I put in the microwave an unprecedented 2 minutes, and then a further unprecedented 1 minute flipped over, and I am happy to say it did not completely lay waste to my microwave in an Openheimer sized disaster of an explosion.

I now have a burrito the size of a small child in my stomach, and I feel gooooooood.

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I look at the instructions and it says "KEEP WRAPPED, put in microwave for 35-45 seconds." Now, my microwave is pretty weak, and I have a 1 minute button so I figured no big deal, right? Well, while I am pouring myself a drink, I hear an odd whistling sound, I turn around to see that it's coming from the burrito. Not even so much a whistle but a "eeeeeeeep." I shrug though, the minute is almost up, it's not as if anything INSANE will be happening in the next 10-15 seconds. I get closer to the microwave, as there is only 5 seconds left. 5-4- *gets closer* 3-2- *gets even closer*-1 *DING* AND BOOM! I swear to you this happened in the very final second of the minute, as if this thing was programmed to explode for any lazy fool who sticks it in for a singular minute instead of the allotted 35-45 seconds. I had tiny burrito guts EVERYWHERE, this thing exploded in half and spilled itself all over like a drunken prom date without any inhibition.

I think if there is a supreme being out there running things, that he is very much trying to screw with me.

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Now let me just preface by saying I was FINE waiting a few days, and I emphasize a few, as I got upgraded shipping. Now, I can excuse that it was delayed a day or two due to "adverse weather conditions" as the tracker said. But today I was told "out for delivery" dated at around 7AM. I made no plans, I waited some before work, waited around in the evening after work hoping they would just come a bit later on. So around 9PM I get an update on the tracker saying something along the lines of "Package missed at UPS facility, will deliver tomorrow."

Feeling rather perrturbed and a little annoyed at this turn of events, I call up, and get a very stoic lady named Ashley. While she wasn't rude, I am not sure she really understands the idea of customer service. I am rarely a difficult person, but I was annoyed that I technically paid UPS extra money to ship something in a timely manner and then not only does it get delayed due to weather (which is of course excusable), but then is simply "forgotten" at the facility. They literally forgot to put it on the truck, and all this Ashley has to say is literally nothing. There was a 10 second pause and a "yep, well, it will be delivered tomorrow hopefully." I point out that's a bit disconcerting that after on delay, a package (that is at least important to me) is delayed again due to one of the dumbest human errors I have witnessed...."sorry, we just forgot". She made a rather limp wristed apology, but mostly just remained silent, as I was hoping some further concession was made.

Now, perhaps I was expecting too much, however this is not the first time UPS did not provide me the service I paid them for, and I kind of feel like they have a real "tough nuts" approach to it when they fail. Why even bother having customer service if they are going to be rude about it when you point out that they screwed up? I guess they presume it's because you have no choice, or maybe they just don't care, but when someone is pissed that you simply forgot to delivery their already delayed package, you should do a little more than dead silence followed by an "um, well, sorry I guess."

Now, I have to cross my fingers that the package doesn't have damage dents and holes in it (which a package with extra transit and sitting time is more likely to have due to being dumped in any given corner while it waits extra time).

In closing, I am giving a stern message of disapproval to UPS. If I ever have the choice, I will use any other service I can since you don't seem to care about having my business. Brown clearly cannot cut it.

/end rant

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Now, this is excellent news and all, however I am a little curious about what this means, and how this is even happening.

Point #1:

Analysts all over it seems, including many that Gamespot have posted, have cited that the Wii will not be dropping in price any time soon. Signs point to Nintendo's continually high profit margins in the hardware sales sector and increasing profits from even lower than before hardware costs. Signs did not point to any huge slackening of Nintendo's sales, so the question again remains, with a veritable mountain of evidence towards why they didn't need nor want to drop the price, why do it now?

Point #2:

What does the decreasing of the Wii say about Nintendo and their current market confidence? I have felt for some time now that the Wii fever had been subsiding and Nintendo was indeed going to have trouble using that stout install-base of systems to sell as much software as the other two competitors could. Could this apparent unexpected price drop spell certain issues within Nintendo's longer term sales goals? With the current generation of consoles now well on their way to a more mature stage, Nintendo needs it's sales to continue strong more than ever (although I feel Software more than Hardware should now be the focus), so it does make sense that this price drop is indicative a long expected (but not yet seen) reduction in the Wii sales blitz that has gone on for so long.

In conclusion, while I disdain at this point people trying to declare any kind of winner or loser to the console war, and find that the Wii's sales success not exactly a marker for a winning product, it is interesting to see these unexpected developments, and will be keeping a closer eye on Nintendo to see where else this may go.

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I forgot to post about this earlier but for those that were not aware, Imax theatres playing I Am Legend also had packaged with it a special 10 minute sneak peak of the next Batman movie, specially formatted, apparently, for an Imax screen (a couple shots showed that this was possibly true).

All i got to say was it was sweet, not since the uncensored Batman Beyond Joker Returns movie has anyone shown so wellthe Joker as the maniacal and intelligent (but of course quite mad) villain that he truly is. Probably is tool late to go check it out now on the big Imax screen but the actual movie will be here before you know it.

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In what I have decided to dub the great Kane & Lynch fiasco of 2007, we have a bit of a controversy on our hands. Now, one thing I'm reading in almost all of the many posts about it is the key word, "rumor." Now at this point the evidence is pretty damning, what with the video review being pulled, and Jeff apparently, at least for whatever reason, has signed his walking papers.

What I want to say then is not necessarily something I personally believe, but is more of an attempt at devil's advocate (since almost no one else is saying it and instead stoking the flames). Could this all possibly be a very poorly timed set of decisions, leading to a misunderstanding? Could Jeff have maybe chosen to just leave, or gotten let go for some other reason?

I only pose the question because we have all too often gotten upset over something only to get the full story later. Unfortunately we may never hear the full story, but at this point, I'veseen many people, even volunteer support members, posting blogs riddled with denouements and even swears directed at Gamespot. As much as this may actually be an appropriate response if this has all happened as the initial reports ordained, I'm wondering how much we may be jumping the gun on our judgments of all parties involved.

Jeff is no stranger to review controversy either, if anything you'd think some of the other games he's shunned in the past would land him in more hot water than an Eidos game.

In short, for those who so far have completely misread the purpose of this post, the theme is "withholding judgement", at least until a suitable time when such judgement can be fairly passed. If at that point in time the judgement is a rage-gasm in the form of anangry mob with pitchforks and torches though, then so be it.

With all this jumble of hesitant thinking I leave you with a departing thought: maybe Kane and Lynch, even with its score not being the most terrible ever, but rather due to its enduring negative stigmata, willbe the new "Big Rigs" game that all new GS members must play....an ironic twist appropriate of such a trial by fire don't you think?

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Anyhow bask in my domination, and re-watch the broadcast if you want to see what i won

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Anyway here's a picture for your enjoyment, with someone else also on there to show the comparative difference (he's the only person on my friends list that has played Uno).

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The person I beat has the XBL The Great 55 for those that want to check the leaderboard.

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For those watching my question, near the tail end of the marathonwas "If you were a madden game, what year would you be?" haha

Jeff opted to sidestep my question and proclaim that he would be Joe Montana sports talk football, real slick Jeff

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Now, there are some rather stretched ifs in the equation, but not quite enough to stop me from feeling a bit shaken.

Basically if i had either been coming from the northinstead of thewest, or had my friend lived further up along 35W from the I94 junction, I would have likely ended up on the bridge roughly when it fell. It was a big bridge and all but it is truly an unlucky coincidence to be caught on it just as it happens to fall, and it was much too close a call for me to think about, all things considered.

*For those not familiar with the 35W bridge collapse incident it's currently being covered on most major news outlets

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First on the chopping block:

Goats, gods and and naked women brought to you by Sony! You'd think a vangelist such as Jack Thompson, riding strong after pinning everything from Counterstrike to cooking mama on the Virginia Tech shootings would be simply salivating at Sony holding some massive debacherous party with decapitated animals and naked women. I mean, this is what Jack had always claimed to have feared most, video games transitioning into reality! Yet so far he is no where to be seen on his usual haunts (any news channel willing to give him air time, although Fox News in particular). Could it be that it simply lacks the exposure that Jack desires to get out of his soapboxing? Or could it be that in his infinite repertoire of generalities that he just figured since it didn't take place in America that it doesn't affect his crusade against all that is evil as well as fun to most people not him? Maybe he feels the same way about Europe that he does of video games in general, but let us hope that he doesnt go there, because unlike a video game character, a whole continent of people would very much be able to fight back.

Bernie Stolar:

You can thank Ken Kutaragi's recent "retirement"for your sudden return to my brain. Maybe it was Kens deteriorating mental condition near the end of his tenure that made me think of the first head of SCEA, Bernie Stolar. Like Ken, the man did alot for his cause, but he also had a real evil streak. It is said that the RPG draught early in the Playstations career (and Beyond the Beyond) was primarily his doing, as Bernie had a rather strict no RPG policy, since most RPG's at that time were 2d and he didn't felt it gelled well with the System. He's also the man attributed with slowly suffocating and eventually killing off the Saturn early in favor of the Dreamcast, a project he left in the lurch shortly after (or possibly before) it debuted. It is on this day that i choose to remember these two great men, both with their attributable strengths and accomplishments, but both with some hilariously poor shortcomings springing up before they initiated their fall from the face of the planet.

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I'm very pleased to have won a piece of this contest and am very happy with the results...so, hurrah for that!

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 FF6 (my favorites):

Castlevania:

Chrono Trigger: 

-so use my avatars (best to go through the preferences to use them) and when people tell you how awesome that GS avatar you have is make sure you let them know who made it

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I was able to negotiate my way through the mosh pit up to the front, where i pretty much stayed since of course getting a stagefront view was great.....oh yeah and i caught a drumstick! and it was autographed! ROCK! I was more wishing to catch his guitar pick when he threw it (which i almost did) but the guy next to me caught that.

For those arent savy with his music, he has a track from Guitar Hero II (which he played) and it's actually one of the songs played on their myspace page, he kind of merged it with another song when he played it (Marijuana)......which actually made it even more awesome.

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In other news i'm pondering doing one of those free PS3 referall things (or a PSP since i may never actually purchase one on my own), considering my popularity here i'd be remiss to think there wouldn't be enough people that would give me enough referalls to nab one of these things (especially if it's free and you just need to sign up and complete an offer, assumably a free one). Anyhow i was just curious how many people would be willing to help me out with that before i take the plunge and try and post one here, since the big challenge is just knowing enough unique people that would care to take the time to sign up under me.

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so, I made an editorial back in October in relation to "therapy" games and their feasibility in the market, after all, gamers can lead stressful or socially complicated lives that can lead to them and their hobby being blamed for all sorts of things by lawyers and parents alike.

So why not have a game that nobody can say will damage the young (or older) psyche, and if anything attempt to sooth and heal it through therapy and understanding. At least, that was my idea at the time, looks as if Nintendo picked up on it though.....where's my royalties Nintendo?!

The industry seems ripe for ideas involving fresh concepts and change, since with the 3d medium clearly being saturated despite marked improvement in graphics is a clear sign for the need for innovation, and in this case and considering the times we live in, the "therapy" genre seems to be a perfect supplement for the already popular educational segment (and i'm reffering to the new hot edutainment segment of the likes of brain age, not the god aweful sesame street games from the days of yore).

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Not only that, but he was, as expected, very good. This was the same theatre i beleive i saw George Carlin in (Orpheum, MN) and he wasn't quite up to snuff, but Jerry was doing very well, and his opener Tom Pappas (i remember is rather cornball failed sitcom pilot "Pappa knows best") was also very good.

All in all they each told 1 or 2 jokes i remember hearing before (which is especially bizzare for Pappas because i dont recall ever seeing his standup on tv yet i remember his "you think your pet loves you? open the door" joke. Then there was Jerrys joke about Tuxedos, weddings and the "do you take "this man"" jokes he told all in succession, which was actually i beleive from a clip out of Seinfeld, which i thought he oddly enough retired in his "for the last time" tour he did a while ago) but otherwise it felt pretty fresh and it was good and funny and as usual, personally poignant feeling, and interestingly not very if at all political, which was kind of a releif for once.

Anyhow, it was unfortunately also the kind of act that is hard to implictly remember, alot of constant train of thought kind of things that are hard to recreat, but as i said before, i do remember laughing alot, and after all that's what is important.

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I was delighted to play "What's The Scoop" on tv.com. It was a fun time and Daniel was able to trip me up at least once, and considering he was asking me trivia from shows i listed and felt i had an extensive knowledge of, it was indeed an accomplishment (there's even some shows not on my favorites to avoid clutter that i would have also enjoyed to test my skills against).

Oh and i got this snazzy emblem out of it (in my tv.com profile)

Anyhow, it was fun calling in and i hope they have me back soon (even though the trivia portion is only once per person)

It would have been kind of sad if a USC graduate could not answer trivia on his own favorite television and entertainment programs, so i'm glad to have not shamed myself

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I'm a little hesitant to post this now since if i make a fool of myself or loose i will bring shame upon my person, but oh well.

-Wish me luck

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