I light of the U.N.’s recent recognition of the state of Palestine (sort of), here’s a short video on the region’s history:
Category Archives: WWW
Kickstarter: Carmageddon
“Attention all competitors: This is your one minute warning. I repeat, one minute until race commencement. Members of the public: You now have one minute to reach minimum safe distance!”
Stainless Games is looking for backers for their remake of the original Carmageddon game called Carmageddon: Reincarnation! Pledging $15 will get you a digital copy of the game when it comes out in about a year.
If you loved the original games, show your support now!
Julia Sweeney – Letting Go of God
Julia Sweeney’s one-woman show about her life growing up Catholic, her eventual rejection of Catholicism, and her subsequent search for God:
Julia Sweeney – Letting Go of God (link goes to a list of all thirteen parts)
Or just start watching right here:
Five Years With WordPress
My WordPress blog is five years old today! According to the site statistics, I’ve just about reached three hundred posts.
Time just goes faster and faster…
News Greatness
Every so often, a news item appears with a headline that defies all previously known levels of awesome:
My First Canada From Indonesia
One of my coworkers started a blog called My First Canada From Indonesia about his experiences as an immigrant to Canada from Indonesia. He’s had some pretty interesting adventures with government officials, the police, and even a criminal or two in the six or seven years he has been here. You can check out the blog (keep in mind that English is not his first language) at www.superjuicy.net .
I don’t know why he picked that domain name. Maybe he’s trying to get accidental hits from people looking for porn.
Also, he’ll probably try to sell you stuff or get you to click on ad links.
A New Wasteland (Predecessor to Fallout) Game Is Coming!
Now it turns out the predecessor to the first two Fallout games for the PC — Wasteland — is likely going to have a sequel made. And the development team includes many of the original people from Wasteland and Fallout! Here’s an interview with Brian Fargo himself.
The project is currently in the fundraising stage. There’s a KickStarter project set up and fans of the original games have been asked to become backers. Anyone can become a backer for as little as $1. A minimum pledge of $15 will earn you a DRM-free digital copy of the game when it’s released. (Note: With KickStarter, you don’t actually pay unless and until the project’s financial goal is met)
It looks like they’re gaining funding fast. In the last four hours they’ve received $30,000 in pledges. They’re currently at about $620,000, and their goal is $900,000.
*Finally* someone is making the game thousands of people have been clamoring for. Here’s a nice quote from the project’s Kickstarter page:
We have tried to pitch this game multiple times to game publishers, but they’ve balked. They don’t think there’s any interest in a solid, old school type of game. This is our shot at proving them wrong. And more importantly this could help bring back an entire genre of RPGs.
It would be great if this project started a domino effect of game development studios eschewing the use of publishers (like Electronic Arts) who have been stifling the video game industry for years. Games should be made by gamers, not businessmen.
I’ve made my pledge; how about you?
UPDATE: In the span of twenty-four hours the game has received nearly an additional half a million dollars. The goal has been reached. Wasteland 2 is a go! Suck on that, publishers.
The Future
Here’s a music video for a song I heard it over XM radio while browsing through the stations one day. I was caught by the catchy beat and profound lyrics. It’s not everyday you hear a song about existential nihilism.
Can’t help but wonder ’bout what’s underneath these city streets
The wires and cables tangled up, connecting everything
And down below, we’ll find the bones of people from the past
People with dreams about the futureAnd when we die, our empty bodies turn to dust
There’ll be no pit of fire
No angels singing songs for us
There’s nothing we can say that people won’t forget someday
There’s nothing we can do that matters
And that’s okayJust when you think you’ve got it all worked out
That’s probably when they’ll put you in the ground
Just when I think I’ve got it all worked out
That’s probably when they’ll put me in the groundAin’t got much faith in God or modern-day mythology
The lies and fables, fate, and luck directing everything
So down we go like dominoes; our lives go by too fast
Nobody lives to see the futureAnd when we die, buildings and bridges left to rust
No heaven in the sky, no pearly gates on clouds and stuff
The monuments we build will crumble and decay someday
There’s nothing we can do that mattersJust when you think you’ve got it all worked out
That’s probably when they’ll put you in the ground
Just when I think I’ve got it all worked out
That’s probably when they’ll put me in the groundI wanna laugh as many times as I can before I die
I wanna love, I wanna smile; I don’t need much, I’m a simple child
I wanna laugh as many times as I can before I die
I wanna love, I wanna smile, just wanna fuck every once in a while
I just wanna fuck every once in a whileI think I’ve finally got it all worked out
Somebody call and put me in the ground
I think I’ve finally got it all worked out
Somebody call and put me in the groundCan’t help but wonder ’bout what’s underneath these city streets
The wires and cables tangled up, connecting everything
Facebook No More
After four and a half years, I’ve finally deleted my Facebook account. Good riddance. That place is only for people who can properly relate to others.
Red Letter Media Video Reviews
The folks at Red Letter Media — who brought us the infamous “Plinkett Reviews” of the Star Wars prequel trilogy (which are seventy, sixty, and one hundred ten minutes long, respectively) — have a regular web video series called Half in the Bag in which two VCR repairmen review both old and new videos.
Each episode is about half an hour long and typically covers two movies, though a handful of episodes cover trips to various conventions (which are quite entertaining in their own right — especially the trip to the NoBrand Con). There are also humorous side stories dealing with the VCR repairmen characters and their job working for Mr. Plinkett himself. George Lucas (played by Rich Evans) even makes an appearance or two.
If you like funny and insightful reviews of both good and bad movies, you’ll likely find these videos to be quite entertaining. A big thumbs up to Mike Stoklasa, Jay Bauman, and their crew! Keep up the great work!
