[Infographic] 50 Years of Christmas Toys

Oh yeah. I still have this!

  Christmas is coming! And boy my daughters are not letting me forget that! The funny thing is to see them do some of the same things I did when I was a kid like looking very carefully at every toy catalogue that comes in the mail. For me is was always the Sears Christmas Wishbook. Oh man, I couldn't wait for THAT to show up in the mail. The toys were always in the back pages and I'd flip quickly through the tools, cookware, and linens sections to get to it.

Then came the part about dropping hints to mom and dad. Everything from drawing pictures to making lists, from leaving notes in the Christmas tree to just constantly talking about the Star Wars figures I wanted. Eventually dad laid out the rule of "If we ask for it, then we ain't gonna get it." WHAT? How does that work? How would they know then? Mom assured my sister and I that they would just know (and Santa would help, too.) And they always seemed to come through.

Sigh. Oh that anxious waiting every year. It was great though. And even though many of my wishes over the years didn't get fulfilled, it didn't matter because whatever showed up under the tree was always great! Money was tight in my family when I was growing up so I was always grateful for whatever I got. Today it's the same with my own family. I now wonder if mom and dad went through the same process as my wife and I are going through now. Deciding what we can afford, where this or that toy will have any longevity with begin played with. Of course…mom and dad didn't have Amazon heh heh. (Amazon's like a Sears Wishbook only all year 'round!)

My daughters love My Little Pony probably as much as I was into Star Wars figures and Battlestar Galactica toys and it's funny to see what they put on their wish lists. What was an X-Wing fighter for me, it's a Pinkie Pie Train for them!

The following infographic shows the hot Christmas toys of the last 50 years. These are definitely many of the hits for the boys. I don't agree with some of the choices but for the most part, my childhood is represented. Especially 1982 and, yes, even 2005. 

Science Fictions That Are Now Science Facts in 2013

  When I was a kid, one of my favorite TV shows was The Six Million Dollar Man. Astronaut Steve Austin gets critically injured in a crash and in order to save him, they replaced his arm, legs, and right eye with bionic limbs, giving him super strength, speed, and vision. I remember thinking how cool it would be to have a bionic limb. Well, the future is here! And that includes suits that give you Spidey sense, gigantic robots, and…glow-in-the-dark ice cream?

Buzzfeed has compiled 21 things we only dreamed about 20 years ago that have become reality in 2013. Sure some of these are a bit on the trivial side and won't be a huge impact on society, but then again some very well be. As soon as we get the flux capacitor I've been waiting for, we can travel to the future to see if we truly are in the Matrix or if we finally have established that colony on Mars because of the things invented this year.

Best Blog Tips: "I Don't Know What To Write!"

Ah yes. Writers block. So frustrating. Especially when your technology teacher is requiring you to post once a week! So how do these professional bloggers come up with fresh content DAILY?

Writing a blog can be a very challenging, but truly rewarding experience. There are few opportunities where your efforts as a student can be appreciated by the world! However there is that ever present  hurdle of "What do I write about today?" You aren't alone. Most of the time it just takes some generic, fill-in-the-blank questions that will help you come up with your next brilliant post!

As a fan of infographics, buzzebee.com came up with one of my favorites based on an original article by Matt Smith (no, not the 11th Doctor) entitled 15 Blog Post Ideas To Use When You Are Stuck For Ideas. The infographic only focuses on ten of them, but that may be all that you need to jumpstart your next blog post. 

Check the infographic out after the jump and tell us in the comments section which idea you used, or if you have one to add to the list!

Technology Then and Now : 1994

What are these things?

Over break last week, the wife and I started reminiscing about how things used to be when we were in high school and how different it is for kids today. It wasn't one of those "these kids today are messed up because they're so spoiled with all this tech we never had" rant-fests, no. On the contrary, I really do feel the same challenges still exist, they just look...different. If anything, I think life challenges have more options that allow them to be solved (or aggravated) quicker so we can be on to the next challenge.

Technology Now and Then will be my (humorous) showcase of content on the internet that does a pretty good job of capturing the differences of what it was like for Generation X to live as a kid versus today's gen. (Is there a name for today's generation?) I repeat, I am NOT passing any judgement here. In fact there are many times I'm envious of the tech teens have today that I didn't have. I could have done such wonderfully creative things with an iPhone, iMac and youtube!

Top 10 Xbox 360 Video Game Franchises PART 2

With the next generation of consoles already underway and the release of the Xbox One this friday, we continue with a tribute to our favorite gaming experiences on our old pal, the Xbox 360. This is part 2 of the best NEW franchises that were launched during the 360's lifespan. If you missed Part 1 of this tribute, be sure to check it out to see #10 through #5, but here was the criteria I used when compiling this list:

• The franchise must have at least two games in the series
• The franchise debuted during the 360's generation (so you won't see any Halo on this list)
• And, if a friend was buying the 360 today and asked "What games should I play on this system?" 

And now, Part 2 of the Top 10 Xbox 360 Video Game Franchises....

Tribute: Top 10 Xbox 360 Video Game Franchises PART 1

As we approach the dawn of a new generation of video game consoles, let's take some time to reflect on the best of what one particular console had to offer since it's debut in 2005, the Xbox 360.

To date, there have been about 1000 game titles released for Microsoft's popular gaming system. There have many truly outstanding titles, from Dead Rising to Red Dead Redemption to Skyrim to GTA5. However there are some key franchises that debuted during this generation that call for special recognition. The criteria I used for creating this list was:

• The franchise must have at least two games in the series
• The franchise debuted during the 360's generation (so you won't see any Halo on this list)
• And, if a friend was buying the 360 today and asked "What games should I play on this system?" 

Although most of you may disagree with my rankings of these franchise, I doubt many will disagree on the importance of these titles on this system. Anyone picking up a Xbox 360 for the first time (I know. But there are lots who get into gaming late!) should consider starting with the titles on this list. They will provide you with many hours of gaming excellence, many times with a decent storyline!


And now...Part 1 of the Top 10 Video Game Franchises on the Xbox 360!

[Infographic] 2013 Guide To A Great Costume

Did you end up with any of these? Let us know in the comments section!

Top 10 Movies That Defined an 80s Teenager

Ah the 80s... Was there ever a better decade? Big hair, baggy clothes, new wave music, floppy disks, convertible VW Cabriolets, dot matrix printers, mix tapes, and monochrome screens.

Yeah I was an 80s kid. And recently the topic came up of the movies that define being a teenager in the 80s. This is the definitive top 10 list according to...well...me. Sure most of the time these movies exaggerated the reality of that period (though not nearly as much as movies today try to stereotype 80s culture.) I always wondered how those who grew up in the 50s or 60s thought about how my generation would stereotype those decades with poodle skirts and tie-dyes. I'm sure that was only a small part of what it was like. I will admit the 80s DID have some pretty bad stereotypes. Although I'd argue some are still around in different forms...

To high school students today, you'll probably notice (like I do) that some things in these films are very different than they are today, but much is still the same. (See the classroom scenes of the #1 film.) Just, please, don't try to talk like you know about the 80s, unless you've at least seen all ten of these films!

DISCLAIMER: Now that I'm a dad and a teacher, the inappropriate language, sexual themes, rebellion, and glorified substance use from these movies make me wince.  I can say that now, as an adult, these films did influence the way I looked at life back then...and not for the best. I probably won't let my daughters watch these until they are at least 17. Just sayin'.

Without further ado...my TOP 10 FILMS THAT DEFINED THE 80s TEENAGER!
The films that are availible on Netflix Streaming I notated with *.

Hawaii in Colorado!

Well the topic of this post dropped in my lap today, and it has to do with food. I haven't really talked about my life as a recent Colorado import. Basically, sometimes I feel like I kinda stick out because of all the California/Hollywood/Geek Chic stereotype I bring with me. (It's okay though. I'm not insecure about it!) I look forward to learning new things about CO culture and lifestyle!

That said...that doesn't mean I don't long for familiar things I grew up with in California OR...with my Hawaii side of da family! You see, all my dad's side of the family lives on Oahu and I've visited many times over my life (although not NEARLY as much as I would have liked.)

Now, when it comes to food, NOTHING beats "local Hawaiian food." I'm serious. My personal opinion is, you can bring anything to the table in the area of comfort food, Hawaiian food will beat it! I'm talking Loco Moco, Chicken Katsu, Kalua Pig, Spam & Eggs, etc.  (especially from Rainbow Drive-in and Grace's!)

Today I had an excellent treat! A friend of mine at school, who just happens to be from Hawaii, brought a homemade chicken katsu "plate lunch" for us to enjoy. I can't even express

Confessions of a Launch Day Game Console Buyer

THE DILEMMA
Well, it's about that time again. It used to come every five years but this time it's been a couple years longer than usual. Yep, it's new video game console time!

This November we will be seeing the debut of Microsoft's third generation of Xbox, entitled confusingly XBOX One, and Sony's fourth Playstation console called...the PS4! (No shock there.) This will be the first time both brands will launch in the same year, stirring up the fanboy wars to a frenzy and driving pre-order sales for those hoping to land a shiny new console on launch day. Well for the first time in over 12 years, I won't be waiting overnight in line in front of Best Buy. And it's not because I now live in a town that doesn't have a Best Buy.

Maybe it's because I'm older now and have more of life to deal with than I did before. Maybe because my new teaching position keeps me constantly researching and contemplating new lessons for my students when I would normally be kicking it on the couch grinding through some new digital adventure. Maybe it's because I got burned with the Launch Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death fiasco. Or maybe it's because

I Am The Doctor!

What is it about Doctor Who? As a latecomer to this amazing British BBC sci-fi adventure series, I still ask myself why I am so into this show? There are things about DW that normally would be a turn-off for me and perhaps that's why it took so much coaxing from my buddy Tim to get me to watch it in the first place. 

What is considered the revival of the series that originally premiered in 1963, the modern version of DW began back in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston playing the 9th reincarnation of the Doctor. Since I only began watching the modern version of DW earlier this year as a potential viewing option both my wife and I could enjoy, it has left me with over seven uninterrupted seasons that we could plow through at our own pace (thanks to Netflix streaming!)

Currently, Wife and I are mid-fourth season, the last with David Tennant playing the 10th version of The Doctor, and are truly hooked! But why? Why this seemingly cartoony BBC show? Let's look at the shortcomings:

My First Week at RSS

Technology is awesome. Teaching tech to teens is more awesome. Experiencing both in a great community with teens you actually enjoy teaching is truly an excellent place to be!

This blog will be about a lot of things. Technology. Pop culture. Geek culture. Teaching. Life. Rural living vs. the big city. (Yes, I'm a city boy trying to find his way in a town of under 1000.)

Stay tuned as topics will vary wildly I'm sure.