Y.A.C.H.T. to the rescue
Posted by: j_john
Ok, so I got this new computer last week--but I'd never had to deal with the concept of transfering files and reinstalling applications, so I was feeling a bit stumped. Well, a quick chat with my old roommate Jona eased my worries, and soon enough (after we got him his Mr. Moto fuel) I had him helping me customize my new computer. This dude can work on two computers at one time! Thank you Mr. Y>A>C>H>T> for making my life more awesome, and say hello to "El Cielo."
Metroid: Zero Mission Complete
Posted by: j_john
Wow, what an awesome game--an outstanding update to an old classic, and it made me want to explore every little bit, forcing myself not to come up for air until I hit 100%. I'm beginning to believe the Metroid franchise may be a slight favorite over Zelda after these latest GBA adventures, not to mention the all-around excellence of Metroid Prime for the cube. I can't feel my thumbs right now, so I'll have to take a break before moving on to Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga.
Playing on the Pitch
Posted by: j_john
Two of my greatest joys in life, namely videogaming and soccer (football), have made for some memorable moments. I remember fondly the summer a few years ago when my roommate and I recreated our high-school squads (Mounds View vs. Tates Creek) and battled it out on FIFA 2000 for the PlayStation to see who was the best. In 2001 when the PS2 arrived I was quick to pick up the latest version of FIFA and promptly get schooled by the quick skills of Mr. Brian J. Silver. Then there was the epic tournament staged by Steve and I last year on our respective FIFA 2003 game discs, the loss of which has haunted me to this day.
Well folks, a new era of footy gaming has arrived in the form of "WORLD SOCCER WINNING ELEVEN 7 INTERNATIONAL." Designed by the folks at Konami who brought you "INTERNTIONAL SUPERSTAR SOCCER" this new breed proved to be quite the test of skills for Mr. Schrodo and myself, as we played multiple matches with few goals scored last night. I can only hope that this time around I might be able to be better adapt the things I know about the sport and carry them out via my thumbs. If not, I'll at least be able to enjoy all the adidas sightings in the game.
Kaotic Minds Curruptin'
Posted by: j_john
A couple years ago I suddenly decided to use the InterWeb to obtain some Rap classics I had tossed-out in a musical cleaning frenzy--I probably had about 30 cassettes, mostly traditional West Coast, but with some gems like Black Sheep, Das Efx, Public Enemy's "Nation of Millions", and this one group I remember fondly, KMC.
KMC were basically the original Gravediggaz, using their skills to scare with song titles such as "Terrifying Tracks", "Grim Reaper" and the subtle "Murder"--but without the clout of having someone like the RZA or Prince Paul they were quickly forgotten. However, it's still a bit surprising to find out they never released a follow-up album to 1991's "Three Men With The Power of Ten", since they were on the popular Priority Records, but perhaps they fell victim to a glut of SoCal product during the early 90s.
Having already acquired a brand-new copy of KMC's full-length, I recently completed my collection by picking up Priority's solid 1991 compilation "Straight From the Hood", which features well-known Ice Cube, Geto Boys, EPMD, and lesser known but still great WC & The Maad Circle (better known more recently for his work in the group Westside Connection), and one song from KMC, "Psycho." While the song doesn't quite live up to the epic memories I had of listening to it on the bus to high school, it's still damn good and a shame they got lost in the game.
The Importance of Being Important
Posted by: j_john
I'd like to share some "So So Deep Thoughts" courtesy of Mr. Lajos Egri and his amazing book "The Art of Dramat!c Wr!t!ng."
>>Immortality!
Yes, we all crave attention. We want to be important, immortal. We want to do things that will make people exclaim, "Isn't he wonderful?"
If we can't create something useful or beautiful...we shall certainly create something else: trouble.
TROUBLE!!!
Motherhood is a creation. It is the beginning of immortality. Perhaps this is one of the reasons women are less inclined toward philandering than men.<<
Hope you found that insightful. If not, perhpas Erich Fromm's words of wisdom, as found in Albert Low's "Zen and Creative Managment" will inspire you:
>>Are we confronted with a tragic, insolvable dilemma? Must we produce a sick people in order to have a healthy economy, or can we use our material resources, our inventions, our computers to serve the ends of man? Must individuals be passive and dependent in order to have strong and well-functioning organizations?<<
WWWW
Posted by: j_john
"WorldWideWebWolves"--about a week ago the official site of the T-Wolves went through a redesign, and I'm still not quite sure what I think of it. The old site was a mess of sections seemingly thrown in at random about the page. The graphics were mostly an ugly greenish color and the background was plain white, so I think the switch to a blue color scheme with consistent design on sub-pages is a good thing. However, there are "video links" which contain footage of the Wolves dance team accompanied by horrible music, possibly Toby Keith. Oh, and I'd like to find out who is designing their wallpaper section...a couple years ago it was real strong, and now it looks like someone's first time on Photoshop.
Which one do you think they let the owners' granddaughter design?
In the Kitchen
Posted by: j_john
I'm finally following through with one of my "New Year's Projects", having cracked open the new cookbooks and made a "Cold Asian Noodle in Peanut Butter Sauce" dish, and just this morning, Toast Francais (thanks to J. Roberts for helping me get started). In case anyone wants to know, here's the Peanut Noodle recipe that seemed to prove edible to both Dennis and Andrew:
1/2 ound raw spaghetti
1 green onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon chili oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
All you do is mix all the ingredients in a bowl and combine it with the pasta...I used a bit more chili oil to give it some kick. Oh, and that French Toast stuff is easy! Next up will be a spicy coleslaw and some soups...
The Competition
Posted by: j_john
Well, the Crane-Off happened today, and after reviewing the tape, it has been determined that there was an incorrect count in the toy grab-a-thon. It turns out that contrary to our on-site count, Cabel matched Jona's total of 7 toys grabbed. However, there can be no disputing Jona's dominance in the head-to-head ball grab, as he easily won with a count total of 6 to 1.
Smash Talk
Posted by: j_john
Took some great footage today for the Crane-Off. I present to you Mr. Cabel Sasser, a man who means business.
Meanwhile, Jona is looking relaxed, but who will be the victor? Stay tuned...
Deepest Gaming Zone
Posted by: j_john
Just returned to the land of the living after an intense gaming session, wherein I took about 6 cumulative hours to pass a boss on Viewtiful Joe. Over the course of the past day I tried about 40 times to finish off a fire-breathing lion-man, aptly named "Fire Leo", enduring severe hand cramping, sweaty palms, and an endless desire to fling my (2nd) Wavebird wireless controller into my full-length mirror. Having now completed this mission I think I'm due for a run.
