A new theme, called, in fact, Almost Spring, and provided to WordPress users by the talented and generous Becca Wei. What do ya think?

Hello, faithful readers! *waits for the shouts back, frowns at the silence and continues*

I just wanted to note a few changes to the blog. First, I’ve cleaned up my book list. I’m no longer listing everything that happens to be laying on my bedside table. Just the stuff that I’m actually reading.

Second, I won’t be talking much about games here anymore, since I’m starting a new site for that. The Games Roundtable is a place that, I hope, myself and some old friends will talk about games, post reviews and news, and that kind of thing. There’s a forum there too. So in a way, The Games Roundtable combines the games-related posts from here, and the discussion board from Jaded’s Pub, which after, what? eight years? I’m finally closing down.

Since a LOT of the content here was games-focused, it means I’m either going to have to think more, or post less. 🙂 Let’s hope the former turns out to be true, since I can hardly post less than I have been lately.

So for some reason I was over at 1UP.COM and I decided to read some of their message boards. I’m digging my PSP like nobody’s business so that was the section I made a beeline for.

The very first thread on the board was: ATTN: Trolls, Flamers, Fantards, Et Al.

Now I’m not in public relations, but is that really the right way to welcome new users to your site? This was posted by the kid (please god let it be a kid) that moderates that section. Beyond the tone, the term Fantard seems awfully…ick, to me. But maybe its just me. I guesss we’re moving away from “gay” being the ultimate put-down and moving on to “retarded.” I dunno, maybe its a good thing. The folks who’re mentally handicapped are probably less likely to be spending their time on gaming boards than folks who’re attracted to people of their own gender…

Anyway, for grins I clicked on the “report abuse” link in the message. No doubt the kid who moderates the board will just call me a fucktard and move on…

After several nights, two operating systems and $125 I finally burned a DVD that will play in a DVD player. What a pain!

It all started when I found a website that hosted fan-subtitled episodes of a Xenosaga anime that isn’t available in the US or for Region 1 DVD players. As a fan of Xenosaga I really wanted to watch them, but wasn’t interested in doing so on my PC.
Continue reading “I am a l33t v1d30 pir8”

WORLD EXCLUSIVE! FIRST LOOK AT iTUNES PHONE

Thanks to Vidgamer for pointing this out.

Kai is free software that lets you play ‘system link’ Xbox, Gamecube, PS2 or PSP games over the internet. It runs on Windows. Mac OS X users will also need Amaryllis (and an Airport Extreme for PSP gaming). Amaryllis is also free but they do request a small donation.

I haven’t tested this yet, but plan to do so this weekend. Hopefully my Airport Express will do the job (I assume they say “Airport Extreme” meaning 802.11g, which the Express is.) But we’ll see.

I bought a bread making machine. I love good bread, and I thought for a long time that these machines were a gimmick. But then I tried some, and it was SO good. Bread so yummy that it seems a crime to spread butter or jam on it. I wanted to be able to have bread that good whenever I wanted.

So as I type this, my first batch is in the machine. And I’m fretting…

Its the yeast that has me worried. I used to homebrew beer so I got fairly intimate with yeast issues. But this is so…automated. And the poor yeast is just dry little pellets. I felt the urge to make a nice starter to get it awakened and ready to do its thing!!

In beer making, there are many strains of yeast and which one you pick has a very real impact on the resulting beer. I’m not seeing any evidence of that in bread making, and I wonder if it just doesn’t matter, or if it just hasn’t been explored in ‘home bread making.’

musicplasma.com is a funky site that helps you find new music. You enter the name of a favorite band or musician, and then follow links to similar bands and muscians… seems pretty mainstream, though… but still fun to play around with.

Dude! Surfer catches whale of a ride

How cool is this? I love that the guy was 60, too.