March 2007
The Archives
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General
BREAK TIME!!!
This week is my 1-week school break between classes (yay!). My next few classes look rough…so I may be less on the website and more on the studying, but I still want to do a webcomic of some kind. Not GUARDZ! mind you (although I still have tons of material on the drawing board that needs to be inked), but something a little more serious action-y.
I may do some one-shot type stories. They are always nice, and the short story format would enable me to start and finish something in a quick stroke rather than over a long period of time.
Anyhoo, that’s all.
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Video Games
VIDEO GAMES: A More Secure Sandbox?
Microsoft has seemingly reversed its position, (see my previous posting) but there is still some suspicion here: they reveal that accounts have indeed been stolen, but they stress it’s lower than previously reported.
Although it is refreshing that they’ve changed their minds, they stopped short of saying a lot of accounts have been stolen (sounds like someone’s touting the “but, we’re still secure” line). I’m still hesitant on getting online with strangers (too many fouled mouthed twelve year olds and closet racists for my tastes), but at least this is a good start. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
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Video Games
VIDEO GAMES: …Why I’m Not Coming Out To Play Today…
This one is dripping with acid, so avert your eyes if you don’t want to see what’s coming…
…and a disclaimer- I work Information Systems Security, so stuff like this is bound to upset me. Just a little bit.
*ahem*
I read this article and this one and it raised some alarm bells with me.
Is this the answer to why Windows Live has been reported the worst security suite around? Is it because the “Security Gurus” (termed loosely) at Microsoft either are the most clueless jerks in the universe, or the decidedly the dumbest security team in the world.
(forget Reno 911! How about a “Microsoft Security” sitcom, these guys make the keystone cops look like rocket scientists!)
My point: if there are thieves going around, and someone is reporting them, shouldn’t the people running the system take action? After all, isn’t it their responsibility to make a gaming environment safe for everyone, not the few bullies who will inevitably run the system into the ground? If the playground isn’t safe anymore, how much longer do you think before people stop playing ball on it?
I could say Microsoft refuses to look into the matter because the thieves are actually helping them- by illegally using the accounts created by others and running up their bills, Microsoft profits, while the only ones that pay are the victims. This is exactly how many credit card companies are working. In the end M$ also are helping propagate the problem.
I currently have an Xbox Live Account. The reason why you never see me in the sandbox is because the thugs are running the playground, and no one wants to stop them. I’d rather game offline with my cohorts than play online with strangers, in a world where the criminals are running everything and the police are looking the other way.
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General
GENERAL: WAL-MART vs. Banks
Yesterday Wal-Mart announced it would pull out in its bid to seek creating is own bank.
Interestingly enough, most other banks breathed a sigh of relief at the announcement of this news.
I’m not pro-Wal-Mart. I hate shopping there. The Employees are rude, customers are ruder, and the only positives are the bargains. Other than that, I’d rather spend a little more money and shop at Target.
On one hand, this move is good in stopping the Wal-Mart juggernaut. You have to ask yourself- “What Next?!” when it comes to incorporating the country as the United States of Special Interest Lobbies and Wal-Mart.
On the other hand- banks get the upper hand. Now, instead of get bargain basement bank services from Wal-Mart, that would arguably be cheaper than the existing banks simply because they can, we can expect to continue to pay exuberant bank fees on stupid things such as “fee/slap-on-the-wrist for using someone else’s’ ATM rather ours, sucka” I’d imagine Wal-Mart going against this in order to keep their costs low and keep competitive.
I wonder who the bigger suckers are now?
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Board Games
BOARD GAMES: Ticket To Ride, my renewed love for Board games
When I was growing up in Germany I remembered the wonderful board games they used to produce there (One that always sticks out in my mind is Scotland Yard by Ravensburger). The components were always wonderful, the boards colorful, and game mechanics always unique- at least when compared to American games.
(This is not a knock on American Board games. Monopoly, Clue, and Uno are still all time favorites of mine, and I plan to try out the new Marvel Heroes Board Game, and others such as Descent: Journeys in the Dark- both by Fantasy Flight).
What got me back into these games was a podcast called “The DiceTower“. In it they talk about board games- all board games in general. Another ‘cast- a video podacst called “Board Games With Scott” sold me trying to try out some of these newer games that were being produced by Europe and here in the States.
I sought out Ticket To Ride as my first foray back into board games. The reason why I chose this game was because it seemed easy to pick up, it had a lot of colorful components, and the playing time was perfect for a short game.
How right I was! The game is fairly simple, but has a lot of strategy involved. I can see it as more of a card game that requires a board, but its fun laying out your trains to connect routes. My only concern is that the pieces are small and you can easily lose an entire game if you have cats or kids about. But as what they call a “gateway game” (games used to introduce new players to the hobby of board games) I’m pretty much sold. I hope to use this at my next family gathering.
…thus beings another hobby of mine. I won’t be making as much time for this one as my other ones, but I look forward to this one, and breaking out one of my older board games to try out on an unsuspecting crowd.
