How I see it, and you should too

Will Return Shortly

2006-03-01T19:26:00.000-06:00

Patience is a virtue...

When is Enough, Enough?

2006-01-31T19:13:00.000-06:00

It appears that NOW would be the answer. Say goodbye to UPN and the WB. After years of wallowing in the pits of television and the loss of the Star Trek franchise, the budget to keep UPN alive could no longer be justifed. But what is truely suprising is the parent company also pulling the plug on the WB. Out of the rubble will come a new station, the CW, with a line-up consisting of the most popular shows from the 2 stations.

Adios WB frog and UPN with your goofy shows... enough was enough.

Sirius Satellite Radio & the Stock Market

2006-01-11T16:33:00.000-06:00

I have come to the conclusion that there is WAY more insider trading on Wall Street than EVER gets talked about. Case in point: Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI).

Sirius has reached 3 million subscribers, has exclusivity rights to the NFL and Nascar and lest we forget, Howard Stern. So why is the stock being sold off faster than I can suck down a beer and is only a quarter of the price of XM? Insider trading.

The big boys are playing a dangerous game, and here is my theory: Howard Stern signing with Sirius single handedly boosted the company above the 3 million subscriber mark, which was to be considered a milestone for the stock... certain insiders are poo pooing the stock and the press has jumped on it, causing the casual trader to sell... all the while, the insiders are snatching up shares left and right at a deflated price... when 4Q05 and 1Q06 financials are released, the news will be rosy for Sirius... everyone buys... the insiders sell at an inflated price and make a killing.

There is no reason for this stock to be as cheap as it is when compared to it's competitor XM. Don't believe my theory? Look for yourself. Crosscheck the volume, closing prices and press releases day by day for the past few months, it's quite interesting.

Over-hyped?

2005-12-15T16:57:00.000-06:00

One thing I have noticed about the movie industry over the years is that when a movie is over-hyped, overly praised, has commercials and radio spots running every 15 minutes... the movie isn't all that. I say this based on the incessant hype of the new King Kong movie. Radio ads are calling it a "masterpiece". Huh? A masterpiece? It's freaking King Kong! Debbie Does Dallas, Showgirls, Striptease, THOSE were masterpieces! King Kong? Please... It may turn out to be a decent movie, but a masterpiece I think not. Oh and the movie opened yesterday and earned only the 21st best Wednesday opening in movie history...

And remember, when it's right, EVERYday is a holiday. Not just on the holiday.

Oh My Has The Fantasy Football Season Turned Interesting!

2005-12-06T23:09:00.000-06:00

I have wrapped up a playoff spot after starting 0-4, going 8-1 since then and currently in 2nd place. Not patting myself on the back just yet, still need to win during the playoffs. But still, I'm quite pleased to say the least. My game vs. the Slappers and Belinda's game vs. Oldman 61 can change the face of the playoffs if we both win. What a great weekend of football and other things this will be!

*1. Slappers
8-5-0
.615
10347.00
W-1

*2. Gamblers
8-5-0
.615
9835.00
W-6

*3. snatchers
8-5-0
.615
9155.50
W-1

4. harpo (got your name in hehe)
7-6-0
.538
9271.50
L-1

5. Ultra Marroons
6-7-0
.462
9378.00
L-1

6. THE GODFATHER (moron)
5-8-0
.385
9403.00
L-2

7. oldman61
5-8-0
.385
8776.00
L-4

8. oldman62
5-8-0
.385
8527.00
W-2

24 and Superman Returns

2005-12-03T21:21:00.000-06:00

The countdown has begun! In a little over a month 24 returns! The season begins Sunday January 14th with a 2-hour premiere and continues on the 15th with another 2-hour episode. Yes, the show is on FOX and everyone knows how much I just LOVE FOX... but its Jack Bauer! At least FOX stuck with the show early when the ratings weren't the best. See? See what happens when you allow a show to grow and not pull it after 6 episodes?

SUPERMAN RETURNS!!!!!!!!! You MUST go see this teaser trailer. If it doesn't give you chills, then, well... watch it again! First I geeked out over Batman Begins and now Superman Returns and eventually Halo. Ahhhh, it is a good time to be geeky.

http://supermanreturns.warnerbros.com/trailer.html

Pick Your Own Cable Channels? GET OUT!!

2005-12-01T17:22:00.000-06:00

Well it's about damn time! Seems the FCC is mulling over the idea of making cable companies offer a la carte cable packages. Gee, what a novel idea, the public has only been asking for this since the days cable boxes came with knobs!!! If I'm paying for it, I should be able to choose. The cable company sure has no problems limiting my access to the Playboy channel, but I can watch all the BET I want. How hard can it be? Choose X amount of channels and limit access to those you do not. Wow, a toughie...

Read all about it:
FCC's Martin Calls For 'A La Carte' Cable Pricing

This Is A First

2005-11-26T14:55:00.000-06:00

When it comes to Christmas shopping, I'm a last minute kind of guy. Who am I kidding, that's with most things. Anyway, being that today had such a nice clear blue sky with the temp around 50F, I decided to brave the mad-cow diseased post-Thanksgiving shoppers and finished most of my Christmas shopping. I do believe I just felt a disturbance in the force from the gasps of all who know me! Haha!

I figured my choices were to fight these shoppers or fight the last-minute ones I do every year. Both such shoppers are equally insane, myself excluded of course. Amazingly it wasn't too bad. Sure, there were tons of people, but when you know what stores you want to hit... in, out, done! Forget all that searching store by store nonsense!

So take THAT Mr. Over-commercialized, over-hyped, check our dope sales Man! :-)

Later!

The Sweet Taste of Redemption... And Other Things

2005-11-21T20:45:00.000-06:00

Ahhhhh, yes. After the worst start of my fantasy football career and losing to my girl and 20 million and a half roster moves later, I am now 6-5 and in playoff contention.

Now others I know out there would say they stopped playing, that they won their 1st matchup with me and that is all that counts. Spent a few weeks in first place, blah...blah...blah. Yes, I am blah...blah...blahing you. Now this particular person knows what I'm refering to. However, I did win our 2nd meeting and that makes us 1-1! Yes, you won first (insert double gang sign here)! :-)

Finishing on top? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Or... just lean back. Whatever. Either way it tastes sweet...

Xbox 360 Is Almost Here

2005-11-15T23:03:00.000-06:00

No, no, no... I'm not going to do it! I'm NOT going to run out like a giddy school boy and buy the Xbox 360 the first day it's available. I'm NOT going to be suckered in, again, as an early adopter only to see the price drop in a few months. I'm NOT going to fret, debate or even go to the store to look at it. No, no, no... I will NOT! Ok, maybe I will go look at it, but that is it! For informational purposes only of course. Need to have a baseline to compare when the PS3 comes out... you understand...

TV News

2005-11-11T18:26:00.000-06:00

Well, well, well... once again FOX has lowered the ax. Arrested Development will not be receiving a 22 episode order and Kitchen Confidential will end before it even had a chance to gain a following. It is a sad state when the most highly intelligent and entertaining comedy on television gets pulled. But hey, at least we still have Wife Swap and Supernanny...

Here is a promising show on the horizion, however, it will be on FOX. So I give it 3 episodes and the ax:

Terminator Headed for TV'The Sarah Connor Chronicles'
November 11, 2005
Variety is reporting that C2 Pictures, the company that produced Terminator 3, will produce a pilot based on the franchise titled The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The pilot will be made for Warner Bros. TV and will reportedly air on Fox. The storyline will take place between Terminators 2 and 3, when Sarah Connor is on the run with her earth-saving son.

There was a flurry of merchandise activity associated with the last film release (see "T3 Merchandise Goes Upscale"); a series will undoubtedly revive the franchise.
C2 is also working on a fourth feature film; the TV series will have a link to a new film trilogy.

Blade TV show update:

Blade Cast
For Spike
November 11, 2005
The cast is now set for the Blade series, based on the Marvel property, for Spike TV (see "Spike Orders 13 'Blade' Episodes"), according to Variety. Kirk "Sticky" Jones (Flight of the Phoenix) will star as the title character, joined by Jill Wagner, Neil Jackson, Nelson Lee, and Jessica Gower. The series will be directed by veteran TV director Peter O'Fallon (thirtysomething, Las Vegas, etc.).

Here's to you FOX! I guess a monkey really can run a corporation!

Can I Get An Amen?!

2005-11-01T00:45:00.000-06:00

The World Series has come and gone, just like that... Sure the White Sox swept the Astros 4 straight, but the 'stros made them work for it. 1 2-run game and 3 1-run games, which included and 14 inning marathon. Yes, the Sox are World Champions, but the Astros and their fans have nothing to hang their heads about. They made a good showing. Can I get an...

Movie Trailers:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/jarhead/
http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/mirrormask/
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/harry_potter/thegobletoffire/trailer2/

DVDs You Need:
Star Wars Episode III
Batman Begins
Lost Season 1
Tru Calling Season 2

Happenings

2005-10-23T20:09:00.000-05:00

The White Sox take Game 1 from Houston, there goes $5.

Class action lawsuit against Apple for iPod Nano scratches... I need to class action myself for being so lazy. Scratches?

Doom, the Rock movie vehicle based on the video game took the #1 box office spot with a little over $15 million.

Sony reaches a PSP shipment milestone, 10 million.

Cyborg cells sense humidity? From Nature.com: "Living bacteria have been incorporated into an electronic circuit to produce a sensitive humidity gauge. The device unites microbe and machine, taking advantage of the properties of both to make for a supersensitive sensor. "As far as we know, this is the first report of using microorganisms to make an electronic device," says Ravi Saraf, a chemist from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, who developed the 'cellborg' with his student Vikas Berry." Holy SkyNet Batman!

Seems the UN wants custody of the internet. Everyone better pray this does not happen. Why? The UN would levy taxes on on e-mail and other related services. Not only that, now after the hard work of laying the net foundations is done, other countries want a greater say in its operation. Custody should remain right here with the US. Rarely has anything improved with UN governance.

ASTROS IN THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-10-19T22:46:00.000-05:00

Woooooooooooohooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, yes yes!!!!!!!!!! Go 'stros!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Houston Astros have finally made it to the World Series. And of allllllll the American League teams, they are facing the Chicago White Sox. Gotta love that thing called irony.

I'm really happy for Biggio and my favorite Astro, Bagwell(next to Nolan Ryan)! They deserve it. They ARE the Houston Astros. At least MY Astros anyway....

Horoscope Thingy Take II

2005-10-19T20:53:00.000-05:00

You know, sometimes these things are waaay offf, but not recently. Interesting.

"Yes, really.", huh? Hope so, that's important. Very.

Leo
Daily Overview for October 20, 2005
Provided by Astrology.com

Quickie: A recent gathering with friends has you wondering -- what are your hopes?

Overview: In matters of the heart, you can count on others to be stable, solid and extremely honest. Yes, really. That goes double for old, dear friends and one in particular who may be wishing they could get to know you better.

Funny These Horoscope Thingys

2005-10-19T20:46:00.000-05:00

Oh yes, provocation has been a BIG deal of late. But I must remain calm. The one... or ten moments would feel good, but cause sooo many multiple problems later.

LEO
Daily Overview for October 19, 2005
Provided by Astrology.com

Quickie: You deserve a celebration, just don't overindulge. Splurge a little -- not a lot.

Overview: If a teeny bit of provocation suddenly feels like a great big deal, consider the source -- before you let them have it. Oh, and think about whether one moment's satisfaction will be worth the trouble afterwards.

Tucson Man Sued for Allegedly Downloading Movies

2005-10-19T20:43:00.000-05:00

Ok, might be time for me to re-think this whole thing. I know someone out there is shaking their head "yes"...

A Tucson man is about to find out that when he used the Kazaa peer-to-peer site to download movies, the Motion Picture Association of America as well as federal and local authorities were looking over his shoulder. "A lot of times people who are doing this think that they are anonymous, but we can subpoena the Internet service providers, which gives us evidence," MPAA spokeswoman Michelle Greeno told Wednesday's Arizona Daily Star. A lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday accuses Steve Streeter of Tucson of downloading Alien Vs. Predator and Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World using the Kazaa site. Damages could be assessed by the courts at as much as $150,000 for each movie. In a statement, MPAA Chairman/CEO Dan Glickman said, "We won't stand by while people steal valuable copyrighted material with no regard whatsoever for the law or for the rights of creative people to be paid for their efforts."

Batman Begins DVD

2005-10-15T23:17:00.000-05:00

The Batman Begins DVD will be out this coming Tuesday 10/18. The movie was fantastic and the DVD should be a part of everyone's collection. This was the Batman movie I've been waiting for. It has a great script, the subject was taken seriously, most of the story elements are straight from the comic, well acted, the cinematography is amazing and the musical score is appropriately moody. Batman Begins is THE Batman movie to own, next to the original with Michael Keaton.

BATMAN RULES!!!!!

Gen Con's Record Turnstile Attendance

2005-10-15T19:54:00.000-05:00

The GREATEST 4 days in gaming!

Gen Con Indy, America's biggest (non-electronic) game convention, which had its four-day run in August (see "GenCon Wraps Third Indy Convention"), announced record turnstile attendance (person-days) of 82,121.

"Point Pleasant" on DVD 10/25

2005-10-15T19:47:00.000-05:00

Yet another tv show on FOX that never was allowed to flourish. Point Pleasant lasted only 8 episodes before getting the hook. The teenage daughter of the devil washes ashore in a sleepy New England town, but it's her choice to use her powers for good or follow in her father's footsteps. What's not to like about that storyline?? This show rocked, go grab the DVD.

The upcoming DVD release of the critically reviled and little-seen Fox series Point Pleasant will include five never-before-seen episodes, Fox Home Entertainment announced. Although 13 episodes were produced, only eight were aired before the show was pulled from the network due to low ratings.

The series, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer executive producer Marti Noxon, centers around a mysterious girl (Elisabeth Harnois) who appears in the quaint coastal town of Point Pleasant after nearly drowning. As she searches for her lost mother and learns of her father's demonic nature, she becomes a lightning rod for the forces of good and evil in the town. Grant Show and Dina Meyers also star. The three-disc DVD set will be released on Oct. 25.

Fantasy Football & A Steak Fanatic Pizza

2005-10-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, it has been so long since I've won a fantasy football game I forgot how good it feels. So good in fact that I had to treat myself to a medium cracker crust Steak Fanatic pizza from Dominos! I ate the whole damn thing, yep, every sweet delectable morsel. 'Course now I feel like a beached Orca. But it was totally worth it. The taste of victory with a side of pizza so scrumptious it HAD to of been laced with crack. Seriously, the Steak Fanatic is that good.

Yeah, I'm still in last at 1-4, but a buddy lost to my girl so it's allllllllllll good in the hizood! See, I can go from educated writer straight to the ghet with the greatest of ease.

But I digress...

New SETI Array

2005-10-07T22:49:00.000-05:00

Cool! They are out there, just gotta find them...

Cranking Up the Allen Telescope Array

Microsoft, film studios tap Jackson for 'Halo'

2005-10-05T21:41:00.000-05:00

This is MOST excellent! What Jackson did for LoTR was tremendous. With him and his wife as E.P's, Halo should rock the socks of geeks everywhere... even those in denile! It's not just a river in Egypt, hehe.

From Yahoo News:

The Oscar-winning creative team behind the "The Lord of the Rings" films, including director Peter Jackson, has been named to run the production of the upcoming film based on Microsoft Corp.'s blockbuster "Halo" video game, the company said on Tuesday.

Jackson and his wife, Fran Walsh, will serve as the executive producers for "Halo," which is targeted for worldwide release in mid-2007 by Universal Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox film studios.

"Halo," the best-selling franchise for Microsoft's Xbox game console, follows the adventures of the futuristic super-soldier "Master Chief" as he battles an alien onslaught.

Time To Pay... A Fantasy Football Bet

2005-10-02T18:20:00.000-05:00

Well, seems as though my wheeling and dealing didn't mean SQUAT! I'm now 0-4 and the Houston Texans of my fantasy football league. I'm going to have to fire me.

I must now settle a bet for a most pathetic performance today:

I LOST TO MY GIRL AND IIIIIIIIIII LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fantasy Football II

2005-10-02T10:01:00.000-05:00

I mentioned earlier that my 0-3 start is the worst I've ever started in 15 years and something needed to be done. Presto changeo, 3 trades later I'm feeeling a bit better about my team. I think out of my original 24 players drafted only 9 remain. Yes, that is how poorly my team got out of the gate. Nearly a complete overhaul.

Had to be done, especially for this weeks game!!!!!! We shall see...

Quick Hits

2005-09-29T16:48:00.000-05:00

Microsoft OFFICIALLY backs HD DVD and Apple backs Blu Ray... shocker.

iPod Nano ships with faulty screens. Not good after the ho-hum release of the iPod cellphone.

Sony still playing close to the vest at the Tokyo Games Show with lack of playable next-gen games. Pre-rendered anyone?

Nintendo finally releases the Revolution controller- 2 seperate pieces, cord connected. Looks interesting, but not really.

Episode III deleated scenes leaked online. Hmmmmmmmmmm... hehe.

Firefox browser momentum slows. It's on Slashdot, so quiet down peanut gallery.

That's it for now, can't think straight. :-)

Later!

Fantasy Football

2005-09-25T22:01:00.000-05:00

This is my 15th year playing fantasy football. I have never started 0-3... until this year that is. After this weekend I alone will own the cellar of the league.

It's not like I have a bad team: Culpepper, Brooks, Martin, F. Taylor, Dillon, Jimmy Smith, Issac Bruce, Coles, etc... The problem is, they have all started very very very slow! That, and I happen to be benching guys right when they break out, lol.

So what is an owner to do? Step into my office, it's time to make some trades! I refuse to sit by and do nothing at 0-3. Not hitting the panic button just yet, but if I lose next week that drops me to 0-4 and that is one hell of a hole to climb out of. Not impossible, but difficult. I have 2 trade offers in the pipline, so just have to see how those turn out.

Ahhhh football season, gotta love it! (minus the winter)

Later!

Supernatural and Other New Shows

2005-09-17T16:37:00.000-05:00

It's that time again, time for the new Fall television season. It looks like the networks have finally realized that we really DO like sci-fi related shows, Nielson ratings or not. And don't get me started about the bogus and idiotic Nielson households... all 10,000 or so, that get to decide what stays on tv!

Supernatural on the WB appears to have promise. Part sci-fi, part horror, I was impressed with the pilot episode. Well written and well acted, if given the proper chance, Supernatural should garner a cult following. Definitely give this show a look-see if you can.

The 2-hour Threshold pilot gave me mixed signals. The first hour wasn't particularly well written, as the episode tried to introduce the cast and their varied backgrounds. However, as the show settled into it's second hour, the story felt less forced and was more enjoyable. The show is fairly straight-forward sci-fi that combines real world and some fantasy elements. The big drawback? Threshold is on CBS, and the big 3 are not known for keeping sci-fi/fantasy around for long. Could be worse though, at least it isn't on FOX.

Speak of the devil... the Bones premiere and Prison Break have not really excited me. I don't expect these 2 to remain on the schedule for long (especially with FOX's notoriously fast hook!).

Superman/Batman Fan Flim Commercial

2005-09-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

It is amazing what fans are doing these days with a few dollars and a movie camera. Here is a commercial for a fan film involving Superman and Batman. Hell, it's only 3 minutes, but it's better than the previous Superman movie and Batman & Robin!

http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2645491?htv=12

New Xbox Live Changes

2005-09-08T19:13:00.000-05:00

With the Xbox 360 slated to debut the Friday after Thanksgiving, Microsoft has released details on the new version of Xbox Live-

From Betanews.com: The next-gen console will come with a free basic, or Silver, subscription to Microsoft's online community, but the company has also announced offerings for those who want multiplayer features.

Silver Xbox Live users can create their own gamertag and personalized profile, along with sending text and voice messages to other players. In addition, Silver members receive access to the Marketplace where they can purchase game add-ons such as weapons, new levels, and additional characters. But the free Silver subscription does not include Xbox Live's primary functionality: multiplayer online gaming. To take advantage of such functionality Xbox 360 users must purchase an Xbox Live Gold membership, which will be available at retail outlets and via the Xbox Dashboard.

Xbox Live Gold users also receive enhanced matchmaking, feedback tools and what Microsoft calls "exclusive privileges." A Premium Gold Pack, complete with Xbox 360 headset, will be sold in 3-month and 12-month options. Three months of Xbox Live Gold runs $39.99 USD and includes 100 points for buying goods in the Xbox Marketplace. An annual subscription is priced at $69.99 USD and includes 200 Marketplace points. These prices are the same as the current Xbox Live offering.

iPod Cellphone

2005-09-07T19:48:00.000-05:00

Motorola and Apple have joined forces in creating the new ROKER E1 iTunes cellphone. The phone will hold up to 100 songs and Cingular is the only US carrier. It will sell for $249.99 and requires a 2 year phone agreement.

Eh, I think I will stick to my 10,000 song regular iPod for now.

Harry Potter iPod

2005-09-07T19:45:00.000-05:00

The new Harry Potter iPod- I know someone out there might like this. :-)

Microsoft Store?

2005-08-31T22:01:00.000-05:00

It seems Microsoft is going to get back into the store game. Again you ask? Yep. They tried their hand once with a handful of stores, but it failed. Hard to imagine it failing, I know. But, with the success of the Apple stores, I guess the spin doctors have convinced Bill Gates it's worth another try.

Why? Microsoft is a software company that dabbles in hardware. It doesn't make much sense. Unless... Microsoft were to make the Xbox the keystone and build the store around it. Still, not the most sound of business plans. Even with the eventual release of Vista, I still can't see it. Vista will be available everywhere, as is the Xbox.

Trying to compare Apple and Microsoft is, well... apples and oranges. I remember Apple stores back in the 80's. Apple stores have a long and fairly successful track record. Apple sells sleek and stylish hardware. Granted, Microsoft is a powerhouse, but a software powerhouse. Attempting to replicate the Apple store formula is pure folly.

Later!

What's New?

2005-08-30T18:35:00.000-05:00

Heck if I know! I am soooo behind on the latest games and tech news it's gotten ridiculous. Not only that, I have about a months worth of podcasts to listen to and NEED to get something out for Gaming Uncensored before they think me dead, hehe.

Been a bit distracted of late, but it's all good. Eventually I will work on the backlog and get caught up. But if not... whatever (my version). LOL!

Later!

The $1200 XBox 360 Bundle?

2005-08-25T18:49:00.000-05:00

I like games, really, I do. I look forward to all the graphic goodness of the next-gen systems, really, I do. However, early adopting at $1200 for a super-bundle? Ummmm... no. Granted, the bundle comes with the system, 11 games and 12 months of XBox Live, but I don't need to be the first kid on the block. Sorry Microsoft and GameStop, this kid isn't taking the bait.

http://www.i4u.com/article4071.html

Note To Self... How I Jinxed My GenCon

2005-08-24T18:07:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, it has come and gone, the greatest 4 days in gaming. I always enjoy myself, however I jinxed myself before the con even began.

Every year I pre-register for all my events and pick everything up from will-call the day before con opening. And every year SOMETHING is cancelled right off the bat. This year? NOTHING was cancelled! This surely was a foreshadow of a great convention right? Welllll.... it would have been if I hadn't opened my big mouth. I proceed to say, "Wow, this is the first GenCon ever nothing was cancelled. This is going to be great! I can't believe it". Yes, I jinxed myself for the entire convention.

Note to self: Do NOT tempt fate when things are going well!!!!!!!

So to make a long and boring story short, I had 3 events cancelled later on, I pre-registered for a game I've played previously (named differently) and wasn't terribly impressed with and skipped, and discovered a seminar was bumped up to an earlier time and missed it. A few other distracting things occurred, but no need to get into those.

ALL HAIL THE JINX MASTER!

Overall GenCon was OK. Wasn't the best ever and certainly wasn't the worst. It is fun to just be there and know that for 4 days I can get my geek on. Like buying a kilt. No... it isn't a man-skirt! It's a kilt! Don't know where I will wear it outside of GenCon, Halloween or costume parties, but it sure is comfortable, haha.

Till next year, the "open mouth, insert jinx" HAS been noted!

Later!

Coming Soon

2005-08-22T15:21:00.000-05:00

I will have my GenCon 2005 report in the next day or two. Still recovering from the post-con blues and trying to get back into the swing of things. As always, just being there was a great thing, even though not my most enjoyable GenCon ever.

Later!

Time Already?

2005-08-15T20:01:00.000-05:00

Yep, it is time once again to head off to Indianapolis for GenCon. Seems like I was there not too long ago. I still have to wash clothes and pack, uggghhh. I think I will do that tomorrow, which is par for the course, haha.

I barely remember which events I signed up for; some Stargate stuff, a few cards games, some space battles... hell, I forget. There are a lot of interesting seminars scheduled this year, so I will be going to more of those than I have in past cons. I've pretty much jammed packed my schedule as usual. If a buddy decides to get into a Vampire the Masquerade LARP, I maaay hop in. Depends on what's going on. Acting isn't a strong suit of mine.

This will be my last post for a few days, so check ya'll later and don't do anything I wouldn't do, hehe.

Later!

New Buckaroo Banzai Comic!

2005-08-11T22:52:00.000-05:00

I loved the movie Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension, loved it! I am disappointed a sequel was never made and surprised at the lack of follow-up merchandise. But at long last, some new material! Yesssssssssssssssssss!

'Buckaroo Banzai' Preview Only 50 Cents In December

August 10, 2005

Moonstone has announced a 50 cent preview comic for its Buckaroo Banzai: Return of the Screw miniseries. The preview comic, titled Buckaroo Banzai: The Preview, will be a 16-page b/w book with art from the mini-series, backstory on the characters, pinups and an interview with the director. It will be distributed in December to promote the Q1 launch of the three-issue color mini-series (see "Buckaroo Banzai Flies in Q3").

Decisions and Situations

2005-08-08T21:25:00.000-05:00

A lot of decisions have been made lately across some varied situations: Apple leaving IBM for Intel; Rockstar Games pulling GTA: San Andreas due to a firestorm of criticism; Nintendo electing to not say much about the Revolution during E3; Microsoft unveiling the 360 on MTV prior to E3; the NFL and MLB electing to sign exclusive rights with EA and Sega respectively, blocking all competition; and a few others. Will these decisions pan out? Did the companies make right choices based on the situation? Only time will tell, but I imagine there were many restless nights of over-thinking, trying to decide on one path or the other.

The Cubs are a Bunch of Quitters!

2005-08-07T20:45:00.000-05:00

As I either watch or listen to every single Cubs game, I have noticed something over the last 10 games that angers me to no end- the Cubs are a bunch of quitters.

It is one thing to play hard, play smart and come up short, but to hang your head, not run hard to first, make bone-head errors and basically quit is pathetic. You never quit. You never quit on your teammates, you never quit on your fans and you never ever give up on yourself. Pathetic, absolutely pathetic. I would play Major League baseball for free! And I guaran-damn-tee you that I would play every moment of every game as if it were my last.

These bunch of overpaid and overgrown babies are a reflection of their Manager Dusty Baker. Dusty shows all the emotion of a corpse. He should be fired immediately. He has lost control of this team and I will be surprised of they finish .500 or better. Good riddance to the 2005 season.

Later!

Books and More Books!

2005-08-06T21:21:00.000-05:00

I don't know about the rest of you, but my "waiting to read" library is about 15 books deep! So what do I do? Why add 9 more books to the list of course: 3 from the new Vampire: The Requiem series; 2 Warhammer 40K; 2 from Eric Nylund, the excellent writer for 2 of the 3 books of the Halo trilogy; Armageddon Adjunct, about the End in the far future; and another which the name escapes me, but is about a futuristic female assassin.

So little time... I already read 3-4 books at once. Just not enough time for a lot of things.

Cranky, Irritated, Unfocused and Tired

2005-08-03T23:56:00.000-05:00

I was working on a nice long post, but then I clicked the X on the wrong window and POOF, gone. So screw it, whatever.

End of the Line

2005-08-03T21:41:00.000-05:00

After all the delays, the shuttle made it back into space. But not without some hiccups, which is unfortunate. During take-off a piece of ice from the solid rocket booster broke away causing some damage and two pieces of filler fiber between the ceramic heat shield tiles frayed loose.

Today's EVA was successful in removing the frayed fiber and that should fix the problem on re-entry. Another EVA is being planned to fix some light damage to one of the front windows. It isn't heat shield related, but does pose a problem as a stress point.

What does it all mean? It means unfortunately the the shuttle has reached the end of the line. NASA has already grounded all future shuttle missions and it may be some time before we get back into space. This is bad news for the still unfinished International Space Station. I just hope NASA's next launch vehicle is close to being ready.

Oh, BTW, it must be said again that "Over - There" on FX is incredibly good!

Later!

A Doomed Plan?

2005-07-30T19:14:00.000-05:00

Now that Wi-Fi has become all the rage (something I have yet to hop onto), the next evolutionary step is Wi-Max. The ability to have wireless internet coverage citywide is coming and when it does, local Wi-Fi hotspots just will not do. A few cities have tested it (Seattle, Las Vegas and Miami) with limited, but promising success. However, it is the business plan that is flawed. The amount of money and infrastructure needed for true Wi-Max coverage is astronomical. Thus, making the access free is a noble idea, but ultimately a doomed plan.

Free is good, but it will never fly. Local governments see the revenue potential and have already started passing legislation against free Wi-Max consumer access, and the companies are now beginning to realise just how expensive their nose bleed is. Initally there is no way for a company to retain profits giving away the service for free. Didn't we already learn this lesson during the days of free dial-up?

The best laid plans need a little time, need nurturing and take lessons learned from the past. Especially as doubt begins to creep in. If not, then it may be some time before Wi-Max comes to your town.

Think First THEN Speak?

2005-07-30T00:25:00.000-05:00

Never. And that is exactly what Microsoft did... and others. Last Friday was the BIG unveiling of Windows Vista, formerly known as Longhorn, the replacement for Windows XP. However, not long after the announcement Microsoft faces a possible trademark infringement suit from Vista, Inc. Because Vista, Inc. is a software company, their CEO is worried about brand confusion and revenue loss.

From what I have read, the gurus seem to agree that Microsoft must have spent a considerable amount of time investigating the Vista name. But did they really?

The Vista unveiling was a marketing spectacle and I'm doubting that Microsoft cares one bit about Vista, Inc. claims and probably wasn't much worried about future repercussions when the name was chosen.

Is it pure arrogance on Microsoft's part, or just a case of not thinking before speaking? Probably a little of both, but I'm sure they didn't mean to be confusing. Really, who had heard of Vista, Inc. before the Microsoft announcment? Not I, so no brand confusion as far as I'm concerned. Besides, the new operating system is called Windows Vista, not Windows Vista, Inc., no infringment.

Think first then speak? Never, but you do have to be prepared if things don't come out quite right, haha.

Later!

Why Is Everything So Brown?

2005-07-29T22:12:00.000-05:00

I have noticed a disturbing graphical trend among new and next-gen games. Everything is so... brown and foggy! Now, with all these programmers supposedly pushing the latest consoles to their limits, I for the life of me cannot understand this trend. Is it to translate a real world grittiness? Last time I looked, there are more colors than brown, light-brown and dark-brown.

I can understand a little fog, especially in war or horror games. But like all good things... as they say. With the amount of pixels, polygons and raw programming power available, there is no reason for this recent lack of color on the palate.

More disturbing were the next-gen demos. I've seen greater color range in a kids finger painting! Not all the demos mind you, but the majority were overly brown and loaded with fog effects. I personally feel it's to cover up sloppy and rushed programming.

But what do I know?

New Show- "Over - There" on FX

2005-07-27T21:39:00.000-05:00

I am 30 minutes into the new show "Over - There" on FX and this show rocks. The show is about our troops over in Iraq and has touched on many themes already. I thought that it was way too soon to have a show about Iraq, however it appears they are going all out to show the intensity of war.

Best line: "We aren't here to take your oil, we are here to kick your ass!" Sgt. "Scream" as he and his men, including 2 females counter-attack an al Qaida held mosque.

'Course though, the show is really hitting home because of my Brother. If you get the chance, check it out.

Later!

Music? What music?

2005-07-24T19:46:00.000-05:00

I don't know about the rest of you, but IMO the music scene right now blows... and not in a good way. How bad is it? When I turn on my Sirus Satellite radio and I hear Nirvana, Alice and Chains and Pearl Jam on the "pure hard rock" station, Octane, there are problems. Sorry but when I think of Octane I am not thinking of those 3 bands. So why am I hearing it? Because there is nothing else to play that hasn't already been played to death. This is satellite radio people, I shudder to think what is being played on the regular stations.

So here is what I'm listening to (thank god for my iPod): Alter Bridge, Arch Nemesis, Bloodsimple, Garbage, Mudvayne, Demon Hunter, Static X, The Blank Theory, Slipknot, some Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie and old school Pantera.

Sheesh, if this drought keeps up, I am going to have to break out my CD collection and start ripping those.

Fantasy and Fiction

2005-07-23T23:59:00.000-05:00

I have discussed in previous posts my adoration for the Playstation 3 specs and the game trailers shown at E3. It blew me away. But what about now after the dust has settled, time has passed and reality has set in?

Oh yes, it still blows me away. However, I do realize that every game clip was pre-rendered graphic fiction, that Sony has backed away slightly from the Blu-Ray DVD commitment, some of the new processors are faulty and the online play issue is as cloudy as ever. Sure, there are a few issues that need to be cleared up and tweaked, but the PS3 is not set for a debut until the Spring of '06.

When the faulty processors are replaced, a new HD commitment is made, online play is settled and IF those pre-rendered graphics are close to actual game play, the PS3 will be a serious force.

So will the PS3 be the fantasy of a few months back or will it be a lesser reality when it arrives? Come on, it's Sony, trust them. They will get to the root of the problems eventually and take care of all that issuey stuff.

Besides... somewhere between the fantasy and the fiction lies the reality.

Yessssssssssss!

2005-07-21T18:54:00.000-05:00

Subject: "Blade" TV Show Planned

Batman Begins screenwriter David S. Goyer told SCI FI Wire that he's producing an hour-long television series based on his Blade movies for Spike TV, to begin airing next June. "We're doing a Blade TV show," Goyer said in an interview at CBS' fall press preview in Beverly Hills, Calif., where he was promoting his upcoming SF series Threshold. "I'm co-writing the pilot with Jeff Johns, and it's going to be Spike's first dramatic show, and it's going to air next June."

Goyer said that the network has ordered 13 episodes of the new series, which will center on the vampire-killing hero of the Blade films, which Goyer also wrote (he directed that last one, Blade: Trinity). "It'll be Blade, but it's different than the movies, that's all I can say," Goyer said, adding that a new actor will be hired to portray the iconic character, who was played by Wesley Snipes in the movies.

To Be or Not to Be... That is the Question

2005-07-20T18:27:00.000-05:00

As my luck would have it, just when I invest in a Xbox, a slew of games and Xbox Live (all of which I cannot play as much as I would like), only a few months later come the announcements of Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. Yeah, stuff like this happens to me all the time. So, do I remain happy with what I have or do I take the chance with a new system? THAT is the question...

Xbox is suppose to be supported through 2007, but now that we have learned the 360 will be backwards compatible, I may have an 8 pound paperweight. Unless I was to go the PS3 route (but I need to know more about Sony's plans for live play first).

I am hearing it from both sides, "The PS3 could be interesting" and "You aren't thinking straight... stick with what you know." I do like what the future has in store for the PS3, but I do like Xbox Live and the safe bet would be to stay put. To be (Sony) or not to be (Sony)... that is the question.

But damn that PS3 is one beautiful looking machine.

Later!

Sci-Friday Begins

2005-07-19T18:58:00.000-05:00

For those of you who watch the Sci-Fi Channel (and if you don't, shame on you), the new Sci-Friday season started last week. And I must say, it is the best 3 hour block on television.

Stargate SG-1 (7pm CDT) enters it's 9th season with a cast shuffle. Ben Browder and Claudia Black from Farscape have joined the cast, with Ben taking over command of SG-1. As has Beau Bridges who is now in charge of Stargate Command. The episode did a fine job of integrating the new members and this show has not lost a step.

Stargate: Atlantis (8pm CDT) entered it's 2nd season with the addition of Mitch Pileggi, of X-Files fame, as the Captian of the Prometheus, which I assume will help to protect Atlantis during the season. The opener was the conclusion of last season's cliffhanger and tied up the Wraith plotline for now. Which is good because the whole show cannot just be the Atlantis crew vs. the Wraith. Last season was better than I expected and here is hoping for the same this year.

Battlestar Galactica (the new series 9pm CDT) is excellent. Really that is all that needs to be said. But you know me... I will say more. The writing is just incredible. Every moment of every episode drips with suspense and drama. The 2nd season opener didn't disappoint. If I could be only a quarter of the writer Ronald D. Moore is I could quit my job. Yes, this show is that good. Do yourself a favor, watch it.

So remember for the next 12 weeks make sure your a$$ is watching the Sci-Fi Channel on Fridays from 7-10pm CDT. Or if that gets in the way of your (insert girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/affair) time, catch the reruns or TIVO it.

Later!

The Countdown Begins!

2005-07-18T20:52:00.000-05:00

Exactly one month to the day, I will be getting my geek on at GenCon in Indianapolis. For those of you who do not know what GenCon is- it is the largest gaming convention in the world. This convention has everything from just about every genre: card games, board games, RPGs, LARPs, miniature games, video games, anime, costume contests, a humongous dealer room, sci-fi/fantasy celebs and more. It is 4 days of geek bliss! If you can't find it at GenCon, you aren't trying. This will be my 7th GenCon and it's my big vacation of the year. It won't be quite as enjoyable this time, but that is something I had rather not get into here.

Let the countdown begin!

What Are You Addicted To?

2005-07-16T21:19:00.000-05:00

I'm addicted to tech, comics and games: sci-fi tech, real science tech, computer tech... just about anything technology related; Batman, Superman, X-Men and about 50 others; Video games, board games, miniature games, card games, on and on. I am a tech/comic/game geek. Yes, I said geek. While others enjoy watching the lastest reality show or reading the tabloids, I enjoy reading head to head benchmark tests of the newest AMD & Intel processors, game magazines, sci-fi/fantasy books and comics. What are you addicted to?

Times have changed everyone. Liking tech or sci-fi or games or Harry Potter is no longer a branding of dorkdom. Hell, it's fricking mainstream now. Just take a look at the latest top grossing movies or New York Times bestsellers. You are addicted and you know it. Why even try to hid it or deny it? No, I don't dress up like Batman. No, I don't dress up like Darth Maul while waiting in line for tickets. BUT, more power to 'em!

Now, where did I put those vampire teeth.....

From the WTF Catagory

2005-07-13T22:13:00.000-05:00

Just when you thought gamers couldn't get any worse. There is a report out of China regarding a couple who met playing a MMORPG and are now in a custody battle over their online game points. This is so sad I don't even know where to begin. If you are this into MMORPGs and so spiteful that game points are a part of your divorce, you need help that only meds can provide. But that's just me.

New Panasonic Color eBook Reader

2005-07-13T21:33:00.000-05:00

Panasonic is unveiling a new color eBook reader at a Consumer Electronics show in Tokyo. No report if it will be available here, but I hope so. I have a ton of eBooks and reading them on my grayscale Palm is ok, but I would love a nice color reader. I've checked out some of the other readers such as the eBookman from eBookwise.com, but the major problem is you are limited to 1 format. There may be cracks, but I haven't investigated that.

January 1, 2009- Why is this date important? This is the date TV broadcasters voted to stop analog transmission. It's about time. Come on, how many people are left that actually use rabbit ears? The digital era is here. DTVs are getting cheaper by the day and converter boxes by 2009 will be peanuts. Since I'm an early adopter, I paid a premium, but my LCD HDTV is incredible and nothing beats sports in HD besides being there.

2005-07-12T20:18:00.000-05:00

NASA Fixes Shuttle Tiles; Launch on Track AP - 54 minutes ago

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With the countdown for Discovery in its final hours, NASA was dealt an embarrassing setback Tuesday when a window cover fell off the shuttle and damaged thermal tiles near the tail. But the space agency quickly fixed the problem and said it was still on track for launch Wednesday. The mishap was an eerie reminder of the very thing that doomed Columbia 2 1/2 years ago — damage to the spaceship's fragile thermal shield.
______________________________________________

Tile damage before such an important launch is not good.

I was going to say more, but I can't think right now, which I'm not going to get into. My apologies to my whole 3 readers.

Wait, Don't Kill Me Just Yet!!!!!!

2005-07-09T18:41:00.000-05:00

Subject: "Highlander 5"

Highlander TV star Adrian Paul said on his official Web site that he will executive-produce and star in a fifth movie in the SF franchise, which is currently in script stage, with an eye to a production start in Eastern Europe later this year. "David Abramowitz [a writer on the Highlander TV series] is putting the final touches on the script, and, once approved, it will go into preproduction later this year," Paul wrote.

Paul played Duncan MacLeod in the popular television series, which ran from 1992-'98, based on the series of SF movies. He also appeared in the last Highlander movie, 2000's Endgame, opposite Christopher Lambert, who played Connor MacLeod. "I always said I would never do another one unless I had more control over the final product," Paul said. "Well, this time I am executive-producing it. Brett Leonard [Lawnmower Man] is set to direct. Be ready to see a new Highlander film that has the quality of [the] television ... series, with a new sound and look for 2006. Everyone is excited to be able to produce something that we have more control over and to revamp such a successful franchise. Once the rights fell back to Davis-Panzer Productions, Peter Davis approached me to star and executive-produce. Watch here for more details as they are announced."

Just Kill Me Now and Get It Over With

2005-07-09T18:37:00.000-05:00

The return of Uwe Boll (the worst director EVER):

Subject: "Dungeon Siege" Cast Announced:

Jason Statham (The Italian Job) leads the cast of Uwe Boll's upcoming Dungeon Siege, a sword-and-sorcery movie based on Gas Powered Games' video game of the same name, producer Shawn Williamson of Brightlight Pictures announced. Dungeon Siege follows Farmer (Statham) on a mission to save his wife and child as an evil army rampages across the land, destroying everything in its path and focusing on conquering the Castle Ehb. The cast also includes Leelee Sobieski, Ron Perlman, John Rhys-Davies, Matthew Lillard, Kristanna Loken and Burt Reynolds.Boll directs from a screenplay by Doug Taylor, David S. Freeman and Glenn Benest.

Here Spyware, There Spyware... Computer Camp?

2005-07-06T19:47:00.000-05:00

Seems you can't go anywhere these days without hearing about spyware. Spyware has now become interchangeable with viruses, worms and trojans. Which is wrong. The other three are a 1000x more dangerous and important than spyware. Most of the online news sources are abuzz with the great specter of spyware. Why? It makes for great sensational news and stokes the paranoia.

Yes, spyware is a pain. Yes it tracks you. But it is easily rendered useless with religious anti-spyware use and just a bit of smarts by the computer user. As I always like to say, don't believe the hype, especially from the mainstream. Spyware can be a problem, but be more worried about the real dangers.

Answer me this... What is with kid computer camp? Computer camp? And people wonder why the baseball and football fields are empty and the state of juvenile health is on a major decline. What happened to good ole regular camp, where they learned to canoe, swim, fish, play dodgeball, hide and go seek, tag and just be a kid? Are we pressing our children too hard? Asking them to grow up too fast in order to get an academic "leg up"? Yes, oh yes we are. I am ALL for people learning to be proficient with a computer, but not at the expense of letting a kid be a kid. There is plenty of time for keeping up with the Jones'. In the meantime, some outdoor activities might be good for them... but I could be wrong.

Before The Hate Starts Full-Force

2005-07-05T22:37:00.000-05:00

I must make a clarification before the hate starts full-force regarding my thoughts on the GTA series and Enter the Matrix, hehe.

Now yes, I fully admit that I do not think the GTA series lives up to the hype. However, in no way shape or form do I think it awful. It was enjoyable for a time, just not up to the hype and what the marketing people want you to think. That is just me, obviously the sales are there, cannot deny sales. Do I think it has to do partly with the hooker aspect of the game? Yes. Again, no denying the sale figures. Thus I am completely contrarian and among a small group. Heck, I may be the only one, haha.

Enter the Matrix- I 'bout fell out of my chair laughing when Jamie from Gaming Uncensored said he would rather light himself on fire than play Enter the Matrix again, haha! Now, was ETM the greatest game I have ever played? No. It was fun though, but that has a lot to do with my love of the Matrix setting and how the game was interwoven into the whole storyline.

Ok, that is my disclaimer for the hate. If that doesn't clarify it enough... well, you know what I'm thinking.

Have a Great and Safe 4th

2005-06-30T22:55:00.000-05:00

Most of us are supremely happy we have a 3-day weekend coming up, but remember to be safe while having fun. And at least try to remember why we have a 3-day weekend in the first place.

If you must tie one on, how about virtually? You can smoke the pipe and get your freak on in Sims: University. Need to bust off some rage? How about Fight Night or Smackdown? Fireworks banned where you live? Forget fireworks, play Mercenaries and blow EVERYTHING up! Or... just have a few brews with good friends and try not to say "I love you man".

Have a good one! Later!

Lots of Tech News, Not Enough Time

2005-06-29T20:19:00.000-05:00

After a few down days, a flood of news has come out. I would suggest checking out: Engadget, Ars Technica, Slashdot, I4u Technology News and CNet. There is just too much for me to type out here.

Some of the top news:

1. Earlier in the day Microsoft became more cozy with Toshiba. The speculation was that the Xbox 360 would be adopting the HD-DVD format in the future, which would go head to head against the PS3 and it's DVD Blu-Ray. However, Microsoft later said in a press release said their conversion to HD-DVD is untrue. I am thinking they may later adopt a universal player. But what I want to know is, what happens to the 360's the early adopters purchase? Those will be shipping with a standard DVD player.

2. iTunes 4.9, an update that will include podcatching software. What took 'em so long? This should have been a no-brainer for Apple. Guess it took podcasting to become mainstream before they would act.

3. A new Mac-tel mini? Seems that people who are buying Mac Mini's are receiving emails about a delay due to a product change. Will these be the first Mac machines to run on the Intel chipset? Or will this be something as mundane as an increase in RAM? Have to wait and see.

Lot's more news out there, so go and check the sites I listed for more.

Mini-Vacation

2005-06-28T19:39:00.000-05:00

I need a regular vacation, but this 3-day weekend of the 4th will have to do. I'm very excited to get away, I love traveling. Seems most people hate going to the airport, but I enjoy it. If I was rich I would be traveling non-stop. Looking forward to seeing some old friends, doing some fishing and grilling. However there is one old friend in particular I can't wait to see. It's been at least 10 years and sorry we let so much time pass. Just have to get through 3 more days without letting my mind wander too much, hehe.

No tech news for today. Well, there is, I just haven't looked at it haha. Maybe in a day or two before I head out.

Hollywood blames P2P for lower revenues?

2005-06-27T20:36:00.000-05:00

As the Hollywood box office continues it's decline, P2P sharing networks continue to receive the brunt of the cause, especially after today's court ruling. P2P networks are NOT the reason for the decline in box office revenue. Here are the real reasons:

1. Ticket and concession prices
2. A glut of poor movies
3. Inconsiderate movie goers
4. DVD
5. Home entertainment centers
6. NOT P2P

So until the top 3 begin to change, revenues will continue to drop. They could pull the plug on the internet and it wouldn't make a bit of difference.

Recent Gaming Thoughts

2005-06-26T13:06:00.000-05:00

A few thoughts I have had which may or may not show up on the Gaming Uncensored podcast:

Controllers- It must be me and because I'm 34. The controllers these days have way too many buttons: 4 shoulder buttons, 2 triggers, 2 analog sticks, 8 buttons, D-pad, and the kitchen sink. I got away from PC games BECAUSE of all the buttons! The old Super NES controller... KING. I could bust off some Techmo Bowl!

Casual vs. Hardcore- I am a casual gamer. A lot of my friends are pretty hardcore. I just don't have the time to devote to gaming that I would like. Vacation is when I can get a lot of gaming in, but with a job and responsibilities (also planning for my own business in the future), just can't seem to fit it all in. Wish I could though!

Movies based on Games- There have been a few good ones: Mario Bros., Mortal Kombat, Double Dragon, Resident Evil, Street Fighter. Looks like Halo will make it to the big screen and Doom will be coming out soon. However, one movie that should never have seen the light of day was Alone in the Dark. This "film" was an insult to my intelligence! Uwe Bol should be banned from making movies about games. Have you seen the early footage for Bloodrayne? Horrible! Listen Mr. & Ms. Producer: Either take it seriously and do it right or leave well enough alone! Thank you.

Movies to Books- The Halo series was great. Books 1&3 were very well done. Book 2 was OK, but I will cut the guy some slack. He had to follow the game events almost to the letter. Many of the Magic the Gathering books were good reads. They dovetail the game mechanics into the story without being too cheesy or overly forced. However the best translation in my opinion are the books based on the Warhammer 40K Universe (miniatures, RPG and video games). Not only are these books some of the best game translations, they are some of the best books I have ever read. Pick-up any 40K book, doesn't matter which, and you will be pleased.

My Gaming Uncensored Podcast #22 Debut

2005-06-25T21:23:00.000-05:00

Another podcaster, Mur Lafferty, turned me on to the Gaming Uncensored podcast, which is hosted by two Texans named Jamie and Tommy. It's a great podcast about video games and off-topic rants, hehe. But the off-topic stuff is part of the shows' charm.

Often Jamie and Tommy ask for listener voice messages and/or segments. On a whim I used my trusty iTalk, made a 3 minute recording and The Contrarian Gamer was born (I called myself contrarian because I seem not to care much for highly touted games, and games I enjoy are considered "lesser" games). I sent it off and didn't really expect them to like it much less play it. Well, they did! They liked it and asked me to send more. This is way cool and I'm stoked. Check their website for the feed and download Podcast #22.

Do yourself a favor... if you like video games, like listening to regular guys talking video games and anything else that happens to pop into their heads, you will like this podcast. Trust me... would I steer you wrong?

Oh yeah, check out Mur Lafferty's podcast at GeekFuActionGrip.com for some gaming news from a very cool gamer grrl. These two podcasts and others that I consider cool genre stuff is two posts down.

Later!

2005-06-23T18:00:00.000-05:00

Hehe, too true! Not that there aren't very experienced female IT experts, but where I work... nada. A friend sent me this after a work discussion. She said she knew I would like it. I do!

Podcasts you should be listening to

2005-06-19T15:55:00.000-05:00

Since we are now in rerun hell and I cannot stomach listening to the news or talk radio right now, here are some cool podcast links to help fill the void. All off these podcasts allow for direct download, so podcatching software is not needed:

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire2005/podcast/podcast.xml
The SciFi Channel's weekly podcast

http://www.g4tv.com/podcast.xml
A very short weekly podcast from the hosts of G4tv.com-The Show

http://science.nasa.gov/podcast.xml
Informative podcast from NASA offering a wide range of topics.

http://www.cnet.com/i/pod/cnet_buzz.xml
Nice little 10min podcast on things tech from CNET.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/twit
The reunion of former Screensaver hosts starring Leo Laporte.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/
A weekly science podcast, very informative.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/dragonpage
If you like SciFi/Fantasy movies, tv and books, these guys do it best.

http://www.jamiejordan.net/gaming_uncensored/podcast_archive.htm
Top-rated gaming podcast.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/GeekFuActionGrip
Don't let the name fool you, the GeekFuActionGrip podcast stars a cool geek-chick named Mur who when not podcasting writes RPG material for Wizards of the Coast and White Wolf. She is married with children, so try not to fall in love with this one, hehe.

It had to happen eventually...

2005-06-15T21:57:00.000-05:00

I knew this day would come. The day when the computer I have loved, hated, crashed, burned, re-installed, tweaked and poured a lot of money into over the years would finally become too slow.

I learned this fate by downloading the new Quicktime 7.0 Pro, with the new HD codex, then tried to view the Batman Begins and Serenity movie trailers in 720p HD. My ole 1.5Ghz w/ 768Mb RAM Dell just couldn't quite "huff and puff" to play them smoothly.

Thus... what to do? Of course my rig can hang on for a few more years as long as I don't plan on doing anything HD related. I was even considering buying a Power Mac G5, but you can scratch that with the "Mactel" announcement. What to do... what to do?

What the heck....

2005-06-13T18:36:00.000-05:00

As we have now entered the summertime, people are finally leaving their homes and becoming more active. However I must make this statement: If you are a male and wearing shorts that only come down mid-thigh, you are a fruit-nut! In no way, shape or form should any male be wearing small tight shorts unless they are in the rainbow district of town. Just wanted to throw that out there.

A Trick Bag

2005-06-06T23:14:00.000-05:00

Alter Bridge- Get their debut album, you won't be disappointed!

Apple and Intel? Huh? Hang on, checking to see if Hell just froze over...

Star Wars- Revenge of the Sith: Eh, it was ok. Excellent special effects, but B movie acting. Sorry fanboys.

Lastly, recieved an email from an old friend last week. Sure shocked the heck out me, but I am glad she tracked me down. After 2 emails it was like the time had never passed. A shame we never got together, but at least we remained good enough friends for her to remember me after all this time.

Blond Joke of the Day

2005-06-02T22:26:00.000-05:00

Hahahahaha!

Turning to the Darkside

2005-06-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am a sucker for technology. I am surprised I lasted this long before buying an iPod. But momma didn't raise no fool. I price shopped first. I ordered the 3G 40GB model refurbished from apple.com for $329, regular price was $399, savings of $70. What made the pot sweeter was apple adding in the docking cradle (which is now sold seperately) and a cover w/belt clip.

Next, I needed a way to play the iPod at work without having to wear the earbuds. Thus a set of miniature speakers with a dock was in order. Apple.com had a nice looking Logitech set for $99. Time to check techbargins.com. They send me to amazon.com and lo, they have it on sale for $40.

What about the car you ask? Monster Cable stand and be recognized. Car charger with FM transmitter $80 from Apple. Right. How about $51 from Amazon. Then tac on another $15 for a cupholder iPod car mount and I'm all good.

Total w/tax: $455 a savings of $170 by doing a little bargain hunting!

Granted, I just spent more on a gadget that plays music than a lot of people make in a week. Just the price one pays for being a tech geek.

iPod 40GB 3G (non-click wheel)

News and then some...

2005-05-24T18:09:00.000-05:00

My brother left for Marine boot camp yesterday, and I am so proud of him. I know he will do well and represent himself, the Marines and the US with pride and respect. He will be in my thoughts and prayers, and I ask that he will be in yours.

Angelina Jolie is smoking hot. She wants me... she just doesn't know it yet.

Syria Cuts Military Cooperation With U.S. Screw 'em!

Europe Expected to Get Tough With Iran Nice of you to join us! Amazing that you decide to help now that it is in YOUR backyard. Perhaps if you had not tried appeasement, we may be farther along.

N. Korea Won't Rule Out Pre-Emptive Attack I believe I made a comment about WWIII a few days ago...

E3 Final Thoughts:

Overall, I would have to declare Sony the E3 winner. From their opening day splash, the specs for the PS3 and their total presentation. Sony was prepared to rock the house and delivered in spades. I would guess that half of the game demos shown by Sony were pre-rendered and the other half were in-game. I give Sony a few demerits for the CGI, but their showing was so prepared and so impressive that Sony was the clear victor.

Microsoft comes in an easy second. They got the drop on all other companies by releasing the 360 a week early on MTV. However, it appears to me and other prognosticators, that MS is in such a hurry to beat the PS3 to market for the holiday season (which isn't hard, since Sony already announced the PS3 would not be ready until 2006) that their presentation was rushed and anti-climatic. The 360 is new and trendy looking, I like the look. Others, not so much. I think it may have something to do with all the 360 hype and MS trying to appeal to the Ska youth of MTV. And perhaps that overall hate of anything MS. I wanted the 360 and MS to be the smash of E3 so bad, but based on their performance (almost all of their demos were incomplete and running on Apple G5s!), no way. Microsoft was unprepared for E3. I think it would have behooved them to devote more time to E3 and less to MTV.

Nintendo finishes a distant third in the console and E3 battle. Revolution prototype box, Nintendogs, GBA Micro and Link. They did have a killer booth according to G4 however, and was very busy with Zelda fans. But that's about it. Better luck next year.

Some G4 Links for more indepth info:

E3 Nintendo Booth The busiest booth on the floor, year after year.

E3 2005: Microsoft Booth Tour We get the grand 360 tour--or at least the version without much actual gameplay.

E3 2005:Electronic Arts E3 Overview EA storms E3 '05

E3 2005: Namco Booth The house of Pac represents at E3.

E3 2005: Konami Report A first-hand look at Konami's E3 offerings.

E3 2005: Eidos Booth Eidos shows off their new titles--behind closed doors.

E3 2005: Vivendi Universal Report We sat down for some quality time with Vivendi Universal's best games

E3 2005: Ubisoft Booth Roundup What's up with the Ubisoft booth.

Polly want an "I told you so"?

2005-05-20T19:56:00.000-05:00

Scientists Warn Against Weaponizing Space- United Nations

That sure didn't take long did it? Just scant hours after the US said it was looking into space-based weapons, and my jab at the EU and France, Space.com reports scientists scrambled to the UN to launch their objections. The Union of Concerned Scientists, described as a watchdog group, oppose weapons in space. It is coming, get over it.

Space Station Crew to Ignite First Oxygen-Generating Candles This is fascinating to me... candles that release oxygen. Some may sit back and say, "Oh, I know about that already" or "Duh, that seems a logical backup plan", but I never even considered the idea, incredible.

NASA May Partially Abandon Space Station Isn't that headline misleading in this day of ADD and short attention spans? I can see thousands of people across the country on Monday saying they heard NASA was abandoning the Space Station without even reading the story.

There are reports that Russia is selling nuclear secrets to Iran and other countries we consider dangerous. The US and Russia are in negotiations regarding Soyutz launches and what our part of the payment would be. The Bush Administration says it will consider pulling out of the ISS project if Russia continues to sell secrets and extort the US out of space related funds.

'Buy American' legislation draws fire "With this purchasing prohibition, I guess (the department) will have to learn to do without computers and cell phones," ITAA President Harris Miller said in a statement. "I cannot think of a single U.S. manufacturer that could meet this 50 percent threshold for these devices, and I doubt that those charged with protecting our safety here at home can either."

About to go off alert: YOU CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS! The left bashes Bush during the entire campaign about the outsourcing of jobs and now they cry foul after legislation written by a Republican, which the House passes, requires 50 percent of all Homeland Security components purchased be American made. That is not a typo, ONLY 50 percent! And the left goes nuts. Not 100 percent, 50 percent be American. Isn't that good for American companies and American workers?

Last Day of E3:

'Revolution' details due by year's end Critics chide Nintendo for providing sparse details on new machine, but exec says company didn't want to tip hand to rivals.

Just a little something there to show I was not being biased or heavy-handed toward Nintendo in yesterday's update...

E3: ATI Video Card Cooled With Liquid Metal Cool... very, very cool. No stupid pun intended.

Apple PowerBook and iBook Battery Recall Sad, I only found this reported on Slashdot.com. I like Apple, even had an Apple IIe growing up, but Apple gets way too much love and Microsoft way too much hate.

E3 Game Demo Trailers:

Killzone 2 PS3: Here it is. I have discussed it, praised it and been skeptical. Give it a view. In-game or pre-rendered CGI?

Heavenly Sword PS3: This game looks incredible. Watch closely for the emotion and exhale from the main character. Emotion is the new buzz in next-gen games.

Killing Day PS3: **cough pre-rendered cough**

Final Fantasy VII PS3: Will be a CGI movie. Awesome.

Final Fantasy XII PS3: Ummmm, you tell me...

Gears of War 360: This looks great, even at 1/4 power and about the best demo 360 showed. Everything else is shadowy, brown, dark, foggy, brown, and oh yeah, brown.

2005 the year of the movie games:

Scarface, The Godfather, Fantastic 4, Batman, Taxi Driver, Star Wars Episode III, King Kong, on and on. Have we reached the point in gaming where ideas are running low?

LucasArts confirms Mercenaries II. Most exxxxxcellent...

No news about Halo during E3. None, nada, zip.

That is it for now. So much information to sift through between G4, IGN.com, E3insider.com and others. Final impressions to come later.

News and Opinions For The Day

2005-05-19T17:19:00.000-05:00

Israel Threatens Response to Mortar Fire

By IBRAHIM BARZAK, Associated Press Writer
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A four-month-old truce frayed Thursday as Palestinian militants fired mortars and rockets at Jewish targets for a second straight day and Israeli security chiefs threatened retaliation.

WWIII is not far off I think.

Google announces Google personalized home page Looks like Google is looking to go head-to-head with Yahoo. Will enough people switch? I am very pleased with what yahoo offers, and unless Google wows me, I cannot see myself switching.

Calf Born in N.M. With 5 Legs, 6 Hooves - WTF?

Why is it people will line up hours, days or even weeks to see a movie (i.e. Star Wars), but will not take the time to vote? Any way you slice it, there is no rationalizing it. No suitable excuse.

Cybernetic System to Allow Physical Interaction Almost everyone has thought about it... the oxymoron of "real" virtual sex. I knew it would be possible someday and here are the beginnings of it (insert suppressed childish giggle here).

Military Seeks Approval to Develop Space Weapons Hehe, this ought to really get the EU's panties in a knot. Just the thought of the Ambassador of France protesting to the UN warms my heart.

Praise the Lord and pass the PlayStation Some developers are betting that Christian-themed video games can claim a sizeable chunk of the $10 billion gaming market. Makes sense to me, just look at how many people "The Passion" reached. Just because they are games is no reason to turn a blind eye to spreading the word IMO.

E3 Tech News:

While Microsoft and Sony continue to shine and impress the game glitterati, Nintendo, the now redheaded stepchild of the gaming world, stumbles and sputters out of the gate. As we all ooo and ahh over the PS3 and the 360, Nintendo brandishes a small black box and dubs it a "Revolution". No real specs other than Nintendo's entire game library will be available for download.

Nintendo's highlights include:

Nintendogs- a virual pet game for the DS (yawn). Nintendogs has been wildly popular in Japan, on par with those goofy doggie keychains a few years back that made a mild splash here in the US.

Gameboy Micro- A scaled down version of the already scaled down Gamboy that is the size of a cellphone? Ummm, yeah, sounds like a winner to me. It will probably sell 20 Million in Japan... (sigh)

The new Legend of Zelda game- Link is all grown up now, visual-wise. Moving away from the young boy, Link will now rescue the Princess as a teen. The graphics look fairly good (probably built on the Resident Evil 4 engine). But does anyone really care for another Zelda game? Sorry Nintendo fanboys, but Zelda is almost as long in the tooth as Mario.

And that is it thus far for Nintendo folks. Why do they wonder where their market share drifted to?

Lastly- The Sony America rep was grilled by G4TV about their Killzone 2 demo, a demo that looks so fantastic it just has to be prerendered. He says it absolutely is NOT prerendered and is actual in-game footage. I will remain skeptical until someone other than a Sony employee is allowed to play the demo.

What is catching my eye today

2005-05-18T18:30:00.000-05:00

Older Machines to Get Retooled Windows

Wednesday May 18, 6:34 pm ET By Elizabeth M. Gillespie, Associated Press Writer
Microsoft Working on Windows-Based Operating System Designed to Help Older Machines Run Better

SEATTLE (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. is working on a new Windows-based operating system designed to help companies make older machines run better. The software, code-named Eiger, will look and feel like much like Windows XP and will be equipped with Service Pack 2, a major security upgrade released last summer, said Barry Goffe, a group product manager for Microsoft's Windows client unit. The idea behind Eiger came from businesses and school systems that said they couldn't afford to replace an old fleet of computers but wanted machines running Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT to be more secure and easier to manage.

There is speculation that the Xbox 360 could be compatible with the iPod from Apple Computer (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ).

Artificial Gravity: NASA Spins Up New Study

Talks to Head Off Filibuster Showdown Fail - I myself am ready for these judges to receive their up or down vote. The Democrats have been nothing but obstructionists when it comes to anything Bush proposes. I find it funny now that the Dems are in the minority they want to obstruct, not do their job, changes rules for conformations, etc... sad really.

Sirius satellite troubles?

I own stock in Sirius and XM, but I chose Sirius as my system of choice because of their NFL game coverage. I have been fairly pleased with my Sirius system, but I was alarmed upon reading a story from TheStreet.com. Seems Sirius may need to launch their backup satellite in preparations for new system coverage, and build a new backup. XM has had it's own satellite troubles with fogging of solar panels and poor reception in areas with minimal repeater coverage. XM uses a geosynchronous orbit. Sirius launched elliptically orbiting satellites. What bothers me is the cost a launch and new backup would cost. However, an insider on Gizmodo.com calls it all bunk! If true, Sirius will have trouble being approved for a new line of credit and may sell more stock, diluting an already diluted and struggling stock (XMSR).

PS3 vs. 360 [gamespot.com] Here is a head-to-head specs look for the 2 big boys. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!

Today's E3 Thoughts:

Today, J Allard of Microsoft wanted to make sure everyone knew the 360 demos were running at 1/4 power and they do not represent the full power of the 360 at all. Seems the 360 buzz has been less than stellar.

The PS3 buzz has been about the incredible graphics, leading some to believe Sony pre-rendered everything in CGI to wow the audience, and NONE of it is real-time gameplay. If so, that would be unfortunate.

One thing I have noticed in many of the demos is an overuse of smoke, fog, shadows and darkness. Now, is this because of the 1/4 frame rate speed? I hope so, because those things do not equate realism to me. Rather it equates the cover-up of s0-s0 graphics. Lastly, in my unprofessional/professional opinion, the above PS3 graphics are SO good, there is NO way they are "in-game".

E3 Headline Links

2005-05-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

Headlines from cnet about E3:

At this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, the buzz is all about the boxes--which game console will be the pace-setter through the middle of the decade. Microsoft got the early spin a week ahead of the E3 show in Los Angeles with its MTV unveiling of the Xbox 360. Now Sony and Nintendo are having their say.

Nintendo's big E3 surprise comes in little box
Onetime leader of gaming market stakes claim to pocket gaming, makes bid against Sony, Microsoft for next-gen console.

May 17, 2005
Nintendo talking 'bout a Revolution photos Company jumps into next-gen console fray, offering details of game device it hopes can take on Sony and Microsoft and showing off Game Boy Micro.

May 17, 2005
Praise the Lord and pass the PlayStation
Some developers are betting that Christian-themed video games can claim a sizeable chunk of the $10 billion gaming market.

May 17, 2005
Media Center and Xbox 360 joined at the hip With HD clarity and more-realistic graphics, new Xbox will top old version in playing movies, TV shows and music stored on Media Center.

May 17, 2005
Sony spills PlayStation 3's guts On a cloudy Los Angeles film studio lot, long-awaited details of new gaming console follow news of Microsoft's rival Xbox 360.

May 16, 2005
PlayStation 3 unmasked photos It's sleek, speedy and comes in three colors. But how does Sony's new console compare with Microsoft's device?

May 17, 2005
Sony offers peek at PS3 games images Trailers shown at E3 confab feature race cars, fighters (complete with beads of sweat) and multicolored demon things.

May 17, 2005
Can the PS3 be No. 1? CNET Reviews The next-generation Sony PlayStation 3 looks to be a graphical powerhouse with an impressive array of extra features.

May 16, 2005
PlayStation 3 stats spotlighted Wireless controllers, connection to the PSP and a raging new graphics chip: See the PlayStation 3's performance specs as provided by Sony.

May 16, 2005
New Hollywood player pushes a different game Jason Hall, the head of Warner Bros. Interactive, is the company's point man for a new Hollywood effort to link video games and movies.

May 17, 2005
A gaggle of new games for Xbox 360 Following debut of next-generation console, Microsoft announces game support from major publishers--and compatibility with old games.
Xbox 360

May 16, 2005
Getting a degree in 'Mortal Kombat' University programs aimed at studying and developing video games are popping up with increasing frequency.

May 16, 2005
HDTV creates new reality for game developers High-definition TV has not yet made it into many American homes, but it is certainly high in the minds of the video game industry.

Nintendo Joins Battle of New Game Systems

2005-05-17T21:42:00.000-05:00

By MATT SLAGLE, AP Technology Writer 1 hour, 40 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - Let the battle for the digital den begin — again.

Nintendo News News Photos Images Web Nintendo Co. on Tuesday was the last of the three major video game console makers to preview its next-generation system, called Revolution. The Japanese company had a tiny surprise, too.

Revolution will face stiff competition from Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox' News News Photos Images Web Xbox 360 and Sony Corp (SNE.N) News News Photos Images Web Sony Corp (SNE.N).'s PlayStation 3 as the manufacturers vie to attract a more diverse audience with products that serve as digital entertainment hubs instead of just serving up video games. After years of promoting their existing consoles with big-budget games, the three companies touted sleek new technology this week on the eve of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, an annual industry meeting that begins Wednesday.

The ability to play older games was addressed by all three makers, with backward compatibility meaning owners of the new systems will be able to play games created for the existing Nintendo GameCube, Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation 2 News News Photos Images Web PlayStation 2.

Nintendo went a step further, announcing Tuesday to applause and cheers that Revolution's built-in wireless Internet will provide downloadable access to the thousands of games in company's 20-year-old library, going back to the original Nintendo Entertainment System.

Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's president, did not provide many details on the Revolution but he showed an enthusiastic audience a black prototype box with a blue, front-loading disc drive as well as a picture of several possible color schemes, ranging from silver to bright yellow.

He said the final box will be about the size of a stack of three DVD cases.

Link

Are you watching these TV shows?

2005-05-17T21:18:00.000-05:00

Here is what I consider to be the best programming available on television. If you are not watching these shows, shame on you. Some of these shows are on cable. If you do not have cable or a satellite dish, please, do join us in the 21st Century:

Alias- ABC
Lost- ABC
24- FOX
All 3 CSI's- CBS
House- FOX
Blind Justice- ABC
Without A Trace- CBS
Revelations- NBC
Simpsons- FOX
Family Guy- FOX
American Dad- FOX
Stargate SG-1- SciFi Channel
Stargate Atlantis- SciFi Channel
Battlestar Galactica- SciFi Channel
Arrested Development- FOX
Attack of the Show- G4TV
X-Play- G4TV
NCIS- CBS
Joan of Arcadia- CBS
Anything on FOX News Channel
The Shield- FX
Nip/Tuck- FX
Rescue Me- FX

TIVO it all if you have to, but these are the best of the best!

E3 Revelations

2005-05-17T19:20:00.000-05:00

Did Sony burst Microsoft's bubble?

I own an Xbox. I love my Xbox. But I may have found a mistress. G4TV is running live coverage from E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) and after the lackluster XBox360 release on MTV last week, I was very interested in the unveiling of the PS3. All I can say is... WOW!

Just some of the specs: Dual HDMI HD outputs for dual HDTV play, the equivalent of 2 Nvidia graphics cards, built in wireless, built in Bluetooth, online play, HD DVD player using the new Blue Ray format, cross-communication with the PSP and more!

The graphic tests shown were amazing. Killzone was originally dubbed as the "Halo Killer" and wasn't even close. However, a Killzone 2 demo was shown and totally blew me away! The big question is, was the entire demo in-game graphics or was it all pre-rendered CGI? God I hope it was in-game. If so, Killzone 2 just might be the "Halo Killer" Sony is searching for.

The Microsoft press conference was quite subdued and a bit of a letdown. The only good news was 360 WILL be backwards compatible. This was a bout the smartest move MS could have made. The new PS3 will be backwards compatible with even PS1 games. If MS had not made 360 backwards compatible, it would've been doomed before it's release.

Yes, I was highly impressed with the PS3 and what it holds for the future. I love my Xbox, but if the PS3 turns out to be as impressive as previewed... I may just have myself a mistress.