12 posts tagged “crazy”
I've started an online round robin tournament...
of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Join the fun at ssbbrrtt.ning.com, and follow ssbbrrtt on twitter to get updates and results.
What have I gotten myself into?
Mod-chipping your console shouldn't be a crime. But wait, once again I am getting ahead of myself.
What the heck is a mod-chip, anyway? According to Wikipedia (ultimate source of all knowledge? Nah. Not so much. But sufficient for this purpose), a modchip is "a device used to circumvent the digital rights management and/or region coding of many popular game consoles, including those made by Microsoft (Xbox series), Sony (PlayStation series), and Nintendo (GameCube, Wii) for the purposes of playing backup, imported, pirated, or homebrew games and/or applications." - Wikipedia - "modchip"
Essentially, you are circumventing DRM. Now, technically, this is a violation of one of the worst pieces of legislation in living memory - The Digital Millenium Copyright Act, or DMCA. First, let me say that I have never used a modchip, am not currently in the market for modchips, and would not use a modchip in any of my consoles. Let me also state for the record that pirated games do violate copyright, and appropriate steps should be taken to prevent copyright infringement. But the mere fact that I am installing a chip to allow myself several substantial non-infringing uses should not be grounds for the FBI and Homeland Security raiding the house. Imagine if you could be prosecuted for putting an after market part on a car - something that allowed the car better gas mileage, or allowed it to use diesel fuel, ethanol, and regular gas. That's your modchip. Homebrew apps and games are non-infringing uses of this technology, are a grounds for innovation, and should be encouraged, not criminalized. And am I the only one that wonders what the heck Homeland Security is doing getting involved in this? The FBI I can see. All those anti-piracy warnings on DVDs and videotapes make it pretty clear that the Feds will come after you for that pirated copy of Tron sitting in your parents' basement. But Homeland Security? Don't they have better things to do? Like, say, fence-building, as a suggestion?
And that's what I keep coming back around to. I admit that I think terror is a threat. I think we do need a functioning Homeland Security department. But the way this is being implemented is confusing the hell out of me. If there is a credible, tangible connection between modchipping and other alleged copyright violations and terrorism (as I seem to recall Alberto Gonzales claiming), let's see the evidence. Make the case before the American public. But unless and until that's done, I've got no choice but to consider this an area that Homeland Security should keep its grubby little mitts off of, and get back to more credible threats. Unless they just don't have a lot to do (ahem, there's a fence that needs building, did I mention that?), in which case maybe it's time for a little downsizing.
Yes, lap dances are free speech. Thanks, Oregon, for clearing that up.
It's been a freaky busy month. Work all day, then to Barbri night classes. Out the door at 7:30 am, back after 9:30. Every day. Through the rest of June.
Not that I'm complaining. Barbri is helping, and I think this is it. Third time's the charm, right? That's what I'm thinking.
Last night, I had a rare night off, so I got to call home and talk to my Dad. Who challenged me to a weight loss contest. I've got to lose as much weight as possible between now and my birthday, Aug 13. He's got until his birthday, the 11th. We'll see who wins. (Would hitting the GNC for that "alli" stuff be cheating? Probably? Yeah. But it's not like there's actual, factual rules for this... Hmmm...)
So, we'll see what happens. I'll weigh myself tomorrow, and it'll kick off my next Body for Life Run. I made it through six weeks last time? It's a twelve week program, and I'm hoping that I can stick it out this time. Wish me luck!
Your favorite lawyer/blogger/radio talk show host extraordinaire, Hugh Hewitt (author of "BLOG", and "A Mormon in the White House?: Ten things every American should know about Mitt Romney"), is broadcasting from some kind of South American Temple. And who shows up to be interviewed?
Scott Sigler. And then you start gushing to Mr. Hewitt about Scott's books ("Oh my gosh! It's Scott Sigler! Author of EARTHCORE, and ANCESTOR" you say in your best radio announcer voice as you're pumping Sigler's hand for all it's worth).
And when Hugh looks up from his desk at you with an annoyed glance, you immediately promise not to say anything during the show. And you'll go sit down over there. And you go sit. (Luckily it's a commercial break). But then you pipe up before the show kicks in - "Ancestor hits stores April..." and you want to say the 15th, and you wake up cursing yourself because you couldn't tell Hugh it hit Amazon on the 1st, made it all the way to 7th on that day (beating the aforementioned "Mormon in the White House" by about 20 places), but you know that just would have annoyed Mr. Hewitt all the more.
Yeah. Forgetting Sigler's release date. That's when you know you're dreaming.
Well, it's done. All done. Results are expected on May 4th. In the meantime, I need to sign up for the MPRE, and study for that. But not tonight.
I don't know that I mentioned it anywhere else, but I thought I'd take a minute and relate an interesting thing that happened to me last year.
It was the middle of the second day of the test, and I was sitting off to the side, eating my lunch when a man came up and started talking to me. I didn't know this guy from Adam, and he starts talking about issues and questions and all these things that happened in the Multistate that day. And I nodded and listened, and offered some commiseration. And I don't know how we got on the subject, but all of a sudden he started bad mouthing conservative judges in Texas, and conservative lawyers, and conservatives in general. Somehow, Alberto Gonzalez came up, and... well... I kept on nodding and listening. And he's joking with me about how he'll nod and agree with conservative bosses, keeping his true politics close to the vest.
And, well, the other day I started thinking about it. Now, I'm an Idaho farm boy. Growing up on a potato farm in Idaho around some very, VERY conservative people has left its mark. I'm pretty conservative. And a believer that America is a pretty special place. But for some reason, this guy was very comfortable spouting off a left-wing rant at me. So, do I give off some kind of crazy, liberal vibe? Or am I just a good listener?
Hmmm... I was even wearing my "Peace through Superior Firepower" shirt. Although to be fair, I was sitting with my back to a concrete pillar, so he probably didn't see it.
Studying like c-ra-zy. The Bar is Tuesday. And Wednesday. And Thursday. Next week is going to be interesting.
Not to mention that I've been out of town on business off and on for the last three weeks. It's a little nerve-wracking. Body for Life got thrown under a bus. I had six good weeks, and then it just kind of all fell apart. I haven't gained the weight back (as far as I know), but I can feel the muscle tone leaving, and that's just no good. So a week from Friday, I'll be back on the wagon. Podcasting will resume. Some creative writing projects will kick off. I'll be able to relax with the family more. And some reading I promised myself I would do this year will kick off.
This year, I promised myself that I would start filling in what I regard as holes in my education - that I would become more familiar with classical thought and classical thinkers, starting with Aristotle's Ethics. I've set a goal to read that and Plato's The Republic by the end of the year. I think it stands to reason that to be able to argue well (hello - wanna be a lawyer) and persuasively, one has to think well, and that starts by reading the people who did it best.
And after the Bar, the company may keep me flying to new and unusual places, and that will be a lot more enjoyable once I'm past next week.
But I can't talk right now... I've got to get back to studying.
So, Claire was baptized a week ago Sunday. Since then...
Had a good visit with my parents...
Had my 10 year wedding anniversary. (Yay us!)
Grandpa caught the stomach flu. As did everyone else. Except me.
But Grandpa was a special case because it played havoc with his diabetic medication, causing his blood sugar to crash. Causing the paramedics to come out at 2:30 AM on Wednesday morning. And again at 7:30.
Yesterday, we had freezing rain most of the day, prompting most everyone in my office to declare that they were working from home. After a brief meeting, I likewise declared victory and quit the field to work from home.
Which I did until about 7:00 last night, when I had to take Grandma to the emergency room, because half of her face was swelling up. Swollen spit gland the (not great bedside manner) doctor told us. I asked if we should fill the prescription on the way home. And Grandma said we'd do it in the morning. And I found that my lack of diligence at diet and exercise hasn't done too much damage. I weighed in yesterday a little over 245. Which, considering my scale, puts me somewhere around 255.
This morning, I found my car encased in a 1/4" thick ice cocoon. And the pharmacy was closing in an hour. And I still have to get 9 hours of work in. Chiseled (literally - with a screwdriver) the edges of the doors free of the ice, then turned the car on and let it run for 30 minutes. During which time it rolled about ten feet back down the road because my parking brake apparently needs adjustment.
Made it to Albertson's for Grandma's prescription, as well as kitty litter, dry cat food, and wet cat food (the essentials), as well as some milk and an Odwalla bar. (Because I'm addicted. Okay? I said it. Chocowalla. Mmmmmmm.) And when we got back I took a few more pictures. Here they are.
Stay Warm!
So, I was talking to Claire about what kind of game she wants to play.
She wants to be a rock star mermaid who can shape shift, and has adventures in space.
Help!
