ninjas

Inside CNET Labs Podcast 63: Why yes, I am a Ninja!

This week Dong regales us with the trials and tribulations of being a nice guy and all the sickening adulation that accompanies it.

Then we talk ninjas. Korean pop star (and arch-nemesis of Stephen Colbert), Rain is playing one in the upcoming movie "Ninja Assassin," and Dong cannot contain his excitement. Also, Eric encounters a real-life ninja!

For technology we talk Netbooks: what they are and why you probably don't need one.

Lastly, we get an interesting hypothetical from one of our readers about "scoring" as he puts it and "making out." Find … Read more

The 404 431: Where we can eat a peach for days

Like most social-networking sites, Twitter isn't immune to lurkers, fakes, and creeps. The 404 Twitter account received over 600 followers in the last 24 hours, which leads us to believe that we're either becoming wildly popular or more likely, the new adds are demonized accounts; in other words, people that had their accounts taken over by a spam bot. This has to stop, Biz--stop teasing our egos!

In other ridiculous news, the CBS video print ad we picked apart in Episode 411 is fetching up to $400 on eBay--what the what? If we'd known that prices would skyrocket on the black market, we would have ganked a few more copies from our parent company, CBS! This is a great example of how you can buy practically anything online, including an 800 thread count Egyptian Cotton duvet cover or a set of custom-made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle drapes from your humble host's childhood...don't ask, just watch the show.

After the break, we get to a few Calls From the Public, including one from a caller all the way in the Caribbean! We also run down the 20 best cartoons from the 1990s, but they forgot about the X-Men cartoon! And where is "Teenage Mutant Ninja Frickin Turtles?!" Take a look at the list and let us know your favorites!

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Ninja Kunai flash drive sure to be hit at airport security

I don't know if this $125 Ninja Kunai 2GB flash memory drive is made of metal or not. They don't say in the product page description. What they say in the warning has me a bit worried, though:

Please note that this product is not a "real" Kunai, and cannot be used as such; also we would like to remind you that this product may be dangerous due to its sharp edge and MUST be handled with care.

GeekStuff4U.com cannot be responsible if you misused this product and hurt yourself or others with it.

So … Read more

Ninja Umbrella wards off rain, vanishes without trace

I still plan on living out my childhood ninja fantasies: jumping across thatched straw rooftops, stealing precious family heirlooms in the middle of the night, throwing pointy stars, and honoring my giant rat sensei by ridding the world of mutated rhinos and warthogs. And now I won't have to worry about getting wet in the process.

The handle to this Ninja Umbrella resembles the old samurai katanas of yore, replete with a crossed grip hilt and a cloth scabbard that you can swing across your back when the sun comes out. The umbrella section expands to a 3-foot-long canopy, … Read more

The 404 192: Where Sen. McCain canceled his appearance on The 404

When you start out by setting the bar low, you don't need high expectations. We kick off the show with a discussion of Pirates 2, sequel to the highest budget adult film of all time. In other news, MySpace finally enters the music biz, plastic surgeons ban unfeasibly large breasts, and Justin is an albatross.

Dan the Mantern here. Somehow today's banter turned to the topic of haggard Chinese dudes who play supporting roles in action movies. Despite their recognizable faces and remarkable performances, too often these evil henchman and characters used to advance a plot line are stripped of the accolades they so deserve. I'd like to take this opportunity to initiate a new tradition at The 404: The Supporting Actor Hall of Fame.

For the first installment, we'll remember the career of the late Victor Wong. Known for his quirky haircut and lazy eye, Wong's breakthrough role as Egg Shen in Big Trouble in Little China had us reeling. Wong went on to portray The Old Man in Eddie Murphy's The Golden Child, Fighter in Bloodsport, and Grandpa Mori Shintaro in 3 Ninjas, 3 Ninjas Kick Back, 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up, and 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain. Unfortunately, we lost this timeless actor in late 2001. Rest in peace, Victor Wong, we miss ya buddy.

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The 404 182: Where Brian Tong bleeds yellow and Jeff has jaundice

With Justin's fellow socks-with-sandals-wearing San Franciscan Brian Tong on the show, things get more giggly than a New Kids on the Block reunion concert. B-Tong and the boys discuss their favorite ninja turtles, a number of fast food related stories and their resentment of Twitter.

Dan the Mantern here. It was a pleasure to sit back and watch the magic happen on today's show. The Tongster brought so much good karma to The 404, a bold decision has made. Uniting West Coast and East, combining Wilson's good looks, Justin's singing voice, Brian's hair and DJ Jeff Mackalar's fresh beats it's Tang Tong Yu - the boy band sensation. Look for their new album, The Love ConNEcTion, this fall, in the Wal-Mart bargain bin underneath a VHS copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III. Cowabunga dude!!!

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The 404 176: Where we play with Duck Hunt all day long

Our surprise guest today is Bristol Palin, daughter of would-be VP Sarah Palin! We regrettably rescind our drooling over yesterday's picture of the Governess--it's fake! Today's show is chock full of Google goodness, atom smashing, motherfrakkers, and a tried and true geekout on the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie! Special bonus: Senor Space Beer returns to The 404!

And now for a subject near and dear to my heart. After releasing a positively craptastic CGI effort, the folks over at Playmate Toys unofficially announced that the sequel will be a back-to-basics live-action movie! To me, this … Read more

WiiWare and Virtual Console releases for this week

The classic ape makes a comeback and competitive eating gets its own game--all on the Nintendo Wii console. Virtual Console

Donkey Kong 3 (1986, NES, 500 Wii points): Stanley the Bugman's greenhouse has been infiltrated by Donkey Kong. Armed with a can of bug spray, you must chase the ape away before he destroys the greenhouse. Ninja Commando (1992, NeoGeo, 900 Wii points): Ninja Commando is a top-down, vertical-scrolling shoot em' up, known for its unintentionally funny English translation.

WiiWare

Major League Eating: The Game (Mastiff, 2008, 1,000 Wii points): Based on competitive eating contests held by Major … Read more

The 404 132: Where CBS is brought to you by The 404

Today's show is all about answering the questions that nobody is asking. These questions include: Is "doing the robot" considered cheating? If California legalizes marijuana, will we need to find a new co-host? Is the vibrating iPhone keypad a curse or a blessing in disguise? When will Amy Winehouse evolve into a Homo sapiens? How can we stop the Ninja Turtles from stealing our precious metals? Do the Netflix executives listen to The 404? Is there a problem that can't be solved with Viagra? All this and much much more, now brought to you by CBS … Read more

'Ninja Gaiden' developer resigns from Tecmo, sues it

If ever there was a rock star video game developer, it has to be Tomonobu Itagaki, leader of the Tecmo Team Ninja studio that just released Ninja Gaiden II for the Xbox 360.

Easily recognized by his rail-thin frame, dark sunglasses, long hair, and devil-may-care leather jacket, Itagaki is the very image of someone who goes his own way and who keeps his own, very non-corporate counsel.

But it seems to have caught everyone by surprise that, as reported by Gamasutra, Itagaki has resigned from Tecmo and is now suing the publisher for $1.42 million in a financial dispute … Read more