Now, I am truly feeling the effects of poverty. O! how I long for Sid Meier's Civilization IV, available for purchase as of yesterday. I know it will be a sweet game, folks. IGN rated it 9.4 out of 10, and the screenshots are dazzling.
Perhaps the most incredible aspect of the Civilization series its lasting appeal (IGN agrees). Just a few months ago, I was playing Civilization III to the point of near-obsession, if not beyond. It was released in October 2001, and I was the proud owner of a copy soon thereafter. So, even if Civ 4 isn't the greatest game ever, it may be the best $50 I ever spend.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Sports at Their Best
Today, Amani Toomer received a 2-yard pass from Eli Manning for a touchdown with 0:05 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of the Giants' battle with the Denver Broncos. The touchdown tied the game at 23-23, and Jay Feely's ensuing extra point lifted the Giants to a 24-23 victory.
If only for that moment, my trip to New Jersey today was worthwhile. Not that I actually went to the game or anything...
And all this after the Giants spent the first 55 minutes of the game looking like the team from the esteemed film Little Giants, starring Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neill (1994).
If only for that moment, my trip to New Jersey today was worthwhile. Not that I actually went to the game or anything...
And all this after the Giants spent the first 55 minutes of the game looking like the team from the esteemed film Little Giants, starring Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neill (1994).
My Precious Shit
Finally, I have removed the burden of my pile of shit from the good Mr. Franchak and family! The goods:
1. My trumpet! Sure, the thing's a piece of crap, but I haven't played since the spring (and not much even then), but with my vast quantity of free time, I may be able to regain some of my former aptitude.
2. My pool cue. Not the most expensive, but I really like it. Graphite, and much better than those cheap, overused craps at pool halls.
3. My copy of The Power Broker. I purchased this book some time back at Owen's semi-blind suggestion (he hadn't read the thing), but since I left it in Virginia, he's acquired a copy and read much of it, verifying his claims of its worthiness. Long book, though, so I hope I can agree.
4. Aprotim's hat. I borrowed it for the beast of a costume party (parties, really) that wound up a four-year life of drunken revelry and altogether mayhem. Didn't give it back - hell, didn't even try to give it back until the night before I was to embark on my 7,000 mile journey. Five months now, and as punishment for my laziness in May, I'll have to ship the motherfucker. Bye-bye, $5.
5. My graduation cap and gown. Utterly useless. Crappy. Don't know why I didn't just throw it out.
6. Tons of other books. Couldn't sell them, didn't want to throw them away. One I could have sold for $17 just months after paying over $100 for it - how can I not keep that? Hope they prove useful someday.
Yeah, I wrote this mostly because I felt a blog entry was in order. So, there's no reason to elaborate further.
1. My trumpet! Sure, the thing's a piece of crap, but I haven't played since the spring (and not much even then), but with my vast quantity of free time, I may be able to regain some of my former aptitude.
2. My pool cue. Not the most expensive, but I really like it. Graphite, and much better than those cheap, overused craps at pool halls.
3. My copy of The Power Broker. I purchased this book some time back at Owen's semi-blind suggestion (he hadn't read the thing), but since I left it in Virginia, he's acquired a copy and read much of it, verifying his claims of its worthiness. Long book, though, so I hope I can agree.
4. Aprotim's hat. I borrowed it for the beast of a costume party (parties, really) that wound up a four-year life of drunken revelry and altogether mayhem. Didn't give it back - hell, didn't even try to give it back until the night before I was to embark on my 7,000 mile journey. Five months now, and as punishment for my laziness in May, I'll have to ship the motherfucker. Bye-bye, $5.
5. My graduation cap and gown. Utterly useless. Crappy. Don't know why I didn't just throw it out.
6. Tons of other books. Couldn't sell them, didn't want to throw them away. One I could have sold for $17 just months after paying over $100 for it - how can I not keep that? Hope they prove useful someday.
Yeah, I wrote this mostly because I felt a blog entry was in order. So, there's no reason to elaborate further.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
The Tell-Tale Printer
From the Houston Chronicle:
Can Your Printer Tell on You?
The gist of this article, in case my recommendation is insufficient to pique your interest, is that many retail printers add patterns of yellow dots, which contain a cipher of the printer's serial number as well as the date and time of the printing, to every page printed.
Now, I'm not one of those people that were cutting off their own limbs to use as projectile weapons agianst the President when he signed the USA Patriot Act, but I can't say this doesn't bother me. My printer is supposed to print what I tell it to print, and if I don't want any identifying marks on it, then there should be none.
EDIT: The machine-identifying system is only reported to exist in color laser printers, so most of us need not necessarily worry about it.
Can Your Printer Tell on You?
The gist of this article, in case my recommendation is insufficient to pique your interest, is that many retail printers add patterns of yellow dots, which contain a cipher of the printer's serial number as well as the date and time of the printing, to every page printed.
Now, I'm not one of those people that were cutting off their own limbs to use as projectile weapons agianst the President when he signed the USA Patriot Act, but I can't say this doesn't bother me. My printer is supposed to print what I tell it to print, and if I don't want any identifying marks on it, then there should be none.
EDIT: The machine-identifying system is only reported to exist in color laser printers, so most of us need not necessarily worry about it.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Bill Clinton Cares
As little as I may like President George Bush II, I sometimes get the urge to defend him. This is especially true now, as I've been reading a book about the Clinton presidency called Legacy. It's a clearly biased book, but it was written by the editor of the National Review, and its sources are thoroughly documented.
So I write of Africa. Bill Clinton cared about Africa. He made absolutely certain that everybody around the world knew how much pain he felt on the part of the Africans. The guy seriously radiated empathy, and we all loved him for it. To demonstrate his care, he sent over a bunch of food aid to help them out. Sure, it wound up in the hands of the very groups that were making places like Somalia shitholes -- but it's the thought that counts, right?
As for Georgie? He doesn't give a fuck about Africa, the bastard! His soul lacks any iota of empathy, and all he radiates is the chill of an unbeating heart. His only "gesture" was to spend about $3 billion annually from the US treasury to combat (yeah, he loves combatting stuff) AIDS worldwide, a disease most prevalent in Africa. But he cares so little about Africa that he dares help AIDS victims in other places, like Vietnam*!
Yeah, we all know what a moral piece of crap Mr. Bush is.
Seriously, now... the reason I wrote this is that I rarely hear about how little Mr. Clinton did for Africa, but complaints about the inadequacy of the much larger aid provided by the Bush administration (with the help and approval of Congress -- gotta give them some credit) are pervasive among liberals. Clinton didn't propose anything nearly as bold as Bush's AIDS initiative because he was too afraid of the political risk. Apparently, he was right not to.
Don't try and tell me I love the President. I don't. But it really pisses me off when people complain about him without any sense of perspective. Perhaps that's just how things go: the only way to avoid complaints about not helping enough is not to help at all. It's a great message to send to charity-minded people out there.
Another example: Bill Gates and his Gates Foundation. I don't recall Bill getting nearly as much credit as he deserved for establishing that and endowing it with tons of money (at least a billion, if not several times that).
So I suppose I'll close with a piece of advise: if you want people to like you, don't help others. Just act like you care.
* where, by the way, John Kerry served. (thanks, Opinion Journal)
More info?
The President's HIV/AIDS Initiatives
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Opinion Journal (by the Wall Street Journal)
So I write of Africa. Bill Clinton cared about Africa. He made absolutely certain that everybody around the world knew how much pain he felt on the part of the Africans. The guy seriously radiated empathy, and we all loved him for it. To demonstrate his care, he sent over a bunch of food aid to help them out. Sure, it wound up in the hands of the very groups that were making places like Somalia shitholes -- but it's the thought that counts, right?
As for Georgie? He doesn't give a fuck about Africa, the bastard! His soul lacks any iota of empathy, and all he radiates is the chill of an unbeating heart. His only "gesture" was to spend about $3 billion annually from the US treasury to combat (yeah, he loves combatting stuff) AIDS worldwide, a disease most prevalent in Africa. But he cares so little about Africa that he dares help AIDS victims in other places, like Vietnam*!
Yeah, we all know what a moral piece of crap Mr. Bush is.
Seriously, now... the reason I wrote this is that I rarely hear about how little Mr. Clinton did for Africa, but complaints about the inadequacy of the much larger aid provided by the Bush administration (with the help and approval of Congress -- gotta give them some credit) are pervasive among liberals. Clinton didn't propose anything nearly as bold as Bush's AIDS initiative because he was too afraid of the political risk. Apparently, he was right not to.
Don't try and tell me I love the President. I don't. But it really pisses me off when people complain about him without any sense of perspective. Perhaps that's just how things go: the only way to avoid complaints about not helping enough is not to help at all. It's a great message to send to charity-minded people out there.
Another example: Bill Gates and his Gates Foundation. I don't recall Bill getting nearly as much credit as he deserved for establishing that and endowing it with tons of money (at least a billion, if not several times that).
So I suppose I'll close with a piece of advise: if you want people to like you, don't help others. Just act like you care.
* where, by the way, John Kerry served. (thanks, Opinion Journal)
More info?
The President's HIV/AIDS Initiatives
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Opinion Journal (by the Wall Street Journal)
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Murderous Care Bear
Listen, people: It's too early to put up Halloween decorations. For the sake of our dear Lord, STOP!
Yet, it is not too early to post pictures of one's previous Halloween costumes. I shall do just that. Be warned, however, that the following photo is not for the faint of heart or of mind.
Unfortunately, my Care Bear was murderous only for a couple of photos. The rest of the night, he was positively joyous, as was I.
Yet, it is not too early to post pictures of one's previous Halloween costumes. I shall do just that. Be warned, however, that the following photo is not for the faint of heart or of mind.
Unfortunately, my Care Bear was murderous only for a couple of photos. The rest of the night, he was positively joyous, as was I.
Ashamed Joe: "Anime Still Crappy"
I've a confession. My shame is boundless and my embarrassment eternal. I'm completely obsessed with Naruto, a Japanese cartoon about ninjas. Sweet ninjas. Sweet ninjas engaging in sweet battles sweetly.
Still, all is not lost.
Allow me to declare this: I am, indeed one of those guys that love Naruto. I am not, however, and shall never be, one of those guys that are totally into anime.
Still, all is not lost.
Allow me to declare this: I am, indeed one of those guys that love Naruto. I am not, however, and shall never be, one of those guys that are totally into anime.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)