Starcraft 2 and Civilization 5

Posted on May 10, 2010 by Josh

This year’s going to be an excellent one for strategy gamers like myself: Starcraft 2 is set to come out at the end of July, and Civilization 5 is due out in September.

I got a chance to try the Starcraft 2 beta (multiplayer only), and on my first match, I was able to win in about 5 minutes, using a tactic from the original Starcraft. That’s not to say that it’s just Starcraft with a face lift – there were a lot of units I didn’t recognize at all – but it looks like a good deal of Starcraft skill will port easily to Starcraft 2.

I can’t really comment much on Civilization 5, as they seem to have not released a whole lot – a few screenshots, and a worthless trailer – but I figure, based on the series track record, that it will be excellent.

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Otterbox Defender

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Josh

I love my iPhone, but I’ve been worried to carry it anywhere, lest it fall from my pocket or hand and crash to the ground. While it looks and feels rather futuristic, the iPhone sans case is simply too slippery for me. Whether I set it on a table or am holding it with one hand, it always seemed like it was moments away from sliding away like an icecube.

That particularly problem was solved today. I finally received my Otterbox Defender case, which turned my iPhone more into a rubberized brick than a futuristic Star Trek-like gadget. Actually, it’s still pretty Star Trek-like, just not as shiny and slippery, which is fine with me. It’s much bulkier now, but I would rather have bulky and protected than slim and fragile.

The only problem I have now is the oil slick issue that happens with the Defender. Air bubbles appear between the screen and screen protection part of the case, and it looks like you’re pushing around little puddles of oil. I tried the baby powder fix, which did work, but I couldn’t get it to work without seeing little flecks of baby powder on my screen. I may give it another try later, or just spring for a cheap anti-glare screen protector, which is supposed to fix it as well.

There was a wonderful xkcd comic to go along with this, but I can’t find it right now. Damn. It was the one showing an iPhone user flying away after using an app to save someone’s life; anyone have a link?

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Goo Gone for gum removal

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Josh

Just a quick note: if, by some chance, you happen to sit in a huge wad of gum, get in your car, and then proceed to have the gum work deeeeeep into the upholstery of your seat, Goo Gone is the thing to use to get it out. I tried ice first, which did not work nearly as well as the internet would have me believe (mislead by the internet, what’s the world coming to?)

I bought the regular Goo Gone stuff (4oz for like $5) and had the gum out in about 10 minutes.

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The cat came back

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Josh

A little over a week ago, our cat, Sookie, went missing. She’s been sneaking out the back door lately, as she’s in a, um, delicate state (okay, she’s in heat). Yes, I know, I need to get her spayed. No, I’ve not done so yet.

Anyway, she usually is wanting back into the house within a few hours, or at most, at the end of a day. This last outing, however, kept getting longer and longer. After a few days, I started to get worried. After a few more, I was fairly sure that she had either been taken (bad) or killed (awful). I was pretty bummed about the whole thing; she’s a good cat, and I didn’t much like the idea of her being kittynapped (I went there) or flattened by a car.

And then, the other night, as I was coming back from walking Zoë, I heard a cat meowing like crazy. It sounded like Sookie, so I called her, and sure enough, it was her; she started meowing frantically, jumped over a fence separating our yard from the neighbor’s, and ran to me.

I’m quite glad she’s back, but have two outstanding questions:

1. Where was she? Based on how she was acting, she was either a) taken by someone and then escaped or b) accidentally locked up somewhere, like a garage, then let out.

2. What did she bring home? As in, is she carrying a load of kittens in her?

I suppose the answer to 1 isn’t overly pressing; she’s back, and that’s what’s important. But 2… eh. Free kittens, anyone? Anyone? Bueller?


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iPhoned

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Josh

About a week ago, I bought an iPhone. I scoffed and shook my head for a very long time, saying I didn’t need a smartphone, but ultimately caved to seeing everyone else and their dogs having one. So far, I’m not at all regretting the purchase. I already had an iPod Touch, but the always on connection through 3G / Edge makes a vast difference. Of course, the difference leads to me checking Facebook and email more often, but at least I’m not drawn to browsing for hours on end with my phone.

You see, I suffer greatly from browsitis, which is when you sit down at the computer to do one thing, and then look up three hours later, wondering where the time went while you were reading about Russian skyscrapers or looking at funny pictures of cats. I look things up on my phone, but I don’t really browse for long periods of time.

Related to buying the iPhone, something popped into my mind the other day. It’s highly irreverent, but a friend of mine said I should share it: I wonder if, whenever Steve Jobs dies, his tombstone will simply read “iDead”? Sorry, I know, that’s pretty awful.

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