Feeling: Sleepy

And so, all of the villagers chased Albi the racist dragon into a very cold and very scary cave. And it was so cold, and so scary in there, that Albi began to cry dragon tears. Which as we all know turn into jellybeans!

The Wonder Boy In Monster World font is now in the Game Font Database.

The more I work with PHP and MySQL, the less I like them. Their inability to handle quotes and slashes easily is going to be the death of me. I have most of the user registration with email confirmation finised for the VGMPF. I still need to create a proper log in page, but after that the VGMPF will take it's first steps towards becoming a true community site.

Feeling: Sleepy

I need another weekend after last weekend. Friday was pretty typical. I ran a mile after work, took dinner at a rib joint, walked around the mall, played some computer games, and went to bed at 2:00 AM. At least I tried to go to sleep at 2. After failing to sleep for a few minutes, I got back up and killed time surfing the InterWebs. Then, around 5:00 AM, I felt tired and went back to bed.

On Saturday, I slept until 1:00 PM, got breakfast at Leo's Coney Island, headed over to the mall (again), and ran into Devin and Ryan. We went back to Devin's and moved a couple of couches up from the basement. Then, for some stupid reason, while I was moving a couple throw pillows into the living room, I walked right into a hanging light fixture. I completely saw it, but it just didn't register in my brain to take evasive action. So, I cut the tip of my ear open, fun! Devin, Ryan, and I played some pool and darts, but I had to leave at 8 since Amber was coming up to pick up her computer (hopefully for the last time!).

I woke up Sunday morning to blood on my pillowcase. Apparently, my ear hadn't healed as well as I thought it did. Amber and I spent most of the day playing pool with Devin, Kaylee, and her brother Andrew, and then watching various TV shows. Flight of the Conchords is very funny in an awkward-indie-pop-music sort of way, The Venture Bros. is very funny in a disgusting-parody-of-children's-cartoons sort of way, and Freaks and Geeks is very funny in a that's-exactly-what-my-life-was-like-in-high-school sort of way.

I finally finished up the program I've been working hella-crazy on. Some minor bugs may surface in it once it goes into production, but the bulk of it is working like a champ.

Feeling: Drained

I went die hard coding monster on my problem at work. It's mostly done, I just have some debugging to do on it.

I spent a couple hours working on the server-side PHP / MySQL conversion for the VGMPF. I didn't expect PHP to be such a crappy language or MySQL to be such a crappy database, but there you go. They're industry standards, so I might as well get used to it. I doubt I'll convince my Web host to switch out its LINUX/Apache severs for Windows/ISS so I can use ASP.

Weekend... finally!

Feeling: Determined

Microsoft is being sued by an Israeli company that claims to own a patent on updating software. Seriously, why does the US Patent Office even consider allowing stuff like this?

Science has given us millions of life-saving technologies and a realistic understanding of how the universe works. However, in doing so, it has also ruined the world of super heroes.

You've heard of white noise, right? Well did you know that noise comes in all sorts of colors like red, blue, pink, and purple? Each one sounds a little different.

I made it quite a bit further in Serpent Isle last night. I rescued Shamino, found the Mad Mage, got the Phoenix egg, reassembled Boyden, got the serpent jaw, visited Monk Isle, got the spell book, and I almost have every spell in the game (I'm still missing a few spells that you get from quests and the ones from the mainland that I can't get back to yet).

I've been putting a lot of work into making the VGMPF a proper online database as well. I'm currently writing the PHP for keeping a user database to allow people to create their own accounts.

In non-recreational software, I'm working on a major program change at work. Basically, I'm taking a large mission-critical section of our code that has become a kluge due to years of minor additions, and stream-lining it to be more efficient and understandable. I also have a tight deadline, so it's making my nerves a little crazy!

Feeling: Dazed

The music from arcade version of Marble Madness has been added to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

While picking my mother up from the airport last night I had two interesting thoughts. One; I really like driving through tunnels. I'm not sure why, I just think they're cool. Two; I find it very funny when an ugly yellow Pontiac Aztec is towed away with a barking Chihuahua inside.

Why is Ms. Pac-Man called "Ms. Pac-Man"? Shouldn't the game be called Pac-Woman? Is she a transvestite or something?

My grandmother's cancer hasn't spread yet, so she's looking good to make a full recovery. Awesome.

Feeling: Happy

Added another short soundtrack to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

It's sad that some of the best-selling Atari 2600 games are also the worst Atari 2600 games.

If you're going to do something spiteful make sure it doesn't wind up on the Internet, otherwise your life will be over as millions of anonymous people will think it's their patriotic duty to ruin your life.

Off to go pick my mum up from the aeroport.

Feeling: Happy

I had a wonderful weekend. Went to my niece's birthday Friday night (there were balloons, GAH!), had a cookout and game night on Saturday, and spent Sunday sleeping in, lazing at the mall, and at Rachel and Phil's.

I've been replaying Ultima VII - Part II: Serpent Isle. I don't think I ever beat the game before, but I'm really enjoying it. I remember very little about the game, but I'm making pretty good progress through it.

The Periodic Table of Typefaces is awesome! You'll notice that Comic Sans is nowhere to be seen.

SpiralFrog, a free online music site, recently went out of business. This is a great upset for its customers, not so much that the company is dead, but the fact that in 60 days, all of the music that SpiralFrog's customers downloaded will no longer be playable! This is because the company used DRM (digital restrictions management) which prevents you from listening to your own music unless the SpiralFrog Web site allows you. So in 60 days, when the SpiralFrog Web site goes offline, so does the music. Advocates of DRM say that, because the music was free, people shouldn't be complaining over losing something that they never paid for. That right away should tell you what DRM advocates think about customers, however, they also fail to mention that SpiralFrog was forcing its customers to look at advertising the entire time they were listening to their music, so the music wasn't as free as they claim. Regardless of whether the music was free, what happens when a pay site goes offline? How then do you justify DRM when billions of songs suddenly stop working and there isn't even a company left to sue?

Time lapse videos are cool.

Feeling: Cheery

Just be thankful that some of the best movies ever were not made with today's actors.

I'm heading to my niece's birthday party tonight. She's turning... well... I forget how old she is. But the important thing is I got her a good gift. I bought her the boxed set of the "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Laura is a much better role model than some big breasted blonde slut like Barbie.

Ferrofluids are awesome. As are non-Newtonian liquids.

More updates to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation. I've added two more composers, a new FAQ database, and some original Major Stryker MIDIs.

Feeling: Happy

Psystar, a company that makes computers that can run Mac OS, but at a couple hundred dollars cheaper than a Apple's price, is being sued by Apple. The reason? Apple hates competition. Especially when they find out their computers are hackable after only a few seconds.

Want to optimize your PNG graphics? What about make extremely well compressed ZIP files? Want to use an AI to beat Minesweeper in record time? You'll find these programs and more at the utilities page of Ken Silverman (of Build Engine fame).

See? I'm not the only one who has a problem with houndstooth! And I'm not the only one who made the houndstooth/Galaga connection!

Four more composers have been added to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

Feeling: Frustrated

The pope is a MORON! He went to AIDS infested Africa and told everyone there that condoms can't solve their problem with AIDS, and in fact, condoms make the problem worse. Yeah, that's exactly what you should tell a country who routinely performs exorcisms on children and thinks raping a virgin will cure AIDS. STUPID pope! You're so STUPID! See if I ever have juice and crackers with him again!

Discovery Communications is suing Amazon claiming Amazon violated their patents eBook DRM (digital restrictions management). That's like suing someone because they're trying to steal your evilness.

In an interview, the Canadian Minister of State for Science and Technology, Gary Goodyear, refused to answer whether or not he believes in the overwhelming evidence of evolution. When asked why he wouldn't answer the question, Goodyear claimed that the question was "irrelevant," and, "I am a Christian, and I don't think anybody asking a question about my religion is appropriate." Apparently, the scientific model of evolutionary biology is somehow religious in nature, who knew? Maybe he should reexamine his job title. I think Dr. Brian Alters summed up the scientific community's exasperation best by saying, "It is the same as asking the gentleman, 'Do you believe the world is flat?' and he doesn't answer on religious grounds."

To all you politically correct people: there is a difference between "sex" and "gender". Sex refers to biological (i.e., male or female), gender refers to social (i.e., masculine or feminine). I never want to see the statement "Gender: Female" ever again. Using the word "sex" to define a person's sexual organs doesn't make you insensitive, so stop euphemizing it. Just because people don't always identify with their sexual organs doesn't change the fact that they have them.

In less aggravating news, I've added three more composers to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

Feeling: Happy

I've added the Commodore 64 Highlander soundtrack to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation... and (don't hate me) Google ads to help pay for it.

Apple is at it again. You can't even listen to the new iPod Shuffle without their specially made (over priced) headphones. Even third-party companies will have a hard time making headphones because Apple actually added an authentication chip to the headphones themselves! You can read up some more about their proprietary bullshit at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. I still can't understand why people feel the need to be so "cool" as to buy from Apple.

Just as expected, the Obama administration isn't going to be as God-send as they claimed. Just like Bush's evil regime before them, the Obamites have decided to uphold warrantless wireless recording program on cell phone providers. While the Obamites claims that this is hardly a violation of the fourth amendment (which prevents US citizens from being searched without just cause), allow me to elaborate on what this means. At any time they want, for no reason whatsoever, the government can know exactly where you've been for the past 18 months, where you are now, and where you're going--not to mention who you've spoken to in the last 18 months, and who you're speaking to right now. Imagine how easy it would be to blackmail someone if you could trace their footsteps for the past 18 months. That's the kind of power we've just given them.

Feeling: Happy

Big news at the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation! Not only is there a new song, but the site is now on it's own domain. www.vgmpf.com is now live!

Kind of a weird weekend. I took my mother to the airport, was visited by Amber, got up far too early, stayed zombified all afternoon, and spent an evening at Rachel and Phil's failing to get the good ending in Bubble Bobble. 120 hit point end bosses suck.

I also played Catch Phrase with some high schoolers which made me fear for our nation's future. My phrase was "Geiger counter", and it went something like this: "It's used to measure radiation." One kid, completely serious, says, "tape measure". I laugh hysterically thinking to myself, "you did not just say that!" I tried a different approach; "it makes a clicking noise it is near radiation." "A thermometer?" I fell out of my chair I was laughing so hard. Then comes the even more inane question from the sophomore, "Why is he laughing?" Seriously? You don't even know why your answer was moronic? My chest is hurting from laughing so hard, so I give up and tell them the answer. "It was Geiger counter." "Well what is that?" I'm asked. I decide to make an equally moronic reply, "It's a tape measure!" Then, the kid gets all defensive, "but that's what I said!" Yes... that is what you said. Youth of the nation.

Enjoy Cracked Magazine's 7 dinosaurs you could take in a fight.

It turns out that the Texas legal system doesn't believe people when they use the excuse "we were performing an exorcism" when an infant is murdered. Good work Texas.

Feeling: Sleepy

The showing last night went smoothly. I saw several of my family members and paid my respects to my great aunt Gladys. I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing a dead body. They never look dead, I always think that all I'll need to do is give them a shake and they'll wake up.

I woke up to an odd dream this morning.

The Commodore 64 Ocean Loaders have been added to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

Hello Saferide's video for 2006 is amazing.

Also, visit YouTube vixen Border Patrol Bull. She makes me feel kind of funny... like when we used to climb the rope in gym class. She also does several hilarious skits as the Nostalgia Chick. Pigtails and a bowtie? Mmm mmm good!

Feeling: Sleepy

I'm heading down to my great aunt's showing tonight. I'm dressed up out of respect, and it made me think of something that's probably in poor taste to mention, but that's never stopped me before. I bought the suit that I'm wearing last year. It was the first suit I ever bought for myself (my other suit was paid for by my mother). Few times in my life have ever made me feel as grown-up as buying my first suit. Weird.

The Hocus Pocus soundtrack has been added to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

Every evening this week I've had trouble getting to slept and every morning I've slept through my alarm. Why can't society just adjust to my sleep cycle instead of the other way around? I mean, ultimately, I'm more important than a mere culture.

Feeling: Sleepy

Good news and bad news in the family. The good news is that my grandmother's cancer is still in stage 1, which means that there is a good chance that she will be able to make a recovery. The bad news is that my grandfather's sister, known lovingly as "Aunt Gladys", has died. While I was never that close to her, I have fond memories of her house on the lake where the whole family would spend the summer holidays. She will be missed.

The Streets of Rage 2 soundtrack has been added to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

The game Altered Beast is pretty bad, but it's also really popular to kids of my generation because no other game at the time let you play as a fireball-shooting werewolf. I played the game again last night and realized that there is a staggering amount of homoerotic and bestial imagery. Take this graphic from the ending for example--here we see a scantly clad young woman being eyed-up by a body builder in a furry costume while a creepy old man watches from the shadows. What kind of message was Sega trying send to us impressionable children?

I watched the movie "Jesus Camp" last night. It's a documentary about an Evangelical children's bible camp. The film producers don't take sides and capture the nature of children's bible camp quite well. I know this because it's very similar to the bible camp I went to. After only a few minutes of watching I was very incensed at what I saw. The children are told that the world is terrible, that most of the things that they enjoy are evil, that every other religion is bad (including other denominations of Christianity), that science is useless, that the world is going to end in bloody Armageddon very soon, and that they are going to burn in Hell for all eternity. But luckily, there is a simple way out of the eternal torment. All they have to do is ditch all of their non-Christian friends, worship Jesus every moment of the day, hate homosexuals, hate abortionists, stop reading non-Christian books, constantly judge other people, and shove the word of God down the throat of everyone else on the planet. Some of the more memorable lines include:

• "Had it been in the Old Testament, Harry Potter would have been put to death!" -- Becky Fischer
• "I was saved when I was five, because I just wanted more out of life." -- Levi, age 11.
• "Kids are so usable in Christianity." -- Becky Fischer
• "I want to see [children] as radically laying down their lives for the Gospel as they are over in Pakistan and Israel and Palestine and all those different places, you know, because we have ... excuse me, but we have the truth!" -- Becky Fischer
• "It's a fabulous life." -- Ted Haggard (A pastor defamed for using methamphetamines and the services of male prostitute Mike Jones... for three years)

Feeling: Sleepy

With Bush gone the United States is slowly creeping back out of the dark ages. Yesterday, Obama pledged governmental funding to stem-cell research saying, his administration will "make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."

The CD audio soundtrack from the game Blood is now available in the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation. I also added online playlists so you can listen to the entire soundtrack online without having to download it.

The CIA made 90 tapes of prisoner interrogations magically disappear, which does bear a striking resemblance to a certain Orwell book.

New music:
Blitzen Trapper - Furr
Death Cab For Cutie - No Sunlight

Feeling: Sleepy

I was playing some games over at a friend's house on Saturday, and then all of the sudden, it was much earlier than I remembered. Oh yeah, Daylight Saving Time was this weekend (not "savings", but "Saving". It's not plural, but it is a proper noun). Anyway, being able to sleep an hour less than normal is never a good thing, and my body is revolting.

I just learned that my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. It sucks.

The Vectorman soundtrack is in the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

I saw this hilarious, but sadly true, graphic on GraphJam last week. I wanted to add it to my site, but first I had to redo it since the creator used Comic Sans font. Now that it's using the lovely Verdana font it is fit to be viewed.

Feeling: Cheery

It's amazingly warm today! About 15°C, almost 60°F! Yesterday evening I went for a run around my apartment complex. It felt really good to stretch out my legs, and even though I'm terribly out of shape, I was able to run non-stop for a full mile. My thighs are nice and tight today.

I've added the soundtrack of Streets of Rage to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

Feeling: Adventurous

It's actually warm today! I'm really looking forward to spring, and I hope it hurrys up. I want convertible weather so I can show off how awesome Chloe is!

More new music for fans of music:
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Keane - The Lovers Are Losing
Rockettothesky - Grizzly Man
Coldplay - Life in Technicolor II

Feeling: Happy

Do you love videogames? Well, this guy -loves- videogames.

Have you seen those videos for the gay Snuggies blankets? Well, they don't hold a candle to the awesomeness of the WTF Blanket.

New music for you to listen to:
Lisa Hannigan - Lillie
Hello Saferide - 2008
Electric President - Monsters (the album version sounds better)
My First Earthquake - Sack Lunch (likewise)

It's amazing what a room full of gamers can come up with. Do you have any old plastic computer hardware that's turned yellow over the years? Well, now you can turn it back to white with Retr0Bright.

I added linked icons for the social networks I belong to in The Guru page.

Feeling: Happy

Okay people, that's enough houndstooth. I'm serious!

Added another soundtrack to the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation.

And of course, Hishi Saga 3. Ooo! Ooo! Samrost 2!!!

Feeling: Cheery

I had a fun weekend. I spent a lot of time at the mall, though I didn't buy anything. On Saturday I enjoyed my friend Lauren's choir concert and later that night played Laser Tag with Wallee and some of her friends.

I took Chloe into the dealership again after she warned me about brake issues. Although, it turned out that the underlying cause was from the battery. So, now Chloe has a new battery. Only a few more services and I'll have a brand new car!

Another Genesis soundtrack is in the Videogame Music Preservation Foundation. Go and listen to the music of Thunder Force II.

A couple more flash games: Anika's Odyssey is a short and humorous adventure game without dialog or inventory and then try your creative thinking skills in Hishi Saga 2.

About two weeks ago I started the process of transferring the domain hosting of my Web site over the my current provider and it's finally done. thealmightyguru.com has been extended another five years. I'm thinking of getting a couple other domains for some of my larger side projects so they'll have pretty URLs.