From Jeff Gerstmann's myspace page he will be making an appearance on Tekzilla tomorrow. From his website:

"I shot a segment with Neha Tiwari for Tekzilla, a weekly online tech show that puts out an episode every Friday. I'll be on this Friday's show talking about things relating to video games. Learn more at http://www.revision3.com/tekzilla."

If you want to see Jeff tomorrow, go check it out! It's good to know Jeff is doing well despite all the craziness. Cheers Jeff!

Here is the letter I wrote to Gamespot:

Hi Gamespot. I know you've probably been flooded with email and phone calls the last week due to the situation with Jeff Gerstmann. I just wanted to send in my regards and say I'm terribly sorry to see all the craziness that has gone on over the last week. I realize this is a lot harder on the staff, editors, and all the other hard workers at Gamespot than it is on the community. Not only was he a stand out editor who led by example but was a close friend and family member Gamespot. I just want to let you know that the community has got your back and we'll support the Gamespot staff through this. Thanks for being "real" on the Hotspot yesterday and expressing your thoughts and feelings with the community. This is one of the reasons why Gamespot has been so great, we feel we're apart of the family as well. I wish all the staff at Gamespot the best and I know you'll get through this. The staff at Gamespot is the best I've seen for any website on the net and there are many wonderful people who still work there. Never forget your roots and continue to honor the legacy and vision that Greg Kasavin and Jeff Gerstmann had for Gamespot. Thanks for your continued integrity and I look forward to Jeff's tribute on On The Spot tomorrow. Cheers!

EDIT: I've edited this blog since we should be supportive of the Gamespot staff. It's time to be positive and encourage the staff.

EDIT 2: My apologies to JaMeS4418, Cooldude224 and other readers as this post completely changed. I'm still mad at CNET as this was their fault to begin with. I changed the post mostly because I was sick of all the negativity I was seeing. Considering the emotions I just saw from the On the Spot show (just aired), I stand firm that we should back the staff during this hard time.

In addition to the Fourth of July celebration that we have here in America (ya fireworks!), we can also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Pathfinder landing on Mars (July 4th, 1997). Truthfully, it's hard to believe 10 years have already passed! It really seems like just a little while ago the entire world was watching and wondering if this mission would be a success. But, despite so many unknowns, the team of scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory were not only successful in landing Pathfinder, but the little rover, Sojourner, also made it to Mars intact. And of course, the rest is history...


There is a tribute to the 10th anniversary on JPL's Mars Exploration website. If you're like me though and want to relive history again, the original Pathfinder website is *still* on the internet! The original webpage is here and it certainly brings back memories. In fact, I know that July 4, 1997 will be a day I will never forget. Any of you still remember the day Pathfinder landed on Mars?

Believe it or not, I actually had this question on a job interview application. In addition, it had to be answered in 200 words or less... Truthfully, I could have written 10 pages easily! This is one of those fun, age-old question that will leave people debating for years. Wondering what my response was? Here it is (yes, I had some fun in my response):

This question is intriguing in that it could imply any number of questions such as, "Who would win in a fight?" or even "Who has the best fashion accessories?" Since the question is ambiguous, I will answer both. If I were to bet on whether pirates or ninjas would win a fight, I would put my money on ninjas. Pirates have an ample supply of weapons and use them for brute force, but lack the discipline to use them effectively. Ninjas, on the other hand, have dedicated their lives to training and the skills of martial arts. In addition, ninjas have mastered the art of stealth and are able to sneak up on their opponent. Unfortunately, the main challenge facing ninjas is fighting pirates on the ocean. Instead, ninjas would quietly infiltrate the pirate ranks, taking out the pirates one by one. When it comes to fashion accessories though, pirates are superior. Pirates have body piercings, usually made from the gold plundered on their adventures. But the pirate captain beats them all with an eyepatch, a hook, a pegleg, a pirate cap, and even a talking parrot! Ninjas only get a white or black robe. Thus, pirates have better fashion accessories!

Hey, try to write one yourself - it's fun!

Wow, found this news on Rockman Perfect Memories. Looks like they'll be bringing Star Force to a station near you (if you're in the US). I certainly hope they do a good job "regionalizing" it... There still aren't a whole lot of details, but you can find the press release here. Here is the snippet about the show:

MegaMan Star Force - (13 episodes, 20 minutes each) In the year 220X, a new technology has been developed to enable contact with extraterrestrial life forms. A mysterious accident occurs during the first communication attempt and Geo Stelar's father, an astronomical scientist, disappears. After the accident, Geo is determined to follow his father's footsteps and unravel the secrets surrounding the disappearance. Geo finds his father's visualizer, which allows him to see invisible electromagnetic waves, and soon after witnesses a fight between two sporadic waves, one of which unexpectedly rushes toward him! Geo learns that what he's seen isn't an electromagnetic wave, but an extraterrestrial life form - Omega-Xis, and FM-ian who has escaped his home Planet FM with the mysterious Andromeda Key. Other FM-ians are determined to destroy Planet Earth and release FM viruses to succeed in their cause. When Geo and Omega-Xis merge by exchanging electromagnetic waves, they become Megaman - the only one who can protect humankind and save the Planet!

Always count on GameSpot to bring you yet another cool feature for us to use! This time we can now add image galleries to our profiles. I've already added some albums to my profile, and you can view them here. You will find a gallery of beautiful Oblivion screenshots that I took while playing the game, GameSpot GameSpace banners that were accepted for GameSpot's use, and some GameSpot avatars any of you are welcome to use. Although this new feature is a little buggy at the moment, I'm sure GameSpot will fix the problems soon. Anyway, enjoy the images!

Below are some avatars for Sigma Star Saga. These are of course 80x80, the new GameSpot standard! Enjoy!



From left to right, top: Earth Soldier, Psyme, Recker
From left to right, bottom: Scarlet, Commander Tierney, Tyrannical Overlord

Well the new time change is here (unless you live in a place like Arizona without DST...) and that means many of us need to update our computers to have the right time. If you have Windows XP SP2 or later, all you have to do is go to http://support.microsoft.com/dst2007 to make sure your computer has the necessary patches. However, if you're a user like myself who opted not to upgrade to SP2 (I'm still on SP1), Microsoft doesn't provide you with many options. The only way they suggest is turn off DST in the "Date and Time Properties" and then manually change the time. It works, but it is a bit cumbersome if you ask me. Well, I've found a better solution that I will describe below.

NOTE: PLEASE NOTE THAT I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY IF THIS FIX DOES NOT WORK FOR YOUR COMPUTER! It worked for me, but please do some research before applying the fix.

There is a utility called the Windows Time Zone Editor and it will allow you to fix DST for your time zone. Keep in mind that this only changes individual time zones, so if you travel between time zones, you may need to update several time zones in the editor.

First, download the utility:

http://www.softshape.com/cham/manual/tzedit.htm (Windows 95/98/NT but it also worked on XP SP1)
Microsoft link to tzedit.exe (Windows 2000)

From what I can tell, both versions should work. For reference, I used the top link for the software. Here are the steps you want to take:

1- Unzip/unpack TZEDIT and then execute TZEDIT.EXE.
2- Your time zone should be selected.
3- Click the Edit button.
4- Change the Start Day to... Second, Sunday, March.
5- Change the Last Day to... First, Sunday, November.
6- Click the OK button.
7- Click the Close button.
8- Click Start, point to Settings, point to Control Panel, and then double-click Date/Time.
9- Click the Time Zone tab.
10- Select a different time zone than the one you are set at, and then click Apply.
11- Change back to your timezone, and then click OK.

When you use the time zone editor, the update should look something like this:



Ya, your time should now be fixed! BTW, for your reference, I found the previous information at the following website. It has some more discussion on how to fix this problem so it might be useful.

Although the GameSpot editors have predicted that the Bears will win tomorrow's Super Bowl, I predict a different outcome (sorry guys, I know you're big Bears' fans!). Yes, tomorrow I predict that the final score will be Colts 28, Bears 17. The Bears defense might be good, but this will be a day where the Colts' playoff experience will pay off. Peyton Manning should throw for 200-250 yards and 2TDs while Joseph Addai will get into the end zone at least once (and possibly Rhodes for the other TD). Rex Grossman will have a day to forget as he will throw for around 200 yard, 1 TD and 2 interceptions. Thomas Jones should have a good day though with around 100 yards and 1TD. Sorry Bears fans, but it's time for Manning to finally get his Super Bowl ring. Enjoy the game tomorrow!

Testing out this new Filmspot service. Neat to see this new service available! Go check it out!

As you may have noticed, I hadn't updated my Fantasy Football predictions/performances lately, mostly due to lack of internet access. I will try to update those eventually but my internet access is still a bit limited. In the meantime, I though I would predict the NFL playoffs, all the way to the Super Bowl. Here is a link to the playoff bracket if you need it. So, here are my predictions:

Wild Card weekend:
New England Patriots over New York Jets (can't beat Brady)
Indianapolis Colts over Kansas City Chiefs (in a close one)
Dallas Cowboys over Seattle Seahawks (as much as I'd like the Seahawks to win...)
Philadelphia Eagles over New York Giants (Eagles are hot right now!)

Divisional Playoffs:
San Diego Chargers over New England Patriots (LT trumps Brady)
Baltimore Ravens over Indianapolis Colts (Ravens' D. is just too good)
Chicago Bears over Dallas Cowboys(I think Bears D. will win one game...)
New Orleans Saints over Philadelphia Eagles (to be honest, either team could win this one)

Conference Championship:
San Diego Chargers over Baltimore Ravens (San Diego at home will get revenge over previous loss to the Ravens)
New Orleans Saints over Chicago Bears (Saints will prevail as Rex Grossman won't be able to get touchdowns for the Bears)

Super Bowl:
San Diego Chargers over New Orleans Saints (LT and Brees reunite in an offensive battle; San Diego pulls out a victory in a great game)

In my opinion, anything less than the Super Bowl for the Chargers would be a disappointment. They are the most complete team in the NFL with very minor flaws. Go Chargers!

After the TriviaRobot struck down Bob Colayco (or should I say Jose?) and then Carrie Gouskos, now Greg Kasavin has now been slain... When will the killing stop! This is madness I tell you, MADNESS!!!!! TriviaRobot must be stopped before he strikes again! Please someone do something! RIP Greg Kasavin. (j/k)

Anyway, all joking aside, I'm sorry to see Greg leave GameSpot. He is a journalist that is not afraid to speak the truth when it comes to video gaming and provide insight to people like us. Some people may say, "Who cares, it's only video game journalism?!" I beg to differ - the gaming industry accounts for $7+ billion of sales, just under movie sales. Do you know who Roger Ebert is? You do? As does many Americans as a famous movie critic! So no love for game critics?! I would say that Greg Kasavin deserves to be held in the same category as premiere reviewers in the entertainment industry. So, Greg, thank you for keeping journalistic integrity at the forefront and for setting an example to your fellow GameSpot staff. Video game reviewing is still relatively new (only a few decades old), but you have been a pioneer for the rest of the industry.

Greg, I and other GameSpotters salute your work at GameSpot over the years. Thanks for all you have done to make GameSpot what it is today. We wish you well in your video game industry endeavor! Don't forget to keep your friends at GameSpot updated on the great things you are doing. We know you'll succeed to greatness!

Here is my fantasy performance prediction for Week 12:

Matt Hasselbeck (Seahawks)

I'm going out on a limb with this pick as Hasselbeck hasn't played since week 7 due to his knee injury. However, word is that his knee is not bothering him and he should be good to go tomorrow night. Also, since Seattle is playing a weak Green Bay defense, this should be a great week for Hasselbeck to get back as the starter. I expect to see a Hasselbeck/Favre shootout tomorrow.

You know, I really haven't spent much time sharing about my life here in this blog but today I'd like to share a bit. I admit this past year hasn't been the greatest as I've had loved ones pass away or move away and difficulties with work. At times it has been downright depressing... However, the one thing that keeps me going is realizing everything that I've been blessed with through God's grace. I have a wonderful family whom I love very much and great people around me. Also, despite not being wealthy financially, God continues to provide for my needs daily. I indeed have a lot to be thankful for and I remind myself of that often, especially when difficult times come. In particular, I'm remind myself of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Amen. On a day like today, I can indeed be thankful.

If anything, it is my hope and prayer that other people would also be thankful, not only on Thanksgiving, but in the days to come regardless of their circumstances. I think it is easy for many people to take blessings for granted and not realize how important it was until it is gone. We all have things to be thankful for so take some time to reflect. Maybe take some extra time to say "thank you" to people you appreciate or who have helped you out? Heck, how about a "thank you" to your mailman or local store clerk? I know they'll appreciate it and your small effort will make their day.

Being a day of thanks, I'd like to share Psalm 118 which is perfect for today. Thanks to the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever!

Psalm 118 (NIV)
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
  his love endures forever.

Let Israel say:
  "His love endures forever."

Let the house of Aaron say:
  "His love endures forever."

Let those who fear the LORD say:
  "His love endures forever."

In my anguish I cried to the LORD,
  and he answered by setting me free.

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
  What can man do to me?

The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
  I will look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD
  than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD
  than to trust in princes.

All the nations surrounded me,
  but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

They surrounded me on every side,
  but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

They swarmed around me like bees,
  but they died out as quickly as burning thorns;
  in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

I was pushed back and about to fall,
  but the LORD helped me.

The LORD is my strength and my song;
  he has become my salvation.

Shouts of joy and victory
  resound in the tents of the righteous:
  "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

The LORD's right hand is lifted high;
  the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

I will not die but live,
  and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

The LORD has chastened me severely,
  but he has not given me over to death.

Open for me the gates of righteousness;
  I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD
  through which the righteous may enter.

I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
  you have become my salvation.

The stone the builders rejected
  has become the capstone;

the LORD has done this,
  and it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made;
  let us rejoice and be glad in it.

O LORD, save us;
  O LORD, grant us success.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
  From the house of the LORD we bless you.

The LORD is God,
  and he has made his light shine upon us.
  With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
  up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will give you thanks;
  you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
  his love endures forever.

Week 11 performances:

QB:
Tom Brady (Patriots) - 244 pass yard, 4TDs
J.P. Losman (Bills) - 340 pass yard, 3TDs, 1 interception

WR:
Chad Johnson (Bengals) - 6 rec, 190 yards receiving, 3TDs
Lee Evans (Bills) - 11 rec, 265 yards receiving, 2TDs

RB:
LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers) - 105 yards rushing, 3TDs, 3 rec, 74 yards receiving, 1TD (simply amazing...)
Jamal Lewis (Ravens) - 91 yards rushing, 3TDs, 3 rec, 17 yards receiving
Larry Johnson (Chiefs) - 154 yards rushing, 2TDs

TE:
Benjamin Watson (Patriots) - 5 rec, 74 yards receiving, 1TD

K:
Josh Scobee (49ers) - 2 PATs, 4 FGs

Def:
Carolina Panthers - 0 points allowed, 7 sacks, 1 safety, 1 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery

Here is my fantasy performance prediction for Week 11:

Drew Brees (Saints)

This week I pick Drew Brees to have an excellent game against the Bengals. Did you see that 49-41 Charger/Bengal game last week?! I think that's reason enough to pick Brees to have a great week this week (on top of the fact that he's probably one of the top five QBs in the NFL right now).

EDIT: LOL, I turned on the TV like a minute after posting that and the camera was on Brees with a graphic that stated: "3 interceptions today - Tied career high." Grrrrr, there goes my pick....

EDIT2: Well, it's not a total loss - dang, he threw for 510 passing yards(WOW!) and 2TDs. We don't see that happen too often!

Week 10 performances:

Ironically, most of the performances from week 10 come from the crazy 49-41 Chargers/Bengals game...

QB:
Carson Palmer (Bengals) - 440 pass yard, 3TDs
Philip Rivers (Chargers) - 338 pass yard, 3TDs

WR:
Chad Johnson (Bengals) - 11 rec, 260 yards receiving, 2TDs
Donald Driver (Packers) - 6 rec, 191 yards receiving, 1TD

RB:
LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers) - 104 yards rushing, 4TDs, 6 rec, 54 yards receiving
Willie Parker (Steelers) - 213 yards rushing, 2TDs, 2 rec, 12 yards receiving

TE:
Brandon Manumaleuna (Chargers) - 2 rec, 14 yards receiving, 2TDs

K:
Joe Nedney (49ers) - 1 PAT, 4 FGs (rather quiet week for kickers....)

Def:
Philadelphia Eagles - 3 points allowed, 1 interceptions, 1TD (also a quiet week for defenses...)

Here is my fantasy performance prediction for Week 10:

Marc Bulger (Rams)

Bulger's been having an excellent season this year with 2300 passing yards, 13TDs, and only 1 interception. He has a QB rating of 102.1 which is third best in the NFL. He'll be squaring off against a Seattle team who has been beaten by the pass by allowing an average of 222.8 yards passing and 12TDs on the year. I predict that Bulger will have another good day today - maybe 250-300 yards passing with 2TDs.

Week 9 performances:

Ya, this is late... So sue me!

QB:
Drew Brees (Saints) - 314 pass yard, 3TDs

WR:
Javon Walker (Broncos) - 6 rec, 134 yards receiving, 2TDs, 72 yards rushing, 1TD
Marvin Harrison (Colts) - 8 rec, 145 yards receiving, 2TDs

RB:
LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers) - 172 yards rushing, 3TDs, 3 rec, 20 yards receiving
Willie Parker (Steelers) - 70 yards rushing, 1TD, 7 rec, 67 yards receiving, 1TD

TE:
Tony Gonzalez (Texans) - 5 rec, 63 yards receiving, 2TDs

K:
Phil Dawson (Buccaneers) - 1 PATs, 6 FGs

Def:
Miami Dolphins - 13 points allowed, 3 sacks, 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, 1TD