A little response

Death of Reader/iGoogle

Ah man, I was just getting used to having the internet at my fingertips with Google and they go and shut down two of my favorite parts!  Now I have to find a good reader AND a good home page...  I've been experimenting with the design and layout but it hasn't been perfect.



It'll take me at least a few months to get used to it!

Mechanical Keyboards

After a few more days of playing with this thing, I'm finally starting to get the hang of being able to type accurately.  The idea of the mechanical keyboard is that you don't have to press the button all the way down when typing ("Bottom out" in keyboard jargon).  That way it saves a little bit on fatigue and allows for quicker typing.  The brown switches provide a little "bump" when a key is pressed about a quarter of the way to let you know you won't have to push down any further.  To be honest, I'm not sure if there's a true definition of a gaming keyboard.  I like this one for gaming because it allows me to quickly tap a key if I need to in an FPS or RTS.  Kind of like this guy.  It is a little noisy, but I kind of like that solid sounding keyboard.  I do love me some Mac keyboards though...  I am a big fan of the feel.

Japan - Tokyo Disney/DisneySea
OK, so I'm still a little jet lagged so you'll get a post about Japan...  It started off pretty great - we landed in Tokyo and managed to fumble our way down to our hotel near Tokyo Disney.  I don't want to cover Tokyo Disney too much, but suffice to say that it's pretty faithful to the Southern California version.

DisneySea is where it's at!  Everything was themed so nicely and there was so much more to see and do...  I don't have a whole lot of scenic pictures, but see below...

A volcano in the middle of the park!

Venice?

Very tasty!

This park felt so much bigger and each "port" had so much detail crammed into it...  The pictures really don't do it justice, but every corner of the park was a sight to see.  It's a little overwhelming...

(Finally getting tired, I'll edit this post later!)

Just a quick post (I'm still trying to beat those high scores!)

Headed off to Japan in a few days - if you want us to pick up something, let us know!

The return of B3!

Super Hexagon
Bemani Beast Brian awakes! Haha, it's no surprise for you to come in and stomp high scores, but I'm learning...

Hexagon 86:38
Hexagoner 65:50
Hexagonest 16:37
Hexagon Hyper Mode 32:09
Hexagoner Hyper Mode 22:02

I'm actually pretty hooked on this game. It's the first one I've played at length on my own since Braid. BTW for a few more days it's just $0.99.

Slow Blog/RSS
Guess Brian and I are the only ones on RSS (I assume you haven't been visiting this blog periodically over the last 14 months) and mourning the upcoming loss of Google Reader? Any experience with Feedly/NewsBlur/The Old Reader? I saw the Lifehacker writeup on alternatives but haven't checked em out yet.

Keyboards
That keyboard video is on some hard-core gamer geekdom; respect! What makes a good gaming vs. typing keyboard? Extra customizable keys? Rage-smash resilience? Surely not those arrow labels, since I assume pro gamers never look down at their gear. I guess it's probably about the spring action and how it affects feel, and response rate? More of a click than a squish?

Once I switched to Macs I fell in love with the quiet, slim keyboard design; I like that I can type in relative silence. I still prefer the full-size version but I've been working off just my laptop for so long that I've gotten used to these stupid tiny arrows and fn button. But now I'm curious about these mechanicals. I could stand to improve on accuracy. Do they squeeze a version of that technology in laptops?

Alright Jon, I'll take the bait.  But this is really only for two reasons:

1.)  I have something to say about Humble Bundle
2.)  I just bought myself a mechanical keyboard and I love the way it sounds when I type :D

OK - let's start with Humble Bundle...  I love the concept of it!  Humble Bundle has given me a chance to play a lot of the lesser known games out there and it's a great way to reward these indie developers.  It's no surprise that with rising development costs, big game companies do not want to take a chance with new IP.  So instead of giving the gamers something fresh, companies will rehash the old...

But in comes these bundles and all of a sudden, I'm playing some weird Tempest-like game with a crazy chip tune soundtrack!  I'm playing a twin stick shooter that is directly connected to my mp3's on my computer!  It's a great way to introduce new games to the market without a crazy price structure.

I think I ended up paying ~$10.00 for these games and I bought two more bundles to give away as gifts.  I'll admit though that they have a good scheme going - I don't really NEED a soundtrack to a game I've never played, but if I pay just a dollar more I'll get more stuff!  Yup, I'm still a consumer whore.

Anyway, I think this is the second bundle I've participated in and I am happy with both purchases...  These games won't change my life, but at least it'll fill a spot for a few hours while I wait for Final Fantasy XIII-3.  (Yes that was intentional.  I'm a little rusty.)

As for Super Hexagon:

It's on like Donkey Kong!

And just a short note on mechanical keyboards - it costs a little bit more, but it's definitely worth the price.  They come in a variety of "switches" (Blue, Red, Brown, etc.) each of them have a distinct key press.  I haven't been able to try all of the different kinds out there, but I settled for the browns - it was something in the middle of a good gaming keyboard and a good keyboard for typing (and as an added bonus it doesn't make as much noise as the others!)  It has only been about a day but I noticed my typing is a little more accurate and that I'm not using as much force to type.  I'll let you guys know in a few days if I still feel this way!  (I guess I should have asked before I purchased - does anyone else have experience with any of the switches?)

Hope all is well for all of you - I haven't seen some of you in ages...  I guess Obon is our next time to hang out?  :D

Super Hexagon / Humble Bundle

Anybody playing Super Hexagon? Seems like the kind of thing we'd get a ridiculous obsessive time-eating rivalry going with, at least in our more youthful days. If you don't have it yet you can get it for cheap with some other indie games as part of the Humble Bundle with Android 5.

In case anyone's up for a conversation topic...
Humble Bundle has an interesting pricing system. You pay what you want for a bundle of games from different developers. You also decide who gets the money: You set how the money you've paid is divided amongst the individual developers, some charities, and Humble Bundle itself. If you want the preselected bonus games (Super Hexagon was one this time), you have to pay more than the average price paid by customers so far (in this case, less than $7).

So the questions are:

1. How much do you pay if you definitely want the bonus games?
2. How much do you pay if you don't care about the bonus games?
3. How do you split up the payment between developers and charities?
4. How do you split up the payment among developers if you're really buying the bundle for one particular game?
5. Should we develop our own game?

I realize I'm probably talking to myself. Wouldn't be the first time. I can still post my own high scores and try to beat them, in which case pretty much I WIN.

Hexagon 49:04
Hexagoner 27:55
Hexagonest 09:18*

* This reminds me of Reid playing Super Mario Bros. and falling down a hole every few seconds. Sad. Speaking of which: World's Hardest Mario Game.

Marvel Comics

Not sure how much people are actually following this blog anymore, but I figured I'd use this as a forum to talk about very nerdy things such as comic books...

So Brendan got me a year membership to Marvel's Digital Comics (if you want my log-in info, let me know) and though I haven't had a lot of time to check them out, I'm finding there are plenty of comics for me to read.

So I'm trying to read some of the old school classics and reading about origin stories, but I'll admit, some of these are tough to read. I respect where this all came from, but man am I glad art has evolved over the years.

I read the origin story for Spider-man and this really wasn't too different from the Sam Raimi movie. The art wasn't too cheesy, but I guess I was hoping for something more or different from the movies. Not sure why, but I guess I should be happy that some directors are trying to keep to the story. Though on the other hand, I really enjoy what Christopher Nolan has done with Batman (I'm sure that can be another post).

Captain America was a little rough to read. The art itself felt like an old Archie and/or Rex Morgan comic. Seriously, who would read Rex Morgan in the Sunday paper? Anyway, I read about a quarter of it and I had to put it down. The origin story fits relatively fell compared to the movie, but the comic summarized it in 2 pages. The part that had me cringing / laughing was how Bucky gets turned into his side kick. Apparently Steve Rogers wasn't only Captain America, but a Boy Scout leader/chaperone and he gets caught by Bucky changing into his superhero uniform. Then Cap just tells Bucky he needs a side kick and there you go....lame...

Not so much an origin story, but I read some of the first Deadpool's and I actually kind of find this guy entertaining. He's quasi Wolverine w/o the claws and his personality is like Spider-man with all the chit chat. I'm curious what they'll do movie wise for this one considering I think they kind of messed him up in Wolverine movie. They made it so that his mouth is shut!?? That's 99% of who Deadpool is and his identity. What is kind of cool is his healing factor is a little more advanced then Wolverine: guy can grow back limbs if they cut off.

I think the next on my list is to read more about each of the Avengers and then read some of the more modern stories on the Avengers themselves. I think Iron Man then Thor will be interesting to read and then maybe some Captain America and Hulk. Definitely on the queue will be some X-men....from what I vaguely remember, the one's from the 90's had some sweet story lines...

On another front, I've been reading a lot of DC Comics lately (paper copies) and they've recently rebooted all their franchises to reset back to issue #1. They're not necessarily reboots & new origin stories...I think the basic principles are still there, but I think they're trying to take a Nolan-esque view in advancing their stories in a different light. (i.e. what if the world was skeptical of Superman vs. embracing him from the get-go, what if super humans were seen as rationale for the world falling apart vs. really being seen as heroes and how they deal in that world) So far, each that's I've read had been interesting and I love the art in each of them. One of these days I need to document who all the artists are and really follow their work. The only one I can name off hand in Jim Lee and he's doing sick things w/ the Justice League. Wonder Woman is super hot and probably could battle Belle as the "hottest" comic book character haha.

One other comic that I read that I thought was really interesting and actually beats my logic a bit about old drawings was Swamp Thing. Jonathan got me that for x-mas and I was actually semi-skeptical on whether I would like it or not, but it turned out to be really interesting. It had some weird twists and turns, interesting villain, and relationships. The only thing I question now is the cover art - it's Swamp Thing growing roses from his hands - that's the least tough thing I could think of for a cover to appeal to the masses. =)

Last semi-nerdy topic is related to probably one of my new favorite shows: Castle. It's a cheesy crime drama where some of the cases they solve aren't all too interesting and sometimes a little "too easy" for them to solve, but what I like most about the show is the dialogue. Every character on that show has so much appeal and to me that seems pretty rare. Usually I'll like 1-2 potentially one of them being the main one, but every person is awesome. I like the title character as well because he just has so many nerdy references (similar to why I like Chuck) that it keeps my appeal up. The sarcasm he puts in place are reasons why I really liked Firefly and just the sarcastic side of Indiana Jones & Han Solo - lead characters that are super confident, cocky, get the job done w/o taking themselves too seriously. Of course, this show also holds my appeal because I think Stana Katic is absolutely gorgeous! That definitely doesn't hurt.

Baseball Moment 2011

I’m not a hardcore baseball fan that watches every single game, but last night I had the privilege of watching a series of unlikely events unfold that I feel compelled to share. (Although I'm just recapping if you're a fan of baseball, or I'm boring those that are not.) Last night was the final night of regular season baseball which is normally not very interesting - this year it was important because the wildcard winner was still in the air. (Both leagues, but I don’t watch very much NL – I'm only recapping the AL.)

Let me paint the picture: The Rays only had one chance at winning the wildcard last night. Boston had to lose against a team that was 27th out of 30 teams in wins (The Orioles). The Rays had to win against the #2 team in baseball wins this season (Yankees).

The night started off very disappointing for the Rays. They were down 7-0 at the end of the 5^th inning. Some fans decided the season was over and were headed to the exits. Here’s a tip: NEVER leave a baseball game until it is over. Why? Because the Rays managed to storm back in the 8^th and plated six runs. Going into the 9^th they were still down 7-6. Things were winding down for the Rays – they were down to their last out and they brought in a pinch hitter – Dan Johnson. This guy was in the minors for a bit this year and had only played 39 MLB games this season. His last major league hit was back in APRIL. Almost as expected the Rays come one strike away from losing the game and possibly the season. (Boston was winning but in a rain delay at the time) Then out of nowhere, Dan Johnson blasts a ball over the right field wall to tie the game and force extra innings!

Back in Boston, the rain had stopped. It was still 3-2 in favor of Boston. Going into the 9^th inning and down a run, The O’s had to come up big if they wanted to rally. They were facing Papelbon – Boston’s premier closer. Papelbon promptly struck out the first two batters he faced. The next batter hit the first ball he saw to right field for two bases. Next came Nolan Reimold. Reimold saw two balls and swung at the next two pitches. Boston only needed one more strike to win. But Reimold hit that next pitch to deep center for a ground rule double and just like that, it was a tie game.

Fans from over 900 miles away in Tampa Bay went wild. Over in Florida, it was the bottom of the 12^th inning – there had been some close calls for the Rays in the last 3 innings, but still no one scored. Midnight was right around the corner and the improbable happened.

In Boston, the next batter stepped to the plate; Andino. You could feel the tension in the game. O’s fans wanted nothing more than to deny the Red Sox victory tonight. Andino hit a shallow line drive to left. The runner at second took off at contact. Carl Crawford raced down the field and slid to try and make a basket catch. He failed to catch it on the fly and the runner from second slid into home safely. The field looked like the O’s had just won the World Series – players ran onto the field and the fans cheered wildly. Boston loses the game. 12:02 AM.

Back in Florida it was still the bottom of the 12^th. Upton had just struck out and Longoria was up again. (Longoria hit a home run in the 8^th and was key to forcing the game into extra innings) There was a buzzing in the crowd. They knew that if their team won, they would be going to the post season. And Longoria gave the fans what they wanted. On a 2-2 count, he lines one to left field – just fair and over the wall. The announcers cannot believe it. Longoria’s second home run propels the Rays into the post season. 12:05 AM.

Many people complain about the slow pace, about how the players don’t really play as a team… But seeing these events unfold and watching the tension mount is what the game is all about. There are moments where every pitch counts. Admittedly, these don’t happen every day, but in a 160+ game season, there’s bound to be some exciting moments that stick out – no matter if your team made it to the post season or not. (I think I have one or two from the Mariner’s that I’ll have to dig out) This is one of the many reasons I watch baseball and will still watch in the coming years. (even after Ichiro retires *sob*) Congratulations to the Rays for having the mental fortitude to overcome such a large deficit. I’m still not a fan of yours, but hats off to you and for your play last night.

Live your life!

I've always been a fan of living life without regrets and enjoying what you do.

Sally Meyerhoff, an elite marathon runner, kept a fairly upbeat blog. I didn't even know about it's existence until yesterday but it's affected me deeply!

Her blog included posts like:

February 3rd:

Anyway, thank goodness nothing drastic has happened in my life (knock on wood), but lately I've been forcing myself to think about what really matters to me in my life right now. I have so many goals and dreams for myself and I'm not a very patient person, so I tend to analyze and stress about how I am going to make them all happen, ASAP! I don't like to make the excuse "Oh I'm still pretty young. I have time"...because we don't know how much time we will have in life, and I want to live everyday with no regrets.

She closed out her March 6th post with:

March 6th:

I cannot express how HAPPY I am with where I am in my life right now though, and how grateful I feel for being able to do what I do. I just wouldn't trade it for anything and any time I am feeling not very motivated, I think about how miserable I feel when I am not training or doing something else I don't LOVE. I totally and completely love this life I'm living and the most fabulous think is that I know it's only going to get 20 times better by the end of the year. Woo hoo baby!

She passed away on March 8th at 27 years old in a biking accident.

Life is exciting, and tragic all at the same time.

Re: Nationalism

(I wonder who will read this. I follow this blog via RSS, so I see updates no matter how few and far between. But I'm guessing most visited the site directly or via bookmark and gave up on new content years ago. So enjoy, Brian and Bryant.)

Yup, I saved Brian's post on nationalism... back in May, dang...

In theory
I think people should be free to do what they want as long as they're not hurting each other. There's nothing implicitly disrespectful about wearing a nation's flag, and people should be allowed to be proud of their personal affiliations.

Food for thought:
Should a student be allowed to wear a swastika at school if he's a Neo-Nazi? How about if he's Hindu or Buddhist? Should we ban the wearing of gang colors? What if a new gang comes up for every color of the rainbow? Or if you just really like red? If a rock band is coming to play at the school, should no one be allowed to wear a shirt with any other band on it, for fear of offending the performing guests?

What if a Cambodian student wears the Cambodian flag, not necessarily to oppose or offend anyone, but because there's no school-recognized day for them to celebrate their nationality? It seems imbalanced to begin with that only a select few nationalistic holidays are recognized.

We often don't know the underlying reason for others' behavior, and making assumptions and limiting freedoms is a dangerous path to go down.

In practice
In the real world, I admit I would guess that the flag-wearing was not a coincidence, and I can see why it could be taken in a negative way and might result in animosity or worse. So I see how preventive measures might be justifiable.

In closing
If it's just a handful of guys wearing American flags, and they intend it to be anti-Cinco-de-Mayo, and the only result ends up being that they're exposed as being jerks to the rest of the school, is that a bad thing?