I managed to get a hold of my brother, who lives and works in Tokyo. From what I can tell, he's fine, as is his home. I can't tell to what extent the area around him was damaged. When I last visited him in October, he lived on a hill, so perhaps if a tsunami did come crashing through the area it wasn't too bad. Everyones been talking only about Sendai and that Nuclear reactor thingy so its a bit hard to garner details on the rest of the country.

From what I can tell, he has moved back into his home. Theres little food in the area, and the power seems to be sketchy at best.

I am admin of the Opposing Force Server Anitalink TDM and we're looking for some new maps to put on the server's rotation. Now I don't want to go around and steal people's maps on here so I'll ask. If you want your map on the server just comment which one of your maps you'd like to be put on. (I won't put your map on if it's not very good)

DAM DAM DAM DAM DAM DAM DAM DAM DAM DAM DAM IT WAS A HARDCORE CHARACTER

So, today I went into town to get an external enclosure for a 500GB HDD my brother and dad bought back when we thought the HDD was the problem with the computer. First stop was Future Shop. Looked around a bit, asked an employee, and he told us that they had none in stock, and had not for a while. He said that there was a small chance Staples had one. So, we went next door, asked the guy there, and he said that they used to have them, but didn't seem to have them anymore, and that we should look in a smaller computer store like Canada Computers for it.
So, downtown. Okay. Went downtown, walked in, asked a sales person, and he showed us their enclosures. They have the better part of an entire aisle devoted to them.
It's an Eagle N-Series, and we picked it up for 26 bucks, tax included.
This is it.So, now I can finally transfer stuff en masse, and have backups as well.

Oh yeah, and I got a camera for Christmas. Guess I forgot to mention that with the whole computer-being-dead thing.

Going to the doctor because I have a Flu/Cold combo with hearing loss. Fluid filled my ears so it always sounds like I'm under water.

BRB.

A few days ago I linked on the forums a blog post about old RTS games, and in that blog post I also talked about Settlers II. I linked to the new open source project, but didn't offer explanation because I couldn't install it.

I now found out how to do it, so for the Settler 2 nostalgics who want to replay the same game from 1996 at a higher resolution, smoother gameplay and on multiplayer with their friends, scroll down on this article.(the last subtitle) Read and follow the instructions. Enjoy ;)!

UPDATE: Okay, so I couldn't take out the white base (I save before I tried, and got decimated) but my forward position has been set up at a mining position I just discovered, more defendable than the other one. After that, I started developing a fleet of 10 battlecruisers. Since my 24 or so siege tanks can easily protect my bases, that fleet is almost ready to move out, and with a couple of science vessels as detectors to ensure ghosts don't get the better of me again. Tomorrow night, I strike.

I believe I had developed a winning strategy for Starcraft, Episode I, Level 10, "The Hammer Falls".
1. Ignore the strategy guide. Yes, it has a nice map that tells you where the enemy is, and where you can place bunkers, but it's strategy is flawed.
2. Set up your base ASAP; make a barracks, 2 supply depots, a factory, a science facility, and a starport, as well as a ton of SCVs.
3. Set up your two tanks in defensive positions on the upper rim of your current base, (the only thing you should have researched is siege mode) with fully stocked bunkers and missile turrets close by. Start churning out siege tanks, and reinforce your marines until you have a decent amount. Get two science vessels to act as mobile detectors. Then, move out to the right and up to the first bridge; On the way there will be one or two goliaths, and a squad of marines.
4. Reinforce that area with missile turrets and bunkers guarding the bridge. Get as many siege tanks as humanly possible there and in siege mode, inching them forward when a new layer is complete. Make sure your science vessels are there as well, and get a couple reserve bunkers in the area you fought the goliaths in, just in case. When Alpha Squadron (White) attacks through that way (and it will) their force will be comprised of at least 2 goliaths, a bunch of siege tanks, and upwards of three cloak-enabled ghosts. Blow them to hell, and then move out, attacking their base instead of setting up a forward position in the mines. Once their base is clean, go to the forward position (leave a couple of tanks there, though, with a few missile turrets) and start setting up a base. Go to the upper side of the station, and set up a perimeter there; block of the bridge to the left, and make lots of missile turrets as resources allow. Then, start climbing the tech tree.
4. Churn out 6-12 Battlecruisers, fully upgraded, and make sure to upgrade your vehicles a fair piece too.
5. Send the Battlecruisers in to wipe out the enemy and yamato the ion cannon.
6. Victory! You, Jim, and your men are outta here!

What you are about to read has been brewing and marinating for a long time, twisting my mind and driving me past the brink of sanity. You have been warned.

It is a sad day. Another, otherwise semi-good, movie, I Am Number Four, has been ruined for me, due to ONE actor in the cast. This guy is in a shitload of movies and tv, ruining every show he is in, and he has struck again!

Known only as "Horse Teeth", this goddamn plague is cast in movies and tv frequently because of hollywood looks(well mostly) and he's a gigantic 6'6" tall. Lurking inside though are those hideously large, horribly deformed and shiny pearly whites, that eventually come out in every movie he's in, despite the director yelling at him through the entire movie to keep his big, stupid mouth shut.

Horse teeth is in so much film/tv, he is basically impossible to avoid, impossible to avoid his enormously disproportioned(and deadly) dental assault. Once he opens his mouth in a movie, it's over for me. There on, completely distracted for the rest of the film, all i can think about are the teeth, which even in caricature would never be depicted this large.

He may even actually be a good actor, i wouldn't know, because my eyes and my mind are too busy being immolated by those giganticly-rediculous, aformentioned goddamn huge teeth, for the duration of the movie and weeks after.

'(

Even in I Am Number Four, Horse Teeth is heavily disguised with ridiculous makeup and facial/dental prosthetics, but you can still tell it's horse teeth immediately, as the hideous teeth shine right through the makeup to come and get you. (make no mistake, they will get you. they will get everyone eventually)

Phew.

Thank you for letting me get that off my chest. I never thought i was so superficial when it comes to peoples looks, but Horse Teeth just brings it out of me.. i'm sorry. He's also from Canada, which is strike 2 and 3 in my book(JK, i love canada, but kidding really about Horse Teeth).

I really have nothing personal against this man, he is probably a nice guy and gives money to charity and stuff, but i just can't take it anymore. Despite this, i can not ignore my duty to television and moviegoers everywhere:

DEAR HORSE TEETH
STOP RUINING MOVIES AND DECENT TV PROGRAM FOR ME BY BEING IN THEM. DO EVERYONE A FAVOR IN HOLLYWOOD AND THE ENTIRE PLANET AND SOLAR SYSTEM AND PLEASE KILL YOURSELF. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU KEEP BEING CAST IN MOVIES, BUT THIS WILL NOT STAND. THIS MUST STOP.

Due to Horse Teeth's involvement in I Am Number Four, I'm giving it a rating of 1/2 star. Thank you Horse Teeth. Thank you for another job well done.

This rant brought to you by Horse Teeth?. Ruining movies and TV since 1997.

I wonder how do others perceive the quality of my mapping, since I have only ever published 5 1/2 maps (that 1/2 being my rooms project entry which I still haven't finished but there is a halfway done version submitted), only 2 of them of any play value.

Have you guys seen this, probably haha well what do you's think?

Beyond Black Mesa;
http://www.youtube.com/user/InfectiousDesigner

I want to make some beef steak in my microwave oven, but I am a bit confused.

I know I should never place a metal object in the microwave if I don't use the grill option.
But the instruction manual provided with the oven says that I have to cook the steak on the metal grill that comes with the oven in 2 parts:
1. 36% MW - 64% Grill for 6-7 minutes
2. Only grill 5-6 minutes

And also, at the beginning it states that the grill should never be used in microwave mode.

Isn't this dangerous ?

I'm back!
Got the new family computer (Refurbished Office PC for $200, OS included) up, new modem (now external and USB, because the small size of the case) and I'm back online, and it feels so good.
Get some BM wallpaper up, throw around 1 or 20 file folders, and this new computer will feel just like home.

Air Duster saved my life! (well, endust electronics did..)

Was having severe overheating problems with my gfx card. It would idle at 60-65C, and run +100C on some games at max settings(i think i saw it go up to 130 once).

Because of this, i underclocked my nvidia 9800 to the lowest settings, and that worked for a while, but eventually, the temps went back up to amazing heights.

I was about to stop gaming(even CSS would run temps of 95C) just because i didn't want to blow up my machine, until i read an article about airdusting your laptop fans. (blowing the intake and exhaust side while the fan is running)

I tried it, and IMMEDIATELY, my gpu temps dropped to 35C resting temperature, and 60C Load temperature, MAX on any game. (i can play SCII on max everything now, and gpu temps never exceed 60C)

I was able to set my gpu clock speeds back to stock, and again, temps never run above 60C whilst gaming when my card USED TO HAVE RESTING TEMP of +60C!

So. Happy.

)

I just couldn't resist linking to you guys this Uber Grandpa Dance.

Nearly wet my pants after 0:55.

[EDIT] Fine. For the sake making this journal longer I will also add that my parents bought a Juicer yesterday(you know, as in the Jack Lalanne infomercials, only this one is not from the infomercials).

Natural juice tastes so damn good! And it's like drinking health itself...
Now when I think of fizzy drinks and other stuff(like coca-cola)... what a load of bullshit.

What's the difference between Darkie and Scotch? One has a stupid name... I can't remember how the rest goes, but your mother's a whore.
Oh yeah, and to clarify, I am Darkie. Now Scotch. I've been looking for a replacement for years now.