Loft Geeks Central

Just when I was missing you...

2009-07-10T00:32:59Z

New Mech Warrior game! For PC and XBOX 360!

http://www.mektek.net/index.php?ind=news&op=news_show_single&ide=1065

Sarcastic Political Commentary FTW

2009-06-27T01:12:56Z

Heard this one WTOP 103.5 while driving home from work a few days back. I must admit, some of their political commentary is scathingly, hysterically funny.

Oh, and for fans of WTOP.... political commentary that is scathingly, hysterically funny is a Core value!

http://www.wtopnews.com/emedia/157110.mp3

Purely for my own amusement (as usual)

2009-06-21T19:01:43Z

Bucking the Norm. Sticking it to the digital Man.

2009-05-13T01:32:11Z

I realize I'm too lazy to do timely, substantial livejournal updates. I'm also too lazy to get a twitter account and set it up via LoudTwitter to broadcast daily twitters to livejournal. What shall I do? I'll make twitter length posts on livejournal! Muhahaha!

- Prince Caspian sucked. Ents? Water swells that crush troops? LOTR-wanna-be's.
- I just ordered the most expensive Dyson vaccuum that Dyson makes. Who am I?
- I love dollar stores. Glow-sticks, screwdriver kits I can lose, air guns the cats love.
- Re-watching Lost season 4 since a friend told me awhile back that I missed Big Stuff.
- Installed a new dishwasher this weekend. Seriously... who am I?
- Finished reading Bruce Campbell's auto-biography. Love him even more. Awesome.
- On book two of the trilogy based upon the Myst games. Surprisingly good.
- Planted a multi-shelved herb & vegetable garden reachable from the back steps. Laaazy.

Portal. Wow.

2009-03-31T01:39:36Z

I just finished Portal. That's definitely the most fun I've had (and the most I've ever laughed) while playing a first person shooter. It only took me around 3 hours to complete, but it's definitely a full and satisfying experience. For those who don't know, Portal is a game released along with the Half Life 2 bundle known as The Orange Box. It involves solving various puzzles to open doors and progress through the game, aided by a portal-opening gun. Basically it makes a portable black hole, but the holes are orange and blue and going through one pops you out another.

If you want to get the gist of Portal without playing, here's a youtube video of one level:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaITPGcmU3g

And if you want to see the end credits song (sung by the evil psychotic computer that's trying to kill you the whole game), watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jmqDEEEyZY&feature=related

Fallout 3 is Over

2009-01-18T14:02:22Z

So this is not really a spoiler about the ending of Fallout 3, because the ending isn't a huge surprise anyway and I'm going to discuss it in vague terms. However, you can just ignore the rest of this if you're truly concerned about the possibility of spoiling Fallout 3's ending.

***

I'd read that Fallout 3's ending was terrible. I wouldn't call it terrible, just highly uninspired. When you end the main quest, at a fairly good point in the game (but finish all your side quests first since it's just OVER at that point and you have to reload to keep playing) you see an ending based upon how you played. The ending looks very similar to the beginning, just pictures and a voice-over (probably by Ron Perlman again, which is kinda cool). It's rather disjointed, since they obviously play different clips depending on different things you did and your karma level.

This was all kinda meh. I did some reading on forums after I watched the ending (and a few on youtube, provider of various game endings for the masses) to see what other ppl thought. One person suggested that they should have fast-forwarded 100 years into the future, showing how your actions changed history and each group of ppl that you helped (or hurt, or killed, or blew up -- gotta love Fallout's destructive nature). Since the ending only lasts around a minute, then goes into the credits, I really think they should have spent more time on it and just used the game-engine (which is incredible) instead of the cop-out static pictures. Then again.... Ron Perlman IS pretty awesome.

Oh well. The expansion pack has already been announced. I'll just sit back, play Red Alert 3, and prepare to eat my words.

Only Good Thing to Come From Jersey...

2009-01-01T04:23:12Z

Speaking as a fan of his movies, 'An Evening with Kevin Smith' is pretty funny... all four-odd hours, surprisingly. The sequel is pretty amusing as well. Both are available via Netflix Instant Streaming, though for a limited time on the sequel at least. The first is clips compiled from a series of college campus question & answer sessions he gave, and the sequel (so far) is all from a Q&A session at some conference center in Canada. Jason Mewes appears in both, though not for much more than a cameo & a few lines of dialogue.

+10 (Days) to Life

2008-12-29T03:07:42Z

The ten days of my vacation have flown by. However, we have acquired our fourth cat, Zathras:

http://www.sugarthecat.com/

Not that it's any less important, but Tania and I were able to visit with Dav & Tope & his family and see their newborn. I acquired some footage of the little one wailing its head off, which I hope will dissuade Tania from this whole 'babies are cute' thing. Tania's mother was convinced that their cockatiel was going to grow jealous and attack the little bundle of noise, but he chose not to put his evil little birdy plan into action whilst we were there.

Christmas in Massachusetts was fun and generally mentally relaxing whilst physically exhausting. I shoveled snow 5 times, ran a snow-blower twice, and helped out as much as I could to make things easier for our hosts, Tania's mother & step-father. We watched quite a bit of Red Dwarf, from the complete collection I'd recently given Tania for an early Christmas gift, ate a lot of Christmas cookies, and even tried some dark chocolate beer which I'll probably never buy again. All in all, I'm very glad we gave ourselves the weekend at home to recover before I return to work tomorrow.

I used my yearly Amazon gift certificate from my father-in-law to order myself Red Alert 3 and the Orange Box for XBox 360... as well as BattleStar Galactica Season 4. Well, the first half of season 4, since I'm a sucker and really want to see it now rather than wait for the entire season to be released. Tania gave me a few of Chuck Palahniuk's novels at the very good suggestion of Megh, and I recently completed my Calvin & Hobbes comic book collection via Ebay. I guess I'm not really listing Christmas presents here, but general acquisitions that have stuck in my mind...

It's good to be home. It's good that Flip Video recently updated their software so it's *slightly* less buggy. It's good that I was given a Christmas bonus of almost the usual size when so many are losing their jobs. It's good that I get Thursday off and will swap the last of the Christmas presents with my family. Life's good in general... though I'm not looking forward to getting used to writing 2009 in just a few days.

For your geeky enjoyment...

2008-12-06T03:26:23Z

Battlestar Galatica LOL Cats:
http://puntabulous.com/2008/04/11/battlestar-galactica-lol-cats/

Star Trek LOL Cats:
http://puntabulous.com/2008/09/03/star-trek-lol-cats/

The Guild (Free YouTube series about WOW players):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grCTXGW3sxQ

Party like it's... some year I can't remember.

2008-12-02T22:50:31Z

Just when I swore I'd never play through Half Life 1 again...

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/black-mesa-mod-is-still-coming-out-looks-incredible/587/

XBox 360... Whoa is Mii?

2008-11-20T02:03:04Z

The New XBOX Live update happened today. Trying out some streamed Netflix movies now. Not sure how I feel about the new look yet... since customizing my online avatar was strangely like starting Bethesda RPG's as of late...

More to come.

Also... I finally have some home automation products in my house... after programming and installing similar products for four years as my day job.

Fallout 3, War Inc, and other Depressing Comedies

2008-11-10T02:05:41Z

We just saw War, Inc last night. It stars (Sir) Ben Kingsley, Marisa Tomei, and John and Joan Cusack in what we thought would be an updated remake of Grosse Pointe Blank. They're both movies where John Cusack portrays a mercenary, but the similarities end there. John Cusack wrote this movie, and it's a funny-but-so-biting-it-hurts satire of the commercialization and US corporate profits in the Iraq War. I laughed a few times, but we both finished the movie not knowing whether to laugh or cry. I've never heard of John Cusack being political before, but this movie is definitely the most intelligent political commentary I've ever heard from an actor.

And speaking of laugh-or-cry moments, I'm playing my way slowly but surely through Fallout 3. It's the most beautiful and believable game I've ever played, full of black humor and moments so real that I can envision them happening and it scares me. In case you're unfamiliar with the series, it's about survival in a post-apocalyptic future, having emerged recently from a subterranean vault. The wreckage and sheer loneliness and filthiness of the drab landscape seems so genuine at times... especially when former Washington roads and monuments are still recognizable, though barely. You can walk across the endless dust-bowl of a landscape, listening to the current 'President' on your radio, promising a return to family values and prosperity... with the aid of federal funding. It really makes me wonder if politicians could still manage to delude the population with empty hopes in the event of a nuclear apocalypse... or if they'd ever realize it's too late.

Oh well. It may be depressing, but at least you can blow off the heads of super-mutants in slow motion! :-D

Funniest IM Salmon Live Journal Bot Ever

2008-10-20T02:22:30Z

[22:20] TraitorousCoho: John McCain may be working for the zombies. Do you really want to take that chance?

Hmm.... He has a point. No.

Max Payne? Marky...Mark?

2008-10-20T02:18:58Z

How did Max Payne get released without me hearing about it before now? It's probably going to suck, but at least Uwe Boll didn't make it, right?... Uh..... right?

Reasons I need to get Red Alert 3...

2008-10-17T03:59:09Z

"The Soviets and Allies have a mix of old and new units and technologies. New Soviet units include armoured attack bears, Tesla boats known as "Stingrays" that can also travel on land, making them a replacement for the Tesla Tank, anti-infantry spider-like tanks called "Sickles" that have the ability to jump over terrain elevations and an amphibious transport unit called the "Bullfrog" that evacuates its passengers using a large "man cannon". The Allies receive a new Tanya unit that is equipped with a "time belt", allowing her to transport herself to the past in order to regain health, and "Cryocopters", unarmed helicopters equipped with powerful freeze and shrink rays. The Empire of the Rising Sun has giant transforming mecha, ninjas, a psychic schoolgirl and submersible planes."

Ninjas? Psychic schoolgirls? Wow.

Cleveland...Rocks?

2008-10-17T01:11:54Z

So we're staying at a Red Roof Inn just outside of Cleveland tonight. Drove a bit around Cleveland earlier and Tania disposed of some of my income at a bookstore (which doesn't make it 'disposable income'). After figuring out the necessary arrival time and approximate travel time tomorrow, it appears we can afford to sleep in late. It's been a fairly enjoyable trip so far, though I realized I've already seen most of it before up to Somerset, PA, where one of my college room mates and I once went to visit his family over a break. Pennsylvania has always been pretty boring to me, but Ohio has at least partially redeemed itself (after looking a good bit like Pennsylvania for awhile) with Cleveland at night. We'll try taking a lake-side route tomorrow and see if the scenery continues to improve along the route to Chicago.

In other (and more important) news, my copy of Fallout 3 ships to me in just a few weeks.

Wondered what you're waiting for?

2008-10-06T23:10:55Z

Well it's nearly here: Deus Ex 3!

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=198546

Diablo 3 News, Anyone?

2008-10-05T03:02:23Z

Go. Read. Grow Impatient.

http://www.ausgamers.com/features/read/2662371

In case you didn't know...

2008-10-04T15:12:57Z

Yesterday was my birthday, and my wife would like to remind the free world that I am both white and nerdy (and have a penchant for making cats dance for their kibble).

This one's for Palin

2008-10-03T01:19:59Z

Main Entry:
1mav·er·ick
Pronunciation:
\ˈmav-rik, ˈma-və-\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Samuel A. Maverick †1870 American pioneer who did not brand his calves
Date:
1867
1: an unbranded range animal ; especially : a motherless calf
2: an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party

Wait... so how exactly can you be part of a 'Team of Mavericks'?

Propagating the Tomfoolery

2008-10-01T01:18:02Z

So... Tania made her first Harry Potter music video on YouTube. It's... original. I won't say any more because I know some of you won't like the song she chose, but it's one of my favorites. And yes, before you ask, it does have something to do with singing vegetables...

Code for a Presidential Debate

2008-09-28T15:15:22Z

My apologies to the non-coders...but can the coders guess which languages are dear to my heart?

BEGIN SUB(DEBATE);
DO:
Referee_Suggested_Question$(Round);
Candidate_A_Completely_Off_Topic_Answer_Based_Upon_Current_Events$(Round);
Candidate_B_Completely_Off_Topic_Answer_Based_Upon_Current_Events$(Round);
Candidate_A_Attack_On_Candidate_B_Based_Upon_Pseudo_Facts$(Round);
// REM Optional_Dismissal_Of_Preceding_Attack_If_Not_Completely_Ignored$(Round);
Candidate_B_Attack_On_Candidate_A_Based_Upon_Pseudo_Facts$(Round);
// REM Optional_Dismissal_Of_Preceding_Attack_If_Not_Completely_Ignored$(Round);
Candidate_A_Time_Stressed_Attack_On_Candidate_B_Based_Upon_Pseudo_Facts$(Round);
// REM Optional_Dismissal_Of_Preceding_Attack_If_Not_Completely_Ignored$(Round);
Candidate_B_Time_Stressed_Attack_On_Candidate_A_Based_Upon_Pseudo_Facts$(Round);
// REM Optional_Dismissal_Of_Preceding_Attack_If_Not_Completely_Ignored$(Round);
Referee_Attempt_To_Maintain_Some_Semblance_Of_Order$(Round);
Candidate_A_Interruption_Of_Referree_And_Or_Candidate_B_For_More_Pseudo_Facts$(Round);
// REM Optional_Off-Topic_Last_Minute_Return_To_Talking_Points_If_Completely_Lost$(Round);
Candidate_B_Interruption_Of_Referree_And_Or_Candidate_A_For_More_Pseudo_Facts$(Round);
// REM Optional_Off-Topic_Last_Minute_Return_To_Talking_Points_If_Completely_Lost$(Round);
Round = Round + 1
LOOP UNTIL ACCUSATION = SOCIALISM OR ACCUSATION = UNTIMELY SUPPORT OF IRAQ WAR
END SUB(DEBATE);

Nigeran Scammer Drop-Out...

2008-09-27T21:25:16Z

This is undoubtedly the worst Nigerian scam letter I've ever received. If anyone wants to spam or heckle him, feel free.

***

Sequel to your non response of our earlier letter to you on behalf of the Trustees and Executors to the Will of our late client. I wish to notify you that you were listed as a beneficiary to the total sum of £5,500, 000.00GBP(Five million Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in the codicil and last testament of the deceased.

Until his death he was a major shareholder in big companies, which include textile and construction companies. He was a very great hilanthropist during his lifetime. He died on 9th January 2004 at the age of 68. He was buried on the 3rd of February.
Even though he was a foreigner living and working here requested before his death that he be buried here in his words, "I regard here as My home and the people as my people" We therefore reckoned that you can receive this funds as you are qualified by your identity.

All the legal papers will be processed on your response. In your acceptance of this deal acceptance of this deal, we request that you kindly forward any proof of identity of yours, your current telephone and fax numbers and forwarding address to enable us file necessary documents at our high court probate division for the release of this sum of money to you.
For More Details, your reply should be sent to: barristerholtjamie101@googlemail.com
Barrister Jamie Holt.

Jack Thompson is SO disbarred....How disbarred is he?

2008-09-27T00:50:05Z

Suddenly I'm wondering if any of you have any idea what I'm posting about, and if this is anything new...

http://www.jackthompsonissodisbarred.com/

Big Surprise.

2008-09-24T02:04:36Z

This just in: people are dumb.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080923-study-confirms-users-are-idiots.html