My xbox seems to be working now. I found that when it booted up properly, it would not red ring unless I turned it off and restarted the system. I ended up leaving it on for about 2 days. Last night I decided to try my luck and I restarted the system. Success! It is now working properly, but I have a dilemma because I requested Microsoft service.

My one friend said my unit has a version of digital aids, in that just because it is not showing symptoms does not mean it is not dying... go go double negative. Thus, what am I to do? If I send it back now and they find it starts up correctly, they will mail it back to me. Of course the problem might not crop back up again until the 20 day limit on the service order is up.

In short. I am stressing about a problem I know will return, but stuck without a means to address it on my own terms. Sweet.

Oh, and my Zune loves to restart itself at random times, including every time I get a static shock. Pretty sweet when you have to use the less than useful fast forward feature to go through a few hours of a book.

By the way, I am sure that whole table computer thing will work flawlessly. Good luck to anyone that pays big bucks for Microsoft hardware.

I have become a number. I have joined the masses. I am the owner of a dead Xbox 360. I have been touched by the dreaded Three Red Rings of Death. While I did not rage, I did seek solace and understanding through a friend. I may have whined... a bit, and I may have contemplated violence, but in the end the only emotion suitable or for that matter prudent was resigned acceptance. Now the waiting game begins, first for the empty box and then for the solution. Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed will have to wait as will my push for 5,000 achievement points.

In living with the woman, I have come to accept that our tastes differ. I do not like American Idol. In fact, I loathe all that is reality television! I pray you are with me on this. Last night I had to endure the season debut of Project Runway. While I sat there and tragically/awkwardly watched a contestant rubbing her cloth in to the ground to make grass stains because as she put it, she likes her clothing to have a natural vitality, I admit I was continually looking forward to the next scene. Why? Well, I will be blunt... Heidi Klum. She may be the most attractive woman to ever grace this planet and thus being male, it is my duty to pay attention. As such, it got me thinking... what would make the show watchable and less painful. Today, I came across the answer in the form of a photo-shopped picture. A tech design show hosted by none other than the German vixen herself would be top notch. Enjoy.

Thanks for xboxfanboy for the picture.

Thats what I would say if zombies started rambling down the street. None of this "I need to survive, I need to fight". F that. We talkin 'bout zombies. Even if you lived through an infestation, you would be warped for life. I don't think I would dig becoming some repressed EMO with zombie issues. Hell, I didnt sleep for a week after seeing my first Nightmare on Elm Street movie. Jesus, I mean at least the people in the movie could wake from their dreams. Anyway, you might ask why I am even bringing this up, well, that would be a good question, if you were already a mindless body part biting, coagulated blood having, limb dragging zombie. It is freaking Halloween (almost). If someone is going to start the outbreak, what better day could they choose? The spread would go unnoticed (except for those lucky b@stards that get zombified quickly) because of all the parading trick or treaters and drunken party-goers. Oh, there is another reason I bring this up as well, enjoy the link.

Five Reasons The Zombie Outbreak Could/Will Happen




For your potential safety, I should also inform you that Zombie Survival Kits are available for purchase over this thing we refer to as "the net". "The Net", now that sounds like a group that would be game to start the zombie outbreak.

Sure, Halo 3 brought in more than $300 Million Dollars in one week, but that was expected. John 117, better know as Master Chief has always been one to follow orders and place the mission above all else. However, it seems the mission protocol has changed.

***Spoiler Alert*****
With the flood destroyed and the covenant broken, Master Chief has been spotted at some of New York's swankiest parties where he has been said to be socializing and showing off his gun. Well John, thanks for your service and I wish you the best on your search for that which is clearly depicted below and most kindly pointed out by one of the "targets".

I have devoted a lot of time and energy to Bungie with a product, Halo 3, that is awesome. However it could have been more impressive. Am I a jerk for even suggesting that? Probably. Does that mean I should keep the sentiment to myself? Maybe. But when something is great, it often drives you to ponder all of the attributes that lead you to that conclusion. In doing so, it also allows your imagination to consider missed potential. With that in mind, my thoughts follow.

Bungie seems to have felt that Halo 3 needed to be jammed packed with da da da dummm and run and gun intensity. Well, they are right in that it does need both. However, I feel the game would have been better served with a few more huge open tracks of land after some of the more intense battles. I am not suggesting significant additions, but just a few more pauses to notice beautiful vistas, the great Halo score, or perhaps a hoard of wildebeests sweeping majestically across the land. Perhaps these scenes could have been punctuated with the occasional sniper shot or the slaughter of 50 or more grunts caught in the open. This would have added to the experience and further distanced the game from all that was wrong with Halo 2.

Halo 2 was nothing more than tight quartered running and gunning with insane amounts of backtracking. Granted, Halo 2 was more, but that is what I feel when I think back on the game. The pause is what allows you to notice the beauty of the game. It is what made Halo so groundbreaking. You were lead to believe that you were in an open world ravaged by vast battles in which you were granted some amount of freedom in how to approach them. As with certain moments in Halo 3, you could watch the battle begin to unfold and enter it at your convenience.

Again, it is the pause, that break, the time when you climbed to the top of the mountain after an intense 20 minute battle. The score breaks for one second, you see the enemy in the distance through falling snowflakes, you hear the wind in front of you and then SLAM! A wraith comes into view, a guitar opens a high riff and you plunge into battle. That is ALL that is awesome. Sure, the scene changes according to the player, but we all had that moment when we drew our breath, got lost in the moment, and then were pulled back by the desire to move forward, the desire for progress.

I recently logged on to my best buy rewards card account and found that all of the information had been changed with the exception of my email address, first name, and last name. At first, I freaked. I thought someone had gained access to my email and thus, I was likely going to have to deal with identity theft. After changing all sorts of passwords. I contacted Best Buy. The only question they asked me in order to change my information was my phone number. Of course, the phone number had been changed. The operator, most likely Indian, took this in stride and said that was not a problem. He was willing to change all of the information with nothing more than my account number. I decided to cancel my account, but the lack of security is absurd! Just thought I would pass that along.

By the way, the Indian aspect was only mentioned because the operator was only capable of giving me stock responses.

It is hard to fathom. I was there in 93. I was privileged enough to see three games during that post season and while I doubt I will score tickets this year, today was enough to keep me happy. Like all of Philly, I was tuned in to every pitch. Thank God the Phils were playing the Nats.... local TV announcers aside. I heard from reliable sources that Phillies entered the stands and celebrated with the fans, beer spraying included. It looks like Philly is once again a baseball town. I mean, the Phillies are in the freaking playoffs! Un-freaking believable! I am not alone in admitting I had goosebumps for hours today; I feel tired, drained, elated. I BELIEVE! We all need to BELIEVE.

... I am not even going to bother trying to make this picture fit... I either lack the skills, motivation, or patience to deal with gamespot's issues.

It did say, "Eat That Mets, Go Phils!

Update: It was patience I was lacking.

What I really meant to say is, Internet Fame-Whores leak the ending of Halo 3.

Ok, so some lucky b@stards got their hands on Halo 3 early. I can respect that... heck, I envy them. However, it is one thing to let the geek world know that you have something they are about to wet themselves over, and another all together when those lucky few go out of their way to spoil it for everyone else. I curse them with a ticked off hacker who wants to ruin their world. By the way, about 3 days remain until I stop answering phone calls, replying to emails, going to work, showering, and communicating with anyone not involved in all that is Halo 3. That is all.

Tarantino Wants To Do Porn.
Ok, while he might not want to do it, he does want to make a porn type movie. Something about a throwback to 70s European films. Sweet right? Well, maybe you should read this first.

"a cool sex movie that would take place in Stockholm, with a couple of Americans visiting a couple of Swedish friends just going out drinking, having a good time, hooking up. If I actually do anerotic movie, I'm going to have to reveal what I find sexy, what turns me on, It's got to be kind of kinky, because that's what's cinematic, that's what's fun. Everything else is just - shagging."

Ok, the movie is now dead to me. The guy is nuts, a good nuts when you consider Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and Grindhouse, but he wants to show the world what turns him on. Think, blood, bondage, cripples, feet, Asians (awesome), and bushy hair... in lots of places. Unless it is Zombie bisexual porn, I am out.

ps. It is a real pain in the arse to post stuff on gamespot.