One more cup of coffee

tap, tap, tap, *pad*

Jake's claws are getting long. Really, really long. So long that every time he takes a step in our carpeted bedroom, he gets stuck to the carpet. So, this morning, I tried to trim his claws. He quietly allowed me to trim the claws on one foot. And that was all.

Now, everytime he walks on the floor, I hear 'tap, tap, tap, *pad*, tap, tap, tap, *pad*'. He sounds a little ridiculous.

Forward thinking ... or something ...

As of this writing, Halo 2 has 45 reviews on Amazon.com -- almost all of them glowing. The only problem? Halo 2 is scheduled to ship in April 2004. None of the 45 reviewers could have actually played the game.

Of course, I think the game is going to be great, too. I've seen the trailers for it, and I can't wait for it to come out. The original Halo was amazing, and this looks even better.

But still -- I wouldn't write a review of it. I haven't played it, I haven't seen it. I _think_ it will be good, but how could I know for sure?

But the entire video game industry works like this. "Star Wars Galaxies" was the runner-up for Best of Show at E3 -- in 2001. It was just released a couple of months ago. "Doom 3" won Best of Show, Best PC Game, and Best Action Game last year, and it still isn't released. I can understand wanting to give some nod to previews of upcoming titles that are particularly impressive, but it really seems like I should be able to buy the "Best of Show" winner.

It's a wacky world...

Back from Glacier

We're back from Glacier, safe and sound. We had a really good time, despite the fact that the western half of the park was still on fire for our visit. Many more pictures will soon be coming just as soon as I have a chance to organize them.

The grizzly bear, by the way, was photographed just off the side of the road.

I understand the addiction now...

Sunday evening, I bought Knights of the Old Republic for X-Box.

I now completely understand the comment a couple of weeks ago on Penny-Arcade, when the author wrote of "...having summoned the strength to stop playing Knights Of The Old Republic." It is hard work indeed. Yesterday I didn't manage to pull away for any food at all until dinner. Today, it's now 2:15, and I've just now taken a break and realized that perhaps I should eat my third meal in the last 48 hours.

Whew...

We have both kinds... country AND western...

I leave for vacation, I come back, and my favorite radio station has switched from classic rock to country music.

That sucks.

Heinlein...

You belong in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. You
value freedom above all else. You would fight
and die for your family and your home.


Which Heinlein Book Should You Have Been A Character In?

Well, duh.

It is finished

I finally finished playing Knights of the Old Republic. Again.

I finished the game in one week (about ~45 hours of gameplay) as a good Jedi. Then I started all over, as a ... well, less good Jedi. I was pretty much Evil incarnate, actually.

It's a LOT of fun to use dark force powers. Being able to pursuade people to do what you want by using Force Choke (think: "I find your lack of faith disturbing") is very satisfying.

If you have an X-Box, you have to get this game.

How to fry bugs -- and little siblings

While walking out of Beverages & More today, I spotted something that looked like a tennis racket -- except that the package said "Zap Bugs!"

Sure enough, there is indeed a product, shaped like a tennis racket, desinged to kill bugs. Instead of the normal taut strings on a racket, it has a mesh of wires. You charge it up with 2 AA batteries, and then you electrocute the bug.

Scary.

I have this image in my head of Calvin holding one of these, running after little Susie Derkins.

I have GOT to get me one of these

Check out the Philip Stein Teslar watch -- it's engineered to protect your body from those "harmful electromagnectic frequencies". It notes the "extremely low frequencies (ELF) caused by cell phones ..." (1,900,000,000 Hz is extremely low?).

How does this technological marvel protect you? It's "engineered to produce a non-Hertzian/scalar wave shown to shield the body from extremely low frequencies (ELF). It emits a specialized signal that surrounds the body within a bubble or cushion, so the harmful frequencies cannot enter."

Non-Hertzian????

I haven't laughed this hard in a week...