53R1A75

just a quick update to post about some neat new sites i’ve been using lately.

first of all, this is a game called loops of zen. i’m linking you to the full window version because it’s way better that way. the game is a great little brain teaser that doesn’t require that much commitment… not that i’m afraid of commitment… well maybe i am when it comes to video games.

in the way of games, i’ve added two more neat ones to my arcade repertoire. the first is age of booty. it’s a fun pirate themed real time strategy game that strikes me to be in the theme of settlers of catan… but in real time, not turn based. at any rate, it’s probably just the hex tiles that remind me of it. you move your ship around the ocean board attacking merchant ships, other players and harbors around the map. i’ve been extremely addicted to it as of late, and i highly recommend it.

the second xbla title i recently downloaded is castle crashers. i’m not sure on the history of this game, but i do know it has quite a cult following so i’m guessing this game was originally launched as an artsy flash game. at any rate, sarah saw the demo of this one and we were hooked. it’s a well designed 2d side scrolling rpg reminisce of the old days of gauntlet.

finally, my good friend phil introduced me to portal for the first time last night. from the guys that did half-life and a group of college kids, this game presents an interesting and worthwhile twist in fps to bring you the fps puzzle game like never before. basically, you shoot portals out and warp everywhere. it sounds underwhelmingly simple, but it actually makes for a great new puzzle idea that i’m now itching for more of.

next up is a shiny new site that i’m dying to tell everyone about. it’s lala.com, and it’s part itunes, part itunes music store, and part last.fm all blended together into one, pretty easy, pretty familiar interface. i signed up yesterday, uploaded my entire library over the course of the evening, and voila! i can listen to almost all of my music over the internet through lala.com. if you go there, sign up, and like it, be sure to friend me.

oh yeah! and last up, before i forget is hobnox.com. the site has a bunch of interesting stuff, but i haven’t really taken the time to explore. the big thing that’s really caught my eye in the past is their audiotool. it’s a reason-like synthesizer that’s web-based. they finally added a record feature, so besides just doodling around on it, you can now save what you’ve done.

over and out!

I’ve had a lot of people hear my various rants about voting for the dubious and ubiquitous Mr. Jorack McBama. Since it’s an opinion, I get all range of responses. But, some people who feel the same way as I do (so far a majority) want to know where they can get info for third party candidates. So here’s a list of sites to hit up so that you can avoid voting for the biggest mistake in American History.

Party Sites

• Libertarian - http://www.lp.org
• Green - http://www.gp.org
• Constitutional - http://www.constitutionparty.com
• New American Independant - http://www.newamericanindependent.com/
• Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org
• PSL - http://www.pslweb.org/site/PageServer
• Socialist - http://www.sp-usa.org/
• Alan Keyes - http://www.alankeyes.com/

Mr. Sestak,

Previously I had lived in the 6th district, and only recently moved into your district. I’m still adjusting myself to the new local and federal political landscape of Malvern, so please forgive if you feel this is misinformed or inaccurate.

I recently heard you speak your opinion and reasoning for voting for the recent “bailout” bill on the 1210AM radio talk show hosted by Michael Smirconish. I felt very disappointed in hearing that you, after hearing from a majority of your constituents, decided to vote for a massive bailout of major banking institutions, against their expressed opinions on the matter.  To understand your perspective on the issue, I also read your press release in regards to your vote on this bill. (http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa07_sestak/pr_080930.shtml) And while I feel you are well meaning on your “Yea” vote, in the end, the bill as a package must require a vote of “Nay”.

I understand that it is your privilege and right, given to you by your constituents, to choose in a way that you think best for the nation even if they desire you to vote differently. However in this case I feel you more exemplify the out of touch social elite ruling economic class, than of wisdom, sense, or care for the needs your voting bloc.

As I understand it, now that the Senate has passed some form of this bill, you will again be voting on this bill. I ask that you would reconsider your original choice and vote against a bill that may seem to rebound a part of the economy, but will in actuality only delay the correction to the market that must eventually happen. The longer you delay this correction, the worse it will be, and you, along with your colleagues will be to blame for the mistake you made in medling with what is supposed to be a market free from socialist or communist leaning entanglements from the government.

I would also ask that you consider voting against the new version of this bill returning from the Senate because of these “bribes” placed in this bill. These bribes distort the true nature of what is trying to be done here and no good can ever come of a bad bill being bribed into law in this way. Some of these sections are:

• Sec. 105. Energy credit for geothermal heat pump systems.
• Sec. 111. Expansion and modification of advanced coal project investment credit.
• Sec. 113. Temporary increase in coal excise tax; funding of Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.
• Sec. 115. Tax credit for carbon dioxide sequestration.
• Sec. 205. Credit for new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles.
• Sec. 405. Increase and extension of Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund tax.
• Sec. 309. Extension of economic development credit for American Samoa.
• Sec. 317. Seven-year cost recovery period for motorsports racing track facility.
• Sec. 501. $8,500 income threshold used to calculate refundable portion of child tax credit.
• Sec. 503 Exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for use by children.

(From Mr. Andrew Leonard, http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2008/10/01/senate_bailout_extravaganza/index.html, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008 13:36 PDT)

In addition, from the “earmark sections” and from footage of the Senate on CSPAN, the passage of this bill and the debate thereof is more akin to a three ring circus or mafia crime sydicate, and not the dignified debate of lawmaking that the citizens of this country deserve. Please abstain from adding or voting in favor of these earmarks which are really bribes for votes.

Finally, I have been enraged by what I feel is your outright ignorance of the people you were sworn to represent that I cannot, in good conscience vote for you when you run for your next term in Congress.

Mr. R. Lee Creasy

MSIT Bloomsburg University

BA Drexel University