After weeks of reading neglect, I buckled down this Christmas break and knocked out the rest of George Martin's A Clash of Kings, the second in his A Song of Ice and Fire series. I had a bit of trouble getting through this second book, as the middle section got bogged down in too much geopolitical intrigue for my liking. The end, however, picked up again with a vengenence. Martin kills off critical characters with a reckless abandon that always keeps the reader on edge. Once I hit the last hundred pages, I read to completion in one sitting.
So now I've moved on to the second of the series, A Storm of Swords.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Grand Theft Auto IV
Ever so recently, I wondered why more press hadn't connected Grand Theft Auto IV with Far Cry 2. After playing GTA IV for a couple of hours, I now know why.
The two games share some common game mechanics, but employ very different narrative vehicles. FC2 has the barest frame of a story wrapped around a traditional first-person shooter. Its characters are underdeveloped, its dialogue read too quickly, and its storytelling limited to one basic goal, finding the Jackal. GTA IV tells a compelling story. Missions often begin and end with cut scenes that are rendered in-game, but rival the feel of a Hollywood movie. Character development reigns supreme, not just for Nico, but for all the supporting cast. GTA IV uses elements of shooter, but running and gunning doesn't drive the game like it does in FC2. And for that reason, the games feel and play quite differently.
And that's why hardly anyone drew a comparison between the two.
Incidentally, I heartily appreciate GTA IV Independence FM. I transferred three Interpol CDs within the Rockstar game folder and now drive around Liberty City listening to music I like. It's a bit surreal to drive in this game. Traffic ebbs and flows like that of a major city. Since I drive in that muck daily, it's so satisfying to ram my stolen car through red lights, stop signs, and lallygagging drivers. Since the car is "borrowed," I have no problem smashing it into stationary and mobile targets alike.
It's like chicken soup for the commuter soul.
The two games share some common game mechanics, but employ very different narrative vehicles. FC2 has the barest frame of a story wrapped around a traditional first-person shooter. Its characters are underdeveloped, its dialogue read too quickly, and its storytelling limited to one basic goal, finding the Jackal. GTA IV tells a compelling story. Missions often begin and end with cut scenes that are rendered in-game, but rival the feel of a Hollywood movie. Character development reigns supreme, not just for Nico, but for all the supporting cast. GTA IV uses elements of shooter, but running and gunning doesn't drive the game like it does in FC2. And for that reason, the games feel and play quite differently.
And that's why hardly anyone drew a comparison between the two.
Incidentally, I heartily appreciate GTA IV Independence FM. I transferred three Interpol CDs within the Rockstar game folder and now drive around Liberty City listening to music I like. It's a bit surreal to drive in this game. Traffic ebbs and flows like that of a major city. Since I drive in that muck daily, it's so satisfying to ram my stolen car through red lights, stop signs, and lallygagging drivers. Since the car is "borrowed," I have no problem smashing it into stationary and mobile targets alike.
It's like chicken soup for the commuter soul.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Gabe as DM
How cool would it be to have an artist like Gabe from Penny Arcade be your DM? Tycho and Gabe have been documenting Gabe's recent interest in DMing his very own campaign in their most recent strips and Gabe himself posted the illustrations he did for each of the party members. Very cool.
Actually, my group has a budding artist too. Pati, the DM's wife, drew and colored stand-up placards for nearly the entire group. They're really good; it's become as much ritual to prop up your player card as opening up the bag of Twizzlers or lining up the night's dice.
Having played 4.0 for nearly six months now, I still enjoy the latest iteration more than 3.5. But I think some of my companions yearn for the complexity and challenge that the previous edition offered. I know Craig, the DM, is frustrated by the party continuously bitch slapping his monsters. He blames the system for the lack of crunchy challenge. I had to remind him that 3.5 has gaping holes in its game system that you could drive a Mack truck through. He nodded agreement, but I don't think he was convinced.
Actually, my group has a budding artist too. Pati, the DM's wife, drew and colored stand-up placards for nearly the entire group. They're really good; it's become as much ritual to prop up your player card as opening up the bag of Twizzlers or lining up the night's dice.
Having played 4.0 for nearly six months now, I still enjoy the latest iteration more than 3.5. But I think some of my companions yearn for the complexity and challenge that the previous edition offered. I know Craig, the DM, is frustrated by the party continuously bitch slapping his monsters. He blames the system for the lack of crunchy challenge. I had to remind him that 3.5 has gaping holes in its game system that you could drive a Mack truck through. He nodded agreement, but I don't think he was convinced.
Monday, December 22, 2008
10 Day Free Trial of Wrath of the Lich King
Watching X-Play the other day, I observed scrolling across their news ticker that Blizzard was offering a free 10 day trial to Wrath of the Lich King. Up till now, I haven't been motivated to buy and play the new expansion. But I am curious enough to try it for free.
After I downloaded all the necessary files and updates (which went flawlessly, by the way), I immediately logged in my mage, headed for Undercity, and took the zeppelin to Northrend. I grabbed some quests and completed them and then . . . got bored, logged out, and played Lord of the Rings Online.
The next day, I spurned Scepter my mage and rolled a death knight, the new hero class. I played all through the death knight story, right up to the last quest that sends you to Orgrimmar to throw yourself on Thrall's mercies. As you walk through Orgrimmar (you can't ride because you've been mysteriously silenced), the denizens of the city throw rotten fruit, spit, and shout out insults until you finally reach Thrall. The orc leader sympathizes with you, however, and commands the Horde to accept you into their fold.
All that was a lot of fun, but when I then made my way to Hellfire Peninsula, my interest faltered again. Not to mention that the death knight absolutely chews through mobs. I can see the nerf bat coming down on this class hard from a mile away. My mage can't kill stuff as fast as my dk can, and the latter is clad in plate and can heal himself!
I've got seven more days to play for free. I'll decide after break if I want to actually buy the game. It seems doubtful though. For every hour I play of WoW, I quit and play two of LotRO. We'll see though.
After I downloaded all the necessary files and updates (which went flawlessly, by the way), I immediately logged in my mage, headed for Undercity, and took the zeppelin to Northrend. I grabbed some quests and completed them and then . . . got bored, logged out, and played Lord of the Rings Online.
The next day, I spurned Scepter my mage and rolled a death knight, the new hero class. I played all through the death knight story, right up to the last quest that sends you to Orgrimmar to throw yourself on Thrall's mercies. As you walk through Orgrimmar (you can't ride because you've been mysteriously silenced), the denizens of the city throw rotten fruit, spit, and shout out insults until you finally reach Thrall. The orc leader sympathizes with you, however, and commands the Horde to accept you into their fold.
All that was a lot of fun, but when I then made my way to Hellfire Peninsula, my interest faltered again. Not to mention that the death knight absolutely chews through mobs. I can see the nerf bat coming down on this class hard from a mile away. My mage can't kill stuff as fast as my dk can, and the latter is clad in plate and can heal himself!
I've got seven more days to play for free. I'll decide after break if I want to actually buy the game. It seems doubtful though. For every hour I play of WoW, I quit and play two of LotRO. We'll see though.
Merry Christmas!
I haven't been posting like I usually do because work has been kicking my ass these last few weeks. My last day before break was Friday and I spent the weekend playing D&D, playing Wrath of the Lich King (10 day free trial), and Lord of the Rings Online. The family and I attended a choir Christmas service at church last night and then went out for some barbeque. I don't know why those two things don't seem to give together, but I enjoyed both anyway.
I hope you have a safe and restful holiday break as well.
I hope you have a safe and restful holiday break as well.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Encyclopedias
I got the oddest flashback today at work. My recent order of 2009 World Book Encyclopedias arrived at my school library today and as I was unboxing them, I suddenly remembered back to when I was a kid. Around ten, I guess. I was a cub scout or webelos and the pack was lingering at someone's house for the weekly meeting. We either hadn't begun an activity, had just finished one, or the activity was so craptacular, we were bored.
At any rate, one of the scouts started in on another, the pack leader's son, when all the adults seemed distracted. He started making fun of him for, get this, reading too much. Stupidity and ignorance remains highly valued even in today's United States, so not much has changed in twenty years. Anyway, the insulting scout said a bunch of stuff, most of which I can't remember, but the one line I do recall, and will likely never forget, is the the crack about the pack leader's son reading the A encyclopedia cover to cover.
I guess that was pretty insulting back in the day because the accused scout sheepishly denied it over the pack's hooting and hollering. As a kid, I thought long and hard about that insult. Both why someone would ever read an encyclopedia like a book and why someone could be made fun of for doing it. I never did come to any remarkable revelation about it. I don't think the memory provides any insight, except as a snapshot to a time that seems light years ago to me. It almost makes my head swoon thinking that some freshly printed reference books could so seamlessly trigger an obscure memory more than twenty years old.
Puzzling and amusing stuff.
At any rate, one of the scouts started in on another, the pack leader's son, when all the adults seemed distracted. He started making fun of him for, get this, reading too much. Stupidity and ignorance remains highly valued even in today's United States, so not much has changed in twenty years. Anyway, the insulting scout said a bunch of stuff, most of which I can't remember, but the one line I do recall, and will likely never forget, is the the crack about the pack leader's son reading the A encyclopedia cover to cover.
I guess that was pretty insulting back in the day because the accused scout sheepishly denied it over the pack's hooting and hollering. As a kid, I thought long and hard about that insult. Both why someone would ever read an encyclopedia like a book and why someone could be made fun of for doing it. I never did come to any remarkable revelation about it. I don't think the memory provides any insight, except as a snapshot to a time that seems light years ago to me. It almost makes my head swoon thinking that some freshly printed reference books could so seamlessly trigger an obscure memory more than twenty years old.
Puzzling and amusing stuff.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Tropic Thunder
Wifezilla and I watched Tropic Thunder last night. I laughed so hard throughout, I cried. Crying morphed into a coughing fit at the part where Jack Black is tied to a tree to tough out his heroin addict and offers to, uh, "service" anyone who lets him go. I think I missed the next two minutes of the movie from blinding laughter.
The "full retard" conversation was equally hilarious. I know the movie drew flak for crossing this line, but in this day and age, I think pretty much anyone and everyone is up for ridicule. Plus, I think Stiller was making more fun of actors trying to snag Oscars by playing retards than retards themselves.
Maybe.
The "full retard" conversation was equally hilarious. I know the movie drew flak for crossing this line, but in this day and age, I think pretty much anyone and everyone is up for ridicule. Plus, I think Stiller was making more fun of actors trying to snag Oscars by playing retards than retards themselves.
Maybe.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Just Like Michael Jordan
I blew up Megaton the other night. I also snuck into an underground warren and murdered a revolutionary ghoul. In his sleep. The ghoul proved sturdy, as a point blank head shot failed to take him down. A couple more plugs after he leaped out of bed did the trick though.
I’m playing Fallout 3 evil now and am surprised at how hard it is for me to do the bad thing, even under simulated circumstances. As fun as it was pushing the red button that detonated Megaton’s nuke, I felt guilty pangs of regret afterwards. I got urges to reload to the point before planting the remote charge and save the town, even though I had already played through that way. Same thing with stealing. I’ve been passing phat lewtz up, for no other reason than they rightfully belong to someone else. WTF? That’s no way to play evil, and I better shape up if I want to explore new moral territory in Fallout 3.
I’m still having fun mind you. It’s just playing evil is like trying to write left-handed; I have to stick my tongue out and concentrate while I do it.
I’m playing Fallout 3 evil now and am surprised at how hard it is for me to do the bad thing, even under simulated circumstances. As fun as it was pushing the red button that detonated Megaton’s nuke, I felt guilty pangs of regret afterwards. I got urges to reload to the point before planting the remote charge and save the town, even though I had already played through that way. Same thing with stealing. I’ve been passing phat lewtz up, for no other reason than they rightfully belong to someone else. WTF? That’s no way to play evil, and I better shape up if I want to explore new moral territory in Fallout 3.
I’m still having fun mind you. It’s just playing evil is like trying to write left-handed; I have to stick my tongue out and concentrate while I do it.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Far Cry 2 = GTA IV
I’ve played a bit more of Far Cry 2 and thoroughly enjoyed roaming the African landscape as a mercenary hired to hunt down The Jackal, the region’s most powerful gun smuggler. The game is like a cross between Fallout 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, open-world sandbox play from the former, hardcore first-person shooter from the latter.
Actually, Far Cry 2 resembles more closely another recent release, Grand Theft Auto IV. In fact, other than setting, the two games could almost be fraternal twins. FC2’s core game play model is almost lifted directly from GTAIV. I’ve read numerous reviews of FC2 and am surprised that no one mentioned the uncanny resemblance between the two games. For instance, my Irish mercenary receives missions via his cell phone. And when I need to get from point A to point B, I simply jump into the nearest abandoned vehicle. There is no currency in the game but diamonds, which I can use to buy equipment—mostly guns, but later in the game I think I can buy other stuff too.
I’m not criticizing FC2, just pointing out that many reviewers hailed it for its open-ended game play and sandbox nature without mentioning the obvious inspiration the developers got from other bestselling material. I mean, even the game’s cover art looks like that of GTAIV!
Be that as it may, the game is a lot of fun and now that I’m done roaming the Wasteland, I plan to hunt this Jackal down.
Actually, Far Cry 2 resembles more closely another recent release, Grand Theft Auto IV. In fact, other than setting, the two games could almost be fraternal twins. FC2’s core game play model is almost lifted directly from GTAIV. I’ve read numerous reviews of FC2 and am surprised that no one mentioned the uncanny resemblance between the two games. For instance, my Irish mercenary receives missions via his cell phone. And when I need to get from point A to point B, I simply jump into the nearest abandoned vehicle. There is no currency in the game but diamonds, which I can use to buy equipment—mostly guns, but later in the game I think I can buy other stuff too.
I’m not criticizing FC2, just pointing out that many reviewers hailed it for its open-ended game play and sandbox nature without mentioning the obvious inspiration the developers got from other bestselling material. I mean, even the game’s cover art looks like that of GTAIV!
Be that as it may, the game is a lot of fun and now that I’m done roaming the Wasteland, I plan to hunt this Jackal down.
Fallout 3's Ending
***Spoiler Alert***
I finished Fallout 3 yesterday. Well, the main campaign at least. Even with 50+ hours with the game, I’m left with entire sectors unexplored. I did enjoy the ending, including the final cut scene; it was Hallmark poignant, but moving nevertheless.
My character dying in the very end was fitting with the story as a whole, especially coming off the heels of the father’s death under very similar circumstances. The only problem is the game ends right there! The cut scene starts, the credits roll, the game stops despite large tracts of the Waste I have left to explore.
Sure, I could load a previous save game and continue on my merry way. I just find it curious that Bethesda put a game ending climax to their main campaign in the midst of the most open ended game on the market today. The two seem at odds with each other and as much as I enjoyed the ending, I felt disappointed to be plopped back to the game’s main menu.
Small quibble to be sure because Fallout 3 will be contender for game of the year across platforms. I’ve already rerolled. I plan on playing as diabolically as I can, starting with the nuclear denotation of Megaton’s megaton.
Muhahahahaha.
I finished Fallout 3 yesterday. Well, the main campaign at least. Even with 50+ hours with the game, I’m left with entire sectors unexplored. I did enjoy the ending, including the final cut scene; it was Hallmark poignant, but moving nevertheless.
My character dying in the very end was fitting with the story as a whole, especially coming off the heels of the father’s death under very similar circumstances. The only problem is the game ends right there! The cut scene starts, the credits roll, the game stops despite large tracts of the Waste I have left to explore.
Sure, I could load a previous save game and continue on my merry way. I just find it curious that Bethesda put a game ending climax to their main campaign in the midst of the most open ended game on the market today. The two seem at odds with each other and as much as I enjoyed the ending, I felt disappointed to be plopped back to the game’s main menu.
Small quibble to be sure because Fallout 3 will be contender for game of the year across platforms. I’ve already rerolled. I plan on playing as diabolically as I can, starting with the nuclear denotation of Megaton’s megaton.
Muhahahahaha.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
WTB More Will and Fate
Lukenbach fought off the Watcher in the Black Pool last night. Upon finishing the Book, I got a minstrel class slot item, a teal medium armor headpiece, and access to the Mines of Moria. I spent just enough time in Moria to tag the stable hand before exiting immediately; I’ve got a ton left to do Eregion before I’ll return to Moria.
While questing, the flow of new gear pieces has been steady. But in the process of replacing key pieces, I managed to gimp Lukenbach. Before, he had around 2.4k health, 2k power. I’ve been selecting pieces that favor morale and might over will and fate. As a result, my in-combat power regeneration went from healthy and robust, to almost non-existent. Somewhere along the line, I shed too much will and fate and now I’m running out of power towards the end of fights.
It’s a problem easily fixed as I haven’t sold any of the old gear for just such a contingency. My goal is to strike a balance between morale and in and out-combat regeneration. Ideally, I’d like to be left with at least half power left at the end of average fights. Otherwise, I spend too much time waiting for out-combat regeneration to fill before my next pull.
While questing, the flow of new gear pieces has been steady. But in the process of replacing key pieces, I managed to gimp Lukenbach. Before, he had around 2.4k health, 2k power. I’ve been selecting pieces that favor morale and might over will and fate. As a result, my in-combat power regeneration went from healthy and robust, to almost non-existent. Somewhere along the line, I shed too much will and fate and now I’m running out of power towards the end of fights.
It’s a problem easily fixed as I haven’t sold any of the old gear for just such a contingency. My goal is to strike a balance between morale and in and out-combat regeneration. Ideally, I’d like to be left with at least half power left at the end of average fights. Otherwise, I spend too much time waiting for out-combat regeneration to fill before my next pull.
Forgotten Birthday Leads to Houston’s Destruction
The other day when I wrote about our excursion to the Greek restaurant Niko Niko’s, I got Wifezilla’s birthday wrong. I said it was the 11th and it’s actually the 10th. Hell hath no fury like a wife’s birthday confused.
I really do know it’s the 10th and almost always manage to coordinate presents and cake and decorations on the appropriate day. But pesky Veteran’s Day interferes and now Wifezilla is on the rampage, destroying key American infrastructure as we speak. She’s on CNN as I write this, swatting F-15s out of the sky as she levels downtown Houston.
Who knew she actually read the blog?
I really do know it’s the 10th and almost always manage to coordinate presents and cake and decorations on the appropriate day. But pesky Veteran’s Day interferes and now Wifezilla is on the rampage, destroying key American infrastructure as we speak. She’s on CNN as I write this, swatting F-15s out of the sky as she levels downtown Houston.
Who knew she actually read the blog?
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
I Am Legendary Weapon
Lukenbach got his first legendary weapon last night, a shimmering mace. I had a host of one-handed options, but unfortunately none of them an axe. I earned the mace after the thing in the Black Pool attacked the mining party of dwarves trying to unearth Durin’s collapsed door. The waters of the Black Pool were an eerie calm until they erupted violently and the tentacled thing lashed out, grabbed a dwarf, and ate him. Lukenbach fled the scene and reported back to the main encampment. The dwarf there speculated that only a weapon of the Old Age could possible defeat such evil. And so I quest on.
Before the incident at the Black Pool, I relived the Fall of Moria. Session play in Lord of the Rings Online involves taking over another avatar to tell a story. In this case, I assumed the role of Nafni, an assistant to King Durin VI. At this time, mithril was running scarce in Moria and the dwarves were mining ever deeper to find more. At the same time, King Durin received elven emissaries to discuss mithril trade. The session play outlined all of this, culminating in a sight-seeing tour of the latest mithril find, dug deep within Moria. I won’t spoil what happens next, other than to say the party finds both mithril and the Lord of Fire and Shadow, all 513,000 health of him.
I’m still not finished with Book 1, Volume 2. I have to level my legendary to 10 before I can proceed. I peeked ahead and can expect to add a legendary class slot item, a book of songs for minstrels. And a teal headpiece. I hope to wrap up the rest of the book tonight.
Huzzah!
Before the incident at the Black Pool, I relived the Fall of Moria. Session play in Lord of the Rings Online involves taking over another avatar to tell a story. In this case, I assumed the role of Nafni, an assistant to King Durin VI. At this time, mithril was running scarce in Moria and the dwarves were mining ever deeper to find more. At the same time, King Durin received elven emissaries to discuss mithril trade. The session play outlined all of this, culminating in a sight-seeing tour of the latest mithril find, dug deep within Moria. I won’t spoil what happens next, other than to say the party finds both mithril and the Lord of Fire and Shadow, all 513,000 health of him.
I’m still not finished with Book 1, Volume 2. I have to level my legendary to 10 before I can proceed. I peeked ahead and can expect to add a legendary class slot item, a book of songs for minstrels. And a teal headpiece. I hope to wrap up the rest of the book tonight.
Huzzah!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Dynamic Map of Lord of the Rings Online
And it's current! Just in time for new questing in Eregion and the Mines.
Check it out here:
http://dynmap.ruslotro.com/breeland.html
Check it out here:
http://dynmap.ruslotro.com/breeland.html
Far Cry 2
I got Far Cry 2 the other day and it’s been a blast to play so far. It’s an open world first person shooter, very much in the vein of Grand Theft Auto IV, right down to copious amounts of driving various vehicles back and forth across the African landscape. There are mission and side mission galore, and some diamond hunting to sweeten the deal.
The graphics are phenomenal and the adrenaline really gets pumping when a jeep load of gut-toting thugs bursts out of the jungle raining fire and death. I took one out with my trusty RPG and cackled with delight at the exploding carnage and shrapnel.
A good game so far, very similar to GTA IV. So if you’re a fan of that game, FC2 is a safe bet. I plan on tearing into it more when Lord of the Rings Online and Fallout 3 have there claws out of me.
The graphics are phenomenal and the adrenaline really gets pumping when a jeep load of gut-toting thugs bursts out of the jungle raining fire and death. I took one out with my trusty RPG and cackled with delight at the exploding carnage and shrapnel.
A good game so far, very similar to GTA IV. So if you’re a fan of that game, FC2 is a safe bet. I plan on tearing into it more when Lord of the Rings Online and Fallout 3 have there claws out of me.
Call Me Ironsong
Yeah, I gave Lukenbach the surname “Ironsong.” Shut up, it’s cool.
When I hit level 50 last Friday, I steered Lukenbach towards Eregion, the entry zone of the Mines of Moria expansion. I forgot about levels and gear and gold for a time while I got consumed with questing. Before I knew it, I was level 51. I’m now at the gates of Moria and doing a ton of quests that are directly tied into following the wake of the traveling Fellowship. Turbine has done an absolutely stunning job of merging Tolkien’s main storyline into their game plot. One of my most favorite scenes so far has been circling the Black Pool toward a crumbled gate currently being excavated by dwarves. The dwarven miners even comment that the blocked door looks recently collapsed, forcing me to slowly peer back toward the ominous lake waters.
And the loot! I’ve replaced numerous pieces, including a headpiece that not only thoroughly thrashed my old gear statistically speaking, but also looks damn taiiiiight. It’s got a Greek thing going on at the top, but I dig it. Plus, my beard shoots shoots out the bottom, giving me some Cousin It flair.
Volume 2, Book 1 is the quest line just outside the Mines. As I understand it, it’s the precursor to wielding a first legendary weapon. A kin gave me a legendary class slot item, but I can’t equip it until I finish the first Book. I think it’s largely soloable, but we’ll see soon enough.
I also received a quest to track down the most famous pony in fantasy literature, Bill. Seems the elves have caught sight of him wandering well west of the mountains. After I finish Book 1 and get my legendary item, I’ll head out and see about rescuing him.
When I hit level 50 last Friday, I steered Lukenbach towards Eregion, the entry zone of the Mines of Moria expansion. I forgot about levels and gear and gold for a time while I got consumed with questing. Before I knew it, I was level 51. I’m now at the gates of Moria and doing a ton of quests that are directly tied into following the wake of the traveling Fellowship. Turbine has done an absolutely stunning job of merging Tolkien’s main storyline into their game plot. One of my most favorite scenes so far has been circling the Black Pool toward a crumbled gate currently being excavated by dwarves. The dwarven miners even comment that the blocked door looks recently collapsed, forcing me to slowly peer back toward the ominous lake waters.
And the loot! I’ve replaced numerous pieces, including a headpiece that not only thoroughly thrashed my old gear statistically speaking, but also looks damn taiiiiight. It’s got a Greek thing going on at the top, but I dig it. Plus, my beard shoots shoots out the bottom, giving me some Cousin It flair.
Volume 2, Book 1 is the quest line just outside the Mines. As I understand it, it’s the precursor to wielding a first legendary weapon. A kin gave me a legendary class slot item, but I can’t equip it until I finish the first Book. I think it’s largely soloable, but we’ll see soon enough.
I also received a quest to track down the most famous pony in fantasy literature, Bill. Seems the elves have caught sight of him wandering well west of the mountains. After I finish Book 1 and get my legendary item, I’ll head out and see about rescuing him.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Niko Niko's
We had a great Thanksgiving break, very relaxing with lots of turkey eaten and even more gaming. I met with my D&D group for a special Wednesday night session to account for everyone's holiday plans. Afterwards, I tore into Lord of the Rings Online and Fallout 3 to a lesser extent. I also got Farcry 2 in the mail. I have played a bit so far and will write about that later this week.
Wifezilla's birthday was back November 10th, but her school schedule was so crazy, she wanted to postpone her celebratory dinner. She got her due last night as we drove into Houston's Monstrose area and partook of some Greek cuisine at Niko Niko's. We got a taste of gyros at the Texas Renaissance Festival a few weeks back and so sought out the best Greek restaurant in Houston we could find. All roads led to Niko Niko's. The food didn't disappoint, even if the accommodations did. The place is very busy, with a line that almost led outside at varying times. It's really a lunch place though and even though the restaurant recently expanded, there just isn't enough indoor seating in proportion to the traffic. We got a booth right before the big rush hit, some good timing on our part.
I had a gyros sandwich, Melanie the gyros plate dinner, and the girls grilled cheese, on pita bread of course. We plan on returning when the yen for Greek food hits again.
Wifezilla's birthday was back November 10th, but her school schedule was so crazy, she wanted to postpone her celebratory dinner. She got her due last night as we drove into Houston's Monstrose area and partook of some Greek cuisine at Niko Niko's. We got a taste of gyros at the Texas Renaissance Festival a few weeks back and so sought out the best Greek restaurant in Houston we could find. All roads led to Niko Niko's. The food didn't disappoint, even if the accommodations did. The place is very busy, with a line that almost led outside at varying times. It's really a lunch place though and even though the restaurant recently expanded, there just isn't enough indoor seating in proportion to the traffic. We got a booth right before the big rush hit, some good timing on our part.
I had a gyros sandwich, Melanie the gyros plate dinner, and the girls grilled cheese, on pita bread of course. We plan on returning when the yen for Greek food hits again.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Fallout 3 to Get New Content January
I've got 40+ hours logged with the game, haven't really done the main campaign, and already Bethesda has some additional content waiting in the wings.
Good stuff, that.
Good stuff, that.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
24: Redemption
We finished 24: Redemption last night, a special two hour movie event previewing the upcoming official season of 24. I hated the last season of the series, despite the fact that nuclear weapons were detonating within American cities. That should have made for riveting action and drama, but it somehow didn’t. I blame mostly the writing team, but I’m also growing weary of Sutherland and his acting. He has three modes: rage, torture, and remorse. Keifer doesn’t explore nuance with any of these facets and though that worked for the first few seasons of the series, it’s become tired and trite. Keifer and the writing team need to explore another path for this character, or this impending season will likely suck as bad as the last.
24: Redemption was a good start. There’s a hint of the guilt-ridden action hero, of course, but Africa was a good choice of settings and the action was top notch. I never get tired of watching Jack gun through armies of machinegun-toting bad guys with nothing but a 9mm and catlike reflexes.
I’m not so thrilled about the actress they got to play the new president of the United States. I’ve only seen her in a handful of scenes and she’s already annoying me. She has big shoes to fill to be sure; I doubt anyone will top the dude that played Palmer in the first couple of seasons.
The new season of 24 begins in January, along with the season premiere of Lost. Could be some good television down the pike.
24: Redemption was a good start. There’s a hint of the guilt-ridden action hero, of course, but Africa was a good choice of settings and the action was top notch. I never get tired of watching Jack gun through armies of machinegun-toting bad guys with nothing but a 9mm and catlike reflexes.
I’m not so thrilled about the actress they got to play the new president of the United States. I’ve only seen her in a handful of scenes and she’s already annoying me. She has big shoes to fill to be sure; I doubt anyone will top the dude that played Palmer in the first couple of seasons.
The new season of 24 begins in January, along with the season premiere of Lost. Could be some good television down the pike.
The Agony of Defeat
Fresh off his successful crit of Lukenbach’s axe, Kammris dutifully gathered the crit mats for a shot at a sword for himself. Grand master weaponsmith recipes go for around 500 silver on the auction house. The accompanying beryl shard for around 200. I bought both and then grabbed another beryl shard in my bank for the sword’s recipe. I’ve got scholar kin that craft the journal for me. Everything else Kammris makes. With all the mats gathered, I made my way to Thorin Hall’s superior forge and made the attempt. With the grand master weaponsmith journal and scroll, I had a 62% chance of critting the sword.
I failed miserably.
The failure is purple stock, a shadow of its teal brother’s glory. Kammris duel wields, so I need to crit two of these swords eventually. I’m short on cash though, so it’s going to be a few days before I can try again.
Lukenbach hit 49 last night. He dinged with his polished ancient steel axe buried in an ice wyrm’s head. I think the balance of Forochel quests will propel him to 50, if not close to it. Pushing Lukenbach to 49 directly conflicted with watching TV with Wifezilla, so much so that upon hitting the level, I immediately logged out and hurtled down stairs. Wifezilla shows kind patience when it comes to MMOs, but even she has limits.
And she still hasn’t read my “moosey” comment.
I failed miserably.
The failure is purple stock, a shadow of its teal brother’s glory. Kammris duel wields, so I need to crit two of these swords eventually. I’m short on cash though, so it’s going to be a few days before I can try again.
Lukenbach hit 49 last night. He dinged with his polished ancient steel axe buried in an ice wyrm’s head. I think the balance of Forochel quests will propel him to 50, if not close to it. Pushing Lukenbach to 49 directly conflicted with watching TV with Wifezilla, so much so that upon hitting the level, I immediately logged out and hurtled down stairs. Wifezilla shows kind patience when it comes to MMOs, but even she has limits.
And she still hasn’t read my “moosey” comment.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Far Cry 2
I picked this up on the cheap off Ebay last night. A brand new copy for the reasonable cost of $32, shipping included! I’ve read rave reviews about the game’s open world set in Africa and even though the story has been described as “lacking,” Fallout 3 has left me wanting more shooter goodness.
I have no idea when I’m going to find the time to play it, Lord of the Rings Online, and finish Fallout 3. Not to mention the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV comes out the first week of December! It’s a golden age of gaming we currently live in.
May the games continue to flow in the years to come.
I have no idea when I’m going to find the time to play it, Lord of the Rings Online, and finish Fallout 3. Not to mention the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV comes out the first week of December! It’s a golden age of gaming we currently live in.
May the games continue to flow in the years to come.
Requiem Moves in on Naxx
I’ve been monitoring my old guild’s website, but the members of Requiem haven’t been documenting their experience with Wrath of the Lich King. Could it be they’re too busy playing to wax poetic about their adventures? Hmmm? I could be wrong, but I think most of them view the leveling process a necessary inconvenience to their real goal, hard core raiding. Already a smattering of members has hit 80 and I know the guild is preparing for a 10 woman Naxx run this week.
Of course, WotLK now offers 10 and 25 woman versions of all its new dungeons. I surmise that Requiem’s strategy is to run the 10 womans to learn an instance’s boss strategies, and then later step up to the 25 to farm out the best loot. I’m not sure if strategies are the same for identical 10 and 25 woman dungeons. It could be the strategy remains the same, with boss statistics spiking to account for the fifteen extra people. It wouldn’t surprise me if Blizzard did design two different strategies for the identical dungeons, if only to prevent guilds from learning the ropes on the 10 woman and then using that experience to decimate the 25 version.
Either way, I’m looking forward to hearing how the run goes.
Of course, WotLK now offers 10 and 25 woman versions of all its new dungeons. I surmise that Requiem’s strategy is to run the 10 womans to learn an instance’s boss strategies, and then later step up to the 25 to farm out the best loot. I’m not sure if strategies are the same for identical 10 and 25 woman dungeons. It could be the strategy remains the same, with boss statistics spiking to account for the fifteen extra people. It wouldn’t surprise me if Blizzard did design two different strategies for the identical dungeons, if only to prevent guilds from learning the ropes on the 10 woman and then using that experience to decimate the 25 version.
Either way, I’m looking forward to hearing how the run goes.
You Say Mice, I Say Mouses
I’ve got Lukenbach nearly to level 49. Last night I did some further exploration of Forochel and discovered the biggest city in the zone, tucked neatly up in the northern part of the zone. It’s a massive city, with architecture inspired by arctic cultures like the Eskimos and Vikings. There’s a ton of quests up there too. I’ve got my log maxed out at 43, but Forochel might come close to sling-shotting me up to 50.
I’m hoping my kin rolls enough rune keepers and wardens to jumpstart early Book runs. I’m still stalled at Book 4.5 and plan on piggybacking off the lowbies working their way back through all the Books.
Now that Kammris is a grand master weaponsmith, I plan to focus on Lukenbach’s tailoring. He’s on tier 5 as well, but unlike Kammris, he doesn’t have a ton of resources squirreled away. A ton of furry beasties drop exceptional hides, but they don’t part with them willingly. I tried asking a cute little wolverine if he’d give me his coat and almost got my face gnawed off in response. So, beefing up my tailoring resources will involve hunting various wild critters like wolves, ornery wolverines, and mooses till Forochel’s forests run red with blood.
Or is it meese? Moosi? Just moose? I think I’ll stick with mooses.
While wandering the lands of Forochel and passing a gaggle of mooses, I made the mistake of pointing out to Wifezilla that she’s sometimes very “moosey.” I don’t know why I say these things, why I put my life at risk like that. I must have a death wish.
I’m hoping my kin rolls enough rune keepers and wardens to jumpstart early Book runs. I’m still stalled at Book 4.5 and plan on piggybacking off the lowbies working their way back through all the Books.
Now that Kammris is a grand master weaponsmith, I plan to focus on Lukenbach’s tailoring. He’s on tier 5 as well, but unlike Kammris, he doesn’t have a ton of resources squirreled away. A ton of furry beasties drop exceptional hides, but they don’t part with them willingly. I tried asking a cute little wolverine if he’d give me his coat and almost got my face gnawed off in response. So, beefing up my tailoring resources will involve hunting various wild critters like wolves, ornery wolverines, and mooses till Forochel’s forests run red with blood.
Or is it meese? Moosi? Just moose? I think I’ll stick with mooses.
While wandering the lands of Forochel and passing a gaggle of mooses, I made the mistake of pointing out to Wifezilla that she’s sometimes very “moosey.” I don’t know why I say these things, why I put my life at risk like that. I must have a death wish.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Behold Yon Shiny Axe!
Kammris is already yielding bounty from the fruits of his weaponsmithing toil. After purchasing a grand master weaponsmithing journal from the ah and getting a kin to make some +10% weaponsmithing scrolls, Kammris successfully critted an axe for Luckenbach! I had around a 60% and luckily hit. Otherwise, a bunch of one-shot recipes would have gone to waste.
Kammris, Grand Master Weaponsmith
Whew! That was a slog. But he finally dinged it this morning. It's somewhat comical that I hit the former crafting cap a week after the expansion, but it's all good.
Kammris can now churn out some fairly decent weapons. Even better if he attains a one-shot recipe and some grand master weaponsmithing journals. My long term plan now is to work on Kammris' woodworking craft. He's only master journeyman at the moment, so barely started.
Kammris can now churn out some fairly decent weapons. Even better if he attains a one-shot recipe and some grand master weaponsmithing journals. My long term plan now is to work on Kammris' woodworking craft. He's only master journeyman at the moment, so barely started.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Netflix mailed me this movie since I put it in my queue. I watched it last night with my girls and . . .
IT WAS ACTUALLY GOOD!
I know! I couldn't believe it myself! Until the credits rolled, revealing that George Lucas neither directed nor wrote the movie.
Aha!
I hope everyone detects the emerging pattern here. Lucas has nothing to do with a Star Wars movie, it's good. Lucas wraps his greasy mitts around a Star Wars movie, it sucks. Remember when Stan Lee used to personally get involved in those early Marvel movies? Oh, they were terrible! Same thing here. And the way J.J. Abrams is shaping up the next Star Trek movie lends additional impetus that Lucas must step aside for others to continue the Star Wars brand.
I get all goosebumpy just thinking about it.
IT WAS ACTUALLY GOOD!
I know! I couldn't believe it myself! Until the credits rolled, revealing that George Lucas neither directed nor wrote the movie.
Aha!
I hope everyone detects the emerging pattern here. Lucas has nothing to do with a Star Wars movie, it's good. Lucas wraps his greasy mitts around a Star Wars movie, it sucks. Remember when Stan Lee used to personally get involved in those early Marvel movies? Oh, they were terrible! Same thing here. And the way J.J. Abrams is shaping up the next Star Trek movie lends additional impetus that Lucas must step aside for others to continue the Star Wars brand.
I get all goosebumpy just thinking about it.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Tabula Rasa Shutting Down
As reported by Gamespot, Tabula Rasa is shutting down for good. When February ends, so too does TR.
It's a real shame, truthfully, but a necessary part of the MMO free market. Not every game will survive, especially those that rely on monthly subscriptions. Still, it's troubling that a unique sci-fi setting couldn't endure in the sea of fantasy muck.
It's a real shame, truthfully, but a necessary part of the MMO free market. Not every game will survive, especially those that rely on monthly subscriptions. Still, it's troubling that a unique sci-fi setting couldn't endure in the sea of fantasy muck.
Boots on the Ground
A kin sent my hobbit warden a shiny new javelin via the mail, so I had to play the little blighter enough to get him out of the start zone where mail flows not. Wardens are really fun to play. They chain their attacks into “gambits,” even more special attacks that become available according to what two skills were used. At level 5, my wee hobbit has a boot, piercing, and shield gambits. The boot one is especially cool because it occasionally triggers a stun.
It’s almost comical to watch my hobbit whipping javelins from distance or stabbing with a spear. Comical, but fun. I’ll start playing him more when I have Lukenbach closer to the new level cap of 60.
Kammris made surprising headway yesterday in master weaponsmithing. He had stockpiled stacks and stacks of ancient iron ore. After farming some exceptional hides and dwarf iron, he was in business. He’s just 800 points short of grand master. Supreme master is the new tier, but he’ll make no headway there until visiting the new zones and harvesting their generous bounty of ore.
It’s almost comical to watch my hobbit whipping javelins from distance or stabbing with a spear. Comical, but fun. I’ll start playing him more when I have Lukenbach closer to the new level cap of 60.
Kammris made surprising headway yesterday in master weaponsmithing. He had stockpiled stacks and stacks of ancient iron ore. After farming some exceptional hides and dwarf iron, he was in business. He’s just 800 points short of grand master. Supreme master is the new tier, but he’ll make no headway there until visiting the new zones and harvesting their generous bounty of ore.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Playing with Hooky
The Man has been sticking it to me these past few weeks, so I broke out my best acting skills and feigned illness for a well deserved day off. I need only fool Wifezilla and she bought it hook, line, sinker. I have a co-worker who sends her daughter to the same school as Claire, so it was important that if Wifezilla bumped into her by happenstance, she relay my absence authentically.
It's a tangled web of lies I weave.
Lukenbach benefits most from my ill gotten day off. I've pushed him well into 48 and explored never before seen lands and adventure. Well, unexplored for me. I even got a quest leading to the new MoM zone, Etherion, but until reports die start pouring in that the crowds have subsided, I'll bide my time thank you very much.
Kammris also has begun his mastery of weaponsmithing. It's a grind of the grindiest kind, requiring a wide assortment of ores, jewels, and skins. He can gather most of it himself except for the polished beryls. I'm hoping some kin can craft a stack for him soon.
It's a tangled web of lies I weave.
Lukenbach benefits most from my ill gotten day off. I've pushed him well into 48 and explored never before seen lands and adventure. Well, unexplored for me. I even got a quest leading to the new MoM zone, Etherion, but until reports die start pouring in that the crowds have subsided, I'll bide my time thank you very much.
Kammris also has begun his mastery of weaponsmithing. It's a grind of the grindiest kind, requiring a wide assortment of ores, jewels, and skins. He can gather most of it himself except for the polished beryls. I'm hoping some kin can craft a stack for him soon.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
No, My MMO Is the Best!
I enjoyed a flawless install last night and logged in with only a minor hiccup. Turbine shut down all its servers to install a hot fix late in the afternoon. But the game was only down for less than an hour and I got to play nearly the entire evening.
Lukenbach is still only level 47. As such, I stuck to the Angumar zone. Which wasn’t as bad as it sounds, as my guild reported throughout the evening the opening MoM zone completely clogged with rapid hordes of level 50 players, all competing for the same mobs. I’ve experienced that before in WoW, particularly with Burning Crusade and patch 2.4. It’s negative fun to fight with five other players for a spawning goblin, so I’ll continue chipping away at level 50 before I venture forth in the new content.
With so many returning kin in chat, I read a multitude of conversations where chirping crickets formally nested. Unfortunately, a good chunk of the talk revolved around WoW bashing. Now, I’m not WoW’s biggest fan, as evidenced by the fact that I don’t play it anymore. But my opinion of WoW isn’t a zero sum game. I can play another competing MMO without loathing WoW. It’s true that Lord of the Rings Online does some things better than World of Warcraft. The reverse is also obviously true. Who plays what has more to do with personal preference than empirical merits of either game. My fondness for LotRO stems largely from the aesthetic: plain and simple, I think it looks and plays better than WoW. Does that make WoW the devil? Of course not. Plenty of people have tried a competing MMO like LotRO and gone straight back to playing WoW. They obviously think the latter looks and plays better. Who’s right?
Let’s all gather in a circle, hold hands, and agree that everyone is.
PS: WoW is the suxxors.
Lukenbach is still only level 47. As such, I stuck to the Angumar zone. Which wasn’t as bad as it sounds, as my guild reported throughout the evening the opening MoM zone completely clogged with rapid hordes of level 50 players, all competing for the same mobs. I’ve experienced that before in WoW, particularly with Burning Crusade and patch 2.4. It’s negative fun to fight with five other players for a spawning goblin, so I’ll continue chipping away at level 50 before I venture forth in the new content.
With so many returning kin in chat, I read a multitude of conversations where chirping crickets formally nested. Unfortunately, a good chunk of the talk revolved around WoW bashing. Now, I’m not WoW’s biggest fan, as evidenced by the fact that I don’t play it anymore. But my opinion of WoW isn’t a zero sum game. I can play another competing MMO without loathing WoW. It’s true that Lord of the Rings Online does some things better than World of Warcraft. The reverse is also obviously true. Who plays what has more to do with personal preference than empirical merits of either game. My fondness for LotRO stems largely from the aesthetic: plain and simple, I think it looks and plays better than WoW. Does that make WoW the devil? Of course not. Plenty of people have tried a competing MMO like LotRO and gone straight back to playing WoW. They obviously think the latter looks and plays better. Who’s right?
Let’s all gather in a circle, hold hands, and agree that everyone is.
PS: WoW is the suxxors.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Flamer
I’m talking about my flamethrower in Fallout 3, not a whacky dandy like Andy Dick. I’m thick of head at times and it took me longer than it should have to realize that small arms don’t work all that well against giant radscorpions or deathclaws; their thick hides must provide the kind of natural armor that small arms munitions hit and then bounce away.
The flamer though, burns through giant radscorpions like butter in a microwave. As the beastie approaches, I start to backtrack. When it’s in close range, I open up the flamer’s nozzle and unleash a veritable hell. With small arms, I rarely got a giant radscorpion to half health before it closed and started to eat me. With my new friend the flamer, I usually go completely unscathed.
It works great on deathclaws too. They’re too fast to totally avoid taking damage from their . . . um, claws of death, but I don’t get my ass kicked nearly as bad as I used to wielding a combat shotgun or Chinese assault rifle.
Even better, I haven’t been using my flamer at all till last night. I’ve accrued more than a 1,000 units of fuel as a result. Needless to say, I’ll be packing this heavy weapon with me wherever I go.
The flamer though, burns through giant radscorpions like butter in a microwave. As the beastie approaches, I start to backtrack. When it’s in close range, I open up the flamer’s nozzle and unleash a veritable hell. With small arms, I rarely got a giant radscorpion to half health before it closed and started to eat me. With my new friend the flamer, I usually go completely unscathed.
It works great on deathclaws too. They’re too fast to totally avoid taking damage from their . . . um, claws of death, but I don’t get my ass kicked nearly as bad as I used to wielding a combat shotgun or Chinese assault rifle.
Even better, I haven’t been using my flamer at all till last night. I’ve accrued more than a 1,000 units of fuel as a result. Needless to say, I’ll be packing this heavy weapon with me wherever I go.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Mines of Moria Goes Live!
Well, it will tomorrow morning at least!
I pre-downloaded the patch and in the midst of installing it as I type this. The expansion is a monster, as some 15,000 different files are being scanned and/or replaced. I think it's going to take a good hour before it's finally finished.
Lukenbach is almost level 48, Kammris extremely close to 45. I'm not sure if either can access the Moria content at those levels, though I suspect Luke a more likely candidate of the two. I little game named Fallout 3 thwarted my plans to have my minstril to 50 by the expansions release. So be it. I have plenty of original LotRO to see before I even touch MoM.
I pre-downloaded the patch and in the midst of installing it as I type this. The expansion is a monster, as some 15,000 different files are being scanned and/or replaced. I think it's going to take a good hour before it's finally finished.
Lukenbach is almost level 48, Kammris extremely close to 45. I'm not sure if either can access the Moria content at those levels, though I suspect Luke a more likely candidate of the two. I little game named Fallout 3 thwarted my plans to have my minstril to 50 by the expansions release. So be it. I have plenty of original LotRO to see before I even touch MoM.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Fallout 3 Too Prone to Crashing
I'm not bashing the game because I have close to fifty hours logged and am nearly 19th level. Still, the game crashes often. Too often. I've trained myself to reflexively hit the quicksave button at more frequent intervals. I don't click as often as I do my weapon's fire button, but it's a close second. The problem is that hitting quicksave sometimes leads to a crash. So one of the few defenses I have against an unwelcome delivery to desktop is also an eager participant.
In lieu of the crashing, I mean to shelve Fallout3 temporarily, monitor Bethesda's site for a patch, and then resume playing when the game is more stable.
In lieu of the crashing, I mean to shelve Fallout3 temporarily, monitor Bethesda's site for a patch, and then resume playing when the game is more stable.
Friend Appears on Don't Forget the Lyrics
A good friend of mine flew out to Hollywood months ago to appear on the Fox game show, Don't Forget the Lyrics. He wasn't the main contestant, but a "backup singer," which means he can be called upon to help. Think lifeline from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
The show finally aired this past Thursday and our Saturday night gaming group sat down to watch it last night. It was a trip! Craig was called upon to help early in the show. I can't remember the name of the song, but the lyric he helped clear up was "in the sun." He then sang the song again with his contestant friend. When the band stopped playing, Craig kept belting out the song! He stepped forward and proceeded to give his own little concert! It was equal parts surreal and entertaining.
Craig helped his friend with that song, but ultimately Marcus walked away with $25,000 (only). Fox provides a ton of on demand links for their shows, but not for DFtL.
Otherwise, you too could see the Craigmeister steal the show.
The show finally aired this past Thursday and our Saturday night gaming group sat down to watch it last night. It was a trip! Craig was called upon to help early in the show. I can't remember the name of the song, but the lyric he helped clear up was "in the sun." He then sang the song again with his contestant friend. When the band stopped playing, Craig kept belting out the song! He stepped forward and proceeded to give his own little concert! It was equal parts surreal and entertaining.
Craig helped his friend with that song, but ultimately Marcus walked away with $25,000 (only). Fox provides a ton of on demand links for their shows, but not for DFtL.
Otherwise, you too could see the Craigmeister steal the show.
Friday, November 14, 2008
WoW's Silvermoon Server
I've been monitoring Requiem's (my old raiding guild) message boards to get some firsthand accounting on how the new expansion is going. Based on the few postings I've read, it would seem not well. Guildees are reporting queues that exceed one thousand! Another guildee reported that his WotLK DVD didn't even work. After multiple install attempts, he had to download the game from another source.
I haven't read any feedback regarding actual gameplay yet.
I haven't read any feedback regarding actual gameplay yet.
French Speciman Hits WotLK 80 Cap
He did it in just 27 hours which is likely 27.5 hours after the game was released.
You can read about it here.
You can read about it here.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Automakers Next In Line for Taxpayer Handouts
Daniel Mitchell wrote a great op-ed piece on CNN.com entitled "Say no to the auto bailout." I find myself in complete agreement with what he writes, especially the part about rewarding bad management and inflexible labor unions. Some estimate that up to 10% of the American work force is somehow related to the auto industry and that the government has to intervene to ensure that thousands of Americans aren't suddenly thrown into unemployment.
But throwing more money at the Big Three can't be the answer. Like Mitchell advocates, Ford and GM will be better companies if the free market handles the bad management and organizational choices they've made these past decades. I mean, the federal government has long pushed American auto makers for more fuel economical models and the auto makers resisted. Instead of thinking in the long term, they continued building gas guzzlers because of high profit margins and low oil prices. But everything pointed to oil eventually shooting up in price. What was the Big Three's plan B for $150 per barrel oil? They didn't have one and now they're burning through their cash reserves and want the U.S. government to throw even more money into the fire.
I say let them fail. American companies must move away from the moral hazard that has trapped too many of them into lining up for government handouts. It's almost laughable that the shining beacon of free market economics has so suddenly plunged into overt government intervention, manipulation, and flat-out take-over. Republicans frequently accuse Democrats of being Marxist socialists, but any Republican that voted in favor of a bailout had best lower his pointing finger. I can't believe Ford and GM need the U.S. government to tell them to manufacture quality cars that get good gas mileage. They deserve to get their asses kicked by Toyota and Honda. Maybe things will get bad enough, so bad that union contracts will go down right along with the companies they've effectively hamstringed. Perhaps something new and lean could arise from that rubble.
All I know is, I don't want another insurance company, or investment bank, or corporation rescued. The buck stopped with AIG as far as I'm concerned.
But throwing more money at the Big Three can't be the answer. Like Mitchell advocates, Ford and GM will be better companies if the free market handles the bad management and organizational choices they've made these past decades. I mean, the federal government has long pushed American auto makers for more fuel economical models and the auto makers resisted. Instead of thinking in the long term, they continued building gas guzzlers because of high profit margins and low oil prices. But everything pointed to oil eventually shooting up in price. What was the Big Three's plan B for $150 per barrel oil? They didn't have one and now they're burning through their cash reserves and want the U.S. government to throw even more money into the fire.
I say let them fail. American companies must move away from the moral hazard that has trapped too many of them into lining up for government handouts. It's almost laughable that the shining beacon of free market economics has so suddenly plunged into overt government intervention, manipulation, and flat-out take-over. Republicans frequently accuse Democrats of being Marxist socialists, but any Republican that voted in favor of a bailout had best lower his pointing finger. I can't believe Ford and GM need the U.S. government to tell them to manufacture quality cars that get good gas mileage. They deserve to get their asses kicked by Toyota and Honda. Maybe things will get bad enough, so bad that union contracts will go down right along with the companies they've effectively hamstringed. Perhaps something new and lean could arise from that rubble.
All I know is, I don't want another insurance company, or investment bank, or corporation rescued. The buck stopped with AIG as far as I'm concerned.
Wrath of the Lich King Out Today
Wrath of the Lich King comes out today and I expect sales to be brisk. World of Warcraft continues to fend off all comers as Warhammer Online and Age of Conan both failed to dethrone the king. Actually, I don’t think either one even came close. Still, I hear rumblings that Blizzard’s projected subscriber estimate of 11 million is a paper tiger. I’d love for some industry transparency regarding monthly subscriber totals to definitively shine light on MMOs customer base. WoW is rumored to be supreme, but without actual numbers, nobody really knows for certain.
It’s interesting how much market share WoW holds. Empirically, it does the best job balancing PvE, PvP, and raiding. No other game on the market polishes each of those MMO aspects as well. And I say this as someone that hasn’t played WoW in months and doesn’t plan on picking up the expansion today or anytime soon. Despite the fact that I don’t play it, I recognize Blizzard’s quality control and the failings of the other MMOs.
I have friends who took a break from WoW, but will likely fire their subscriptions back up for WotLK. I know Requiem, my former raiding guild, has been recruiting these last weeks in anticipation of the new raiding opportunities. I’ll be interested to hear what they think of the new 10 man versus 25 man raiding instances. Requiem is a hardcore raiding guild, so I expect that they’ll entirely avoid the 10 man stuff in favor of the 25 man’s more intensive loot tables.
As for me, I’m content with Lord of the Rings Online. I haven’t played it much these last few weeks; Fallout 3 has completely dominated my gaming time. But LotRO also has an expansion coming out, Mines of Moria. It’s out next Tuesday, November 18 and offers a slew of new and interesting content, including legendary weapons. Lukenbach is still well short of the game’s current level cap of 50. I plan on taking my time, however, focusing on leveling Lukenbach to the new cap of 60 and master artisan all his trade skills. I have no short or long terms plans to raid in LotRO. For now, the journey to the cap provides plenty of gaming goodness.
It’s interesting how much market share WoW holds. Empirically, it does the best job balancing PvE, PvP, and raiding. No other game on the market polishes each of those MMO aspects as well. And I say this as someone that hasn’t played WoW in months and doesn’t plan on picking up the expansion today or anytime soon. Despite the fact that I don’t play it, I recognize Blizzard’s quality control and the failings of the other MMOs.
I have friends who took a break from WoW, but will likely fire their subscriptions back up for WotLK. I know Requiem, my former raiding guild, has been recruiting these last weeks in anticipation of the new raiding opportunities. I’ll be interested to hear what they think of the new 10 man versus 25 man raiding instances. Requiem is a hardcore raiding guild, so I expect that they’ll entirely avoid the 10 man stuff in favor of the 25 man’s more intensive loot tables.
As for me, I’m content with Lord of the Rings Online. I haven’t played it much these last few weeks; Fallout 3 has completely dominated my gaming time. But LotRO also has an expansion coming out, Mines of Moria. It’s out next Tuesday, November 18 and offers a slew of new and interesting content, including legendary weapons. Lukenbach is still well short of the game’s current level cap of 50. I plan on taking my time, however, focusing on leveling Lukenbach to the new cap of 60 and master artisan all his trade skills. I have no short or long terms plans to raid in LotRO. For now, the journey to the cap provides plenty of gaming goodness.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Oh Where Art Thou Nuka-Cola Shipment?
I cleared out that nest of deathclaws for nothing the other day. Turns out Old Olney’s grocery store got wiped out during the nuclear exchange, or in the turmoil immediately following it. The shipment of Nuka-cola Quantum never reached Old Olney to begin with, however. The abandoned truck rested jack-knifed a couple clicks to the east of the town. It had largely been looted, but I snagged a half-dozen Quantums. I’m only mildly bitter that I didn’t need to get my head ripped off a thousand times over.
I made my way to Paradise Falls last night. It’s a slave enclave and I had to pay 500 caps to gain egress. After I scoped the place out, I promptly gunned down the slave leader Entropy and his two slave women bodyguards. This turned the entire town’s slaver army against me and I thoroughly enjoyed the ensuing gun battle.
I made my way to Paradise Falls last night. It’s a slave enclave and I had to pay 500 caps to gain egress. After I scoped the place out, I promptly gunned down the slave leader Entropy and his two slave women bodyguards. This turned the entire town’s slaver army against me and I thoroughly enjoyed the ensuing gun battle.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Mental Floss History of the World
I fancy me some history, mostly because I don't want to be doomed to repeat it.No, that's not true. I like me some history because truth is almost stranger than fiction. And the Mental Floss History of the World is a great book for the panoramic view of world history.
It's starts at the very, very, very beginning and goes all the way up to the modern age, with an appendix devoted to . . . Canada!
This isn't your dad's history book. Nope, this book is informative and funny. Which makes it also entertaining. Take the author's chronicle of when the Assyrians combined horseback riding with firing a bow and arrow: "When the Assyrians picked up on this skill, bad things happened to their neighbors."
Hilarious!
I most appreciate the Special Report: Mediterranean Fight League, composed of four distinctive rounds. Round 1: Greeks versus Persians; 2: Greeks versus Persians (rematch); 3: Greek versus Greeks (the Greeks turned out to be their own worst enemy. Sound familiar?); and 4: Alexander versus Everyone.
Good stuff, that.
Hate the Deathclaw
In Fallout 3, I’m taking the Nuka-cola challenge. I have to hoard thirty bottles of Nuka-cola Quantum for some nut job in the wastelands. She pointed me to the old Nuka-cola factory and distribution center where I tracked down three major shipments of the radioactive soft drink. One was Super Duper Mart, but I already looted that place. Another was Paradise Falls. And the third was Old Olney Grocery. I traveled to the latter only to promptly get my head ripped off by a Deathclaw.
Let me amend that. Deathclaws. As in plural.
At full health, these things soak damage like Keith Richards does a drum of coke. And they’re fast. And they jump stories-high into the air. One is bad enough, but Old Olney crawls with them. I must have died a dozen times clearing that nest out. I started the onslaught with more than 120 stimpacks. By the time I finished, I was down to 50. My combat shotgun is a shambles from all the rounds it pumped into the mutant juggernauts. It’s my most favorite weapon, especially effective at close range (which is the deathclaws preferred range, as it closes incredibly fast once it spots pretty), but I find precious few of them in the Wastes.
To make matters worse, I didn’t find the grocery. Granted, I’ve been too twitchy to even look. I must look like a shaking, bug-eyed tree-squirrel about to be swooped up by a feathered raptor.
Let me amend that. Deathclaws. As in plural.
At full health, these things soak damage like Keith Richards does a drum of coke. And they’re fast. And they jump stories-high into the air. One is bad enough, but Old Olney crawls with them. I must have died a dozen times clearing that nest out. I started the onslaught with more than 120 stimpacks. By the time I finished, I was down to 50. My combat shotgun is a shambles from all the rounds it pumped into the mutant juggernauts. It’s my most favorite weapon, especially effective at close range (which is the deathclaws preferred range, as it closes incredibly fast once it spots pretty), but I find precious few of them in the Wastes.
To make matters worse, I didn’t find the grocery. Granted, I’ve been too twitchy to even look. I must look like a shaking, bug-eyed tree-squirrel about to be swooped up by a feathered raptor.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Forty Hours Plus and Still Chugging
I've got more than forty actual hours invested in Fallout 3 and see no signs of abatement. I can't stop playing. My toon is almost 14th level, six levels shy of the cap, but I've barely started the main campaign story line. Side quests, exploration, and looting have consumed most of my time. It's been the finest gaming experience I've had in a long time. In fact, I put Fallout 3 right up there with some of the best games I've ever played. In a bit more time, I might come to proclaim it the very best.
Of particular note, my encounter with Three Dog in the GNR building. A team of Brotherhood of Steel paladins escorted me the short distance I had left to Three Dog. Along the way, a squad of persistent super mutants. We put them down right in front of the GNR building. Everything seemed resolved until we heard a booming in the distance. More followed, increasingly louder until a giant of super mutant burst into the compound. He was massive, more than two stories tall and he began laying waste to everything in his reach.
My quest log prompted me to retrieve the Fat Boy from a fallen paladin. I pulled the rocket launcher and mini nuke ammunition from the armored corpse and took aim. My first nuke flew wide, but yielded radius damage that sent the giant super mutant sprawling. Before he could lumber back to his feet, I loaded another nuke and fired again. This time I hit dead on. The behemoth took the load full into the torso. He exploded into fleshy chunks that rained down throughout the compound satisfyingly.
So fun. So memorable. And just one out of many role-playing experiences.
Of particular note, my encounter with Three Dog in the GNR building. A team of Brotherhood of Steel paladins escorted me the short distance I had left to Three Dog. Along the way, a squad of persistent super mutants. We put them down right in front of the GNR building. Everything seemed resolved until we heard a booming in the distance. More followed, increasingly louder until a giant of super mutant burst into the compound. He was massive, more than two stories tall and he began laying waste to everything in his reach.
My quest log prompted me to retrieve the Fat Boy from a fallen paladin. I pulled the rocket launcher and mini nuke ammunition from the armored corpse and took aim. My first nuke flew wide, but yielded radius damage that sent the giant super mutant sprawling. Before he could lumber back to his feet, I loaded another nuke and fired again. This time I hit dead on. The behemoth took the load full into the torso. He exploded into fleshy chunks that rained down throughout the compound satisfyingly.
So fun. So memorable. And just one out of many role-playing experiences.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Is Obama a Stealth Nerd?
In the latest issue of Time, Joel Stein wrote about Barack and the “Urkel Effect.” Joel theorizes that Obama may be cool on the surface, but that really he’s a closest nerd. He quotes another writer, Benjamin Nugent, from his book American Nerd: The Story of My People. Of Barack Obama, McCain, and Palin, Nugent writes,
“He [Obama] would be the guy the jocks didn’t choose to towel-snap, but he would kind of stand there looking disapproving while they towel-snapped. Whereas McCain would be more likely to towel-snap you, and Sarah Palin would make out with the guy who towel-snapped you.”
I can imagine Obama sternly glowering at gratuitous towel-snapping and wedgie wrenching just as easily as I can Palin making out with the school’s varsity quarterback. Hell, I'd snap a dork’s ass beet red if it led to a shot at Palin.
She’s hot.
“He [Obama] would be the guy the jocks didn’t choose to towel-snap, but he would kind of stand there looking disapproving while they towel-snapped. Whereas McCain would be more likely to towel-snap you, and Sarah Palin would make out with the guy who towel-snapped you.”
I can imagine Obama sternly glowering at gratuitous towel-snapping and wedgie wrenching just as easily as I can Palin making out with the school’s varsity quarterback. Hell, I'd snap a dork’s ass beet red if it led to a shot at Palin.
She’s hot.
President-elect Barack Obama
I stayed up late last night watching the election results. Once it became evident that Obama won the nomination, I stayed up even longer to hear McCain give his concession speech, the president-elect his victory.
I thought McCain gave a moving, conciliatory speech when he conceded defeat. I was struck by how sincere a speaker he can be when he’s himself. In giving Obama his sympathies for the recent death of his grandmother, I witnessed a flash of the “real” John McCain. If he conducted himself as he did last night throughout his entire campaign, he might have come closer to winning. I’m always struck by the chameleon nature of our politicians; one minute they savage each other, the next they graciously vow to follow. It’s a puzzling component of American politics, but one that suffers the transition of power patriotically; differences set aside to form a unified front.
I was equally moved by Obama’s speech. I was curious what kind of chord he would strike in speaking victoriously to that massive crowd in Grant Park. Obama so effectively diminished the issue of his race while running for president, I was blindsided by the media suddenly talking about how historic his election is. I had, in these last weeks of the campaign, forgotten that Obama is black. Thousands of other hadn’t though. By the tears of joy on so many faces, I can only imagine how they feel. I share their joy, even as a 38 year old white guy.
I was relieved and inspired by what president-elect Obama said in his celebratory speech. He hinted at the history he made, but was quick to give the credit for its inception to others. I believe him when he says he will bring the two parties together to solve our nation’s problems. I think nearly all Americans are hungry for this development. We don’t just deserve a government that functions well, we desperately need it. I sense America’s power fading. Only strong leadership can reverse the trend.
I grant Americans these next few days to celebrate. But after that, it will be time for president-elect Obama to roll up his shirt sleeves and get to work. He promised much. Perhaps too much in the context of our country’s current economic climate. If President Obama does only half of what he outlined in his campaign, I’ll continue praising and supporting him. If he accomplishes little to nothing, I’ll broodingly regret voting for him. And if he flat-out bungles things, makes things even worse, I’ll despair and perhaps give up on our political system entirely.
So much rides on Obama successfully leading us. If he fails, we’re in big trouble. Not only do our problems remain unsolved, but Americans risk losing a newfound interest and energy in the political process. If he succeeds, the country will rebound stronger than ever.
And so will democracy.
I thought McCain gave a moving, conciliatory speech when he conceded defeat. I was struck by how sincere a speaker he can be when he’s himself. In giving Obama his sympathies for the recent death of his grandmother, I witnessed a flash of the “real” John McCain. If he conducted himself as he did last night throughout his entire campaign, he might have come closer to winning. I’m always struck by the chameleon nature of our politicians; one minute they savage each other, the next they graciously vow to follow. It’s a puzzling component of American politics, but one that suffers the transition of power patriotically; differences set aside to form a unified front.
I was equally moved by Obama’s speech. I was curious what kind of chord he would strike in speaking victoriously to that massive crowd in Grant Park. Obama so effectively diminished the issue of his race while running for president, I was blindsided by the media suddenly talking about how historic his election is. I had, in these last weeks of the campaign, forgotten that Obama is black. Thousands of other hadn’t though. By the tears of joy on so many faces, I can only imagine how they feel. I share their joy, even as a 38 year old white guy.
I was relieved and inspired by what president-elect Obama said in his celebratory speech. He hinted at the history he made, but was quick to give the credit for its inception to others. I believe him when he says he will bring the two parties together to solve our nation’s problems. I think nearly all Americans are hungry for this development. We don’t just deserve a government that functions well, we desperately need it. I sense America’s power fading. Only strong leadership can reverse the trend.
I grant Americans these next few days to celebrate. But after that, it will be time for president-elect Obama to roll up his shirt sleeves and get to work. He promised much. Perhaps too much in the context of our country’s current economic climate. If President Obama does only half of what he outlined in his campaign, I’ll continue praising and supporting him. If he accomplishes little to nothing, I’ll broodingly regret voting for him. And if he flat-out bungles things, makes things even worse, I’ll despair and perhaps give up on our political system entirely.
So much rides on Obama successfully leading us. If he fails, we’re in big trouble. Not only do our problems remain unsolved, but Americans risk losing a newfound interest and energy in the political process. If he succeeds, the country will rebound stronger than ever.
And so will democracy.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Election Day
I voted this morning. It was a good feeling, mostly because I did so not purely out of civic duty, but because I felt a moral and ethic need. Our government has been badly managed this last decade. Our politicians did the damage, but we're the electorate that voted them into office. The recent financial crisis has reminded me how important it is to stay abreast of national politics, vote for candidates based on issues (rather than style or my favorite issue, "family values"), and then hold them accountable.
Immediately after voting, I went and worked out. An "I Voted" sticker clearly affixed to my jersey, the girl attending the front desk smiled at me and cheerfully asked who I voted for. When I told her Obama, her smile deflated and she responded with a quiet, "oh." I grinned back and then went about the merry business of moving heavy weights small distances in short, controlled bursts. I'm not sure why I so enjoyed crushing her informal morning polling. But I did.
I'll tell you, I voted for Obama more for what he stood for than I did as a vote against McCain or the Republican party. Too much of my voting in recent years has been a vengeful reaction to whomever was formally in power. I don't think Obama completely leveled with us about how he's going to manage $10 trillion in debt and still give 95% of Americans a tax cut. But I do think he stands a greater chance of changing things for the better in the United States than McCain. I also want our troops out of Iraq, post haste. My sense is the Iraq government has been dragging its feet in governing, instead letting our American troops perform the bulk of the work. We ought never have been there in the first place and $10 billion a month is too steep a price tag to justify our current presence there.
I didn't vote straight Democrat, however. I voted for John Culberson for the Texas seat in the House of Representatives. John voted twice against the bailout bill and I respect that immensely. He also favors scrapping or overhauling No Child Left Behind, another position I support. For U.S. Senate, I also voted for John Cornyn. I don't know much about Cornyn's positions, but I will in the coming months if he wins reelection.
Did you vote? If you did, nice work. You now have earned the right to bitch and complain about future issues. If you didn't, then take a seat and STFU. No vote, no voice. If you couldn't take the time to stand in a line (I've stood in longer movie lines), then no one has the time to listen to your unrepresented opinions.
So get out and vote! You have the entire day today to sneak out of work and get it done. Yes, go vote! Even if it's for McCain and his VPILF! McCain is a fine man and I respect anyone who votes for him and can articulate at least one reason why they're doing so, beyond "Um, he's a Republican."
Immediately after voting, I went and worked out. An "I Voted" sticker clearly affixed to my jersey, the girl attending the front desk smiled at me and cheerfully asked who I voted for. When I told her Obama, her smile deflated and she responded with a quiet, "oh." I grinned back and then went about the merry business of moving heavy weights small distances in short, controlled bursts. I'm not sure why I so enjoyed crushing her informal morning polling. But I did.
I'll tell you, I voted for Obama more for what he stood for than I did as a vote against McCain or the Republican party. Too much of my voting in recent years has been a vengeful reaction to whomever was formally in power. I don't think Obama completely leveled with us about how he's going to manage $10 trillion in debt and still give 95% of Americans a tax cut. But I do think he stands a greater chance of changing things for the better in the United States than McCain. I also want our troops out of Iraq, post haste. My sense is the Iraq government has been dragging its feet in governing, instead letting our American troops perform the bulk of the work. We ought never have been there in the first place and $10 billion a month is too steep a price tag to justify our current presence there.
I didn't vote straight Democrat, however. I voted for John Culberson for the Texas seat in the House of Representatives. John voted twice against the bailout bill and I respect that immensely. He also favors scrapping or overhauling No Child Left Behind, another position I support. For U.S. Senate, I also voted for John Cornyn. I don't know much about Cornyn's positions, but I will in the coming months if he wins reelection.
Did you vote? If you did, nice work. You now have earned the right to bitch and complain about future issues. If you didn't, then take a seat and STFU. No vote, no voice. If you couldn't take the time to stand in a line (I've stood in longer movie lines), then no one has the time to listen to your unrepresented opinions.
So get out and vote! You have the entire day today to sneak out of work and get it done. Yes, go vote! Even if it's for McCain and his VPILF! McCain is a fine man and I respect anyone who votes for him and can articulate at least one reason why they're doing so, beyond "Um, he's a Republican."
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Thomsons hit the Texas Renaissance Festival yesterday afternoon. It was a beautiful Houston fall day, with temperatures around 80 degrees. Very pleasant if you sought shade.
We attended with a cadre of friends. One couple in particular attends every year in costume. Jeff wore a black leather vest and pants, complete with black-sheathed dagger and pouch. Megan wore authentic dress. I can’t give its name justice, but the outfit looked regal, if not blazing warm in the sun. The pair fit right in with the other crowds of costumed folks. In fact, they looked down right tame compared to what some people wore. I’m thinking in particular of some chain mail bikini clad women whose linked chains hid little underneath. Maximum nippage!
I think I want to start wearing a costume myself. Nothing too crazy. Maybe a blue and green plaid kilt, with a white top and some appropriate foot and sock ware. It’d be cool to walk around the grounds with a broad sword strapped to my back. If I start buying the pieces now, I could have a solid costume put together in a few years.
Wifezilla ate some great food yesterday. We started with a gyro in the Greek quarter. We bought the girls steak on a stick and a stalk of corn on the cob in the French section; Claire didn’t like the spices on the steak, so Hallie and I ate most of that. Melanie downed most of the cob. Come to think of it, I wonder if Hallie and Claire got properly fed that day. Seems unlikely. I also tasted some guy's warm nuts. He was offering them to everyone that past by, be they man or woman. I sampled almonds but ultimately bought the cashews.
I’m looking forward to maybe hitting the Dallas Festival in the spring. That will hinge on my brother, as I doubt we’d go by ourselves.
We attended with a cadre of friends. One couple in particular attends every year in costume. Jeff wore a black leather vest and pants, complete with black-sheathed dagger and pouch. Megan wore authentic dress. I can’t give its name justice, but the outfit looked regal, if not blazing warm in the sun. The pair fit right in with the other crowds of costumed folks. In fact, they looked down right tame compared to what some people wore. I’m thinking in particular of some chain mail bikini clad women whose linked chains hid little underneath. Maximum nippage!
I think I want to start wearing a costume myself. Nothing too crazy. Maybe a blue and green plaid kilt, with a white top and some appropriate foot and sock ware. It’d be cool to walk around the grounds with a broad sword strapped to my back. If I start buying the pieces now, I could have a solid costume put together in a few years.
Wifezilla ate some great food yesterday. We started with a gyro in the Greek quarter. We bought the girls steak on a stick and a stalk of corn on the cob in the French section; Claire didn’t like the spices on the steak, so Hallie and I ate most of that. Melanie downed most of the cob. Come to think of it, I wonder if Hallie and Claire got properly fed that day. Seems unlikely. I also tasted some guy's warm nuts. He was offering them to everyone that past by, be they man or woman. I sampled almonds but ultimately bought the cashews.
I’m looking forward to maybe hitting the Dallas Festival in the spring. That will hinge on my brother, as I doubt we’d go by ourselves.
Side Quest Scavenging
In the midst of a hectic work schedule, mostly from Wifezilla’s orchestra program, I’ve been squeezing in as much Fallout 3 as I can. I’ve logged close to twenty hours so far and have some preliminary observations.
First and foremost, Fallout 3 manages to incite a role-playing vibe I haven’t felt from a game in a long time. Even more so than The Witcher and Mass Effect. I have barely touched the main campaign of trying to track down my father. Instead, I’ve been completely side quests and clearing out sewer basements, subway tunnels, and supermarkets. The fact that I find myself exceedingly entertained and I have barely begun the main story line speaks volumes of the quality of this game.
The side quests are a big change to what other games offer. There aren’t many of them, but the few that are offered spiral out like a Slinky shuffling down a staircase. The side quests start out as X, morph into Y, end with Z, and often slingshot a tiny wrap-up that brings you back to A. It’s a satisfying experience that moves past the drudgery of killing ants to collect eight antennae, the standard fare for RPGs, especially MMOs.
Grayditch’s THOSE! is a great example a typical Fallout 3 side quest. The quest began as I cleared a causeway of land mines just south of the SuperDuper Mart. A street urchin of a boy approached me, declaring frantically that monsters roamed Grayditch and that his father left their house to fight them. The boy pleaded that I find his father. I took pity on the boy and agreed to track down his father, telling him to hide in the meantime.
When I got to Grayditch, I found the wrecked suburb infested with giant fire-breathing ants. The fire-breathing was a revelation. I had encountered giant ants before, but none of them breathed fire. Approaching one with my newly crafted Shishkabob melee weapon (forged with a fueled motorcycle gas tank, lawn mower blade, pilot light, and fire hose nozzle), imagine my surprise at being greeted with a torrent of flame that lit me up like a California wildfire.
I quickly changed tactics and switched over to my hunting rifle. I must have killed a dozen of the deadly insects at range making my way to the boy’s home. Inside the house, the father lay dead, surrounded by three giant ants. I went back and reported the bad news to the boy. He in turn told me about the strange scientist that worked with his dad on some project. The Slinky took another step and now I was charged with tracking down the source of the fire-breathing ants. Once I found the source, the quest shifted to re-splicing the brood hatch’s DNA while keeping the Queen alive. And so on and so forth.
I take frequent breaks from side quest story lines to simply scavenge and loot the vast landscape. I find this to be the game’s strongest role-playing element. It’s also some of the most fun I have with Fallout 3. Nothing is randomly placed in the game. The world teems with abandoned buildings and dark sewer lines, ripe with danger and loot. Very often, I revisit a location that had previously skirted while side questing; the quest done, I return to loot ammo, books, weapons, and cheetah patterned nightwear.
Yes, you heard me. The pajamas have good stats too, but it’s part of a side quest so I’ll likely deliver it to its rightful owner.
The game really does surpass my expectations. I played Fallout and Fallout 2 and can testify that the latest version is as good, if not better than its storied predecessors. If you hated Oblivion, you might still enjoy Fallout 3. Its foundation is Oblivion, but it plays much differently. I look to see this game as a strong contender for various 2008 Game of the Year awards.
First and foremost, Fallout 3 manages to incite a role-playing vibe I haven’t felt from a game in a long time. Even more so than The Witcher and Mass Effect. I have barely touched the main campaign of trying to track down my father. Instead, I’ve been completely side quests and clearing out sewer basements, subway tunnels, and supermarkets. The fact that I find myself exceedingly entertained and I have barely begun the main story line speaks volumes of the quality of this game.
The side quests are a big change to what other games offer. There aren’t many of them, but the few that are offered spiral out like a Slinky shuffling down a staircase. The side quests start out as X, morph into Y, end with Z, and often slingshot a tiny wrap-up that brings you back to A. It’s a satisfying experience that moves past the drudgery of killing ants to collect eight antennae, the standard fare for RPGs, especially MMOs.
Grayditch’s THOSE! is a great example a typical Fallout 3 side quest. The quest began as I cleared a causeway of land mines just south of the SuperDuper Mart. A street urchin of a boy approached me, declaring frantically that monsters roamed Grayditch and that his father left their house to fight them. The boy pleaded that I find his father. I took pity on the boy and agreed to track down his father, telling him to hide in the meantime.
When I got to Grayditch, I found the wrecked suburb infested with giant fire-breathing ants. The fire-breathing was a revelation. I had encountered giant ants before, but none of them breathed fire. Approaching one with my newly crafted Shishkabob melee weapon (forged with a fueled motorcycle gas tank, lawn mower blade, pilot light, and fire hose nozzle), imagine my surprise at being greeted with a torrent of flame that lit me up like a California wildfire.
I quickly changed tactics and switched over to my hunting rifle. I must have killed a dozen of the deadly insects at range making my way to the boy’s home. Inside the house, the father lay dead, surrounded by three giant ants. I went back and reported the bad news to the boy. He in turn told me about the strange scientist that worked with his dad on some project. The Slinky took another step and now I was charged with tracking down the source of the fire-breathing ants. Once I found the source, the quest shifted to re-splicing the brood hatch’s DNA while keeping the Queen alive. And so on and so forth.
I take frequent breaks from side quest story lines to simply scavenge and loot the vast landscape. I find this to be the game’s strongest role-playing element. It’s also some of the most fun I have with Fallout 3. Nothing is randomly placed in the game. The world teems with abandoned buildings and dark sewer lines, ripe with danger and loot. Very often, I revisit a location that had previously skirted while side questing; the quest done, I return to loot ammo, books, weapons, and cheetah patterned nightwear.
Yes, you heard me. The pajamas have good stats too, but it’s part of a side quest so I’ll likely deliver it to its rightful owner.
The game really does surpass my expectations. I played Fallout and Fallout 2 and can testify that the latest version is as good, if not better than its storied predecessors. If you hated Oblivion, you might still enjoy Fallout 3. Its foundation is Oblivion, but it plays much differently. I look to see this game as a strong contender for various 2008 Game of the Year awards.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Megaton's Bomb
For reasons no one seems to remember, Megaton was built around a perfectly functioning nuke. Fresh out of the vault, I stopped short and stared when I first spied the bomb, its bulbous girth head first in a crater filled to the brim with brown, murky water. Talking with Lucas Simms, Megaton’s sheriff of sorts, I pointed out the insanity and danger of living so close to a live, unpredictable weapon.
Lucas agreed but said in all the years he lived in Megaton, no one had come along with the expertise to defuse the thing. His eyes narrowed when he offered me the task of neutralizing it. At first I demurred, but when I met the Children of the Atom, a cult dedicated to worshiping fission energy and the bombs that harnessed it, I changed my mind. Given time, I envisioned a scientist type stumbling upon Megaton and the cratered bomb, someone possibly gullible enough to heed the Children’s message that a universe exists within every atom and that a nuclear blast splits atoms into millions more. Worlds created in the blink of eye, at least according to the Children. They were insane. I would defuse that bomb.
I had decided this well before I stepped into Moriarty’s bar, trying to track down information about my wayward father. Stepping into the shithole, the door barely banged shut behind me before a man in a striped suit motioned me over to him. Against my better judgment, I walked over to him. He introduced himself as Mr. Burke and quickly got down to business. Through veiled innuendo, he offered me a job. Mr. Burke’s employer was looking to hire someone to denote Megaton’s nuke. Megaton had become a cesspool of alcoholism, gambling, and whoring and someone wanted it purged by radioactive fire.
I couldn’t get any information out of Burke, like who backed him, but I refused his offer. He told me to come back if I changed my mind. I left Moriarty’s and made my way deliberately to Lucas Simms. I told him of Burke and his plan to wipe Megaton off the face of the earth. Simms’ face hardened at the news. Slinging off his assault rifle, he told me to follow him to witness some frontier justice.
The two of us burst into Moriarty’s. I was surprised to see Burke still there. Balls of steel, this guy. Either that or he estimated me incapable of reporting him to the sheriff. Simms leveled his gun at Burke and ordered him into custody. At first Burke refused, but quickly acquiesced. Satisfied, Simms turned to leave. Burke quickly reached into his inside suit pocket and pulled out a pistol. He fired multiple rounds into Simms, who fell to the ground dead. Burke turned to me, telling me I had made a terrible mistake. Before I could pull out a weapon, Burke calmly walked out of the bar and into wasteland night.
With the entire bar’s eyes on me, I put Simms’ duster hat on my head, his gunslinger trench coat over my shoulders, and his assault rifle in my hands. Megaton had a new sheriff in town.
Lucas agreed but said in all the years he lived in Megaton, no one had come along with the expertise to defuse the thing. His eyes narrowed when he offered me the task of neutralizing it. At first I demurred, but when I met the Children of the Atom, a cult dedicated to worshiping fission energy and the bombs that harnessed it, I changed my mind. Given time, I envisioned a scientist type stumbling upon Megaton and the cratered bomb, someone possibly gullible enough to heed the Children’s message that a universe exists within every atom and that a nuclear blast splits atoms into millions more. Worlds created in the blink of eye, at least according to the Children. They were insane. I would defuse that bomb.
I had decided this well before I stepped into Moriarty’s bar, trying to track down information about my wayward father. Stepping into the shithole, the door barely banged shut behind me before a man in a striped suit motioned me over to him. Against my better judgment, I walked over to him. He introduced himself as Mr. Burke and quickly got down to business. Through veiled innuendo, he offered me a job. Mr. Burke’s employer was looking to hire someone to denote Megaton’s nuke. Megaton had become a cesspool of alcoholism, gambling, and whoring and someone wanted it purged by radioactive fire.
I couldn’t get any information out of Burke, like who backed him, but I refused his offer. He told me to come back if I changed my mind. I left Moriarty’s and made my way deliberately to Lucas Simms. I told him of Burke and his plan to wipe Megaton off the face of the earth. Simms’ face hardened at the news. Slinging off his assault rifle, he told me to follow him to witness some frontier justice.
The two of us burst into Moriarty’s. I was surprised to see Burke still there. Balls of steel, this guy. Either that or he estimated me incapable of reporting him to the sheriff. Simms leveled his gun at Burke and ordered him into custody. At first Burke refused, but quickly acquiesced. Satisfied, Simms turned to leave. Burke quickly reached into his inside suit pocket and pulled out a pistol. He fired multiple rounds into Simms, who fell to the ground dead. Burke turned to me, telling me I had made a terrible mistake. Before I could pull out a weapon, Burke calmly walked out of the bar and into wasteland night.
With the entire bar’s eyes on me, I put Simms’ duster hat on my head, his gunslinger trench coat over my shoulders, and his assault rifle in my hands. Megaton had a new sheriff in town.
Deathclaw Finds a Home
Moira asked me to visit a nearby supermarket, just up the slope from Megaton. Within minutes, I trekked within view of the sprawling building. Debris littered the market’s asphalt parking lot. Rusted husks of buses and cars stood testament to the massive destruction that took place hundreds of years ago. As I approached the rectangle shaped warehouse, I heard shots ring out on the building’s opposite side. I quickened my pace to find the source of the gunfire. I rounded the corner and saw a mohawked raider open up his assault rife into a lunging deathclaw. The deathclaw towered over the mercenary scum, absorbing the rifle rounds like they were gentle bubbles. Ignoring the hot rounds pouring into it, the monster lunged into the raider, crushing him with one claw while tearing into him with the other. When the human stopped moving, the deathclaw dropped him like a toddler does a toy and started wandering aimlessly in front of the supermarket. I noticed four other dead raiders strewn about the front of the store, all recently killed.
Seems the deathclaw found a new nest.
Peeking around the corner, I observed that the deathclaw appeared wounded. It had killed all five raiders, but at mortal cost. I steeled my nerve, and stepped into broad view. The deathclaw had its back to me so I trotted forward to get into better range. The 10 mm in my hand felt heavy, unwieldy. My hands sweated. I squeezed the pistol even harder to make sure it didn’t slide right out my hand. At twenty yards, I stopped. The thing suddenly sensed my presence, its torso twisting to draw a bead on me with its beady eyes. It pivoted the rest of the way and let loose a bellowing, primal shriek. It charged.
I half closed my eyes and began to fire. I emptied an entire clip and still the monster came. I fumbled another clip, slamming it into the gun’s handle. Still the monster charged. I unloaded. The monster shuddered and collapsed before my feet. It exhaled a final gasp and then lay still. I sawed off the beast’s right claw as a trophy.
Wounded or not, I took credit for the kill.
Seems the deathclaw found a new nest.
Peeking around the corner, I observed that the deathclaw appeared wounded. It had killed all five raiders, but at mortal cost. I steeled my nerve, and stepped into broad view. The deathclaw had its back to me so I trotted forward to get into better range. The 10 mm in my hand felt heavy, unwieldy. My hands sweated. I squeezed the pistol even harder to make sure it didn’t slide right out my hand. At twenty yards, I stopped. The thing suddenly sensed my presence, its torso twisting to draw a bead on me with its beady eyes. It pivoted the rest of the way and let loose a bellowing, primal shriek. It charged.
I half closed my eyes and began to fire. I emptied an entire clip and still the monster came. I fumbled another clip, slamming it into the gun’s handle. Still the monster charged. I unloaded. The monster shuddered and collapsed before my feet. It exhaled a final gasp and then lay still. I sawed off the beast’s right claw as a trophy.
Wounded or not, I took credit for the kill.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Fallout 3 Delivers
I’m an American. As an American, I’m incapable of delaying my gratification.
Case in point: I ordered Fallout 3 online so I wouldn’t have to talk to the drooling simpletons at Gamestop. I thought my will steeled enough to wait a few more days to role-play within a radioactive wasteland. But my iron-wrought discipline crumpled like that bridge in Minnesota last year and yesterday I found myself talking to the cross-eyed hucksters at Best Buy, Fallout 3 well in hand. Because of my weakness, I now have to return the Gamestop copy, whenever it arrives. This serves as a valuable lesson not to order online when I have so numerous retail outlets available.
And so little patience.
I played the first part of the game last night, even made it to the tiny town outside the Vault, Megatron. I played and finished Oblivion, Bethesda’s penultimate title, and I can testify that Fallout 3 uses many of that game’s design conventions with an obvious graphic overhaul. Character creation is as original as it is creative. I won’t spoil it, other than to comment that your character begins with blood splattering the monitor screen.
I tagged small arms, science, and repair as my primary skills. These start at higher levels than the rest of my skills. If the game is like Oblivion, they also increase more easily. I also buffed up my charisma because as I discovered in Mass Effect, you can get some satisfying dialogue options with diplomacy abilities cranked up. I’ve only used the V.A.T.S system (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) once or twice, but I like what I’ve seen so far. With a weapon equipped, hitting the V key pauses the game, zooms into a target, and lets you select what body part you want to focus your shot on. Head shots have a lower percentage chance than torso shots, but once you approve your focused target, the game resumes in slow motion and reap the rewards of your weapon skills. I plan on taking the perk Messy Kill, so V.A.T.S should serve me well later in the game.
I’ve got a crazy week and weekend shaping up, but I plan to play Fallout 3 as much as I can. Look for me to dribble out more observations in the days to come.
Case in point: I ordered Fallout 3 online so I wouldn’t have to talk to the drooling simpletons at Gamestop. I thought my will steeled enough to wait a few more days to role-play within a radioactive wasteland. But my iron-wrought discipline crumpled like that bridge in Minnesota last year and yesterday I found myself talking to the cross-eyed hucksters at Best Buy, Fallout 3 well in hand. Because of my weakness, I now have to return the Gamestop copy, whenever it arrives. This serves as a valuable lesson not to order online when I have so numerous retail outlets available.
And so little patience.
I played the first part of the game last night, even made it to the tiny town outside the Vault, Megatron. I played and finished Oblivion, Bethesda’s penultimate title, and I can testify that Fallout 3 uses many of that game’s design conventions with an obvious graphic overhaul. Character creation is as original as it is creative. I won’t spoil it, other than to comment that your character begins with blood splattering the monitor screen.
I tagged small arms, science, and repair as my primary skills. These start at higher levels than the rest of my skills. If the game is like Oblivion, they also increase more easily. I also buffed up my charisma because as I discovered in Mass Effect, you can get some satisfying dialogue options with diplomacy abilities cranked up. I’ve only used the V.A.T.S system (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) once or twice, but I like what I’ve seen so far. With a weapon equipped, hitting the V key pauses the game, zooms into a target, and lets you select what body part you want to focus your shot on. Head shots have a lower percentage chance than torso shots, but once you approve your focused target, the game resumes in slow motion and reap the rewards of your weapon skills. I plan on taking the perk Messy Kill, so V.A.T.S should serve me well later in the game.
I’ve got a crazy week and weekend shaping up, but I plan to play Fallout 3 as much as I can. Look for me to dribble out more observations in the days to come.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Legendary Items and Character Differentiation
It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited about an MMO. I’ll never forget my stress-test play of World of Warcraft, the thrill of roaming Azeroth’s lowbie zones, killing and leveling and looting to my gamer’s content. Lord of the Rings Online has rekindled that same feeling and the game’s upcoming expansion, Mines of Moria, has me looking forward to many more hours of MMO play.
Mines of Moria includes two new classes, a level cap raise to 60, and brand new content. The game’s most recent developers’ diaries talked about another innovative feature of the expansion, legendary items. The idea behind legendary items are weapons that grow much like a character. They earn experience from killing mobs, gains levels, and can interchange traits that grant their user unique skills, powers, and buffs.
If it works, legendary items might be the most creative idea to come out of an MMO since World of Warcraft remade the entire genre four years ago. Indeed, WoW seems to be following LotRO’s lead in a few areas, most notably WoW’s new feature, achievements and character titles. The deed system in LotRO actually props up a character’s traits, which in turns control how a toon is specced and individually tailors how which statistics are buffed and modified. The same system grants a slew of titles as well. It’s an elegant approach to making a toon unique. Most of all, it’s a lot of fun.
I don’t foresee WoW drastically changing how its characters earn skill tree points. When I last played, a toon earned their first point at level 10 and then continued receiving a point up until the level cap. You didn’t do anything other than level to earn these points. They arrived automatically, to be spent immediately. WoW’s primary focus is on character specc optimization and balance, both between a class’s three skill tress and the classes themselves. I think LotRO does too, I suppose, but it’s not so deliberate and much more forgiving.
In WoW, you CAN pick the wrong specc. You’ll know when you join a 10 or 25 woman instance and fellow players observe your play. If you’re specced wrong in a PUG, you’ll be called a retard. Or worse. If you’re specced wrong in a guild, especially one that raids, you’ll be told to respecc. Not in the general sense, like, “Your specc sucks, go change it,” but rather “Your specc sucks, change it to THIS.” Every point will be dictated to you. There won’t be any debate about an alternative. If you don’t change a “retarded” specc, you risk a boot from the guild.
Which makes me wonder why Blizzard includes skill tree abilities that go one of two ways, widely used to almost exclusively ignored. To be sure, there’s a difference in game play between PvE, PvP, raiding. And in most instances, WoW’s skill trees address those differences. Still, I found it confining to specc my shadow priest according to the universally agreed upon raid template specc. The most commonly accepted raid specc for a shadow priest varied by at most a point or two. There was really only one way to specc my toon. There was really only one way to play her. In retrospect, that contributed greatly to my waning interest in raiding. Not only did all raid boss fights blur together into a vague conglomerate of dancing and jiving, starting and stopping, and full out fighting, but the way I played my priest never varied. I followed the same dot clock rotation every time, yet another aspect of the class that had been tested and retested and optimized. With the exception of dynamic movement, raiding boiled down to pushing the same button sequence over and over and over again till my eyes bled. If you brought in that bird that bobs up and down from water displacement, it could likely peck out my dot rotation just as well as I did.
I guess what I’m complaining about here is min/maxing. What I really want from companies like Blizzard and Turbine is a skill tree system that is deep and balanced enough to allow multiple permutations, all equally effective, rather than the current system which involves some very smart people tracking down THE ONE class specc that nearly everyone reverts to using. I think it makes for more interesting game play to have multiple interpretations of a class role. I see Turbine expanding on that with the introduction of their legendary item system. I see Blizzard holding the status quo. I think the most critically acclaimed MMO (note, not most popular), will be the one that grants varied approaches to class play that can easily defended in multiple arenas, everywhere from PvE to raiding.
I’m looking forward to seeing of Turbine’s legendary item system moves closer to that.
Mines of Moria includes two new classes, a level cap raise to 60, and brand new content. The game’s most recent developers’ diaries talked about another innovative feature of the expansion, legendary items. The idea behind legendary items are weapons that grow much like a character. They earn experience from killing mobs, gains levels, and can interchange traits that grant their user unique skills, powers, and buffs.
If it works, legendary items might be the most creative idea to come out of an MMO since World of Warcraft remade the entire genre four years ago. Indeed, WoW seems to be following LotRO’s lead in a few areas, most notably WoW’s new feature, achievements and character titles. The deed system in LotRO actually props up a character’s traits, which in turns control how a toon is specced and individually tailors how which statistics are buffed and modified. The same system grants a slew of titles as well. It’s an elegant approach to making a toon unique. Most of all, it’s a lot of fun.
I don’t foresee WoW drastically changing how its characters earn skill tree points. When I last played, a toon earned their first point at level 10 and then continued receiving a point up until the level cap. You didn’t do anything other than level to earn these points. They arrived automatically, to be spent immediately. WoW’s primary focus is on character specc optimization and balance, both between a class’s three skill tress and the classes themselves. I think LotRO does too, I suppose, but it’s not so deliberate and much more forgiving.
In WoW, you CAN pick the wrong specc. You’ll know when you join a 10 or 25 woman instance and fellow players observe your play. If you’re specced wrong in a PUG, you’ll be called a retard. Or worse. If you’re specced wrong in a guild, especially one that raids, you’ll be told to respecc. Not in the general sense, like, “Your specc sucks, go change it,” but rather “Your specc sucks, change it to THIS.” Every point will be dictated to you. There won’t be any debate about an alternative. If you don’t change a “retarded” specc, you risk a boot from the guild.
Which makes me wonder why Blizzard includes skill tree abilities that go one of two ways, widely used to almost exclusively ignored. To be sure, there’s a difference in game play between PvE, PvP, raiding. And in most instances, WoW’s skill trees address those differences. Still, I found it confining to specc my shadow priest according to the universally agreed upon raid template specc. The most commonly accepted raid specc for a shadow priest varied by at most a point or two. There was really only one way to specc my toon. There was really only one way to play her. In retrospect, that contributed greatly to my waning interest in raiding. Not only did all raid boss fights blur together into a vague conglomerate of dancing and jiving, starting and stopping, and full out fighting, but the way I played my priest never varied. I followed the same dot clock rotation every time, yet another aspect of the class that had been tested and retested and optimized. With the exception of dynamic movement, raiding boiled down to pushing the same button sequence over and over and over again till my eyes bled. If you brought in that bird that bobs up and down from water displacement, it could likely peck out my dot rotation just as well as I did.
I guess what I’m complaining about here is min/maxing. What I really want from companies like Blizzard and Turbine is a skill tree system that is deep and balanced enough to allow multiple permutations, all equally effective, rather than the current system which involves some very smart people tracking down THE ONE class specc that nearly everyone reverts to using. I think it makes for more interesting game play to have multiple interpretations of a class role. I see Turbine expanding on that with the introduction of their legendary item system. I see Blizzard holding the status quo. I think the most critically acclaimed MMO (note, not most popular), will be the one that grants varied approaches to class play that can easily defended in multiple arenas, everywhere from PvE to raiding.
I’m looking forward to seeing of Turbine’s legendary item system moves closer to that.
Fallout 3 Out Today
Fallout 3 comes out today. I ordered it online, so I don’t anticipate getting it until later in the week. I’d much prefer a delay in playing the game than having to deal with the retards at Gamestop.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Wall Street Side Bets
Turns out that a major contributor to our nation's current economic plight is the role of Credit Default Swaps, a form of insurance someone could take out in the event an investment failed. The catch? You didn't have to actually be invested to take out the insurance. The other catch? Credit default swaps were made illegal more than a hundred years ago and were only recently re-legalized in 2000 by the U.S. Congress. Experts summarize the derivatives as nothing more than investment betting, akin to the kind of side betting Joe the Plumber might make on a sporting event.
Catch the entire explanation from 60 Minutes, required viewing for all tax-paying and voting Americans.
Catch the entire explanation from 60 Minutes, required viewing for all tax-paying and voting Americans.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
My Letter to My Representatives
Dear X (Culberson, Hutchison, Cornyn),
I’ve heard reports that Congress is contemplating putting together another stimulus package, potentially costing more than $100 billion. Many economists dispute the effectiveness of these packages, especially if citizens save the money or spend it on imports. With $11 trillion in national debt and more than $500 billion deficit, I can’t rationalize spending even more money that we don’t have.
So please, Congressman, vote “no” on any stimulus package that comes to the floor of the House. Instead, work with Congress in developing legislation that either invests money into our nation’s infrastructure or begins to pay off the $11 trillion national debt. Protecting the American economy and paying off that debt should be Congress’ number one priority right now.
I want you to also take a closer look at our free trade agreements with foreign countries. Nearly everyone agrees that these agreements have bled the United States of manufacturing jobs. It seems the playing field isn’t level, which in turn has turned the United States into a country that makes nothing and imports everything.
Your citizen,
Frank Thomson
http://furiouscognition.blogspot.com/
I’ve heard reports that Congress is contemplating putting together another stimulus package, potentially costing more than $100 billion. Many economists dispute the effectiveness of these packages, especially if citizens save the money or spend it on imports. With $11 trillion in national debt and more than $500 billion deficit, I can’t rationalize spending even more money that we don’t have.
So please, Congressman, vote “no” on any stimulus package that comes to the floor of the House. Instead, work with Congress in developing legislation that either invests money into our nation’s infrastructure or begins to pay off the $11 trillion national debt. Protecting the American economy and paying off that debt should be Congress’ number one priority right now.
I want you to also take a closer look at our free trade agreements with foreign countries. Nearly everyone agrees that these agreements have bled the United States of manufacturing jobs. It seems the playing field isn’t level, which in turn has turned the United States into a country that makes nothing and imports everything.
Your citizen,
Frank Thomson
http://furiouscognition.blogspot.com/
Stimulus Package
Talk currently floats around the halls of the U.S. Congress about putting together another "stimulus" package to help the floundering American economy. The idea behind such packages is that the government mails checks to citizens who then turn around and spend the money. The consumer spending supposedly invigorates the economy, which in turns increases job growth. Unfortunately, economists point out, the dynamic isn't as simple as that. If a citizen spends his stimulus check on imports, the profits benefit the exporting nation, not the United States. Also, if the citizen squirrels the money away for a rainy day, again, the money isn't being pumped into the economy. The first two stimulus packages cost billions of dollars to fund and couldn't prevent our economy from sliding into a recession. It's hard to justify a third.
I haven't heard one economists go on record saying they think this is a good idea. Nearly all of them agree that writing Americans a check for $300 won't help the economy in any long-term way. Instead, they advocate that the government should start pumping money into wide-scale infrastructure projects--roads, green energy, government buildings, etc--something that provides a permanent benefit and creates jobs. Americans don't want to hear this, but they haven't been managing their money any better than our government; if you hand Joe the Plumber a check for $300, I guarantee he's going to turn around and blow the whole wad at the nearest Hooters, which may help Joe cop a feel, but doesn't benefit the macro American economy in any significant way.
I do think our friends in Congress need to get their heads examined. The Democrats that are currently building consensus for this stimulus package still support the notion of spending even more money our government doesn't have. I think I heard Democrat Henry Reid quoted as saying that he was prepared to raise taxes to fund a new stimulus package. Um, huh? Give out free money to your citizens, turn around and tax those same citizens, and use that tax revenue to fund the stimulus package. I've got a crazy idea! How about no stimulus package at all? How about Democrats and Republicans sit down and start thinking of ways to SAVE money, not spend it?
A revolutionary idea in American politics, I know.
In many ways, our politicians remind me of the jackasses at AIG who took more than a $100 billion in bailout money from the U.S. Treasury and then spent $500,000 at a spa and another $50,000 at a English resort. Our politicians and corporate officers still don't seem to get it. Our country is $11 trillion in debt, with a more than $500 billion budget deficit. When will it dawn on them that they can't continue spending even more money none of us have? When our debt hits $15 trillion? $20 trillion? I'm thinking if we ever reach that point, the entire world monetary system could collapse. It nearly is right now.
So if you feel inclined, write your Senators and Congressmen. I recommend you tell them to vote "no" if a new stimulus bill hits the floor. Tell them to instead invest any discretionary money they think they might have into something tangible, like a green energy package advocated by Al Gore or that Pickens dude. Tell your politicians that you want to hear them start proposing legislation that is going to address our $11 trillion debt, our unfair trade balance, the issue of world free trade agreements, job creation, job retention, and energy policy. I plan on telling my representatives, Culberson, Cornyn, and Hutchinson, that addressing the national debt should now be their number one priority.
I hope you agree with me and mobilize.
I haven't heard one economists go on record saying they think this is a good idea. Nearly all of them agree that writing Americans a check for $300 won't help the economy in any long-term way. Instead, they advocate that the government should start pumping money into wide-scale infrastructure projects--roads, green energy, government buildings, etc--something that provides a permanent benefit and creates jobs. Americans don't want to hear this, but they haven't been managing their money any better than our government; if you hand Joe the Plumber a check for $300, I guarantee he's going to turn around and blow the whole wad at the nearest Hooters, which may help Joe cop a feel, but doesn't benefit the macro American economy in any significant way.
I do think our friends in Congress need to get their heads examined. The Democrats that are currently building consensus for this stimulus package still support the notion of spending even more money our government doesn't have. I think I heard Democrat Henry Reid quoted as saying that he was prepared to raise taxes to fund a new stimulus package. Um, huh? Give out free money to your citizens, turn around and tax those same citizens, and use that tax revenue to fund the stimulus package. I've got a crazy idea! How about no stimulus package at all? How about Democrats and Republicans sit down and start thinking of ways to SAVE money, not spend it?
A revolutionary idea in American politics, I know.
In many ways, our politicians remind me of the jackasses at AIG who took more than a $100 billion in bailout money from the U.S. Treasury and then spent $500,000 at a spa and another $50,000 at a English resort. Our politicians and corporate officers still don't seem to get it. Our country is $11 trillion in debt, with a more than $500 billion budget deficit. When will it dawn on them that they can't continue spending even more money none of us have? When our debt hits $15 trillion? $20 trillion? I'm thinking if we ever reach that point, the entire world monetary system could collapse. It nearly is right now.
So if you feel inclined, write your Senators and Congressmen. I recommend you tell them to vote "no" if a new stimulus bill hits the floor. Tell them to instead invest any discretionary money they think they might have into something tangible, like a green energy package advocated by Al Gore or that Pickens dude. Tell your politicians that you want to hear them start proposing legislation that is going to address our $11 trillion debt, our unfair trade balance, the issue of world free trade agreements, job creation, job retention, and energy policy. I plan on telling my representatives, Culberson, Cornyn, and Hutchinson, that addressing the national debt should now be their number one priority.
I hope you agree with me and mobilize.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Hellgate: London Shutting Down
It's official, Hellgate: London will close down its servers February 2009. After months went by with no restructuring plan announced, the final closing of this game comes as no real surprise. Hopefully future designers can use HG:L as an example of what NOT to do when creating and marketing a video game.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Idiocracy and WALL-E
After watching Mike Judge’s Idiocracy, I wondered if the creators of Pixar’s WALL-E had watched it too. Both movies share a common vision for the future of humankind: stupid, lazy, illiterate, barely functioning. The big difference between the movies is that in WALL-E, computers were taking care of everything, to the point they were taking OVER everything. In Idiocracy, civilization was merely crumbling back to the Stone Age.
I found Judge’s movie to be more to the point about humankind. I like the notion that natural selection can’t work on people. Since we have no predators, nature can’t weed out the smart, fast, strong from the stupid, slow, weak. Everyone survives. In Judge’s twisted world, stupid people procreate in greater numbers than smart people, creating a kind of reverse natural selection that eventually threatens thousands of years of human evolution. Judge makes clever use of professional wrestling, a Gatorade drink, monster truck rallies, and the restaurant chain Fuddruckers to make his point.
In WALL-E, technology is more the threat. The movie guesses that people are going to slowly cede more and more responsibility and power to machines. The most poignant moment in the movie is when the captain struggles to read a manual about returning to earth and growing crops. With machines doing everything, people had lost the ability to even read. There’s some natural selection ingrained in that scenario, which again makes me wonder if the Pixar people used Judge’s movie as a springboard to their own.
Idiocracy came and went in the theaters with little to no fanfare. I didn’t even know the movie existed until I saw it my cable guide. Since it is so obscure, I’m willing to bet there are legions of potential fans out there. I highly recommend the movie, especially for fans of Team America and other modern, dark satire.
I found Judge’s movie to be more to the point about humankind. I like the notion that natural selection can’t work on people. Since we have no predators, nature can’t weed out the smart, fast, strong from the stupid, slow, weak. Everyone survives. In Judge’s twisted world, stupid people procreate in greater numbers than smart people, creating a kind of reverse natural selection that eventually threatens thousands of years of human evolution. Judge makes clever use of professional wrestling, a Gatorade drink, monster truck rallies, and the restaurant chain Fuddruckers to make his point.
In WALL-E, technology is more the threat. The movie guesses that people are going to slowly cede more and more responsibility and power to machines. The most poignant moment in the movie is when the captain struggles to read a manual about returning to earth and growing crops. With machines doing everything, people had lost the ability to even read. There’s some natural selection ingrained in that scenario, which again makes me wonder if the Pixar people used Judge’s movie as a springboard to their own.
Idiocracy came and went in the theaters with little to no fanfare. I didn’t even know the movie existed until I saw it my cable guide. Since it is so obscure, I’m willing to bet there are legions of potential fans out there. I highly recommend the movie, especially for fans of Team America and other modern, dark satire.
Throbbing Forehead Vein, Feel My Rage
I can take only so much bureaucratic stupidity and I snap like a gym towel on a hot chick’s ass. The details aren’t important as much as the general stupidity and laziness I’ve encountered these past few days. The source? The impression that job X isn’t in bureaucrat Z’s job description.
Even though it really is.
There’s nothing more frustrating than having to be the middle man for the simplest of tasks. To hold the hands of other adults. To outline to them, in excruciating detail, how to do their job. Like informing them when they fix a teacher’s computer, they need to go ahead and pick it up off the floor and reinstall it, instead of just leaving it there so it can sit for weeks unnoticed, assumed to still be broken.
I seriously blew a gasket this morning when I walked into the classroom and bore witness to a fixed machine lying exactly where I put it two months ago. Fixed, though no one knew that tiny detail except the bureaucrat, who kept it to herself for, what, national security reasons?
I guess this is my version of the TPS report, though not really. It inspires the same rage, but it’s mostly just me cleaning up after someone else’s laziness and inability to communicate with their fellow human beings. It’s the lousy attitude that chafes me the most. I suspect it comes from the difference between salaried and hourly employees. The former is often asked to do a myriad of duties outside their official job description. I think the latter does too, but I find them much more likely to balk when asked to do something they don’t want to do.
Like shelving books, for example. I’ve got four assistants that “help” with returning library books to the shelf. It’s mindless work, to be sure, but a certain precision is required. Otherwise, a mis-shelved book is as good as lost. One of assistants hates shelving books. Her solution? To deliberately mis-shelve them in hopes for reassignment. She actually bragged about her strategy to a crowded teacher’s lounge, catching herself at the last moment when she realized her mixed audience. Another assistant whispered the frank confession to me immediately. When I confronted the conniving assistant, she freaked out on me, accused me of talking down to her and motioning to her “like a dog,” and then ended the conversation by asking me if “I was threatening her.”
Smart enough to deflect and distract when caught, not smart enough to stealthily go about the business of injecting chaos into library book shelves.
Part of the problem is I can tell these kinds of employees have an exaggerated notion of their importance to the school that runs counter to their actual abilities and performance. They feel empowered enough to analyze whether they feel like doing a requested task, even completely reasonable, though admittedly onerous, jobs. And when they deliberately work slowly or bungle the task, they implicitly communicate, “Wadda ya gonna do, fire me?” In this kind of economy, maybe! I can only hope that qualified applications increase right along with the nation’s unemployment rate. I’d like to see a bit of humility out of some of these people, a snap in their step, a scurry to get something done, rather than the usual hunched shoulders, eye rolling, and foot shuffling I usually get.
I’m making it sound like the majority of people at my school are degenerate slugs. They aren’t. It’s just a handful that seems to exaggerate the impression.
And get my forehead vein throbbing to the bursting point.
Even though it really is.
There’s nothing more frustrating than having to be the middle man for the simplest of tasks. To hold the hands of other adults. To outline to them, in excruciating detail, how to do their job. Like informing them when they fix a teacher’s computer, they need to go ahead and pick it up off the floor and reinstall it, instead of just leaving it there so it can sit for weeks unnoticed, assumed to still be broken.
I seriously blew a gasket this morning when I walked into the classroom and bore witness to a fixed machine lying exactly where I put it two months ago. Fixed, though no one knew that tiny detail except the bureaucrat, who kept it to herself for, what, national security reasons?
I guess this is my version of the TPS report, though not really. It inspires the same rage, but it’s mostly just me cleaning up after someone else’s laziness and inability to communicate with their fellow human beings. It’s the lousy attitude that chafes me the most. I suspect it comes from the difference between salaried and hourly employees. The former is often asked to do a myriad of duties outside their official job description. I think the latter does too, but I find them much more likely to balk when asked to do something they don’t want to do.
Like shelving books, for example. I’ve got four assistants that “help” with returning library books to the shelf. It’s mindless work, to be sure, but a certain precision is required. Otherwise, a mis-shelved book is as good as lost. One of assistants hates shelving books. Her solution? To deliberately mis-shelve them in hopes for reassignment. She actually bragged about her strategy to a crowded teacher’s lounge, catching herself at the last moment when she realized her mixed audience. Another assistant whispered the frank confession to me immediately. When I confronted the conniving assistant, she freaked out on me, accused me of talking down to her and motioning to her “like a dog,” and then ended the conversation by asking me if “I was threatening her.”
Smart enough to deflect and distract when caught, not smart enough to stealthily go about the business of injecting chaos into library book shelves.
Part of the problem is I can tell these kinds of employees have an exaggerated notion of their importance to the school that runs counter to their actual abilities and performance. They feel empowered enough to analyze whether they feel like doing a requested task, even completely reasonable, though admittedly onerous, jobs. And when they deliberately work slowly or bungle the task, they implicitly communicate, “Wadda ya gonna do, fire me?” In this kind of economy, maybe! I can only hope that qualified applications increase right along with the nation’s unemployment rate. I’d like to see a bit of humility out of some of these people, a snap in their step, a scurry to get something done, rather than the usual hunched shoulders, eye rolling, and foot shuffling I usually get.
I’m making it sound like the majority of people at my school are degenerate slugs. They aren’t. It’s just a handful that seems to exaggerate the impression.
And get my forehead vein throbbing to the bursting point.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Star Wars: The Old Republic
It's official now. Lucasarts and Bioware are teaming up to make a new Star Wars MMO, entitled oddly enough, Star Wars: The Old Republic.
I tell you, I will buy this when it coms out, sight unseen, because I'm a Star Wars and MMO whore. Putting those two together is like mixing chocolate and peanut butter, which just so happens to be my favorite candy bar.
But I'll buy it and play it with trepidation. George Lucas has forever betrayed my trust. My initial fan boi love for the prequel trilogy has long been replaced with anger at the artistic opportunities he missed. I'm ready for George to fade into the background while some young, creative soul takes over the franchise.
In many ways, this MMO could hint at the Star Wars along the horizon. George like to mix his tentacles into every Star Wars project, much like Stan Lee used to do with older Marvel movies. But MMOs are too big for even George to micromanage. And that can only bode well for fans of the series and MMOs.
So yes, I'll buy it and play it. It can't be any worse than Galaxies and I played that steaming pile a shit for more than a year. Galaxies bungled players as jedi on release. I'm most curious how Bioware handles that Pandora's Box.
I tell you, I will buy this when it coms out, sight unseen, because I'm a Star Wars and MMO whore. Putting those two together is like mixing chocolate and peanut butter, which just so happens to be my favorite candy bar.
But I'll buy it and play it with trepidation. George Lucas has forever betrayed my trust. My initial fan boi love for the prequel trilogy has long been replaced with anger at the artistic opportunities he missed. I'm ready for George to fade into the background while some young, creative soul takes over the franchise.
In many ways, this MMO could hint at the Star Wars along the horizon. George like to mix his tentacles into every Star Wars project, much like Stan Lee used to do with older Marvel movies. But MMOs are too big for even George to micromanage. And that can only bode well for fans of the series and MMOs.
So yes, I'll buy it and play it. It can't be any worse than Galaxies and I played that steaming pile a shit for more than a year. Galaxies bungled players as jedi on release. I'm most curious how Bioware handles that Pandora's Box.
Monday, October 20, 2008
True Blood Romance
I’ve been watching True Blood this fall season, but interest is slowly seeping out of me. To the show’s credit, it’s a novel twist on the vampire tradition—vampires engaged in human society. My problem is that the show is too much Harlequin Romance, not enough From Dusk Till Dawn. Bill, the main vampire character, loves Sookie, the mind reading human (Sookie? What the hell kind of name is that?) She loves him back, but the vampire thing keeps her from fully committing.
She’s so picky.
Most episodes revolve around their unrequited love. They spend minutes of the show pining for each other. I’m sure the chicks dig that part of the series, but it’s got me bored to blood-filled tears. I can’t endure vampire romance any more I can human. In fact, human romance is a lot less annoying because at least the female participant can’t whine about her boyfriend being the walking dead.
The preview for the next episode promised a bar fight between humans and vampires, so maybe things will pick up a bit. That bar owner broke a pool cue in half and lunged at a Eurotrash vamp, so I'm looking forward to some stakin' and bakin'. Unless Bill and Sookie ruin it making cow eyes at each other. Sookie got bit by Bill, so maybe she’s on the road to becoming a vampire herself. That’d be pretty cool, especially if things cooled between them and they started hating each other's stinkin' guts.
She’s so picky.
Most episodes revolve around their unrequited love. They spend minutes of the show pining for each other. I’m sure the chicks dig that part of the series, but it’s got me bored to blood-filled tears. I can’t endure vampire romance any more I can human. In fact, human romance is a lot less annoying because at least the female participant can’t whine about her boyfriend being the walking dead.
The preview for the next episode promised a bar fight between humans and vampires, so maybe things will pick up a bit. That bar owner broke a pool cue in half and lunged at a Eurotrash vamp, so I'm looking forward to some stakin' and bakin'. Unless Bill and Sookie ruin it making cow eyes at each other. Sookie got bit by Bill, so maybe she’s on the road to becoming a vampire herself. That’d be pretty cool, especially if things cooled between them and they started hating each other's stinkin' guts.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Evendim Continues to Loom Large
Lukenbach hit the LFF channels hard last night, but didn’t have any luck finding PUG fellowships for his four remaining Evendim quests. I also begged in kin chat, prompting a selfless kin to take pity on me and help.
But a 50 can’t run someone through Thief-takers Bane or Tomb of Elendim. We did get Fool’s Crown done, and part of Hewing Wood. Heart-rot, the boss tree, ultimately pwned us, so we’ll have to return in greater numbers next time.
He also helped me with Book 4.2. The quests after that are solo up to 4.5, so I’m anxious to continue getting that chain completed.
All in all, a fairly productive night.
But a 50 can’t run someone through Thief-takers Bane or Tomb of Elendim. We did get Fool’s Crown done, and part of Hewing Wood. Heart-rot, the boss tree, ultimately pwned us, so we’ll have to return in greater numbers next time.
He also helped me with Book 4.2. The quests after that are solo up to 4.5, so I’m anxious to continue getting that chain completed.
All in all, a fairly productive night.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Fareed Zakaria Is Mr. Bright Side
In his Newsweek article entitled, "There is a Silver Lining," Fareed Zakaria describes the good that may come from the banking and mortgage collapse. He writes, "This crisis has—dramatically, vengefully—forced the United States to confront the bad habits it has developed over the past few decades."
A few sentences later, he succinctly summarizes the plight that ails us, writing, "Since the 1980s, Americans have consumed more than they produced—and they have made up the difference by borrowing."
That's the nail on the head right there. Sure, we can blame our politicians for not shutting down the party years ago. But the bottom line is that the American consumer is to blame too. We live a lifestyle on borrowed money--right alongside our state and federal governments. Plenty of Wall Street greed and stupidity played a role. But a critical opportunity will be lost if Americans don't self-reflect and acknowledge how individual citizen spending and borrowing contributed to the current crisis.
So maybe Zakaria is right. Maybe there is a bright side to all this. This bright side comes at a back-breaking cost, but we all just witnessed firsthand what happens to macro economics based on rampant consumerism fueled by indiscriminate lending. It lead us nearly to the brink. Hell, we may have unknowingly tipped over already, hurtling towards a dark abyss. Regardless, we CAN learn from this.
The question is, will we?
A few sentences later, he succinctly summarizes the plight that ails us, writing, "Since the 1980s, Americans have consumed more than they produced—and they have made up the difference by borrowing."
That's the nail on the head right there. Sure, we can blame our politicians for not shutting down the party years ago. But the bottom line is that the American consumer is to blame too. We live a lifestyle on borrowed money--right alongside our state and federal governments. Plenty of Wall Street greed and stupidity played a role. But a critical opportunity will be lost if Americans don't self-reflect and acknowledge how individual citizen spending and borrowing contributed to the current crisis.
So maybe Zakaria is right. Maybe there is a bright side to all this. This bright side comes at a back-breaking cost, but we all just witnessed firsthand what happens to macro economics based on rampant consumerism fueled by indiscriminate lending. It lead us nearly to the brink. Hell, we may have unknowingly tipped over already, hurtling towards a dark abyss. Regardless, we CAN learn from this.
The question is, will we?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Culberson Writes Back!
I received a letter from Congressman John Culberson today. In response to my electronic message, he mailed me a two page letter explaining why he voted against both bailout bills, his theory as to how the crisis began, and a summary of what he's done to protect the U.S. economy in the years preceding our current crisis.
The letter the Congressman sent me is basically a reworded version of what is currently posted on his website. A few things of note: 1) Congressman Culberson voted against both bailout bills. That's significant because the second version of the bill differed only from the first in that it had heaps of pork and tax cuts and increases in it, to the tune of $150 billion. Congressmen who voted against it the first time, but for it the second only did so out of self-interest; they weren't guided by principal or reason, only by the usual greed we've come to expect out of Washington. Culberson notes that the White House and the Treasury could not guarantee that the bailout would work. As a result, he voted against it the second time around.
2) Culberson writes the following, "The current housing crisis and subsequent credit crunch can be traced to the failed Democrat and Clinton and Bush Administration policies that prioritized low-income homeownership. For years congressional leaders pushed banks to make politically-correct loans to consumers who are incapable of paying their mortgage."
Congressman Culberson isn't the first source I've heard made mention of this. Others have also pointed out that the social engineering of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae initiated the practice of relaxing lending practices to get more people into houses. Relaxed the practices to the point that banks were putting people into homes they had no hope of ever fiscally managing. In the months to come, I think we'll here more about this origin theory of the mortgage crisis, especially as Fannie and Freddie are fully shaken down.
3) Congressman Culberson mentions that the U.S. government is going to generate the $700 billion dollar bailout by selling Treasury bills on the international bond market. Culberson maintains that the bulk of these bills will be bought by the Chinese and by Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds. Culberson thinks, "American taxpayers will borrow billions of dollars from Chinese and Middle Eastern banks to bail out Chinese and Middle Eastern banks." Is this true? I'm not sure, but I'd like to hear what other economists say about it. I've heard precious little detail from what source the U.S. Treasury is getting their $700 billion.
4) Culberson writes, "This law also raised the national debt to $11.3 trillion, doubled the deficit overnight, and saddled our children and grandchildren with at least $1 trillion in new unfunded obligations." Congressman Culberson is the first politician I've read mention our nation's debt figure. I've never heard McCain or Obama talk about our debt, let alone the actual number. For all I know, our presidential candidates may not even know we have a debt, which probably explains why both have outlined lots of new ways to spend more money.
I'm not sure who Culberson is running against this fall, but based on how he voted for the bailout bill, I will likely vote for him this November. I have no idea what his stance is on other issues, especially education or the Iraq war. Most likely, I disagree with him on both. Nevertheless, he seems to advocate the fiscal responsibility our country needs right now. He didn't vote for the second version of the bill when it delivered some juicy pork for Democrats and Republicans alike. That's not just good judgement, it's also the execution of a sound fiscal policy stand. I plan on following Culberson if he's re-elected, tracking his voting record on key economic bills, and letting him know my opinion.
I think if more of us had this kind of involvement in government, we might not be in the mess we are today. I think too many politicians think Americans too self-absorbed to pay attention to the day-to-day operations of the country. And up to three weeks ago, they'd be right. But I sense things have changed now. This economic crash was a wake up call to the nation that no one is at the tiller of our current financial course and unless we wake up, start monitoring the activities of our elected officials, and hold them accountable, we could very well sail right off the edge of the world.
I wonder of Governor Palin thinks the world is flat?
The letter the Congressman sent me is basically a reworded version of what is currently posted on his website. A few things of note: 1) Congressman Culberson voted against both bailout bills. That's significant because the second version of the bill differed only from the first in that it had heaps of pork and tax cuts and increases in it, to the tune of $150 billion. Congressmen who voted against it the first time, but for it the second only did so out of self-interest; they weren't guided by principal or reason, only by the usual greed we've come to expect out of Washington. Culberson notes that the White House and the Treasury could not guarantee that the bailout would work. As a result, he voted against it the second time around.
2) Culberson writes the following, "The current housing crisis and subsequent credit crunch can be traced to the failed Democrat and Clinton and Bush Administration policies that prioritized low-income homeownership. For years congressional leaders pushed banks to make politically-correct loans to consumers who are incapable of paying their mortgage."
Congressman Culberson isn't the first source I've heard made mention of this. Others have also pointed out that the social engineering of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae initiated the practice of relaxing lending practices to get more people into houses. Relaxed the practices to the point that banks were putting people into homes they had no hope of ever fiscally managing. In the months to come, I think we'll here more about this origin theory of the mortgage crisis, especially as Fannie and Freddie are fully shaken down.
3) Congressman Culberson mentions that the U.S. government is going to generate the $700 billion dollar bailout by selling Treasury bills on the international bond market. Culberson maintains that the bulk of these bills will be bought by the Chinese and by Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds. Culberson thinks, "American taxpayers will borrow billions of dollars from Chinese and Middle Eastern banks to bail out Chinese and Middle Eastern banks." Is this true? I'm not sure, but I'd like to hear what other economists say about it. I've heard precious little detail from what source the U.S. Treasury is getting their $700 billion.
4) Culberson writes, "This law also raised the national debt to $11.3 trillion, doubled the deficit overnight, and saddled our children and grandchildren with at least $1 trillion in new unfunded obligations." Congressman Culberson is the first politician I've read mention our nation's debt figure. I've never heard McCain or Obama talk about our debt, let alone the actual number. For all I know, our presidential candidates may not even know we have a debt, which probably explains why both have outlined lots of new ways to spend more money.
I'm not sure who Culberson is running against this fall, but based on how he voted for the bailout bill, I will likely vote for him this November. I have no idea what his stance is on other issues, especially education or the Iraq war. Most likely, I disagree with him on both. Nevertheless, he seems to advocate the fiscal responsibility our country needs right now. He didn't vote for the second version of the bill when it delivered some juicy pork for Democrats and Republicans alike. That's not just good judgement, it's also the execution of a sound fiscal policy stand. I plan on following Culberson if he's re-elected, tracking his voting record on key economic bills, and letting him know my opinion.
I think if more of us had this kind of involvement in government, we might not be in the mess we are today. I think too many politicians think Americans too self-absorbed to pay attention to the day-to-day operations of the country. And up to three weeks ago, they'd be right. But I sense things have changed now. This economic crash was a wake up call to the nation that no one is at the tiller of our current financial course and unless we wake up, start monitoring the activities of our elected officials, and hold them accountable, we could very well sail right off the edge of the world.
I wonder of Governor Palin thinks the world is flat?
Party of Two, Hold the Platform
My friend the other day asked me if I consider any negative criticisms of Barack Obama. It’s an interesting question, one that reminds me how polarized our politics have become. For many people, voting for one candidate or another means you unquestioningly support everything that candidate does or represents. It means you ignore the humanity of the candidate and pretend they can do no wrong. My in-laws are excellent examples of this, as they still defend Bush to this day. Granted, they’ve mollified their support with statements like, “George Bush sure has had a rough presidency,” as if he didn’t have anything to do with events that went down under his watch. At least they stopped saying things like, “George Bush has done so much good for our country.”
Cue the nausea.
Back to my friend because he poses a worthy question (and one I could deflect right back to him regarding McCain). Do I unanimously support Obama? Not even close. In the midst of the Democratic primary, I thought him among the weakest prospects. I calculated Edwards and Biden better candidates, mostly because of their gift for public speaking and experience. I also liked other Republican candidates better than Romney, Huckabee, or even McCain. My biggest concern with Obama was his lack of experience. Now that he’s the presidential front-runner, that concern remains.
So neither of these current candidates are my first picks. Which brings up the conundrum: if you’re a Republican, do you vote for the Republican candidate no matter what? If you’re a Democratic, is it Obama or nothing? This is basically the question my friend posed to me. My answer is a resounding “no.”
Since 1992, I have ping-ponged between Democratic and Republican candidates. In ’92, I voted for Clinton. In ’96, I voted for Dole. In ‘00, I voted for Bush. In ’04, Kerry. And this year, unless something dramatic occurs between now and Nov. 4th, I’ll vote for Obama.
The bottom line is, I feel no strong party affiliation. I think both parties equally altruistic, equally corrupt, equally partisan. I chuckle to myself when a citizen or a pundit tears into an opposing political party. I’ve grown so immune to their rhetoric, I barely register what they’re saying. If I had my way, I’d disband both parties. I’d make candidates run on their own unique platform, rather than the sludge put forth by both the Democratic and Republican platforms.
Why would I do something so drastic? Because people vote according to these party platforms, but the elected candidates rarely follow them. Republicans are supposed to be, according to their own platform, fiscal conservatives. But these last eight years, Bush and the Republican Congress joined the Democrats in running up a massive tab of pork, programs, and tax cuts. The Republicans helped spend money we don’t have and they did it talking out of their asses, standing up for one thing, but doing the complete opposite. Tens of thousands of Republicans and swing voters elected George Bush in ’00 and ’04 because he said he was going to cut spending and taxes. He only actually did the latter and coupled with the deregulation of the banking industry and the mortgage lending crisis, we find our economy on the brink of complete breakdown.
Because of politicians like George Bush, I don’t really believe anything any of them say. Including Barack Obama. I don’t have any illusions that a President Obama will rush into office and fix everything that is wrong. It troubles me that he’s associated with a documented terrorist. I don’t like that his former pastor is a raving lunatic, spewing hatred of the country he lives in. I don’t like that he hasn’t even served a full term as a U.S. senator yet he’s on the verge of becoming the President of the United States. I find it highly disturbing that Obama’s campaign donates to Acorn, an organization just recently accused of registration and voter fraud.
I have grave reservations about Barack Obama. But I’m voting for him because he says he’ll pull our troops out of Iraq and reposition them where they belong, Afganistan. I’m voting for him because I think he has a better understanding of the economy; he’s certainly handled himself well during this recent crisis, unlike McCain who seemed to run around with his head cut off, scrambling to eek out some political gain. I’m voting for Obama because he’ll likely remove or alter No Child Left Behind, an unfunded educational initiative that is doing more harm than good to our nation’s schools.
Will Obama do everything he says in this campaign? No, he won’t. But none of them do. If I thought for a second that McCain would actually make some hard choices, balance our country’s balance and trade deficit and start paying off the $10 trillion we have in debt, I’d vote for him. But all I hear McCain say is “tax cuts.” As if that’s supposed to make me my froth at the mouth, lope up to him with my tongue hanging out, and pant. To me, tax cuts equate to “Here’s some money we don’t really have. Go ahead! Spend it! Tomorrow is another day.” I can’t believe any candidate would dare sell tax cuts during an election season where the National Debt Clock has to be re-fabricated to account for a tens digit in the trillions.
So yes, I’m aware of Obama’s faults. When I vote for him in November, I’ll be doing so with reservations. Even if he wins and takes office, I’m not holding my breath for him to even fulfill half of what he promised on the campaign trail. That won’t stop me from being the winning candidate's most vocal critic. Because I’m not voting for a political party or a platform or an ideology, I’m voting for a man who can get the United States back on track.
These days, I don’t have much faith that such a man exists.
Cue the nausea.
Back to my friend because he poses a worthy question (and one I could deflect right back to him regarding McCain). Do I unanimously support Obama? Not even close. In the midst of the Democratic primary, I thought him among the weakest prospects. I calculated Edwards and Biden better candidates, mostly because of their gift for public speaking and experience. I also liked other Republican candidates better than Romney, Huckabee, or even McCain. My biggest concern with Obama was his lack of experience. Now that he’s the presidential front-runner, that concern remains.
So neither of these current candidates are my first picks. Which brings up the conundrum: if you’re a Republican, do you vote for the Republican candidate no matter what? If you’re a Democratic, is it Obama or nothing? This is basically the question my friend posed to me. My answer is a resounding “no.”
Since 1992, I have ping-ponged between Democratic and Republican candidates. In ’92, I voted for Clinton. In ’96, I voted for Dole. In ‘00, I voted for Bush. In ’04, Kerry. And this year, unless something dramatic occurs between now and Nov. 4th, I’ll vote for Obama.
The bottom line is, I feel no strong party affiliation. I think both parties equally altruistic, equally corrupt, equally partisan. I chuckle to myself when a citizen or a pundit tears into an opposing political party. I’ve grown so immune to their rhetoric, I barely register what they’re saying. If I had my way, I’d disband both parties. I’d make candidates run on their own unique platform, rather than the sludge put forth by both the Democratic and Republican platforms.
Why would I do something so drastic? Because people vote according to these party platforms, but the elected candidates rarely follow them. Republicans are supposed to be, according to their own platform, fiscal conservatives. But these last eight years, Bush and the Republican Congress joined the Democrats in running up a massive tab of pork, programs, and tax cuts. The Republicans helped spend money we don’t have and they did it talking out of their asses, standing up for one thing, but doing the complete opposite. Tens of thousands of Republicans and swing voters elected George Bush in ’00 and ’04 because he said he was going to cut spending and taxes. He only actually did the latter and coupled with the deregulation of the banking industry and the mortgage lending crisis, we find our economy on the brink of complete breakdown.
Because of politicians like George Bush, I don’t really believe anything any of them say. Including Barack Obama. I don’t have any illusions that a President Obama will rush into office and fix everything that is wrong. It troubles me that he’s associated with a documented terrorist. I don’t like that his former pastor is a raving lunatic, spewing hatred of the country he lives in. I don’t like that he hasn’t even served a full term as a U.S. senator yet he’s on the verge of becoming the President of the United States. I find it highly disturbing that Obama’s campaign donates to Acorn, an organization just recently accused of registration and voter fraud.
I have grave reservations about Barack Obama. But I’m voting for him because he says he’ll pull our troops out of Iraq and reposition them where they belong, Afganistan. I’m voting for him because I think he has a better understanding of the economy; he’s certainly handled himself well during this recent crisis, unlike McCain who seemed to run around with his head cut off, scrambling to eek out some political gain. I’m voting for Obama because he’ll likely remove or alter No Child Left Behind, an unfunded educational initiative that is doing more harm than good to our nation’s schools.
Will Obama do everything he says in this campaign? No, he won’t. But none of them do. If I thought for a second that McCain would actually make some hard choices, balance our country’s balance and trade deficit and start paying off the $10 trillion we have in debt, I’d vote for him. But all I hear McCain say is “tax cuts.” As if that’s supposed to make me my froth at the mouth, lope up to him with my tongue hanging out, and pant. To me, tax cuts equate to “Here’s some money we don’t really have. Go ahead! Spend it! Tomorrow is another day.” I can’t believe any candidate would dare sell tax cuts during an election season where the National Debt Clock has to be re-fabricated to account for a tens digit in the trillions.
So yes, I’m aware of Obama’s faults. When I vote for him in November, I’ll be doing so with reservations. Even if he wins and takes office, I’m not holding my breath for him to even fulfill half of what he promised on the campaign trail. That won’t stop me from being the winning candidate's most vocal critic. Because I’m not voting for a political party or a platform or an ideology, I’m voting for a man who can get the United States back on track.
These days, I don’t have much faith that such a man exists.
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