Some amazing news I want to share but won't until a few weeks... I won't spoil it yet until I have official pictures. 

By the way, what a great win for the Knicks against the Atlanta Hawks last night!  Came all the way down to the wire with Carmelo Anthony's 3-point-play giving us the 106-104 lead.  J-Smoove almost made a last second three pointer despite our excellent defense keeping the ball away from the hoop, but shades of the Sacramento final shot a few months ago came into notion.  Luckily, we had a different outcome.  Melo also tied the franchise record for 3-pointers made at 9.  He could've tried to reach Kobe's NBA record of 12 but his focus was on getting the win, and in that we succeeded.

Thank you Juliette for the Piggy chocolate lollipop!

Knicks vs. Celtics game 2 going on right now.  So far, we're looking good and ready to rebound from our first encounter to tie the series up.  I don't understand how we lost to the Brooklyn Nets in the last game of our 4-game series.  They are a scrub team, and despite the new home, they are still the New Jersey Nets to me so those "Brooklyn" fans can just shove it.  The Brooklyn Nets suck.

I started playing Dead Island recently and man is it fun.  It's like a Diablo game with zombies -- 4 different character types to choose from, zombies drop money and items when killed, rare weapon drops/finds/purchases, side quests, etc.  Overall, a very awesome game so far, especially since I'm a Diablo fan (although I haven't played the 3rd one yet), and I'll update my progress soon.  I started playing as the Chinese hotel receptionist, Xian Mei, who is the martial arts blades expert in the game, so I've been jumping around slashing and chopping heads off!  I just made my "mule" character, Purna, and I will get into her build as I level her up a bit.  I hear Borderlands 2 is similar but is more of a 1st person shooter than a 1st person hack-n-slash.  I'll probably be getting that in the future when it gets a Game of the Year edition with all DLCs.


RE: 89-86 Knicks!  JR Smith, who could not hit a bucket this game, made a big 3 to give us an 89-84 lead with under a minute to go, then makes the defensive play of the game, causing Paul Pierce to turn the ball over.  Despite the poor shooting, never gave up and still played hard on the defensive end in this game (I didn't forget his steal to stop a 3 on 1 fast break alley-oop attempt earlier in the 3rd or 4th quarter).  Funny note, he was wearing Jordan XIIs (12s) black/white playoffs earlier in the game and I guess switched out with these white/orange Nikes.

I have to say, I really like the tenacious defense of the Celtics... I wish our team can pressure the ball like that, leaving opponents with only 16 seconds to run their plays.  Much respect to their team defense, but of course KG's punk bitch bullying doesn't get any respect.  Used to like him back in the Timberwolves days... I still remember being in UC Berkeley at a downstairs bar under Tower Records near campus, watching the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers playoff series back in 2003 and cheering the shit out for KG, Sprewell, and Cassell.  Fred Hoiberg was on that team too, haha, and of course "Mad" Mark Madsen.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

And now, the newest additions to my Call of Duty family:

Call of Duty Experience

It took me a while before I finally decided to get my PS3.  I believe I purchased it 2 years ago, the Call of Duty Black Ops Edition w/ First Strike 160 GB console that came with a $100 BestBuy Gift Card so I figured that package was worth it.  That's when my Call of Duty adventures began.

I had never played first person shooters competitively on a console before since I had a PS2 before without any networking, so all my games were played on the same screen or on split-screen with friends.  Before that, it was Counterstrike on a PC with the mouse for aim.  It wasn't until Multiplayer online play that I realized I had to up my game and improve my aiming skills in a shooter.  It took a while at first... starting out on low sensitivity, getting used to the recoil of each weapon, and that "noob" period is the reason for my horrible W/L and KD ratio that I started out with.

No matter, time went on, I got more practice & experience, and I have improved much now to be able to get above a 1.0 KD.  The best basic strategy that I can give you: slow down and let the game come to you.  I still have the goal to reach Prestige level 15 to get the gold camo for my weapons.  On a side note, the First Strike Package that was included came with 3 new Multiplayer maps: Berlin Wall, Discovery, Kowloon.  I love these maps as they were built better for snipers and I love to snipe.  Kowloon is probably my favorite map in all of Black Ops so far.

The Campaign for Black Ops was absolutely spectacular!  The story was just amazing and low and behold, one of my favorite actors, the great Gary Oldman, did voice-over work as Victor Reznov!!!  I had a funny feeling that it sounded a lot like him, rather his Russian character from Air Force One, but I didn't confirm it until I saw him do it on an episode of Conan (see below).  I replayed the game in Veteran mode and it indeed was him... very cool!  He is my favorite character in the game and there is a great twist revealed near the end.



 
Zombies is just so fun... a little bit hard when you first start out but once you figure out a pattern in the map, dynamite!  My friend and I worked together on the Kino Der Toten map for quite a long time and finally figured out a strategy and loop to work with and after a year, perhaps, we finally were able to get up to Round 37 together.  I got to 45 on Solo using the same strategy and it just took so long that I started getting sloppy in the end but it is definitely more fun to play with others.  Dead Ops Arcade was an old-school arcade game, sorta like Contra with a birds-eye view.  I didn't play it much so I won't go into it.  The other map, Five, I still can't figure out a strategy for so I'm stuck at Level 9 or 13 being the highest.  I just started playing the First Strike map, Ascension, so I will definitely go into Zombies a little more in the future as my friend and I figure out a strategy for Ascension.

I ended up borrowing Modern Warfare 2 from my brother-in-law but I only played the Campaign, as I was told there were hackers in Multiplayer and warned that it could compromise my PS3.  I recognized Keith David's voice-over work, and apparently there were some other famous names attached to the game as well!  All the Modern Warfare Campaigns are supposedly tied together so I don't know the story of the first one, but this one was engaging and fun, and the ending definitely leads to a third game in the series...

Two months ago, I finally got Modern Warfare 3, and boy it was different when I first began.  I was so used to Black Ops that I felt like playing a different game.  The "feel" of the movement & environment was awkward, almost surreal or smooth, which I think was just better graphics looking at it now.  The sound is different.  Black Ops weapon fire sounds more realistic to me but I got used to Modern Warfare 3 that it doesn't bother me so much anymore.

The class building & weapons upgrade is different.  In both games, new weapons unlock as you level up.  In Black Ops, money earned in gameplay is used to purchase weapons, including attachments & upgrades.  In Modern Warfare 3, no purchasing necessary, but weapon proficiencies (upgrades) & attachments require usage of the weapon to unlock.  In other words, you can't use another weapon that you may be well-suited with to purchase upgrades & build up a new weapon as you could in Black Ops.  Individual weapons must be used to be improved, different but makes sense.

Additionally, the whole killstreaks/strike packages is somewhat new.  Modern Warfare 3 breaks down Black Ops killstreaks into offense (assault), defense (support), and specialist categories.  Assault packages is the same as a Black Ops killstreak, you must pile up kills without getting killed.  Support packages add up even after you are killed.  Specialist gives you additional perks as you get kills to build you into a super soldier.  And now, you received bonuses for assists and other objectives acquired as well so it is a bit easier to get strike packages.  Finally, there are deathstreaks that lend a helping hand in different ways if you are getting pummeled constantly in the field of battle.


I have not yet played the Campaign yet, but I have played the Survival Special Missions, which seem to be Modern Warfare's version of Zombies, and the Missions are fun too, although the last few are pretty difficult.  My goal is to get the trophies needed for the Platinum as that has been my ultimate goal for these Call of Duty games as well.  In Multiplayer, I'm currently at Level 80 and ready to Prestige in Modern Warfare 3.  I'm just trying to get in some more practice with the MSR sniper before I ultimately lose everything to start at Level 1 again.

All these differences are due to Treyarch being the makers of the Black Ops series and Infinity Ward doing the Modern Warfare series.  It is the same game in actuality, but with different styles, so to speak, which change the gameplay ever so slightly.  Nevertheless, I feel that I've gotten somewhat comfortable with both series.

This was a quick summary of my experience with all the games, and hopefully later down the road I will get into more detail about certain aspects and details, maybe a better review or some strategy to help out people just starting out.  I would love people to join me in this adventure, in working together as a team to level up or just to have fun, so my PSN is dwkungfustar, same as my blogging name.  Hope to see some of you on the battlefield!

And finally, a third game joins my collection... and it's full unveiling will be next...

Awesomeness arrived in the mail today.

Sony PS3 Blu-Ray Remote Control & HDMI Cable, $20 each from BestBuy:

KWA M9 PTP GBB (Gas Blowback, Full Metal):

And finally, this should go along nicely with my new Arkham City game.  I asked Amazon.com for the Catwoman Exclusive Edition Cover in the gift card area and they obliged.  Thank you Amazon.com, you rock!!!

Merry Christmas!

I am a Call of Duty fan.  I am in no way a powerhouse among players, but I consider myself a decent gamer.  I mean, I was ecstatic when I somehow managed a 23-1 KD in a game when there are gamers who get that left and right and more.  The first games in the series that I played were Call of Duty 2: Big Red One & Call of Duty 3 on the PS2 but my real love for the series began when I purchased my Call of Duty: Black Ops First Strike Edition Playstation 3 Bundle.  More on my history with Call of Duty in an upcoming post as I have some catching up to do with some recent things I wish to share first.


Today, I will share what I got for Christmas this year, and boy was I grateful and happy for the gifts I received this year.

I saw this for the first time in a toy store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn only a few weeks ago.  Never knew it existed except from Toy Story.  Toy Story 3 is one of my favorite movies and I'll admit it, (SPOILERS AHEAD!!) I damn near teared up when the group held each other hand in hand as they were pulled down towards the incinerator.  What an emotional moment.  Loved the Totoro cameo too.  This will go on display with my Disney/Pixar collection of DVDs & Blu-Rays.

Have you ever been to Google?  Oh man, I will tell you about their office one day.  Simply amazing.  It's like a taste of what I've seen in DVD extras on the Pixar office in Emeryville, CA.  More on that later, but I got this nice size small Google/"I'm Feeling Lucky" shirt that I'm starting to work out more to fit in.
 

My cousin from Australia visited recently, and this is what she got me.  By the way, if you're reading this Yvette, thank you for the card you had written.  I don't know how you managed to have zero errors writing that because I didn't see no white-out or cross marks or anything, but that was an exceptional, thoughtful piece of writing.  You are one of my best friends and will always be treated as such.

The first step to starting out with these recipes is to be able to afford the ingredients.  Every time I complete a recipe, I'll try to share it, sort of like that movie Julie & Julia with Amy Adams (what a sweetheart!) and Meryl Streep.  If I'm lucky, I'll get one done per month, but even that might be pushing it.

Shout out to my boy LegendaryJ31, my Call of Duty sidekick, for this one.  Absolutely hated the cover art when it was first revealed... I mean, look at it, it's completely filled with advertisements and reviews.  Dammit, I already know this game is great!!  Anyways, I'll get more into the Batman Arkham games in a future post.

My last gift, which I haven't received yet, is tickets to a Knicks vs. Miami Heat game!!!  Lebron & company played against New York last year at Madison Square Garden on my birthday, but I wasn't able to get tickets.  It was a great birthday gift to me last year that we won!!  I wish I had been there... but this year I will be, and I will be amongst the thousands chanting for our boys to bring home the W.

Finally, here's the gingerbread house my nieces built at my place on Christmas Eve, and next to it is one of my favorite desserts/snacks, Beard Papa Cream Puffs FTW!!  I know it's late, but I hope everyone had a Happy Holidays!  Peace.

Welcome!  Today is the beginning...

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics first game this season is on at the moment.  Important division game for us tonight.  New York Knicks Basketball is one of my passions, so expect those post-game posts every now and then.

Let's go orange & blue!!

RE: Tough loss... that was an intense, physical game... Melo & KG with double technicals, JR bleeding from a headbutt... we'll get em the next 3 games...  I gotta say though, the Celtics played excellent defense.  Much respect to Avery Bradley, who played extremely tight defense on the perimeter, getting right up in his opponent's face when putting on full court pressure, leaving us with 16 seconds to run the play.  I hope Iman Shumpert can do the same when he returns.  KG is a dick, always getting into opponent's heads... no idea what he said to Melo but it definitely rattled him.  KG will always be a punk bitch bully.

I will gradually work to customize the look of the site, but I'll keep with this theme for the time being.  There is a reason for it and I will go into it later down the road.  Feel free to leave suggestions and ideas.