Here’s how, in three painless steps:
- Search your elected officials here using your zip code
- Select “president and congress officials.” For today, click on all representatives and email them under the contact tab (Utah residents should email Rep. Cannon at cannon.ut03@mail.house.gov)
- Paste the following email using “Vote ‘against’ the revised $700 billion Wall Street bailout” as the subject.
Rep. [last name]
On behalf of friends, family, and my influence as a local blogger, please vote against the revised $700 Wall Street bailout this Friday (Oct 3).
Thank you,
[You name]
[city, state]
The whole process from start to finish will only require a minute of your time, but you must act today! Isn’t saving the dollar easy?
At the recommendation of my surgeon, I started doing calisthenics this week in an effort to stretch my healing back and start building my core (so my lower discs don’t have to work so hard). I also need to lose more weight — I currently weigh 212 lbs. Not so fun fact: I weighed 185 at my wedding five years ago. But I digress.
After almost three months of atrophy, I’m amazed how quickly the human body becomes unfit. I’m breathing like crazy after only 10 push ups, whereas three months ago I was in the best shape I’ve been since high school. But I must say, the stretching and light work outs alleviate the lingering pain in my leg caused by a once flattened sciatic nerve. Is nice!
I’m anxious to get back to running, but have to wait another month before doing so. So have you been exercising? Tsk, tsk.
Later this month, 20th Century Fox will release “Max Payne,” the most recent video game to get a Hollywood makeover. But if history is any indication, the movie will be a critical stinker, as have been the majority of cringe-inducing, game-related feature films.
That’s not to say there haven’t been any good ones (or at least a handful of bearable ones). And from time to time, there have even been some great ones, particularly those that use video games as a backdrop, as opposed to driving the central story. And these are the best – the ones that will leave you minimally embarrassed or even impressed.
Continue reading at MSNBC…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHX8jezNBTk[/youtube]
I told you skateboarding was pretty.
Continue reading…
A market economy, that is. Thanks for showing some faith today, boys. You make me a proud citizen of Checks and Balances against a corrupt and colluding executive branch. The Associated Press reports:
The House has defeated the $700 billion bail-out legislation for the financial industry.
More than enough members of the House had cast votes to defeat the Bush administration-pushed bill, but the vote was held open for a while, apparently as efforts were under way to persuade people to change their vote.
On Wall Street, stocks plummeted as investors followed the developments in Congress.
These are troubled days, and they could be for a while. But there’s sunrise on the horizon. Just let the market do her thing.
UPDATE: This is a great quote: “Like the Iraq war and patriot act, this bill is fueled by fear and haste,” said Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas.
I sure hope so, because unlike milk farmers from the 30s, I can’t pour out my internets to artificially raise demand. (full story)
Have a great weekend, everyone. We’ll get her done, hopefully without that ridiculous $700 billion proposed bailout.
In January, I made the switch from an unlimited data plan to email only. This means I no longer have access to T-Mobile internet.
I had the unlimited data plan for two years (service is a little slow, but still convenient), but I’m happy to report I’m doing fine, saving a little money, and likely to father fewer Blackberry orphans as a result of my downgrade.
What’s more, my trusty Curve supports Wi-Fi, so if I really need access to the internet on my phone while not at home, it’s not that difficult to find a public connection.
For as technologically inclined as I am, it’s ironic how technology averse I can be, in an effort to maintain some level of privacy and social sanity. Do you ever feel the same?
“There is no way we’re putting that there,” my wife tells me.
We’ve just spent 20 minutes surveying our 1,100-square-foot apartment in search of a spot for our new “Dance Dance Revolution” pad. The only place to stash it is under the couch, and my wife knows it.
”OK,” she concedes, allowing the unorthodox storage given our growing game-related gadgetry.
I’m not the only one with an increasing stockpile of video-game peripherals. According to The NPD Group, the official bean-counter of U.S. video game sales, consumers spent a record $1.3 billion so far this year on plastic guitars, steering wheels and other add-ons, the result of games like “Wii Fit,” “Guitar Hero,” “Mario Kart Wii” and “Rock Band.”
Continue reading at MSNBC…
Review scores are too complex. What began as a useful tool for players to compare and prioritize games has now become a confusing, lopsided, and political mess.
Consider score explanation guides, which often appear in magazines and review sites to interpret what should be easily understood: is a game any good? Furthermore, “average” games routinely score in the 80th percentile now, and the credibility of ratings are compromised when sly publishers allegedly work the system in exchange for favorable reviews (see also: Jeff Gerstmann).
So what’s a gamer to do? Should scores in reviews be thrown out altogether?
Continue reading at GamePro…
Her Southeastern beauty may be unmatched, but Georgia has her share of irritants.
I moved to Utah from Georgia six years ago in pursuit of a degree from BYU (Go Cougars!). I came for the education (okay, not really), but stayed for the girl. It’s a place I call home and a state in which I’m happy to reside.
Earlier this month, Lindsey and I took a trip back to Georgia to see the family — something we hadn’t done in almost three years. Despite the laughs, good company, and unrivaled hospitality, I quickly recognized some things I don’t miss about Georgia. Here are seven of them: Continue reading…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sfUKZOHtRs[/youtube]
In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, it’s the best buccaneers.
“Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me. We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot. We kidnap and ravage and don’t give a hoot…” when playing games, that is.
Tired of incessant World War II-themed shooters? Then drink up me hearties, these are our top five video game pirates – with choice gameplay to boot. After you check out the list, tell us your favorite gaming buccaneers.
Continue reading at MSNBC…
I fear for the future value of my hard-earned dollar. I no longer trust the federal government with spending, nor do countries abroad. When that happens en masse, the dollar will crash.
Sadly, that’s the price we pay for electing big-government knuckleheads into office, and for letting the Federal Reserve buy 80 percent of AIG for $95 billion without a vote, even though U.S. taxpayers will have to pick up the tab.
Man, is our federal government broken (I trust state government so much more right now). When will they understand that “this insanity and the problems we face economically will only occur when we allow the economy to find its own equilibrium. We have to allow the market to endure a recession, we have to allow failure.” — Joe M.
For the sake of our country, at the least to make a statement, write in Ron Paul for president this November. It appears McBama will only continue the trend of frivolous spending and federal intervention.
See also:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrmF-mPLybw[/youtube]
The above ad is better than the Seinfeld mashup, but it doesn’t make using a PC feel any cooler. Plus, the soft response to Apple’s “I’m a Mac” ads only make me think of Apple, not Microsoft. Sorry, but again, this is fail.
While visiting Atlanta last week, Lindsey and I took the girls to the Georgia Aquarium. Here’s the photogenic proof with captions (shot with a Rebel XTi — the photos, not the captions). Continue reading…
Lindsey and I took the girls to visit their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in good ‘ole Georgia last week. We found a smoking deal on airfare, which just so happen to be on Continental — a first for yours truly who usually flies Delta (for no other reason that low fares and a sky miles account).
I must say, I was impressed with the “service to Atlanta.” First off, Continental coach is way more roomy than any other consumer airline I’ve flown over the last decade, maybe ever. The seats aren’t leather, but they’re comfy, and I’d take legroom over leather any day. Continue reading…
Realized in my native Georgia. Slide 11 is my favorite (via email, thanks Josh).
AUTHOR’S NOTE: If you don’t want to challenge your optimistic beliefs on the U.S. War in Iraq, or are offended by patriotic criticism, please skip this post.
AP Photo File
Upon researching the ancient, now-ruined city of Babylon, I discovered that its remains lie 55 miles south of Baghdad. The nearest modern-day city is named Al Hillah and “was the scene of relatively heavy fighting in the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq,” according to Wikipedia.
Given what we’ve known since 2005, I was embarrassed to read that last line, “in the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.” It’s still difficult for me to consider that the United States invaded anyone, much less Iraq on false, reportedly fabricated premises.
Continue reading…
Here’s an oldie but goodie.
Hugh Gallagher won first prize in the humor category of the 1990 Scholastic Writing Awards for the following essay. He allegedly used it to get into NYU and graduated from the university in 1994. To call his work humorous is an understatement to say the least (via Educated Nation, thanks Robert). Continue reading…
Newsweek has the story:
Apple is looking like what Microsoft was 10 years ago—a Bigfoot that squeezes smaller competitors. A former lieutenant of Steve Jobs’s once told me something surprising about his ex-boss. “Steve is a monopolist at heart,” he said. “He’s just like Bill Gates. He just hasn’t been as successful.”
Gone are the days where Apple was the hip underdog. Now they’re becoming the cool monopoly, and I’m fine with it so long as their products stay fresh and the prices remain competive.
It’s amusing when ignorant people start using the internet. (via Digg)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6amk3P-hY[/youtube]
Behold, this is what Redmond is using to combat the effective and clever “I’m a Mac” ads. It’s bland, forgettable, and awkward — outside of the Spanish subtitles and quick shower scene.
I really like Seinfeld, and I’m a Windows XP user, but this is more Bee Movie and Office Paperclip style than anything else. Too bad.
This is an oldie but goodie entitled The Perfect Human, courtesy of Wired.
Dean Karnazes ran 50 marathons in 50 days. He does 200 miles just for fun. He’ll race in 120-degree heat. Here are 12 secrets to his success.
Reading this article back in January 2007 was one of the reasons I took an interest in running.
I ruptured a disc in my lower back on July 4. I successfully ran a 10K that day, but the spine cushion (as it is called) blew due to genetics, not physical exertion, I’m told. The demanding event and requisite training only aggravated an already degenerative disc.
On Friday, I had a discectomy to cure the problem, which slices through my back, drills a hole in my vertebrae, and traverses the sacred spinal canal to remove the loose fragment that was pinning my sciatic nerve against my bone, causing pain throughout my entire right leg.
Continue reading…
I was driving home last week heading south on I-15 in Salt Lake City when I saw the above billboard for Mozy, an online backup company.
The ad is esoteric but brilliant, because it appeals to the precise type of people that Mozy seemingly wants to recruit: young, sociable talent who share a common interest — good music, multiplayer, and Rock Band in the afternoons instead of mindless meetings.
Well played, Mozy. I’m sure they’re not the first company to use video games to entice young talent, but more tech companies would be wise to follow suit. Perhaps being well-versed in Nintendo is more valuable than it once seemed.
Ever since launch, the Xbox 360 core model without hard drive has largely been written off by gamers — and rightfully so. It lacks many of the attractive advantages of its older brothers, not to mention value for what’s included in the box. (Most core models can’t even save games without separate purchase!)
But all that’s about to change with the upcoming $80 price cut of the latest Arcade bundle (September 7, according to retailers), which includes a matte white system, wireless controller, and a 256 MB memory card for saving games and playing online.
Continue reading at GamePro…
Want to encourage better conversion rates on your website (be it purchases, blog traffic, whatever) while looking good? Don’t give your readers more than a few options to choose from. By forcing them to look at what you want, you’ll enjoy more targeted traffic.
Apple does it. So does Shoe Guru. Both may be extreme, but their website design ensures them greater control over what they promote, resulting in tighter focus and better sales over the alternative, cluttered sites.
Off-topic: I’d totally buy those shoes if knew what Shoe Guru size I wear.
Gmail launched in March 2004. But after more than four years, the site still uses “beta” on its logo.
For the uninitiated, “beta” is a fancy way of saying, “this software or website is a work in progress.” But all software and websites are works in progress, so the term is primarily used today to sound cool — nothing more.
So let’s drop that “beta,” Google. Besides, you’re not as cool as you once were (but I still love ya).
See also:
Olympics are great but far from perfect. Here are six common-sense ways to boost the competition, national pride, and spectator enjoyment of the event. Continue reading…
Lindsey and I went ballooning this morning for our fifth anniversary. Here’s proof, not to mention more photogenic evidence that Utah is gorgeous.
Continue reading…
This is the latest Geico caveman commercial entitled “Plane Banner,” which is somewhat of a revival after the idea grew stale, not to mention the embarrassing TV spin off of last year. In any case, caveman commercials have been making me chuckle since they started in 2004. Am I alone?
See also: My new favorite commercial [Lindsey Snow]
Earth is under attack. Your favorite football team is waiting to win their division. There are more than 60 remaining stars to collect. And yet the gamers charged with overcoming the odds couldn’t care less.
They rarely finish their games, it seems.
According to an investigative Crispy Gamer survey of 2,000 players conducted this month, less than 25 percent of games are played to completion (i.e. the rolling of credits). What’s more, an alarming number of the same percentile say they finish less than 10 percent of their games, purchased, rented, or otherwise.
Continue reading at Crispy Gamer…
Dear Big Oil (Exxon Mobil, Chevron, you know who you are):
I’ve grown weary of seeing your good-will commercials where you now refer to yourselves as “energy companies.” Sorry fellas, but your record profits this year didn’t come from any alternative energy. It came from oil.
But that will soon change. As clever and courageous scientist develop cheaper, sustainable fuels that you don’t control, I’ll smile as you scramble to adapt and suddenly drop your prices. Competition can be such a drag, I know — especially after going uncontested for 100 years.
So… good luck with your rebranding efforts (snickers).
Love,
Smooth Harold
I’ve always been fascinated by geography and population. So imagine my exuberance when stumbling upon Wikipedia’s list of state populations as of 2007 estimates (with bonus city and density lists).
And to think my resident Utah has fewer inhabitants than Kansas. Amazing, ain’t it?
I got my first Blackberry, a pancake of a thing, back in January 2006. One replacement and 31 months later, I finally upgraded to a quasi outdated Blackberry Curve — I guess I’m what you call an apathetic technologist.
I’ve quickly grown fond of the 8320 and prefer it to the iPhone for the keyboard alone (though the camera, iTunes syncable media player, 2GB SD card, and Wi-Fi are more than functional).
But I digress. How often do you upgrade phones? It seems like some people swap every 6 months…
Confession: I hope I never require manscaping. And by manscaping I mean below the neck body hair in general, not below the belt (get your head out of the gutter!).
But yeah, as I near 30 years of age, I’ve spotted some undesirably scragglies on my back. And I can’t even grow a beard. It’s coming, I fear.
So gentlemen, do you manscape? I know you metro sexual gym rats do — what with your baby smooth arms and legs. Ladies, do you encourage it?
In any case, I want no part of it.
It’s no easy task to whittle 40-50 Bob Marley hits to just 10. But someone has to do it, and who better than me? So whether tanning at the beach, traveling in a car, or protesting a war, these are the 10 best Bob Marley songs of all time.
Continue reading…
“That not look good, daddy,” my clever, almost 3-year old girl said in broken but piercing English on Monday, upon seeing my newly purchased white leather belt around my waist. “That looks better,” she assured me, after I switched to a brown belt.
My confidence in fashion judgment is at an all time low right now. To make matters worse, Sadie told me I was “stinky” over the weekend. Great — out of style and stinky. Just what I need.
Most gamers are familiar with big name publishers like Electronic Arts, Activision, and Sega. But what about the development studios themselves? You know, the ones that actually make the games, not just distribute them. Behold! Here are eight of the most important ones, in terms of multiple hits, present impact, and cash money.
Continue reading at GamePro…
Though imperfect, The Associated Press is increasingly becoming one of the few U.S. media agencies that can be trusted for reliable news. After reading their thorough and objective report on the the South Ossetia conflict, I learned the following:
- Two areas of Georgia have been operating independently (though unrecognized internationally) since the early 90s: Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
- Georgia last week invaded South Ossetia without warning in an effort to retake the region, citing previous provocation from South Ossetian militants.
- Russia, out of nowhere, came to South Ossetia’s rescue, then starting invading other (unaffected) areas of Georgia without explanation or reason.
- President Bush criticized Russia for the “disproportionate” military response “outside of South Ossetia,” suggesting approval with Russian aide in affected areas, but disapproval with Russian aggression in unaffected areas, obviously.
Something smells fishy — seems like everyone, including Georgia, Russia, and maybe even the U.S. are more concerned with those ginormous oil pipes in the war-torn country than the security of little old South Ossetia.
UPDATE: For additional commentary, be sure to read the comments on Digg surrounding this story. If American, you’ll uncontrollably laugh at how brutally honest some Diggers are, before blushing upon realizing how embarrassed you should be.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jpsqnZylZQ[/youtube]
Lindsey and I all but did synchronized cartwheels last night, after watching the U.S. men out-relay the trash-talking and heavily favored Frenchies. Anchor Jason Lezak’s full-body split was incredible — just one of the many reasons I love the Olympics.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm6UhMKF8DU[/youtube]
Oh, how I miss the advertising rivalries of the 80s.
Further reading:
Friggin’ sweat! Located in Columbus, Ohio.
Warner Bros has confirmed that Goonies 2 is in production, reports Moviehole. “A source at Warner Bros has since confirmed [Goonies 2],” the site asserts, “saying they are developing it as a major movie, but won’t share anything other than that.”
Here’s hoping the news is legit. What with the recent announcement of Tron 2, I’ll soon be in 80s geek heaven.
Before high school graduation, a mission, college, marriage, two children, and a semi-real job, I was an aspiring rock star. I learned to play guitar and wrote my first song at age 14. I joined my first band (a trio named Formaldehyde) at 15, as singer and guitarist. We were kind of a big deal in po dunk Carrollton at the time (insert smiley face). I even got stopped at the local Blockbuster and movie theater by adoring fans (for reals).
Continue reading…
As with all things in life, video games are best when shared with others. But despite the medium’s rich history and current resurgence of multiplayer games, a tired stigma remains:
Video games are played in isolation, and thus perpetuate social retards.
“There is still this mindset that video games are lone wolf activities for like-minded groups of nerds,” says Troy Goodfellow, a freelance critic for nearly a decade. “But on the contrary, they build connections better than a lot of people think.”
Continue reading…
After four weeks of inexplicable pain in my right leg, I was diagnosed with a herniated (possibly ruptured) disc in my lower back yesterday. Said injury partially blocks my sciatic nerve, making my right leg mad at me.
In all seriousness, it’s rather disabling — causing limping, an inability to sit or stand for long periods of time, and loss of feeling in my foot. Unbeknownst to me, it seems I sustained the injury during my 10K run on July 4.
If only I had maintained my previous life of idleness and extreme atrophy, none of this would have happened. 😉
(I should be fine, by the way, with at least a shot, physical therapy, and time. If not, routine surgery should take care of it. UPDATE: I had surgery in late August. It was a success and I’m on my way back to 100%.)
The United States is nearing bankruptcy, and yet officials want to borrow more money (!) to curb economic woes, according to today’s headlines. It’s amazing how fiscally incompetent these knuckleheads have become — they’ve all but defecated on our once precious dollar.
As harsh as it sounds, natural consequences (i.e. bankruptcy, foreclosures, loss of jobs) is the only way to atone for our country’s overly optimistic and unchecked enthusiasm of recent years. This includes irresponsible land developers, loan officers, politicians, investment bankers, and home owners who bit off more than they could chew — all of whom ignored the basic principles of supply and demand.
Dude, where’s my country? I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.
See also:
