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31 dec 2004 E-O-T-Y

Well, here is the finale for 04. It was what I would call a moderately exciting year. Here's the best stuff:

Events:

Music:

Movies:

Games:

Cars:

Stuff We Bought:

24 dec 2004 4 Years Old

Don't StopLateef & The Chief Better Do It RightSmash Mouth Lonely Christmas EveBen Folds You're a Mean One...Jim Carrey

Is the age of the site as of today. It's had almost as many visitors.

We watched Collateral last night, and I really enjoyed it. I wasn't too excited about the ending, but there's really no good ending to a situation like that. I also finished Half-Life (by cheating, of course). I really thought it was a neat game, but again, the ending just wasn't too great. Once you leave the planet, you'd better have some really outstanding destination and Xen is not.

Happy birthday to me.

15 dec 2004 Phone Phrenzy

Stumblin'Powderfinger High & DryJamie Cullum Somebody Told MeThe Killers Take Your MamaScissor Sistors

Update: I added the Samsung A620 because Paul has it and thinks he deserves special treatment or something.

Well, on a lighter but still phone-related note, my Samsung came yesterday. I like it so far, but have yet to actually talk on it since service doesn't start until tomorrow. The only criticism I've found thus far is that it doesn't have a snooze button like my Nokias did. However, it more than compensates with its total assload of other features in what I can only imagine is one of the smallest still usable phones available.

I am still amazed at the size, which made me wonder how it compares to a) my old phones (3360 & 3560) and the other phones I was looking at (V400 & V600). Then I figured I'd throw the $500 V3 Razr on there just for fun. The results are pretty astounding. The only one that has certain dimensions smaller is the Razr. However, because it's so thin while still having so many features, it had to be both widened and lengthened to compensate. I just don't see how it's the "it" phone. It's neat, but not great. And if it's anywhere as reliable as other Motorolas, expect to be spending a lot of time with a loaner Nokia 3595.

But I digress. Here, in reverse alphabetical and forward numeric order, is how the 7 phones I mentioned stack up. Bold denotes best in comparison.

Phone Length / Width / Thickness (in) Weight (oz)
Samsung A620 3.50 1.90 1.00 4.48
Samsung A680 3.30 1.80 .87 3.50
Nokia 3360 4.50 2.00 1.00 5.30
Nokia 3560 4.65 1.97 .91 3.80
Moto V400 3.50 1.93 1.00 4.40
Moto V600 3.50 1.90 .90 4.30
Moto V3 Razr 3.86 2.08 .54 3.35

More than a few times, I've wondered whether switching was a good idea. And I've been reassured everytime. Good things so far:

15 dec 2004 Cell One Responds (Very Nicely)

First, their response:

Dear Mr. Laub,

Thank you for contacting Cellular One. I apologize for the way your were treated by our sales representatives and that you were not informed about our GSM promotions. A copy of your email will be forwarded to the Wausau store manager for review.

As you are porting your number out to Sprint, your service will cancel after the port has been completed. Any applicable early termination fees will be applied to your final bill. We are sorry to lose you as a customer.

And mine:

I appreciate your timely response. I am genuinely not trying to be unreasonable, and I appreciate that you're forwarding the information to a local authority.

I am aware for the termination fees, and although at this point I don't see myself switching back, we'll see how everything is in two years.

Thanks again,

Andy

12 dec 2004 Dear Cell One,

I'm writing to let you know that I'm finished.

When I first signed on for your service, I was very pleased. This was back in 2002, when everything was TDMA. It was relatively simple to find a plan that fit - your home coverage area wasn't the best, but with the Minnesota/Wisconsin plan I was very happy (I was commuting to Stevens Point at the time, so I needed a plan that worked south of Marathon County.

As time passed, I was still pleased, and would readily recommend your company to others. I was excited when one of your employees told me GSM was coming in early 2004. Unfortunately, I'd still have to wait another year before my contract expired to switch to GSM. Because of this, I went ahead and bought a new (TDMA) phone in March of 2004 to replace my aging Nokia 3360. I was happy, although not as happy as I would've been on GSM. Not two weeks later, my roommate got GSM from you. I was confused, since his contract hadn't expired yet. I learned that you had a special offer where customers could switch to GSM, get a substantial discount on phones, and get a discounted monthly fee. I would've loved to have that, but I had just bought a new phone. That made me wonder why the person I bought the phone from (at your kiosk in the Wausau Center Mall) hadn't told me about GSM at all.

That's where the ship started to sink.

After that I was kind of disappointed, being stuck with a new phone that I could only use for TDMA service. I called your store in Rib Mountain to find out whether there was anything I could do, but I already had used my phone for more than 30 minutes so I was stuck with it.

Time passed, and I started to count down the months until my contract expired, so I could get a new phone. The thought entered my head to sign up for GSM in mid-summer, figuring that I'll just suck up the cost of another new phone. However, the offer was gone. I was unhappy at the time, but now I am thankful because this brings me to another point--

From the point of view of a Nokia-user, your GSM phones are awful. I mean, the Motorolas are contenders, but a friend of mine bought a V400 that, admittedly, is very cool, but also seemingly very buggy, since every other week she had a loaner phone from you. The V600 is nice but costly. The Nokia selection was abyssmal then and still is. The two camera phones you carry look absurd and are something I'd actually be embarrassed to use. Speaking of absurd and embarrassing, there's the Curitel Identity. I hope that's a joke, right?

Anyway, I kept hoping that maybe you'd have nice Nokias in by next year, so I could buy a nice one when the contract expired. At the same time, though, I was starting to think that maybe I'd be better somewhere else. Your new GSM plans are nothing to be excited about (from somebody who is currently paying $34.00 a month including tax), and the service isn't that impressive (yet). I wanted a company that was nationwide and acted like it. By this I mean it would get the newest phones when they came out, instead of deliberating on whether anyone would buy them. Sprint came along. They did this one better, in that people actually make phones just for them. And they're good phones.

Finally, yesterday (Saturday 12/11/04 in the Wausau Center Mall), I was so bored with waiting that I went to the mall to find out how much it would cost if I left your service that day. The person gave me the figure, and asked why I was leaving. I told her that was going to Sprint because they have better plans and better phones. I guess this set something off with her, because she became immediately defensive and condescending, as though I didn't know what I was talking about. She responded that you have the same plans as Sprint. Not true. Sprint has a plan that I wanted more. I wasn't in the mood to argue with somebody about my decision, so I just responded, exasperated, that I still thought they had better phones. She launched into a speech about how you have fourteen new phones (good for you, but they're still not Nokias). I responded that I liked Sprint's phones better, and just received an angry look. I told her about being unhappy with the general service, and how I bought a new phone in March and was not made aware of the GSM sale. She said it was because you weren't advertising it. I responded that it was still very frustrating.

It is frustrating still. I can understand having a sale and not advertising it in newspapers, but when someone comes up to buy a phone that you know is practically obsolete, why not tell them something better is available. If that had happened, I wouldn't be writing this letter right now. What bothers me even more is, everytime I mention it to someone within your company, the response implies that I'm at fault for not constantly asking what your special offers are. Isn't that why they're called offers -- because you offer them to people?

And on the subject of the representative I spoke with yesterday: awful. Making a customer feel stupid is not a good way to handle things. Here is what might have made me stay:

If she had said, OK, well if that's the problem, I can sign you up with GSM right now and give you the new contract price on a phone, I mgiht have considered. If she had sent me to the Rib Mountain store, that would've been fine too. But she didn't try. She was losing my business and she didn't care. I guess I am not surprised, because companies such as yours seem to be more focused on signing on new people than keeping your current customers happy.

I actually went over to the Rib Mountain store to ask about switching again, but I didn't talk to anybody there. I am glad, because I would've ended up with another mediocre phone, at best, and at worst would've just been talked down to again.

It is for those reasons that I ordered a Samsung VM-A680 and a two-year contract with Sprint PCS yesterday evening. That phone is one of the highest-rated phones available and I'll be pleased to be using it instead of my outdated Nokia 3560.

That's the end of the story. Thanks for 1.5 decent years and 1 mediocre one. A response is welcome,

Andy

6 dec 2004 Superflouosly Fantastic

I went to the Twin Cities Friday. Then I came back. I bought pants. I bought a coat. I read that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We went to Olive Garden. We looked at Acuras. We bought curtains at IKEA. I have no Christmas shopping done.

1 dec 2004 Xmastime

It's officially time for the XMASLIST. Here goes:

  1. A car would be nice. Like this one. ($$$$$)
  2. Maybe an X-Box. And Halo. ($$)
  3. A G5. Loaded or not. + Cinema Display. ($$$ - $$$$)
  4. Clothes. Shirts, pants, I don't care. Shoes too. ($$)
  5. Since it's a wishlist, how about some local Cingular service? (-)
  6. And a decent phone. ($$)
  7. What's a wish list without a TV? ($$$$)
  8. Drums! ($$$)
  9. Money ($$$$$)

Since the move earlier this year, we've acquired much of what we wanted. Abe made the excellent point that with most of the stuff we want, we just buy it. I need to stop doing that or start making more money.

Speaking of money, I've been sent a lot of fake credit cards as of late - you know, the ones that look real but say "YOUR NAME HERE." Well, Discover sent one that's almost not worthy. It's made of cardboard, kind of to simulate plastic. That is really probably the most pathetic thing I've seen. It wasn't even attached to anything, just floating around in the envelope.

30 nov 2004 November is Over

Thanksgiving was good, blah blah blah. I picked up Katamari Damacy, one of the coolest games I've ever played for about 30 minutes. After that it's something you look back at fondly but don't really want to do again. I started playing GT3 again - did you know that turbocharging a Miata makes it faster? Apparently I couldn't have figured this out 6 months ago.

Anyway, I was in Gamespot again today because I was kind of looking at X-Boxes. I ended up picking up Half-Life for the PS2, and then I found out that it's buy 2 get one free on used games. So then I got Max Payne 2 (I finally finished the first one) and also SSX 3.

That's it.

16 nov 2004 I Bought Some Things

It's true! I needed new jeans, so I bought some. From AE and from that Hollister place. Those who've been in a Hollister know that it's fairly dark and the music is loud (not a bad thing, just a fact). In the midst of being there yesterday, though, the music went off suddenly. It was a bit bizarre - I'll choose loud music over awkward silence any day.

I bought a trainer for my bike. It's hard. Hopefully it will keep me in better shape now that I have away to exercise that's convenient and not freezing during winter.

Did I buy anything else? I can't really remember and it doesn't really matter. I know I saw this game on G4 yesterday and now I need it badly. OK, pretty much.

Oh, save the whales. Although it doesn't help that this is streamed - my viewing experience consisted of feet - feet - Toyota Supra - boring.

16 nov 2004 I Don't Really Know

Friday night. Saw the new Mustang. It is definitely one of the best-looking cars this year. First impressions? Bad-ass. Super-wide. Bargain - well, it is if you don't get a loaded one. I priced one out online last night (GT Manual) with a final result of about $26,000. That's pretty impressive. Other cars I didn't know I would really like this year:

Anyway, got bored with my iPod (though they're not that exciting to begin with) so now it's German. I know nothing else.

10 nov 2004 OK---Politics

I am still livid. We'll start with that. I worry about what's going to happen in the next four years. I don't want to think about it but I can't help worrying about it. At the same time, I can't help being utterly appalled by the number of voters who call themselves moral and proceed to take away the rights of women (abortion) and of minorities (gays). I just don't get it, I guess. I don't understand how someone can claim they're moral and belong to a religion that pushes for tolerance, but then NOT be tolerant. I don't understand how a religion can claim to be tolerant but only to certain people. I don't understand why two people of similar gender wanting to be together is such an issue. It's apparently fine to start a war that has nothing to do with Osama bin Laden and kill thousands of people, both Americans and Iraqis, but you know, gay marriage, that's the threat. That's gotta come to a stop because only then will we truly be safe.

I watched part of the Daily Show last night - it was from last Wednesday. There was a report about voters, and a message similar to the following:

Red States,

You were able to find the real issues in this election. These acts of terrorism, the ones that occurred far, far away from you, you were able to see that Bush would be the one to save us from more of those.

But in addition to the terrorism facing our country, you were able to pinpoint the other problem: "homo-ism". Because two men making out is just plain wrong. See, we here in the blue states, well, we've experienced this kind of thing firsthand. But what we really needed was a group like yourself, far removed from these acts of violence and homosexuality, to really tell us what we needed.

What I'm trying to say, Red States, is thanks. Thanks...for saving us from ourselves.

Tongue in cheek, I suppose, but any kind of commentary as of late has to be.

Let's talk about some other sites that have piqued my interest lately:

This article from the New York Times Magazine is probably one of the best I've ever read. It really puts a lot of things into perspective but at the same time it's pretty scary.

Here are some maps. Here is some fraud.

A small, miniscule ray of light: election stats, and more election stats.

Sorry, everybody. Also, FTS.

9 nov 2004 Dearest Cingular,

Let me start by congratulating you on you recent marriage with AT&T Wireless! Believe me when I say that I'd jump at the chance to take advantage of your services. Right now I'm stuck between backwater local services or Sprint. Not to say that Sprint is horrible, but they've never been my first choice.

Unfortunately, mine seems to be one of the only areas in the United States where your service is not available. How about being a pal and changing that, so no more will I have to watch your rollover commercials longingly. And hey, how abouts hooking me up with one of those Nokia 6620s. We could call it square then, and I can forget those hundreds of commercials you've shown me, effectively wasting hours of my life and using up quality TV-viewing time.

Thanks, Andy Laub

PS: T-Mobile, don't feel bad. You'd be OK too, but leave Catherine Zeta-Jones and bring me a 6600 instead. That's almost the same thing. I guess we could work something out with a Moto V600 or a Samsung too.

8 nov 2004 TC Wins

Because remember that Chicken Fight thing? I guess it's kind of perhaps over? We'll see. But anyway, my chicken won, for now. We'll see what happens. What's going on? I don't know. Blah blah blah. I got nothing.

5 nov 2004 Game$

Movin' On UpPrimal Scream Some Kind of WonderfulGrand Funk Railroad This LoveMaroon 5

A long while ago, like August, I endeavored to make a list of all the video games I own. I was successful in completing the list and kind of keeping it up to date, but I wanted to also add descriptions of the games and never really got past the B's. So instead, I logged on to GameSpot and lo and behold, they let you keep track not only of all the games you have, but of those that you want to have and those you're currently playing. Pretty neat and worth a look if you dig that sort of thing.

4 nov 2004 Abstinence From Politics

For the next week I picture myself in the mourning with the logical half of the nation, and I plan not to mention the unfortunate incident of the 2004 Presidential Election.

So instead I'll fill this page with more meaningless if not entertaining stuff.

Part one : go here. Click on that nice lil' T-MAC TV button by Mr. McGrady's feet and bask in the glory that is the new adidas T-MAC 4 commercial. One of the coolest, if not the coolest, commercials this year.

The OC is back too. Yee-hah.

3 nov 2004 One Word

SUCKS.

2 nov 2004 My Stomach Hurts (I Hate Election Day)

I voted today. I hope it makes some sort of difference. That's all I'm saying about that.

More things:

New iPods - eh, I guess they're alright. I don't really have a use for putting pictures on an iPod - I mean, it might come in handy if we see connectivity to camera phones or something, but that would require a much higher resolution picture to even make the iPod a worthwhile storage option. I am kind of sad that the 60 gig HD is exclusive to the iPod Photo, but then again I'm not buying another one any time soon so it doesn't really matter. The U2 iPod is a neat admittedly gimmicky thing, but I wouldn't consider any iPod that doesn't include a dock, especially since for $10 more than adding a dock for your U2 iPod (which I don't even suppose would match?) you can double your storage and get a dock anyway.

Grand Theft Auto - still fun.

I don't overly know what else is going on. I am counting down the months (kind of) until my cell contract expires (I've got awhile - it's July) and I can finally get a new one. I don't know that I'll stick with what I have now. Sprint is a viable option, but we'll see what kind of phones are available when the time comes. I have always been a fan of Nokias although Motorola almost kind of has me liking them with the V600. Unfortunately, poor Mac support is enough to drive me away.

Cingular is merging (merged?) with ATT Wireless. Good for them. We'd be all set if they'd just come to Wausau (or buy Cell One)

Here's a thought, Apple. You now have an iPod store. Don't fill up the top space of the regular store with the iPod crap. I swear to God, if you change from a computer company that makes music players to a music player company that also makes computers I will drop you like a hand grenade.

1 nov 2004 Is Tomorrow the End of the World?

Or will all that is good and logical prevail and lead to a new president. All I can really say is, like many other Americans, I am more than a little worried about the outcome of tomorrow's election. Let's hope for the best, I guess.

Anyway, speaking of the best, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is. There is more to this game than I ever could have imagined, and the things you can do are absolutely amazing. I can honestly say it was justified for me to take half of last week off just to play it, because there's that much, and trying to play it only after work would have taken weeks. Rockstar has once again put out a fantastic product that bests the previous version and its competitors in every way.

My five favorite features:

And least favorite:

  • gang territories
  • eating
  • Zero's missions
  • girlfriends
  • flight school

OK - that's it.

1 nov 2004 November

is here now so I have to start filling up space again.

25 oct 2004 Wolves, Eagles, Puppies etc (Won)

Used to Love UJohn Legend

So Bush has a brand new ad. Wow, I am just speechless. Way to drive the point home, Georgie - wait - wait - no. No, you didn't. I think you forgot about that point thing, or maybe there was a point but I didn't catch it because I was trying not to laugh at the voice-over. Whatever kind of accent that is, it's really, really close to being really, really funny.

Speaking of really funny (like, genuinely), the rapid response team over at the Poor Man has this to offer, which is basically the same thing, maybe a little more effective since there is profanity.

Finally, Kerry's side also has an ad with animals, the common thought on which (so I've read) being that it's better... not that it takes much.

24 oct 2004 Back From The DC (Too)

Cars from Door County:

Also, saw the new A6 today. I am very, very disappointed. I mean, it is what I expected after seeing pictures and all, but they could have done so much better. Apparently Audi is trying to prove that BMW isn't the only one that can screw up a car. This leaves me worried about the future of Mercedes - that F1 grille thing is OK on the SLK and SLR, but if they start trying to bring that into other things I am going to be sad. VW should be OK just because they're not in that luxury car fray, meaning it is in their best interest to offer the German driving dynamic in a more conservative package.

I paid my money for GTA:SA today, because it means no waiting in line tomorrow. The local GameStop has about 200 pre-orders, leaving about 20 unreserved copies. There are going to be some very frustrated stupid people this week.

Chicken Fight!

22 oct 2004 The DC (Fore)

We are on are way to Door County this weekend. That sould be a nice time-killer. I don't know that I am happy to be going because I feel there are other things I *should* be doing, but I'm not doing them.

I saw this Capitol Steps show last night. I was glad to see it but also glad I didn't pay for it. It was OK and pretty clever, but the music was their words to other peoples' songs instead of being original which was disappointing.

Oh yeah. I got rid of all my a class="two" tags and replaced them in the CSS with body a:link etc. Exciting stuff, I know.

20 oct 2004 Eh (Sicks)

TroubleBonnie McKee

The "You Got Served" episode of South Park is on and they're dancing to "Achy Breaky Heart." That's just genuine funny. This whole season of the show has been pretty enjoyable, most notably the one in which they buy the weapons from the fair and become samurai.

I got THUG on Saturday, but I'm done with it. It's not bad, and I will probably pick up THUG 2 when it goes on sale. Until then, I can wait - I don't generally need a fix of Tony Hawk all that often, so I'm sure it will be a "greatest hit" when I get the urge to play it again.

Finally, Abe broke down and got a new camera. I like it, but then again, I'm a sucker for anything with a focus ring.

14 oct 2004 Someone Got Their Ass Whupped (12)

Presidential Debate#3 13 Oct 2004 Teenage Dope FiendFlickerstick VertigoU2

Well, debates are all wrapped up.  Read about 'em here, here, here, etc...

It was quite interesting to watch them because on one side you have a confident, self-assured, calm, professional leader, and on the other side you have our current president.

My car battery died, I guess.  I mean, I assume that's what the problem is when it won't start unless it's jumped, and then won't start again unless it's jumped.  It is sitting at Sears right now, awaiting a brand new battery for max winter starting power, and I figured I'd get the tires rotated while I'm at it.

Man, that number up there is getting lower and lower!  I can hardly wait.  I've been trying to pacify myself by playing Gamecube, but it's not doing much good.  Maybe I'll use next week to refresh my madd GTA skillz, or something.

Wow, I am a dork.

9 oct 2004 Furious George (17)

All My LifeFoo Fighters Presidential Debate#2 8 Oct 2004 Sex, Love & MoneyMos Def

Saw the debate last  night - it wasn't as clear cut as the first one.  I was disappointed to not hear the phrase "hard work" at all, but that's to be expected.  I didn't feel that great after seeing it, but the more I read, the better  I feel.  Slate talks about the misses Kerry had in spite of Bush's blunders, but the Daily Kos talks about how incredibly poor Bush's physical presentation was.  This was something I had noticed, but it becomes more apparent when you don't pay attention to what the candidates are saying so much as what they were doing.  Bush interrupted frequently (both Kerry and moderator Charlie Gibson) and his responses were very curt - his tone of voice basically implying that not only Kerry but those asking the questions were not worth his time.  A person on the Daily Kos comment line made a point that who wins the debate basically comes down to who looks better when the sound is off.  Another one for Kerry, then.

In other news, I got around to picking up the new Cake CD today, and I'm pleased with it so far.  I like it much better than Comfort Eagle, which has to be my least favorite of all of theirs.  I like the three earlier ones pretty equally.

We also saw The Ladykillers last night, as well as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind last week.  Both were good.  I wasn't sure about the ending of Ladykillers until I realized that it was a Cohen thing and then it all made sense.  I actually liked Eternal Sunshine, and the storyline was really good despite it's relative slowness through most parts.

I was also excited to see that Kanye's finally released the New Workout Plan as a single - that means video!

7 oct 2004 Non-Debate Crap

Franz Ferdinand's videos just keep getting better.  I was pretty impressed with Take Me Out, but This Fire just kicks its ass.  I also watched Eminem's new video and I'm not sure what I think - it's definitely an Eminem video, but he seems much more morose in this video than he has in others.  Is he calming down?

I don't care who is involved - any remake of the song Car Wash is still going to suck.  But I am completely enthralled with this new Boost Mobile commercial.  Who is the third guy, is what I would like to know.

Bush was actually in town today, for a rally.  The son of a bitch.  I hope he gets his ass handed to him tomorrow night.

Anyway, I am hoping to be starting up a new blog soon - not a replacement for this, but something that I'd be working on with someone else that would actually have worthwhile content.  We'll see how that goes - keep your fingers crossed.

I am hungry now - time for hot dogs!

sizzix oct 2004 More VP Debate Carp (20)

Sooo...correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not sure it bodes well when every other sentence out of our VP's mouth is "he got his facts wrong."  It especially doesn't help when he refers to a url that is a)incorrect - Cheney mentioned .com when the correct site is .org and b)not all that supportive of Cheney's claims - looking at factcheck.org's um, fact-checker for the debate only tells us that Cheney is even less credible than he claims Edwards is.

Speaking of which, why on Earth would Cheney claim to have never met Edwards in all of his two times at congress?  I mean, not only is there a picture, but I can't look at it without visualizing Cheney working the turntables and Edwards doing the robot.

Throw me another funky groove, DJ Liar McChizzeney. 

5 oct 2004 Another Debate For Debating (21)

Stick Up KidLyfe Jennings

After seeing the Cheney in the VP debate, I realized two things:

  1. He kind of looks like a turtle - this isn't helped by his complete lack of head movement during the entire event - he seems to be quite mumbly-grumbly.
  2. I don't think Cheney likes Bush either.  Think about it  - if your boss was a complete maroon, how would you feel?  Between Bush and Cheney, Cheney looks, acts, and speaks more like a president.  If Cheney ran the country (I mean, he does, but officially) I think we'd all feel a little more comfortable because he doesn't come off as a bumbling idiot every time he's in public.

Would I vote for Cheney?  Over Bush, sure.   If my president is going to screw everything up, I want him to at least look like he knows what's going on.  That's why I'm voting for Kerry.

It's hard work!

4 oct 2004 I'm With Stupid (22 Days)

MedullaBjörk Presidential Debate#1 30 Sep 2004

No, wait - I'm with Kerry.  Audible.com has the entire debate downloadable from iTunes - for FREE.

Also, my new favorite site for today is here.

1 oct 2004 This Needs to Be Longer (25 Days)

And so I'm going to waste some space by writing some stuff that's not of any particular interest.  Here goes.

I guess the first of a few debates was last night.  I read a transcript that was linked to from The Poor Man (that alone should give you some idea of who I support) and this whole politics thing is actually pretty interesting to me for the first time in awhile.  I guess it is because I so passionately despise Bush, and I am looking for ways to support my opinion.  I am happy to say that I am not one to blatantly tell people I don't know who to vote for, but I at least have an opinion and reasons to back it up.

Also, it occurred to me that dinner is kind of a strange word.  Growing up, dinner=supper and lunch was separate.   But to some, dinner=lunch and supper is separate.  Something to think about.

Finally, you'll notice the randumb number above.  Given prior entries, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what that's counting down to.

1 se...I mean, oct 2004 It's Not Quite October

but I don't quite care - we'll just pretend it is for right now, ok?  I won't tell anyone if you don't.

26 sep 2004 I Drove the New Escalade

Last ThingDiana Anaid The Delivery ManElvis Costello

The Magnum, I mean.  Not the HEMI, since a) I can't be trusted with one and b) also they didn't have any. But I drove the 3.5 V6 which was very fun and nice.  Despite 2 cylinder disadvantage to "classic" muscle cars, it still had a very strong and powerful-sounding exhaust note.  It was a fun experience.

I also drove a 2001 Jetta on Friday which was OK, but it was only a 115 hp 4 with an automatic, so acceleration was pretty lackluster.  They are fun to throw around corners, though - very solid.  I like VW.  We'll see what happens with that.  I am pretty paranoid about turbos at this point, which is unfortunate because I liked the Passat alot.  I guess if I can find a 6 cylinder Passat or Jetta, that could be good.  I want a tiptronic or a manual, but I am leaning at this point toward a tiptronic because you get benefits from both.  Except that it is looked down upon by performance driving snobs.

We got a good look at the new Odyssey earlier this week as well, and every other minivan should be very afraid right now.  I just wish that Toyota didn't offer AWD because that will sway some people and lure them into this false sense of security.  After looking at Hondas, it is hard to look at other cars because Honda has a very different system of trim levels.  You have the DX-LX-EX generally,  although there is some variance.  But the thing is, there are NO option packages available.  If you want a sunroof, you get an EX automatically.  You don't have to order "premium package 2-B" or whatever.  It's so much easier and the car ends up being it's actual base price, instead of starting at $23K and topping out at $29K with all these options added.  I like that.  VW/Audi is fairly good about this too, but they have a lot of standalone options. 

Speaking of which, why in the world are rear side airbags optional on an AUDI? I find that utterly ridiculous.  I am buying a luxury car but I have to pay extra for more airbags.  Great.  It just doesn't make sense.  Just build it into the car - people like it when more airbags are standard - it's going to be mandatory anyway.  Just put in a defeat switch or a sensor so it turns off depending on the weight of the seat and you're set.  It's not rocket science - the more airbags the better, and the higher the resale.

18 sept 2004 Magnums Are the New Escalade

I think... I've seen a couple between Nelly in the Flap Your Wings video and Carmelo Anthony on Cribs.  I guess it makes sense - it exudes that same sort of badassence that the Escalade did in a more compact package.  And damn, they look good in black.  Now that I think about it, G-Unit had one of them in one of their videos, or maybe just the 300C.  That's pretty cool.  My mom still thinks they look like a hearse, though, but she also laughed when I told her I liked the Infiniti FX. Speaking of parents and cars, my dad is now the owner of a charcoal Honda Accord V6.  I am so proud. One more thing:  I predict that at some point in the near future, both Saturday Night by Ozomatli and Steriogram's Walkie Talkie Man will hit the top of the iTunes chart due to their appearances in iPod commercials.

17 sep 2004 Sly 2: Even Better Than the Original

Could easily have been the development title for Sly 2: Band of Thieves.  I picked it up this afternoon and played it for quite some time.  Somehow, Sucker Punch has managed to make an even better game than the original, and I liked that one an awful lot.  Oh, and thanks to a friend at work, I guess I have Gmail now.

16 sep 2004 Just So You Know

New desktop available. 

13 sep 2004 That Was Terrible!

Flap Your WingsNelly Good Ol' LoveMasta Ace Let Me InYoung Buck Saturday NightOzomatli

I have to apologize for yesterday's absolutely awful quality control.  Not only did the homepage not display properly in Mac IE, but I forgot to finish a sentence.  I am so proud of myself. Anyway, I thought this idea was clever.

12 sep 2004 A Little Bit Confusing

Come AroundMarc Broussard

I have to ask, when did HP's commercials get better than Apple's?  It must have been when they started using the plusses.  I liked those - the ones where the pictures were put into a collage to make a scene etc, etc.  But the new ones for the HP iPod are good too.  Better, in my opinion, than Apple's own.  I think things started going downhill for Apple when they did that iMac tongue commercial - that was pretty dumb.  And now the iPods are shipping in multicolored boxes?  C'mon.  I don't need a bunch of pretty colors on the box for my monochromatic music player.  HP can at least justify it by using photos on their boxes.

Speaking of that iPod thing, I remember way back when the hPod was announced - it was that bluish grey HP color.  Now it's... well, it's white.  Wow, it's so different from the Apple version!  I'd better go get one right away!  The only change that I can recognize is the addition of the HP logo on the back.

Anyway, my dad and I went car shopping yesterday, and I'm trying not to get too excited, but it sounds like he's leaning in the direction of the new Accord.

4 sep 2004 It's Almost Christmas

Well, at least that is what someone I know likes to say.  I'm not sure I really feel that way.  Granted, it is relatively more almost Christmas than it was, say, a month ago, but I don't think it warrants decorations or anything.  As a matter of fact, Christmas decorations should be held off until 2 weeks before, if not completely banned.   There's nothing worse than Christmas lights still up in August.  Well, OK, there are worse things, but it is still pretty bad. Anyway, we were in the Twin Cities last weekend for some good old-fashioned enjoyment. 

We went to malls and IKEA and bought some things, nothing exciting (shirts!).  I saw the Porsche 997 which really, really is gorgeous.   Other cars of interest included (but were not limited to) a couple new Acuras (the 05 RSX, TSX, and TL), Volvo V50 (I sat in one, which I haven't had a chance to do since the car show  in February), the new Subarus (just got a chance to more closely examine them), and finally, in a parking lot for Toys R Us of all places, a Lotus Elise.  I don't know if I'm getting more excited about it than I should, but it's the first one I've ever seen and it was totally unexpected.  The Porsche was a pleasant suprise, but it was a fairly prestigious dealership so I probably would have been disappointed had they not had it.  The Lotus, though, that is a nice little package.   Which reminds me, we also looked at the MR2 Spyder, another nice little package, albeit less unique (and half the price).

You may have also noticed the new "music" category on the right.  I signed up for the iTunes affiliate program to see what the deal is, so we'll see what comes of it.  I would highly recommend In The Shadows and Two Way Monologue (the song more than the album).  And of course, Walkie Talkie Man is the song in the new iPod commercial.

Lord, won't you buy me an Acura TSX?

25 aug 2004 Car Talk

So the scooter phase is done for now, I think,as I have once again been longing for my car.  I looked at a couple last weekend (and was absolutely smitten with a red 99 Accord V6 Coupe) but now I am driving my same old same old.  I am loving it still, but I want to get some money aside for a newer one next summer (the Accord was great, but I'm thinking VW Passat or Subaru Legacy GT if I can find one that is reasonable).   We'll see when we get there, I guess.   I also have my eye on the Acura CL and TL from that era, since I wouldn't feel as though I was abandoning the ship of Honda if I went with one of those.  Then there's the Volvo side of things.  So many choices.

18 aug 2004 In the Cone-Zone:  the Joys of Conan O'Brien

Every so often, when I stay up late enough, I'll catch a new episode of Conan O'Brien.  The problem is, Craig Kilborn is on at the same time and so I find myself flipping between the two in an effort to catch the best of both. All I can say is, thank God for syndication.  Now I can watch the Cone-Zone on Comedy Central as soon as I get home from work!  It's so exciting I can hardly stand it.  I don't know where this is going but it certainly isn't anything near what I was expecting.

Honda Havasu!

16 aug 2004 Paul Has Time On His Hands

I know Paul - he is on this site.  We are co-workers. (SHAMELESS PLUG) That's about all I really know.  I am trying to figure something out right now but that doesn't really explain why I'm not writing.  Laziness - now that would explain why I'm not writing.

10 aug 2004 Random 2 Weeks Update

We replaced the rather large computer desk (like 6' x 6' in an L shape) with some 36 x 18 metal shelves from Le Target.  It looks better,  holds more, and takes up so much less space in the (formerly) cramped bedroom.  In the picture you'll not only see the shelves, but my lovely G3 and Abe's Alienware,  as well as an ancient Marantz receiver and some older Bose 201 speakers.  It is a fantastic sounding system, with the only source being the G3.

I  met yesterday with a really nice person from our local paper.  They are apparently trying to put together a couple of magazines and are recruiting freelancers - it sounds like a fun side project so I hope I'm included.

I bought Franz Ferdinand after about a month of deliberation, and I am  actually pretty pleased.  I also imported a Von Zipper sampler that's been sitting on my desk for who knows how long. 19 more songs until I hit 3000. I have been trying to wrap up Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and I am happy to say I like it again.  Appearance is very different from Driv3r, but it is so  much more fun.  I can't wait for the next installment.

A friend of ours has procured some kittens, and they are the cutest thing in the world.  We went to check them out yesterday, and I was surprised because I'd forgotten how small kittens are.  Also incredibly awkward, in an adorable way.

I only have $500 left to pay off on the moped!

We went to see my parents on Saturday and they ooh 'd and ah 'd about ABE'S NEW CAR.  I must say that I like it an awful lot, too.  Anyway, parents - it was strange walking around the house, because it seems so much smaller than when I lived there.  I don't know if it is because I was under their wing and it was comfortable at the time or because our place has 11-foot ceilings, or both.

The new Porsche 911 and I have come to a mutual understanding.  I will no longer mourn (publicly) the loss of the Boxster headlights and it will maybe be mine someday.  It is certainly a gorgeous car as evidenced by the desktop I now have at work.

I am back in a clothes-buying state of mind.  I spent a bunch of money at AE, including for shoes.  Their shoes have always been fantastic to me, and cheap as well.  I also have serious intentions of buying many shirts at Express when we get there at the end of the month.  I love their shirts. 

3 aug 2004 Living Vicariously Through Strangers

Through the wonder that is engadget, I was directed to a site called (oh, sweet heaven) Autoblog.  Here again, I was redirected to a person who is having to go through the sad, sad duty of buying a brand new car.  She has a list and is taking advice, which people seem to be answering through their own blogs.  Out of those listed (Toyota RAV4, Toyota Echo, Subaru Impreza wagon, Hyundai Tucson, Honda Civic/Hybrid, Toyota Corolla, Honda Element, Hyundai Accent), I am pretty biased toward the Element, because there's one in the family and it's a very nice car.  However, if she wants a "tiny" car, then the Element has to be out because, though it is many things, it is not tiny.  It is fairly substantial.  If you want tiny, you could try a MINI Cooper - however, despite being very cute, they are not as practical as one would think.  Because it's a BMW, it's not exactly cheap to fix - hell, it's not even cheap to buy, for a car of its diminuitive stature.  So let's look at another hatchback - I propose the very reasonably-priced Civic Si.  There's a lot more power than a standard Civic (the same 160 hp engine from the Element and CR-V), and a fairly high level of standard equipment.  The only option is side airbags.  This, however, could present a problem if you're not a fan of manual transmissions, since it's available no other way. 

But let's say four doors are mandatory, since that's the impression I get from the list.  The RAV4 is not a bad choice, as it's the tiniest of tiny SUV's.  It's nice-looking, and although it has less horsepower than some competitors, it compensates for this by being smaller.  The Corolla's also a nice car, but if hauling of any sort is involved it's probably not bad to get a more wagon-like vehicle, and I would choose a Civic over a Corolla any day.  I like the VW Jetta, but that's kind of moot since there's an aversion to anything Volkswagen.   I think the Subaru Impreza is a nice little package, but nothing special unless you have the turbo, which is then just too expensive to be on the list.  You could get  a Kia Rio Cinco and have a car that is way less than all the cars on the list and is really fun to say. 

But I digress; I'm going back to the Civic Si.  Too bad they don't sell the 5-door Civics here.

28 jul 2004 Inevitable Comparisons & The Inter-net

Um, well - I played GTA : Vice City today, to see how it was since I've been playing Driv3r for quite some time, and now I don't know what to think.  I really like Grand Theft Auto for its immersiveness (I know I've mentioned this prior) but Driv3r, in spite of its numerous glitches, is really a nice-looking game.  Furthermore, the controls feel tighter compared than those of GTA.  This is purely subjective, but I think Driv3r balances well between the looseness of GTA and the extreme tightness of The Getaway.  It will take awhile to get used to again, but I think I can make the sacrifice for San Andreas.

Speaking of websites (who?) - here are some that I've recently been enamored with:  gtagaming.com; engadget.com; joystiq.com; consolidatedskateboard.com; adultswim.com; elementskateboards.com; toymachine.com; edmunds.com; apple.com; gamespot.com; esfootwear.com; that's it for now.

 

And so Adult Swim - what is going on here?  This week Seth McFarlane (creator of Family Guy) is showing his four favorite episodes and personally introducing each.  Fine - great idea.  But so far, two of the three were on last week.  Just venting.

15 jul 2004 Boredom & More New Games

andylaub.com has changed yet again.  I think I am finally happy enough to leave it alone for awhile - I don't think quarterly relaunches should be necessary.   It ties in nicely with LaubJournal and for that, I am thankful.

I bought Ratchet & Clank awhile ago and while it took me awhile to get into, I can now say I like it very much.  The same goes for Prince of Persia.  It has a Max Payne-like quality to it in that the levels are relatively brief, which means that I'll continue to play, saying, "OK, this is the last level then I'm done - wait, that next one doesn't look too bad, I'll do that one," and so on and so forth.

I also recently procured a copy of The Spine.  Very good album.

19 jul 2004 Some Good Things & Some Other Things

Homestar Runner .com has some very nice features right now, including not only a Decemberween in July special, but also a video they did for They Might Be Giants, who I guess have a new album out. I think I might get it, but I want to see if it's going to be on iTunes first.

I am continually trying to convince myself that I do not need a car. There are so many nice ones out there, and some of those are actually affordable by someone in my position. I actually am leaning back toward good ol' Honda, with the Civic Si and the Acura RSX. Both of these are reasonably-priced with good-sized engines for their small statures (same as Abe's El..er, CR-V). I am very fond of smaller, low-down cars. I drove a Nissan Murano on Friday and while it had more than adequate power (Nissan's 3.5L V6), it was verging on being uncomfortably high. It's not a bad car at all, but the dealership we were at confirmed my beliefs - Nissan is great at design, but not at build quality / resale value. Hondas have some of the highest resale out there which is great if you buy new, drive little, and sell early.

There's also a new iPod.

15 jul 2004 Some Websites & Some Music Thing

I was putting a thing together at work today which, among other things, was featuring a new vendor of ours, ipath. Because of this, I ventured over to their site to check it out, and it is good. There is a section where people can send pics of their ipath shoes. One week, however, they were pretty light on images so they just took random photos of their office, which is probably the funniest thing ever - you don't generally expect to see "isn't this the coolest printer ever?" on an action sports site. Also notable, since I'm in this groove, is Alpinestars, as well as Seven2, whose initial ads (which are awesome) had no url on them so for a long while I didn't even know what they were for. And finally, go get this magazine because it's cheap and interesting.

I saw this movie/music thing somewhere and figured I'd do it too*:

*If you don't already have iTunes, you live a sad, sad life.

13 jul 2004 Really (REALLY!) Bad Jokes & Good Games

A coworker brought in Laffy Taffy this morning which resulted in a barrage of absolutely awful jokes flying back and forth via email:

Why were the baby strawberrys crying? Because their mom and dad were in a jam.

What did the baby horse say to the mean horse? Be kind to your neigh-bors!

Where can a monster always find friendship? In the dictionary.

What did the volcano say to the other volcano? I lava you.

How are a clergyman and a small blender alike? They're both mini-stirs.

What do you get when you cross a chicken and a spaniel? Cockerdoodledoo.

Where do cows go to have fun? The moo-vies.

Why did the farmer feed the cow money? He wanted rich milk.

Great. So I also decided to pick up Sly Cooper and Max Payne over the weekend, which cost me a not unreasonable sum of $26. I am pleased with both - Payne because it is a Rockstar effort and therefore there's no possible way not to like it, and Cooper because it's a lighter side of stealth, which is really pretty fun. At this point I am more addicted to the latter because I tend to tear through platformers if I really enjoy them. Max Payne is, of course, a lot darker, which will keep me from moving through it too quickly. I also want to continue Driv3r and MGS2, which I haven't touched for awhile. I was tempted by Ratchet & Clank at the game store so I foresee that one in the near future as well.

12 jul 2004 The X505 & The Cars We Should Have

An article about Sony's upcoming "iPod killer" led me over to their store today, where I was sidetracked (again) by their limited-edition X505 notebook. This is quite a machine, and looks are in the "to die for" category, but it's hard to believe that it'd make a good everyday computer. I have to wonder what kind of person would spend 3 grand on system like this. I certainly couldn't justify it. It's a great-looking package but I don't think it could surpass my laptop in any aspect but portability, which itself is a mixed blessing. With every pound dropped you lose some features critical to the overall experience. I'm not even sure it has speakers. With the X505, Sony is apparently out to prove that a notebook can be cool or practical, but not both.

My internet explorations also brought me to Alfa Romeo where I spent about 20 minutes drooling over cars that will never make it here (and some that won't make it anywhere). I wish Alfa would come back to the States. Same goes for Seat, Peugeot, Citroen, etc. Maybe I should just go to Europe again. The biggest shock for me the last time I came back was how much rattier the cars here are. In Munich, every other car is a BMW. They're not all new ones, but they're in spectacular condition because of Germany's stricter maintainence laws.

9 jul 2004 Packaging & Replacement Parts

It seems to be a fairly common sentiment that the best packaging around right now belongs to Apple's iPod. While I agree that the iPod packaging is clever and attractive, my vote for the best goes to Crank Brothers. Never heard of them? Crank Brothers created a bike pedal known as the Egg Beater, called such because of it's resemblance to (surprise!) an egg beater, which has now evolved into multiple lines of pedals, all of which use the same basic concept. Good things have been said about these pedals (none of which were from me, but I like them alot), and a lot of compliments have also been made about the packaging. Crank Brothers has designed a package that makes you feel that you are opening the most important pedals in the world. It's a fairly simple design, involving an outer sleeve that slides off (similar to the iPod's) and a box with thicker sides. The pedals are inside, surrounded by black foam, and anything else you'd need is on display for you. I had initially only seen the packaging for mine, the Candy SL, but I saw the packaging for the standard Egg Beaters last night, and it's every bit as nice, something that can't be said about Apple. True, my iPod came in a fantastic piece of packaging, but I can't say the same about my Powerbook. It feels as though Crank Brothers also used higher-quality materials, as well, versus Apple's liberal use of white styrofoam. Finally, I like that the CB packaging doesn't use any plastic bags (it's not necessary in this application). And you get a sticker.

So anyway, I got new pedals yesterday, which resulted in the crank arm getting stripped when I tried to put one of them on. I took it to the bike shop and he was able to put the pedal on, which is good. However, I have been kind of done with this crank since I got it so I ordered a new one, now that I finally had an excuse. As it turns out, the bottom bracket was exceptionally loose so he tightened that for me also. I like that place a lot. If they had a website I would link to it.

8 jul 2004 Freak-Out Flicks & Footwear Revolutions

Last night we watched The Butterfly Effect with Ashton Kutcher. I was impressed. I was kind of leaning toward liking him again and this pushed me. The movie itself is both clever and enjoyable. The DVD has two versions; I prefer the director's cut to the theatrical version (different endings), just because it's a neater package (story-wise, I mean). From what I'm aware, there aren't many changes between the two barring the endings and certain key parts that contribute to them.

Nike is trying to convince everyone that it has the next next thing in training footwear, that being NIKE FREE, which involves working the same muscles you would if you trained barefoot. I 'd be fairly oblivious to this if not for the fact that I've spent the last three weeks waiting for artwork so I could put an internet thing together for it. I wish I could say I came up with the design, but I didn't.

7 jul 2004 Biographies & Euthanization

Some of my regular readers (all 1 of them) may notice the update to the menu at left. I figured, copycat that I am, that it would be good to have a biography, since it was never my intent nor is it my desire to remain completely anonymous.

Also, I received a call from my dad today, to let me know they are going to euthanize our oldest cat, CooCoo. Name notwithstanding, CooCoo was cat who was both loving and demanding. In her later years her caterwauling would fill the house--being deaf, she had no idea what was going on and this was her way of keeping in touch. She was my first cat ever, and probably the best, too. She lived an amazingly long and healthy life, to the age of 21.

This kind of thing starts me thinking about death in general, and I become very weighed down with all kind of emotions. At that point it's best for me just to go distract myself with something else.

7 jul 2004 The Formal List & The Rhetorical Question

I rely far too much on both. This blog is just not what I want it to be. Now that I have finally found a design that I like I really need to focus on improving the content. The entries should be statements, not questions as though I'm seeking affirmation for the way I feel about things. I wouldn't mind hearing as such, but as of now I am done listing and asking unless there's a very good reason for either.

4 jul 2004 The Fourth of Today

It's fireworking outside the window - how much more could you ask for on Independence Day?

Also, what better website could there be than one on which to rate your kitten?

1 jul 2004 Everybody's Doing It

...and by everybody I mean excurs.us and ten23.net. So without further ado, my list of the ten best cover songs:

U2 - Theme from Mission:Impossible The original M:I theme was great. This version is awesome. I don't really know why, since it's just a remake of a theme from an old tv show, but it is definitely cool.

Bloodhound Gang - Kids in America I guess, because it doesn't sound like the Bloodhound Gang? I think this was originally the Muffs, but I could be way off and I don't feel like looking it up.

Ben Harper - Strawberry Fields When I was *gasp!* tired of the original, Ben made it cool again.

Ben Folds - In Between Days Honestly? I didn't know this was a cover. I like the new song and I like the original. PS original by the Cure.

The Wallflowers - I Started a Joke The original (Bee Gees, I think) - boring. This? Not.

Bond - Libertango Orig: Grace Jones. Both good. Bond's songs are great.

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - Mandy Actually, MFGG's songs are all incredibly good - what do you expect from a band who makes a rock ballad out of a Barry Manilow song?

Cake - Mahna Mahna Anyone who watched the muppets should know this song. And since everything Cake touches is awesome, who's to say this is any different? I highly recommend hunting this one down.

Billy Joel's Movin' Out OK, so Billy Joel wrote the musical, but the artists (Darren Holden, Matt Wilson, Michael Cavenaugh, depending on what show you see) who perform the songs are fantastic, and the remasters of the originals are incredible. I'd have to say my favorite is Shameless, but the whole CD is great if you're into Billy Joel.

Santa Esmerelda - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood As good as it gets - I love this song - that Quentin Tarantino is so great at picking out music. From Kill Bill vol. 1, by the way.

PS, happy July, and to get the songs you'll need iTunes.

28 jun 2004 Shoe Excitement (And Other Things)

So, first things first - the displays have finally landed. They're nice - enough said.

Secondly, a bus seemed to have a minor problem navigating the turn behind our apartment. Finally, shoes. I got some. For biking, and stuff. They are nice - the Nike Kato II. The thing I like so much is that they are very similar to my Tupu running shoes in many ways. It looks like they even share certain pieces. This is all well and good, but what good would biking shoes be without a bitchin' pair of clipless pedals? I ordered those, but they're not here yet. I'm waitin'.

27 jun 2004 Motorcycles Are Awesome

And Driv3r has a lot of them. It's shaping up to be a decent game, although the combat is peppered with areas of frustration, stemming from the sheer randomness of some situations. For example, on your final mission in Miami, you're required to "shoot your way through" a building with another person on your side. This other person, I swear, is absolutely insane. There were times he'd stay back and do what you'd want him to do (shoot bad guys), but every so often he'd rush ahead and get himself killed or he would shoot me. That's about the most frustration I've experienced so far, barring some vague instructions that left me wondering what to do. All in all, I would recommend the game to anyone who's into that kind of driving and shooting business, because I certainly am.

And speaking of motorcycles, I watched Mission Impossible 2 the other night. It was decent but I really just like it for the Triumph Speed Triple. In addition to that, and because I haven't made a list in awhile, here are other good motorcycles:

These, with the exception of the Harley, of course, are all 600cc bikes. That means that not only are they cool to look at, they're attainable (with the exception of the BMW) as well. I really am a big fan of both the Honda and the Triumph specifically, and those will probably be the two main contenders if I start to look at motorcycles over the next couple of years.

22 jun 2004 Well Yeah

It's hard to really qualify Driv3r at this point. I like the additional vehicles and the detail in the cities seems to be adequate. The problem - well, the main problem and the biggest difference between the Driver series and Grand Theft Auto is that Driver's environments are very stark and artificial while GTA's make you feel much more at home. Simple things are missing, most notably interaction with others. There's not a lot of this in GTA but it makes you feel like part of the world. I also prefer the radio stations of GTA to the ambient music of Driver (and The Getaway), especially with the commercials.

I have yet to play the missions at this point, since I spent most of the night getting acclimated to the new surroundings, but Driv3r will shape up to be a decent time waster if nothing else.

22 jun 2004 !!!

Coolest thing ever!

22 jun 2004 D3lay3d

So, I suppose you'd be expecting me to rant and/or rave about Driv3r. Unfortunately, I can't. In spite of the call I got Sunday about the reservation arriving yesterday, it was not there. As it turns out, it got delayed in shipping. I am sad about this and a bit angry, but not enough to boycott GameStop. It is not their faults and they were nice enough to call me (after the fact) and let me know it was delayed, so at least they were trying. It was sad, but not a huge deal. As a result I finished the vigilante missions in the other game whose name I shall not mention. Man, the drama in my life is just insane, no?

21 jun3 2004 Driv3r Is Out Today!

I AM MOR3 3XCIT3D THAN I HAV3 3V3R B33N.

18 jun 2004 Bored & Busy at the Same Time (v6.0)

Well, here is the sixth iteration of my site, the second of LaubJournal, and the first created in Dreamweaver. Fun times. I'm happy to say that I have once again been blessed with G5 at work, this time a dual 1.8Ghz. I also have Studio MX 04 at work which is awesome.

Now for some sad news: not one, but two people in my department are leaving. My boss left to pursue another job opportunity locally. He was--well, he still is--a fantastic guy, and we had similar senses of humor and taste in television. I'll miss seeing him at work and hopefully we'll still have chances to hang out. The other person was in the same position I am, and he's going to North Carolina, which kind of makes me jealous. I didn't know him quite as well, but was getting to. It will suck for them to not be around.

Of course, that means more work for those of us left, but that is an exciting prospect in that I get more responsibility again. Anyway, done writing, time for dinner.

PS: click on the horse for a desktop download.

7 jun 2004 Straight From the Horse's Porch

This marks my very first ever blog entry from outdoors. As of right now, we are sitting on our new deck with our laptops. Wow, we are geeks. It is great out here, though - it's 10 PM and it's still 80 degrees. Let's hope we get more weather like this.

Anyway, I finally broke down and bought a Game Boy Advance SP. I don't know why; it's not like I needed another Game Boy. It's awfully cute, though.

3 jun 2004 Updating for the Sake of Updating

There was this one time where I had this blog and I didn't update it for like two weeks. Wait - that was now. Anyway, here I am with a list of fragmented thoughts:

17 may 2004 The Weather. The Getaway. 1 of Them Sucks.

Despite th