Well, I'm building a new badass computer system because I think I want to do some online gaming again. I have a PS3, but I use it more for playing movies than anything else. I've played some games on it, and really liked a couple of them, but there's nothing quite like a massive multiplayer (massive as in thousands) online role playing game.
Eve is unique in a way or two. Whereas Everquest, World of Warcraft, etc. has millions of subscribers and each "universe" (server, though that may consist of more than one computer) only holds maybe 15k subscribers, Eve has 250k subscribers and they're all in the same "universe." I use the term server a little loosely because there may be more than one computer for each population. So when Eve says they had on 45k people at once, that's a badass technical achievement.
They're also a little unique in the gameplay. In most games today, if you die, you may lose experience that you'll have to grind back, maybe you'll give someone a tip who gave you a rez... I have no idea how Warcraft handles death but from what I read there's not much of a penalty at all. On Eve, you better watch out, because if you die, you're out a ship that you paid for and you better hope you remembered to buy insurance beforehand, and you better have had a clone. In other words, there is a definite potential for some serious loss. Not all areas are unsafe, newbies (like me) gotta get skills and money (isk) somehow. But if you go into a low security sector, you better keep your eyes peeled, as my granpa used to say while deer hunting.
After 5 years away from online gaming, I'm giving Eve another go. Last time I played for a month and then decided to try two-boxing in EQ (It was fun for a little while and then it wasn't anymore, then I said "fook it" and stopped playing). This time things are a little different, the game is a little more friendly to newbies now, and I'm going to play it with some planning beforehand. Not too much planning though, that takes away from spontaneity or something. But enough planning/research this time to follow some sort of skill path so I can make some money and be able to kill things. Last time I ended up mining much more than I cared for, and that's boring to me so... I'm not sure why I did it, maybe because I thought I'd get rich quick and could then pirate or bounty hunting stuff. So this time I'm prepared for having to grind out a lot of missions. I'm also aware of skill progression, mainly getting learning skills first.
So, last night I downloaded Eve and started a 14 day free trial. I wanted to try and get the 14 days using my prior account, but it didn't look possible. So, I'm starting afresh. Now, in EQ my main and favorite toon was a monk. Here, it jut so happens that the type of pilot I want... is a monk. Destiny I say! Anyway, I only had time to go through the crash course and I ran one mission after that. I had enough isk to buy one of the learning skills, so I bought it and am probably already up to skill 3 in it. Though I know there's 3 skills in there that you should get each to 1 first, then each to 2, etc. But, I didn't have enough isk for that, and learning skills is so fast right now, who cares. In fact, if I wanted I could skill up to "frigate 4" by tomorrow and thus be able to start learning cruisers. If I had the isk to buy the skill, of course.
That said, I'm thinking of just getting a good frigate for now to help with missions and getting the income a little faster so I can afford to get the more expensive Moa cruiser with its better defenses. I plan to grind the cruiser through Agent missions levels 2 and get a battlecruiser. The battlecruiser, I think, should get me through level 3 missions and level 4 missions too, that is, if I can get it beefed up during the lvl 3s.
After that, I should have not only character skills, but skills myself at knowing what's what and how to kill efficiently. So, I could either become a pirate or maybe a player corporation could use me... who knows, but one things for sure, mining is not in the plan. It shouldn't take too long to do all this, maybe a few months, and by then I should be able to at least somewhat fairly guage if this game is going to continue to be fun for me. Of course, if it's sucking big time before the 14-day trial ends, then I'll sign up for the Warhammer free trial after studying more about that game.
But I'm thinking positively about Eve Online and am actually looking forward to the challenges.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
A Monster
Killer of 4 officers wanted to avoid prison
""He's not a monster," said his sister, 24-year-old Enjoli Mixon"
WRONG!
A person that can shoot another human being, even in war, has got to have a certain amount of guts to do it the first time. This guy killed two police officers like it was nothing. He then goes and grabs an AK-47 and proceeds to shoot and kill a couple more when they try to get him. So, I really doubt it was his first time killing a human. He didn't hesitate, his actions were very cold, deliberate, selfish... so he's definitely a monster. No doubt about it.
He may not have been born that way, but the choices he made in life (repeated prison terms) show that he certainly evolved into one. So, I hope his sister doesn't just brush this off, I hope she learns from it and raises her children in a way where they won't make the same types of bad decisions that her brother apparently made.
""He's not a monster," said his sister, 24-year-old Enjoli Mixon"
WRONG!
A person that can shoot another human being, even in war, has got to have a certain amount of guts to do it the first time. This guy killed two police officers like it was nothing. He then goes and grabs an AK-47 and proceeds to shoot and kill a couple more when they try to get him. So, I really doubt it was his first time killing a human. He didn't hesitate, his actions were very cold, deliberate, selfish... so he's definitely a monster. No doubt about it.
He may not have been born that way, but the choices he made in life (repeated prison terms) show that he certainly evolved into one. So, I hope his sister doesn't just brush this off, I hope she learns from it and raises her children in a way where they won't make the same types of bad decisions that her brother apparently made.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
AIG Chief is Douchebag
"Honoring contractual commitments is at the heart of what we do in the insurance business," he said.
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So if AIG had been left to fail, he would have used his personal finances to pay the people the bonuses they would have had? I didn't think so neither. This is a bogus argument, wholly without merit... BS in other words.
Also at the heart of what they do is, apparently, screwing over the American public. Not only did they screw over Americans by their actions which help cause the whole fiasco, but now they're REWARDING those responsible.
That douchebag needs to be removed, and there are plenty others out there that need to be removed. If you won't let the business die, at least removed those in the business that are responsible.
And then, after AIG is settled with all its accounts from the fiasco, it should be closed, and the names of those who received bonuses should be released.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Good News, Contrary to Prior Reports
On Sunday morning... I shouldn't have done this because it just gets me mad... I watched Meet the Press, or This Week, one of those, and there was an Obama guy there, director of one of the areas involved with trying to correct this financial ordeal, and he's saying something along the lines of, "We hate the idea of AIG giving out $165 million in BONUSES to AIG execs, but we don't want to get sued."
OMFG
R U FUCKING SERIOUS
HELLO? FIRE THE ASSHOLES!
Pardon my french. But seriously, this company was doomed, was going to fail, SHOULD have been let to fail in my opinion, so all bonuses, all expectations of a bonus, should have been off the table MONTHS ago. Breach the contract if you have to, but don't shove this in taxpayers' faces and say "our hands are tied" because that is simply laughable.
I presume Obama's director of whatnot knows this, so he also mentioned AIG's need to honor the contract in order to attract the best and brightest.
HELLO?
The best and brightest are unemployed right now partially thanks to the morons at AIG. If AIG had said something like, "What are you crazy? This is some risky-ass investments you want insured on-the-cheap. Go fuck yourself plz k thx." If they had said that, verbatim (haha), or at least charged enough to cause the investment banks pause, to reconsider how risky those loans were, then things wouldn't be nearly as bad now. But because it happened, the only thing you need to attact the best and brightest is a SALARY.
So yeah, I watched this guy spewing BS from his mouth, it was clear to me that he knew how weak his own arguments were. Who the hell made this guy say this BS? Someone who obviously knew it would not be well received by anyone with more than at least half of a semi-concious brain. His boss, obviously, which means Secretary of whatnot didn't want to make the TV rounds, so he went to his director and said, "Hey, want to be on TV?" Sucker.
Luckily for me, Kaiser, my German Shepherd, is such a good boy and he keeps me entertained or occupied and keeps me in a good mood despite some major idocy in a major time in the US.
But the good news is, finally (sorry for such a long intro), is that Obama, according to the Associated Press, intends to stop AIG from paying out the $165 million in bonuses.
YES!
A president who sees the BS, and despite one of his directors saying that they can't do anything, Obama knows that when there is a will, there is a way. Well, there is obviously a way, breaching the contracts, so the question really becomes, "Do we have the balls to do it?" And the answer to that is, "Duhh."
So, with Obama's words, if the failed company called AIG somehow gives out those bonuses, then all this... the speeches, the talk, the whole notion of hope... was all just a bunch of BS in and of itself because this is not a hard battle to win, but as for public impression and public confidence that our President will and can do the right thing, its significance is HUGE.
But maybe this was all just a setup on the public, no different than a soap opera, by Obama in order to get even more public support and to show that he is fighting for the public or common man. If so, then it will probably work. I don't care, as long as those AIG people in their failed company don't get bonuses on the backs of taxpayers.
OMFG
R U FUCKING SERIOUS
HELLO? FIRE THE ASSHOLES!
Pardon my french. But seriously, this company was doomed, was going to fail, SHOULD have been let to fail in my opinion, so all bonuses, all expectations of a bonus, should have been off the table MONTHS ago. Breach the contract if you have to, but don't shove this in taxpayers' faces and say "our hands are tied" because that is simply laughable.
I presume Obama's director of whatnot knows this, so he also mentioned AIG's need to honor the contract in order to attract the best and brightest.
HELLO?
The best and brightest are unemployed right now partially thanks to the morons at AIG. If AIG had said something like, "What are you crazy? This is some risky-ass investments you want insured on-the-cheap. Go fuck yourself plz k thx." If they had said that, verbatim (haha), or at least charged enough to cause the investment banks pause, to reconsider how risky those loans were, then things wouldn't be nearly as bad now. But because it happened, the only thing you need to attact the best and brightest is a SALARY.
So yeah, I watched this guy spewing BS from his mouth, it was clear to me that he knew how weak his own arguments were. Who the hell made this guy say this BS? Someone who obviously knew it would not be well received by anyone with more than at least half of a semi-concious brain. His boss, obviously, which means Secretary of whatnot didn't want to make the TV rounds, so he went to his director and said, "Hey, want to be on TV?" Sucker.
Luckily for me, Kaiser, my German Shepherd, is such a good boy and he keeps me entertained or occupied and keeps me in a good mood despite some major idocy in a major time in the US.
But the good news is, finally (sorry for such a long intro), is that Obama, according to the Associated Press, intends to stop AIG from paying out the $165 million in bonuses.
YES!
A president who sees the BS, and despite one of his directors saying that they can't do anything, Obama knows that when there is a will, there is a way. Well, there is obviously a way, breaching the contracts, so the question really becomes, "Do we have the balls to do it?" And the answer to that is, "Duhh."
So, with Obama's words, if the failed company called AIG somehow gives out those bonuses, then all this... the speeches, the talk, the whole notion of hope... was all just a bunch of BS in and of itself because this is not a hard battle to win, but as for public impression and public confidence that our President will and can do the right thing, its significance is HUGE.
But maybe this was all just a setup on the public, no different than a soap opera, by Obama in order to get even more public support and to show that he is fighting for the public or common man. If so, then it will probably work. I don't care, as long as those AIG people in their failed company don't get bonuses on the backs of taxpayers.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Non-Christian Crosses?
Judges weigh whether Utah crosses are secular
Of course a cross is not secular. Duhh. It's a symbol of Jesus' love for man, that he willingly died on the cross without sin, and rose 3 days later. I'll go a step further and say that crosses should only be used if the dead trooper was a Christian, and if the trooper was Jewish then the star of David should be used, etc. If the person was an atheist, then I guess some other sort of monument would have to be designed like maybe the shape of the state or the state seal, etc.
So, when the article says this, "A joint resolution by the Utah Legislature in 2006 declared the cross a nonreligious, secular symbol of death, Roberts said," then that tells me Utah is back asswards (get it? haha). Secular symbol of death... hmm, I'm thinking something more along the lines of the grim reaper, so maybe the sickle would be a better fit. Of course, people may also think the grass or wheat sure must get pretty high in Utah. How about a skeleton? Hmm, it's all pretty Halloweenish. Maybe the answer is to just have great big typical type headstones. No crosses or anything else on it, just the info... "RIP Joe Trooper, died on 1/1/1 in the act of issuing a speeding ticket." (Seriously though, if I was a cop I'd never give tickets at night, there's just too much risk in getting hit by a drunk driver)
Anyway, despite their good intentions, it doesn't take an atheist to see that Utah is wrong. I'm surprised that Utah's "the cross is a secular symbol of death" legislation didn't create an uproar among that state's Christians. I'm slightly offended by it, I'm also slightly amused by it. All these people with crosses on necklaces, at the churches, on catholic people's rosary beads, etc., are all clinging to a secular symbol of death? Hell no. Well, maybe in Utah, but not in any other place on Earth.
Of course a cross is not secular. Duhh. It's a symbol of Jesus' love for man, that he willingly died on the cross without sin, and rose 3 days later. I'll go a step further and say that crosses should only be used if the dead trooper was a Christian, and if the trooper was Jewish then the star of David should be used, etc. If the person was an atheist, then I guess some other sort of monument would have to be designed like maybe the shape of the state or the state seal, etc.
So, when the article says this, "A joint resolution by the Utah Legislature in 2006 declared the cross a nonreligious, secular symbol of death, Roberts said," then that tells me Utah is back asswards (get it? haha). Secular symbol of death... hmm, I'm thinking something more along the lines of the grim reaper, so maybe the sickle would be a better fit. Of course, people may also think the grass or wheat sure must get pretty high in Utah. How about a skeleton? Hmm, it's all pretty Halloweenish. Maybe the answer is to just have great big typical type headstones. No crosses or anything else on it, just the info... "RIP Joe Trooper, died on 1/1/1 in the act of issuing a speeding ticket." (Seriously though, if I was a cop I'd never give tickets at night, there's just too much risk in getting hit by a drunk driver)
Anyway, despite their good intentions, it doesn't take an atheist to see that Utah is wrong. I'm surprised that Utah's "the cross is a secular symbol of death" legislation didn't create an uproar among that state's Christians. I'm slightly offended by it, I'm also slightly amused by it. All these people with crosses on necklaces, at the churches, on catholic people's rosary beads, etc., are all clinging to a secular symbol of death? Hell no. Well, maybe in Utah, but not in any other place on Earth.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Casting Pearls to the Swine
Feds unveil plan to help 9 million stay in homes: "WASHINGTON – The Obama administration kicked off a new program Wednesday that's designed to help up to 9 million borrowers stay in their homes through refinanced mortgages or loans that are modified to lower monthly payments."
---
Brilliant! I'm sure some are innocent, but the majority of the people in trouble knew they were taking a risk, knew that their payments would increase, and took a gamble. Now, instead of them learning a lesson about basic responsibility, they learn that if the scam is big enough, and enough people are in on it, then they can will probably get away with it.
Heads need to roll. There's some CEO's that need to get fired, some banks that are too big that need to get broken up, and some mortgagees that need to get kicked out so the more financially responsible CEO's, banks, and people can take over.
Bailing out these deadbeats... come on, give ME a break.
---
Brilliant! I'm sure some are innocent, but the majority of the people in trouble knew they were taking a risk, knew that their payments would increase, and took a gamble. Now, instead of them learning a lesson about basic responsibility, they learn that if the scam is big enough, and enough people are in on it, then they can will probably get away with it.
Heads need to roll. There's some CEO's that need to get fired, some banks that are too big that need to get broken up, and some mortgagees that need to get kicked out so the more financially responsible CEO's, banks, and people can take over.
Bailing out these deadbeats... come on, give ME a break.
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