovely voice, great sense of fashion, and things like that. The reason why I'm upset with this is because dating sites are about matching up others based on INTERESTS, not beauty. Beauty is a secondary factor, but interests are most important. What good is compatibility when you're only focused on beauty? There are beautiful people with ugly hearts and personalities. There are ugly people with beautiful hearts and personalities. Why base things on beauty and not on honesty? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Why base a dating site around beauty and for hooking up beautiful people? Even if there was a dating site for ugly people to hook up with other ugly people, I'd still be upset because the point of dating sites is in uniting interests.

Think about it this way- I would have a lot less friends if I only focused on meeting beautiful people. Even fewer friends if people only became friends with me if they think I'm beautiful too. People should be connected on interests. You have to really KNOW someone before marrying (let alone dating) them. That's why I don't believe in love at first sight. I want to actually meet people who I may be connected to before thinking about dating or even marrying someone. Just a silly profile (that's probably fake) and a picture of you isn't enough and shouldn't be enough for you to be convinced you're in love. I guess the main point here is that real beauty comes from within.





What do you make of this thing? Send me some comments if this topic is of interest to you. Take care, everyone! :-)

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It's Not THAT Cold/Warm! Cold Weather Clothing Overkill on Cool Days

(UPDATED: December 8, 2011)

Clothing and Outfits Inconsistent With the Weather Can be a Fashionable Problem.

This is officially my 50th blog entry. One thing I realize is that if I post something and if friends disagree with what I have to say, that friends decide to leave me on Myspace and/or Facebook. I'm pretty sure I'll be disagreed upon. Disagreeing with me is perfectly natural. Having said all of this (and wasting valuable time in the process), let's get on with the main point.

PERSONAL NOTE: Thanks for making this blog post so popular though this is a very old blog post! I invite you to Follow my blog if you find it interesting. Also, fan me on Facebook and things like that. Don't just come and go- get involved if you love my content! Most of what you will read is mostly outdated.

A Special Note/Recommended Reading:

LATEST UPDATE:
NOV 15 2011 - added this section (read below)

This blog post, while I do discuss mini skirts, is NOT about just mini skirts. It is a blog post about when people dress inconsistently with certain weather conditions. However, people only found this only on mini skirts when I've CLEARLY discussed mini skirts elsewhere. In fact, this pots is going to be restructured so that I can properly discuss the topic many other people find here. So PLEASE visit the link below to read a more appropriate blog post on this topic:

"Mini Skirts and Mini Dresses," here on John's Blog Space

Otherwise, enjoy your stay here! Love John's Blog Space? If so (and if you haven't yet subscribed or followed), Subscribe and/or Follow!

--- It's Not THAT Cold/Warm! ---

Dressing inconsistent with the weather lends itself to being a hot mess. You know, rain boots on a hot day or flip-flop/thong sandals on a cold day. Let's look at a few other cases of inconsistent dressing with the weather:

Jeans Tucked Into Boots.

You may have remembered me make this blog entry concerning jeans tucked into boots as a style. That would be this blog entry: Jeans Tucked Into Boots... as a Style. The premise of this blog entry was on tucking jeans into boots as a look. Despite complaining on the message boards of thefashionspot.com, I felt like I was talking to myself as I had very few (if anyone) feeling the same way about me and my views.

The look of jeans-into-boots was one I thought was only effective in climates where it's actually cold or rough to walk in (like piles of snow). Those on ranches, equestrian types, soldiers, members of law enforcement, etc. are the ONLY ones that I accept jeans/pants into boots. Then later, I thought of this look as a look of toughness. You know, more like "you can't slow me down" or something like that. I've slowly become a bit fond of jeans-into-boots, but to an extend.

Cold Weather Boots + Mini Skirts and/or Short-Shorts?

LAST CALL: If you want a proper blog post of mine on mini skirts, PLEASE visit "Mini Skirts and Mini Dresses," here on John's Blog Space. This blog post is about fashion and weather, NOT just on mini skirts.

Wearing cold weather boots, with shorts or a mini skirt is not only ugly, but terribly inconsistent with the weather. So many times before, I've seen mini skirts paired mostly with sheepskin boots (UGG makes plenty of these). I once did a YouTube video on this. But in case you need an example of mini skirt + cold weather boots, look no further than this:


^ from: equalopportunityhaterz.blogspot.com (best I could find) - Fashion inconsistency. Mini skirt = warm weather. Sheepskin boots = cold weather. Mini skirt with sheepskin boots = make up your damn mind, already!


^ from: www.lovingyou.com - Again- fashion inconsistency. This time, shared by Britney Spears. Short shorts with sheepskin boots.

If you think the combination of sheepskin boots and a mini skirt is a terrible combination, then a major American university agrees with me. And don't tell me that you can just wear leggings or longjohns to stay warm and look semi-decent. If you visit the link I've supplemented, some note how the sheepskin boots are comfortable. However, there's comfort, then style (and common sense, obviously). Never compromise comfort for style.

One thing I read is that sheepskin boots, while plenty comfortable for cold weather, were also designed to be comfortable shoes to wear on the beach on cold days. The whole sheepskin boot craze has its roots from beach go-ers. However, it still doesn't mean that you compromise style by wearing short bottoms with cold weather boots/shoes.

Dressing Inconsistent With the Weather?

What's worse is when you see snow boots or any really cold weather boots worn when it's not that cold. When I think jeans into boots or very cold weather boots, I think miserable weather- bitter cold or miserable walking conditions. It can be about a 70° Farenheit day and not bitterly cold here in Houston... and you have some wearing really furry or warm boots like it's bitterly cold. Glamour Magazine noted in their "25 Biggest Do's and Don'ts" that you shouldn't rock ugly shoes across town. This was #22, in fact. The relevant point relates to snow boots and furry boots being worn when it isn't really cold. To make matters worse, there have been times where I've seen Bermuda shorts (which I don't really like) or some kind of short skirt paired with these boots. It's like they're being worn for style rather than something appropriate for cold weather. It's an inconsistent mix that just leads to getting your feet sweaty while dressing for weather not that cold. Only a few times have I seen jeans-into-boots that I liked.

Something really furry (whether boots or jackets or the like) when it isn't bitterly cold is just overkill. Not really stylish at all unless it's really cold. This would be great on a cold or snowy day in New York City. This would be appropriate on a bitter cold day in Tokyo. But NOT on a 65°F or 70°F day in Houston.

--- Recommended Reading ---

From some of the many blog hits I've gotten for this topic, I figured I may interest you in more relevant blog posts featuring topics you've seen mentioned here. So have a look around at some of my past blog posts here on John's Blog Space relevant to this topic:

• Sheepskin Boots
• Jeans Tucked Into Boots... as a Style
• Mini Skirts and Mini Dresses

Thanks for visiting John's Blog Space! You're welcome back any time! :)







What do you make of this inconsistent dressing with the weather? Comments welcome! Follow me on Twitter or "like" my Facebook Fan Page to keep up with my latest blog posts. Thank you for reading!

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Sometimes, I Wish I Had a Macintosh and iMovie...

When making videos for YouTube, there's one thing I greatly admit- iMovie so "pwns" Windows Movie Maker. iMovie is NOT Windows-compatible. So you almost have to have an Apple computer of some kind just to get to use good Apple programs.

--- Why Should You Care: iMovie ---

"Why should you care?" has been my trademark for videos about motorsports events. Well here is a "Why Should You Care" about iMovie...

• MANY MORE FEATURES than Windows Movie Maker. I always initially thought that Windows Movie Maker and iMovie were both inexpensive and basic programs to make movies or videos with. While that's true, WMM is completely basic. A thing about Microsoft programs is that they are very basic for everyone to use and make the most of things. However, they can be TOO basic to where those with lots of creativity aren't able to fully express themselves in any such way. iMovie allows you to have all kinds of wonderful effects ranging from various text effects to various colorful effects. See for yourself in this video, which can also be seen in HD if you follow this link:
"iMovie '09 Demo Reel", by thecreativeone

Key effects for my simplistic work include fading subtitles (you don't get this with WMM), stylish patterned backgrounds, and just a real bevy of special effects that Windows Movie Maker just doesn't allow you to have to express your creativity all the further. Even some interesting title effects can be had with this deal. Look at the Boogie Lights, Organic Main, Organic Lower, Lens Flare, Sideways Drift, Vertical Drift, Pixie Dust, and things like this. The video transitions are also outstanding. You could certifiably make true movies with this.

Maybe I take it that iMovie is to Apple as Windows Movie Maker is to Windows as far as a basic, already available program. Of course, I don't own an Apple PC. So how the bloody hell would I know about what's available right away for a Mac?


• iMovie also seems much easier to use and more intuitive than WMM. You seem to have better control over deleting scenes and adding effects than you do with Windows Movie Maker.

--- WMM vs. iMovie: No Contest! ---

This video offers a great view of what makes iMovie worlds apart from Windows Movie Maker:


"Windows Movie Maker vs. iMovie - showdown!", by sweeney3269

--- Why Haven't I Made the Switch? ---

There are a few reasons why I'm not considering getting a Mac. I HATE when people say they want a system just to play one game. I believe you need to be convinced fully with a product from basic items to all the different addons. In other words, don't buy an XBOX 360 if you're just going to play Forza Motorsport 3 if you're not happy with any other available games, devices, and things thereof (including XBOX Live). I'm not going to look into going from PC to Mac just to use one program. I'm more content with a Windows PC than just getting a Mac. A better alternative would be to just get a Mac laptop or something while still being able to use my Windows PC. But even then, I need to be really CONVINCED I can use and enjoy any Apple computer or laptop and be able to use and purchase certain extra things to enhance my experience. So that's what it boils down to- convinced to get a product, be willing to spend extra money to get more things to enhance my experience, and be overall satisfied.

Until then, I just hope for something that works within the boundaries of my 2005 Windows (with Win XP, obviously) PC.



People say to get Sony Vegas or something instead for my Windows PC. Problem is, not many programs actually fit my PC specifications, especially the RAM requirements. Many programs now require 512 MB RAM or more. I still have just under 5 GB of PC memory left, but I am considering getting an external hard drive (like the ones from Seagate) to port over a few things. I have games like rFactor that take up about 11 GB in modifications and such from my 40 GB hard drive.

And it isn't like I can go get the latest edition of Sony Vegas (all $300 USD or $600 USD of it). I will likely need to hit up eBay or Amazon to pick up previous versions of good programs. Remember that I don't have a glorious PC capable of HD video and such. In so, I have to do everything at my own pace. Since I'm a one-man-army on YouTube (and even here on Blogspot), don't expect ANYTHING spectacular of mine. Spectacular, in the respect of visually-impressive and audio-impressive material.





Sometimes... I wish I had iMovie. But I'll still go with Windows Movie Maker because (I'm going to get some negative reaction for this, but I'm ready) this is all I have, and it's better than nothing. Thank you for reading!

Become a Fan (or Like) my Facebook Fan Page and subscribe this blog (and my others) via FeedBurner (or any other aggregator in the sidebar)! Visit (or subscribe):
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My YouTube Inspirations

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The video is below:


Direct Link: "My YouTube Inspirations"


If you haven't seen my video on YouTube that I posted above, I mentioned three channels that inspire me. And perhaps to get more female viewers, all three channels are female. So check out why I selected them as I mention them in better detail.



--- Inspiration: Community Channel ---
YouTube: Community Channel

Since subscribing almost 3/4 of a year ago, Natalie Tran (the creator and host of her channel) provides outstanding sketch comedy. Hailing from beautiful Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; her channel is easily the best in the Asia-Pacific and also the best in Australia. Most of her videos concern things we can all relate to in life. Her comedic take on lots of things are why I aspire and admire her work. After each video, she makes shoutouts to people and also talk about recent comments to videos she's made. This segment is known as "Porno Music/Comment Time."

Why the Inspiration?
* For one thing, she can make a video on almost anything and generate so many views in so little time. A video may not even be up for as many as three or five hours, and it will have already generated 300+ views. And after a week or so, the video ends up with over five-figure or six-figure view counts.

* Another reason why I admire her is because she has a level of success I wish I had. So you could say that her level of talent is something I greatly admire. Natalie has been on YouTube for over three years, so it isn't like she became an overnight success. Her level of success and her fan base is something I wish I had. Anyone who has a YouTube channel who thinks they should be among the best channels... look to communitychannel on YouTube.

* Finally, I'd say that her ability to generate opinions from the public is something I also admire. I do some discussion-type videos at times, but never really able to generate so much support.



--- Inspiration: NDTitanLady ---
YouTube: NDTitanLady

From one Natalie to antoher... Natalie of NDTitanLady is a YouTube channel delivering her own funny takes on various things. She also has a bunch of material people can relate to. What I think is different about NDTitanLady from communitychannel is that NDTitanLady also tries to incorporate fun games. For example, see her videos about the Chubby Bunny game, the clothespin game, and things like that. She incorporates a lot of fun material into her videos. This young Filipina (or "Pinay" in common culture) does a great job expressing herself and stops at nothing to deliver smiles.

Why the Inspiration?
* I am most drawn to her multimedia work. In some of her very first videos, she used the same player/editor that I currently use- Windows Movie Maker. She's since moved to Mac and using Final Cut... Express or something. The way she does her videos really fancies me greatly. It's the kind of control I wish I had for my videos.

* On a different level, being able to have stuff offered to her and being able to take part in certain programs has also interested me. Maybe at times, I'm not really more about doing sponsored sweepstakes or anything, or doing videos for major websites and companies... but it's great to know that even major sponsors play a role in things.

* The fact she has a song has even gotten me inspired to come along with my own song. Some of my older videos feature my little song that I did using tracker software.



--- Inspiration: hotforwords ---
YouTube: hotforwords

Marina Orlova is the beautiful Russian whom shares the origin of words. It is safe to say that she may have the most educational YouTube channel, while also providing a service in her own entertaining way. Her traditional greeting, "hello, my dear students!" is one way she introduces herself to her loyal viewers and subscribers. The way she talks about the origin of words is so interesting and understandable that you become a smarter person just by watching her videos.


Why the Inspiration?
* Marina provides a service for others in her own, unique way. That's what I do in my videos. My "service" varies depending on the topic of the video.

* I also admire her because she's the star and host of her own videos, expressing things the way only she can. Even before eventually subscribing to hotforwords, her very first video was just Marina in a room sharing her insight on words the way only she can. Even before the fame and popularity and green screen effects, it was just her in her room, offering the service of sharing the origin of words to others. And myself... in my room, sharing my mind on whatever I so please.





So there are three of my notable inspirations. Thanks for reading.

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Gran Turismo PSP - First Impressions

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Earlier on Saturday (11/7/2009), I had a chance to play this game on display at a Fry's store. This blog showcases how I felt about playing this game finally.



--- Introduction ---
People's opinions on this game range from this being a good game and this being a waste of money and time. I never had a chance to play this game until recently. I've only done a Single Race. Here's the setup:

Single Race Setup
Race: Single Race
Car: Pontiac Vibe GT
Track: Twin Ring Motegi - West Short Course (2 laps)


My PSP experience is extremely limited, so I'd have to learn on the fly how to operate the cars in a PSP racing game. I had my doubts, but the PSP's "analog" nub handles pretty well in my view. I could somewhat get a feel for the car in the corners. I ended up winning the two lap race there. With all the 100,000 Credits available to you when starting out, you could actually go out and purchase the best-performing sports car within the 100K Credit range. I mean, I could have went out and got me an NSX with this money. But really, I bought the 1999 Nissan Spec-R Aero in preparation for the drift trial. Unfortunately, my mom called, and I had to leave. So I never got to do a drift trial.

Graphics
The graphics in my brief run were pretty good considering this is was a portable device. I really loved to see the information on cars return as the Catalog option. You don't go out saving up money to upgrade your car into the ultimate racing machine. Instead, you can save cars (up to 30) as favorites. Favorites can be quick tuned for various driving dynamics.

Maybe the only real deterrent graphics-wise is that I'm not sure whether to like or not like that there were only four cars to a track. I noticed that when you go into a wall, there are sparks when you go into a wall. Nice little touch.


Control
I actually think the control is pretty good for what it is. The analog nub actually works nicely and feels almost every bit as good as with a DualShock, only not with as much handy control. It's still good for what it is. Bear in mind that I do not have a PSP, so everything will be completely foreign to me as far as PSP racing games go.


Gameplay
From the one Single Race I did, I could have done maybe five or ten laps to test the limits of my endurance and such. But since I didn't have much time, I just simply played that one race at a track I know I could do a quick race at. The gameplay seems every bit as intense as on a console GT. My Pontiac Vibe did pretty well in its race. It took me a while to win my first race in GT4. But in one play of Gran Turismo PSP, I won my first race.

Money is easy to get to. Rather than a whole world of cars available for you to purchase, you get certain manufacturers each day. Imagine having to go through this for GT5. I don't think this game is terrible in any way. I guess I was okay with Jay Leno's voice for this title, but I'd rather just keep things classic. The traditional starting line sounds are fine with me rather than having a human voice supplemented. Even some of the concept cars and those not usually sold in GT are available for purchase. I was never able to do multiplayer or anything like that.

You have no true tuning options. You have to designate a car as a favorite, then be able to Quick Tune them for races.



--- First Impressions Overall ---
I wish people didn't hate on this game so much. It seems fairly fun for what it is. I actually wanted to make a video asking if you would recommend me this game. And if I had a PSP, I'd like to spend more time to really play this game for what it is. But really, I'd rather not transfer my cars over to my (future) PS3 until I'm really ready. And even then, I'd rather just play this game as it is. Just because there is no proper Career Mode (many would argue that GT never had a proper career mode to begin with) doesn't mean this is a game to pass up.

What I like most about this game (at least the single race elements) is that this is more of a free-paced Gran Turismo title. You can't just hate on this because there are four cars to a track. You can't just hate on this because there's no proper sim mode. It's a light Gran Turismo game with all or most of the bells and whistles that have made this one of the greatest racing game franchises of all time. You owe it to yourself as a GT fan to play this game. After all, YOU are the ultimate reviewer. Don't just rely on gaming media to tell you otherwise. Take it from a GT fan- I actually would recommend this game. Where else are you going to get beautifully-detailed cars and tracks on a PSP disc? And also, don't be deterred that there's no damage. Don't let damage be the only reason to play ANY game, nor should you let it be the only reason to get a game. A game has to be great from top-to-bottom.

So I'd go get this game if you have a PSP and love to race.





If I had more time, I'd want to spend more time to check out Gran Turismo PSP. That's all from me here. Comment at will!

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JohnMarineTube's Personal Greatest Hits

This is more of a "John's Picks" package, featuring 11 of my favorite videos from each month I've been on YouTube (excluding November 2009). So take a stroll back in time!

(NOTE 1: To be better optimized for slower connections, I've gotten rid of all the embedded videos. Just click on the link to go straight to the videos I've created.)

(NOTE 2: I recently deleted some of my old videos that either weren't doing well or obsolete. Not all videos will be available from clicking on each link.)



November 2008 Pick:


* "Introducing Myself" (embedding disabled, click link to see video)
This was how it all began- on my bed, with certain webcam settings, with 320 x 200 resolution. This was the first video I've EVER released online of any kind. Over time, I'd evolve and change things up to evolve all the further.

* "The Black College Football Experience Explained"
It was intended to be about college football at historically-black universities. Unfortunately, I've been called a racist and gotten all kinds of foul comments. It was for this reason that I disallowed all comments entirely. Just goes to show you how racist some people on YouTube can be.



December 2008 Pick:

* "My Somewhat Quick SanDisk Sansa Review"
This was a nicely-viewed video where I shown off the special something I got for Christmas. I had to have comments approved because I kept getting hated on. One even asking me why I still live in my mother's house among other things.



January 2009 Picks:

* "John Congratulates the Utah Utes on Winning the 2009 Sugar Bowl"
This was the first video to really get me noticed to others. I earned the respect of people from cougaruteforum.com for my efforts, among others.

* "Why Should You Care: Dakar Rally"
In what has become my own personal trademark, I ask "Why Should You Care?" about certain racing events. The reason why is because I can talk ad naseum about racing events, but unless I give you a reason to care, you probably don't give a rat's backside about the event. So therefore, I ask "Why Should You Care?" in regards to racing events. This was the start of my "Why Should You Care?" lineup of videos.

* "Why Should You Care: 12 Hours of Sebring"
The reason why I'm highlighting this video is because it would serve as the first video as to where I do my latest videos. This was the first of three videos I did on one beautiful late January afternoon.



February 2009 Pick:

* "College Basketball: The Unusual Suspects"
I announced my ambitions on YouTube, including reflections of my past in this video.

* "Audi LED Daytime Running Lights: Stylish or Ugly?"
It's my most successful Audio Only video. I offer my thoughts on the lighting styles of recent Audis. This was also my first video in which in the More Info area, I make note of my fan clubs.

If you love my videos and channel, join my Myspace and Facebook fan clubs here:
JohnMarineTube Fan Club on Myspace
JohnMarineTube Fan Club on Facebook



March 2009 Picks:

* "Why Should You Care: Bathurst 1000"
After making this video, this would be the start of making a bunch of videos that made me popular among Australians. It would later garner into being given and accepting an invite to australianmotorsportforums.com.

* "GT5 Commentary: GT Needs a Greater Motorsports Presence"
This was the first video where I attempted High Definition video. It was my first video recorded at 960 x 720. It wasn't TRUE HD, but it was a nice attempt at making such a video.



April 2009 Picks:

* "John's 100th Video! - Looking Back and Moving Forward"
I added lots of subtitles to avoid having to do constant annotations. It's a cluttered mess, and really, it's two videos in one. Part of it is just me talking about my channel and videos. It's a look at how far I've come up to this point.

* "College Football Preview: BYU vs. Oklahoma Prediction"
When making this video, I made a bold prediction. I took BYU to beat Oklahoma in their match at the new Cowboys Stadium. Making a bold pick is one thing; backing it up is another. When I picked BYU to win, I was nervous. But when the game unfolded and BYU won 14-13, the BYU Cougars saved my ass BIG TIME. As a by-product, I'd pick up lots of views for this video, including a number of new subscribers.

* "The Student Athlete"
As I learned that zooming out leads to better-quality images, and as I tested using a new webcam position, this gives me the chance to show myself better. I simply zoomed out to its maximum setting. And as a result, I look much better than I ever have. This would be a mainstay camera position once I found a suitable setup.



May 2009 Pick:

* "John Salutes Fast Lane Daily"
This was the first video of mine that I use my current opening: "I'm John Marine, and you're watching JohnMarineTube!"



June 2009 Picks:

* "John Achieves 50 Subscribers!"
I've reached a milestone of 50 subscribers in this video. I show my heartfelt thanks to all whom have subscribed to my channel.

*
^ "GT5 Speculation: World Rally Championship"
This video was about my ideas regarding the World Rally Championship in Gran Turismo 5. The reason why I picked this video was because I thought this video deserved a lot more views than what I ended up with. After one day or so, I got up to 302 video views. Then for weeks (and maybe a few months), the views STAGNATED at 302! Now it's just moping along as a forgotten video. This is also where I've become more confident using the webcam's microphone rather than my headset.



July 2009 Pick:

* "Big Breaks in Life"
Personal input was put into this video as I talk about big breaks in life. I even mentioned my subscriber goal of 100 here. Thanks to the generousity of my friends, I was able to reach and surpass 100 subscribers.



August 2009 Pick:

* "100 Thanks to 100 Subscribers!"
This was it- 100 subscribers! I reached triple-digit viewers in this video.

* "My YouTube Fears Address"
Confidence in life means negating your fears. I expressed my fears on YouTube in this video.



September 2009 Picks:

* "Never Judge a Book By Its Cover"
This was the first video I created that would serve as a precursor to confidence in High Quality video. Over time, I felt I would appear in better quality and be able to make better videos.

* "GT5 Speculation: Lamborghini"
This video was the first to debut an introduction song I was working on. My confidence in making 640 x 480 videos was increasing as I was looking for a good way to compress the videos so that I didn't have to spend so much time uploading them. My confidence was increasing as I felt I may one day make that one impressive video that people will view and talk about.

* "GT5 Speculation: Showrooms"
This video debuted my whiteboard. I used the whiteboard to explain points further. The next challenge was in showing everything properly. I was growing confidence in making videos. Later in September, I never thought I'd ever make a successful video until making this one below:

* "What Was KanYe Thinking?"
This video is currently my most viewed of all time. In just one day, this video garnered over 500 views, then 1,000 views. It was the quickest video to 1,000 all the way to a current total of 4,439 views. The success of this video was so overwhelming that a blue window appeared on my YouTube home page wanting me to take advantage of the opportunity to make money on my video... by becoming a YouTube partner! In ten months on YouTube, this is my most significant video. It shown that I did SOMETHING right in getting views and subscribers. I even picked up a great number of subscribers in a multi-day period since this video.

* "John's Review of ToCA Race Driver 3"
The current style of intro is what was implemented in this video.





October 2009 Picks:

* "GT5 Commentary: Don't Forget the Classics!"
In an attempt to try something different, I tried to raise awareness for breast cancer, I wore a pink wristband I got from a party back in July last year. I wore this in all of my October videos and even provided links to different sites to help the fight against breast cancer.

* "Some People Will Do ANYTHING for Attention"
This was a failed opportunity. I was anticipating this video get success because (1) it was based on a current event (the Balloon Boy incident), and (2), I spoke my mind on the issue the best way I could. But, it failed.

* "GT Fans Conceding Defeat to Forza 3?"
This is my most-discussed video of October 2009. It now has 1,000+ views.

* "Why Should You Care: Macau Grand Prix"
This video was the debut of my current webcam, the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. Note how smooth the frame rate is with this camera compared to any of the past webcams. This is also a video where I now use my intro as my outro for my videos.




If you love my videos and channel, join my Myspace and Facebook fan clubs here:
JohnMarineTube Fan Club on Myspace
JohnMarineTube Fan Club on Facebook

There's your look back in time with me and my videos!

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Jeans Tucked Into Boots... as a Style

(UPDATED: August 1, 2012)

For the first time, I'm going to offer my own looks at fashion items. Since I'm not around some kind of community where my opinions and such are out in the open, the only restriction I have is myself. I've noted in my "A Fashion Confession" blog entry (A Fashion Confession) that I'm no longer qualified to talk fashion. I am shying away from any spirited fashion discussion because there have been a number of things I've been sick of.

NOTE: Due to this blog entry's popularity, new content will be added. It will also be edited to move certain topics to other blog entries. A new section will be added to this blog entry to include more pictures of this trendy look.

Do you like this blog post? If so, I MIGHT consider deleting this blog post and making an updated one.

5/12/2010 Update I've eased up over this look. Whether or not I like the look depends on pairing certain boots with certain jeans. I've liked dark blue jeans with tall black (non-furry boots) or tall brown boots. Furry boots are just overkill when it's not bitterly cold. A new section may be added to demonstrate this look even further.

PLEASE NOTE: This blog post was made in November 2, 2009. Most of what I've posted here is very outdated.





Let's set the mood with a picture of the look I've detested in the past:


^ from: www.neimanmarcus.com - A woman with chocolate brown boots tucked into jeans.

The first bit of detail involves...

--- Snow Boots and Tucking Jeans Into Boots (as a look) ---

While it's been a long-time look, I've personally disliked tucking pants/jeans into boots when it's either not bitterly cold or miserable to walk around in. Yet, when I've complained about not liking this look, I was CONSTANTLY hated on. Just because it's not SoCal or New York City doesn't mean that EVERYBODY should adopt a certain look everywhere you go. Here in Houston, it's rare we have seriously cold days like in the Midwest or Pacific Northwest.

Snow Boots.

I'm going to define snow boots as any husky-type boots or any boots with lots of fur. Some say stylish or cute, but if it's not bitterly cold, it's one word- OVERKILL. It's like wearing layers and layers of warm clothing... on a 70°F day. At least here in Houston, just because it's Fall/Autumn and temperatures and the usual warmth of Texas isn't apparent, it's almost an unwritten rule that every girl (used loosely) should wear the furriest-possible boots on a 70°F or 75°F day. I've just never understood how wearing snow boots on a relatively warm or cool day merits wearing snow boots or any kind of cold weather boots.

Tucking Boots Into Jeans (as a Style).

Wearing boots and jeans used to be like this:


Source: www.lumana.com - This was how it used to be. You wear boots hiding your boots and tall shoes. But thanks to the popularity of skinny jeans (these are all skinny jeans in this image)...

Up since about 2005 or so, boots + jeans is now this:


Source: shoptalk.dmagazine.com - ...many more females are compelled and feel forced to wear jeans over their boots, even on warm days.

We once had about a 97°F day (with a heat index of about 105 or 108) here in Houston. And at a Best Buy, I saw one young woman wearing jeans tucked into boots. Possible thinking "cute" or "chic." I even once seen a teen girl tucking her pants legs into RAIN boots on an 88°F day, with NO rain expected the rest of the day! I don't understand this at all. I think it's one of the reasons more females like skinny jeans so much- easier to tuck into boots. Sometimes, with the most monstrous boots. Huge and furry boots are overkill when it isn't all that cold. I usually ask my mother how the weather is outside before stepping out. If it's too cold for a sweatshirt, she'll let me know about it. Even if I were on my own, I would not dress up with whatever clothes I want that's inconsistent with the weather.


Sometimes, the combination of boots into jeans/pants actually looks pretty nice. I'm just not all crazy over the look. In these times, it's better to just to completely avoid wearing this look a certain way. Leather boots + a simple pair of jeans can be a bit stylish, but it's so rare I see this look work without the wearer looks like she's trying too hard. There is no real balance to this look that works best and is easiest to my eyes. For example, during Black Friday shopping, I've seen a cute jeans + boots look... then a fail-tastic jeans + boots look. One little girl had dark blue jeans paired with a cute pair of boots with a little bling detail on the sides. Then, I seen one... maybe 12-15 year old wearing these black Chuck Taylor Converse boots with white laces tucked into a pair of jeans. FAIL!

By the way, here's an example of this FAIL look with Converse boots:


^ from: thepreppyprincess.wordpress.com - Converse boots tucked into jeans. Why? I'm a bit tired of Converse sneakers, but this is just fail to me. Disagree at will.



(~~~ new section will be added here ~~~)

--- If...Then on Boots ---

Fashion has no rules. But because there are no rules doesn't mean that there still aren't some common sense or basic facts. Here is a proper "do" and "don't" on boots and whether or not to wear certain looks:

• If air temperatures are even relatively warm, then...
...DON'T tuck boots into jeans, and especially avoid snow boots or furry boots for when it isn't bittery cold or miserable to walk in.

• If it's too cool for shorts or mini skirts, but too warm for pants...
...you can wear shorts or some short skirt, and you can wear boots if you choose to, but DON'T wear cold weather boots! Why overkill?

• If there are piles of snow and/or bitterly cold temperatures...
...then you DO tuck boots into jeans or pants. THEN you may be able to even wear furry boots to stay warm.





Boots themselves aren't a problem. It's what you wear boots with and HOW you wear them. I'm just not crazy over this look as most others are.

(ADDED: 5/7/2010) It's taken me a while to get over this look, but I eventually have gotten over and accepted this look. I was always so hateful of this as a look because I've always regarded it as a functional look rather than a functional look that can somehow be stylish as well. I thank everyone who have read this blog entry. Wear this (and other looks) with pride!

Did you know there's actually a website online that focuses solely on the jeans-tucked-into-boots look? Check out this site called jeansinboots.com.

If you love pairing skinny jeans with boots, join this Facebook Fan Page for Skinny Jeans and Boots. There's also this Blogspot blog called Jeans and Boots featuring more jeans in boots from around the Internet.

Thank you for reading!

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