Tag: weird

caption contest, guy playing guitar around junk

This week’s caption contest features a man playing a guitar in what looks like a junkyard.  But who knows, it could be his yard, or props for some crazy movie.  He’s also wearing really weird outfit — is it a costume for something, or is that how he normally dresses?  You get to decide.  If you can figure anything out that’s funny, leave a comment for our enlightenment.  ‘Cause I just don’t get it…

(To see our other caption contests, click on the “Say What?” category in the sidebar.)

the most shocking beer in the world

I don’t care anything about beer, but I saw this in the news and thought it was really, really weird.  There’s a company called BrewDog that sells a beer called “The End of History”, and it’s supposedly the “strongest, most expensive and most shocking beer in the world.”  (How’s that for a marketing slogan?)

It’s definitely shocking — it costs $765 a bottle, it’s 55 percent alcohol, and it’s served in a squirrel.  (Yeah, you read that right.)   It’s not a fake squirrel, either — it’s actual roadkill.   You can also get it in weasel or hare bottles.  They decided to wrap the bottles in dead animals to indicate how special the beer is, that it’s blending brewing, taxidermy, and “art”.

Their marketing ploy has people talking (obviously).  I don’t know how much it will help sales… at $765 a bottle, that’s not an impulse buy nor a “let’s give this as a prank gift” purchase for most people.

As you would expect, using dead animals is controversial to some people.  A director for Advocates for Animals said it is “degrading” for the animals.  The brewing company said all the animals were roadkill collected at a taxidermist, so they were all dead anyway.

What do you think?

Forklift Truck Simulator

There are some unusual video games that get made every year.  Most of the time, I understand — even if the game seems weird to me, at least the developers are using some creativity and trying something new.  There needs to be more chance-taking in game publishing.

But I heard of a game that just blows my mind when I consider how generic it sounds.  It’s called Forklift Truck Simulator.  Below is a screenshot from the game, showing how action-packed this game will be.

Uhh… Maybe there’s something I’m missing.  Let’s examine some of the press release about it:

Get behind the controls of a forklift truck in this highly detailed original simulator.

Your aim is to master the demanding range of tasks facing a forklift truck driver in every day scenarios. Load and unload Lorries and train carriages within a given time schedule or store goods in huge warehouses! …

To make the experience a bit more realistic you begin in a training mode to learn your controls and achieve your license in order to continue to the missions. There is also a “free play” mode which allows you to drive freely and choose where to go and what to do with the goods.

Robert Stallibrass of Excalibur Publishing says: “We are delighted to add Forklift Truck to our range of Simulators. The developers at Astragon have a great sense of detail and have worked hard to make this experience as realistic as possible.”

Again I say, uhh…  I hope there’s a LOT I’m missing, for the sake of the people who put money into this project.  The concept of “as realistic as possible” doesn’t seem like a selling point for me.  I usually play video games so I can do things I can’t normally do in real life.  (Granted, I don’t find myself driving forklifts on a regular basis, but that’s not high on my list of priorities.)  If these forklifts don’t have weapons or power-ups, it doesn’t sound too fun.

The only hope I see for this game is the “free play” mode.  If it allows you to get creative and/or go on a destructive rampage, there could be some fun involved.  But if it’s “realistic” and restricted to work-life experiences, I can’t see it being worthwhile — unless you plan to become a professional forklift driver, but still, real life experience would be a lot better.

But to each their own…