Jul 3 2009

Alexander Graham Bell and the Garfield Assassination

Curt

Some people ask me “Why bother to collect old newspapers? If I want to read dry, boring history, I can just get a history book.” My answer to this is that even the best of history books leave out some mighty interesting aspects of historical events. The only way they can be re-discovered, is through reading original newspapers published during the time of the event. The assassination of president James Garfield in 1881 is a prime example of this.

Read the rest at HistoryBuff.com


Jul 3 2009

Game Mastering is Not an Exclusive Club

Curt

Yes, there’s a division between players and GMs, despite the fact that at the end of the day we’re all players, and we all share the same goal: to have a great time gaming with our friends.

Is game mastering harder than playing? Yes. Is it more work? Yep. Is it more rewarding in some ways? Sure, depending on your personality.

So: There are differences.

But I believe the long-standing perception that GMing is scary, intimidating, or too much work — rather than something that each and every gamer should attempt at least once — is due in part to this perspective: the notion that GMs are special.

We’re not special.

What we do can be special — but what our players do can also be special. And what everyone around the table achieves together? More special still — because that’s the magic that keeps us all coming back, whether we GM, play, or both

Go read it at Gnome Stew


Jul 3 2009

Mega64: Oregon Trail

Curt


Jun 29 2009

Zoning Out Is A “Crucial” Mental State, Studies Say

Curt

Phew, I thought I had ADD or something!

Discover Magazine references several studies on the importance of zoning out, including a University of Santa Barbara case that asked participating students to read from—what else—War and Peace and to tap on a computer key when they weren’t thinking about the book. On average, the students reported wandering off topic 5.4 times in 45 minutes. Depending on the experiment, we may spend even more time—up to 50 percent to be exact—not thinking about the task-at-hand.

All of which, the article says, is a good thing.

via Lifehacker


Jun 28 2009

Cold Souls Trailer

Curt

I’m intrigued!


Jun 27 2009

Star Trek Meets Monty Python

Curt


Jun 26 2009

D&D Commercial

Curt

When in doubt, YouTube to the rescue. I love the voice over. If I didn’t know any better, I’d actually be inclined to think that D&D was evil just by listening to this ad.


Jun 26 2009

MMMmmmMMM…Cake…

Neil

Man John, you got gipped on your wedding cake topper! Should have considered some of these options!

Nerdiest cake toppers!


Jun 25 2009

Battlefield Heroes Released

Curt

Neil and I quite liked this game in beta, and now it’s been officially released (albeit quietly and with no fanfare). It’s definitely worth giving it a shot, and it’s fun to play.

Battlefield Heroes


Jun 24 2009

Bless This Cell Phone

Curt

Brian Ashcraft, from Kotaku, wrote this interesting piece for Wired about the process he went through to have his cellphone blessed by a Shinto priest.

I’ve come to the 1,270-year-old Kanda Shrine in Tokyo to purify and bless something very near and dear to me: my cell phone. I’ve had hellish luck with mobiles over the past year. I left one on a ride at Universal Studios Japan. Its successor suddenly—and mysteriously—died. The next one accompanied my pants into the washing machine, and its replacement went AWOL in less than a week. Divine intervention was needed, and pronto.

via Gadget Blessings: Shinto Priest Protects Electronics From Bad Mojo


Jun 23 2009

John Hodgman at the Correspondents’ Dinner

Curt

This man is a God!

via Publick Nuisance – Score One for the Home Team.


Jun 23 2009

PageZipper

Curt

Now this is cool. It’s a bookmarklet or extension (whichever you prefer) that takes paginated web pages and combines them into one big page.

PageZipper – Life’s too short to spend clicking “Next”


Jun 23 2009

iplay4e characters

Curt

Now this is a cool little web app. We probably won’t need to use it, but you guys might find it handy for at least storing copies of your characters somewhere. It takes files from the Character Builder, which you then upload and can share with others, like your DM. I haven’t really tried it out yet, so if anyone gives it a whirl, let me know what you think.

iplay4e characters


Jun 23 2009

World of Crashes – TF2 Style

Curt

I don’t know why, but this was much funnier to me than it should’ve been.


Jun 22 2009

“Weird Al” Yankovic – Craigslist

Curt

Would you believe I forgot it was Monday? I know, it’s crazy. Here’s the latest, right from the man himself, for your Monday Music Video. Enjoy!


Jun 22 2009

Black Mesa: Source Trailer

Curt

This video was online 6 months ago. I had no idea.


Jun 19 2009

Rat Brain Robot

Curt

Well, I’m thoroughly creeped out now.


Jun 18 2009

Last minute wedding stuff

John

Ok, we’re getting down to the last couple days before the wedding and I need to ensure that everyone knows what they need to do and where they needs to be, and when. Since most were unable to come to the rehearsal last night, I will provide what info I can here.

So first, it looks like Deb and I will be able to save about a grand on wedding costs by decorating the hall ourselves the night before the wedding. So it looks like I probably won’t be able to make it for a barbeque Friday night, which really sucks. But I’m pretty sure we can all agree that saving a thousand dollars (possibly more) is a pretty strong motivator and should count as a good excuse.

Bry and I will be sleeping at home Friday night and will likely be up and about some time around 10am (although Bry probably much earlier), I’m going to aim to have a good night’s sleep and try to be as well-rested as I can. The wedding photographer will be coming by around 1pm, I think (maybe a bit later), to take photos of “The Boys getting ready”, apparently. So all Groomsmen should try to be at my place by around 12:30 so we can make sure we’re all dressed and ready to go. My address, for those who don’t know, is:

328, Westminster Ave N.
Montreal-Ouest

A quick Google maps search should bring that up no problem. From there we’ll kinda just hang out and do final preparations until around 2:30 when we head over to the Church. At the chruch you guys will be ushering the guests in and showing them to their seats in the pews. Deb’s parents and my Aunt Sue and her boyfriend are seated on the isle in the second row on the groom and bride’s sides respectively. The front row will be for the groomsmen and bridesmaids on the groom and bride’s sides, obviously.

Once the guests have been seated we all retreat into the minister’s room and kinda just relax there until we’re called out. Once we’re called out, we file out, me at the head and make our way across the isle and form a line going out from me to the right of the altar (to the right when facing the altar). Then When Deb comes down the isle and I stand next to her, the minister will tell you to sit and you guys (and the bridesmaids on the other side) can then go caterpillar like in-file into the first row of pews from the outside. That is to say, Bry and Alex, at the head of the group, will start to walk back past you guys to the right and around the end of the pews, then make their way towards the isle end of the first row, you guys just follow in the order you’re standing (we can work out order when we meet up before we go to the church).  From then on, most of you are done your jobs and can just enjoy the wedding, Alex and Bry still have stuff to do, but they know what and should be fine. Once the wedding is over everyone just kinda makes their way out the front doors of the church.

The only other thing to note is that Deb wants to film ther wedding ceremony. We’ve got a great new digital camcorder and we need someone to do the recording of the wedding. Deb’s suggestion was Joe, and that works for me. I also would have suggested Carl, but being a groomsman, that would make for some weird camera angles and POV changes.

So anyway, any and all who read this and are coming to the wedding (groomsmen especially), reply and let me know if it’s clear enough or if you have any questions.


Jun 16 2009

S.H.Y.N.E.S.S.

Curt

You’ll never convince me to use IE8, but this ad still made me chuckle a bit.


Jun 16 2009

Rocket Riot on XBLA Tomorrow

Curt

I’ve never heard of this game until just now, and I think it looks awesome!

via Destructoid


Jun 15 2009

The Rifles – The Great Escape

Curt

Here’s the Monday Music Video for this week. I saw this one on the Wedge one night and figured I’d tag it for later. Enjoy!


Jun 9 2009

Ridiculous Ambulance Chaser Commercial

Curt

via TIFR


Jun 8 2009

The Red Button – Cruel Girl

Curt

Something distinctly 60s for the Monday Music Video today. This is the real music video, and the band is actually a current band.


Jun 8 2009

I think it’s time!

Neil

Hey les boys,

Call me crazy, but I have an idea. July 10-12th, warhammer party at my place! Armies need to be assembled and atleast primed to play. I figure we can aim for 1000 point battles, unless we feel bold and do higher point counts.

I know it may be short between visists for you curt, but I think it would be fun. People can camp at my place. We will obviously warhammer it up lots and watch movies maybe plan some kind of rpg. I am figuring dinner on Saturday at madisons steak house. Love that place, maybe catch a movie if there is anything worth seeing.

So let me know what you guys think.

Neil


Jun 5 2009

Jumpgate: Evolution Trailer

Curt