Initial thoughts on Metroid Prime 3

Late last week, we saw the release of one of the most anticipated Nintendo Wii games this year, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

Touted by some as the "Halo" of the Wii, this game has had some high expectations, and was even given it's own "month of Metroid" by Nintendo. A Metroid Prime 3 channel could even be downloaded to your Wii, just to keep updated on different trailers and clips.

So how good is the game? This should answer it:

Gamasutra Week 35 2007 sales figures
Gamerankings compiled reviews of Metroid Prime 3


In short, it rules. Bioshock, the much anticipated game of Xbox 360, has even been beat out this week in sales by MP3. This shouldn't be surprising. The lowest score, being an 85% from Gamespot, was mostly attributed to control and difficulty settings, and the fact that it isn't different enough from the other Metroid Primes.

Obviously, if we were to whine about the lack of differences in game series, then the reviews for the Grand Theft Auto, Madden, Halo, Gran Turismo/Need for Speed/most other racers, etc. would be much different.

Besides, if you haven't played any of the other Metroid Prime games, then you needn't worry about it. You have plenty else to worry about, namely:

Multiplayer.

A game like this (like Halo, Call of Duty, Goldeneye, and any other game from this similar-but-different genre of shooters,) heavily rely on multiplayer gameplay to keep it "fun." So far, Metroid Prime 3 lacks ANY multiplayer. Prior to release, it was announced that it would NOT come with multiplayer, but if you are an avid gaming nerd like I, you'll remember this neat little post:
Metroid Prime 3 multiplayer extra

Interestingly, it coincides with this REALLY old interview from over a year ago about the game:
Retro Studios Interview

The important part is here:
"PGC: By the way, I was really happy to see the grappling beam for some different things. So, will this game have any multiplayer?

Walker: Metroid Prime 3 will not have multiplayer in the same context as Metroid Prime 2. That was a fun experiment, but with Prime 3 we really wanted to revisit the core of the single-player experience and make sure that we did absolutely, completely, the best we could with that, do justice to the spirit of the Metroid series. However, we are very excited about the WiiConnect24 functionality, and we're talking about several ways that we can leverage that in Metroid Prime 3.

PGC: So there may be something, but definitely different from the last one.

Walker: There's a lot of potential there, a lot of discussion going on right now, so hopefully we can add something to that effect."

Retro isn't new to multiplayer. Metroid Prime 2 had it, Metroid Prime Hunters on the DS (excellent game) has it, and I am more than willing to bet that we will see a download in the future for Metroid Prime 3 to have it.

After all, when loading the disc for the first time I was oddly required to have the latest firmware update (a Wii game relying on online updates? Hint, hint.)

The graphics are astounding, and the gameplay is excellent. Nintendo Power even gave it a 10, and they only gave Ocarina of Time a 9.5 back in the day, so that says a lot.

No doubt, Nintendo is playing their cards close to their hands, and in due time, they'll release a nice little download, giving this game a good opportunity to be one of the best games we'll see this year, which says a lot for brand new Metal Gear Solid, Halo, Call of Duty, Fallout, and GTA games coming or being out. Eh, it still can be done.

Get this game!

Blasphemy: My personal Top Ten Games

It took me four days to construct a rough draft on what my personal top ten video games are. They are based on these general criteria (not held too strictly):

- Only one game per franchise.

- 1-2 games per genre. If there are 2 excellent games in one franchise that are in completely different genres, I'm more apt to let that slide.

- I base a lot of this list on games that have influenced me throughout my life as a gamer. Some games have never lost their playability, and I have maxed their timers out to well over a hundred hours. Sometimes, I do so all 5 times I've played it through.

These games have never lost their charm, or have defined different periods in my life. These are all games that I have played for at least 75 hours apiece. That's bare minimum.

I also admit to an extreme degree of bias. I'm a retro gamer, and I am not a huge fan of over-the-top graphics or fps's.

10. Twisted Metal 2 (PSX) - Drive, shoot, napalm. I can't remember whether shooting the Statue of Liberty's clothes off or using the Gameshark to play as Minion was better.

9. Mario Kart 64 (N64) - In my opinion, the best of the series.

8. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSX) - I love the Castlevania series. It was a tough pick, but SotN's equipment usage, excellent soundtrack, and the alluringly well animated Alucard is also tough to pass up.

7. Super Smash Bros. (N64) - It sounds ridiculous, but I can't count the number of times I've played a 99-stock-free-for-all-brawl with my brother. Or the number of times I've schooled with Link against friends.

6. NBA Jam (SNES) - In my opinion, the best sports game ever. That is a really strong opinion, but hearing "boomshakalaka" while jumping easily 20 feeting in the air to dunk as Scottie Pippen is just unbeatable.

5. Street Fighter 2 Turbo (SNES) - Probably the best early fighter ever. The fast paced action mixed with the unlimited amount of "Hadouken!" shouts never bores me.

4. Pokemon Red (GB) - I'm playing this at work right now. I played this YEARS ago. I can't help but feel old when I say, "I remember when there were only 151 of those Pokemon!" Well, except for Missingno....

3. Super Mario World (SNES) - This is the best Mario game ever. The big jump to the snes was super successful, and though it's tough to top SMB3, I always felt that this did it.

2. Star Ocean: The Second Story (PSX) - Ashton had friggin' dragons on his back! That's crazy-bad-ass! And the active, unending gameplay was too. The non-linear story kept me going for weeks, trying so desperately to have utilized every possible character, and achieving every possible ending (I failed miserably).

1. Final Fantasy VII (PSX) - The only RPG I knew that could top SO2 for me was FFVII. This is also the only storyline that's been able to pull any emotion from me. I've beaten it more times than I'd care to mention, and maxed out the timer every time. It has the best villain in it, the most bad-ass hero in it, and some of the greatest side-quests of any RPG (bar the card games from FFVII and IX).

But why was it number 1? It may sound like a cliche. But this game has never really left me. I could pick it up any time and play, no matter how many times I've already beaten it. I still want to save Aeris (impossible,) and it is the only single FF game worthy of it's own compilation. The music pops in my head all the time, pulling strings at my heart. It's the only game I've ever played worthy of the #1 title.

Either way, I'll probably change this list next week.

The Real Ending to Harry Potter:

Here is a summary of the ending to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

Dumbledore planned to have Snape kill him the whole time, both are now dead.
Harry kills Voldemort, Harry gets both wands, fixes one that was broken that Hermione said could not be fixed by using the Elder Wand.

In the epilogue titled "Ninteen Years Later":
Harry marries Ginny, they have 3 kids, Ron and Hermione are together, they have a couple of kids, and both Rosie (Ron and Hermione's child) and Albus Severus (Harry and Ginny's child, named for two headmasters of Hogwarts) are being put on a train by their parents to go off to their school/academy thing. It basically has a "new beginning" feel to it.

The final words of the book is:
"'He'll be all right,' murmured Ginny.
As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand absentmindedly and touched the lightning scar on his forehead.
'I know he will.'
The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well."

Strong leads on bus flier threats point to Riverwest, Campus

An anonymous tip is leading investigators to the Riverwest area to find a suspect for Sunday's bus flier threat. The most updated description from sources of the suspect is a black male, from mid 20s to 30s, tall, heavier set, with stubble, and with a noticeably "slow" speech pattern. Investigators are also often being informed that the man was wearing a red hat on most occasions, but this is unconfirmed.

These anonymous sources have indicated that the person of interest has made mention of Riverwest's proximity to his home. The man also talks about Joe Munz, a UWM student recently killed in Riverwest, and claims that he was once friends with him. Along with the bus flier, the suspect has been known to mention Joe Munz to white females riding the 30 bus, and proceed to accuse the often fearful girls of disrespecting him.

Investigators are now looking toward Riverwest, the UWM campus, and the 30 bus route to find a person of interest.

Anyone with further information should contact authorities.

For the full story, please continue here:
UWM police look into bus threat

Accomplishments in the past month:

Rediscovering yourself is key. I realized in the last month just how much I love video games.

May 23rd, I got my Nintendo Wii. How much has it consumed me?
The Wii reinforces the "play for a minute" idea. It is a perfect at-home compliment to the Nintendo DS, that the same games, no matter how complex, that you've loved before can be enjoyed on any time scale in a new manner through new and innovative controls.

This feels almost fad-ish, but don't sell these systems short. After playing Wii Sports for a month, I've achieved "pro" status in both Bowling and Golf, with a high score in Bowling of 269, and two holes in one in Golf.

And I'm still not sick of it. And that's only one game.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has been everything I've asked for in the Wii, and in a Zelda game. It offers an innovative and exciting way to play an amazing and engrossing game, without overdoing the "new controls" aspect. By Nintendo offering a game that can prove that these controls can give you the "push a ton of buttons in a cool Devil May Cry styled combo" feel, without feeling like it is going to die out in the next year.

However, not all games have been like this. But, since true third party support so far has been lacking for the Wii, we can expect that with the success of the system we'll see some great games rolling out that don't overkill the new control scheme in the next year. In fact, we already have; Resident Evil 4.

Three and a half years later, and I still miss Elliott Smith

The newest Elliott Smith compilation, New Moon, hits stores May 8th.

So what if he knocked him on his ass, he had coke!

Officer charged for battery on the job, again.
Read that. Now, I understand that officers can't just knock a dude out right away. But I think it's horribly cliche and nearly moronic and wimpy to worry about a drug lord getting knocked on his ass.

It's great to see that the quickness of the officer resulted in a cocaine carrier getting tossed in jail. Imagine if the officer didn't make the supposed threat, or didn't act in the manner he did? I doubt it would have ended as nicely as one would imagine.

I don't support police brutality. But I do think it can be waived if there are positive results, and we see more people possessing drugs that are cuffed.

Wow. That's all I can say.

So I am currently working on trying to start my assignment due for tomorrow's class, when I find the most shocking, yet hilarious, thing I've seen all week:
Keith Richards snorted his father's ashes.

In a twisted, enlightening, and horrified-yet-intrigued way, I would bet that any drug addict (especially the 'snorters') have probably thought of this.

Finally, someone did it. I think it's funny that he mixed it with cocaine. If you were the father and knew about that, would you be offended? Let's say you were okay with your son snorting your ashes (an idea hard to get around,) would you expect them to do it straight up with a rolled up $100 bill? Or would you settle for some crushed up pills they bought from a guy living in his parent's basement?

That's a lot of crazy questions you probably don't want to think about. I'm guessing Keith Richards didn't want to, either.

Religion, life, and football.

Is Football Becoming the Biggest Religion of America?
I've never seen this particular grown man cry,
except for the Green Bay Packers. Funerals, births, graduations and weddings pass this man by, and not a tear leaves his eyes.
But when Brett Favre's father passed away in late 2003, and he played the game of his life, he cried like baby.

So is football becoming a centralized point in American lifestyle?
Is it being followed like a religion?

Lately there have been talks of the Packers making a trade for the infamous Randy Moss, superstar wide receiver of the Oakland Raiders. I decided to do some Googling on the topic:

Would the Packers trade for Randy Moss?
Randy Moss Trade
Should Packers aquire Randy Moss?

There are two distinct arguments that are the most persistent, one for and one against the trade.

1) Randy Moss is a "delinquint," and would be a problem for the Packers and their fans.

2) Randy Moss is a great wide receiver, would be a help to the team, and cool off his attitude with the help of Favre.

A dividing line
seems to draw between these two arguments and the football philosophies that they represent.

The first one represents the good of a team, of a unified whole. The second represents the good of a strategic sport.

It seems that only the latter has been around since the beginnings of the sport, too. In fact, when reading some of the comments on the cited forums that reflect the first attitude, many of them give a sense of passion for a football team.

Does the ultimate question boil down to which is more important; one's performance in the sport, or the attitude and passion involved in it?

If it does, maybe we should remind ourselves that football shouldn't be casting any shadows, and that for the good of a strategic game, Moss should come to Green Bay.

Janitor steals kids' coins, dvd players, cell phone...

Janitor steals kids' coins.
Wow. If he would have stuck with just the coins, that could have added up to a hefty sum, had he not gotten caught.

Oh my god, you SO did not just tell me to hang up.

15-year-old beats teacher over cell phone usage.

UPDATE: What not to say.

So after a nice gripe with some friends about local "journalists" (usually college-level,) that like to push their illogical opinions out to the masses, I decided to actually read more articles on Front Page Milwaukee, the very cool UWM news site that I am featured on.
I regret to say that it was a mistake.
Here are prime examples, all of which I put in my two cents by commenting back on each article. I'll admit, there are some flaws in some of my opinions I give back, but I stand by my rhetoric. Especially in comparison to these:
Smoking Ban on Campus
Anti-Facebook and Myspace
Milwaukee Men Aren't Gentlemen

Please, someone tell me with valid and logical explanation in a well-thought out and thorough manner, that I'm wrong.
I would love to see less articles on campus like these, ones that weren't written in a stream of thought (questionable) and were proofread less than one time. It is a crime to call this journalism, in my opinion. I have yet to speak with a single individual who believes that the dominant campus newspapers actually have great writing staffs. In fact, most I speak to read the papers, and articles like I've linked, to laugh at them, and shake their heads in disbelief.
I can't say I entirely agree with them. It is great to have firm enough belief in a topic to put yourself out in the public eye. It is wonderful to belief in what the media and journalism can do for us as a public, to gain insight into new ideas in a very fast manner.
But the ideas matter too. Some curse blogs and the internet for its lack of a filter, for its perverse and vulgar content that anyone has access to. "Vulgar and perverse" includes illogical and moronic. "Access" includes the authors of such content, like the writers of such articles.
Some days, I feel like the greatest parts of modern technology and the advancements of communcation are being misused, misrepresented, and taken for granted.

Blogging: stupid or stupid?

My favorite "blog" about blogging:
maddox.xmission
Ah, Maddox. You're read more than Drudge, and deserve it.
Everything he says is inherently true.
After scoping a few mindless posts from other bloggers, I realized how devoid the 'blogosphere' must be of logic.
There's no doubting it.

Some even show partiality in give-aways

Shopping.com Sweepstakes Rules.
Let me make it easier for you to find:
_{"If a Canadian resident is selected as the potential winner, the Canadian resident must correctly answer a skill-testing question within a time limitation, without assistance of any kind, mechanical or otherwise, to win the prize."}
I found it hilarious. It reminds me, in some way, of the movie Canadian Bacon.

To Britney Spears, hair loss must equal independence.

Britney Balding Spears
What other way is there to pronounce singularity, than by shaving your head an getting a tattoo, especially if you are a girl?
Now all we need is for her to tear up a picture of the Pope.

Calamity News: Changing how you take it, hard.

Calamity News is a site dedicated to bringing you daily stories in a no-bullshit way. Check it out!

Journal Sentinel and Google sign deal

Journal Sentinel and Google sign ad deal.
This is definitely a cool idea. Now smaller businesses get a chance to not only buy ad space with Google, but get to bid on excess space with over 50 newspapers nationwide, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
A great idea on behalf of Google.

Mother locks away children for seven years.

Mother kept girls locked away from the world for seven years.
Absolutely disgusting. What is quite disgusting to me is the fact that she is likely facing anywhere from 5 months to 5 years for the grotesque act, a hardly suitable punishment.
I try to think back to when I was a ripe thirteen years old. Then I imagine living in waste and darkness until, literally, now. It is unimaginable. The amount of terror and dread involved in this is unbelievable.
I sincerely hope that her punishment far exceeds the damage she did to her children. In this situation, I can honestly say I wouldn't care if she claimed some sort of insanity. It also wouldn't surprise me if she did, she is a lawyer.
Regardless, something this horrible can't go so far underpunished. It is baffling to see that individuals such as this woman even exist in our society.

Anna Nicole Smith found dead at 39

Anna Nicole Smith found dead
Breaking news. What about her baby?

Favre to return!

Favre to return
It's official. Favre has announced to the Sun Herald in Bilox, Miss. that he will be returning to the Green Bay Packers as quarterback for the 2007-08 season.
Take that, doubters.

February, debatably the most masculine month in the year.

What's in store for this month? Here's the pre-highlights:
02/02 - "The Messengers" comes out in theaters, and manages to set records in "Most amount of scary-movie cliches piggybacked."
02/04 - Superbowl Sunday, where the Colts will regretfully win, and Peyton Manning will owe CBS at least $1,000,000 for his ad spot in a commercial.
02/06 - Apples in Stereo, Bloc Party, and Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter release new cds, which will be pirated shortly thereafter. So does Fall Out Boy, but is that news?
02/11 - Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! will begin airing on Adult Swim, and will still not get Tim and Eric the viewership they deserve.
02/14 - Valentine's Day will strike the nation hard with free condoms, lots of chocolates, and "dicks in boxes where chocolate was supposed to be."
02/16 - I turn 20, thus ending my official "growth spurt."
- "Ghost Rider" is also in theaters, a movie that is about a comic book character that nearly no-one knows. This movie will turn out to be the perfect hiding spot for Nicolas Cage.
02/20 - Sonic the Hedgehog will make his debut to the Nintendo Wii in "Sonic and the Secret Rings," which makes me anticipate the announcement of "Wii Gardener."
02/23 - "The Number 23" comes out in theaters, reassuring the public that Jim Carrey is just that creepy.

Let me check my Fantasy... TV???

It turns out that sports fanatics aren't the only ones enjoying the online phenomena known as "fantasy sports" anymore. Now, its a whole new kind of couch potato, really.
Fantasy Tee Vee is a site where you can set up your own private Fantasy TV league, or join a public one.
The game is played very similarly to other online fantasy sports games. First, you "draft" characters and quirks from many of your favorite primetime TV shows to your roster. Next, you pick who you will play and who you will "bench" for the week, with the objective being to win the most "days" when versing a single opponent from the league of six players at most.
Soon, you may find yourself somewhat interacting and watching shows you formerly would change the channel from.
Sweeps Weeks are played like playoffs, being the time where a winner is crowned.

Lame? Actually, I've already joined a public league and created a private one for friends to join. I've never cared so much about Gilmore Girls and Two and a Half Men.

State of Emergency

Here's what I got out of the State of The Union Address tonight:


I'm not necessarily saying that Nancy Pelosi was made Speaker of the House only to better appeal to Congress about Bush's war plan, but I'm saying that it's almost entirely likely that Nancy Pelosi was made Speaker of the House to better appeal to Congress about Bush's war plan.
Just to clear that up.

TXT: repent to 56767

Phone Thief Repents
Here's the big question; does this justify his actions?

A new level of dumb.

Taxpayers to pay for tax glitch.
Unbelievable. I imagine that the tax booklets were sent in an envelope anyways, however, at least I'd hope.
It's likely that they weren't, and were just presorted bulk mail that were addressed and sent in a catalog-fashion.
I worked at a mail house once, and know that the printer probably used a database program for bulk mail (probably the same one I did,) that has all the necessary addressing information to send to the receiver, including the social security number. Those were probably accidentally left on as information to print within the printed address.
Or at least I'd imagine, as a worst-case scenario. How else would personal information appear on the outside of the booklet?
Yay for screw-ups!

Still closer to the ultimate goal.

Out with the Confederate flag.
Let's do some word association:

Confederacy.
Con-Federate.
Kevin Federline.
Moronic and big-headed.
Confederacy.

So there's more gripe about "southern values" versus symbolism of slavery and bigotry.
Has no-one remembered to mention that the two go hand in hand?

The most recent unofficial poll that I haven't taken yet shows that a solid majority of Americans will agree that the American Civil War actually did take place, and mostly on the grounds of slavery and moral differences regarding it.

The commonly used "Confederate Flag" was created during the Civil War period in support of the southern states that, in turn, supported slavery. So by touting the flag, southern values, that of the Civil War period, are being represented, which is slavery.

It's funny that two sides fighting on the topic are actually agreeing with one another, but one side is just taking the logical process an extra step.

Some may disagree, however, and claim that the "southern values" that the Confederate Flag represents are not of slavery, but of more recent, reputable values. These people are wrong.
Here's the truth:

You can't change what a flag represents.

You most certainly can add to it, but the origins of that flag, and the blood and sweat for slavery poured into it, will always remain.

Apparently, after such a revelation, all we're left with is ignorance.


--But I barely care about the flag. I care about the people that actually are naive enough to think that the south is still a separate colony. By carrying that flag, you are representing just that, segregation of state.

Therefore, I propose a more important change in American Society: the removal of the south from the United States.
The Confederate Flag is just the beginning. And even if we can't remove the states themselves, we could at least deport the people.

O M G. Literally.

Bible on DVD
It doesn't take long for such cultural things to catch up to technology, does it? Seriously, the bible on DVD has been around for a long time.

But it's still ridiculous.

So it's 2:00 am, and I'm watching infomercials (meaning I'm watching Tom Green while leaving infomercials on) when I realized I was subliminally soaking in a paid advertisement for a box set of the bible on DVD.

First off, bibles (if hypothetically are actually holy and are a real "word of God,") shouldn't have monetary value. It doesn't make sense, especially when some passages warn against the thought.

Next, it is ridiculous for the sake of its own concept. Oh my god. Is it a sin to be too lethargic to actually read the "word of God?" The DVD set is a 'dramatized' version of the bible, and was acclaimed to be perfect for a (serious quote here) "rambunctious Bible study group of kids," whether one exists or not.

So a dramatized version of the Bible is necessary to teach it, since you're pretty much admitting the Bible is too boring to begin with?

This is what comes on TV at 2:00 am. Crazy.
/rant.

Beckham to play in MLS

Beckham To Play in MLS
International soccer superstar David Beckham has now officially signed a 5 year contract with MLS team Los Angeles Galaxy.
The deal is said to be for about $250 million over the 5 years, which amounts to nearly $1 million per week.
The question: is it worth it?

Absolutely.

In America, soccer has gone underrated for far too long, and bringing in one of the game's finest players can only help achieve the goal of bringing the sport up to a similar status that football, basketball, and baseball have in the states.
This change in the sport's fanbase has been inevitable, however. The appreciation has grown in America over the last few World Cup tournaments, held every four years, in which The U.S. soccer team has shown more promise. This last year's team, though not advancing too far, was at least presented with much anticipation.

One this is for sure, other countries don't look at America as any sort of serious competition as far as the "greatest tournament of them all" is concerned, nor have they.

Nor do they have reason to, since the sport itself isn't taken seriously enough within the borders of the country.

I can only hope that Beckham is a driving force to bring American soccer to a higher level with other sports in this country. It'll be interesting to see how well he and Landon Donovan work together.

A call for more war.

The big news tonight is the call for more troops in Iraq by President Bush, which goes directly against the majority vote of bringing the troops home.

Obviously more debate has been stirred, with, once again, "republicans" and "democrats" on each side of the pot.

• Here's one way to look at it:
  

Time to put down the meaningless labels and step back for a second and examine this truth:

We are talking about war. We are talking about human deaths.

We are talking about people that have families, that breath the same air.

No one, and I repeat (this can't be contested in any way) no one, has the authority to call the lives of others in such a fashion. I don't care who you are, or what person A did, you have no authority over them, especially if you have a spiritual belief of some sort.

• Here's another way to look at it:

Our safety and security as a nation and the well-being of others are at risk. We have to take care of that. Jessica McBride's blog Shares a viewpoint generally the same as this. To me, it starts to get boring to read.

• My viewpoint:

I'm definitely not the meddling kind, and based on the following reported from JS Online:

"Those officials said the new plan rests on a new set of assumptions about Iraq. The old assumption, they said, was that political progress in holding elections and forming a government would defuse violence and unrest and increase stability in the country.

'But in 2006, the opposite happened,' said Bush on Wednesday, referring to the civil warring between Shiites and Sunnis.

The new strategic assumption is that the U.S. and Iraqi forces must suppress violence and protect the populace before true political stability is possible, officials said."

So what I gather is that we're just going to guess-and-check until we get it right? Along the lines of the former point of view I outlined, are human lives this expendable, to enforce a way of life that even some Americans (actually many, from what I gather,) don't even agree with?

There are many problems in both the U.S. and in Iraq (and now Iran, and Syria, and everywhere,) to try to solve. What gets me is, "why are 'we' even there?"

So from the googling I've done, here's what I understand:

1. Bush failed at finding Weapons of Mass Destruction.
2. There was still reason to believe that there were direct threats in Iraq. So we stayed.
3. We admittedly screwed up. So we stayed and vowed to fix everything.
4. Now we're still there fighting, and not fixing, still hanging on the claim that we're threatened.

So if there are Sunnis and Shiites that are fighting each other, and fighting us, then why are we still there? At this point, then, wouldn't the best bet be to pull out? Or are we sticking to the whole "threat" deal?

My big idea is to not lose sight of our true goals. There's no use in trying to be a hero to people that either don't need or don't want saving. A local police officer who is spending time in Iraq to train and teach the people there reports (almost word for word): "They are unappreciative, and don't care or want help. This is a joke."

Is it? Or is it our duty to keep trying, whether it's guess-and-check or not?

Apple Announces iPhone

Apple Inc. Announces New iPhone.

I'm surprisingly intrigued by this. After all, I like touch screens (part of the reason why I love the Nintendo DS), but I'm not a fan of Apple, especially their blatant scheming:

1)Aim for naive demographic that sees pretty, buys pretty.
2)Make useless consumer electronics for that demographic.
3)Stick that annoying "i" in front of every product released.
4)Put in worse and worse components as time goes on (highly debatable, but this is always right. Always. Don't doubt it. The components are getting much worse for the money.)

Regardless of all that, this phone looks kind of neat. Definitely not as cool as the LG Chocolate. I got to hold one of those today, and it was good. Very good.

I'll admit, I am just as much a consumer of needless electronics, like upgrading to phones with useless functions, but I won't be naive about it. This new phone by Apple boasts touch screen ability.

Do yourself a favor and go to a nearby Wal-Mart. Go to the electronics department, to the video games. They'll have a Nintendo DS there. Play with it. Use your finger on the bottom screen, which is the touch screen. You will notice, no matter how many times you wipe your hands, you will leave annoying fingerprints.

If you're like me, this just won't cut it with a phone. I can barely stand smudges on the screen as is. I guarantee that this is unavoidable with the iPhone. Add that to the size of the phone, and the overall look of it, and it really doesn't seem that great at all, does it? The functions don't seem so impressive either. So much for claiming it is revolutionary (which Apple always loves to claim.)

Not convinced Apple isn't worth it yet? Google around for facts and reviews that compare Macs to PCs and other competitors, to find that Apple isn't always what it seems. A good place to start is here.

McGwire Eats Entire Bat in Protest.

I'm definitely not a big baseball fan. I only really care about the Brewers, but this made me laugh:
Mark McGwire Didn't Make the Cut

So "supplements" really came back to bite him, eh? I consider it karmic retribution.

Mark McGwire eats an entire baseball bat in protest of his Hall of Fame rejection.

Photo by me. I wish he really ate that bat too, as that would actually be entertaining.

Sharpton for president, again?

Al Sharpton for President

It appears that Al Sharpton wants to run for president again. His main argument for a lack of good leadership in government is the issue of poverty in the nation that he feels isn't being addressed well.

JS Online states: "'Right now we're hearing a lot of media razzle dazzle,' Sharpton said. 'I'm not hearing a lot of meat, or a lot of content. I think when the meat hits the fire, we'll find out if it's just fat or if there's some real meat there.'

Sharpton also said, ""If we're talking about the urban agenda, can you tell me anybody else in the field who's representing that right now?" Oh, and he goes on to say that he's impressed with N. Carolina Senator John Edwards, who has poverty as the focused issue in his campaign.

Sharpton doesn't "see any reason not to [run]."

How about this?

Seriously. Proclaiming that something has to be done about poverty and then going over on your financial limit on personal expenditures don't mix well. Just google his name and you'll find that his track record isn't amazing in his campaigns.

He does support gay marriage, and equal rights, which is a plus. Too bad he's made racial and offensive slurs, otherwise he almost made everyone fall for that one, too.

Charges Dropped Against Saddam

Court Drops Charges Against Saddam
Knowing the way the execution was handled, and the way the Shiite-dominant government works, I'm surprised he wasn't hanged again.
Can we turn back to the war on health care now?

I'm afraid you've been plutoed.

Word Of The Year
The 2006 word of the year is "plutoed," chosen by the American Dialect Society in their meeting last Friday.
The word means to be "demote or devalue someone or something," which is in accordance with the big news in October 2006 of Pluto's demotion from planet to "less-than-planet" in the solar system.
The runner up was "climate canary," which is "a species whose poor health or declining numbers hint at a larger environmental catastrophe on the horizon."


At least Pluto got some recognition this year. Instead of being recognized for its hip, "rebellious" orbit, it got shot down to a "has been" and a "dwarf planet."
It got plutoed.

Society has gotten slightly better.

Country Music on the Decline

What really strikes me are the gross misinterpretation of the statistics. So CD sales in general have been down (due to the rising popularity of personal mp3 and media players,) but that doesn't detract from the fact that there were 400,000 less country music albums sold in 2006 than in 2005.

The really gross part is the attribution of great artists of 2006 to the country genre in general. The #2 band listed is Johnny Cash (the only good person able to be labeled "country.") This is obviously due to the wonderful movie Walk The Line, including soundtrack and DVD sales, and obviously box sets and past albums by Johnny Cash. It really has nothing to do with whether he's "country" or not.

What's my gripe with country? Everything. It isn't good music. And music isn't just music. Following a distinct sound and pattern in all the theory and structure of your attempt at music isn't music. And following patterns is what country is.
One time at work, when the radio was turned on, a country song came on. I politely asked my coworker the band who made the song. The reply?
"Keith Urban" (with a very puzzled look on their face, as if I should have known.)
I'm sorry, coworker, but it sounds like any other country singer. And the very basic chord progressions and drum tracks sounded like any other country band.
And ballads for lyrics is like putting a golf ball in a blender. Stupid.

Here's to a successful year at making the country music industry slightly less successful. Hopefully we as a nation can do better in 07'.
/rant.

This is the kind of logic we pay taxes for.

Activity In Video Games Fights Obesity
This makes me want to buy a Nintendo Wii. How about you? How revolutionary, you can enjoy your video games while getting a form of exercise!




Except it's not revolutionary. The technology is, to a small extent. But motion-sensing technology, even in video games, has been around for a LONG time.
And video games that gives you a work out have been around for nearly 20 years, too.
Nintendo Power Pad
Yep, I have one of these, too. And after racing my girlfriend for nearly ten minutes, I was out of breath. And for as old as it is (1988) it is extremely durable.
And it also was the precursor for the infamous dance pad for the game Dance Dance Revolution.

How revolutionary. A video game that gives you exercise. Sure, the power pad worked your feet, but the Wii really puts you in the game, using your entire body, especially hands and arms.

Castmaster
Motion-sensing video games. Again. Except this one probably won't make you break a sweat.

It seems that everyone and their uncle has been making a big hairy deal about the Nintendo Wii and how it "puts you in the game." Now we get unnecessary releases about how it can make you lose weight? While we're at it, why don't we pull out a lighter and amaze ourselves that we can make fire?
Don't get me wrong, I definitely am interested in getting one, but not anytime soon. I like my games sitting, and my fingers flying, and that's all I need.

Zap, You're Cliche!

Out With The Old

To me, this is long overdue.
Sometimes buzz words like these can be a strong indicator of pseudo-intellectuality. Let's face it, many people (it's OK to generalize here) use large and "harder" words to tout their intellect. Some take it to a new level, and even screw up those words. Enter the current Commander-In-Chief.
I really enjoy "strategy" being on this list. Not only is it a commonly used word throughout society, but it is one of the most basic words to represent its own concept.

Perhaps "brainstorming" would be more suitable for the list. What word is more basic and common than "strategy" for that concept? I can't think of any, at least not now.
You could possibly go with "think," but that goes along a different wavelength.

Hillary lays some smack on Obama.

In a related story:
Drudge Report says...

Can you tell she wants the power?

The Tides of Change?

DraftObama.org, an organization dedicated to the publicizing and encouragement of presidential run by Senator Barack Obama announced that it is launching a national group named "Independents for Obama" yesterday.

How easy is it to love Barack Obama? Just google his name for his political career, and you'll see he's on the right side of every line.

I'm definitely not a Democrat. I'm pretty much a skeptic. But if I'm not mistaken, the two most wanted Democrats in office are the Clinton-lady, and Obama.

I smell a different breeze blowing. Could it be that the next president of the United States isn't a wealthy, land-owning, white male? The democrats won congress. Did they win over the people?

So now this organization created a group, pretty early on, that shows growing support for Obama by independents as well. What intrigues me is that this group was made separate from the parent organization.

I guess it would be too good to see different parties actually banding together for once. Seems odd that the group was even made at all. At least from a moral and logical standpoint. Obviously it sparks more support for Obama.
Either way, more people are hopping on the Barack Obama bandwagon. It'll be an interesting two years ahead of us.

Favre to return. Quit fussing.

Okay, people. He'll come back.
Quit worrying.
Lately there's been a lot of speculation as to whether Brett Favre, current Green Bay Packers quarterback, would be returning for another season.
Here's your answer (still unofficial):

He'll be back.

So he had a few tears, big deal. Here's a fact for you; he's only a few touchdowns away from beating that ultimate record that Dan Marino set years ago: the career high in touchdown passes.
That's huge. He ended this season just under that record, and would definitely beat it if he came back.
Some say that this doesn't, and won't, factor into his decision.

That's a lie. I mean, COME ON.
He'll come back. No one in their right mind would end a career so close to a golden record. So quit whining.
Mike out.