Jaks Ramblings

This blog is retired..

2006-03-19T00:07:00.000-05:00

Topic says it all. Wordpress offers far more functionality as well as categories without having to do some fucked up work-around.

So those who actually read this, update your bookmarks to http://www.jaksplace.net

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

2006-03-18T09:40:00.000-05:00

I am away from my computer right now because this game fucking owns. I pre-ordered the collectors edition which sold out pretty quick and it was well worth it.

I will post more at work tonight =)

New Blog...maybe

2006-03-17T21:35:00.000-05:00

I am currently testing a new Wordpress Blog due to a few limitations I have discovered with blogger. For right now I will be posting on both, but eventually I think I will be ditching this one. Just a heads up =)

Videos: 3/17

2006-03-17T21:04:00.000-05:00

Will Ferrell is George Bush
Even though I am not a big Will Ferrell fan, he does do a good Bush impersonation.

Wickedly Cool Robot
Even though this is a bit longer than it needs to be, it is still a sweet video.

Kung-Fu Clowns
This is what a commercial should be.

Video Games: NES Case Mods 4tw!

2006-03-17T08:06:00.000-05:00

Do these guys ever stop coming up with shit?

Life Stuff: Mmmm....

2006-03-17T00:13:00.000-05:00

Futomaki Rolls....I am stuffed =)

Videos: 3/16

2006-03-16T10:37:00.000-05:00

Ultimate Utopia XXIII
A hilarious real-life parody on typical turn based RPGs

Tetris DS Commercial
A really cool Tetris DS commercial. It shows how much better Nintendo is now at advertising since the old NES days

Nintendo DS lite FIGHT
The DS Lite launch in Japan was their equivalent of the US 360 launch. Insane lines, massive shortages, and FIGHTS!

Kevin Smith's ISA Appearance
Total fucking hilarity from Kevin Smith as usual

Ryan vs Dorkman
A damn good fan made lightsaber battle with a nice ending

P.S: Also remember that now you can easily download any of these videos using KeepVid. No more need for greasemonkey or viewing the code of gvp files.

PS3 and PSP Info from the Sony Conference

2006-03-15T03:16:00.000-05:00

Sony held its annual conference in Tokyo today and a shitload of PSP and PS3 information was released. Rather than typing it all out again, check out my posts on the gaming site I report for.

PS3 Information
PSP Information

I am so fucking geeked about the PS3. As usual, I will not buy the first generation of it due to the historical hardware and compatibility issues of all first gen consoles, but I will own one.

Morning News Bites

2006-03-15T01:16:00.000-05:00

Telemarketers Work in the Nude
A study finds that one in eight male teleworkers and one in 14 female teleworkers say they do their jobs in the nude.

Good thing I never talk to these fuckers because that mental image would just fuck me up.

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Isaac Hayes Quits 'South Park'
Isaac Hayes has quit "South Park," where he voices Chef, saying he can no longer stomach its take on religion. However, Matt Stone responded by saying:

"This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology... He has no problem - and he's cashed plenty of checks - with our show making fun of Christians."

I fucking hate Scientology and anyone who I discover to be a member immediately loses any respect they once had. Isaac Hayes is now on my "you are a fucktard" list along with all the others.

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Class action lawsuit filed against music industry
The RIAA is getting a taste of their own medicine by having a class-action lawsuit filed against alleging that:

Record labels sought to shut down online music pioneer Napster at the same time they were introducing their own joint ventures to sell online music. MusicNet and pressplay "were not serious commercial ventures, but rather attempts to occupy the market with frustrating and ineffectual services in order to head off viable Online Music competitors from forming and gaining popularity after Napster's demise," according to the suit.

This is among other things in the lawsuit. As a long-time hater of the RIAA so I am all for this. I hope those fuckers get what they deserve.

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Stardock vs Starforce
A StarForce site forum moderator posts link to download pirated copy of Stardock's Galactic Civilizations II. Basically, the company behind the successful PC game Galactic Civilizations II refuses to put any kind of copy protection on their software saying that it really does nothing but piss off end users. Someone posted this on the StarForce forums saying basically that you do not need Copy Protection to be successful and the moderator responded by POSTING A LINK TO THE TORRENT FOR THE GAME!!

The supposed intention was to show "See, this game is being pirated anyway!" but came off more as "If they used our software, this wouldn't have happened". StarForce has since apologized and pulled the thread, but not before the damage was done.

For those who do not know, the company behind Starforce is the subject of major boycott and have threatend lawsuits against people who openly critize them among other things. For more information on the software itself and why people hate it, check out its Wikipedia entry.

StarForce is another one of those things that I am a long time proponent of and shit like this shows why.

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Clinton, Lieberman propose CDC investigate games
Democratic Senators from New York and Connecticut are asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate "impact of electronic media use."

What?? WHAT?!? You want to waste $90 million of the taxpayer's money to make the CDC investiagate video games??? You don't think the CDC would have more important things to do like, I dunno, investigate disease and cures to help mankind?

What the fuck are these people thinking? Oh I know! Basically, everytime one of these fuckheads make a proposal to ban or limit video games, it gets shot down primarily because they are unconsitutional, but also because there are no studies that prove without a doubt that violent media affects children. So they are hoping that with this study, they will get results in their favor so they can do "SEE WE TOLD YOU!!" and get these bullshit laws passed.

I really hate our government and it is things like this that show how fucking incompentent the people in charge really are. Once again, I point all gamers to http://www.videogamevoters.org/. If we do not take a stand and do something, we have no right to complain when shit like this happens.

Best Flash Game Evar!

2006-03-14T03:26:00.000-05:00

Mega Man vs Ghost N' Goblins

This is a wicked flash game that is amazingly well done. It combines two of my favorite NES series into one game. It is as hard as the classic Mega Man titles to boot!

Two More NES Mods

2006-03-14T03:17:00.000-05:00

NES Mods are all the rage these days (See here and here). Well I came across two more cool ones I had to share.

The first is a wicked mod called the NEStation, which is a NES made to look like a PS2 (Complete with controller).

The second is turning an NES controller into a card reader.

Goddamnit, I want to mod my NES!

Videos!

2006-03-13T19:58:00.000-05:00

Pacman Invads a University: This is just flat out hilarious. I was almost in tears hearing him shouting WAKKA WAKKA WAKKA!!

Live Action Legend of Zelda: This one is really only funny to people who have grown up playing the classic Zelda games. They did such a good job and the fight with the dragon is crazy heh.

Video Game Voters Network

2006-03-13T09:44:00.000-05:00

http://www.videogamevoters.org/

Video Game Voters Network

The Video Game Voters Network exists to empower Americans who play video games to take action against threats to this entertainment medium and to stay informed about the latest issues that could affect our choice in video game entertainment. Video games are a modern form of entertainment entitled to the same creative and free speech protections afforded by the US Constitution to older media such as movies, music, and books. So join the Video Game Voters Network and speak up for games and gamer rights.
Take A Stand, Protect Your Games!

Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), and Evan Bayh (D-IN) recently announced that they will introduce "The Family Entertainment Protection Act," which would regulate the sale of certain video games throughout the country.
In the past year, Michigan, Illinois, and California have all passed laws to ban the sale of certain video games to minors. So far, courts have blocked these laws from taking effect. But anti-video game forces are pressing forward. Gamers must stand up now and take action. Government does not regulate access to or the sale of movies, books or cable TV, and it should not regulate video games.
The computer and video game industry has a widely praised self-regulatory system including Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings, advertising and marketing restrictions, parental education, and console manufacturers are now introducing parental control features that will be available in the next generation consoles. Moreover, every major retailer has a policy to ask for ID before selling games to minors. The effect of legislation seeking to regulate games would stifle constitutionally-protected creativity in a medium that is at the cutting-edge of innovative entertainment.
Please take action now and tell your Senators not to co-sponsor or support "The Family Entertainment Protection Act."

Excellent idea and I applaud Doug Lowenstein and the ESA for this intiative!

Jack Thompson is a cockbite

2006-03-13T00:49:00.000-05:00

Why yes, it has indeed been some time since I posted about one of the people I hate most on the earth. This is not due to his lack of stupid actions, this is simply due to the fact that he does them so often, it isn't really entertaining anymore. However, he has recently done some things that I thought were quite interesting, even for Jack Thompson.

It all started when he E-mailed Wikipedia demanding (not asking) them to lock his Wikipedia entry because it contained:

"a number of false, defamatory, and actionable statements about me. As an aside, you all don't even have my date and year of birth correct, and it goes downhill from there."

Now, admittedly, I can understand his anger and his response. Wikipedia is the most popular Wiki on the internet and could have possibly had some false information. However, he takes it a bit too far when he continues that he demands he has access to:

"the real names, addresses, and phone numbers, and any other verifying information, regarding anyone who has posted anything about me at Wikipedia, as they will be defendants. You have thirty days to comply with this demand. The Seigenthaler experience shows that you must provide me this information."

He is potentionally asking to have hundreds if not thousands of people brought to court as defendants with this. However, it does not end there!

He has now sent Game Politics (One of my favorite sites out there) an E-Mail saying:

From: Jack Thompson [mailto:xxxxxxxxx@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 1:25 PM
To: dennis@gamepolitics.com; Aaron McKenna; Curt Feldman; Tor Thorsen; Brendan Sinclair; mattsaunderson

Subject: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. You're next, Mr. McCauley

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Thompson_(attorney)

Jack Thompson, Attorney
Land line: 305-xxx-xxxx, Cell: 305-xxx-xxxx
xxxx South Dixie Hwy, Suite 111
Coral Gables, FL USA 33146 xxxxxxxxx@comcast.net

Dennis McCauley responds quite aptly by saying:

I can say that I resent the hell out of its implications and that neither this site nor its editor will be bullied or silenced.

It can also be noted that several game websites including Gamespot and TwitchGuru were CCed on that E-Mail so it will be interesting to see how this turns out. My disdain for this idiot is well known and therefore I will not say anything other than what is above.

As an interesting coincidence, I happen to be wearing my favorite T-Shirt today:

Captain N Coming to DVD?

2006-03-12T20:40:00.000-05:00

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/nes/captain-n-coming-to-dvd-159832.php

I am the producer of the DVD line of DiC titles at Shout! Factory, beginning with the recent COPS: The Animated Series. For the past couple of days, I’ve been going around the net researching Captain N: The Game Master, because I will, in fact, be producing it for OFFICIAL release (so, PLEASE stop any and all bootlegging you may be working on) later in the year.

I’d like to clear up a few things that I’ve noticed posted here and a couple of other sites. For starters, Shout! isn’t owned by Sony. Sony is our distributor, so for a small percentage, Sony stocks retailers with our product. Shout! Factory is owned by Richard Foos (the founder of Rhino), his brother Garson, and Bob Emmer.

Secondly, regarding Captain N’s masters…

I’m dealing with DiC even as I write this and the masters are in excellent condition. There’s virtually NO difference between a production master and a broadcast master when you’re dealing with animation. The major difference is that a broadcast master has several minutes of black where the commercials should be. Therefore, the masters I’m working with look as good as any that were “destroyed” when Disney took over.

I’m actually in the process of putting together a list of possible special features. While the lists I receive from people are in no way guaranteed extras— because as people have mentioned, Captain N isn’t a show on which most companies can spend a LARGE amount of money and expect a return—, I would very much like to hear what the fans are looking for.

If you’re interested in throwing out suggestions, please do so here. Do not email me, as I’m working on far too many projects to look and answer a ton of emails from fans. But I assure you, as you can witness in other forums around the web, that I will check back and respond here OFTEN.

Thanks in advance and tell all your friends that the Captain’s finally coming to DVD!

If this is true...FUCKING PWN!!! I still have a few of these on VHS and even though they are hokey looking back on them, I still fully enjoy them. I also own the Legend of Zelda Animated Series and upon watching it again, still loved every minute. I WILL get the Captain N DVD as well as the Super Mario Bros Super Show that comes out this month.

Damn I love those things

2006-03-12T05:30:00.000-05:00

I fucking used to eat those things like crazy...

...shit, now I am hungry.

Every Mortal Kombat Fatality...

2006-03-12T05:24:00.000-05:00

...in one 23 minute video.

Totally wicked =)

Gotta Love the Christians

2006-03-11T06:44:00.000-05:00

http://objectiveministries.org/

(March 10, 2006) Sometime yesterday, our prayerbook was compromised by hackers aligned with a terrorist organization known as "YTMND". All entries -- approximately 4,000 in total from over four years -- were lost, as well as our settings. We apologize to all our guests who left us kind messages and prayer requests. Your entries are now in Heaven with Jesus.

For the last few days, the YTMND terrorist organization has been probing our site via their goons and stealing our intellectual property to misuse for their anti-Christian hatecrimes. Christians did not create the Internet to be used for mindless websites containing nothing but a stolen image and offensive repeating sound file. Those sorts of misuses are a violation of international copyright treaties, newly enacted provisions of the Patriot Act, and at least two of the Commandments.

Please join us in praying for these misguided souls that they may see the error of their ways and repent their sins before they resort to violence.

Ok first of all, there is this little thing called Fair Use so no law is being broken. Also, throwing the word "terrorist" around like this kind of shows how ignorant you idiots really are. As far as the commandments...BWHAHAHHAHAHAH...ok to continue.

(March 11, 2006) It has been brought to our attention that the YTMND website is well known in non-Christian circles as a manufacturer and distributor of "Internet memes".

Memes were first proposed by infamous Evolutionist and militant Atheist Richard Dawkins in his anti-Creation polemic The Selfish Gene as a way to infect society with Evolutionism through commercial jingles and the like. Recently, memes have been used on the Internet to lure youths into mindlessly repeating key phrases such as "Oh Really?" and "All Your Bases Belong To Us" -- phrases designed to break down individual thought and condition the subject to accept faithlessness and Humanistic rule.

This disturbing connection between the attack on our prayerbook and the forces of Evolutionism leads us to suspect that one of Dawkins' followers could be manipulating YTMND -- which is mostly comprised of disaffected youths -- to put their "meme" theories into practice and target our site for intimidation. It may be that YTMND members have been turned into mindless Dawkinsian "robot vehicles", blindly following the meme-programming of the emerging Atheofascist movement.

The attack, disturbing as it was, may be a blessing from God -- an opportunity to do His service by helping youths imprisoned by YTMND meme-control to escape back into the fold of Christendom. Satan picked the wrong site to mess with.

OMG!! All your base.. was designed to remove my ability to have individual thought and to condition me! Oh wait, isn't that what religon does?

"Satan" is messing with the wrong site eh? Well, I highly doubt that the ultimate evil of your tiny little universe would even bother noticing your little shitty site much less launch an all out "attack", much less through YTMND.

For those who do not know, YTMND is best described by its Wikipedia entry:

YTMND, an initialism for "You're The Man Now, Dog!", is a website community that centers on the creation of YTMNDs, which are pages featuring a juxtaposition of a single image, optionally animated and/or tiled, along with large zooming text and a looping sound file. YTMND is also the general term used to describe any such site.

An example of one is my personal favorite. Some are funny, some are shit and some are downright hilarious. Either way, these religious zealots are fucking morons.

Don’t use your credit card to pay taxes

2006-03-11T06:35:00.000-05:00

Good and interesting post off of LifeHacker as always.

The biggest problem is that when you pay your taxes by credit card, the charge comes with a 2.49% surcharge to third-party companies that process the transaction. Most people find this charge a surprise because processing surcharges are usually not allowed by credit card companies. This surcharge effectively wipes out any bonuses that the credit card companies offer and often means you’ll lose money even with the added promotion incentives and if you pay off your credit card on time and in full.

Originally came from http://soundmoneytips.com/article/7518 but I got it from Lifehacker.

Saturday Video Link Dump

2006-03-11T03:11:00.000-05:00

Steroids: Gaming's Ugly Cheat Code: A pretty funny video about the dangers of using Steriods to gain that "edge" in gaming.

Suicide of Drakedog: This is just a painful video to watch. This guy is a max level with uber gear and he just deletes all his shit then deletes his character. If this does not make you wince in pain, then you have never been truly addicted to an MMORPG.

Chris Bliss the uber juggler: Jesus christ this guy can juggle. I am a good juggler and can do many things so I can really appreciate the skill this guy has.

The Cat Jet: Got a stinky cat litter box? This is how to fix it.

Chuck Norris reads his own "Chuck Norris Facts": If you have never read any of the Chuck Norris facts, just google them. It is a well known fact that Chuck is a really nice guy (of which I can confirm) and this just shows it.

Guy with two guitars: Talk about skillz with guitars.

Total Geek Earrings

2006-03-10T05:23:00.000-05:00

I want these. I do not care how gay they make me look. I want them!

Howard and Nester!!

2006-03-10T05:20:00.000-05:00

Some has managed to gather and post every Howard and Nester comic online! I grew up with these. I remember getting a new issue of Nintendo Power and flipping immediately to the Howard and Nester comic of the month.

Something else to keep me from doing work at work - yay!

Personal Update

2006-03-09T11:59:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would post about how things are going as this blog has recently turned into where I post all the cool shit I find (which, judging by feedback is more popular anyway).

I finally finished Shin Megami Tensi: Digital Devil Saga today. Between part one and part two, I put in over a hundred hours on this fucking game (Remember it is one game).

The ending...sucked ass. It really pisses me off when you got a great story going and then fuck it up at the end. Oh well, they all cant have endings as great as Final Fantasy X or Metal Gear Solid 3.

On the PC side, I am currently addicted to Doom 3. After working my way past the initial boredom, I found out what many people have known since it came out, it really is a good fucking game.

This was actually the third time I attempted to get into the game. The first two times I got fairly bored after about 2 hours. However, after completing Quake 4 and re-watching Doom twice (after which I still stand by my review), I had a hard-on to play the game.

While the enemy AI is not as good as Quake 4 or F.E.A.R, when you play it as intended (at night, with no lights and 5.1 surround sound), it really is freaky as hell. There have been quite a few times that I have jumped and yelled out "Mother fucker!!!" when something scared the shit out of me. Only a handful of games have successfully done this (F.E.A.R, Silent Hill series, and System Shock 2 are all that come to mind).

I know that I will complete the game this time as I really am into it. I simply hope the ending is not a total waste as Quake 4's was. Overall, I like it better than Quake 4 but not as much as F.E.A.R. As of right now it is sitting at about a 3 to 3.5 out of 4.

I am about to start playing Demon Stone again. This is another game I played for a few hours then got bored of. However, I have recently been on a Drizzt Do'Urden kick and have re-read the first 9 books in the Dark Elf Series so I find myself in a Forgotten Realms mood. Considering the story was written by R.A Salvatore himself, I know it is a great story. I just need to get into the actual gameplay.

I am also finally catching up on my movie watching. I have had High Noon, Swingers, and Once Upon a Time in the West sitting on my desk for about 3 weeks. My Blockbuster queue is getting backed up and I need to clear it out heh. I watched Swingers today along with a few episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion so I am working my way through the backlog.

On the reading front, I am on the first book in the Halo Trilogy. I recently beat Halo (PC) and while It does not near live up to the hype that the XBox fanbois associate with it, it was a good game. So far the books are excellent and I am really enjoying them. After I read these three, I will be moving on to the World of Warcraft: War of the Ancients series. After reading the entire Warcraft lore, I really got into the story and I want to extend that with the books, which are apparently awesome.

Other than that, there isn't a damn thing going on. The new apartment is great and I am completely settled in. Work is so-so at the moment due to a major fuckup on Time-Warner's end. We told them not to do what they did and they did it anyway. However, they are suffering as much as we are because of it so at least I can get enjoyment out of that.

On that note...

Thursday Link Dump

2006-03-09T08:09:00.000-05:00

Top 10 Geek Watches: Some really wicked watches on this list. I particularly digg this one.

Quake 3 on a 24 monitor display: Hold on, I have to go change my shorts...Ok I am back. This group got Quake 3 running on a single 24 monitor display using 12 Linux servers.

A REAL Video Game Collection: Me wants it, me wants my precious! This is a set of photos of a major kick ass video game collection. I mean, this is some wicked and expensive collecting.

Computer Chopper: This is by far, the coolest case mod I have ever seen.

Lego NES: Man, the uber NES mods just keep on coming. I wish I had half the skill all of these people do.

Classic Dirty Sega Ads: When you look at these now you have to wonder, "What the fuck were they thinking?!?" Either way, this is some crazy shit.

Famitsu Scores FFXII Maximum Points

2006-03-08T06:16:00.000-05:00

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2435&Itemid=2

For those who are unaware, the Famitsu review crew are among the harshest reviewers in the world. EGM's "4 Man Review" style came directly from them (Sushi-X is a rip-off of Taco-X).

I sooo cannot wait for this game =)

Videos

2006-03-07T22:40:00.000-05:00

On Set with Slither: The always charming and charasmatic Nathan Fillion takes you on a set tour of the upcoming horror/comedy Slither

Jack Black is the Lord of the Ring: Jack Black is one of those guys that I either cannot stand (Orange County) or think is fucking hilarious (High Fidelity). Luckily, this is one of those fucking hilarious times.

Ninja for Hire: Some kick ass urban parkour and more. You can see their website here.

Cat Fight: Two cats playing with each other but with the music it looks like a fight. I love cats so I digg most of these videos heh.

Some Linkage

2006-03-07T01:12:00.000-05:00

Here are some articles and cool things for today.

Another Uber NES Hack: This time, RedWolf over at Vintage Computing (which is an awesome blog) create a DVD Player out of an NES with a video to boot!

Ahead of their time: Another great 1up feature. This time it looks back at games and hardware that were just too ahead of their time. Many of these would have worked had they come out later or had better support.

Zboard version 2: I am a huge fan of the Zboard. So much so that I bought my sister and her husband one each and both of them loved it as well. This new version called MERC Gaming Keyboard looks fucking sweet. I am going to be picking one up sometime in the short future.

And finally, to leave you with a comic..

Unreal Tournament 2007 Video

2006-03-06T11:18:00.000-05:00

Holy shit...

Nice Home Projects

2006-03-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

Found these two cool little projects while browsing the itarweb.

The first is a sweet little mod to put all of your "club cards" on one card. I did this and my keychain is so much cleaner heh.

The second is a pretty wicked scotch tape wallet. I will be making one of these simply because I love the idea of it.

Uh yeah..more videos

2006-03-05T20:04:00.000-05:00

Damn the Internet and it's juicy useless video goodness!

Natalie Portman Gangsta Rap: I am sure NBC will force YouTube to take this one down as they did with the Narnia Rap so check it out while you can. I find it amazing that SNL produced two good skits in one year.

World of Offline Gaming: What would happen if we did the real world like we do in MMORPG's? Find out in this hilarious video.

PSP Load Time Heaven and Hell: There was a video recently showing the atrocious load times of a certain PSP game (although the video is quite inaccurately if you have actually played the game). Someone decided to let the Internet know that not all PSP games have load times such as these and created the Heave and Hell video. It is actually pretty amusing due to his comments and the music in the video.

Final Fantasy XII Potion Commercial: The Japanese are known for their fucked up commercials. While this one does not top the list, it is still awesome simply because it is Final Fantasy. You may be wondering, "Jay, what the fuck are they promoting?". The answer is a soft drink that is based on the potions in the Final Fantasy series. I will be importing some, oh yes I will.

Stormtrooper in Akihabara Tokyo: Speaking of the Japanese, apparently they are not used to Star Wars geeks dressing up like Stormtroopers and walking around. Some great reactions there and also, does everyone in Japan have a camera phone?!?

God vs the Devil in Mortal Kombat: God and the Devil decide to play Mortal Kombat using real people in a wager for Sweeden.

Japan Votes on All Time Top 100 Games

2006-03-05T09:42:00.000-05:00

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2401&Itemid=2

I actually agree with much of this list. However, I freely admit that i have Japanese taste in games. I am sure Americans will be pissed there is no Halo, Doom, Socom and the like.

It is a list like this that shows why the XBox and Xbox 360 are failures in Japan =)

Two Great Videos

2006-03-04T08:02:00.000-05:00

Got two good videos for you today.

First is Robin Williams on Whose Line is it Anyway. Once again, he proves he is one of the masters at Improv comedy.

Second is a great BBC documentary (BBC fucking owns anything in North America) called Inside Nintendo. It is an hour long but well worth the watch for any fan of gaming as it talks about the history of Nintendo, the legal battles they faced and even has an interview with gaming legend Shigeru Miyamoto.

Test your classic gaming knowledge

2006-03-04T07:59:00.000-05:00

How much do you know about the NES and SNES era? Take these two quizzes to find out how much you do (or don't) know.

The 8-bit Wizard
The 16-bit Wizard

Paying off your Credit Card could trigger Homeland Security

2006-03-02T23:32:00.000-05:00

Pay too much and you could raise the alarm

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Walter Soehnge is a retired Texas schoolteacher who traveled north with his wife, Deana, saw summer change to fall in Rhode Island and decided this was a place to stay for a while.

So the Soehnges live in Scituate now and Walter sometimes has breakfast at the Gentleman Farmer in Scituate Village, where he has passed the test and become a regular despite an accent that is definitely not local.

And it was there, at his usual table last week, that he told me that he was "madder than a panther with kerosene on his tail."

He says things like that. Texas does leave its mark on a man.

What got him so upset might seem trivial to some people who have learned to accept small infringements on their freedom as just part of the way things are in this age of terror-fed paranoia. It's that "everything changed after 9/11" thing.

But not Walter.

"We're a product of the '60s," he said. "We believe government should be way away from us in that regard."

He was referring to the recent decision by him and his wife to be responsible, to do the kind of thing that just about anyone would say makes good, solid financial sense.

They paid down some debt. The balance on their JCPenney Platinum MasterCard had gotten to an unhealthy level. So they sent in a large payment, a check for $6,522.

And an alarm went off. A red flag went up. The Soehnges' behavior was found questionable.

And all they did was pay down their debt. They didn't call a suspected terrorist on their cell phone. They didn't try to sneak a machine gun through customs.

They just paid a hefty chunk of their credit card balance. And they learned how frighteningly wide the net of suspicion has been cast.

After sending in the check, they checked online to see if their account had been duly credited. They learned that the check had arrived, but the amount available for credit on their account hadn't changed.

So Deana Soehnge called the credit-card company. Then Walter called.

"When you mess with my money, I want to know why," he said.

They both learned the same astounding piece of information about the little things that can set the threat sensors to beeping and blinking.

They were told, as they moved up the managerial ladder at the call center, that the amount they had sent in was much larger than their normal monthly payment. And if the increase hits a certain percentage higher than that normal payment, Homeland Security has to be notified. And the money doesn't move until the threat alert is lifted.

Walter called television stations, the American Civil Liberties Union and me. And he went on the Internet to see what he could learn. He learned about changes in something called the Bank Privacy Act.

"The more I'm on, the scarier it gets," he said. "It's scary how easily someone in Homeland Security can get permission to spy."

Eventually, his and his wife's money was freed up. The Soehnges were apparently found not to be promoting global terrorism under the guise of paying a credit-card bill. They never did learn how a large credit card payment can pose a security threat.

But the experience has been a reminder that a small piece of privacy has been surrendered. Walter Soehnge, who says he holds solid, middle-of-the-road American beliefs, worries about rights being lost.

"If it can happen to me, it can happen to others," he said.

That is such bullshit. I have never been a fan of Homeland Security but this just takes the fucking cake.

Three wicked NES case mods

2006-03-02T23:27:00.000-05:00

Here are some wicked NES Case Mods that have come out recently. This seems to be the newest trend and I think it is fucking awesome.

NES Home Theater PC

NES Alarm Clock

Mac-Mini Inside an NES

I wish I had half the skills of these guys heh.

Daily Funnies!

2006-03-01T22:41:00.000-05:00

Note: If you do not know, this is in relation to Jim Lee signing on for DC Comics for an MMOG.

My fucking truck

2006-03-01T08:19:00.000-05:00

Well, the truck finally died. The thing is 11 years old with 160k miles on it. It has been with me through 6 or 7 six hour trips as well as a 12 hour one day drive. It has been a good truck, but it finally said "Fuck you Jay - Fix me now".

I have been without my vehicle since Monday. As stated in an earlier post, I had to drop $450 dollars on Saturday to get some work done on it. Well, it turns out there was more than meets the eye to the original issue. I will now be dropping another $500 to get it completely repaired. For those counting at home, this is roughly $950 bucks in addition to security deposit, paying the movers, and first months rent. All told, I have spent about $2700 in less than two weeks. This has not been enjoyable to say the least.

This means that my plans to go to Japan this summer are now a dream as well as my plans to upgrade my computer this month. Needless to say I am fairly fucking mad but I have no outlet for my anger as all of the expenses are legitimate. I suppose what upsets me the most is the fact that this happend all at once and it happend AFTER I moved. What this means is that until Friday, I have NO transportation as I no longer have a roommate. Had this happened 3 weeks ago, I could have made it to work and do some errands by borrowing my ex-roomates vehicle. Now I am fucked and stranded and forced to use two sick days (Remember, I have Thur and Fri off normally) when I am not sick.

Do not take this post as me asking for sympathy. When my friends ask me "What is going on!" or "How are things going?", I always point them to the blog. So since this is a huge event in my life (something that is not very common), I felt the need to post about it. I am well aware that there are people far worse off than me (My parents for example) and I am fairly lucky in that I had a nice nest egg saved up so I am by no means broke.

Anyway, I really do enjoy my new apartment. That is good considering I am stranded here all week. Because of this fact, I have been catching up on my gaming. I finished Quake 4 and have moved on to Doom 3. I have attempted to complete Doom 3 multiple times before but always got bored. After playing Quake 4 and watching Doom (Fuck what everyone on the internet says, I loved this film as did all my friends), I have a new appreciation for the game. Playing it at night with 5.1 surround sound helps as well.

I am also still working on Shin Megami Tensi: Digital Devil Saga 2. I took a break from it during the move but have logged in about 6 hours these past two days. I should have it beat tomorrow night and I can then move onto Demon Stone.

Anyway, I have to head out. I have a long walk ahead of me as I have to go to the old apartment to finalize everything as well as stop at the bank.

Videos for your viewing pleasure

2006-03-01T01:29:00.000-05:00

So I have been gathering some cool videos for ya and here they are.

Wicked Trampoline Stunt: Caution - do not try this at home.

Wicked Backflip: Caution - do not...fuck it, if you are stupid enough, try it and be sure to send me the pictures.

Ask a Ninja Hamster Dance Remix: If you have never been to Ask a Ninja, you need to go now. It is a fucking hilarious video cast. This is one of the fan made videos that is just fucking awesome.

Ask a Ninja Bl**ped Remix: Another fan remix for Ask a Ninja. This time, someone took it and it made it appear as if the Ninja is a foul-mouthed bastard.

Bob Saget sings "Danny Tanner is not gay": Speaking of foul-mouthed bastards, anyone who only knows Bob Saget from Full House or America's Funniest Home Videos has not seen the REAL Bob Saget. This video is grade-A classic "fuck you" Bob Saget.

Amazing Yo-Yo video: This guy is just incredible.

A talking cat: I swear this cat is fucking possessed or something.

That is it for now. Enjoy =)

Retro Gaming Magazines

2006-02-26T20:53:00.000-05:00

During the course of my move, I came across my collection of old video game magazines. I have magazines dating back to 1988 (Nintendo Power Issue #2) that I just can not throw out and doubt I ever will.

While I had never forgotten that I had these, as I tend to read them when I have nothing else to read, it has been some time since I have done so (A good 2 years or more) so I decided to pick up Electronic Gaming Monthly #75 from October of 1995.

Aside from the fact that the cover is complete ass, the magazine is still entertaining and has a powerful nostalgia factor to it. Those who read this blog know that I am one of those people who suffers from "things were better when..." and I am always reading retro things.

Anyway, some of the things that caught my eye in this issue are:

* Discussion about Video Game violence and how politicians (Bob Dole specifically) point it out as one of the downfalls of society (even back then, people were clueless)

* Discussion about Nintendo was delaying the Ultra 64 (with pictures!), which became the doomed Nintendo 64.

* Advertisement for Kevin Smith's Mallrats

* People complaining about shelling out $300 for a PS with no pack in game, which would then become the defacto industry standard.

* SNES games costing $70+. Considering people are up in arms about Next Gen games costing $59.99, this is a powerful reminder of a time when we paid more money for games like Chrono Trigger ($79.99) and Killer Instinct ($75.99). I remember paying nearly $100 for Phantasy Star IV!

* 3DO, Neo Geo and Sega Saturn games were in top 10 games of the month lists and had actual reviews and game releases!

* An editor thinking the Virtual Boy was good and claiming he played it for hours...

There are far more things in here that are interesting now that were not so much back them. Similarly, I have subscriptions to multiple gaming magazines and I find myself, reading them, but skipping over a lot of things that I do not care about. I bet in 5-10 years when I look back on them, I will read them cover to cover as I do these old ones now.

Moving Complete!

2006-02-26T02:51:00.000-05:00

Well, the move is complete after a week of suck. I spent all week getting like 3 hours of sleep a night, moving shit down three flights of stairs at 1a in the morning in 18 degree weather and such. I left a lot for the movers but I moved a good half of what I own by myself.

I was finally unpacked and completely setup as of Friday night. I was hoping to enjoy my apartment this weekend but yesterday I had to get my truck fixed ($450 to fix the fucking thing) and today I will be going to the old apartment and cleaning the hell out of it before turning in the keys.

Hopefully tomorrow I will get to actually relax after work and enjoy the new place although I suspect I will be crashing shortly after I arrive home and sleeping a good 10 hours or so.

This certainly ended up being an expensive week. Security deposit, movers, truck repair, two bookshelves, computer desk, TV stand, service activation's and such. Of course, rent is due in 2 days as well so that is really fun. Looks like I will not be getting any DVD's or video games in the short future.

Anyway, it has been a fairly crappy week overall, but I am admittedly happy to have it done and over with. My new apartment is spacious and setup just the way I want it. It is my first time without having any roommates and it is very liberating and enjoyable.

Another Moving Update....

2006-02-24T00:14:00.000-05:00

Well the movers came yesterday and packed and moved all my stuff. It cost me $500 total which was well worth it since I previously lived on the third floor and have a couch and two recliners.

Normally, I am in bed and asleep by 1p at the latest but I did not get to bed until 5p yesterday because I was so busy unpacking. This also means I slept until 11:30p which I was not thrilled about as I have tons to do today. I go back to work tomorrow and right afterwards I have to head to the old apartment to do the cleaning thing.

Anyway, everything is now moved into my new place and unpacking is going well. I need to head to Target today to pick up some el-cheapo shelves for the closet, as well as some curtains. I have two windows in my bedroom and it is bright as fucking hell when it is bedtime which will not do at all.

I also have a TON of links and podcasts to go through as I have been gathering them up during this week as I see them and saving them for later. I think I have 16 back podcasts at last count and about 50 links. I will probably have the podcasts playing all day while cleaning and unpacking.

Anyway, that is all on my end. Time for breakfast =)

Teh Funnay!

2006-02-20T20:39:00.000-05:00

Moving Update...

2006-02-20T20:29:00.000-05:00

I got my keys today around 9a. I managed to stay awake till about 3p getting stuff moved over. I also purchased a new computer desk and got that built before crashing.

I just woke up about 30 minutes ago. I am sipping my coffee, checking E-Mails and then packing up more shit to take over. Quite simply - I love this fucking apartment. It is far larger than I thought and looks great. I HAVE AN OFFICE!!!

Anyway, for those few who care, just letting you know the move is in progress and is going well.

This could have been me..

2006-02-18T20:21:00.000-05:00

The MMORPG part obviously. Not the marriage =)

Videos Videos Videos!

2006-02-18T03:21:00.000-05:00

Here are some videos I have gathered over the past few days for your viewing pleasure.

HL2 Rube Goldberg Device Reloaded: This is an insane video using the physics in the Half-Life 2 engine to great effect. I cannot fathom how long it took this guy to get this setup.

Do not fuck with her: This is definetly a woman you do not wish to mess with when she has a blade in hand.

More LeParkour: No matter how many of these videos I see, I am still impressed as hell at the skills that these people possess.

Super Mario Kill Bill: A hilarious redubbing of a scene in Kill Bill Vol 1 using the sounds from Super Mario Brothers.

1995 Nintendo Advertisment: I can honestly say I do not recal this promotion at all. It clocks in at like 15min but it is still cool to watch.

I do not know if I will do a "Monday Links" post again considering no one really seemed to read the last one. If you guys want me to do so, fucking post comments and let me know there are people out there actually reading this thing.

The Daily Show covers the "Cheney Shooting"

2006-02-15T03:08:00.000-05:00

http://www.videobomb.com/posts/show/477

Jon Stewart is a fucking comedic god =)

President Bush Escapes From Weekly Bath

2006-02-15T02:46:00.000-05:00

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/45394

God I love The Onion heh

Ninja Turtles Owned Me

2006-02-13T22:00:00.000-05:00

X-Entertainment wrote yet another awesome retro-article chronicling the food during the days of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craze.

I was one of the many rabid fans of the original TMNT (of which I own all three released DVD's) and still am today with the new series (Of which I own the first 8 DVD's). I still own about 10 of the original action figures, however it puzzles me to this day where the rest of my collection went..

Anyway, this is a fun look back at a more innocent and fun time of my childhood and simply oozes nostalgia.

Monday Morning Linkage

2006-02-13T04:18:00.000-05:00

Well, I was going to wait till Wendsday but I have accrued a large amount of interesting links since last Wendsdays post.

Frequency of Profanity in Halo 2: This guy compiled a list of all the swear words and racial slurs that occured over the course of 34 hours in Halo 2 Voice Chat. It is things like this that make me happy I do not participate in online voice chatting.

How accurate was Bill Gates?: 10 Years ago, Bill Gates made a series of predictions about the industry in his book “The Road Ahead”. How accurate was he? Read through this article to find out.

A real Transformer: Pretty cool video showing an actual robot transformer.

Hacked Power Glove: Remember the old Power Glove for the NES? Well some guy hacked it and combined the Power Glove with a mouse to making a working device. It is definetly a pretty sweet little gadget.

My Space - The Movie: A 10min movie short featuring a number of parodies of the world of My Space.

Japan's 'nerd culture' almost mainstream: An interesting article talking about the increasing level of “Nerd Culture” in Japan.

McDonald's Rolls Out Nutritional Packaging: McDonalds finally implements their earlier announced new packaging which displays the nutritional facts on the package. As an interesting related article, McDonald's says their fries have more Trans Fats than originally thought.

The worlds fattest cat: One word - DAMN!

West Side Story Trailer: Someone redid the trailer for West Side Story and turned it into a horror film. There are a number of remade trailers hitting the net, but this one is the best thus far.

Welp that is it for today. Enjoy them!

More Snow

2006-02-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

As I said previously, I was fully aware it was going to snow all night and continue on until after I left work. Even so, when I walked outside to leave for home, I was stunned at how much it had snowed. Coming from Florida, snow is still a new experience for me. It snowed at most about 3-4 inches last year, but as you can see from the following pictures, it was far more today.

My buddy Chuck is displaying how deep the snow is on simply the tailgate after 4 hours (I drove to the store on my lunch break and it had been cleared off).

These final two shots give a good indication as to how much it snowed overall. Remember, this is only about 4 hours worth of pileup.

While I do love the snow and find it to be very peaceful and enjoyable, spending 10 minutes digging my truck out from under it and then driving home on it was not enjoyable. Still, I do not regret moving up here and am much happier up here than in sunny Florida.

In-depth PS3 Hands-on

2006-02-12T04:20:00.000-05:00

http://games.kikizo.com/news/200602/065_p1.asp

An excellent, and lengthy article about the upcoming PS3. It covers a great deal of information and is, overall, postive about the machine. It makes comparisons to the XBos 360 (obviously) and apparently, the Sony is edging ahead of Microsoft this round in terms of technological capabilties.

"Realistically, as libraries and experience with both machines grow, I think the PS3 will start showing things the 360 will choke at"

Take that Microsoft! Overall a good read for anyone looking forward to the PS3.

Snow

2006-02-12T00:28:00.000-05:00

Well, it really did snow yesterday. It ended up at about 4 inches when I woke up and is supposed to hit 6 to 8 by the time I leave work.

Driving to work was a bitch primarily because the main road that I take to work had yet to be significantly salted. Due to this as well as the fact that I leave for work around 11p and the roads are empty lead to a long drive where I was unable to actually see the road which is always enjoyable. I did, however, get to see someone spin-out and go into a ditch which was mildy amusing.

I just hope that my the next shift actually makes it in today and I am not stuck here until we can get someone to relieve me.

Links Updated

2006-02-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

Take a look at the links on the right hand menu. I completely redid them and added many more =)

Just Two More Weeks

2006-02-11T06:05:00.000-05:00

So in approximately two weeks, I will be moving into my new apartment. The apartment will be available on the 20th, but the movers do not arrive until the 23rd. However, I will be taking miscellaneous items over to the apartment during the 3 days leading up to it. These things consist of items such as my computer, food, gaming consoles and the like. Considering my new apartment is less than a mile away, this should prove a fairly painless process.

The reason for this is simply to drive down the cost of the movers. The current estimate is around $600 for them to pack and move everything which is quite reasonable, but if it can be lowered then why not?

At this point I am anticipating this move with the glee of a horny young man on prom night. I cannot wait to be roommate-less and set everything up the way *I* desire. I find myself actually looking forward to unpacking for the first time since my initial move out 7 years ago. During the intervening years, I have moved a total of 6 times and none save for the first was an enjoyable experience. However, for each of those situations, I was burdened with roommates due to financial constraints.

However, for the first time in my life, I am financially secure and I can afford a nice place on my own. Considering the fact that this is a two bedroom apartment means I also get an office! I have always wanted an office and now I have one. I do not know what I will do with one, but it is there!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have recently become fascinated with Ubuntu Linux. It is by far the best version of Linux I have worked with and it was the first version that made me seriously consider switching to Linux primarily. Well, as it just so happens, that is what has occurred. My Windows XP crashed for what I considered the final time and I decided to drop Windows and install Ubuntu. I still have a small WinXP partition for backup and gaming purposes, but for the most part, I am using Ubuntu. It has taken some adjusting as I have had to locate some programs to replace those which I am used to using, but there has not been anything I could not find a suitable replacement for.

The only thing that caused some frustration was completely migrating from Outlook to Thunderbird. While Thunderbird is by no means new for me, it has never been my primary E-Mail application. The reason for this was that I have been using Outlook for years and have a fairly complex setup of filters, contacts and such. I was able to import all of it over to Thunderbird, but I did have to manually edit the preferences files to tweak it properly. I also had to reset every single fucking message filter as those did not get imported.

However, I am now completely migrated to Thunderbird as well as the Calendar Extension. That also took some getting used to as I had never used it before. Much of my existing calendar information was successfully imported but it does lack the full functionality of Outlook. However, it is a fair trade-off as I am a full supporter of Open Source Software and will gladly use it over the bloatware that is Microsoft Office.

In the world of gaming, I am currently working on Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2, The Legend of the Heroes, and Halo.

I never got around to completing Halo for the PC the first time as I found it to be a standard FPS for the most part (I still do not see why the fanboys go nuts over it). However, I did enjoy playing it and I rarely do not complete a game I enjoyed so I am determined to finish it.

Digital Devil Saga 2 is the obvious sequel to Digital Devil Saga 1, and unlike most RPG series, this one is an actual continuing story (similar to the .Hack and Xenosaga series). If you combine the playtime of the two games (which is a fair thing to do as it is essentially one game), I have logged in about 70 hours so far. At this point, I am honestly tired of it and simply want to complete it. Do not take this as the game is not fun. It is a fantastic RPG in every respect, I simply have so many other games to play that I wish to finish it. Hopefully this will be done soon as the story is so engrossing and atypical (much like Xenosaga) that I really do want to find out what the hell is going on.

The Legend of the Heroes is your cookie-cutter Japanese RPG, which I play in short spurts since it is a PSP game. It is good for what it is, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Completely changing gears, my co-worker just informed me that it has begun snowing outside. This should not be an event considering I live in northern Virginia, but this winter has been oddly snow-free. However, because of that, we are expecting a significant blizzard to roll through sometime soon and this could be the pre-cursor to it. If that is to be the case, these next few weeks will be fairly high on the suckage meter due to the difficulty in getting into work, especially considering the forecast calls for 6-10 inches of snow.

Unlike most places, there MUST be someone here at all times. What this can (and has in the past) translate into, is the current shift being stuck working until someone comes in to relieve them. About 5 years ago, a group of people were stuck here for 65 hours straight. While they were compensated nicely for it, it is still not a situation I would find myself looking forward to.

Other than that, life continues along fairly uneventful. However, I do find myself surprised at the length of this post. I had originally intended to simply inform people of the status of the move as I have received a number of E-Mails and IM's asking me of such. This implies that people read the blog, but I still find myself irritated that none of you post!

Oh well, it is at least somewhat comforting to know that I am not talking to myself...

This is my take on Football as well

2006-02-08T23:44:00.000-05:00

Everyone kept talking about the fucking Superbowl and I do not care about football in the slightest. However, as a young male, this puts me in the "outcast" group. Apparently I am not the only one...

Wednesday Linkage

2006-02-08T07:57:00.000-05:00

I decided to start a weekly linkage post of stuff that I gathered over the past week. Why Wednesday? Simply because that is the equivalent to my Friday. Anyway, since I just thought of this a few days ago, I only have a few links for you. Enjoy!

FAQ: When Google is not your friend: This is an interesting and to some degree frightening look at how Google (as well as AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo) store your private search information and how that could be used against you in a legal situation.

The best Star Wars action figure ever: The title says it all really.

Star Wars Bloopers: A collection of blooper reels covering 5 of the 6 Star Wars films.

A Salute to Japanese Game Designers: Some know that I have fairly Eastern tastes in gaming. I do not like First Person Shooters, Real Time Strategy or other typical western games. I am a n avid fan of Japanese-Style RPG's, and Action games though so I thoroughly enjoyed this article. When talking about people such as Shigeru Miyamoto, Hironobu Sakaguchi and of course Hideo Kojima, how can you go wrong?

Crazy bike stunt video: I ride motorcycles myself. I have been a fan of Las Vegas Extremes and Team Xtreem for a long time but I admit to having never heard of this guy. Pretty wicked video though.

How To Download And Save Youtube Videos: A tutorial on how to save those videos on the web you are always watching.

The Best NES Game Hack of All Time: I have to concur with the author of this, the game is REALLY fucking good.

That is all for this week. Hopefully I will have more great links next Wednesday.

A little comic to brighten your day

2006-02-07T00:14:00.000-05:00

Watch all Superbowl Commercials

2006-02-06T01:07:00.000-05:00

http://video.google.com/superbowl.html

Enjoy =)

This game pwns!

2006-02-05T03:34:00.000-05:00

http://www.slutbear.com/thompsonsoft/index.html

An Introduction to I'm OK

We'll admit it - when we first heard about Jack Thompson's "Modest Video Game Proposal", we thought it was just another lame attempt by a humorless old man to bring undue attention to himself in order to try and make up for a wasted youth and failing career. Little did we know that "Whacko Jacko" had laid out the blueprint for the seminal game of our generation - a game so gory, so brutal, so devoid of logic and morals that it would make Postal 2 seem like Ms. Pacman. A game so terrible, so repulsive, that a 60-year old serial killer squeezed out his first tear in 40 years when he played the beta. The BETA.

Consisting of 3 alcoholics and a foreign exchange student, Thompsonsoft is a new game company formed around the singular idea that Jack Thompson is the most brilliant game designer in the universe. After reading "A Modest Video Game Proposal", we formed this company to create any game that Jack Thompson designed. Our first title, "I'm OK", is based on Jack's masterful design from "A Modest Video Game Proposal" and it's a murder simulator so cruel, so bloodthirsty, so horrifyingly violent that it makes Grand Theft Auto seem like Sunday Funday.

How does one explain why, in a world overflowing with disease, war, and other horrifying realities, a man would spend 18 years crusading against video games? Easy. You say that it's the most extensive, ingenious marketing campaign for a video game in the history of MAN.

Not since John Romero made us all his bitch have you been this excited about a game, and now it's finally here in your sweaty little hands. We hope you enjoy it. (But only if you're an 18-and-over adult with no prior convictions.)

This game is awesome =)

Tycho and Gabe are the shit..

2006-02-03T23:46:00.000-05:00

This is hilarious on multiple levels heh

Best 404 Error Evar!

2006-01-30T06:19:00.000-05:00

http://www.google.com/translate?langpair=en|en&u=www.psyklone.com/jhjhj.html

Owned!

My new addicition

2006-01-30T04:31:00.000-05:00

Just switched from Mandrake to...

Learn it, use it, love it =)

Watch Video Game Endings Online

2006-01-28T06:35:00.000-05:00

http://www.gamerevolution.com/goodie/endings/all/title/asc

Considering I have beaten many of these games, this page is huge on the nostalgia factor. Check it out if you are a video game fan.

Heaven has touched me...

2006-01-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ok let me preface this by saying I am a total Hideo Kojima whore. I own the following Metal Gear specific games (In chronological order of the universe)...

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (Import)
Metal Gear
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (Translated ROM.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid Integral
Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel
Metal Gear Solid VR Missions
Metal Gear Ac!d
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberyty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance

I also own Metal Gear Solid Volume 1, Metal Gear Solid Volume 2, and the Metal Gear Solid 3 Limited Edition Strategy Guide. This list does not mention the non Metal Gear Kojima games I own which are numerous as well.

So it was recently announced that Metal Gear Solid BD is actually an interactive comic book. This is not a surprise to those who follow Kojima closely but it was nice to have it confirmed. So it should come as no surprise that I WANT THIS UMD!!

Combine this with the fact that it was confirmed that the US release of Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence would have the third disc that the Japanese release had AND that pre-orders would have a 4th disc, I am near to climaxing.

Game Informer posted a great interview with Ryan Payton about the upcoming Subsistence release and he is also featured on this weeks episode of The 1up Show. He mentions in the 1Up show that he will be translating his podcast into English. Since he already translates Kojima's blog into English I cannot wait.

So as you can see, I am sooo Kojima's bitch and I cannot wait for these things to come out.

MPAA and RIAA want to fuck you horribly..

2006-01-24T05:54:00.000-05:00

It is well know that both the MPAA and the RIAA are evil greedy bastards. However, they have recently sunk to a new low.

A bill has been drafted and being propsed to the Senate that would essentially allow the RIAA and MPAA control over all past and future technologies. Under this proposal, all digital media technologies would be restricted to using technologies that had been certified by the FCC as being not unduly disruptive to entertainment industry business-models. Meaning the RIAA and MPAA could kill any new technologies they do not like by using their lobbyists.

Additionally, this would prevent customary historic use of broadcast content by consumers to the extent such use is consistent with applicable law. What does that mean? Essentially, it would be illegal to recording on VHS tapes or cassettes or whatever media you would use and have been using.

This is such bullshit! For people who can articulate this far better than I, check out EFF, Boing Boing, or Ars Technica.

Additionaly, I highly recommend writing to your state senate. We cannot let them do this!!

Xbox 360 - The Dark Side

2006-01-24T04:22:00.000-05:00

While I do not own, nor intend to own an XBox or XBox 360, I did enjoy the article =)

http://www.gamergod.com/article.php?article_id=3475&category_id=49

After the over-hype, shortages, and exuberant declarations have slowly faded into the crisp winter night, the Xbox 360 leaves one question that begs clarity – was it all worth it?

Dismissing the excessive rhetoric, there is a single clear answer – No.

No? No? I hear you declare, how can that be? A fair question, and one that I intend to answer. In this answer, there are three specific areas of importance to focus on: availability, hardware and software.

Availability/launch:

Despite Microsoft’s hopeful strategy of a month long worldwide launch where the three major territories, North America, Europe, and Japan, all received sufficient units to cover the initial surge of demand, it didn’t go quite according to plan. Whether Microsoft underestimated their figures or the demand was just so over-the-top that it could not have been foreseen, there will undoubtedly be many upset individuals – even those who had pre-ordered a machine – this Christmas who will not be the owner of an Xbox 360. Given that Microsoft, according to many analysts, is taking a significant hit on the upfront price of the 360 (the estimated hit costing them $100), there surely can be no excuse for not making certain that every person who wanted a console, got one. The basic economic law of ensuring supply equals demand was obviously lost and with it the ability to recoup the initial loss through software and peripherals to a far greater degree than they are doing.

What makes this situation worse is that a stunningly large percentage, somewhere between 50-70%, of consoles available for the Japanese launch are still on the shelves. In a disastrous repeat of what happened to the original Xbox, Japanese gamers have shunned Microsoft’s new console with a vengeance. When you consider that to date the Xbox has sold roughly 500,000 units in Japan compared with PS2’s staggering 22 million units, the disparity becomes obvious. Why did Microsoft assume it would be different this time around? Instead of making concessions toward their lack of success in Japan in order to answer the demand in North America and Europe, Microsoft vainly carried on regardless. To mind, it suggests an ill-conceived marketing strategy and rushed launch that relied heavily on the belief that because 360 was the first next-gen console, the Japanese would go equally as wild for it as their western brethren.

Price is also a distinct factor. The two separate packages, the deluxe edition with hard drive and the basic package without, offer no saving incentive in picking one over the other. Neither were sufficient hard drives on shelves, when individuals who had purchased the basic package realized how much they needed the hard drive. Throw in the large mark-up on software and peripherals, particularly the wireless devices, and totalled up, buying an Xbox 360 becomes a costly endeavor.

In the final analysis of launch success, Microsoft gets a big red cross, not only for its inability to produce what the customer wanted but also for creating a secondary market through websites such as e-bay, where individuals lucky enough to have acquired an Xbox 360 could make a handsome profit on their purchase, from desperate fans and parents alike.

Hardware:

However weak the launch program though, the quality of the Xbox 360 means that Microsoft can be forgiven their lack of accurate planning, right? I’m afraid not. From the uninspiring packaging to the drab color scheme, the Xbox 360 screams PC. In fact, if you turn it horizontally, it would be tough to describe it as anything other than PC-like. Admittedly the face-plates are a neat idea, but at that price, almost half the cost of a game, who would want to cough up more money for one?

Turn the machine on and the first thing you notice is the noise. Having not seen or played an Xbox 360 other than my own, I cannot comment on all machines, but mine is very noisy. Whether it is the hard drive or the DVD belt is unclear, suffice to say I can play Call of Duty 2 with the sound off and still have decent sound effects. All the extra features that Microsoft supposedly added make the console so good – being able to download pictures from your digital camera, storing and playing MP3’s, etc, I have yet to use and highly doubt they will ever be used. Not to belabor the point ad nauseam, but that’s what I have a PC for.

An important component for the next generation will be backwards compatibility. With such vast back catalogues of games on the present generation of consoles, any company that doesn’t deliver the goods by providing a smooth transition between old and new will be certain to lose a fair amount of potential customers and casual gamers. Microsoft has, it is accurate to say, made a complete hash of this key component. More than any other element, the inability to play even the most recent Xbox games (Star Wars: Battlefront 2, Spartan: Total Warrior and Matrix: Path of Neo didn’t work, and I received the same ‘Requires download patch’ message each time) has left me aghast. How can you not supply a significant portion of your fan base with the means to continue playing their old games on the new console, rather than having to continue to use the old console alongside the new one? It certainly defeats the purpose of a new console, and although you can download the patches, it requires you have internet connection and the savvy to do so – not to mention the patience to go hunting for a patch for every single game you own on Xbox. None of this frustration is offset by the graphics, which are an improvement without being staggeringly better, and there is a clear expectation of something ‘more’ -- of an experience that was new and varied, not just another games console with bells and whistles that will rarely be used. Even the controller, for all its plus points, is simply a wireless PS2 pad with slightly improved ergonomics.

Again, disappointing. Whether the hype and or expectation were too great, the Xbox 360 could have been more aptly named Xbox 1.5.

Software:

Unfortunately, this notion extends to the software element. When the list of launch titles was announced, there was a distinct feeling of being underwhelmed. Despite J. Allard’s description as this being the best software launch for a console to date, the list alone – prior to several key titles being put back, left a lot to be desired both in quality and quantity. Gun, Tony Hawk’s Wasteland, Peter Jackson’s King Kong, Call of Duty 2, and Quake IV are all ports from other platforms. Not a crime in itself as long as the effort was made to enhance and improve the titles using all the extra power and options supposedly available through the Xbox 360. Not surprisingly, this didn’t happen. The companies involved with the listed titles seemed willing to bet that purely because of the Xbox 360 logo on the box and a higher price tag, consumers would foolishly lap it up. Again, it can be rationalized that the ports were rushed, that Microsoft did not insist on a certain standard for their launch titles, and that the person who really paid for it was the consumer, both in the pocket and in the quality stakes. Other titles that were used heavily to demonstrate the capabilities of the Xbox 360 prior to release such as Gears of War, Dead Rising, and Alan Wake are currently scheduled to be released late in the first quarter of 2006, a disturbing gap of three months when very few titles will be available for the Xbox 360. Several significant titles listed as being either available at or close to launch, such as; Ghost Recon 3: Advanced Warfighter, Saints Row, The Outfit, and Dead or Alive 4 also will not be released until late first quarter 2006. The reason cited by both Tecmo and Ubisoft was that "there wasn’t enough time for the teams to make full use of the technology available," which raises the spectre once more of a rushed launch. Thus far, none of the launch titles have wowed audiences with variety, sheer quality, or innovation, and although this is an inherent part of a new console’s evolution – learning to get to grips with the technology, it poses some worrying questions about the near future for Microsoft.

If, as has been suggested, Sony launches PS3 in a late first quarter time frame, then Microsoft faces several serious tests of the Xbox 360’s ability to compete in the market. With limited availability of consoles, a dearth of quality titles, and any worthy titles being released close to a PS3 launch date, Microsoft is now in a defensive position and must find a way to alleviate the pressure Sony will undoubtedly put on them. The Playstation brand has sold consistently in all territories, and with the previously mentioned advantage Sony has on its home turf and throughout Asia, Microsoft could see demand for the 360 fall rapidly. Given the hype that will begin to increase around PS3 soon after the New Year, many consumers, who could rightly be disillusioned by not getting an Xbox 360 for Christmas, may opt to wait and pre-order a PS3 instead. When you add into the equation the three months in which games will be sparse on the 360, it presents a fragile picture for Microsoft that could easily be shattered by a strong PS3 launch. If Microsoft has Halo 3 under wraps and awaiting release, now would be a good time to get it ready for launch.

The last few months in console gaming have been about the Xbox 360. Microsoft hasn’t turned this to their advantage, and rather than silence the doubters, the 360 continues to be a work in progress, one that may have very little time to get things right. Microsoft has obviously put out good noises following the launch and enjoyed a healthy Christmas dinner, but in this New Year, the paper over the cracks may be stretched a little too thin.

Take that Pac-Bitch!

2006-01-23T23:52:00.000-05:00

I lubs scott =)

E3 Grows Up!

2006-01-23T13:28:00.000-05:00

http://www.pressthebuttons.com/2006/01/e3_grows_up.html

Our little trade show is growing up and adapting new rules to better show what a mature, well-behaved event it can be. The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo will be a little different this year. The first two hours of the first day of the show is only for authorized media (meaning no more paid-by-the-hour GameStop clerks roaming the floor just for fun and taking up a journalist's valuable time in line for the next big thing) and, as Portico points out, there's now a more dignified dress code in place for the "booth babes".

"Material, including live models, conduct that is sexually explicit and/or sexually provocative, including but not limited to nudity, partial nudity and bathing suit bottoms, are prohibited on the Show floor, all common areas, and at any access points to the Show. ESA, in its sole discretion, will determine whether material is acceptable."

Let me just say this: I love to see a beautiful woman in flimsy clothing as much as the next guy, but the use of and attention paid to the models at E3 is just downright disrespectful to everyone involved. The idea is for the companies displaying material at E3 to hire models to strut and vamp around the products, thereby attracting the attention of the stereotypically undersexed geeks roaming the floor who will in turn pay extra attention to the games on display. However, the models overshadow the reason we're all supposed to be at E3 in the first place: the games. How many websites and magazines feature a photolog of "the babes of E3" each year? AMN does it, for one. We shouldn't be there to critique the women. We should be there to critique the games. And don't even get me started on what the use of booth babes in the first place says about the industry's views of women in general...

AWESOME!! NO MORE STUPID LAME ASS BOOTH-BABES!!!

Just under a month...

2006-01-23T08:06:00.000-05:00

...till I move and I cannot fucking wait. Currently, the estimated date my apartment will be available is Feb 20th. However, there is the possibility that this date will not be accurate.

Why? Well quite simply, the current residents of my soon-to-be apartment are fuckwads. Basically the apartment complex has had problems with these people and are kicking them out on Feb 1st. However, if the people refuse to leave, then it will get legal and the apartment will not be ready.

The other problem is that these useless tenants have basically destroyed the apartment. Assuming they do get out on the first, the apartment complex is estimating 2-3 weeks to get everything up to standards. They have to remove and replace the carpet, repaint the entire apartment, replace some of the hardware (Water heater, washer/dryer, etc..) because these people really trashed the place. The benefit of this on my end is that assuming I do get this specific apartment, everything will be nice and new.

If I do get screwed out of this apartment, I will still be able to move in by Feb 20th and possibly sooner. They have another apartment (Same size, same price, same model) available that I will be able to move into. I will know by Feb 5th which apartment I get.

Other than that, not much else going on. Still working on the two sites I admin (PGRevolution and Moviecrypt) and working long hours. Oh and obviously preparing for the move =)

Police Org Mounts 25-To-Life Campaign

2006-01-23T05:39:00.000-05:00

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2100&Itemid=2

Police organization, The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) has mounted a campaign to discourage kids from accessing Eidos' 25 to Life. It's also called on retailers not to stock the game.

The NLEOMF says it is protesting the violent nature of the game, which is available this week. It involves gang-violence against police. NLEOMF has called on retailers not to stock the game, which is likely to attract much media attention in the days ahead.

"It is absolutely unconscionable that game makers are enabling young people -- or anyone -- to dramatize shooting and killing as a form of entertainment while officers and innocent people are dying in real-life on our streets every day," said NLEOMF chairman Craig W. Floyd. "We're encouraging parents, caregivers and everyone who is concerned about both law enforcement officers and children to ensure this game never makes it into the homes or hands of impressionable young people."

He added, "While it's true that players are given a choice between wearing a badge or the colors of a gang, the ultimate message carried by the game is that some players are justified in endangering the lives of police officers. That's a terrible message for anyone, but particularly so for young people who are already confronted with numerous choices that can lead to dangerous consequences. Regardless of your views on free speech or marketplace dynamics, there is really nothing good that can be said about this game. The images are wrong. The messages are wrong. And stocking it in U.S. stores is wrong.

"We're focused on this game right now because children and communities are facing the greatest threat from it right now, but our broader goal is to encourage all parents and caregivers to be more aware of what their children are exposed to or encouraged to emulate," added Floyd. "Any type of media that glorifies violence against law enforcement or civilians should be scrutinized very carefully."

Too bad the game is rated M FOR MATURE! IT IS NOT FOR KIDS!!

/rant off

Retro Kick

2006-01-22T06:55:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been on a nostalgic retro kick. Specifically shit from the 80's which I still think is the best time to have grown up. Regardless of the debateablity of that statement, I thought I would provide a link to a trio of amazing sites for all things Nostalgia. Children of the 80's could get lost on these for hours so enjoy.

http://www.x-entertainment.com/
http://www.retrojunk.com
http://www.retrocrush.com/

I mean how can you not love this shit!

RetroCrush has its own podcast as well. Sometimes it is great, other times it falls flat but it is worth adding to your RSS feed.

Heh

2006-01-21T23:45:00.000-05:00

While the PSP has been useful for some time for those who are aware of it's capabilities, I still found this humourous =)

"New" Rules for 2006

2006-01-19T01:48:00.000-05:00

My buddy over at Thinkingskull.com has posted his "New" Rules for 2006. Well technically they are not his (As he immediately points out), but since I saw this on his blog, he gets the credit.

New Rule: Stop giving me that pop-up ad for Classmates.com! There’s a reason you don’t talk to people for 25 years. Because you don’t particularly like them! Besides, I already know what the captain of the football team is doing these days: mowing my lawn.

New Rule: Don’t eat anything that’s served to you out a window unless you’re a seagull. People are acting all shocked that a human finger was found in a bowl of Wendy’s chili. Hey, it cost less than a dollar. What did you expect it to contain? Trout?

New Rule: Stop saying that teenage boys who have sex with their hot, blonde teachers are permanently damaged. I have a better description for these kids: lucky b*st*rds. (amen!)

New Rule: Ladies, leave your eyebrows alone. Here’s how much men care about your eyebrows: do you have two of them? Okay, we’re done.

New Rule: There’s no such thing as flavoured water. There’s a whole aisle of this crap at the supermarket, water, but without that watery taste. Sorry, but flavoured water is called a soft drink. You want flavored water? Pour some scotch over ice and let it melt. That’s your flavoured water.

New Rule: Stop f***ing with old people. Target is introducing a redesigned pill bottle that’s square, with a bigger label. And the top is now the bottom. And by the time grandpa figures out how to open it, his a** will be in the morgue. Congratulations, Target, you just solved the Social Security crisis.

New Rule: The more complicated the Starbucks order, the bigger the a**hole. If you walk into a Starbucks and order a “decaf grande half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot, gingerbread cappuccino, extra dry, light ice, with one Sweet-n’-Low and one NutraSweet,” ooh, you’re a huge a**hole.

New Rule: I’m not the cashier! By the time I look up from sliding my card, entering my PIN number, pressing “Enter,” verifying the amount, deciding,
no, I don’t want cash back, and pressing “Enter” again, the kid who is supposed to be ringing me up is standing there eating my Almond Joy.

New Rule: Just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn’t make you spiritual. It’s right above the crack of your a**. And it translates to “beef with broccoli.” The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren’t pregnant. You’re not spiritual. You’re just high.

New Rule: Competitive eating isn’t a sport. It’s one of the seven deadly sins. ESPN recently televised the US Open of Competitive Eating, because watching those athletes at the poker table was just too damned exciting. What’s next, competitive farting? Oh wait. They’re already doing that. It’s called “The Howard Stern Show.”

New Rule: I don’t need a bigger mega M&M. If I’m extra hungry for M&Ms, I’ll go nuts and eat two.

New Rule: If you’re going to insist on making movies based on crappy, old television shows, then you have to give everyone in the Cineplex a remote so we can see what’s playing on the other screens. Let’s remember the
reason something was a television show in the first place is that the idea wasn’t good enough to be a movie.

New Rule: No more gift registries. You know, it used to be just for
weddings. Now it’s for babies and new homes and graduations from rehab. Picking out the stuff you want and having other people buy it for you isn’t gift giving, it’s the white people version of looting.

New Rule: and this one is long overdue: No more bathroom attendants. After I zip up, some guy is offering me a towel and a mint like I just had s*x with George Michael. I can’t even tell if he’s supposed to be there, or just some freak with a fetish. I don’t want to be on your web cam, dude. I just want to wash my hands.

Premire Issue of Nintendo Power

2006-01-19T01:46:00.000-05:00

http://www.x-entertainment.com/articles/0751/

I actually remember this damn thing. I used to LOVE Nintendo Power and still have a few issues. Upon re-reading them recently, I realized that they were nothing but Nintendo Propaganda, but times were different back then. You didn't "Play video games" you "Played Nintendo".

Anyway, it is an interesting nostalgic trip to say the least.

Moving

2006-01-14T03:49:00.000-05:00

So for those who are unaware, our apartment complex was sold last August and converted to condos. Since both my roommate and I refused to pay such exorbitant prices for condos, we have decided to move out. Our lease is technically up in April, but since the apartment complex fucked us, they are allowing everyone to break their lease without penalty.

So one thing that my roommate and I had discussed was if we are going to remain roommates or each move out on our own. The reason the subject was up for debate is the insanely high prices for housing in the Northern VA/DC area and neither of us were sure if we could afford it.

After some apartment hunting and further discussion, we both decided to (amicably) part ways. I ended up getting extremely lucky during my hunt which further solidified my decision. I ended up locating a 2 (full) Bedroom, 1 Bathroom 880sq foot apartment for $970 a month.

Now, for those of you in other places, this sounds amazingly high. When I lived on the beach in Florida, I lived in a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom large apartment for $1100 a month. This was an apartment on the beach for fucks sake!

However, as stated earlier, living accommodations here are far more expensive. To give you two examples for you to compare the deal I received:

1) 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom 600-700sq ft apartment average: $850-$950/month
2) 2 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom 700-800sq ft apartment average: $1100-$1200/month

Combined with the fact that these prices will only increase over this year, I got a damn good deal. I am fully aware that by the time I need to renew my lease I will most likely be no longer to afford this apartment due to the escalating prices, but at least for a year, I will have a 2 bedroom place all to myself.

Anyway, that is all that has been occurring in my life. I move in on February 20th and luckily, my new place is less than 1 mile from current residence so moving will be a breeze. I will post pictures when I get them taken for those who care.

Geek Test

2006-01-07T06:05:00.000-05:00

http://www.innergeek.us/geek-test.html

I am 46.54832% - Super Geek

How about you?

Oh yeah - the obligatory New Year's related comics

2006-01-02T23:22:00.000-05:00

Enjoy!

New Years Resolution

2006-01-02T23:12:00.000-05:00

As I say every year, FUCK NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS!! They are pointless and stupid in my opinion as most people rarely follow through. Additionally, why wait till the beginning of a new year to make a change about yourself that you are unhappy with. Change things as they occur, do not wait!

Anyway, now that you know my true feelings about resolutions, I am shameless stealing this from Heather since she stole my DnD one:

In the year 2006 I resolve to:

Make the FBI's most wanted list.

Get your resolution here

Peace..no wait fuck that.

What DnD Character Are You?

2006-01-01T02:19:00.000-05:00

I just took this test. I normally do not take these kinds of things, but I was bored and I love DnD so I said fuck it. My results?

---------------------

I Am A: Neutral Evil Gnome Mage/Thief

Alignment:
Neutral Evil characters believe in Number One. Their personal gain takes precedance over all else, and they will work with whomever necessary and whatever institutions necessary to further their own goals.

Race:
Gnomes are also short, like dwarves, but much skinnier. They have no beards, and are very inclined towards technology, although they have been known to dabble in magic, too. They tend to be fun-loving and fond of jokes and humor. Some gnomes live underground, and some live in cities and villages. They are very tolerant of other races, and are generally well-liked, though occasionally considered frivolous.

Primary Class:
Mages harness the magical energies for their own use. Spells, spell books, and long hours in the library are their loves. While often not physically strong, their mental talents can make up for this.

Secondary Class:
Thieves are the most roguish of the classes. They are sneaky and nimble-fingered, and have skills with traps and locks. While not all use these skills for burglary, that is a common occupation of this class.

Deity:
Velsharoon is the Neutral Evil god of necromancy, liches, and undeath. He is also known as the Vaunted, the Archmage of Necromancy, and the Lord of the Forgotten Crypt. His followers practice the necromantic arts, and raise the dead to do their bidding. His symbol is a crowned skull.

---------------------

Does this make me a bad person? Oh well =)

Update..

2005-12-28T05:11:00.000-05:00

I am aware I haven't updated in some time. The simple truth is I have been far too fucking lazy to do so. Considering no one reads this thing anyway, I do not suppose it matters but I will be updating it sometime in the next few days with linkage and current events.

PSP and my new Job

2005-12-06T04:47:00.000-05:00

So something that I haven't mentioned yet is that I am now a staff member of http://www.pgrevolution.com which is in addition to my long running administration of http://www.moviecrypt.com.

The only reason I mention it now is that my first review has been posted. In addition to that, I did my first ever audio review of anything on the latest Podcast.

I am really enjoying working on this site and hope I get to do more with it. We are currently working on a PSP Magazine and a brand new site both of which I can say are shaping up well (The new site is AMAZING).

Anyway, check it out =)

Some links

2005-12-04T05:30:00.000-05:00

Just been gathering links and forgetting to post as usual.

- Family Guy is the pwn!. (If you do not understand the joke - watch this
- NES Controller becomes an MP3 player
- Does the XBox 360 Launch lineup live up to the hype?
- People are fucking retarded
- Whiny women are teh sux
- Doom 3 gets Religion
- $25,000 Gameboy

Some Quick Facts

2005-12-02T01:37:00.000-05:00

On the heels of yesterday's venting, I came across the following article with a number of facts that those fuckwads in Washington are either unaware of or more likely ignoring.

30 is the average game player's age

37 is the average game buyer's age

83% of the time a parent is involved in the purchase or rental of games

90% of games are purchased by adults

92% of parents monitor what their children play

87% of game players under 18 ask permission to buy a video game

16% of games are rated M for mature in 2004

30% are rated T for teen in 2004

53% are rated E for everyone in 2004

There has been an ~40% decrease in violent crimes between 1996 and 2004

Fucking Government

Fuck you Hilary Clinton and fuck you Joe Lieberman

2005-11-30T13:52:00.000-05:00

For those that haven't heard, that fucking bitch has introduced the "Family Entertainment Protection Act." into legistation. As incredible as this thing is, the most incredible thing is that it will most likely pass. I mean who wants to shoot down a bill called "Family Protection"?

The fact that this was introduced is such horseshit. Why isn't the movie or music industry falling under the same fire? They would never think about fining Wal-Mart for selling an R Rated movie to a minor, or selling a music CD with a Parental Advisory label on it, but they will do so for games?!? What the fuck??

As if this isnt enough, the NIMF released its annual Video Game Report Card (Which is bullshit to begin with - you dont see this shit in any other industry), and lo and behold, the industry got an F. I am thinking "Hot Coffee" had everything to do with this and it is amazing that ONE FUCK UP causes the entire industry to go into this uproar.

I am so mad right now I cannot even formulate coherent thoughts. Check Game Politics for continual updates.

What the fuck?

2005-11-30T13:44:00.000-05:00

http://www.frvade.com/ddcc.htm

It is fucking mezmerizing..

Happy "Let's Celebrate how fat we are!" day!

2005-11-24T07:34:00.000-05:00

Yeah its Thanksgiving. Personally, this day does not mean all that much to me which is why I am working right now. I would rather sit here and make double time and a half then be stuffing myself till I feel like I am about to explode as the majority of America will be doing. Since I do not like gatherings (even those of my own family), I am much happier at work.

Anyway, to those who enjoy this day, Happy Thanksgiving!!

So how about that X-Box 360?

2005-11-22T07:38:00.000-05:00

A couple of the many people who paid an obscene amount of money for a crappy game system are suffering from fucked up hard drives.

The only thing I can really say to that is....

Why am I waiting you ask? Well there is the fact that I have never liked the X-Box. As an RPG gamer for the most part, there has never once been an exclusive X-box RPG that I have wanted. Combined with the fact that Square-Enix released nothing for X-Box means X-Box is pointless for me. Any game I have ever wanted save for Ninja Gaiden has been available elsewhere (PC, PS2 or Gamecube).

There are a number of other reasons and the following links sum them up pretty well:

http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/21/technology/playstation_fortune_112805/
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/668/668446p1.html

Here is another good read that gives a detailed hardware comparison between 360 and PS3.

Anyway, you all can have your X-Box 360, I will stick with the PS3.

If I had a house....

2005-11-21T23:26:00.000-05:00

....and was willing to get off my ass and do this, I would =)

http://fusionwaste.com/007/Video/WizardsofWinter-SM.wmv

Who is Leeroy Jenkins?

2005-11-20T06:56:00.000-05:00

http://x702.putfile.com/videos/c2-31921214761.wmv

I cannot believe that Leeroy Jenkins made it to Jepoardy heh

Guitar Hero

2005-11-20T04:20:00.000-05:00

My current video game addiction is the music-themed game Guitar Hero. I have to say that this is flat out the most fun I have had in a game in a long time. I am far too lazy to explain it (Although I will when I write the review) so read the above link for info about it.

What is this whole "Rootkit" thing?

2005-11-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

There is an excellent article over at Wired fully detailing the issue with Sony's Rootkit software from it's copy-protected CD's. For anyone who has been hearing about this but didn't understand exactly what was going on, check it out. For those who already know the whole story, it is still an excellent read.

Holy shit...

2005-11-18T13:23:00.000-05:00

http://www.jokaroo.com/extremevideos/quartermaster.html

Ok, that motherfucker has WAAAAY too much time available. However, this is still totally wicked.

Worldwide Video Game Concert

2005-11-08T00:03:00.000-05:00

Those who know me, know that I have an almost psychotic addiction and love of video game music of all forms. I own around 65 video game soundtracks and I am constantly adding to my collection. I never got a chance to attend the Dear Friends or Video Games Live tours for reasons beyond my control.

I was ecstatic and nearly sexually aroused at the annoucement of Play Symphony and the fact that this one might actually come near my area. Of course this is speculation on my part, but I would hope that something like this would come near Washington D.C. With composers like Nobuo Uematsu (A god to me), Yuzo Koshiro and Yasunori Mitsuda involved this thing is going to be amazing and I will be eagerly following its every move. I just hope that fan reaction is more like it was for Dear Friends than it was for Video Games Live.

Wicked Anti-Fast Food Campaign

2005-11-07T23:43:00.000-05:00

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-11/08/content_3748252.htm

That is totally awesome. There is no way you could get away with shit like that in America because some fucking whiney group would raise hell. I personally love this campaign though.

Just some links

2005-11-06T06:37:00.000-05:00

Decided to post some links to interesting reads that I have found recently.

20 Years of Nintendo retrospective
Inside the mind of a censor
Basic laws of Human stupidity
A look at banned cartoons over the years
9 Year old argues with his mother over X-Box live (Video)
Ethical Dilemmas - Feature about the ESRB
How games have changed the movie business

Review: Fable - The Lost Chapters (PC)

2005-11-05T08:29:00.000-05:00

I posted my review of Fable over at The Crypt

Keith Parkinson Dies At 47

2005-11-01T07:13:00.000-05:00

Read my post at Moviecrypt for details.

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-31T14:01:00.000-05:00

Jaks Ramblings

This blog is retired..

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

New Blog...maybe

Videos: 3/17

Video Games: NES Case Mods 4tw!

Life Stuff: Mmmm....

Videos: 3/16

PS3 and PSP Info from the Sony Conference

Morning News Bites

Best Flash Game Evar!

Two More NES Mods

Videos!

Video Game Voters Network

Video Game Voters Network

Take A Stand, Protect Your Games!

Jack Thompson is a cockbite

Captain N Coming to DVD?

Damn I love those things

Every Mortal Kombat Fatality...

Gotta Love the Christians

Don’t use your credit card to pay taxes

Saturday Video Link Dump

Total Geek Earrings

Howard and Nester!!

Personal Update

Thursday Link Dump

Famitsu Scores FFXII Maximum Points

Videos

Some Linkage

Unreal Tournament 2007 Video

Nice Home Projects

Uh yeah..more videos

Japan Votes on All Time Top 100 Games

More videos!

Two Great Videos

Test your classic gaming knowledge

Paying off your Credit Card could trigger Homeland Security

Three wicked NES case mods

Daily Funnies!

My fucking truck

Videos for your viewing pleasure

Retro Gaming Magazines

Moving Complete!

Another Moving Update....

Teh Funnay!

Moving Update...

This could have been me..

Videos Videos Videos!

The Daily Show covers the "Cheney Shooting"

President Bush Escapes From Weekly Bath

Ninja Turtles Owned Me

Monday Morning Linkage

More Snow

In-depth PS3 Hands-on

Snow

Links Updated

Just Two More Weeks

This is my take on Football as well

Wednesday Linkage

A little comic to brighten your day

Watch all Superbowl Commercials

This game pwns!

Tycho and Gabe are the shit..

Best 404 Error Evar!

My new addicition

Watch Video Game Endings Online

Heaven has touched me...

MPAA and RIAA want to fuck you horribly..

Xbox 360 - The Dark Side

Take that Pac-Bitch!

E3 Grows Up!

Just under a month...

Police Org Mounts 25-To-Life Campaign

Retro Kick

Heh

"New" Rules for 2006

Premire Issue of Nintendo Power

Moving

Geek Test