Editorial & Opinion
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[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 19, 2009 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Monday, January 19th, 2009You’ll have to find a way to be late for work on your own from now on…
It occurred to me after the feedback on last week’s Monday De-Motivators that not only was I not succeeding at making anybody late for work on Monday (most visitors are clicking on this stuff after 9pm), but I was getting ahead of the visitors that actually enjoy the games linked to. So this may be the last Monday De-Motivator for a while; as much as I take pride in creating a few Stack The Cats addicts (you know who you are), finding this stuff is exhausting, especially (as I’ve stressed repeatedly) if you don’t like computer games in the first place. It’s kind of like being in AA and having to taste bourbon for a living. For example: Sling Wars, though quite simple, quickly gave me a mild brain-ache. I got all the basic principles right away, but didn’t really feel like spending the time necessary to get a feel for the weapon. I also struggled with the idea that even though I chose to be a Native American, my only choices were to fight in Africa and Europe. Looking at the top scores was quite worrying, by the way. I’m pretty sure “El Turco” – who scored 2,147,483,647 - is someone I probably don’t want to have lunch with. Domino Pressure is a little more my speed. Zero learning curve, immediate results. Though I’m still not clear on how or why a domino would smash a tomato. And GlobalPlayer actually looks kind of interesting, but it gave me a mild panic attack on the first go. My first job as a teenager was in warehousing, and it brought back some of the trauma of that. Now that I’ve steadied my breathing and had a cup of coffee, I might give it another try. And last up: I didn’t know there was a Stoneage Sam One, so I think Stoneage Sam Two: The Ice Age lacked a little of the intended “You loved it so much, we’ve done a sequel” feeling. It was however, quite an insight into a game designer’s mind to have to use a child and a piece of vine as a simple tool to advance the score.
Sometimes Things Just Work Out
[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 18, 2009 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Sunday, January 18th, 2009This collection of clips is one of the many reasons I remain a Pronoiac:
Welcome To The Holodeck
[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 16, 2009 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Friday, January 16th, 2009Can somebody find the control panel?
Ever have one of those days where things seem just a little bit funny somehow, like there’s some mysterious force guiding events? That somehow everything has been set up just to make your day seem a little “off”? Like maybe you’re just a character playing a part in some strange film or something? Well, maybe you’re crazy. Or maybe you just had too much coffee. Or maybe, as recent science suggests, you’re living in a huge holographic projection like on a dumb sci-fi show like Star Trek TNG
Creepy Animated Map Of Wal-Mart Growth
[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 15, 2009 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Thursday, January 15th, 2009The creepy video featured here shows the virus-like expansion of Wal-Mart in the United States (much clearer full-size animated map here). We all know that Wal-Mart is huge, but did you know that their annual sales are greater than the GDP of Saudi Arabia? Or that they employ more people than live in Idaho? I’ve [...]
The creepy video featured here shows the virus-like expansion of Wal-Mart in the United States (much clearer full-size animated map here). We all know that Wal-Mart is huge, but did you know that their annual sales are greater than the GDP of Saudi Arabia? Or that they employ more people than live in Idaho? I’ve strangely never shopped at Wal-Mart, not because of snobbishness or political correctness, but probably more because of geography. Wal-Mart has a strategy (see When Wal-Mart Is Gone) of opening several stores in separate rural areas and later closing the stores to condense the traffic into a “super store”, leaving behind what is known in real estate as a Dark Wal-Mart. For some fairly balanced insight into Wal-Mart in general, see this How Stuff Works piece. For a more anti-Wal-Mart view see Ask Al – The Battlemart Blog at WalmartWatch.com Or check out the DVD Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
Where’s That Other Shoe?
[ 3 Comments ]Posted on January 14, 2009 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Wednesday, January 14th, 2009With all the recent economic and business news, I’ve been sitting patiently waiting for the other shoe to drop. Personally I’m hoping we land on both feet (I’m pretty sure I’m mangling a metaphor here), and that if we’re in for hard times we rediscover some sense of community and helping our fellow citizens. As [...]
With all the recent economic and business news, I’ve been sitting patiently waiting for the other shoe to drop. Personally I’m hoping we land on both feet (I’m pretty sure I’m mangling a metaphor here), and that if we’re in for hard times we rediscover some sense of community and helping our fellow citizens. As much as I love the possibilities created by our communication technologies – cell phones, web-based social networks, e-mail, twitter, etc. – I feel they sometimes do as much to isolate us as connect us. There’s nothing like a genuine fuel shortage to motivate ride-sharing and conversation. It’s pretty cool that the Obama camp is trying to mobilize a national service day in honor of MLK day, and I hope this kind of thing gets some traction. Bring on that other shoe!