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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 feel like I’m getting old. Well, at least out of touch with older gamers and younger gamers. I just read an article here in ars pointing out how freaking awesome nintendo wii is doing in sales against other platforms. Now I know it’s a stretch to take an article about game and system sales and relate it to age. I’m a little too lazy to go into all the facts and figures, but essentially I see the Wii as the system for kids and adults who missed the original gaming “thing”. So when I see all these people buying rehash games like Smash Bros and Mario Kart, I think dang, I’ve really been there done that. My experience with those games was “screw it, I’m sticking with the game cube controller” (well, Mario Kart might be the exception to that, but seriously, EVERY GAME THAT DOESN’T USE THE WII MOTE IN A SIMULATIVE WAY HAS BORED ME TO DEATH AND I’VE RETURNED DIRECTLY TO THE GAME CUBE CONTROLLER). Not to mention games like Mario Party that I’m positive will cause rampant wrist problems due to meaningless repetitive motion. And then I think about my dear, sweet XBOX 360 that I’ve had for little over a year. Let me just point out what I love about it. (in no particular order, enumerated for counting purposes only.)

1. XBOX Live and the multi-player frag fests that ensue
2. XBOX Arcade (I’m a sucker for N right now)
3. XBOX media downloads, for you know, when I’m REALLY REALLY FREAKIN LAZY.
4. The possibility that that thing is the only box I need under my TV
5. Gears of War
6. Katamari Damashi
7. GTA (I have all of the old ones for XBOX as well as IV)
8. Midnight Club

Though I have to admit some of these are not unique to XBOX (but some of them are not on the Wii at all, though Damashi SHOULD BE)

So in a much needed conclusion, the Wii has yet to offer a series of games that would make me give up my 20 button controllers, and I feel like I’m in a strange Generational loop caught between the young and the old.

I want you all to know, I almost didn’t post this. But then I thought, “self, this is not your life.” And I thusly decided to reveal to you the secret innermost workings of the internet. It is, manbabies.com. Yes, you heard me correctly. Now when you visit this site try to image yourself in one of those pictures. And from now on, consider how you compose your facial features in a picture. Because you never know when someone may swap your head with a baby’s head. Just sayin’.

In an article at the daily galaxy, there’s an interesting idea postulated that perhaps the next space war is between software companies. I would agree. HAL 9K anyone? I mean we meandered through the days of WIN 2K, I just figure it’s the next logical step. But I digress. I think previously, I linked to google sky. It’s a fun program right up to the point where you sit down and try to figure out exactly where you are in the sky. That’s the trick. You’re behind you. Oh nevermind. It’s an interesting article. Go read it.

The New York Times must always be patting itself on the back for naming their “BITS” section. I mean come on, who comes up with all those clever little acronyms. However, they do have an interesting, not so assumptive article about a media giant mfer who is now without express permission, as a part of their “service”, going to log EVERY WEBSITE THEIR USERS GO TO and sell that information to an advertiser. In Karl Marx language, they are flexing untapped capitol created by their users to create more profit. Now, I’m a business likin’ kind of guy, so I don’t mind profit too much. But I do particularly care about personal information. Who is to stop them from selling to the highest bidder? What if that bidder was the US Government? Would you like it then? What if the ad company was simply a shell company created by the government to legitimately purchase private information without the oversight and overbearing (dis-)approval of the public? This is dangerous folks, and it should not be allowed.

Finally, my google dear hearts (also cutthroat advertisers) have integrated their photo service and wikipedia directly into google maps. I recommend you all check it out. It’s a lot of fun.

here’s a couple neat things and info I’ve collected this week.

First is hobnox. Most of you who know me, know I’m always rattling on about music I make with ableton live and reason. Here is a audio generation tool that is based off of a similar usability theory as reason: graphically recreate the instruments and their interaction (i.e. cables etc.). The plus side for all of you and myself is that you don’t have to install anything (until they come out with an adobe air version). Which means that you don’t have to know a whole ton about music software, just music hardware in general. If you can hook up some guitar pedals and fiddle with a beat machine, you’re there. It’s a lot of fun. My cube-mate wasted a couple hours because I introduced him to the site (sorry). So have fun. If you figure out a way to record what you’ve done (you can’t save yet) put it on muxtape and let me know about it.

Second, is just a little article for all my friends looking to get their money into the money making business. High yield savings is the first step, and this article shows you how you can figure out just how much interest your savings account is bringing in. Very helpful. Also, you’ll want a calculator. I recommend and use instacalc on a daily basis.

Entirely a rant… on multiple Subjects. Read at your own risk.

Recently there was a tragedy in which a seemingly mentally health man went into a mall and killed a bunch of people. That’s a tragedy. People, while born, live to die. However our propensity for terminal lives does not excuse us from wishing otherwise. In fact man kind consistently seems in denial of this fact. More over we are social beings. Not only desiring things such as love and attention, but we are in physical need of these things. The effects of deficiencies in love and attention and social nurturing have very serious, scientifically observed consequences to a human psyche. And while the human psyche has also been proven to be quite tensile, malleable, flexible and resilient, there will always be a point at which all sense is lost and all a man is left with is a decision. And when his faculties fail him he will have no other choice but to do evil and inflict harm on those around him as an outcry against the social fabric that has failed to meet his emotional needs.

When the social fabric is so dramatically ruptured, it’s parts seek answers within itself. Asking questions such as, “could I have done more.” The culture will be deeply examined. The daily routine of the killer is examined. His mental health, his relationships, his success relative to the cultural status quo is held under great scrutiny. Because in all the tragedy there must be a single answer. But there is not. There will not be a single answer.

Laws do not help people be better people. They help to define what is evil and provide the government a tool with which to judge those who do evil. In any case of a workman with a tool, it is not the tool that determines it’s use but the hand that wields it. And so the government must make responsible, just laws that help to define, judge, and punish those who would impede the inalienable rights of others.

I had more to say, but I got bored writing this. Yawn.

Mostly I just wanted to point out this douchebag that’s masquerading opinion as news/fact. And actually, this can’t even be considered fact. Totalitarian statements like NONE or ALL, are simply deceptive exaggerations. I cannot think at how this actually can be considered news. Oh wait, it’s sensational news. Douchebag.

Once again there has been a mass shooting in the United States, this time in a Nebraska shopping mall. Once again there is no national outcry for gun control.

Two articles on the same topic, from the same associated press release with two very different titles. I don’t really care to speculate on what gives. All I’ll say is, source matters. And also, it’s pretty clear that 1) the government is totally clueless about what it does and 2) people are dumb enough to trust this government with things like their healthcare and their retirement. I’d get the links for all that, but I’m lazy and you’re smart: FIGURE IT OUT. the sad thing is that of all the things we shouldn’t trust the government to do, protecting us and our borders is one of the things we should trust them to do. guffaw, guffaw.

And while I’m on the topic of the government of the people, I HOPE YOU PEOPLE VOTED TODAY. Whining on and on about how you aren’t properly represented. I know state and local elections are a lot more confusingly gray as opposed to the highly media-cized presidential popularity contests, but seriously if you care so much about your government and your rights start at the local level. You’ll thank me.

From the psycho teen angst department, I read this today in the headlines. I’m just gonna go out and say it here, that kid needs to be checked in. Look I know we all get dis-associative at times, but this is a little ridiculous. Plus his mom at least seems likable based on what I read in the article. And to the mom who took him to the hotel room: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Ok, telling his mom was the right thing to do, but helping him get into that situation in the first place. I’m betting that if that hadn’t have been a cop, you could be an accessory at worst and at best you’d find yourself wading in a pool of your friend’s blood. You get the gold star for the day.

Also, unless I’m mistaken, FOX or some idiot scientist/numerologist/statistician/whatever needs to check the math on this one. While it certainly is an interesting useless factoid, 1 in 10 IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM 407 out of 7634.

I must do this because I’m bored. Some kid in VA won the right to have an anti-abortion club in her school.  Now look I’m all about not killing babies, but some of these religious fanatics (I’m one of them… on some issues), need to get it in their skull that just as much as they have the right to an anti-abortion club, some smart-aleck’s gonna have the right to a pro-baby killing club. That’s the way free-speech swings and if you don’t like it, TOO BAD.

The airline industry sucks. I don’t know why it’s still around. Oh wait, yes, it’s coming back to me… consumers are idiots. Between the FAA’s ridiculous regulations and people practically dying while they’re trapped for hours in a plane taxiing around a totally inefficient runway system, the airlines are trying to take away your little peanut snacks. But apparently they’re getting better at leaving on time. Woooooo you also get a gold star for the day. I hope you airline moguls are happy.

I give up. I’m so burnt out on being negative and edgy that I just can’t go on. Here’s the rest of my links for this post sans-witty commentary.

Moron the farm bill - excuse me… More on the farm bill.

Radiohead goes out on good faith and the cheap punks take advantage of them. I said I was done commenting, well I lied. Now I download albums, I’ll be the first to admit it (as long as the moochers over at the RIAA aren’t knocking at my door). But seriously, what did you think would happen. Most of the people on the torrent networks are LEACHERS. And I’ll reasonably bet that the 60% or so who didn’t pay for the album are the punks that don’t share on the torrent networks.

And now for some software.

Visuwords - I really like this. Particularly because it’s like a thesaurus, but better.

Mofuse - This looks interesting, especially if you’re big into accessibility/mobility. I used to have my blogs compatible with the iPhone and some Mobiles at one point.

And finally, of interest to some in my close circle: This dude lived in Trappe.

i’ve had netvibes for some time. i just now took the time to add a good number of news feeds to it. i’m thinking this will be an improvement in my blogging process since i can see at a glance what’s being talked about on the news line and i don’t have to deal with the ranking crap of reddit and digg (but i do have digg in my netvibes, never know what you’ll find)

First up today, girls gone wild? well, yes, but on facebook. probably NSFW, I braved it, though somewhat suspiciously. Now I haven’t been able to check the credibility of this, but I at least can say that I haven’t noticed anyone in my network of friends posting that stuff. I myself am not exempt either. I just post it elsewhere for everyone to find it.

Science blog article from wired about dumping urea into the sea to offset CO2 by stimulating the growth of O2 producing algae. To me it seems like environmentalist infighting. Here are some people who have an idea of how to fix a problem, and the people who want the fix are saying “not really gonna let you do that.” It’s oversimplification, I know. But the topic warrants looking into the source article referenced and the related topics as well.

Is the human race mutating? No not really, actually it was probably pretty insensitive of me to say that, but I digress. This is a pretty popular story among the news outlets. This girl was born with 8 extra limbs. I can’t really tell from the picture which ones they are. If I had a say I wouldn’t take them off unless it really adversely affected her health (it does, I’m just saying..), because hey, who hasn’t wanted to be a human spider? I kid, I kid.

This is just one of many many articles analyzing Google’s announcement of Android - an open mobile technology platform. I just happened to find this one. I’m psyched about this if it pans out. I’ve always been sick of ATT et. all locking phones up and limiting my choices as a consumer through contracts. I recently shelled out a good wad of cash just to say FU and bought a phone not sold as a contract package by ATT. Yay me, right?

I’m really not a financial expert, but if the dollar keeps falling I’m gonna be pinching for my vaca this winter. It seems this is largely based on irresponsible borrowing and lending. With our GDP so high, what gives?

Spring-Ford Reporter:

To the Editor:

Halloween. I like it. Lot’s of people like it. There’s much to do with Halloween. From decorations and cooking to costumes and candy, people busy themselves with preparing much for the merrymaking involved with the holiday. Decorations have always been a great way to communicate the holiday spirit. But to my recollection, the decorations of Halloween never rivaled the intensity of Christmas decorations, that is, until recently.

Houses and store windows alike are now full of pumpkins and gravestones, ghouls and monsters alike. They draw the attention of the passer-by and capture the imagination of children seeking out their Halloween treasures of candy. One particular store had windows that absolutely blew my mind to pieces. After a pleasant night of said Halloween Merrymaking, a small group of my friends and I decided to have our own Halloween parade along the sidewalk of Main St. in Royersford. During that walk we passed a store that many of us had passed countless times before without much scrutiny. Its windows are usually decorated in concert with the season and are always pleasant to look at in passing by. But this night my friends and I were intent on finding entertainment and so, I was surprised at the gravity with which this store’s windows held our attentions and our wondrous amazement.

Not that many store’s don’t make windows worth examining, but to me I think there was something more, something that made these windows worth more than just examination, something that made these windows special. Something so quotidian to the daily by-passer, but so sublime when one slowed the pace of their life to really take in the artful arrangement that actually spoke with such a beautifully haunting narrative. Windows done well will always have a narration, but windows that narrate with a voice that has no other purpose than to whisper the haunting prose of the artist’s visual memory have the ability to enslave the viewer’s mind’s eye and wholly capture their imagination.

But how could such a simple and everyday window arranged with simple and everyday objects be arranged for a holiday to speak with such a voice? I would say that this is an example of the idea that the sum of the parts will always have a greater effect that the parts themselves. With dolls and chests and lace, ghosts and ghouls and picture frames, the obvious elements simply looked like Halloween. But with more examination the details became the basis of the haunt. Dolls that hid in a chest beside an over-sized hand and seemed to be peeking out on a world that was totally foreign to them. A ballerina on point refused to face her audience. Perhaps she was in the middle of a spin, but most seemingly, she was not interested in her audience or she had something to hide. Faces of famous people like Michael Jackson painted in gaudy exaggerations of facial color then framed as if they were the masterpiece - stared out into the window scene. At the center, a woman whose face was unspeakably rotted was comforted by a headless husband as she sat silently on her rocking chair. But behind it all was the orchestrator of the scene. It was the silent partner that stared straight into your soul, but could not be found. And when you did find that head hidden in the far back corner of the scene, you spent all your energy not to reel away in complete terror at what you had found.

What is the first sale doctrine anyways? But my favorite question in this whole thing is: Do you actually own anything digital that you’ve bought? According to most software EULA’s you don’t. But fortunately, as the article points out, this guy isn’t the only person who’s fought this, and won.

Some scientists have sped up the speed of light, or as they say, broken the speed of light. They used a bunch of quantum mechanic mumbledy-jumbledy, but in general the comments on this are skeptical at best.

In quite a scandalous uproar, reddit users found an article that actually advocates the GWBush become the president for life, or dictator. I’ve heard rumor that if he did ascend the throne of America to become the dictator, American citizens have the constitutional right to kill him (but I need to do the fact checking). Needless to say, Family Security Matters took down the article and the only way to read it now is in the google cache.

I would like to now say two things: 1) We’re in Iraq under false pretenses, please find and kill Bin Laden then remove ourselves from the Middle East for good, we’re just making things worse. And 2) I would like to point out that they didn’t kill Americans, they killed innocent civilians. These people are animals.

America should have this holiday.

Scientists found that squirrel’s have a secret weapon: heat. They’re tails give off infrared information that confuses certain predators, particularly rattle snakes.

I del.icio.us‘d this one: SignalMap. It allows you to add what signal you are getting, where you are getting it to a googlemap api. You can see all the signal points in your area with comments. I added one for work so far.

the hypochondriac’s favorite (or most feared) site has a decent article with pointers for getting more energy. don’t read the last page, it’s advertisements basically (and totally lame). top on my todo list is exercise (in the morning!?!?) and breakfast.

great list of credit pointers (10 commandments style) from the consumerist.

what apple product have you owned? my first mac (besides the ][’s at school) was a Mac Classic. with a black and white screen, i was able to surf the web through prodigy (which is still around somehow). which basically meant i was surfing a fake web.

i don’t usually link straight to Fake Steve Jobs, but he includes some parody thoughts that i particularly like regarding the sloth known as the recording industry.

more screw-the-recording-man goodness: ars has a little article about a grandma who is fighting back, as well as some related stories down at the end which are worth a look.