Guild Wars: Factions named "Multiplayer Game of the Year 2006" at DEMMX

A story about Guild Wars made it to the front page of Digg! Very cool.

From Digg:
Guild Wars FactionsTM, the second chapter in the free-to-play Guild WarsTM MMORPG franchise and one of the year's most-popular online games, took home the award for 'Multiplayer Game of the Year' Wednesday at Billboard Magazine's prestigious Digital Entertainment Marketing and Media Excellence (DEMMX) awards gala.

read more | digg story

Ascension Complete

Glint

Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Finished the Ascension, had a chat with Glint the Ancient Dragon, and am now hanging out in Droknar's Forge. Even took the time to unlock all the secondary professions for Satine. No longer just a Necromancer Ranger, but a Necromancer Anything.

Time to take a break, play other characters, and maybe take Satine on a skillcapping tour.

Elona Reach Complete

Crystal Desert Mesas

Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

So I FINALLY completed the Elona Reach mission last night, much to the relief of my wife. This was probably my tenth attempt or more. Just me, some heroes, and a couple monk henchies. My little merry band kept having problems, which caused me to get quite frustrated... which is not a pretty sight.

The last time went well, and I even got the bonus. That's great because it means I won't have to go back and do it again just for the bonus. Managed to keep from aggroing to many baddies, though it was real close at one point where only Koss survived... luckily he carries Rebirth so he could revive the rest of the group.

Katie at Double Daves

Katie at Double Daves

Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Bridget and Katie picked me up from work today for a late lunch at the pizza buffet (Double Dave's). This week has been speeding by, and Christmas is just around the corner. My grandfather picked up a video camera on black friday, as a family camera. We've been taking bits of video here and there. Hopefully we'll figure out how to get the picks off the DV tape and onto the PC at some point.

Rather exhausted when I get home these days. I'm hoping to catch up on house stuff, so I can get back to the important task of playing Guild Wars. I still need to finish the Ascention process and do some more Tyria exploration! I'll be taking screencaps!

15 More Attribute Points

15 More Attribute Points

Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Managed to finish a quest out in the Crystal Desert which awarded Satine another 15 attribute points! Attribute points are so hard to come by, so this is a pretty big deal. She's posing with the nice snakeman who gave her the points. What a nice guy.

Now I just need to finish the missions so I can "Ascend".

Crossing Tyria - Guild Wars Maps and More

Ran across a site with really good Guild Wars maps: Crossing Tyria.

Dallas Comic Con, with Baby Katie + R2-D2

This is a story about last weekend's Dallas Comic Con. Ron Glass of Firefly fame was there, as well as Jake Lloyd and others. The picture of Katie Eakins with R2-D2 is the real story! What? A dad can't be proud of his little Princess Leia hair wearing daughter?

read more | digg story

Rolling Stone : COVER STORY: Time to Go! Inside the Worst Congress Ever

Here's a little article that every patriotic American should read and take to heart. Congress has gone to the dogs, and it's time to clean house.

From Digg:
How our national legislature has become a stable of thieves and perverts -- in five easy steps

read more | digg story

Troubadork: 25 years of "Weird Al" Yankovic

I've been listening to Al's music since I was quite young. Bridget and I have been to 2 of his concerts... she may have been to more. Through Al I have gained a love of polka music. His music has given me countless hours of enjoyment and I hope he never stops creating!

From digg:
"White & Nerdy" is a good example of Weird Al's gifts. He lovingly reproduces the sonic drive of the original song, all the way down to guest rapper Krayzie Bone's dense, melodic second verse. There are a handful of great lines ("MC Escher
—that's my favorite MC"; "My rims never spin, to the contrary/ You'll find that they're quite stationary")

read more | digg story

Yoda-Katie + Photoshop

yoda-katie

Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Photoshop strikes again. This took all of 2 minutes to do, and that's because I wasn't in a hurry. You wouldn't like her when she's angry! Really, she can get pretty cranky.

Revisionist History

revisionist history 2

Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

I wanted to practice my photoshop skills, so I combined a couple pictures together. The wife and I weren't in the original pictures together. Then I threw in the giant baby head... because I could.

Guy Gets to Level 60 in WoW...Naked

This digg is in honor of my cousin John and Jeremiah the BrutalNewt.

From Digg:
The quest of a guy who made it to level 60 in World of Warcraft without wearing any armor.

read more | digg story

Lemmings not actually "suicidal" (How Disney lied)

What a wonderful example of how popular culture can infect and alter the perception of generations to follow. Disney threw some cute rats off a cliff and created a cultural catch phrase we still use today. Heck they even created a video game series off of it.

Here's a couple more links backing up the story:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemming
http://www.snopes.com/disney/films/lemmings.htm

From Digg:
Remember how we all learned lemmings commit mass suicide from that Disney movie in elementary school? Well, it turns out the whole thing was staged. (But the Disney Company actually killed all those lemmings.)

read more | digg story

Think your Senators work for you?

This looks pretty useful. It's amazing how party line the Texas Senators are.

From Digg:
Here's how to hold them accountable. RSS feeds for all senators votes.

read more | digg story

GW Snapshot for the Day

gw235

Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

I took this little shapshot in my old Guild Hall just before I disbanded the guild. My guild was just me and a friend so it was no big loss. We moved to a guild built around the GuildCast podcast... or are we calling it netcasts now. Anyway... I thought I'd take some pics before the hall went away.

Jon Stewart's Take on the Bill Clinton Foxnews Interview

From Digg:
Jon Stewart on Monday's Daily Show reviews the Chris Wallace interview of Bill Clinton and makes fun of how the media spins the event in an attempt to make Clinton appear to have "lost it". Obviously, Clinton put Wallace in his place.

read more | digg story

Sam & Max Makers Interviewed

Joystiq interviews Dan Connors and Emily Morganti of Telltale about 'Sam & Max: Culture Shock' the first episode in a new string of short Sam & Max games. They discuss the episodic model the game will be released under.

read more | digg story

Fish Loft, transparent tubes for fishes to swim above water level

If I only had a pond... bah! too much work!

From Digg:
Step 1: Put glass tube on a socket into pond.
Step 2: Suck air out of tube with a swiming pump.
Step 3: Profit-able new point of view for fishes.
Page is german but it's small and simple anyways.
[Insert Ted Stevens jokes here]

read more | digg story

University of Virginia student graduates in one year

My cousin Angie(the soon to be lawyer)'s got nothing on this guy. Hope he find time for a life at some point along the way. Sheesh!

From Digg:
And you thought your kid was smart. David Banh, an 18-year-old from Annandale, just graduated from the University of Virginia in one year. With a double major.

read more | digg story

GuildCast Episode 46 is Available

GuildCast is a fan podcast for Arenanet's MMORPG Guild Wars. This episode is their first ever Skype call-in show. Besides answering questions, the main topic is the latest news on the next expansion, Nightfall.

read more | digg story

Nintendo + Telltale Games = Sam & Max on Wii

"Independent game developer Telltale Games have revealed that the company has begun talks with Nintendo concerning the possibility of bringing PC graphic adventure title Sam & Max to the Wii."

read more | digg story

Katamari Damacy A Critique

Ryan Stancl believes that games should be critiqued, not reviewed. As an example, Ryan has embarked on the task of critiquing Katamari Damacy using different schools of critical theory.

read more | digg story

TX Gov. Perry Saves Park from Himself

Texas Gov. Rick Perry congratulated himself on saving a park from development that was only in danger because his office had authorized the sale. This at a press conference 15 miles away and called 30 minutes before his rival candidate Chris Bell's press conference... stealing all the press coverage.

read more | digg story

Beware This Baby!!!

P9100035

Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Out of the mouth of this child comes some really disgusting stuff. I was all ready for work today in my nice clean khaki's and button up shirt... when this monster decided to spew all over them. To top it off I forgot to put my ipod back in my pocket when I changed shirts, so here I am at work ipod-less.

Parenthood is such a messy affair. It can only get worse once she goes off formula.

Final Fantasy A+

Here's a little creation I stumbled across on the net. It was a final class assignment for a course on Japanese by a guy named John Su aka Mousekliks.

A Video Game Symphony in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.

Video Game Concert! Sweet!

From Digg:
Performed by full orchestra and choir, PLAY! features award-winning music from a catalogue of blockbuster video game titles. Here are some clips from the show held in Stockholm on 14th of June 2006. Songs include among others the Battlefield 1942 theme and a Zelda medley.

read more | digg story

Red Hair Against Dress Code

Nothing burns my butt more than schools getting crazy with the dress code. This story was on the news at 5 a.m. when our daughter decided to wake us up. After being flabbergasted for a bit I couldn't get back to sleep until I posted the story on Digg. Honestly, would you want your kid going to a school where they determine what is "natural" for your student based on their race? What are they teaching in that school!?!

My Post On Digg:
An African-American student at North Crowley High School has been given in-school suspension until she changes her un-"natural" hair color. Apparently African-American students can dye their hair blond, but red is right out. Is this a blatant case of racial discrimination? Will a genetic heritage check be mandatory to pass the dress code?

read more | digg story

Interview with Chris Bell (Texas Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate)

Chris Bell is a former US Representative (and victim of Tom Delay's redistricting) and currently the Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate. He recently appeared on the Dallas area public radio station. I love what he has to say about education and the trans-texas cooridor. Give it a listen and learn a little bit about the candidate you probably haven't heard much about.

read more | digg story

Wife's New Car

A NEW CAR!!!!!
Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

So we got the wife a new car. The car is great, but buying from the dealer was not fun. Don't be surprised if I post a nice big fat rant here later on (cause I'm still fuming). In the future I think I'll be going to CarMax and try out the no-haggle pricing. That's starting to sound really good.

Build Solar Generator out of Auto Parts

Okay, so some kids from MIT throw together a working solar power system from auto parts. It not only pumps out electricity but also heat. So why can't my local power company offer me something like this to offset the power my house uses from the grid (and perhaps juice up my water heater)? If my Congress Critters are listening, how about supporting this kind of stuff. There's a huge untapped market here people!

From Digg:
Two groups at MIT are working on alternative approaches to solar-based electricity that could significantly cut costs -- and put the ability to harvest electricity from the sun into the hands of villagers in poor countries and backyard tinkerers alike.

read more | digg story

List of the Most Controversial Books Ever Written

I've always been told that the best books are those banned from our sensitive eyes.

From Digg:
A must-have website for any student (especially in high school or college). This is a thought-provoking list of banned books, the places in which they were banned, and the reason for their banishment. Make sure to check it out...

read more | digg story

Jerison Warrior

Jerison Warrior
Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Here is my cousin's warrior with a sword he bought... and that I am jealous of.

Scepter of Orr

Scepter of Orr
Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Also managed a cool pose with my pet and the Scepter of Orr.

Satine Near Kessex Peak

Satine Near Kessex Peak 1
Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Made it to Kessex Peak... what a pain in the butt that was.

Bow Reference Table

Weapon	Refire Rate	Range	Flight Time	Arc Size	Special Feature
Longbow	2.4 sec	1.6	0.59 sec	Normal	None
Flatbow	2.0 sec	1.6	0.88 sec	Large	None
Horn Bow	2.7 sec	1.4	0.59 sec	Normal	10% Armor penetration
Recurve Bow	2.4 sec	1.4	0.40 sec	Small	None
Short Bow	2.0 sec	1.05	0.59 sec	Normal	None

Weapon Max Damage Ranges

Axes: 6-28
Bows: 15-28
Daggers: 7-17
Hammers: 19-35
Staves: 11-22
Swords: 15-22
Wands: 11-22

Focus Item: 12 (Max Energy Boost)
Shields: 16 (Max Base Armor Level)

Gliffy, the Online Visio Killer

I so could have used this during the days of programming classes!

From Digg:
Two guys with some time on their hands have created a tool that might just become a Visio-killer. Gliffy is a free diagramming tool that works entirely in your browser. Like other online apps, it has inherent advantages over traditional software. Collaboration is easier,and so is publishing diagrams you create to the web.

read more | digg story

Katie the Super Baby

P6060012
Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

Here is my amazing new baby, only about two days old at this point. The picture is actually from the night of her birth. Doesn't she look like a super brain. Pondering the great mysteries of the universe.

Maybe she'll be a scientist, musician, artist, or an astronaut!

The possibilities are endless!!!

Stats: 8 pounds 2 ounces, 20.5 inches long, born at 7:12 p.m.

Amazing Golf

Now I'm not one to care about golf, but this is rather amazing.

Pretty Kitty from Guild Wars

Pretty Kitty
Originally uploaded by FlipSide3.

This is actually just a test post for my blog, but what else is new. This is a shot of my pet in Guild Wars. It's funny what screenshots I manage to get. Who knew you could practice photography in virtual worlds.

You Can't Touch This Guild Wars Video

I think the title says it all.

Black Dye

I'm an avid fan of the online game Guild Wars and I've played enough to know that the picture above is actually interesting. When you first start the game, you begin in a newbie area where the grass is green and the monsters are so tough. While running around with a freshly created Ranger (name Old Hippie Dude, btw) one of the monsters dropped the item in the above picture.

Now the item says it is worth only 1 gold piece, this is the price the in game vendor will buy it for. Black Dye is actually worth around 9,000 gold, if you can find the right buyer. I almost fell out of my chair when the stupid bug dropped it. Still haven't sold it yet, but it's inevitable that I will.

Super Mario Brothers Race at LAN

This is AWESOME!

From Digg:
Watch as two Mario Time-Trialer's battle their way through the NES version of Super Mario Brothers at a LAN event, the crowd goes WILD!

read more | digg story

The Amazing Ozawa

Ryan Kawailani Ozawa is now my personal celebrity. I started listening to his podcast, HawaiiUp, on a whim last year. My sister had just returned from a honeymoon in Hawaii, so I think that may have triggered my initial interest. The first HawaiiUp episode I listened to had Ryan recording in his car during his drive home. I found it unique and just the right amount of quirky... I was hooked.



I think all of us in this world need a source of stories outside our own life. Most pick movie stars and gossip shows. I enjoy hearing about the exploits of a family in Mililani. So the Ozawa family and Ryan himself are my celebrities, and my gossip magazines are his blog, videoblog, podcast, flickr pages, etc...



Recently the Ozawa couple (Ryan and his wife Jen) hit the big time with their podcast, the Transmission. It was a fan podcast about the ABC show Lost. My wife and I being huge fans of Lost, we became huge fans of the Transmission (okay, I became a huge fan and my wife enjoys the rumors secondhand through me).



The Transmission climbed to high ratings in iTunes and had fans from all over the globe. At least one of the cast members from the show even called in to say hello. Unfortunately the Transmission became more of a burden than a blessing. They decided to end on a high note before it suffered from life overload.



The loss was noticed though. It was mentioned on my other favorite podcast, TWiT, and even had an article written about it in Wired News. If you ask me ABC should have paid them both a full time salary to keep the show going.



Anyway, I can live with the loss of the Transmission as long as the Ozawa family is happy (and gets plenty of rest). As always this post is for my own memory rather than for anyone else, thus all the links.

Projectors, that old itch.

MAKE has a review of a cheap projector by Hasbro of all companies. Could this be the solution to the 3M UNT surplus disaster that is still causing me pain? At $282 it is still $132 more than what I shelled out for the 3M monster... but then the 3M is just a horribly large paper weight and this "ZOOMBOX" would actually work.