Stand by for a Ninja rant. So about three years ago, Microsoft (M$$, Microcrap, Microdooshbag) created this thing called the Xbox 360. A great console, I was 100% behind it, "well done Microsoft" I said. They made a very powerful, beautiful looking machine, and some excellent games. Around two months ago, I heard of some problem with these "red rings of death", or three flashing red lights indicating a hardware failure. A lot of people were experiencing this, but not anything worth screaming about. Time went by, and it got worse and worse, until Microsoft extended the standard one-year warranty to three years, for three flashing red lights. So it was obviously a big problem, attracting attention despite M$$ attempts to quell the raging masses. Well about a week ago, my Xbox 360 started having bad graphical errors, bars across the screen and such. A day later, one red ring was flashing and I was getting an error message on the screen. So I called Microdooshbag and asked them about it, and was told by Tom from Kentucky (with a heavy Indian accent...) that my Xbox was not covered by warranty and I would be charged $100 to have it fixed... WHAT?!?!?! So I start doing some research and discover that more than half of the 360s that I know of have broken in some way to make them unplayable, but only a fraction are covered by the extended warranty. Thanks a lot, Microcrap. So now my Xbox Live account, my games, and my console have been turned into a stack of paperweights, useless pieces of plastic. It's time to stop bashing Sony for not having games, at least their freaking console works...

On an unrelated note, does anyone know how to make a 360 flash three red lights?

It's interesting how fast time passes. This summer I went to the Philippines for around a month. The objective of the trip was to work with kids living on the street and in 3 group homes that my church supports. When you go over and meet the people, ask a young girl on the street what her name is and her age, it makes it personal. It's changed my life in some very vivid ways.

I'm excited to hear about all the good games coming out this fall, there are some really sweet titles due for release, unfortunately my Xbox 360 died. It's 1 ring of death instead of 3, so it's not covered under warranty, thanks M$$soft. Been playing some World of Warcraft though.

I saw Transformers the other night, 9 out of 10, it was so good. Completely comic book action and story, but that made it really cool. I also saw Pirates 3 (wow) and Live Free or Die Hard (blew my mind). Unfortunately I'm now completely out of money...

I also watched shooter, it was really great, and it had some interesting political themes in it as well. I really hope we are going to get out of Iraq soon, I've got a buddy over there. Lift up Justin Thacker in your prayers. He's deployed in the Marine Corps.

What has happened to the youth of today? What are we focused on? We are treated like children, our minds continue to think like children. We are focused on pleasure, our day to day activities revolve around the next piece of fun. We are cared for like children, so important responsibility and work skills are not developed until college or after. We measure everything by our first reactions, not bothering to analyze or critically examine anything. There is a critical breakdown of maturity and growth in today's youth.

In the early 1700s the Great Awakening was led by Ministers such as Jonathan Edwards, who believed that a revival would be led by the youth. I am convinced that we are in need of another revival. I've got to respect and support efforts like 7/22, and the growing youth groups in this area. Hopefully, we can awaken our generation.

What symbol defines you? What visual mark represents your life experiences and beliefs? The thing that affects your life the most.



The Cross.

I watched a movie called The Road to Guantanamo last night. The movie is very moving. The stories of these men, and the descriptions and reports are very powerful. While hundreds of people are being held there, only 10 have been charged, and none have been found guilty of a crime, I have to ask, how can we continue our actions without justification that meets our own beliefs and laws? I'm all for intelligence and defence of our country, but I can't see that we are doing it right.

The President's State of the Union Address was somewhat weak last week... " In Afghanistan, we helped liberate an oppressed people." Unfortunately, Afghanistan is still very much in turmoil. A lot of the country is back in the control of the Taliban! They are rebuilding schools to convince the citizens to side with them, schools that they blew up just a few months ago...
The president also commented on other countries developing nuclear and biological weapons. I don't condone these countries, many of them are very oppressive and persecutive towards their citizens. How long will we insist on being the only superpower with advanced weapons? How long can we be trusted to use them wisely?
Find the entire address here.

A kidnapping mystery was recently solved in Kirkwood, Missouri. Michael Devlin, 41, abducted an eleven year old boy in 2002. The boy was kept at Devlin's apartment four years, he had access to the internet, phones, and was allowed to go outside during this time. Jan 8th Devlin kidnapped another eleven year old boy and was caught this Friday. Read this story. Devlin is said to be entering a not guilty plea on Thursday due to lack of evidence. I lived in Kirkwood Missouri for several years during my early childhood.

Rest assured, if someone did this to one of my brothers, they would be much safer going to prison than walking out.

All kinds of things going on. I have started at public school, (transferring from homeschool) and it's going great!
Halo 3 is coming out very soon, World of Warcraft is awesome. lvl 35 priest on the Scarlet Crusade realm if you're interested. I'm looking for a new job, had to quit my old one because of school.
And just as an FYI our country is headed down the drain...

Roughly $300, two weeks, and several sore and bloody fingertips later, I have succesfully installed: Sony Xplod cd/radio head, some line out converter thing, and a Visonik Amp and Subwoofer package. It sounds great, may the masses rejoice.

I was outside with my brothers last night until 10:30 trying to hook that subwoofer up. I got it working, but I think it killed my radio. It also thumps every time I hit the brakes, I don't know what's up with that.

Almost two months ago President Bush signed a bill claiming dominant rights in space. In clearer terms, this means we are going to try to control what other countries try to do in there, having to do with weapons or otherwise. So like our Nuclear rights policy, we are going to develop weapons and spy satellites and GPS coordinators, but none of you can; and if you do, we will take action against you. We will determine the severity of that action depending on if you are really taking up space....
Here's a good article about it, take notice of pragraphs eight and nine.

My subwoofer came yesterday, I'm hoping to install it tonight. I need to pick up a cable kit on the way home. You'll probably be able to hear me tomorrow, from wherever you are...

Also I found a very entertaining Xbox 360 commercial that is airing in Europe right now. Here it is. Thanks Major Nelson.

I'm headed to Cleveland Georgia this weekend for my Youth group Fall Retreat. The fall retreat is our biggest event of the year, we are big enough now that we can rent an entire center and fit nicely. This year we are headed to Strong Rock Camp and Retreat Center, check here for info and links.

Ensemble announced they are beginning devlopment for a new RTS title for the Halo community. Halo Wars, a Real Time Strategy game using the Halo storyline. First reports look good, the trailer is all CGI and no game engine details have been released, they also have some concept art that looks very nice. It's only supposed to come out for the Xbox 360, but I'm really hoping they port it to the PC after release, or at least release full mouse and keyboard support on the 360. RTS games are played much better that way.

An email scheme was sent out a little while ago prompting people to send in their checking account info to recieve money from a dying man in Bahran. Unbelievable, here's to your confidentiality, Zilio.

Hello Friend,

Its me Zilio from Bahrain i want to donate what I have to the needy.
You Could be surprised why i picked you. But someone has to do it. I am old and living with HIV AIDS. I have been touched to donate from what I have made from this World to charity through you for the good work of humanity, rather than allow my relatives to use my hard earned funds inappropriately after my death.

I hope to be fogiven for all my sins and I believe he has, because He is merciful. I have been living with HIV AIDS for years. and i know that the disease has no cure therefore i will surely die. I have made up my mind to give out ( Eighteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) towards the fight against HIV AIDS, and other human related diseases. I want this to be done through you. Part of the money would also be used to help the motherless, less privileged and also for the assistance of the widows. Presently, i can not answer calls because i have been restricted by my doctor from taking telephone calls because I deserve all the rest I can get.

Presently,I have informed my lawyer about my decision in donating the funds. I wish you all the best, and please use the money well and always extend the good work to others. If you are able to carry out this task,i will inform my legal adviser so that he can arrange the release of the funds to you. I know i have never met you but my mind tells me to do this,and I hope you act sincerely.I will pay you a handsome amount of this money if you will assist me because I am now weak to do things myself because of my HIV AIDS.

NB: I will appreciate your utmost secrecy in this matter until the task is carried out,as I don't want anything that will halter this my last wish Love.I will provide you with further details immediately I hear from you. Please respond through this email address as I might not be checking the email I used in sending this message to you: z_mario777@yahoo.com.hk
Regards.


Zilio Mario
z_mario777@yahoo.com.hk

PLEASE I WILL LIKE YOU TO REPLY ME VIA MY EMAIL ADDRESS FOR CONFIDENTIALITY PURPOSE: z_mario777@yahoo.com.hk

The Blackberry Pearl, a new phone/email and data device rolled out a few weeks ago. I was given the chance to test one out for a few days and let me tell you, this is one cool toy. Phone, MP3 player, camera, web browser, and email, and it looks sexy to boot. Thank you boss.

I live in North Georgia and use Charter cable for my fast internet. Lately they have been implementing some "new features" that have totally screwed up the connection. The internet will work fine for maybe three hours out of a day for the last two weeks. Before that it would still cut out at random times. The worst part is, I use a VOIP phone line, so when the internet is down, so is my phone. My cell doesn't get service in the valley I live in, so it's really starting to get on my nerves. Charter has been a great connection up until now. What's up??

One small step for the Senate Judiciary Committee, one giant leap towards a totally censored form of freedom.

Tuesday a man walked into a Canadian college and opened fire with an automatic weapon, killing one and wounding many others. Canadian Police dealt with him swiftly and efficiently shooting and killing the man before he was able to continue the "rampage".

Koffi Annan doesn't think the removal of African Union peacekeepers from Darfur is so good. No kidding. If the UN takes over the peacekeeping operation in the country, African Union troops would not be welcome. I don't know much about the AU, but the UN has a hard time doing anything right, so I say it would be horrible Kofi. Keep your people out of it until we can see the AU can no longer do the job.

Bill Selles of Dpad.gotfrag.com has some very intelligent insight on why consoles sontinue to outperform PC sales in gaming circles. I agree with every word.