2007/01/31

Moon Dust

A longtime UT Professor is a small part of the major endeavor.

"I'm guilty of having a passion when I get an idea in my mind it's all encompassing," says Doctor Larry Taylor.

Doctor Taylor started keeping track of lunar samples in the late sixties.

Now, he's focusing on lunar soil and the tiny jagged particles known as moon dust.

During previous landings, the dust stuck to astronauts like velcro reducing the efficiency of their equipment.

Doctor Taylor adds, "They became more of a black body. That's what we called them. The dust got the astronauts warmer in their suits and that was something we hadn't anticipated that much."

Through his lab work and soil samples brought to earth by the Apollo missions, Doctor Taylor has come to realize it's almost totally magnetic.

He's also learned when melted in the microwave the dust turns to glass.

"We decided we can have microwave roads. We could have landing pads, various things on the moon, bricks and all these things of course are primarily to mitigate against dust to keep dust from forming," says Doctor Taylor.

Lunar DOT:

2007/01/30

Need tickets to the Super Bowl? Try that Ebay chick.

Remember Sarah Spain? In our previous post at NFL FanHouse we told you about how she was auctioning off the opportunity to take her to the Super Bowl. Now, via her MySpace page, Sarah files this update:
AXE, legendary for hooking guys up with girls, has hooked me up with Super Bowl tickets for me, two of my girlfriends and also one extra ticket.

With that extra ticket, I now get to flip the switch and have you guys pitch me for a ticket to the big game and a date with me and my friends. Just email me at hotsuperbowldate@hotmail.com and I'll pick a guy that I want to take with me!

So drop her a line and you could be joining Sarah in Miami. She'll make her choice by Wednesday, and it should go without saying that we'll inform you of her decision right here at NFL FanHouse.

Ah, too bad, I'd have bought that for $1.

2007/01/29

Need a date to the Super Bowl? Try Ebay.

The Bears fan you see here is named Sarah Spain. As With Leather reports, she really wants to go to the Super Bowl, but she doesn't have a ticket. So she got the bright idea of auctioning off the opportunity to take her to the Super Bowl on eBay. (Yes, that means you're paying money, and if you're lucky enough to offer the most money, you get to give her one of your Super Bowl tickets. I didn't say this makes any sense.) Sarah writes:
I am a fun, funny, smart girl looking for a date to the Super Bowl. I'm a HUGE Chicago Bears fan who grew up in Lake Forest, right where the Bears practice! I've already got my flights to Miami, I just need a ticket to the game!!!!! You won't find a more fun date for the game anywhere!! I LOVE football, LOVE the Bears, can drink with the best of them, and let's be honest, I'm darn cute. So come on, bring someone to the game who will REALLY appreciate it! I've been waiting 21 years for the Bears to make it again, now I just need to get to the game!!! : )

She then adds an update in which she clarifies that she is "NOT an escort."

Right now, the top bid is $99,999,999, which means a bunch of people are putting up a bunch of bogus bids, which means eBay will be taking this down any time now. But it was fun while it lasted. Good idea, Sarah.

She's cute. If not an escort, she should be. :)

2007/01/26

Misc. Friday Ramblings...



Friday FIREPOWER!
  • KRISS Super V.
    The KRISS system overcomes the shock-creating effects of the recoil gas by re-directing the gas’s energy down and away from the traditional “straightline” design that creates so much felt-recoil and muzzle climb.

    The KRISS System, in addition to “re-vectoring” the forces of the recoil, also reduces muzzle climb by activating a counter-balancing mass that further absorbs shock and re-directs forces that would otherwise create muzzle climb, thus compounding the operator’s ability to consistently put rounds on-target whether through single-fire, multi-round burst or full automatic firing. Due to the fewer and lighter weight components, the KRISS is able to fire at extremely high rates of fire (1100-1500 should the application so warrant), however, the ROF can be easily adjusted to more common rates (650-700) through minor adjustments to the mechanism.

    Because of its unique design, the KRISS technology significantly reduces both the number and weight of the moving parts of the mechanism. By reducing the mass of the slider and bolt and re-directing their movement, KRISS provides a lighter-weight operating system (as well as overall weapon) that in addition to the reduction of recoil and muzzle climb, can be handled for longer periods of time—and more accurately—by the operator.

  • Field strip a handgun one handed.


  • Guns don't kill people.


2007/01/24

Battery Breakthrough?

The company boldly claims that its system, a kind of battery-ultracapacitor hybrid based on barium-titanate powders, will dramatically outperform the best lithium-ion batteries on the market in terms of energy density, price, charge time, and safety. Pound for pound, it will also pack 10 times the punch of lead-acid batteries at half the cost and without the need for toxic materials or chemicals, according to the company.

Much like capacitors, ultracapacitors store energy in an electrical field between two closely spaced conductors, or plates. When voltage is applied, an electric charge builds up on each plate.

Ultracapacitors have many advantages over traditional electrochemical batteries. Unlike batteries, "ultracaps" can completely absorb and release a charge at high rates and in a virtually endless cycle with little degradation.

Where they're weak, however, is with energy storage. Compared with lithium-ion batteries, high-end ultracapacitors on the market today store 25 times less energy per pound.

On the other hand, EEStor's system--called an Electrical Energy Storage Unit, or EESU--is based on an ultracapacitor architecture that appears to escape the traditional limitations of such devices. The company has developed a ceramic ultracapacitor with a barium-titanate dielectric, or insulator, that can achieve an exceptionally high specific energy--that is, the amount of energy in a given unit of mass.

I think the machines had a better concept.

2007/01/23

RIP Beast from the East

Professional wrestling lost one of the best "big men" in it's history this past Friday January 19, 2007, as Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow was found dead at the age of 45 by his girlfriend. The cause of his death is unknown.

"The Beast From The East," Bam Bam Bigelow was known for his massive size and trademark tatooed forehead, which bore red and yellow flames that matched his ring attire. Bigelow was a rarity in the world of professional wrestling: a big man who could stand toe-to-toe in the ring with such equally massive combatants as Andre The Giant and The Undertaker, he also moved with the same agility of much smaller wrestlers like Rey Mysterio and Sean "X-Pac" Waltman.

Before retiring in 2002, Bam Bam enjoyed a long and successful career. He wrestled in all of the "big three" wrestling promotions — WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment); WCW (World Championship Wrestling); and ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling), as well as overseas in places like Japan, where he worked successful programs with other big men like Big Van Vader in such promotions as New Japan Wrestling.

Bigelow's death at the young age of 45 is the latest of what has been a disturbingly large number of wrestlers who have died young in recent years. Many of these deaths, such as those of Brian Pillman and Rick Rude, are widely believed to be at least partially the result of performance-enhancing and pain-relieving drugs. Many wrestlers use such drugs to keep up with the demanding schedules and physical punishment their bodies are forced to endure.

2007/01/22

Blue Monday.

The credit card bills are arriving from those holiday shopping sprees. Vacations are over. And that New Year's resolution to start jogging in the mornings has fallen prey to the snooze button.

Feeling down? Dr. Cliff Arnall thought so.

Today is the most depressing day of the year, according to a formula created by Arnall, a British psychologist. His formula takes into account the debt and failed fresh starts that abound this time of year, as the glow of Christmas and New Year's fades.

Not coincidentally, the day falls on a Monday. "It's back to the usual routine: job, looking for a job, kids to school," and so on, Arnall said.
It doesn't help that the weather - another factor in the equation - is dreary in Wales, where he lives, this time of year.

But even Florida's fabulous weather poses problems: Lawns need mowing, fleas bite, and we can't wear those smart winter styles.

Another reason to be sad is that the football season is almost over....and Indianapolis got in.

2007/01/19

Misc. Friday Ramblings...



Friday FIREPOWER!
  • The 2007 Shot Show was this past weekend.

  • Here are some of the highlights.
    1. The Magpul Masada.



    2. The Kel-Tec .308 Bullpup.


    3. Anzio Ironworks 20mm or 14.5mm.



  • The Box of Truth presents The Buick of Truth.
    People often wonder and debate about cars and how they react to being shot with various types of weapons and ammunition. The best way to find out the answer to those various car-related shooting questions is to actually shoot some cars.

  • Railguns: Missile punch at bullet prices.
    Normally, new weaponry tends to make defense more expensive. But the Navy likes to say its new railgun delivers the punch of a missile at bullet prices.

    The railgun works by sending electric current along parallel rails, creating an electromagnetic force so powerful it can fire a projectile at tremendous speed.

    Because the gun uses electricity and not gunpowder to fire projectiles, it's safer, eliminating the possibility of explosions on ships and vehicles equipped with it.

    Instead, a powerful pulse generator is used.

    The prototype fired at Dahlgren is only an 8-megajoule electromagnetic device, but the one to be used on Navy ships will generate a massive 64 megajoules. Current Navy guns generate about 9 megajoules of muzzle energy.

    The railgun's 200 to 250 nautical-mile range will allow Navy ships to strike deep in enemy territory while staying out of reach of hostile forces.

2007/01/18

New York: First your food, now your games.

N.Y. Bill Limits Racial & Religious Violence in Games

2006 had its share of controversial games, including Border Patrol and Left Behind: Eternal Forces.

Border Patrol, which depicted racist violence against Mexican immigrants, was a non-industry, online game. Its creators are unknown and it was freely distributed.

Left Behind, on the other hand, is a commercial product and has both its fans and detractors. Critics claim that the game encourages violence against non-Christians.

New legislation proposed by a legislator in New York State might affect those and similar games, if passed. Rep. Keith Wright (D, seen at left) recently introduced A00547, a bill which would block sales to minors of games which depict, advocate or glamorize:

  • commission of a violent crime

  • suicide

  • sexual violence

  • violent racism

  • religious violence

  • illegal use of drugs & alcohol

Rep. Wright’s bill also calls for the equivalent of an “adults only” section for such games. Retailers would be required to check I.D. for buyers who appear to be 30 or under. The bill has been referred to the Assembly’s Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection.

GP: While the proposed legislation would impact games sold at retail, it won’t affect the likes of Border Patrol due to that game’s non-commercial, online distribution.

What's next, filling out a 4473 form to purchase a video game? How about those that purchase games online to have shipped or via direct download? Policing the point of sale will do no good. It isn't the purchases. Think about it. A parent allows their kid to play GTA. Such said kid plays it, beats it, gets tired of it. He has friends with the same system. What will they do? Swap games. Kids have a tendency play new games because they are new, not just due to content. Boredom is a bitch when it comes to console games. You can only beat them some many ways/times. So, swap them with a friend who hasn't played it. And they swap with friends. And they swap with friends. See how futile it is to try and police violence via point of sale restrictions?

2007/01/15

A stripper's rant (nsfw)

1) Hey you over there, holding that one dollar bill in your hand with a death grip and waving it around at me like it's the fucking deed to Trump Towers... what the fuck do you want me to do, grow another pussy?!? It's a fuckin' dollar, put it down on the tiprail and blow my world away already.

2) You losers that come into the club for a lapdance with NO underwear or boxers and thin-ass, nylon shorts, so we slip and slide on your hard-on (which always feel like a sharpie pen ~ fine point)...fuck you.

3) You with the thick-ass jeans, this was an impromptu visit, eh?

4) Don't pull my thong up during a dance and ask me if it felt good. IT DOES NOT FEEL GOOD.

5) Hey you, Loser, the one counting out the 20 bucks in one dollar increments, rubbing your fingers between each one to make sure you are giving me just that one dollar. Yes, you.

6) No I will not just let you "slip it in real quick" for $50 more bucks.

7) Yeah, my tits are real. As real as my affection for you.

8)If you cum in your pants, you have to tip me an extra $100 for being a lame-ass who can cum in their pants from a lapdance.

9) Stop asking me out. You're a smelly, fat loser and the only reason I'm smiling and cooing at you is because I want your money. Outside of the club I wouldn't even fart your way.

11) Stop bitching at me about the goddamn two drink minimum. First of all, your breath ranks (what'd you have for dinner, garlic and shit?), you're about 172 lbs. overweight, and you look like Jay Leno. More importantly: I don't give a shit.

12) Don't bitch at me about the $10 non-alchoholic beer either. Hide a bottle of Jack in your coat pocket next time like everyone else does.

13) My horniness is in direct proportion to your income.

14) No, you CAN'T SMOKE. Dumb. Ass.

15 )Boys, don't sit in the front row with your "homies" and act all engrossed in some deep conversation during a girls performance because you want to look like you're too "cool" to notice the hot, naked girl in front of you. It's a clear sign that you ain't getting any.

16) DON'T SIT IN THE FRONT ROW IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TIP. Fer chrissakes!!!!!!!!!!!

17) "So what do you guys do when you're on your period?" Answer: I lap dance with guys in dark pants.

18) STOP trying to grab my tits!!!!!!! That's extra.

19) SHOWER FIRST, you nasty fuck!

20) I had a feeling you weren't going to tip me, so I took extra care to rub my lip gloss on your collar and wear extra glitter lotion and obnoxious perfume before our dance.

21) Hey cheapasses: please don't come to my work. Just stay home and jack off to "Desperate Housewives" instead. It will save us a both a lot of unpleasantry.

22) Stop asking me why I do this job and try to get all psychologically analytical on me. For the money, you moron, that's why.

23) No seriously, my real name is Sparkle.

24) NO, I will not take a dime sac for payment. I can tell it's oregano anyway you stupid mutherfucker!

25) Sorry, I don't do that. Ask the ugly girl at the bar with the black roots and overbite.

26) I can see it's your first time at a strip club. Let me explain the dynamics to you. If you want a fuck or a blow-job, go to the ugly chicks. Hot girls don't have to do "extra services." I can give you some recommendations for a small fee.

27) It is not okay for you to bounce me on your cock like a baby on a knee. Not okay.

28) Stop complaining about how short the song was. It felt like the fucking maxi-single to me.

29)Yes I will fuck you, but only for 10 grand. More if you're ugly. So basically, more.

30) DO NOT come into the club looking for a girlfriend/date. It's like me going to PETA looking for a steak.

31) Girls--what's with the pole smell? Can we do a little hygiene check? Nothing than worse than twirling around the pole and getting a whiff of stale pussy.

32) Girls--stop lip-syncing to the song you're dancing to on stage. Especially if you don't know all the words.

33) Girls--if your toes curl and hang over your platform shoes a la' Fred Flinstone, you need to go up a size.

34) Girls--drowning yourself in Angel perfume is just as bad if not worse than the BO you're trying to cover. Take a goddamn shower, you smell like lapdance funk.

35) Hey DJ! You suck!

36)Girls--may I suggest complete sobriety before getting tatted up? Tattoos should be meaningful, or at least semi-meaningful, or at least semi semi-meaningful. That fucking dancing llama on your ass is so lame.

37)Girls--some songs just should not be stripped to. Please. No Disney soundtracks (you know who you are, you fucking weirdo), Sade, Boys II Men, or Bjork. For the love of God, Please.

2007/01/12

Misc. Friday Ramblings...

Gabe: I took the hypocritic oath. I'm free to radically alter my beliefs whenever it's convenient.

Friday FIREPOWER!
  • Futureweapons premiers on Monday, 01/15.
    January 15 9PM E/P
    Episode 1: SEARCH & DESTROY
    Discover weapons that will always find their target, including the AS50 semi-automatic sniper rifle, the Vulcan and Aardvark mine destroyers, the SMAW-NE shoulder-launched thermobaric munition and the Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle.


  • Did the Army block Israeli anti-RPG system?
    "The end result of that meeting was my recommendation that it appeared that Trophy was mature enough, that it needed to be looked at seriously, and not ignored," DuBois says. "It appeared from the information given to me that it was a good idea to have the Army further test it, in anticipation that we would test it in the field."

    But Pentagon sources, Army documents and e-mails obtained by NBC News reveal that other Army officials went to great lengths to stop Trophy, even from further testing.

    First, Pentagon sources say the Army refused to allow Trophy to be tested on an Army Stryker vehicle. So testers were forced to borrow a Stryker from Israel and fly it to Virginia. Cost to taxpayers? Around $300,000.

    "What that says to me is that the Army doesn’t want to get the results that would show that Trophy was the best system," Coyle says, "and all that does is hurt the very soldiers that need these new types of protection."

    Second, after Pentagon tests found Trophy 98 percent effective, an Army colonel called a Navy engineer overseeing the testing. According to a contemporaneous account of that conversation obtained by NBC News, the Army colonel vowed to "take down" Trophy's key Pentagon supporter and warned the Navy engineer to "be careful."

    Pentagon sources and Army documents obtained by NBC News strongly suggest top Army officials consider Trophy a threat to a $160 billion program called the Future Combat System (FCS). Under FCS, the Army is paying Raytheon $70 million to build an anti-RPG system from scratch; a system that won’t be ready until 2011.

  • A response from the US Army over Trophy.
    September 2006: The US Army opted to pursue a different system. Earlier in 2006, Raytheon received a development contract to demonstrate and develop the Quick Kill APS, to be integrated into the future FCS systems. The Army faced mounting criticism about not considering the Trophy system for the protection of its armored vehicles deployed in Iraq. Maj. Gen. Jeffrey A, Sorenson, the Army’s deputy for acquisition and systems management explained the decision (AFPS) saying the Israeli system is not a “produceable item.” The Israelis have been working on the Trophy system for 10 or 11 years, Sorenson said. “If this thing was ready to go, my question would be, why wasn’t it on the particular tanks that went into Lebanon?” he said. No Israeli Merkava tanks carried the Trophy system, he said.

    Other problems include the fact that the system right now has no reloading capability. Once it fires, that side of the vehicle is vulnerable. Which brings up another shortcoming: the Trophy can only be mounted to protect one axis. This means officials would have to mount multiple missile systems on every vehicle. The Quick Kill missile has 360-degree capability and a reload capability.

    Another worry is collateral damage, he said. “In a tight urban area, the Trophy system may take out the RPG, but we may kill 20 people in the process,” Sorenson said. “That is a concern we have that we haven’t fully evaluated.”

2007/01/10

Get your damn real life out of my game!

Virtual land owner challenges press freedom in Second Life
Citing the DMCA, Second Life's biggest land owner, Anshe Chung Studios, has challenged the right for users (including members of the press) to publish 'screen shots' from the game that they claim would infringe on their copyright.

The issue has surfaced after the avatar Anshe Chung (real name Ailin Graef) was attacked by animated flying penises during a virtual interview with CNET news, conducted in their Second Life bureau last month. A video of the attack surfaced on YouTube, and was then taken town after Anshe Chung Studios filed a DMCA complaint. The Sydney Morning Herald and the blog BoingBoing have also received similar notices.

In an email sent by Anshe Chung Studios to The Sydney Herald, Ailin's husband, Guntram Graef wrote:

I have to point out to you that you, most likely by accident, posted an image that contains artwork copyrighted by my wife Ailin Graef and by Anshe Chung Studios, Ltd. and without obtaining our permission to do so. The source of the image, a video posted on YouTube, has already been removed. We can not authorize the use of this image and the replication of the artwork and textures of the Anshe Chung avatar in this context.

However, it's unlikely (though not tested) that Anshe Chung Studios have the law on their side, as any use of images captured from the "attack" should be considered 'fair use'.

Jason Schultz (an attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation) told CNET news:

"Since the general theory (in Second Life) is that you own what you create, she (Ailin Graef) completely owns the copyright in her avatar… But that said, she absolutely has no rights under fair use to stop people from taking screenshots or screen captures of her avatar in Second Life.

The analogy I would draw is if there was a car accident in downtown New York, and the driver happened to be wearing an Armani suit, and there was a photographer who took photos and published them. That photographer couldn't be sued by Armani. News is news. And fair use gives news reporters and others the right to report what they see and hear, even if it includes your copyrighted work."


All these sort of stunts do is bring real life (ie, the press, government, lawyers, etc) into games. Most people play games to escape from real life for a bit. Last thing I want is a lawyer telling me how I can do things in game, or any goverment taxing my virtual gains off an auction house sale.

2007/01/09

Best...er, most dangerous toys ever.

Last month, Target recalled 10 of its Kool Toyz-brand play sets, citing hazards like "lead paint," "sharp points," and "puncture wound potential." The toys, which included plastic aircraft carriers, dinosaurs, and tanks, all appeared harmless enough. But according to the killjoys at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, children—at least those prone to eating plastic objects as big as their head—were at serious risk. A week later, Mattel recalled 4.4 million Polly Pocket dolls and accessories because kids were swallowing the toy's magnets. The Associated Press reported, "If more than one magnet is swallowed, they can attach to each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage." Three children required surgery.

In the last year alone, some eight million units of toys were recalled in the U.S., according to W.A.T.C.H., a toy-safety advocacy group. But Kool Toys and Polly Pockets are kids' stuff compared to the hazardous baubles of yesteryear. In the spirit of the holidays, Radar presents the 10 most dangerous toys of all time, those treasured playthings that drew blood, chewed digits, took out eyes, and, in one case, actually irradiated. To keep things interesting, we excluded BB guns, slingshots, throwing stars, and anything else actually intended to inflict harm. Below, our toy box from hell.

1. Lawn Darts
2. Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab
3. Mini-Hammocks from EZ Sales
4. Snacktime Cabbage Patch Dolls
5. Sky Dancers
6. Bat Masterson Derringer Belt Gun
7. Creepy Crawlers
8. Johnny Reb Cannon
9. Battlestar Galactica Missile Launcher
10. Fisher-Price Power Wheels Motorcycle
Honorable Mention: Manley Toys Disco Light
(this one has a story).

2007/01/08

Better late than never...

Robert Nuranen handed the local librarian a book he'd checked out for a ninth-grade assignment _ along with a check for 47 years' worth of late fees.

Nuranen said his mother misplaced the copy of "Prince of Egypt" while cleaning the house. The family came across it every so often, only to set it aside again. He found it last week while looking through a box in the attic.

"I figured I'd better get it in before we waited another 10 years," he said after turning it in Friday with the $171.32 check. "Fifty-seven years would be embarrassing."

The book, with its last due date stamped June 2, 1960, was part of the young Nuranen's fascination with Egypt. He went on to visit that country and 54 others, and all 50 states, he said, but he never did finish the book.

Nuranen now lives in Los Angeles, where he teaches seventh-grade social studies and language arts.

The library had long ago lost any record of the book, librarian Sue Zubiena said.

"I'm going to use it as an example," she said. "It's never too late to return your books."

For $171, I'd have finished the damn book first before returning it. Granted, it is about 40 years out of date.

2007/01/05

Misc. Friday Ramblings...



Friday FIREPOWER!
  • JIC = Just In Case

    Shotgun in a tube, what's not to like?

  • Don't drive and unload.
    Investigators said Robert Drown, 22, was driving on Loudon Road and emptying his loaded weapon at about noon. Police said Drown accidentally shot himself in the thigh.

    "It's like he rear-ended a car, went up over the curb, didn't hit the brakes or anything, took out the sign and jumped out of the car covered in blood," witness Jeff Raymond said.

    The collision happened about 50 yards from a fire station, and police said Drown tried to run to the station before collapsing 20 feet from the door.

    Investigators said the incident was a case of poor judgment.

    "When you handle a firearm, it should have 100 percent of your attention," Barry said.

  • One of those internet chain mails sent me this...
    Firearms refresher course.

    1. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
    2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
    3. Colt: The original point and click interface.
    4. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.
    5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
    6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
    7. "Free" men do not ask permission to bear arms.
    8. If you don't know your rights you don't have any.
    9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
    10. The United States Constitution (c) 1791. All Rights reserved.
    11. What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?
    12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
    13. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
    14. Guns only have two enemies; rust and politicians.
    15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
    16. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
    17. 911 - government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.
    18. Assault is a behavior, not a device.
    19. Criminals love gun control -- it makes their jobs safer.
    20. If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
    21. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
    22. You only have the rights you are willing to fight for.
    23. Enforce the "gun control laws" we ALREADY have, don't make more.
    24. When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.
    25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.
    26. "A government of the people, by the people, for the people..."

2007/01/04

The evolution of the home video game console.

My parents bought me the Atari system at a very young age. That kicked off my gaming hobby. Even as friends and neighbors got systems like the Intellivision or Colecovision, I was very happy with the Atari. However, as times changed, so did my gaming. It moved from console to computer. I still prefer computer games to console games, but will enjoy a console now and again. So, every system since the Atari has been bought with my own money. Right now, I have a PS2 and Wii. The Wii kicks ass. My son beats me at golf and bowling....and he's only 4. I'm so old.

Here is a history of the consoles that I have owned:








2007/01/02

How old do you feel?

Duke Nukem 3D was one of the most fun 3d shooters ever. However, the sequel has been in development since 1996. For 10 years, fans have been waiting for a true sequel to the game. For 10 years, some of the following things have happened...

The following things have happened since Duke Nukem Forever was announced...



Popular Video Game Series Releases


Final Fantasy:


  • Main Series

  • Final Fantasy VII

  • Final Fantasy VIII

  • Final Fantasy IX

  • Final Fantasy X

  • Final Fantasy X-2

  • Final Fantasy XI

  • Final Fantasy XII


Grand Theft Auto:


  • Grand Theft Auto

  • Grand Theft Auto, Gameboy Color Port

  • Grand Theft Auto

  • Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

  • Grand Theft Auto: London 1961

  • Grand Theft Auto 2

  • Grand Theft Auto III

  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

  • Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

  • Grand Theft Auto Advance

  • Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

  • Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, PS2 Port

  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

  • Grand Theft Auto IV


The Legend of Zelda:


  • Ocarina of Time

  • Majora's Mask

  • Oracle of Ages

  • Oracle of Seasons

  • The Wind Waker

  • Four Swords Adventures

  • The Minish Cap

  • Six remakes of previous Zelda titles for the Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance and Gamecube.

  • Link's Awakening DX, Gameboy Color

  • A Link to the Past, Gameboy Advance

  • Ocarina of Time, Gamecube

  • The Zelda Collector Edition, Gamecube

  • Classic NES Series: The Legend of Zelda, Gameboy Advance

  • Classic NES Series: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Gameboy Advance

  • Phantom Hourglass

  • Twilight Princess


Other Popular Game Series:



  • Over 75 games based in the MegaMan universe, and 12 games featuring MegaMan universe character cameos.

  • Over 50 games based in the Star Wars universe.

  • Mario has appeared in 58 different video games.

  • Every Massive Multiplayer Online game and expansion with the exception of Meridian 59.

  • Every Dance Dance Revolution and Bemani rhythm game

  • Every Pokemon game released outside of Japan.

  • Every Unreal, every Unreal Tournament, and every game that has used any of the Unreal engines.

  • Quake 2, 3, 4, and countless games that have used their engines.

  • Every Tony Hawk and extreme sport spin-off game.

  • Daikatana began development 10 days before Duke Nukem Forever- Unfortunately no one was made John Romero's bitch
    when it hit retail shelves on May 23rd, 2000.

  • 3DRealms and Remedy bring Max Payne and its sequel from concepts to finished games, porting both to Xbox and PS2.

  • Valve released both Half-Life 1 and 2, with several expansion packs and countless mods for each.

  • Every version of Counter-Strike and Counter-Strike Source were developed.

  • Every Thief game.

  • Black Isle was formed, released seven titles and was shut down.

  • The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and IV:Oblivion, and the entire Baldur's Gate series.

  • Wizards of the Coast has printed six Core Sets, 30 Expansion Sets of Magic: The Gathering. If someone bought one of every single card printed since DNF was announced, they would have a collection of approximately 101,742 cards.

  • Every installment of Metal Gear Solid released to date, as well as Ghost Babel (MGS for the Gameboy) and the Metal Gear Acid series for PSP.
    And it is likely that the the apparent conclusion of Solid Snake's legacy, "Guns of the Patriots," will come out before DNF.

  • A garage full of programmers in Croatia (Croteam) developed the engine and created the game Serious Sam. Since then there have been
    multiple sequels and console ports- all off a fraction of the money 3D Realms has blown on DNF's development.

  • Every 3D Prince of Persia game.

  • Aside from Wolfenstein 3D, every single First Person Shooter based during World War II, including the entire Medal of Honor series.

  • While DNF has been in production, Blizzard Entertainment, another studio famous for delays, has released four full games(Starcraft, Diablo 2, Warcraft 3, and World of Warcraft), with expansions for three (four when Burning Crusade comes out).

  • Bioware released Neverwinter Nights with two expansions, Star Wars: Nights of the Old Republic, and Jade Empire. All games are deep, lengthy RPGs that demand multiple playthroughs.


Video Game Systems:


  • Microsoft XBOX

  • Microsoft XBOX 360

  • Nintendo GameCube

  • Nintendo Gameboy Color
  • Gameboy Advance

  • Gameboy Advance SP

  • Gameboy Micro

  • Nintendo DS

  • Nintendo DS Lite

  • Sega Dreamcast

  • Sony PSone

  • Sony Playstation 2

  • Sony Slim Playstation 2

  • Sony PSP


I'd like to add that the PS3 and Nintendo Wii are out as well. Wii kicks ass.


Fun Facts



Computers & Internet:


  • In 1997, the fastest consumer internet connection was a 33.6 kbps modem.
    On average, consumer internet connections are 300 times faster today.

  • When Duke Nukem Forever was announced, the fastest processor available to consumers was a 233Mhz Pentium. Since then the clock speed of consumer
    processors has increased over 16 times (32 times counting dual cores), and the fabrication process has decreased from 250nm to 65nm.

  • In October of 2001, Apple announced the iPod and Slashdot dismissed it as an immediate failure. Since then there have been 5 generations of iPods, as well as the
    iPod Mini, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Nano with 42 million iPods sold worldwide as of 1/06.

  • Steve Jobs was still running NeXT when Duke Nukem Forever was announced.

  • Every peer to peer file sharing program including Napster was developed.

  • In April of 1997, Google, eBay, and the term "weblog" didn't exist.

  • Linux gained at least 10 times the popularity it had while its kernel tripled in size.

  • Mac OS switched to UNIX and became the most highly regarded general purpose operating system on the market
    among the computing press.

  • Microsoft released 5 consumer-oriented
    versions of Windows and might release Vista before Duke Nukem Forever hits shelves.

  • Netscape Navigator 4 was released, Microsoft Internet Explorer destroyed it.
    Netscape 6 released on an entirely different rendering platform, Netscape dies, Mozilla foundation rises.
    Open-source Mozilla browsers become popular and force Microsoft to start working on new version of Internet Explorer.

  • Valve releases Steam and sets a new standard in digital software distribution.

  • MySpace has gone from beta to the largest social-networking site in the world (and the fourth most popular English language website).


Movies that were filmed, released in theatres, and have made it to DVD:



  • All three Star Wars prequels.

  • The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, with extended editions.

  • Every Pixar movie aside from Toy Story.

  • Three (possibly four) James Bond films.

  • Every movie, animation, and video game from The Matrix series.

  • Every Marvel comics movie released.

  • Each predictable twist ending of every movie by M. Night Shyamalan.


Science & Technology:



  • The Voyager 1 spacecraft has travelled 8.8 billion miles from Earth.

  • The two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity were proposed, authorized,
    announced, designed, launched and successfully landed upon Mars where they
    have been exploring the surface for over 2.5 years.

  • NASA's Deep Impact program also went full circle.

  • The International Space Station was assembled and has been orbiting Earth for over 8 years.

  • NASA has launched 30 manned space shuttle missions, Russia has launched 17.

  • The Airbus A380 "Super Jumbo" plane was designed, built, tested, and delivered to airlines.

  • Tier One developed, built, tested, and launched SpaceShipOne- winning the Ansari X-Prize
    for being the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks.

  • In 1997 there were only 50 million US cell phone subscribers in the United States. Today there are more than 200 million,
    which amounts to over 60% of the population of the USA.

  • The U.S.S. Ronald Reagan (the largest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the world) was in contract, built, launched, comissioned, and began active duty.

  • Costa Concordia, the biggest Italian cruise liner was designed, built and delivered by the Fincantieri shipyards, in Italy.

  • The Space Shuttle Columbia burnt up during re-entry, the entire Space Shuttle program went through a safety overhaul, and the Shuttle returned to flight.


Things that have taken less time than Duke Nukem Forever's Development:



Pop Culture:



  • The Beatles formed, released every single one of their albums and broke up. During this time they also toured the world
    several times.

  • Led Zeppelin released 7 albums, 9 singles, and toured around the world, crossing international borders 27 times (not counting mainland Europe.)


Science & Technology:


  • The Wright brothers designed and flew the first airplane.

  • The theory of General Relativity.

  • The United States' entire program to put a man on the moon, from Kennedy's challenge to the landing.


Wars:


  • The American War for Independence

  • The United States Civil War

  • World War I

  • World War II and the entire Manhattan Project.

  • The United State's involvement in the Vietnam War.