So many Starbucks, so little time... unless your name is Winter.

Video game music/sound has long been a low priority for game companies, but when it's done right (see Half-Life) it's pretty powerful. Here are some sites that are paying attention to those "less important" priorities: Game Music Home Page, Game Music Revolution, Gamemusic.com and a well-done history of game music on Gamespot. [thanks to MeFi]

Dispel the myth. All religions are not the same.

Ahmer Khokhar can tell you how Christianity is so very different that Islam. Hopefully many people will hear his message, as most Muslim now view him as an "infidel" that they're supposed to eliminate... so his life is in danger.

Don't know much about the Ship of Fools but they're doing a funky online game called the Ark where you sign up to be a character from the Bible put into a virtual ark. The Sims meet Sunday School. I dunno... it could be fun? Sure wouldn't want to muck the elephants stall.

Has Hollywood gone to Hell in a hand basket? I think so but none of the movie stars or reporters who make a living off them will say as much. Well, maybe Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) might agree with me. She walked out of a music awards show saying it was "an onslaught of lewd jokes and off-color remarks." So what's new? How long has it been since Hollywood has produced anything truly creative? (I did love The Matrix.) Most movies take the financially successful themes of sex and/or violence and replicate a concept. Either that, or it's a remake of an original story (see Titanic). I applaud Patricia's courage.

Man oh man is this cool. A guy in Australia slapped a video camara to a model rocket and recorded some footage. Multiple clips of Flight #7 are available for download. Next time he should attach the camara pointing in the opposite direction and record the fall back to earth.

This poor little girl is anything but. Eighteen-year-old Athina Rouseel will inherit an estimated $2.7 billion when she turns 21. Vegas odds on her having a happy life are 2.7 billion-to-1. All she probably wanted was a pony.

Computer user suffers "eThrombosis". You've been warned.

In case you didn't hear (I forgot to post this yesterday), but Joe Ray Thompson might just be luckiest man alive. Although it's a close contest with Marcos Parra. After Mr. Thompson's Jeep Wrangler was "clipped" on the road, it went spinning, throwing Joe through the roof and up some 30 feet in the air. Found out what happened, then decide if luck had anything to do with it.

Great article about the PNG file format for images and how alpha transparency is so much better than binary transparency. I shouldn't have to tell you Web Designers twice... go read Mr. Lovitt's article.

Marion has done a stellar job of police-sketching himself. Wow. I'm speechless. All of you should make your own and don't forget to send it to me.

[Added: You know what I just noticed? Marion and I have the same eyes. Same father, different mothers?]

Peter Singer is one messed up dude. To think that he's in a position of authority teaching college kids at Princeton should scare people silly. He's now pushing for a 28-day "kill period" for newborns. That way, parents have the "time to examine the infant" to see if it deserves the chance to live.

By being so unbelievably extreme, he makes partial-birth abortions look less extreme. Don't be fooled.

I've started a list of Quote I Want to Remember.

Addictive plaything over at the Ultimate Flash Face helped me create the image you see here. The scary part? That's how I really look. Everyone should do one, screen cap it and send it to boysen.

Wax brought up the topic of the Magic 8 Ball today, when he asked this question:

"Do programmers just like mountain dew code red, because it's got code in the name?"

I think that's a very insightful question. And the answer? Well, you could ask the SpongeBob 8 Ball (appropriately yellow), The Simpsons 8 Ball, or even the Beauty Ball, which is kinda like the wicked witch's mirror in Sleeping Beauty. If you gotta have the original black, you can buy one bundled with The Complete User's Guide, just in case using the toy has stumped you.

But don't stop there! There's always the online version of The Public 8 Ball (currently living with a burnt out Lego controller). For you curious types, follow the procedure for disassembling one at the The Inscrutable 8-Ball Revealed. Or, if you're like me, you simply want to know what the 20 possible answers are; you can find them at Mystery of the Magic 8 Ball Revealed.

boysen: "Was this post a gigantic waste of time?"
Magic 8 Ball: "It Is Decidedly So."

Danes won't comment about scout outing teaches young Nazis to hunt Jews. And I thought those Scandinavians were peace loving. You want sicker? These posters, thinking they're so hip, are downright evil. And I don't think they even know it. There are some things you just don't joke about.

World's largest dung-trail unfreezes, apparently.

Giant dust clouds threaten China. Looks scary.

Raider-fan does what Raider-fan always does—riot. I think the NFL should just take away Al Davis' franchise. Either that or arm the public.

If you're one of those people who roll their eyes whenever you hear about the supposed bias by the mainstream media, maybe this will change your mind.

At a National Board of Review meeting, George Clooney said, "Charlton Heston announced again today that he is suffering from Alzheimer's." In doing so he's making fun of Mr. Heston because he has a debilitating illness that will eventually end his life. But that's not why he said what he said. When asked whether his comment was uncalled for, he replied, "I don't care. Charlton Heston is the head of the NRA; he deserves whatever anyone says about him."

My point is not to point out that Mr. Clooney is an ass, although he is, but rather expose the popular press as the politically-biased group that they are. If this comment had been made about one of their political allies, say Christopher Reeves, I'm sure it would have been front and center in the N.Y. Times, CNN and other liberal news outlets.

One last post today: GeoURL is fascinating, especially for people who love maps.

Most news is about the war with Iraq these days. And when I visit MSNBC, I'm generally not surprised to find their content aligned with the views of the left. So I was very surprised to read Marching with Stalinists that calls the anti-war crowd what they really are—America haters. Get our your red pen and mark your calendar. By the way (BTW) 15 of 19 NATO nations are sided with America in this war on terrorism, despite what you'll hear from Bush's opponents.

I'm not exactly sure what constitutes a miracle, but Marcos Parra may be the luckiest person alive.

It might get yanked soon, so you might want to read this apparent interview with an officer in Iraq's military. Tough to validate but it could be legit. Here's the same interview in Italian.

The buzz is growing for the upcoming Matrix movies that should hit theaters on May 15. Think I'll stand in line now. There's also apparently a top-secret game in development. This preview says that the the Wachowskis wrote a separate story for it. Sounds intriguing.

What is There? More unlimited than Everquest? Or another MMORPG? I'm confused.

Hollywood is at it again. They're ganging up in a lawsuit against ClearPlay (and some other technology companies) who've developed software that let's you block specific, objectionable content from being played on any DVD you own or rent. But Hollywood doesn't care about what the public wants, they don't want their artist vision *gag* altered. Or then again, it could just be about the money.

Do not let them convince you otherwise, there are some people who just hate God.

Walking towards my building this morning I was curious to see what the temperature was because I had lost all feeling in my face. Traveling east on Main St. there's a swift airstream moving west (due to the Ohio River) so I had walk with the customary "forward-lean" so that I wouldn't get knocked down. I felt like this cold guy in Romania.

The lightbulbs on the Bank of Louisville sign said it was 6°. After flashing the time, it translated into -16° Celsius. And that's doesn't begin to consider wind chill. At about 30 m.p.h. the temp became -18°. This handy chart tells me that it would take about 30 mintues of exposure to get frostbite. Good thing my walk from the parking garage to the building only takes 12.

Here's an interesting article called, All About Aspect Ratios. Geek on my brothers.

Here on the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision, the real suppressed news is that Norma McCorvey (Roe) admitted that by signing the affidavit to sue the State of Texas she was actually committing a ''a nasty, bald-faced lie". It was something she considers "the single biggest mistake" of her life. She now works to right the wrong with Roe No More.

But that doesn't change the fact that since Roe, 28% of this generation has been aborted. Tragic.

Here are the reasons why an unborn child is just as human as a newborn child.

Know what a chiasmus is? I didn't either. But now I do.

For all you writers out there, do you have trouble finding that "perfect" adjective? Plumb Design has updated their first effort with the latest version of the Visual Thesaurus. [If you've got a slow vid card then you might not want to visit.]

Even the anti sports-fan should appreciate this almost miraculous last-second comeback by Miami over #8 Connnecticut. Scroll down and watch the video clip. Miami is down by 4 with 8.9 seconds and wins without going into overtime. Remarkable!

The three of the latest BMWfilms are ready for download! If you have the connect, grab the Enhanced Film. Very cool.

Gotta love the scare-D-cat Swiss. Now the break out with the world's largest snowboall fight. Crazy kids.

I'm no Steve Irwin but might survive for a day or two with my 60% on the Sergeant Safari's Wilderness Survival Quiz. It'll be fun knowing that I'd "die from hunger" rather some scary predatory animal. Yikes. If ya got the time, there are a bazillion more tests over on Queendom.com.

We've all heard that girls just want to have fun. Humiliating the boys in the process is nice too.

If you have never heard the speech before (I hadn't) you owe it to yourself to listen to "I Have A Dream" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (August 28, 1963). [original link]

Man wears Scooby-Doo outfit in hopes of finding missing dog. What's even funnier is that the dog's name is Summer Sausage. Ha!

Fawaz Turki asks Hussein to resign in order to save his nation from certain destruction.

14 times a day. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. Now, click on over and order yourself a GasBGon.

Wow. What a Catch-22 Bill Watterson encountered as Calvin and Hobbes grew successful. He seems like a man with integrity that fell on the rocks of a flawed (even corrupt?) system. Would that he began in days of the Internet... then maybe he wouldn't have needed to sign that deadly first contract.

I can browse the site again! "And the sun dawns bright on a brand new day..."

Always been a fan of lists. Here's a list from ESPN on The Top 10 Press Conferences. The winner? Lee Elia, with an unheard of 15.7% obscenity ratio. He was unconscious that day.

Oh! Now he tells us. In news today, Saddam confesses he's merely been doing research on weapons of mass destruction for upcoming movie role.

Would a mother claim an idiot burgular like this guy? Thankfully, the mother of this masochist piercer had already passed on.

Penguins baffle zookeepers. In other news, squirrel fatalities on nation's roads hit an all time high.

This just in! Scientific evidence shows Democrats are twice as dumb as Republicans.

Argh. Now I can't see this page! I can FTP in but that's it? What is this world coming to? How about Road Rage Buddies that you can take your aggression out on instead of real, live drivers.

Berry Mail is down and my life is in jeopardy!

In case you didn't know, firecrackers are on the list of things you can't hide in your shoes when boarding an airplane.

I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "separation of Church and State" but what was the intent of the person who wrote the words? BTW, this phrase is not part of the Constitution.

The Constitution says the government cannot "establish" or promote religion, but Scalia said the framers did not intend for God to be stripped from public life. [CNN article]

The 20 Most Effective TV Ads of 2002 ranks by recall. Last time I checked, ads were supposed to get you BUY something. Maybe this was discussed in one of those days I skipped class.

Democrats say that Republicans "love the rich" and "hate the poor" but can you trust what they say, especially when they lie more than... uh, hmm... Who lies more than Bill Clinton? Perhaps, newcomer, John Edwards. He says he's for the "regular folks." But he's a millionaire who made his money as a trial lawyer. I don't know about you, but, I think this country needs less lawyers, not more. And especially not more in positions of power promoting a more litigious society.

Free (digital only) sci-fi book called Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. Can't say I recommend it (yet) but it's not everyday that you can the whole thing for free.

Leet defined and then explained.

I might spaz today. Why the crap any company would refer to a MAC address as a hostid, instead of just calling it a freaking MAC Address is beyond me. Simplify.

Heading to Orlando this evening and, "Yes." I will ride Space Mountain at least 9 times. (My wife will watch my stuff.)

Problem with messy kids? Trick them with fun TidyUp video game that subversively promotes cleanliness.

"Just Say No" takes on new meaning as store clerk denies robber.

Practical jokers rejoice! Pisces Soap sells soap shaped like food. Buy in bulk and save.

Are you brave enough to accept the Truth about Tax Cuts?

Colorado School Says "No" to Bible, Yes to Homosexuals. Apparently the First Amendment isn't valid in the rocky mountain state.

Always love to read about the 100 Best Companies to Work For. I thought we weren't supposed to end a sentence with a preposition? Nah.

Hollywood hasn't had an original idea in decades. You want the latest? How about a reality series that puts hillbillies in a mansion? Remember Beverly Hillbillies? Apparently making fun of poor people would entertain some losers. If that doesn't convince you, there's always Anaconda 2. Nuff said.

Road rage in Canada is alive and well. Especially impressive is the fact that he used a '92 Civic to force the truck off the highway.

The new death machine is here! Yip! Yip! (How scary is that photo of Dr. Nitschke?!? *shudder*)

Cockatiel Saves Couple from Fire. Demands Cracker Raise.

Are you sick of today's stupid Star Wars characters like Jar-Jar? Do you pine for the good ole days with Greedo, Hammerhead and Boba Fett? Fear not young Skywalker, you can still relive the glory of yesteryear with vintage Star Wars memorabilia.

Apparently, Saddam is scared of Cheerios.

Someone forwarded me this email containing a Thank You letter to Ex-President Clinton and thought several of the points were especially "telling."

John Brockman of Edge.org solicites opinions yearly to this question, "What are the pressing scientific issues for the nation and the world, and what is your advice on how I can begin to deal with them?" Here are some very interesting responses.

New year begins and here come a bunch of new lists. Here's A Top 10 Tech List for 2003, Who's Next 2003 and Survival Guide 2003.

They just don't build them like they used to. This lightbulb has been going since 1901. I wish I could say the same for my 4-year-old computer.

Just started his new job and already Sen. Bill Frist, a doctor, is helping people at an accident site.

If you don't know what fat is, just ask Houston.

SpongeBob beats down Angelica in cable's morning ratings battle.

Most Corrupt Leaders of 2002 has an unhealthy helping of Democrats but some Republican stinkers as well. Just like I always say, "Vote the person, not the party."

For the unaware, you know who you are, LAUNCHcast let's you design your own music station. Party on Garth. Party on Wayne.

I just found out I'm a Zorilla. What kind of animal are you?

Even though the Arabs seem to be a "tad" short on creativity (same colors, similar typeface), they do understand the thriving power of caffeine. Why? Because they created Mecca-Cola.

Let's start this year out right by looking at a group of some the scariest people of 2002. Is this one, Captain Kangaroo?!? Looking forward rather than behind, here's the official LSSU 2003 list of Banished Words. I bet Mar and all have to get sick of hearing people say "the frozen tundra."