Question of the Week: Freaky Images

This past weekend I started playing through the original BioShock on Josh's XBox 360. BioShock is an awesome game, with a very unique concept and amazing visuals. On top of that, it is creepy as hell. The idea of being trapped under water in the dark and facing sadistic gene splicing psychotics is truly horrifying. It makes for a pretty memorable game.

What game, movie or book has made it's most terrifying impact on you? Perhaps it was the alien bursting out of Kane's chest in Alien, the zombies from Resident Evil or that freaky Clown in Steve King's It.

Question of the Week: Karaoke

What song are you going to sign for The Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt? It can be a power ballad, rock'n'roll or something with a swing. I look forward to seeing your submissions and hearing your songs!

Let The Scavenger Hunt Begin!

Hello Universe!

On Saturday Morning, I launched 10 videos on YouTube for The Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt. Contestants have seven days to complete a series of 10 challenges using their digital cameras or camcorders, uploading their work onto Google Buzz.

The contest began at midnight on Saturday, August 14th and ends at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on Friday, August 20th. Your challenges, if you chose to accept them, are as follows:

Challenge #1: Location! Location! Location!

Pick yourself a mascot and find a location in your city or town that represents where you are. Take a picture or video with you and your mascot at your chosen location and then tell the Google Buzz community all about it. Let us know where you are, and why you're there. Does your site have a history? Is it famous in some way? Maybe it just has special meaning to you...whatever it is, let us know!

Challenge #2: Celebrity Look-A-Like

Do you, or somebody your know looks like someone famous? No? Well, go out and find someone! Find yourself a celebrity look-a-like, interview them and get their signature. If you can, try to get their life story, or the made-up life story of who they look like. Be creative!

Challenge #3: Happiness Is Abstract

What is the one thing in the world that can make you smile, even in the worst of times? Maybe its your family pet, or a setting sun. Whatever it is, whether its a specific object or just an abstract idea - film or photograph it and share it with the world! Then, let Google Buzz know what makes you happier then anything else.

Challenge #4: Halloween In August

It's time to get our your vampire costume! No, this isn't Twilight. It's Halloween! Dress up in a Halloween costume of your choice and go out into the public. Go door to door asking for candy, go to the grocery store, or go out to a club. Document your adventures and people's reactions to your scary (or sexy) outfit.

Challenge #5: The Pink Cellphone

Did you think you could go through a whole scavenger hunt without trying to find something obscure? Think again! Go out and find someone (a friend or maybe a complete stranger) who owns a pink cellphone. Get a photo or video of you, the phone and it's owner. Then, share your story with the world. Happy searching!

Challenge #6: Monkey Brains Anyone?

Everyone has tried monkey brains before, right? Don't worry, this isn't Indiana Jones. In this challenge, I'll be asking you to go out for dinner, or be prepared to make a meal at home. Pick a style of food (Cantonese, Mexican, French) that you have never experienced before. Go out and try it, or try making a meal from scratch. Take your mascot with you and then report back on what you and your mascot thought of your meal.

Challenge #7: Activity Does The Body Good

Yoga. Kayaking. Fencing. Jogging. Cricket. There are a million different types of physical activities in the world. Pick one that you have never tried before. It can either be a group sport, or a solo activity, it doesn't matter. Document your experience with photos and videos and make sure to get active!

Challenge #8: Karaoke Night

"Somewhere, over the Rainbow..." It's time to hit the town and go out for a night of karaoke. Bring your mascot with you and get ready to sing a duet. It can be something funny, a heart wrenching ballad, or a rock and roll scream-fest. Just make sure you have fun with it, and be sure to bring back proof of your adventure to Google Buzz.

Challenge #9: A Closet Fashion Show

This next challenge comes in three parts. 1) Pick an outfit that has a story and tell it to us. Why is this outfit important to you? What makes it special? 2) Go through your closet and create your most outlandish and absurd outfit using your wardrobe. 3) Film a fashion show with items out of your closet. Share your style with the internet!

Challenge #10: Lights! Camera! Action!

In this challenge, you get to be the big-shot music video director. Check out YouTube's audio swap feature, pick a song and create yourself a music video. Once you've created your video, upload it to YouTube, go to www.youtube.com/editor and set your video to song. Live action, or animation, it doesn't matter - just have a blast!





For all ten videos, check out the Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt playlist on YouTube.

Meteor Shower

Hello Universe!

The Perseids Meteor Shower, created by the dust trail left by the Swift Turtle Comet, reached its glorious peak last night. The shower, which is typically visible within the constellation Perseus, is an annual event and can be seen for approximately a month each summer.

A photographer friend of mine traveled out to the mountains last night to observe the meteor shower away from the bright lights and craziness of Las Vegas. He was able to to take this beautiful photo while out enjoying the fresh air. You can check out more of his amazing photography on Flickr or his website FourG Photography.

Image Credit: Bryne Hobbs, Copyright 2010, www.fourgphotography.com

The Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt

Hello Universe!

This Saturday, August 14th,  I will be launching The Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt. Now you're probably wondering, "What the hell is a Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt?" This is a contest that challenges its participants to go out into the world and photograph (or film) their adventures. Once they've documented each challenge, contestants will be asked to upload their photos/videos onto Google Buzz and get the community buzzing.

The contest will begin on Saturday, August 14th, 2010 @ 12:00am (Pacific Time) and will run until Friday, August 20th, 2010 @ 11:59pm. On August 14th ten (10) challenges will be released on YouTube and Google Buzz which contestants will have seven (7) days to complete.

For this contest you will need three things:

1. A Google Account (with access to Buzz & YouTube)
2. A digital camera / camcorder (or camera phone) with photo and video capabilities.
3. A sense of adventure!

Once each challenge has been completed, upload your photos and videos and share them on Google Buzz. Tell people about your experiences with each challenge (what you did, who you met, what you saw, etc) and get a discussion going. The more creative the better!

Once you have started your discussion on Buzz, e-mail the link to buzzscavengerhunt@gmail.com and it will be reviewed by our volunteer judges. Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality and the entry's general sense of fun. A Grand Prize Winner will be announced on F4st3r Th4n L1ght & Buzz during the week of August 23rd, 2010. The Grand Prize Winner will will one of three prizes, courtesy of DoctorMoo's Etsy Shop:

1. Plush Bo-bomb
2. Plush TARDIS
3. Kirby Scarf (Women's)

A Google Sites page will be created at the end of the contest, compiling all submissions. If you have any questions before or during the contest, please feel free to contact buzzscavengerhunt@gmail.com.

Don't forget to spread the word: Tweet, Buzz, Blog and Tumbl to your <3's content! Grab your camera, get ready to start shooting and prepare for a wild ride!

Question of the Week: Case of the Mondays

Have you ever had a really bad start to your week? I have. Today, in fact. It was just one of those days where nothing seemed to go right and most of the day I left with an aching pain in my stomach. Definitely not the way to start off the work week. I did, however, manage to survive. So now I want to know:

What happened to your on your worst Monday, and do you look back at it with horror or laughter?

NASA: Solar Flares

On August 1st, 2010 solar activity increased dramatically causing intense Northern Lights over much of the northern hemisphere. Unfortunately most of Winnipeg was covered in heavy cloud which prevented me from getting a good view, but luckily NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) was able to capture some breath-taking views of the solar event and the impact it had on the sun's surface.


This image in particular is an ultraviolet shot of the sun captures a perfect view of a coronal mass ejection in the top left hand corner. The Solar Dynamics Observatory's website contains dozens of up-to-date images of the sun so that you can keep track of all this amazing solar activity.

Did you have a chance to see the Northern Lights where you were this past week?

Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA

Friday Feature: Super Mario RPG

Do you have a video game that you remember playing in childhood that you absolutely love, even to this day?

For me, that game is Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Super Mario RPG was released for the SNES in 1996 and is by far the SNES game I adore more then any other. What game allows you to play Princess Peach and use a Frying Pan as a weapon? None.

The game features a wide mix of playable characters (Mario, Princess Toadstool and Bowser) including two game specific characters Mallow and Geno. Mallow is an adorable cloud healer, who believes himself to be a tadpole, Geno is a lovable spirit animating a little child's toy doll.

Like all Mario games, the storyline is simple but all together enjoyable. The combat system is turn based and easy to pick up, and as mentioned above, you get to wield a kick-ass Frying Pan (amid a host of other weapons). All-in-all, Super Mario RPG is an awesome game and a treat for any casual gamer.

In 2008, Nintendo released Super Mario RPG on the Wii's virtual console, which has allowed me to relive my love for this game. I think I might just play through it this weekend. Wish me luck in my quest for the Seven Stars!

NASA: Antennae Galaxies

Have you ever wondered what two galaxies colliding would look like?

Now you know! This composite image was recently released by NASA and shows two massive galaxies (approx 62 million light years away) that are in the process of merging. The image is composed of various types of images (X-Ray, Infrared and standard Optical) and were captured by three different sources. This beautiful display was captured over the course of five days between 1999 and 2002.

For more on these stellar bodies (NGC 4038 & NGC 4039) check out the Chandra X-Ray Observatory's website.

Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Optical: NASA/STScI