T-Hybrid

I'd be more willing to do that if it were my own PC. But this is my dad's, so I'd hate to start something like that and then screw up bad. It's funny. I'm a Com Sci major (about to become graduate) and there's still things about computers that absolutely terrify me.

About a month ago, my dad's computer went kaput. Thankfully, it still had four months left on the warranty, and Best Buy sent it out to get repaired. A week ago, we found out that it was inoperable. Or rather, that it was more cost efficient for Best Buy to replace it than to repair it. On the upside, we get the value of the computer put towards a new one. And $450 today buys you something a truckload better than it did 3 years ago. On the downside, every computer they make these days comes equipped with Vista. And from what I've heard, that's nothing but an uphill battle. And in this war, I've already suffered a casualty. My poor SD Card for some reason can't decide if it wants to be read by the PC or not. The Wii it normally calls home doesn't seem to mind reading from and writing to it, but Vista refuses to acknowledge its existance. Perhaps its my fault. After one day already, I've noticed that Vista really likes asking me if I'm sure of myself. Even when trying to instal/run Windows software I'm asked if I'm sure this is what I want to do. Double click McAffee and see: "Do you want to give permission for McAffee to run?" Even turning on the Firewall becomes a game of second guessing. Perhaps somewhere along the line, I neglected to inform windows of my decision to read the SD Card. I mean, I only put it into the SD slot. How could I have expected the computer to know I wanted to actually do something with it. Silly me I suppose.

Yeah, the trick is to put the cinnamon on like you'd sprinkle on salt, and then just eat them with ketchup like you normally would. If you feel the need, add a bit of salt to go with it. And Omi, I guess great minds think alike.

My boss was kind enough to pick up dinner for us guys at the office today. The meal of choice today was a quick pickup of a burger and fries from a nearby coffee shop. I had to fly, so in my haste to get everybody their food I neglected to grab enough condiments to go around. Since that was supposed to have been my job, I left what I had brought and ran back over to get some ketchup and whatnot for myself. In my haste, I neglected to realize that the shaker next to the salt and pepper was something other than seasoned salt. That was until I sprinkled it onto my fries. Well..."poured" would be more accurate. I had grabbed what I believe to have been the cinnamon shaker. I still don't quite know, mostly because I pumped my ketchup and walked back to the office, laughing at my carelessness. A few of the guys joked about how weird my fries looked, but after I dipped the first one in and took a bite, I realized something. They tasted pretty good. Curious, a few of them tried one, and said the same thing. Proud of my discovery, I happily finished my meal and documented the findings. This is the second unusual food stuff I have enjoyed in my 22 years here on Earth. The original being a bizarre "goulash" consisting of baked beans, ketchup, and cottage cheese. Yeah, looking back I have no idea how I ate that (my family actually humored me once by trying it for themselves), but I think this fry thing may actually be for real. So if you ever have the chance, try it out and get back to me!

How are you liking Sonic? That is fighting with Metal Slug for the next game I'm going to get...and any feedback may help tip the scales.

So was Departed enough of the aspects from the three films that there isn't a possibilty of an American trilogy? The last great cop/gangster trilogy of course being Godfather. And even that suffered a bit in the third installment.

I've only bought three actual Wii games since I picked up the console in November. And yet I've found myself playing on it everyday. This is because the Virtual Console is super awesome. I've got SMB, Kirby's Adventure, Mario 64, Mario Kart 64...and just recently added Donkey Kong Country. And the best part is, there's still like 10 games I want to pick up. All of which are classics I just never got a chance to play. Games like Super Ghouls n' Ghosts, Contra III, and Gunstar Heroes. Then there's the "unknowns" that I never knew about...mostly because I grew-up on Nintendo consoles. So there's Turbo Graphix 16 games like Bonk's Adventure and Soldier Blade. But that's not all, lately I've felt the somewhat forbidden urge to pick up an XBox 360. Crackdown looks like it could be fun, there's Lost Planet, Blue Dragon...but right now I'm making sure to do my research so I don't turn it into an impulse buy. I'm especially nervous about the Red Ring of Doom/Death I keep hearing about. In the meantime, my DS and Wii still have games coming up that'll keep me entertained. I just finished Final Fantasy VI, and Pokemon Diamond comes out in April. There's also Super Paper Mario, and Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. The Wii right now has Sonic, Metal Slug...and I'm even looking into that new DBZ game. I own Budokai 3, but never got around to playing it (I've got like 30 PS2 games and just no time to enjoy them all). The controls sound like a blast, and I don't have many fighting games. All in all, I've got a lot to keep me entertained. And more looks to be coming in the next few months. Not to mention the big three Wii releases looming in the distance (Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, and Brawl). But how are you guys doing for gaming? I know there's some BZPers out there that were lucky enough to score a Wii. Are you feasting on the VC buffet? Or have you been sufficiently sated by the Wii's lineup?

"Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer" !

I have a feeling you'd have been more disappointed had I accepted your offer, considering how the weather has been up here.

Considering the subject: "U + Me = Us" by 2ge+her would do the trick.

As you may have heard by now, the Midwest got absolutely pounded over the last few days. Schools, government offices, and major roads are all closing down. People are digging their cars out of the snow, and its blowing around like you'd never believe. But it's still a blast. For some reason. I was outside this evening for about a half-hour shoveling snow out from around my car. The "parking spot" next to me hadn't been plowed in a week or so, and looked about the same as any place else, so thankfully I had some place closer to dump it then having to shovel up and over my car towards the curb. I've never seen it like this before, at least best I can remember. There were a few years where it snowed frequently, but never to this extent. I can remember a Halloween a long time ago when I didn't even need a costume, because all the kids were in snowpants and winter coats. I haven't been able to drive my car now for about a week, mostly because I haven't had anybody around to help get it out of the spot. I've gotta try tomorrow, mostly because I've got to get out and get some laundry done. Really don't want to have to trug through the snow with a basket of clothes, even if it is only a few blocks. With the way things have been going, I'm worried I may get ran down by a mammoth or something. Of course, I've always wanted a pet tiger...I suppose a saber-toothed one would be just as good as any.

T-Hybrid is currently preparring for a big code release. While he's scrambling to put the finishing touches in place, he's asked his guest blogger to fill in. How's it all going? I would have liked to get a word in for the 100th entry, but T-Boss was pretty firm on putting out the Q/A thread. I had a few questions I would've liked to ask, mostly like when I'm gonna be expecting a raise. But since that doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon I'd best keep pluggin along on the entries. T's hard at work at his internship right now. He's a big shot programmer now, and has to actually deal with production releases and error checking. I sometimes catch him mutterin stuff about scope creep and how he misses the old days of only writing one program. But I gotta say he's been coming along real well. I have a feelin' that after its all said and done he's gonna be proud of what he's about to put out there. Time's running out for him. In a few weeks he's off to scout a new apartment, and after that he's gotta look into a more "professional" wardrobe. T-shirts and jean shorts can only go so far in the work force. And that one fancy suit of his ain't gonna be too comfortable five days a week. In the meantime I'm still hanging around the Haven. There's fewer people checking it out these days, mostly because the Bossman ain't around to liven it up a bit. Things keep up I'm gonna have to get the rest of the Blue Vice to stop by and form a band or sumthin. Well, that's really all I've got today. There's ugly weather blowin' up here and the patio's gotta close. So its up to me to batten down the hatches and make sure the place doesn't blow away over the weekend. There's supposed to be enough snow on the way to burry even me. And I'm a oversized cyborg dinosaur!

You're going to have to help me out here, since my memory's foggy...but what were your sections again?

Out of the ones I've played, X/X-2 are my favorites. Tidus is a bit whiny, but I like Auron, think Seymour is pretty evil, and like the flexibility that is available with the sphere grid. Combined with some of the events of the sequel, I have to put it at the top for now. Especially after the ending of X-2. I'm working on VI as we speak, and I really like the ability to involve as many party members as it does without making them feel too extraneous. The Espers, and amount of things to do in the second half (not to mention the awesome twist halfway through) are all adding up to a fun game. In terms of story it has a much bigger twist/surprise comparred to X. However I feel some of the characters feel really useless at times (Gau/Umaro). Once I finish I may have to reasses which is my favorite. It was Auron until I played XII. Nobody beats Balthier. Even though Vaan was the coverboy for XII, Balthier steals the show, and really fills the role of hero/leader far better than Vaan...who really doesn't do much comparred to the others. He's witty, and can keep his head about him in a jam. It's a tie between Rikku and Ashe. Rikku's all bubbly and is able to stay cheery even in the most dire of circumstances, but Ashe really changes the idea of what a female lead can do in a Final Fantasy game. I was half expecting some cliche love story between her and somebody else, but instead she appeared to be independent and was able to hold her own where most heroines would have to fall back on the strength of the male lead. FFX. It's the only soundtrack I'm able to listen to songs from on a regular basis. Most other FFs have one or two songs that I like, but FFX's is a good listen anytime. Bahamut. Because whenever he shows up, you know something awesome's about to happen. Plus, there's a joke between my friends and I about him that always makes me laugh, so when I think of Final Fantasy I think of that.

Handball/racquetball. Occasionally I go downtown with some friends. Hecks yeah! You'll have to find me first.

I know how to have a good time. And with my last semester winding down I've found myself able to enjoy myself far more. I first got into LEGO back during the original black and blue space police sets. Best I can recall, my first ever LEGO set was the Message Decoder: 6831. Though the only Lego Bricks I've bought recently were Bionicle, I was a huge fan of the space sets. Including M-Tron, Spyrius, and Blacktron. My favorite had to be the Robo-Guardian: 6949. Tahu, Pohatu, Onua. The first one I put together was Pohatu. The sets have been a great blend of action figure with building set. And though I'm not the best MOCer there's lots of room for my imagination to run rampant with the sets. Up until the Barakki I had started losing interest in the canister villians. I haven't been following the story as much as I used to either...mostly because its difficult to keep up with comics, books, and online updates amidst my work/school schedule. Not in the least. Blue. Definately. Fullmetal Alchemist and sCRYed are probably my two favorites. I also enjoyed Betterman, Dragonball Z, Ronin Warriors, and Voltron. I would love to get out to Brickfest at least once in my life. Now that I've been hired and will have vacation time to play with. It is on my list of things to do soon. Sure, but if you have more feel free to stop by! Season 1 will always be my favorite, and last season's arc with President Logan will be tough to top. I'd rank it in the middle though, mostly because Jack's "posse" hasn't been doing much besides sitting around the office. That's a toughie! There was a certain satisfaction that came when Jack confronted Nina Meyers for the last time. But Jack standing face to face with the crooked President Logan during last year's finale was very well done. And the plan orchestrated between Jack and Martha Logan was ingenious. Male, despite what a long since buried April Fools prank thread may suggest.

In the past, I've done topics on suggestions, and when I saw this over in Omi's Rush I couldn't help but think that it was a pretty sweet idea. So after getting his permission to borrow the idea I decided to go ahead and hold a Q/A session of my own in celebration of 100 entries. I've also unvieled a new Blue-Vice image...which I'm thinking will work like a "header" for the most recent entry. If it all works according to plan. So go ahead and ask away, I'll answer what I can as best I can. This is your chance to find out what makes me tick (please, no open heart surgery).

After about a week, my friends and I decided to go back one more time and see what happened. More or less to see if they were going to treat us any differently (which honestly wouldn't have been fair to my friends). We got there, had a seat, and got some of the best service I had ever seen. The waitress was friendly, served us quickly, and always asked if we needed anything BEFORE we had to ask her. And that was WITH a group of 45 elsewhere in the restaurant. So I'm getting the feeling it was just the one or two people there that one time, as the rest of the people appear to be pretty friendly towards us. Long story short, they've passed their second chance really well.

That's why I felt so bad for both the server (who hadn't been very good anyway) and the manager I spoke to. Some other manager made the decision, then left the other two to deal with me when his decision upset me.

Last Sunday, my friends and I went down to a local mexican restaurant. I had just eaten, and decided to come with just to hang out with everybody. As with most restaurants of this kind, you're given free chips and salsa while you ponder your order. So they brought them out, and I had some. I decided against getting anything to eat, and just asked for a water. My friends got stuff, including a bowl of cheese dip that comes with a "bottomless" basket of chips. So throughout the night I had some of my friends chips, and the servers kept bringing salsa. By the end of the night I had eaten a decent amount and was actually feeling pretty full. The next day was a Monday, which is my traditional "nice meal with 24" day. This is when I make something that cost a little extra to have along with my favorite show. My friends got back from playing racquetball, and decided to go out to the same place. Again, I had just ate, this time much more than the previous night. But figuring that there'd be a chance to hang out (and a few chips) it wouldn't hurt to go with. I got there a little bit after they did, as I wanted to wait until 24 was over. We're pretty regular there, so most of the late night servers know our orders. They asked if I would like some of the hot salsa I usually have, and I said sure. And just as last night, the continued to bring salsa to go with the chips my friends were getting. But when it came time to leave, the server brought out a check from the manager. Apparently tonight I owed $3 for the chips and salsa I had eaten. Frustrated, I asked to talk with the manager. I felt sorry when the "backup" manger had to come out, as the head manager (the one who had told the server to give me a bill) had taken off already. This is where 5 years in food services came in handy. Because the following facts are important when dealing with restaurant customer service. If the customer comes in enough that you know their order by heart, be willing to cut them some slack. I'm not saying they should get away with murder, but my friends and I come in at least 2 times a week and we usually spend about $10 each. You know we usually get food when we come, and since there were other people at the table who were ordering food, who are they to tell the customer who can and cannot share their food.Never, ever, blame a different manager. If some other manager does something that a customer doesn't like, but you have to talk with them...you have to deal with that. The customer isn't mad at the manager, they're mad at the restaurant as a whole. And as the manager on duty, you are the representative for the restaurant.Don't ever bring previous nights into a discussion about the bill for the night in question. "Considering the chips you ate last night..." should never have been uttered. Because last night was just that. Nobody said anything to me last night, nor did they mention the night before when I first arrived. That goes into our next point.If your store has a policy, notify the customer prior to dropping a bill in their lap. At any point in the night, they could've told me that I needed to order something to go with the chips I was eating. However, this to me is pointless, considering that my friends had orders that came with chips. And since the matter of who eats what isn't up to the restaurant (buffet's not included) there's really nothing they can say if the chips I'm eating came from somebody's order. They can't cut that person off, and that person can't be forced to not share with somebody else in the party.Don't hand said bill to the customer wrapped in a "We appreciate your feedback" folder. Especially when that folder has a question regarding "Manager Contact." You want my opinion on your store after how you handled this situation? And then remind me that you're a place that prides itself on Manager contact when that never happend in the hour we were there? That's what reved me up in the first place.It seems like a lot of trouble to go through for $3. But I was genuinely offended that they wouldn't bother to inform of at some point during the night, especially considering they were aware of the night before. What makes it worse, there were six other people in the party with me...and they told me afterwards that they were turned off to wanting to eat there again after what had happened. So the mess they caused over $3 worth of chips may have cost them about $60-120 bucks a week from a group of happy regular customers. It may not seem like a lot, but after working in foods...I know that it hurts the mood of the place sometimes when regulars disappear. Will I go back? Dunno yet. But hopefully I can pass some advice on to anybody who's in the food industry now, or is younger and looking to break into the job market with a job in food services.

As a peruser of gaming forums, I often read the following message in the sigs of many a gaming flamer. "____ > Nothing > ____" This is usually paired with something the person is a rabid fan of on the left and the item their bashing on the right. As funny as some think this is, and as prevalent as it has been of late (especially with all three Next-Gen consoles available)...I can't help but wonder why nobody's noticed the following yet. Using the above comment actually bashes the thing you're defending while lifting the item your bashing to the ultimate height. It's the perfect example of something that looks good written down but reads totally wrong when spoken aloud. Allow me to demonstrate using one I saw recently. "360>PS3>Nothing>Wii" While "The 360 is greater than the PS3." reads like the poster intended, the remaining chunk of the statement falls apart. "The PS3 is greater than nothing." is logically equivalent to "The PS3 is less than everything." Meanwhile, "Nothing is greater than the Wii." speaks for itself. Its things like that make me laugh at the bashers and trolls that like waste their time trying to rile up a bunch of people they'll never meet. And though I just spent a Blog Entry on one of their comments, it's only because I feel it helps to demonstrate the logic that often goes into these console debates.

...I have to say I'm confused by this edit. We're still not allowed to discuss the Toa Mahri? The news is now of the public record, and the story was run without spoiler warnings. This lead me to believe it was now an open item of discussion. Edit: I have wrapped the comments regarding their actual identities in Spoiler tags.

Author's Note: The following entry contains discussion regarding the Toa Mahri's identities. These spoilers have been wrapped in appropriate tags where neccesary. I've seen the leaked pics, so I have a better idea of what the Mahri are going to actually look like. However, having a chance to see them from multiple angles in the new news story has given me a chance to put things in perspective. » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «First off, I'm thinking that the Mahri may not be a "transformation" this time around. You'll notice that the Kanohi has what looks like glass shielding, while the armor itself includes the gratuitous use of tubing. Not to mention the core design doesn't look much different from the original Inika build. We know that the Ignika is underwater, and the Inika don't have a means of moving about freely underwater. So what if instead of being mutated or transformed by something, what if they are just given underwater scuba style armor by the Matoran of Mahri-Nui? This would explain the tubes (breathing assistance) as well as the glass-like pieces on the Kanohi. They may not be Kanohi, but rather breathing masks they were over their Kanohi. The only reason the sets wouldn't seem like that would be for ease of design and production. The new gattling cannon leaves me wondering how they'll be able to stick with the whole concept of tools, but I love it none the less. Bionicle's story has been maturing in the last few years, and it's nice to see the toys reflecting that. I'm going to be imagining action-packed battles between Mahri and Barraki with explosions left and right, even if those things end up being nothing more than a knock-out dart. » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «I have one question still, and that is why are they called the "Mahri"? Mahri is the name of the village, as opposed to a Matoran nickname as best I can gather. To me, the Mahri suffix seems more like "Olda" or "Hagah" in that its only being used by the fan base as a means of distingushing them from their previous selves as well as other Toa teams. All in all, I'll reserve a more complex judgement of the sets until I see more finished pics. The ones I saw of the red and yellow Toa were complete, but because it was a 2D promo pic it was difficult to actually get a look at the details. I can however say that these are certainly some fun looking (and quite unique) sets that I look forward to tracking down in the future.

I'm an RPG fan, and it seems like FF can consistantly put out a fun game in the genre.

Bringing to a close the events of this week, I went out to Best Buy and picked up a copy of Final Fantasy VI on the GBA. I had recieved some coupons in the mail, and when I stopped in they only had VI (and only one copy). Having heard it was hard to find either game, I decided it'd be a good idea to get it while it was there. I get paid next week, which will help take some of the sting of the alternator costs. Until then, I can bury myself in the adventures of Terra et. al. Thanks for the advice, especially from Omi...who's probably the best resource for FF knowledge I know.