Apple does it again...again!

Image from http://www.apple.com/
I am a long time fan of most things Apple (even though I finally sold my iBook for a Windows XP notebook from Dell) and beleive that if Steve Jobs were to run for president, I would certainly vote for him. One of the most fun things about Apple computer is the anticipation of new products when the MacWorld expos come and when the rumors of new products start flying around. This January was no exception as Apple has released their version of a powerful "budget" computer, the Mac mini. This little thing is beautiful, as are all of Apple's products and very functional as an entry level computer for anyone. It's bound to be a huge hit with students, who are always needing more space, and probably with small businesses too. I would say to look for something similar in a relatively tiny package in the next year from companies like Dell and Gateway.
The one Apple product I will not buy though is the iPod, in any of its incarnations. It's nice looking and all but aside from the ridiculous battery issues that they've had the one thing that really turns me away from them are the file formats that it is compatible with, specifically, no wma. I like the codec that Apple uses for it's purchased songs through iTunes and love the iTunes program itself (even though I really don't use it now on my XP machines), but I have an aftermarket Kenwood stero in my car that is compatible with mp3 and wma so since I listen to a lot of music in my car I like to burn cd's of music and to do my iTunes songs, I have to burn them to an audio cd then rip them into another format, which just serves to be a time waster and to further reduce the quality of the audio (though probably not by too much, but still...). So, I will not be buying an iPod until Apple gives support for wma files and wma files purchased from online stores. I think I will get a Creative Muvo though, because that little thing is pretty sweet.

F*** EA!

I know I'm not alone in this, but even though the Madden football games used to be the best games around I don't think that has been the case for the past 5 or so years. Since the arrival of Sega's NFL 2K on the Dreamcast I have found that Sega's series of football games (now ESPN) has been the better performer than EA's offering. So now that EA has signed exclusive deals with bothe the NFL and the AFL for producing football games bearing the likenesses of players, stadiums, etc. I can't think of anything else to say except 'you damn bastards!'
I don't totally hate EA, I do have their NCAA Football 2003 and they make great games but cutting out the better (IMO) publishers and developers by doing this is ridiculously unfair to everyone involved, especially the people that buy the games. This means that there will proabably only be one real NFL game put out (not counting that NFL Street crap or other NFL Blitz type games) so you won't have any other choice but EA. I just hope that EA can make their game better than it has been recently and that Visual Concepts (the developer behind ESPN NFL football) can possibly get another great game produced. NCAA ball would be wonderful. CFL would be nice too.
Oh well.

Who's Your Daddy???

WTF???
imho, just more proof that:
1) people suck and will subject themselves and others to almost any ridiculous humiliation for a chance to have their five minutes of shame...I mean fame;
2) people suck because we all know that this show is going to get at least mildly high ratings because so many of you will watch this woman try to pick out her never before seen father from a group of other fame hunters for a chance at $100,000 and numerous tv interviews to get their "pretty" face on the airwaves with the hope of making more money afterwards.
3) aside from The Simpsons, Futurama, King Of The Hill, Family Guy, American Dad and the occasional Sci-Fi gift...FOX Broadcasting really does put out an ass-load of crap.
Anyway, I'm just going to watch my Cartoon Network anyhow.

Ted Ginn Jr. = Amazing

Once again it's good to say "Go Bucks!"... at least for on field performance.
As always our defense rocked and shut down whatever Oklahoma could think to throw at it; Zwick had a great comeback game following Smith's suspension; some great runs by Ross and Joe; and can anything more be said about Ted Ginn? Well, yes, but we'll leave the Heisman talk for next season. :)
Now, if only we didn't have all this damned conteversy and crap going on with the players off the field.

Boy, a lot happened over the weekend.
One of my all time favorite defensive football players, Reggie White, died the day after Christmas. Very shocking and sad when I heard Sunday morning. More here on the Packers website: http://www.packers.com/news/stories/2004/12/26/1/
It always amazes me how people that you never even personally know in life can affect you in such large ways.
And the earthquake and typhoon in SE Asia. Wow. I can't even find words. So much life lost. My deepest sympathies to all affected.

If it's not one thing...

We just can't win...
I just heard on the radio and saw on NBC 4's website that Troy Smith, our awesome multiple threat quarterback, has been suspended from playing for accepting/receiving inelligible benefits (? - I think) in violation of OSU and NCAA regulations.
...
Damn.
And he's not going to be eligible to play in the Alamo Bowl.
Damn.
It just never ends at OSU.

Finally, an update!

Well, it's been a little while since I've been out to my blog to write anything and seeing how it is 10 degrees with a -9 degree windchill outside right now and I don't want to go outside for any reason, why not update my blog with new information.
First, I just want to say a little something about the murder of Dimebag Darrell, which I'm sure everyone knows about by now. Like most other people who have an opinion on the subject, I was very shocked and upset when I heard about the incident on the Columbus news. I have been a Pantera fan since Cowboys From Hell, mostly due to my late brother, and have all of their albums and some of the guys side stuff like Down. If you didn't know me or my brothers, to look at me you probably wouldn't peg me as a Pantera fan (if you even knew who they were before this happened). I mean, 15 years ago, if you said someone was a fan of Pantera you probably got a mental picture in your head of what that person would look like, and it most likely wasn't a picture of an African American kid from an advanced degree educated family in Ohio who wanted to major in Architecture. But, anyway, Pantera still has some of the best, hard hitting music and Dimebag was a great big part of what made their stuff so good with his amazing guitar skills. Put together with the rest of the guys (Phil, Rex and Vinnie) they had no equal to me. So, if you have some Pantera, Down, Damageplan or anything else that they touched, keep it playing.
Now, I know I'm not the only one who thinks this, but it does not seem like it should be December 19th already...and I still haven't sent out my Christmas cards (so if you get yours late, and you most likely will, I appologize in advance). I did, however, have time to treat myself to a gift for myself, upon which I am typing this blog. :) About once a year I get a real itch to increase my technology inventory and since I moved and have a much bigger space, I decided to set up a wireless network in my house and buy a new laptop. So, I am enjoying my Dell Inspiron 8600 and really enjoying using it to wirelessly websurf and access my files on my desktop. Usually, I am entertained by little things, but every once in a while it's the pricey things that make me happy. And since I'm single I may as well spend my money on the things that make me happy. What's the point of it if I don't?
Well, now that I've been typing, I guess there's not much new that's really going on in my life. Pretty boring.
I did find out that a good friend, Cara, is now engaged to be wed though. So that's a good thing. It'll be yet another friend married though. *sigh* I'm starting to even more left out... kinda sucks.
Oh well.
In other news, it has been announced that Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 is currently being developed! This is big news to me and a couple of my friends because we have been playing, and loving, C&C Red Alert 2 and Yuri's Revenge for a number of years and, even though they are timeless classics and always fun, a new game using a more developed graphics engine will be absolutely awesome. Can't wait for it and hopefully, it won't be delayed as much as Halo 2 was.
Well, now I'm hungry and want to watch Earthsea on Sci:Fi, so I'll be saying goodbye.