aliens

The worst downloads of 2008

Sure, you're all jazzed about Barack Obama and looking forward to a brighter 2009, but what about the catastrophes of 2008? I'm not talking about the financial meltdown, Sarah Palin, or The Love Guru, I'm talking about the worst downloads of the year.

Every three months, Tom Merritt (of CNET TV renown) and I collaborate on a lighthearted tribute to the software failures that stick out among the many excellent programs on Download.com worse than John McCain supporters at the Inauguration Day gala.

To qualify, these downloads have to meet the minimum requirements specified by Download.… Read more

The 404 236: Where we're thankful for Turbaconducken

It doesn't matter if you get down with turbaconducken or veggie alternative tofurky, it doesn't matter if your first sex ed lesson was in Cantonese or involved videos of a crowning baby, you can definitely get down with The 404 pre-Thanksgiving show! We talk about Truman Show syndrome, Ann Coulter's ironic injury, forgiveness, the PlayStation credit card, alien squids and the death of Batman!

Dan the Mantern here. Okay, gross out time in five syllables: TUR-BA-CON-DUCK-EN. Only in America, people, can one indulge in the abomination of nature that is a stuffed chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey that's wrapped in bacon. This, my friends, is the reason we have half-ton mothers and fathers. What's so bad about plain old turkey? Anyway, however you do the holiday, have a great Turkey day, 404 fans! The 404 is thankful for you!

EPISODE 236 Download today's podcast … Read more

The evolution of the benevolent alien

In its bid for our ticket-buying dollars, Hollywood has long sought to reach into our pockets by giving us films that appeal to our current sense of hopefulness or fearfulness.

Over the years, one of the most reliable mechanisms for doing that has been the alien, the evil, destructive invaders hell-bent on laying waste to everything we hold dear (The War of the Worlds, say) or the inquisitive visitors curious to make our acquaintance and see what they can learn from us and our experience (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, maybe).

And to many, the extent to which these … Read more

WiiWare and Virtual Console releases for this week

This week brings us a bizarre sci-fi pinball game, a home-remodeling simulator, and an original space-themed shoot-em-up.

WiiWare Alien Crush Returns (Hudson Entertainment, 800 Wii points): Alien Crush Returns is an updated version of the classic Turbografx 16 game. It's a pinball simulator unlike anything you've played because it looks like you're playing inside someones digestive system. Your Nintendo Wi-Fi connection extends the fun, bringing your gameplay online with up to four friends. Home Sweet Home (Big Blue Bubble Inc., 1,000 Wii points): Calling all aspiring interior decorators: Home Sweet Home lets you design your dream … Read more

The 404 203: Where we're not even supposed to be here today

The 404 is back together again and this time around we welcome DIY comic book artist Samuel Vera to the show. Artist, publisher, and do-it-all for Crazee Comics, Sam sits in for a chat about the state of the comic book industry, how to get your start in publishing, the war between online and print comics, and the recent surge of comic book movie adaptations.

Don't forget to come and say hi to us tonight at our second 404 meetup at Gstaad Bar on 26th and 6th Avenue in New York! We'll be there at 6:30 tonight, kicking back and celebrating our 200th episode anniversary, and you're welcome to join us! We want to meet as many of our New York listeners as we can, so if you're in the New York area, come check it out--if nothing else, Natali Del Conte, Mark the Intern, and Dan the Mantern will all be there as well.

Big thanks to our buddy Samuel Vera for coming on the show today. Listen in for seriously helpful tips on how to publish your own comic and even hear Sam's opinions on existing comics and his humble beginning in the thriving comic book industry (no matter what Wilson thinks). He also weighs in on a few current events including the closing of two corporate pillars of American excellence: Circuit City and Mother's Cookies. All right, all right, nobody is going to miss Circuit City but Mother's Cookies gave us the famous ANIMAL CRACKER! You're never going to believe this, but neither Jeff, Wilson, nor Sam knows what those are. Whaaaattt? Is this a West Coast thing or what? I don't get it, but nevertheless I'm still really bummed out because I practically survived off those things for the first half of my life. Hmm, that explains a few things...RIP Mothers Cookies, we'll almost remember you and your deliciously sprinkled confections.

EPISODE 203 Download today's podcast … Read more

Social networking with aliens. Beginning October 9

In its quest to fight Facebook for every last social networking digit and dollar, Bebo is thinking big. Very big.

The social networking site has got together with the Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of the Russian Academy of Science to organize for 500 messages to be beamed to a planet orbiting the star Gliese 581c.

The project's title is A Message From Earth.

Apparently the planet in question is the nearest one to earth that might have water. Which means it might have life. And, well, Bebo would be a great name for a planet, wouldn't … Read more

Astronaut reveals that aliens have better technology than humans

There are people who think human beings are smart. (Mostly, they are second-rate CEOs and they are thinking of themselves.)

And there are those of us, and I include astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell amongst our august number, who can attest than humans are, in psychological and technological terms, worms.

Dr. Mitchell, who was possessed of the gumption to set foot on Apollo 14 after the disaster of the previous mission, had the even greater gumption to reveal the truth about alien life to Kerrang Radio this week.

If you have not heard of Kerrang Radio, it is, in essence, a … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 735: Ind_na Jo__es

Paramount is dropping sounds out of your movies; Canadian customs guards might be rifling through your laptop for ripped CDs; and aliens are real. See, now, it sounds like today's show is all made-up stories, but the first two things are true, and the last one is...well, I don't know, I guess it might be true. There's a guy in Denver who says he's got a video. YouTube it!

Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 735

Comcast hijackers say they warned the company first http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/05/comcast-hijacke.html http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/007034.html… Read more

The 404 110: Where it's not a virus, it's a worm

Mess with the best, die like the rest! We don't hack the planet, but we do spout off about the MediaDefender's hack (code name: IRONY), pedagogical foursomes, John Wayne as a weapon, and Korean child star Ju-On's surprise appearance in Denver. We also bust out the old squawk box for some much needed Disney sing-alongs. EPISODE 110 Download today's podcast