The Illusion Of Control
Posted on | June 26, 2008 at 10:45 pm | 7 Comments
Pet Peeve of the Day: On the eve of Bill Gates’ departure from the company he built, it seems only right to complain about Microsoft. So here’s my latest beef. Sometime in the past several months, they changed the Windows Update procedure (for Windows XP at least) so that updates are only installed when you turn off the computer:
This is extremely annoying because I only shutdown the computer when I’m leaving the house, and I’m usually in a hurry. There doesn’t appear to be any way to install the updates at any other time. Sometimes the updates can take a long time to install, which makes it hard to exit the house in a timely manner. I have to wait for the PC to completely shutdown so I can turn off the power strip and leave the house. I know that I can say to install them later, but then I have to remember to shutdown the computer at some point when I’m not just leaving.
I’ve got the “Notify me but don’t automatically download or install them” option checked in Automatic Updates, which used to tell you when updates are available, and ask you if you wanted to download them. If you said yes, then you would get another notification when the download was done asking if you wanted to install the updates. Now it no longer does that second part. It doesn’t tell you when the downloads are finished and it doesn’t allow you to install them. To install them you actually have to shutdown the computer. I’m sure Microsoft changed this because 1) They think we’re stupid, and 2) they want to be sure we install the updates (especially the “Windows Genuine Advantage” trusted computing crap). But they could’ve at least given the option to have it work the old way for us not-quite-so-stupid people.
Yes, I know I can just turn off automatic updates completely and not worry about this. But I do want to get the security updates and I wouldn’t remember to keep checking for them. Plus, the manual update procedure from the website is a pain. And for all I know, it works the same way as the automatic updates now and will only install the updates when you turn off the computer.
Enjoy your retirement, Bill. I hope you don’t have to install anything on your Windows PC.
Latre.
Jogged Today: Yes (@ 61°F)
Songs That Came Up On The iPod While Jogging:
- “Lies Of The Living Dead” (The Minus 5)
- “Where You Going Northern” (Game Theory)
- “Romeo Poe” (Tribe)
- “Closer To Heaven” (Pet Shop Boys)
- “The Wheel Made Man” (The Danielson Famile)
- “There Was a Few” (Material Issue)
- “Present Tenses” (Get Him Eat Him)
- “Kerry Kerry” (Cinerama)
Very few joggers/walkers out this morning, even though it was a gorgeous day. Very odd.
Spartan… Witness The End!
Posted on | June 25, 2008 at 10:35 pm | Comments Off
Woo hoo! I finally done did it!
Portrait of an obsession:
I haven’t talked about video games in awhile, mostly because I haven’t been playing them as much as I’d like. I got derailed playing Grand Theft Auto IV on the PS3 when I bought The Orange Box and started playing one of its games, Portal (more on that later). On the Pennsylvania trip, I brought along my Nintendo DS and my Sony PSP, though I ended up not playing the DS at all and the PSP only a little. You never have as much “leisure” time on vacations as you think you’re going to have.
The only game I played on the trip was God of War: Chains of Olympus. And actually, by that point, I had gotten to the very last stage and was fighting the last boss. It’s a pretty short game, but it took me a long time to get that far because of all my various other distractions and the PS3 games. I usually only play the PSP when I’m away from home or when I’m at home and can’t use the TV to play the PS3 because the girlfriend is watching it. But I swear, it probably took me nearly as long to beat Persephone (the last boss) as it did to play the whole rest of the game. As I’ve said before, even though I have a lot of games and systems, I’m just a casual gamer. And I’m old and my reflexes are slow. However, I wanted to prove to myself that I could finish the game on Hero (Normal) mode, instead of Easy mode, which is how I played the original God of War (1) on the PS2. I always regretted not going back and doing it again on Normal or Hard.
So… I read all the tips I could on that last Chains of Olympus fight and it still didn’t seem to help much. It was driving me crazy. I played that battle over and over again on the trip and only once made it through the first stage of the two stage battle. And after I got back, I would pick up the PSP every once in awhile and try it again and still not make it. But over the last week or so, I told myself I was going to beat the thing if it was the last thing I did. I was definitely getting better at it. I got to the point where I could make it through that first stage pretty easily and without losing hardly any health (which doesn’t really matter, since health gets replenished at the end of that stage anyway). But the second stage was kicking my ass. I understood the defense and the patterns and the play mechanics, and like how you had to reflect the fireballs back at Persephone and all that. I got pretty good at that, but I still couldn’t seem to knock that last bit of life out of her to trigger the final endgame. Her attacks would just get more and more relentless, and mental and physical fatigue would set in before I could finish her off. Last night, I picked up the game before going to bed and ended up staying up till 12:30 trying to beat it, even though I knew I was getting up at 5:30. “Just one more time, just one more time!” I even left the PSP on all night, so I wouldn’t have to start the battle all over from the first stage) and played it first thing when I got up in the morning, still no go. And what do you think I dreamed about all night?
But finally… finally… tonight I did it! I came home after work, took a much-needed nap, ate dinner and watched a few TV shows, and then picked up the PSP. It actually took me a few tries to get through the first stage of the final battle, so that had me worried. But then I started to get into the “zone” and things picked up. It took me probably three or four tries on that second stage, and then I had her. I didn’t even change my tactics all that much – I think my brain and my hands were just finally to the point where they were working as a team. When Persephone fell on the ground and the dark mist surrounded her and I stepped into the circle of light to fire the sun shield and trigger that last game-ending mini-game, it was the greatest feeling in the world. Okay, there are some greater feelings, but not many while you’re holding a glowing battery-operated piece of plastic in your hand. According to a study, men experience a more intense level of activity in their cranial “reward zone” than women when succeeding at videogames, supposedly a throwback to the caveman days of conquering and dominating. So at least there’s a gender-specific biological reason for my addiction.
I watched the final cutscene, which didn’t interest me all that much except as a reward for my hard work. And then I even sat through the endless credits – apparently it takes as many people to produce a video game these days (even a handheld one) as it does to make a summer event movie. And then there was yet another final cutscene, which I think leads into the first God of War (the PSP game is a prequel), but I can’t remember, since it’s been a long time since I played that one.
Chains of Olympus is definitely the best game I’ve played on the PSP and probably the best game for the system. I was they were all like that, as the PSP is lacking in that department. I rate it a 9 out of 10 (I really don’t like the button-press mini-games). It was a really fun game with great production values, cutscenes that looked better than some computer animated movies, good voice acting, finely tuned controls, and an interesting story with some emotional resonance. And boobies. I love the Greek mythology background of the game, since I’ve been really into that stuff ever since junior high or so and the GoW games seem to be pretty accurate within that realm, from what I remember. Although I don’t think Persephone had wings and could hurl chunks of earth around. I did not think the game was too short, which was the primary complaint of critics. Maybe it was too short for the hardcore gamers, but not for us old dudes. Heck, look how long it took me to finish it! Now that I’ve beat the game on Normal mode, it unlocked God (Very Hard) mode as well as a series of “Challenges”, some costume changes, and some videos and such to watch. I’m not sure I want to do any of that right now, as I need to get back to the PS3. But it might be fun to try some of those challenges and to beat the game at a higher difficulty level. Although N might kill me if I start screaming even louder at that piece of plastic.
I am Kratos! I am the future God Of War! Hear me roar!
Now I can sleep. And now my hands will stop cramping. Amen.
Latre.
Pet Peeve of the Day:
Poignant Search Term Of The Day That Led To This Blog: “taco bell crunch wrap cost”.
The Great Spicy CrunchWrap Supreme Swindle
Posted on | June 24, 2008 at 10:23 pm | 16 Comments
Update: Please note that this post (and the comments) has been edited to remove explicit references to the name of the Mexican fast food national restaurant chain in question, and replaced them with the abbreviation “TB”. I got tired of all the hits on this post from people searching for coupons for that establishment.
Pet Peeve of the Day: TB coupons. This has been bugging me for a long time. Take a gander at the coupon below:
All well and good, right? Coupons are great and they save you money, right? Wrong! All the TB’s in this area sell the Spicy Crunch Wrap Supreme for anywhere from $1.99 – $2.29, and yet the coupon amount is a whopping $2.89! It’s definitely not “2 for $2.89″ or something like that, as TB coupons always list the quantity if it’s not one. I remember the first time I got this coupon, I actually used it at my local TB without checking the price on the menu. (I believe the older coupon was actually $2.79 or $2.69 at that point.) The guy behind the counter was confused and had to type a lot of things into his cash register, but he eventually gave it to me at the higher coupon price without saying, “Hey, we actually sell this for cheaper than the coupon”. I didn’t think a whole lot of it at the time, but the next time I was in the restaurant, I gazed at the menu and saw it was the lower price. From then on, I always looked at the coupons I got in the paper and mail, and they always had the same Spicy Crunch Wrap Supreme for a high price. And I always checked the menu when I went into a TB to compare the price, and it’s always lower.
I thought maybe I was really not understanding, and the item listed in the coupon was not the same as the thing on the menu. TB doesn’t always list everything on the menu. And there’s usually a “Spicy Chicken Crunch Wrap Supreme” on the menu as well as the regular one, and sometimes it’s a little more expensive. So, I finally decided to ask someone about it. I started with the counter help at one of the local franchises. As expected, she looked at me like I was insane, but she didn’t really know the answer. She just looked up at the menu and said “Yeah, that’s $2.29 and I think it’s the same item that’s on the coupon”. I didn’t actually try to use the coupon, since I didn’t want to accidentally get charged more for the thing again, but it might’ve been interesting to see what would’ve happened.
Next, I called the TB customer service line (which is advertised as 1-800-T***-B***, but which is actually 1-800-TAC-OBEL). Surprisingly, I had to wait several minutes to talk to a representative. Either there’s only a few people on the helpdesk, or there’s an awful lot of people calling to ask about coupons scams. Again, there was confusion. All I could get out of her was that the price varies from restaurant to restaurant and region to region, and that I should only use the coupon if the menu price was “the same or higher”. Thanks for that tip! I have a really hard time believing this thing is more than $2.89 anywhere, except maybe at airports.
The TB website isn’t much help either. Under menu items, it lists only “Crunchwrap Supreme”. However, in the nutritional information chart, both the “Crunchwrap Supreme” and “Spicy Chicken CRUNCHWRAP SUPREME” are listed. No “Spicy Crunch Wrap Supreme” at all. No suggested prices are listed. There’s no FAQ or anything about the coupons on the website. The “Contact Us” form wouldn’t be much use, since you have to supply customer info and store info and all, and it’s really just geared towards feedback about a particular locale. At that point, I pretty much gave up.
One other thing: Notice that the coupon says “Offer excludes chicken, steak, or supreme versions”, which is boilerplate on most of their coupons. Since there is no non-Supreme version of the CrunchWrap, and it says “Supreme” right there on the coupon, this implies to me that the coupon can’t be used at all. Which is actually a good thing, since it’s a ripoff and you really shouldn’t use it. Interestingly, I’ve also got a coupon for “2 Seasoned Beef Burritos Supreme” (”Seasoned”? What’s that? None of the menus ever list “Seasoned Beef”!) and it only says “Excludes chicken or steak versions”, not “supreme versions”.
And how come “CrunchWrap” is sometimes one word and sometimes two words in TB literature? Can’t anybody keep this stuff straight? Don’t even get me started on the difference between a “Crunchy Beef Taco Supreme” ($1.19) and a “Taco Supreme” ($1.59).
So, anyway, this is where I need the help of my readers in other parts of the country. Answer me these if you can:
1) Do you get this same coupon in your newspaper or mail? If so, what is the coupon price of the Spicy Crunch Wrap Supreme?
2) What is the price of the Spicy Crunch Wrap Supreme at your local TB?
Thanks. You will be doing a great service to myself and to the Fast Food Nation.
Latre.
Jogged Today: Yes (@ 59°F)
Songs That Came Up On The iPod While Jogging:
- “Pusherman” (Pete Shelley)
- “Free Time” (Michael Penn)
- “Erica’s Word” (Game Theory)
- “Gotta Get a Problem” (Mates Of State)
- “Vision Of Division” (The Strokes)
- “Dumb Things” (Paul Kelly)
- “Grains of Wrath” (Bad Religion)
Interesting Search Term Of The Day That Led To This Blog: “ipod walking music 125 bpm”.
Abnormal Culinary Meme
Posted on | June 23, 2008 at 9:03 pm | 3 Comments
I’m inventing a new Internet meme, though I know variations of this have been done before. It’s a simple one: Name ten food-related preferences you have that you deem to be abnormal or unusual compared to the rest of America (or whatever country you hail from). Avoid just mentioning popular foods you dislike. Here are mine, some of which I’ve previously mentioned:
- I always add a packet of Nutrasweet to a bowl of cereal, even if it’s already sweetened.
- I prefer un-ripe green bananas to ripe yellow ones.
- My favorite type of bagel is jalapeño.
- The only condiment I like on hot dogs is ketchup (and maybe jalapeños). Wait… is chili and cheese a condiment?
- I don’t like lettuce on hot food.
- I chop tomatoes into very small pieces when adding them to salads.
- I like fresh cherries, or things containing cherries (like cherry pie), but I don’t like cherry-flavored things. I think I got this one from my dad.
- I order sushi rolls without sesame seeds.
- I put hot sauce on almost everything I cook at home.
- I always have to drink a pop (diet, of course) when eating ice cream. I’ve been informed this is unusual, though I didn’t think it was.
That’s all I can think for now, though I’m sure there are hundreds more.
I’m not going to bother to tag anyone, since that’s gauche. Answer if, when, and where you choose.
Latre.
Coming Soon: A Fast Food Exposé! Don’t miss this one!
Pet Peeve of the Day: Rebates that require you send in the info within 30 days of purchase.
Poignant Search Term Of The Day That Led To This Blog: “can’t pop my ears”.
Where She Is Now I Can Only Guess
Posted on | June 22, 2008 at 9:51 am | Comments Off
It’s time again for Movie Review Sunday (spoiler-free this week), when readership drops off anyway…
I’m still catching up on some of last year’s Oscar-nominated movie fare. Though it didn’t win anything and had only one nomination, Gone Baby Gone (which I keep wanting to call Gone Daddy Gone after the Violent Femmes song) still feels like an Oscar movie. I felt it was more worthy than No Country For Old Men, at least. (Okay, I’ll stop stepping on that horse soon, I promise.) N and I watched the rented BluRay of it last night and found it very interesting, though the plot twists and somewhat convoluted story keep you on your toes. Casey Affleck was good as the boyish-looking missing persons investigator with the inner strength and anger, who takes on a case of a missing little girl, which is not quite his usual thing. Michelle Monaghan didn’t have as much to do as his partner/girlfriend, although her part does become more important at the end of the story. Amy Ryan’s Oscar-nominated Best Supporting Actress performance as the missing girl’s mother was good, but she wasn’t really in that much of the movie (hence the “supporting” I suppose). Ben Affleck’s directing debut was a shining one, and maybe he has more of a future as a director (and screenwriter) than as an actor. Or perhaps he’ll turn out to be one of those old-school types who can do both well, like Sydney Pollack (RIP). The cinematography was appropriate, and the HiDef presentation showed off those gritty working class Boston streets well.
Some of the plot twists seemed a bit far-fetched, and ended up not always making sense if you thought about them too much (the final one, involving Morgan Freeman, especially). And sometimes we weren’t quite sure what a character here or there was really trying to do, but that might be cleared up on a second viewing. But the movie is a good one to see with someone else and talk about after it’s over. There’s lots of opportunity for moral debate: “Would you have made the same decision that Casey Affleck’s character made at the end?” Sometimes, movies should make you think. (But not always.)
Latre.
Pet Peeve of the Day: Heat.
Poignant Search Term Of The Day That Led To This Blog: “wearing glasses for the first time how to tell my friends”.
Zan Forms An Ice Crumb
Posted on | June 21, 2008 at 11:20 am | 5 Comments
What’s the big deal about there being ice on Mars? It’s not like we don’t have enough water and ice here on Earth (3/4ths of the world is covered with it!). Call me back when they’ve found dinosaurs or my missing Major Matt Mason dolls. I just hope they engineered that Phoenix Lander so it can whip up a good cocktail using that ice. Any Martians it may meet will probably be better disposed to this little invader on their soil if it offered them up a good old Harvey Wallbanger. Those guys must be pretty thirsty after a hard day fishing in the canals. And since there doesn’t appear to be any type of Martian Club Med, they probably don’t have much fun with leisure time or on vacations. But I digress. No actual Martians have been found yet.
So, really, wouldn’t all that NASA money be better spent making things better here on our home planet, in the good old U.S. of A? Instead of building drink-making technology into robots that travel to other planets, couldn’t we instead make a robot bartender that didn’t expect to be tipped and didn’t spill drinks all over me? For the price of sending one robot to Mars, you could probably put me in a really nice mansion filled with robot bartenders and other automated helpers. I’m not sure exactly how that would benefit the economy or the country, but I’m sure the Republicans could explain it to you.
Or maybe that money could be put to better use resurrecting old game shows with modern celebrities and sensibilities, like they’re doing with the new Sarah Silverman version of Match Game. Who wouldn’t want to see a new Let’s Make A Deal with Justin Timberlake as host? That would certainly be more interesting than some silly rustbucket digging up ice cubes on some world I’m never going to go to.
This post has been all over the place and I don’t really know what I’m trying to say. Oh wait, yes I do… they found ice on Mars… cool!!
Latre.
Poignant Search Term Of The Day That Led To This Blog: “26 and my eyesight is deteriorating suddenly”.