November 30, 2004
Valve is Ass. Steam is Ass.
OK. I am completely pissed off.
While I've enjoyed HalfLife2, I never really liked the forced authentication I had to go through to install the game (it took longer to install HL2 than to install Win98, for crissake). I hated that it kept checking in with Steam every time I started the game.
But what happened tonight just takes the fucking cake.
Steam decided to broadcast an 'update' to the game, to everyone. All they succeeded in doing is kill hundreds (if not thousands) of HL2 installations around the world (to judge from the dozens of infuriated posts in HL2 forums).
In my anger, I looked around for somwhere to contact support, and found 2 sites: Sierra's and Steam's.
Steam required that I create an account (boy, they sure like those accounts) before posting a question. Annoyed, I did so, and logged in. Once inside, I discovered that NOWHERE DO THEY HAVE A WAY FOR YOU TO POST A QUESTION. Mindboggling.
Sierra's support page was easier to find. I wrote a lengthy complaint (copied below) and hit submit. I was then informed that my post contained invalid characters (!). I searched high and low, and found none of these. In best coder fashion, I deleted random bits of my post to see what got through. NOTHING.
These guys just don't want to hear from us. They take our money happily. They treat us like criminals anyway. And then, in best Big Brother fashion, they reach in an fuck with our private property.
Fuck them. The minute this gets fixed, I'm instructing my firewall to cut off HL2 and Steam from the internet. I'm cracking my copy, installing it on every PC I own, handing it out to my friends (fair use, people!). These bastards deserve it.
Halflife2, which has been working for more than 2 weeks, is now refusing to start. This coincides with a forced DM from Steam.I like this game, but Steam has cause me no end of frustration. I haven't finished it, and am no longer interested in finishing it.
Sierra/Valve is selling a defective product, for which I payed a lot of money, and that is unacceptable. While I'm sure this problem will be fixed in a day or two, I'm just not willing to put up with it.
Media Play, the store where I purchased my copy of HL2, will not accept it as a return. I don't belive I got my money's worth, and think Valve/Sierra owes me a full refund.
Finally, I just wanted to point out that I will never again purchase a game requiring authentication beyond the usual CD-key, and will absolutely not consider buying anything remotely related to Steam.
November 26, 2004
November 18, 2004
Da Hummernator is at it again
It seems Ahnold has now got it in his head to substibute the California gas tax for a mileage tax.
How dumb can you get?
I mean, a gas tax is the perfect use tax - bigger vehicles cause more road damage, so they should pay more. Bigger vehicles also pollute more, so they should pay more.
On top of that, gas tax discourages the purchase of irresponsibly large vehicles, and encourages people to migrate to modern, efficient cars.
Businesses already get tax deductions for their vehicles (hell, even doctors get one, if they drive a 6 ton Navigator). So don't gimme any of that 'gas tax is bad for business bullsh*t'.
So how do they plan to track mileage? GPS units on every car! Thats right, spend hundreds per car, establish a whole new government infrastructure to substitute one of the few fair taxes for a stupid one.
Dumbasses.
November 17, 2004
Goss: Epitome of Nonpartisanship
Just weeks ago, Porter Goss, the new CIA head, defended himself vehemently against charges that he would steer the CIA with the same partisan myopia he's demonstrated in the past.
Now that the wolves have been shedding sheepskins left and right (mostly right), he says:
Porter J. Goss, the new intelligence chief, has told Central Intelligence Agency employees that their job is to "support the administration and its policies in our work,'' a copy of an internal memorandum shows.
Nonpartisan? Yes, if by 'nonpartisan' you actually mean ultrapartisan.
The New York Times > Washington > New C.I.A. Chief Tells Workers to Back Administration Policies
HL2 Goodness
If you're a gamer, 2004 has been a Good Year. Doom 3. Halo 2. Half-Life 2.
Lately, I've been playing Halo2 (you know, that game that sold $100m the first day). Now, I'm not about to review the game (google it for about 1 quintillion reviews) but I will offer one telling insight.
I'm also playing Doom3, another awesome game. The day I first played Halo2, I felt it was missing something, didn't know quite what. Later, when I went back to Doom3, I immediately noticed that it was (graphically) on an entirely different level, graphically.
Doom3 is all about 'atmosphere', a gloomy and tense atmosphere. It's like a 60 hour long incredibly well design Haunted House where you get to shoot the ghouls. Halo2, in comparison, was about as lush as a coloring book. It was like comparing a good Bugs Bunny to a crappy Scooby Doo.
That being said, I've never been able to play Doom3 more than about an hour at a time - it's just too uncomfortable. By the end of that hour, your armpits are damp, your hands are twitching - your whole body is shaking.
Halo2, on the other hand, I played for 3 hours without even noticing. Smooth gameplay, straightforward missions. It's more "BOOOYA!" than "holyfvckinchetthatdemoncameoutanowhere!"
And now I have HL2, which promises the best of both.
Good Gaming year.
November 10, 2004
Oh Great.
Gonzales to Succeed Ashcroft, Sources Say
Nice. Isn't this the guy who wrote legal justifications for torture, for breaking the Geneva Convention, for Gitmo.
Just like Bush to name a minority, and yet still leave a slimey taste in your mouth.
November 07, 2004
November 06, 2004
November 05, 2004
November 04, 2004
Why Kos is King
Please, no more talk about leaving for Canada. No more searching around for European-born grandparents so you can get an EU passport; leave the dual-citizenship shenanigans to washed-up athletes who can't make the US Olympic team and tax-dodgers hiding out from the IRS. No more talk about giving up on your country, your state, your local community, your party, or on politics. No more thoughts that might lead you to allow an electoral defeat to defeat you.
ps - as I read this, I caught the Dumbshitenator calling democrats 'losers' on TV. Fvck him.
We are soooo fvcked
Contending Americans have embraced his conservative agenda, President Bush pledged Thursday to aggressively pursue major changes in Social Security, the tax code and medical malpractice awards, working with Democrats if they are receptive and leaving them behind if they're not.
"I'll reach out to everyone who shares our goals", indeed.
November 03, 2004
The New Nader?
I'm going to ask something controversial. It's just a thought.
Was Newsom 2004's Nader?
It occured to me on the drive home, but I was suprised that our local news is suggesting it too.
They both acted from deep convictions, with which I completely agree. They both did what they thought was right, arguably at the wrong time, unpolitically. In both cases, unscrupulous republicans took advantage.
But you know what? Fuck it. You can't stop doing what you think is right just because some bubba is going to punish you for it. That fear is what got this country in the bind it's in. Politics be damned.
I was taught to do what is right, whatever the consequences. I was taught that if I did this, everything else would take care of itself. Naive, perhaps, but let me tell you: I sleep well at night.
UPDATE: Looks like someone had similar thoughts.
I know exactly how this guy feels...
Daily Kos :: Welcome to Great Britain
What is left for us? I live in a red state, hopelessly lost among people who latch onto single issues, anti-abortion, anti-gay, pro-gun, pro-killin-Arabs. These people would eagerly ride Mein Kommandant's coattails down into the shitter, and I'm supposed to explain to my 4-year old tomorrow morning that no matter how much John Kerry wanted to win, deserved to win, that no matter how much I believed in him coming home today, believed in his mandate, that in fact, the son of a bitch lost to a dimwitted shitheel from Texas, that his old man couldn't do a goddamn thing to prevent the bastard from fucking up his future?
November 02, 2004
November 01, 2004
Saildawg
Others have Friday Cat Blogging... I have huge labrador Monday Night Blogging...
Are liberals dog people or cat people?
That Stupid "Don't Close Your Blinds" Email
Recently, a friend forwarded an email with a bullshit story about some parents explaining the war to their kids. I've placed the email in the 'extended' section of this post, so you can read it if you're masochistically inclined.
The gist of it is that a kid asks his parents why we're at war, and the parents use their neighborhood as a metaphor for the world, and ask the kid what he'd do if a neighbor were beating his wife (nice). Then the bad guy shows up at the door (boo!), and the keep badgering the kids about what he'd do.
Being me, and following a masochistic tendency of my own, I of course had to respond.
"Now I want you to stand there and look out the window and pretend you see Saddam come out of his house with his wife, he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death.Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are screaming and crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and they are afraid of their father. You see all of this son....what do you do?"
"Dad?"
"What would you do son?"
[ME] "Well, Dad, I know what I wouldn't do - I wouldn't pull out my shotgun and go shoot the other people in this house" (100000 Dead in Iraq, folks, by our hand - In 18 months, we've accomplished what took Saddam 8 years)
And later in the email:
"Open the blinds, son, because that evil man.... now he's at our front door..."WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW?"
[ME] "Uh, attack that OTHER house next door, Dad! You know, the one with the crazy guy who hasn't done anything to us, but called you names!"
I conclude with:
You know, I have kids, and they're at that 'asking age', and being thoughtful little buggers, demand thoughful answers. When they ask me why we're at war, I have to tell them the reasons are too complicated for them to understand yet, that they need to study a lot more history (when I really mean the reasons are too nasty for their little innocent ears).
The reasons should be easy, crystal clear.
If Saddam had attacked us, then I could say "to defend our homes". But I can't say that, can I?
If Saddam was helping Osama attack us, then I could say "because he was helping our enemies". But I can't say that, can I?
If we had found nuclear weapons, or drones packed with sarin, as our leaders said we would, I could say "because he had terrible weapons, and could use them against us". But I can't say that, can I?
So the only thing I could say would be "Well, there are evil, ignorant, terrified people in the world, kids. We're a country ruled by fear, and people do stupid, evil things when they're afraid". And my kids aren't ready for that. So I punted, and said, basically "ask me again when you're older".
The full wingnut email (I especially like the "BOGUS AMMO DUMP STORY YESTERDAY TIMED TO DISCREDIT THE MILITARY AND PRESIDENT BUSH... " line at the end):
Don't Close Your BlindsThe other day, my nine-year-old son wanted to know why we were at war. My husband looked at our son and then looked at me. My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would be honored to serve and defend our Country again today. I knew that my husband would give him a good explanation.
My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window.
He said, "Son, stand there and tell me what you see?"
"I see trees and cars and our neighbors' houses," he replied.
"OK, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush."
Our son giggled and said, "OK."
"Now son, I want you to look out the window and pretend that every house and yard on this block is a different country," my husband said.
"OK Dad, I'm pretending."
"Now I want you to stand there and look out the window and pretend you see Saddam come out of his house with his wife, he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death.Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are screaming and crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and they are afraid of their father. You see all of this son....what do you do?"
"Dad?"
"What would you do son?"
"I'd call the police, Dad."
"OK. Pretend that the police are the United Nations and they take your call, listen to what you know and saw, but they refuse to help.
What do you do then son?""Dad...but the police are supposed to help!" My son starts to whine.
"They don't want to son, because they say that it is not their place or your place to get involved and that we should all stay out of it," my husband says."But Dad...he killed her!" my son exclaims.
"I know he did...but the police tell you to stay out of it. Now I want you to look out that window and pretend you see our neighbor who you're pretending is Saddam turn around and do the same thing to his own children."
"Daddy...he kills them?"
"Yes son, he does. What do you do?"
"Well, if the police don't want to help, I will go and ask my next door neighbor to help me stop him," our son says."Son, your next door neighbor sees what is happening, but he refuses to get involved as well. He'll not help you," my husband says.
"But Dad, I NEED help! I can't stop him by myself!"
"WHAT DO YOU DO SON?" Our son starts to cry.
"OK, no one wants to help you, the man across the street saw you ask for help and saw that no one would help you stop him. He stands taller and puffs out his chest. Guess what he does next son?""What Daddy?"
"Watching you in the window, he walks over to the old lady's house, breaks down her door and drags her out. He sets her house on fire and then he...he kills her. He does this while he laughs at you and her. WHAT DO YOU DO?"
"Daddy..."
"WHAT DO YOU DO?"
Our son is crying and he looks down and he whispers, "I'd close the blinds, Daddy."My husband looks at our son with tears in his eyes and asks him..."Why?"
"Because Daddy.....the police are supposed to help people who needs them... and they won't help.... You always say that neighbors are supposed to HELP neighbors, but they won't help either...they won't help me stop him...I'm afraid....I can't do it by myself Daddy.....I can't look out my window and just watch him do all these terrible things and... and..... do nothing...so....I'm just going to close the blinds.... so I can't see what he's doing........and I'm going to pretend that it is not happening."I start to cry. My husband looks at our nine year old son standing in the window, looking pitiful and ashamed at his answers to my husband's questions and he says..."Son."
"Yes, Daddy."
"Open the blinds, son, because that evil man.... now he's at our front door..."WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW?"My son looks at his father, anger and defiance in his eyes. He balls up his tiny fists and looks his father square in the eyes, without hesitation he says: "I'LL DEFEND MY FAMILY DAD! I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM HURT MOMMY OR MY SISTER, DAD! I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM, DAD, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM!"
I see a tear roll down my husband's cheek and he grabs our son to his chest and hugs him tight, and says... "It's too late to fight him, he's too strong and he's already at YOUR front door son.....you should have stopped him BEFORE he killed his wife, and his children and the old lady across the way. You have to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone, before it's too late," my husband whispers.
THAT scenario I just gave you is WHY we are at war with Iraq and other terrorists. When good men stand by and let evil happen son, THAT is the greatest EVIL of all. Our President is doing what is right. We, as a free nation, must understand that this war is a war of humanity. WE must remove evil men from power so that we can continue to live in a free world where we are not afraid to look out our window so that my nine year old son won't grow up in a world where he feels that if he just "closes" that blinds the atrocities in the world won't affect him.
"YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT ALONE!" BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! BE PROUD OF OUR TROOPS!
SUPPORT THEM! SUPPORT OUR PRESIDENT IN THE MIDST OF THIS WAR, SO THAT IN THE FUTURE OUR CHILDREN WILL NEVER HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR BLINDS...."
BOGUS AMMO DUMP STORY YESTERDAY TIMED TO DISCREDIT THE MILITARY AND PRESIDENT BUSH...
-------------------------------------------------------
This message is NOT from the Bush-Cheney campaign. I trust this message won't get blocked by those who disagree with the First Amendment, which was written specifically to protect free speech in the time of national elections.
PLEASE, GET OUT AND VOTE FOR PRESIDENT BUSH ON TUESDAY. THERE'S MORE AT STAKE THAN WE KNOW. DON'T CLOSE YOUR BLINDS.
Open Letter Ben Franklin
Dearest Ben,
I must confess to be an admirer - your 'freedom vs. safety' quote is one of the central tenets of my life. I might even agree with your choice of the Turkey as national bird, especially given that Bush is pulling 47% of the vote.
But Daylight Savings Time? I curse the day you thought this puppy up. I'm sure you came up with this one whilst completely drunk, as a joke on all us poor slobs. Bastard.
A Disgruntled Fall Backwarder