There was a great article on GamesFirst today on next-gen graphics acceleration. Specifically in Oblivion. I read throught the article and was pretty amazed at some of the effort needed to produce a realistic, responsive image of creation... I totally agree with what they are saying though, the next generation of gaming is located here.

Xinhuanet.com (a chinese news service) had an article on a new find of bones that provide the link between men and apes. The bones are supposed to give us the proof we've been missing for all this time.

"It is fair to say that some species of Ardipithecus gave rise to Australopithecus," Tim White, lead author of the Nature paper and professor at the University of California, Berkley.

We don't need what is fair Tim, fair is a value judgement, determined in our individual minds, we need truth.

I found an awesome site today, merzo.net is a starship dimensions site that is very well put together. Check out the -2000x page for a nice ring we all know and love.

Researchers, a.k.a. hackers, are being hired by some security companies to give up software manipulation points.

Griffin!!

World Magazine had a good article by John Dawson, about the illegal immigrant problem in the U.S. A guest worker program would only increase the amount of illegal immigration because of it's endurance test-like nature. You stay here for three years without getting caught, you get to become legal. I love immigration, I love this country letting people come in and start a legacy with very little religous, economical, or social persecution. I love hard working people trying to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, like the man in this article. The problem occurs when we make it hard for the people to come over, so they come illegally. Then we keep letting them come illegally and make it easier for them. We've got to address the problem so that we encourage hard work, and discourage the drug trafficking circus.

I just installed a program called Windows Blinds, (big w00t to Punisher for pointing it out to me). It's pretty slick, until the free version runs out. I'm running the Dogma x4 skin, I like it a lot. Check it out here.

There was a pretty funny piece of news on wired.com today. You remember those inventors that came up with the "tooth phone"? Turns out, it wasn't so realistic.

Microsoft purchased Lionhead Studios, the maker of Fable. Major Nelson had a succinct statement about it. It's obviously just the next step for a company that is taking over the entire universe.

I saw King Kong last night, I give it two thumbs up. It was a great story, a lot of people said that the dialogue (principally in the first hour of the film) got too long. I didn't think so, the story was just developed well. Skull Island was absolutely spectacular. I am arachnophobic, which is an abnormal fear of spiders, so I was terrified throughout the many scenes that featured giant scorpions, spiders, grasshoppers, centipedes, and many other wonderful species of local fauna. Kong was fabulous.

It's out! Podtacular episode 56 has been edited and posted. I was given the privelege to help out as a co-host for this show. Huge thanks to Foo Mo Jive for inviting me, and Jonnysan for co-hosting with me. It was a lot of fun.

The Bungie Weekly What's Update was somewhat of a provocation today. Frankie gives us some crap for April fool's. I'll be honest, I'm tired of screwing around with all the different versions of, "we can't say anything on this yet". Then they give us something like this.

Somewhat of an odd article on IGN today. Halo 3 in March? I don't know man, that would kill their community.

Free Gold status to anyone with a Xbox 360 this weekend! Today through Sunday you can log on to Xbox Live and play as a Gold member with Xbox's free Gold weekend event. It's sponsored by Verizon Wireless. This is a good idea, let people experience the Live world and give us some free time. I think this will happen more than once because it's a good advertisement. It's also not as volatile (or nice for the average consumer) as the two month subscriptions that used to come in Xbox games.

Foo Mo Jive invited me to co-host Podtacular last week. We recorded on Thursday and the show should be available for download this coming Thursday or Friday. Jonnysan was also helping out, we had a great time, thanks guys and I hope we can do it again! I'll post a link to the show when it comes out.

Definitely a controversial statement by Frankie in last week's Bungie What's Update. I'm taking this as a fairly stable admission of Halo3 being their next game. It's been very frustrating that Bungie has not admitted to developing the game that should debut sometime late this year.

Microsoft has pushed back their release date for Windows Vista, I can only hope they are taking extra precautions to insure they can meet whatever demand they might have. Hopefully a lesson learned from the 360?

In other news Major Nelson had an interview with a developer from the upcoming game, Viva Pinata. Rare, the same developer that produced Kameo, and Perfect Dark Zero, is coming out with this game for the Xbox this hoiday season. I'll be honest, it looks like the stupidest game I've ever heard of. A mix between Neopets and the Sims, you create a world and try to get Pinatas to live in it. The age group for this is about 3-8, they will co-release with a TV show, (the Pinatas when they are by themselves, talking Pinatas) lunchboxes, and bed sheets. I'm serious.

More promises from Microsoft, I hope they can make it, but I doubt it's realistic.

Interesting article pointed out to me by my good friend, punisher. I agree with it on most points, Microsoft shot themselves in the foot with the horrible supply issues, and expensive hardware costs with the Xbox 360. Nintendo is much more conservative in their business strategy, not ruching "next-gen" material, and sticking with proven stuff in the DS.

Big newsbreak. Sony released specs for the PS3 and a release date. I will believe it when I see it, but check out the official release, a english version, and Major Nelson's take.

CUSTOMER SERVICE CALL

I think this guy should have been promoted, not fired. This is a
True phone call from the Word Perfect Help line which was transcribed from a
recording monitoring the customer care department. Needless to say
the HelpDesk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently suing
the WordPerfect organization for "Termination without Cause." This
is actual Dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support
employee.

"Ridge Hall computer assistance; may I help you?"

"Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect."

"What sort of trouble?"

"Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went
away."

"Went away?"

"They disappeared."

"Hmm. So what does your screen look like now?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"It's blank, it won't accept anything when I type."

"Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out?"

"How do I tell?"

"Can you see the C: prompt on the screen?"

"What's a sea-prompt?"

"Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?"

"There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type."

"Does your monitor have a power indicator?"

"What's a monitor?"

"It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it
have a little light that tells you when it's on?"

"I don't know."

"Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power
cord goes into it. Can you see that?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged
into the wall."

"Yes, it is."

"When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were
two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one?"

"No."

"Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the
other cable."

"Okay, here it is."

"Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the
back of your computer."

"I can't reach."

"Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is?"

"No."

"Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?"

"Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle
-- it's because it's dark."

"Dark?"

"Yes, the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming
in from the window."

"Well, turn on the office light then."

"I can't."

"No? Why not?"

"Because there's a power failure."

"A power... A power failure? Aha, Okay, we've got it licked now. Do
you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer
came in?"

"Well, yes, I keep them in the closet."

"Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like
it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it
from."

"Really? Is it that bad?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it is."

"Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?"

"Tell them you're too stupid to own a computer."