tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22507820826425707452024-03-13T13:11:31.771-04:00PastimeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-87416985325801210072018-10-27T19:22:00.001-04:002018-10-27T19:22:34.284-04:00Back to the TableMany moons ago I got rid of almost all of the vinyl LPs I had. I did so because I had a record player that no longer functioned and I fully intended to replace all the albums with those wonderful space-saving CDs. I packed up all of my albums and took them to a local shop that bought used vinyl and discs. I can't recall how many records I sold or how much I got for them, but it couldn't have been enough; I'm now regretting have done that.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I didn't replace all of the albums I got rid of, but I did manage to build up a substantial CD collection. But now I find I am readying myself to rebuild my record collection. You see (like many people these days, I would imagine,) I recently purchased a turntable. This one to be exact:<br />
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And the first album I chose to play on it was this beauty:<br />
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Johnny Marr, <i>Call the Comet</i>, autographed by the man himself, which I purchased at his show at The Phoenix in Toronto, on October 19th. (And what a show it was! He played a good mix of solo, Electronic, and The Smiths. His version of "How Soon Is Now?" was particularly good.)<br />
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Two records which I never managed to get rid of:<br />
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Don't ask me why I kept these instead of all those albums by The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Cream. I also have an old copy of Pink Floyd's Animals. It'll be fun to play all three of these, and Johnny Marr, while I consider what to buy next.<br />
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The thing is, I don't know if I should buy vinyl versions of the CDs I have, or if I should just begin building a new collection altogether. That is, if I should just buy everything on vinyl from now on. If I do, where the hell am I going to put them all? Oh well, I'm sure I'll figure it out.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-21381243755243450002016-08-06T16:00:00.000-04:002016-08-06T16:00:05.748-04:00Feeling nostalgicI enjoy playing guitar. I should, I have five of them.<br />
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I also enjoy recording, or, at least, I used to. Ages ago, my friends and I would record our "songs" on devices like this:<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yhwtc32S6jA/V6Y78DJQV-I/AAAAAAAAAbw/3RSbVK9V-VEwLYc1ew5jJ1jgTP_8De4nwCLcB/s1600/TASCAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yhwtc32S6jA/V6Y78DJQV-I/AAAAAAAAAbw/3RSbVK9V-VEwLYc1ew5jJ1jgTP_8De4nwCLcB/s320/TASCAM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The classic cassette-based analogue portastudio. All we had to do was plug into it, arm a track or two, press play and record, and our ideas were immediately saved. We could even bounce tracks to turn four into eight (or more). It was easy and straightforward.<br />
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As years passed, friends got married, friends moved away, and cassettes became more and more scarce. I continued to record on a portastudio, but not on an analogue cassette-based one. It was a digital device, with a 40GB HD.<br />
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It operated in much the same way as the analogue version. But, instead of connecting it to a stereo receiver to do a mixdown, I connected it, via USB, to my computer, and exported the stereo master to something like Audacity. With that I could make minor adjustments and then convert the wav file to an MP3. Still, pretty straightforward. The TASCAM DP-01 in the above picture still functions, but the headphone jack is pooched, so I don't use it anymore.<br />
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As I was frustrated with that device, I decided to get with the times; I purchased a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Specifically, I bought a Presonus bundle that included an Audiobox USB digital interface, a PS49 midi keyboard, Studio One 3 Artist, and Notion 5 notation software.<br />
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Studio One (even the Artist version) is a powerful piece of software with many great features, but it's making me miss analogue recording more and more. Now I have to worry about latency, compression, EQ, mapping midi controls, gain-staging, VSTs, drum programming, etc., etc., etc. It's also making me realise that I'm not a producer or mixer. I suck at it; all I want to do is plug in and record and let someone else worry about levels and EQ and clipping and all that other digital crap.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-67649844981029288362015-09-10T16:53:00.001-04:002015-09-10T16:53:21.505-04:00Stats and PopsI started Cities: Skylines around a week ago. After a few struggles, my city began to hum along nicely. I even received an achievement for keeping the crime rate under 10% for 4 years. But, as I began to expand the city, I began to have major problems.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happier times</td></tr>
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I struggled to balance services, taxes, expenses, and frequent fires. (Oh, the fires. So many of them broke out that I felt like renaming the city North Tonowanda. I still don't understand the fire mechanic.) There wasn't enough water or electricity; sewage and garbage were constantly building up; taxes were too high and land value was too low; traffic was congested; noise pollution was high; not enough residential zones; not enough industry; too few workers. A couple of times I actually managed to get in the green and was able to maintain a positive bank balance. But this never lasted. I dropped into the negative. Multiple loans and a few bailouts weren't enough to save me; my bank balance dropped to -250 000 Euros.<br />
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So, I gave up. I turned off all services, increased taxes, and just let the city die. I think it took around 15 minutes for it to become a ghost-town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IH2wQ9nkD4E/VfHq2mJbMZI/AAAAAAAAAag/Nfec0smLRiE/s1600/2015-09-10_00001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IH2wQ9nkD4E/VfHq2mJbMZI/AAAAAAAAAag/Nfec0smLRiE/s400/2015-09-10_00001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end is nigh</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The citizens are unhappy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_70qnE26Igs/VfHq5vuoRPI/AAAAAAAAAaw/DZmOOUZeYbg/s1600/2015-09-10_00003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_70qnE26Igs/VfHq5vuoRPI/AAAAAAAAAaw/DZmOOUZeYbg/s640/2015-09-10_00003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh no, there's an abandoned building in my city</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sad, sad scene</td></tr>
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<br />With the city largely empty, I began to bulldoze everything. Yet even as I was razing entire districts new buildings began cropping up here and there. That made me realise that I couldn't really start over. So, with great regret and sadness at the loss of all those tiny, simulated souls, I deleted my saves. I hope to have better luck next time.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-2930998803907505322015-09-02T20:54:00.001-04:002015-09-02T20:54:59.921-04:00Vorsicht! This game is scheise<b>Wolfenstein: The New Order</b> is much like its protagonist: big, dumb, and ugly.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H5I6y1Qvz0" target="_blank">I don't feel like dancing, no sir, no dancing today</a></td></tr>
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I am intrigued by Wolfenstein's alternate reality; it's fascinating to speculate on what would have happened had the so-called Third Reich won WWII. But this game pursues it only insofar as a reason for shooting, killing, and exploding Nazis. All of that, ultimately, is unrewarding as the thick-necked, fat-headed American protagonist tears his way across that overused linear path from point A to point B, through a vast, grey, flat wasteland, to yet another dull, cliched, laughable final boss. I'll never get those hours back.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-8457228859905182722015-08-05T20:12:00.001-04:002015-08-05T20:12:15.833-04:00Minecraft Notes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p-YAbM52o8M/VcKmHpDsybI/AAAAAAAAAZc/qTBzC4hrHAY/s1600/20150805_200611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p-YAbM52o8M/VcKmHpDsybI/AAAAAAAAAZc/qTBzC4hrHAY/s400/20150805_200611.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My girlfriend tells me I'm I nerd.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-18119555294304088992015-07-28T12:56:00.001-04:002015-07-28T12:56:17.162-04:00Just SuggestingLooking for music to code or clean by? Check out <a href="http://starsaslights.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Stars as Lights</a>. Here's the artist's own description:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f7efe9; color: #4f4640; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">Stars As Lights is a one-man ambient / post-rock project aiming to be the background music for beautiful moments.</span><br />
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I would also add a bit of shoegaze/dreampop in there. It's all instrumental, and the guitar work is fantastic.<br />
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If you're looking for something a bit more electronic I suggest you check out the soundtrack to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyG6YMLEWus" target="_blank">Deus Ex: Human Revolution</a>. The tracks are short ---- the longest being 4:25 ---- but they are moody, atmospheric, and introspective. Perfect if you need unobtrusive background music.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-17250528167819711552015-04-29T18:00:00.001-04:002015-04-29T18:00:49.738-04:00Just in CaseFrom this<br />
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To this<br />
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I spent a good deal of time and money modifying my old Thermaltake case, but I was never satisfied with it. So, when I saw that my favourite online computer components store had the NZXT H440 in stock, I promptly charged it to my favourite credit card. This case has many cool features (e.g., a fan hub, LEDs, sound-dampening material), but the one that clinched it for me was the PSU shroud. It hides all those ugly cables and has two slots for SSDs. It sports a nice, clean build and it's as quiet as a church mouse.<br />
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So that should be the final upgrade (at least, for the next few years). Here's the final build.<br />
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NZXT H440 case<br />
includes 3, 120mm intake fans in the front and 1, 140mm exhaust fan in the back<br />
Corsair AX860 860W PSU<br />
ASUS ROG Maximus Hero VII (Z97) motherboard<br />
Intel i5-4690k CPU<br />
G-Skill Ripjaws 2x4GB 1866MHz CL9 RAM<br />
Gigabyte GTX 970 4GB GDDR5 3xWindforce graphics card<br />
GPU clock: 1114MHZ; Memory: 1753MHz; Boost: 1253MHz<br />
Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB SSD<br />
Seagate 1TB HDD (secondary drive)<br />
Western Digital Blue 2TB HDD (backup drive)<br />
Coolermaster Seidon 240M Liquid CPU cooler<br />
stock fans removed and replaced with two, 120mm Noctua NF-P12 PWM fans<br />
Corsair braided cables, red<br />
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Razer Deathadder mouse<br />
Razer Deathstalker keyboard<br />
ASUS VG248QE 144Hz LED monitor<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-80657411249533013482015-04-07T11:32:00.001-04:002015-04-07T11:32:49.518-04:00PostA <b>Borderlands: The Pre-sequel</b> video in which I obtain the Excalibastard, another example of a (shitty) so-called Legendary weapon. I've found it only moderately useful.<br />
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Since advancing to the Ultimate Vault Hunter mode I have actually begun to enjoy The Pre-sequel. The weapons are better, the enemy AI is more challenging, and the action is more exciting. I still hate all those ridiculous fetch-quests, though. So much wasted time going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-71454334796584120532015-01-26T19:44:00.003-05:002015-01-26T19:44:39.997-05:00Far Cry CompletionI thoroughly enjoyed Far Cry 4, even though it was more of the same stuff offered up in Far Cry 3. It's a formula that seems to work for Ubisoft in the series. Borderlands: The Pre-sequel is much the same as Borderlands, and Borderlands 2, but I have found it much less enjoyable. In fact, while playing it, I feel I'm just going through the motions. What is it about the Far Cry series that makes it much more exciting and, seemingly, new with each iteration? I'm not sure I can put my finger on it.<br />
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How much did I enjoy Far Cry 4? Well, I achieved 100% completion after 60 hours of total gameplay.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4pAcqXOgIk/VMbe6bcS3uI/AAAAAAAAAXE/XJ2FZqPYOo4/s1600/2015-01-26_00002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4pAcqXOgIk/VMbe6bcS3uI/AAAAAAAAAXE/XJ2FZqPYOo4/s1600/2015-01-26_00002.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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And I may even go back in and reset some of the outposts. They should be more interesting now that I have all the weapons and skill upgrades.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-7871877547165532222015-01-26T19:07:00.002-05:002015-01-26T19:07:23.752-05:00ChangesSo, I managed to install that extra fan in my old Thermaltake case.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K_aTIhW0B6g/VMbJw9it8DI/AAAAAAAAAV8/l0Pj5kMsx38/s1600/20141219_170631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K_aTIhW0B6g/VMbJw9it8DI/AAAAAAAAAV8/l0Pj5kMsx38/s1600/20141219_170631.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's alive!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And there it is. I intended to put a Noctua fan in the top position , but instead decided on a Zalman sharkfin-blade; I put the Noctua in the rear of the case. Although it is a top-notch fan, the Noctua is an ugly beige and brown that looked hideous in the front. It's better as an exhaust fan anyway.<br />
<br />
Since the day I took the above picture I have made a few changes. I have completely removed the DVD drive (because I rarely used it anyway) and I have reversed the top fan so that it acts as an intake and not an exhaust.<br />
<br />
I have also made a few more changes to my PC<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I replaced my old Corsair RM650 PSU with a Corsair AX860 PSU. The 650 served me well for 5 years, but it was time to move on to something with higher performance attributes and that was fully modular; I plan to put in braided cables. I couldn't do that with the 650 because it was only semi-modular.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lY4qkKOEzbU/VMbOZ9VFxCI/AAAAAAAAAWI/FZCThz5iMR0/s1600/20150106_193110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lY4qkKOEzbU/VMbOZ9VFxCI/AAAAAAAAAWI/FZCThz5iMR0/s1600/20150106_193110.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
After that was installed I decided to change my video card yet again. If you recall, I changed from a <a href="http://gjd13.blogspot.ca/2014/09/changing-of-guard.html" target="_blank">Gigabyte GTX 670 to a Zotac GTX 770 AMP!</a> a few months ago. Well, now I have switched out my 770 for a Gigabyte GTX 970 OC.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kH6QVwNiaCQ/VMbQ44po_RI/AAAAAAAAAWc/5NitV2ZksGA/s1600/20150115_162613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kH6QVwNiaCQ/VMbQ44po_RI/AAAAAAAAAWc/5NitV2ZksGA/s1600/20150115_162613.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The Zotac 770 was a wonderful card, but it had only 2GB of VRAM and was still not allowing me to play my games on all the high settings.<br />
<br />
The 970 is a full centimetre longer than the 770.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DzM03Dwro_Q/VMbVMloOVvI/AAAAAAAAAWo/lkN2yHwd1r4/s1600/20150115_163606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DzM03Dwro_Q/VMbVMloOVvI/AAAAAAAAAWo/lkN2yHwd1r4/s1600/20150115_163606.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
But my case has plenty of room for it.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wpRK5wAb_IY/VMbWdjw0O6I/AAAAAAAAAW0/73JsufbnZDs/s1600/1421377195970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wpRK5wAb_IY/VMbWdjw0O6I/AAAAAAAAAW0/73JsufbnZDs/s1600/1421377195970.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stay tuned for more of my obsessive PC changes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-52869407121603399372014-12-28T21:15:00.003-05:002014-12-28T23:38:53.216-05:00GameplayI've been playing <b>Far Cry 4</b> and <b>Borderlands: The Pre-sequel </b>lately. And I've been making use of NVIDIA's GeForce Experience Shadowplay utility to record some gameplay. Check out the videos below.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/68LBGvt58Ko" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/c7ws7EOBpfg" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4uDHpLLBS-U" width="560"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-5551903469191347252014-12-05T21:55:00.002-05:002014-12-05T21:55:35.365-05:00AccomplishmentsI have accomplished a few things since my last post.<div>
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I successfully assembled my girlfriend's computer.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FZM8XEJEu-c/VIJmfkMe8rI/AAAAAAAAAVI/B8psY2p1uHs/s1600/20141205_210505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FZM8XEJEu-c/VIJmfkMe8rI/AAAAAAAAAVI/B8psY2p1uHs/s1600/20141205_210505.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's the configuration:<br />
Enermax Ostrog Giant case<br />
ASUS P8P67 (Rev. 3.1) motherboard<br />
Intel Core i5-2500<br />
GSkill Ripjaws 2x4GB CL-9 dimm<br />
Western Digital Blue 1TB Hard Drive<br />
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 OC video card<br />
Thermaltake Smart 650W PSU<br />
2x Arctic Cooling 120mm PWM fans<br />
2x Zalman Ultra-quiet Sharkfin Blade fans<br />
Dell keyboard (from my long-deceased Dimension 2400)<br />
Gigabyte mouse<br />
Logitech 2.0 speakers<br />
Acer 24" HD LED monitor<br />
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It's not a spectacular build, but it's perfect for what she needs, and better than any pre-built machine (at least, where I'm concerned it is).<br />
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<br />
After I finished that build my jealousy of the window in her PC compelled me to put a window in my case.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FnUPSI_N1qM/VIJmiCK-EWI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/whnMyjAiwOM/s1600/20141205_210726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FnUPSI_N1qM/VIJmiCK-EWI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/whnMyjAiwOM/s1600/20141205_210726.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I achieved the cut-out with a jigsaw. I then lined the edge with rubber u-channel that I ordered from <a href="https://www.dazmode.com/store/" target="_blank">DazMode</a>. And finally, I cut and applied (with 3M two-sided tape) a piece of clear acrylic.<br />
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It's aesthetically pleasing, but, as I suspected it would, the internal temperature has risen by 5C. So, that has led me to my next project: the installation of another fan. Usually, fan installation is no big deal, but my case has room for only four of them: one in the back, two on the roof, and one in the front. So, where am I going to put it?<br />
<br />
Well, I'm going to put it here, in the flex-bay.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6x4n51Jiw68/VIJs7fyyHuI/AAAAAAAAAVg/QzA7PdQXJio/s1600/20141205_213923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6x4n51Jiw68/VIJs7fyyHuI/AAAAAAAAAVg/QzA7PdQXJio/s1600/20141205_213923.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The flex-bay is usually reserved for 5.25" optical drives. As you can see, though, I already have one, and I rarely use it. So, I won't be adding one in the future. (And, who knows, I may even remove the one I have already, since drivers, utilities, and games are downloadable now.) That leaves me with a good deal of unused space that is the perfect size for a 120mm fan. That's all well and good, you may say, but how is it going to fit and stay put in there?<br />
<br />
That's a good question, and here is the answer:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A3xfqVz9hHA/VIJuXjNOErI/AAAAAAAAAVs/vvpr_dIXZes/s1600/db_file_img_4916_800xauto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A3xfqVz9hHA/VIJuXjNOErI/AAAAAAAAAVs/vvpr_dIXZes/s1600/db_file_img_4916_800xauto.jpg" height="267" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
a Caselabs flex-bay fan mount for a 120mm front fan. It occupies three bays; it's just perfect for me and my case. I ordered it from DazMode, and expect delivery by the middle of next week. Once it's in I'll post the results for all to see.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-18993525605220271492014-10-31T00:31:00.000-04:002014-10-31T00:31:03.925-04:00Success and final UpgradeThe motherboard <a href="http://gjd13.blogspot.ca/2014/10/out-with-old-in-with-new-part-ii.html" target="_blank">installation</a> was a success. The best part was not having to reinstall Windows 7. I simply had to make a few adjustments in the ASUS UEFI and then the machine just booted to the desktop. Sure I had to verify my copy of Windows, but that was hardly an inconvenience. I also had to make some minor tweaks in the Task Scheduler, but overall it was a delightful experience.<div>
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A few weeks after that change, I implemented two other upgrades to complete my ideal machine.</div>
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I replaced my Acer 24" LED HD monitor with an ASUS <a href="http://www.asus.com/ca-en/Monitors_Projectors/VG248QE/" target="_blank">VG248QE</a> to rid myself of screen tearing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8P2-F-zymE/VFMMQ_5tGAI/AAAAAAAAAUk/eDq1_J8GFUk/s1600/pc4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8P2-F-zymE/VFMMQ_5tGAI/AAAAAAAAAUk/eDq1_J8GFUk/s1600/pc4.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool TARDIS destop background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Then I added a Cooler Master <a href="http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-liquid-cooler/seidon-240m/" target="_blank">Seidon 240M</a> CPU liquid cooler because I was unhappy with the stock Intel cooler that came with the i5-4690k. Also, I found tower heatsinks to be ugly, heavy, and a little impractical (for my Thermaltake case, that is).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BCujtvdAYOo/VFMNSqrSOWI/AAAAAAAAAUs/FpiljwgQEtg/s1600/pc3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BCujtvdAYOo/VFMNSqrSOWI/AAAAAAAAAUs/FpiljwgQEtg/s1600/pc3.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I replaced the stock Cooler Master fans with <a href="http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=43&lng=en" target="_blank">Noctua NF-P12</a> PWM fans. Yes, they're ugly, but they are eerily silent, even at full speed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So now my machine is pretty much my ideal machine. I do have to change the front intake fan and rear exhaust fan, but the current configuration has put a big smile on my face.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My next project is to put together a PC for my girlfriend. I am using parts from my previous build and parts that I ordered from NCIX and Canada Direct. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xDaXr6UYpJc/VFMPn-1aBnI/AAAAAAAAAU4/-ul_Kz51ZEk/s1600/SDC11579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xDaXr6UYpJc/VFMPn-1aBnI/AAAAAAAAAU4/-ul_Kz51ZEk/s1600/SDC11579.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I can't wait to get started.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-41929947012206392242014-10-11T15:41:00.000-04:002014-10-11T15:45:59.658-04:00Changing of the Guard, Part IIMy ASUS P8P67 and Intel i5-2500 have served me well, but it's time for an upgrade.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-loCr5fbY1rs/VDmHATAnJBI/AAAAAAAAAUU/AqKrNx7L2qY/s1600/20141010_171749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-loCr5fbY1rs/VDmHATAnJBI/AAAAAAAAAUU/AqKrNx7L2qY/s1600/20141010_171749.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm installing an ASUS Maximus Hero VII and an Intel i5-4690k. Wish me luck; it's my first install.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-30178423174139578792014-09-26T16:24:00.001-04:002014-09-26T16:24:21.517-04:00Changing of the GuardOut with the old,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7lcQ-K05E8/VCXKsShAFGI/AAAAAAAAAT0/vRTB2J5pIFQ/s1600/20140925_180817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7lcQ-K05E8/VCXKsShAFGI/AAAAAAAAAT0/vRTB2J5pIFQ/s1600/20140925_180817.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And in with the new.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Laz1eb3o46Y/VCXK-H7bA0I/AAAAAAAAAT8/SiqdMnC4z3M/s1600/20140925_173157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Laz1eb3o46Y/VCXK-H7bA0I/AAAAAAAAAT8/SiqdMnC4z3M/s1600/20140925_173157.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Time for some sweet gaming.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ySg7toqlJpg/VCXLU3ed5DI/AAAAAAAAAUE/DU1J7vFfHaM/s1600/20140925_194506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ySg7toqlJpg/VCXLU3ed5DI/AAAAAAAAAUE/DU1J7vFfHaM/s1600/20140925_194506.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-25640715971327902352014-09-25T17:13:00.001-04:002014-09-25T17:13:59.560-04:00Garbage or Art?I did a little decorating in my new apartment recently.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8bPHSx0j_TY/VCSEwCgV4vI/AAAAAAAAATc/nijEFebjF7Y/s1600/SDC11571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8bPHSx0j_TY/VCSEwCgV4vI/AAAAAAAAATc/nijEFebjF7Y/s1600/SDC11571.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g3tSg3ahsf8/VCSE20ZushI/AAAAAAAAATk/eepbvptINTo/s1600/SDC11570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g3tSg3ahsf8/VCSE20ZushI/AAAAAAAAATk/eepbvptINTo/s1600/SDC11570.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Check out the <a href="http://www.ezmodeunlocked.com/2014/09/22/homage/" target="_blank">EZ-Mode Unlocked blog</a> for details.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-57382969037839098962014-06-17T17:56:00.002-04:002014-06-17T17:56:39.653-04:00Rainy Tuesday TunesIn keeping with today's weather (which I thoroughly enjoy), here are some tunes about rain. Hit the jump to find them.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/G5x1F9ohRa4" width="420"></iframe><br />
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The Officai video for this next song is under 4 minutes, whereas the song itself is just over 5. So, no official video, just a picture of Ian Brown's ugly gob. Oh, Mani plays drums on this track, too.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mkSi6bTrPu0" width="420"></iframe><br />
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One of my favourite extended mixes.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Xpm13OFv1gI" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Finally, my favourite Beatles song. Killer bass, kickass drumming, evocative guitar. It's hard to believe it was just a b-side.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0aOJGJD-SQc" width="560"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-62691383420296597862014-05-31T11:03:00.003-04:002014-05-31T19:56:42.688-04:00Big Crowds and Powerful MomentsI love it when the crowd gets into it. And I have to wonder: what does it do to a man when a stadium full of people sings the song that he wrote? Gallagher might have the answer at the 5:50 mark of the first video.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/R7RSi9V7FZM" width="560"></iframe><br />
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"Feel free to join in on the chorus", he says, and the crowd sings the entire effing song. Powerful stuff.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UUyJoojCLnc" width="560"></iframe><br />
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I love the guitar work in that song, and the enthusiastic crowd.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hfRNVmGGOxY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Wembley stadium, a packed Wembley stadium, joining Dave Grohl on "Everlong". Music moves everyone.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-38768447911232055612014-05-06T12:52:00.001-04:002014-05-06T12:52:16.631-04:00Games and WritersI'm always amused by the video-game articles that appear in the so-called mainstream media. The writers attempt to help those who don't play video-games (i.e., parents) understand both the appeal and the effect of the games on the players. But they are far from helpful. They generalize and simplify and show that they don't really 'get' either the specific game they are discussing, video games in general, or the people who play them.<br />
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Fortunately, there are a few that do get it.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/" target="_blank">Erik Kain</a>, for example, writes about video games (and TV) for <a href="http://www.forbes.com/" target="_blank">Forbes</a> magazine. His writing is honest and straightforward and he understands games because he actually plays them. That is to say, video games for him are a pastime, not just something he has to review to get a paycheque.<br />
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Then there is <a href="http://grantland.com/contributors/tom-bissell/" target="_blank">Tom Bissell</a>, who writes for sports and entertainment magazine <a href="http://grantland.com/" target="_blank">Grantland</a>. Bissell is a great deal more analytical and insightful than Kain because he sees video games as a larger cultural phenomenon than as a simple pastime. Check out his wonderful article on first-person shooters, <a href="http://grantland.com/features/line-explores-reasons-why-play-shooter-games/" target="_blank">Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Shooter: Spec Ops: The Line and why we play violent shooter games.</a> It's my favourite analysis of the FPS genre, and it uses <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spec_Ops:_The_Line" target="_blank">Spec Ops: The Line</a>, my favourite shooter, as it's starting point.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Chick" target="_blank">Tom Chick</a>, who often writes for <a href="http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/" target="_blank">Quarter to Three</a>, and who is never afraid to say negative things about popular games<br />
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And every now and then there is an article that doesn't pretend to get it, but presents a well-structured, facts-based, straightforward argument. Take this Guardian <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/02/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-gamers-guide?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2" target="_blank">article</a> on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. It's written for people who don't 'understand' Call of Duty; it's informative, balanced, and actually quite helpful. It's not judgmental, simple, vague, or overbearing. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> is one of my favourite sites for news, information, football, etc. I'm glad to see it taking an intelligent view of something I enjoy so much.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-11426265122852751052014-05-03T13:13:00.002-04:002014-05-03T13:13:33.886-04:00This Happened<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The wind came</div>
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And it made me sad.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-39029429509924795232014-05-03T13:01:00.000-04:002014-05-03T13:02:40.827-04:00I Turned My Head for Just a MomentAnd this happened:<br />
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1) Sunderland drew with Man City at the Etihad and then drove down the road to London and defeated Chelsea at Stamford bridge. I relished watching Mourinho suffer his first ever defeat at home --- to a team at the bottom of the league!<br />
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2) David Moyes got sacked with just four games remaining in United's season. Apparently there was all kinds of dissatisfaction at Old Trafford, and by all accounts, Moyes was the wrong man for the job. To be fair, though, who would be the right man for the job? Anyone coming in after <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Alex_Ferguson" target="_blank">Sir Alex Ferguson</a> would have a tough time of it.<br />
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3) Bayern Munich got its teutonic ass kicked hard by Real Madrid in the 2nd leg of their Champions League semi-final --- and I loved it. In what seemed like a role-reversal, RM played an attacking-style, while BM settled into tiki-taka courtesy of former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola. It was such a devastating loss, Guardiola has <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/02/pep-guardiola-bayern-munich-right-man" target="_blank">challenged the club</a> to keep him on as manager.<br />
So Real Madrid goes on to play Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final in Lisbon, on May 24, after Chelsea gave it up at Stamford Bridge. Atletico was just too stylish and skilled for Mourinho's bus-parking tactics. The Special One, as the The Guardian's The Fiver refers to him, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/02/jose-mourinho-chelsea-eden-hazard-not-for-sale" target="_blank">blames</a> Eden Hazard and David Luiz is <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/01/david-luiz-chelsea-empty-handed" target="_blank">sad</a>.<br />
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4) Everton crept ever closer to 4th place Arsenal (whose terrible form put their 17th straight Champions League qualification in jeopardy), but managed to lose to Southampton on April 26th. That gave Arsenal a bit of breathing room as they prepared to face Newcastle at Home. The return of Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey (and Lukas Podolski) resulted in a 3-0 win and a 4-point cushion.<br />
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5) Liverpool visited Stamford Bridge, Mourinho parked the bus, and now Man City is in control of the Premier League title-race. The Reds' 2-0 loss to the Blues now forces the Citizens to win their remaining games to claim that title.<br />
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6) Around an hour ago Sunderland beat United at Old Trafford, Cardiff lost to Stoke, and Fulham lost to Newcastle. So, Sunderland, who looked to be on it's way down to the Championship League, is safe from relegation, and both Cardiff and Fulham are officially sunk. There is one more team to be relegated, and that will likely be Norwich.<br />
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So all of this sets up a very interesting scenario. Everton is playing Man City today. If it wins or draws, it moves to within one point of Arsenal and, essentially, hands the title to Liverpool, who has two games at hand. Everton doesn't relish handing the title to its main, local rival, but I doubt it would deliberately tank the game; its hunger for the Champions League is too strong.<br />
However, Arsenal has two games at hand --- it plays West Brom tomorrow --- and it only has to win one to qualify, mathematically, for the last Champions League spot. Poor, poor Everton is in a tight spot.<br />
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All in all, it's an exciting penultimate week in the Premier League. I like neither City nor Everton, but I'm going with Everton on this day because I would love to see Liverpool win the League. Scouser for a day, I am.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-5829709021091228802014-04-29T14:38:00.001-04:002014-04-29T14:39:34.973-04:00My Favourite Toys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-48049287845294585252014-04-13T19:25:00.000-04:002014-04-13T19:25:08.659-04:00GrrrrI enjoy video games for many reasons. One is that they allow me to avoid the great, stinking, unthinking horde of humanity outside of my door. "But what about multi-player?" you may ask. Well, I do not participate in multi-player gaming at all because it involves interaction --- however indirect it may be --- with people. People ruin everything; I want to enjoy my videogame time. So I keep my virtual worlds free of them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-41671716714165853882014-04-13T18:59:00.001-04:002014-04-13T18:59:11.363-04:00Premier League UpdateWell, it's looking like Liverpool will take the League title, and I'm happy about that because the Reds are a great side. Better them than City or Chelsea.<br />
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As for Arsenal, a disappointing, injury-riddled smear of a season could have one bright spot on it. The Gunners actually managed to make it to the FA Cup final --- although they had to rely on penalties to overcome Championship side Wigan Athletic to do it. If they can pull off a win against Hull City at Wembley Stadium on May 17th it will be a relief for a team that's had a frustrating season and that hasn't collected any silverware since 2005. BUT there is still much work to be done. Dropping important games to Liverpool, City, Chelsea, and Everton by upwards of 6 goals shows that Arsenal can't play against the big teams and can't win the crucial matches. An overhaul is needed --- and I think it should start with the manager.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250782082642570745.post-72484179660915590612014-04-05T21:34:00.002-04:002014-04-05T21:38:54.227-04:00Bored<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Wow, there is a dearth of new releases, and all I hear about is Titanfall. Titanfall this, titanfall that, titanfall titanfall titanfall.Yawn, yawn, double-yawn. Just another boring shooter dressed up in fancy digital pants ($60-digital pants! For an online-only game. Fat chance.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Fortunately, I have many unplayed games clogging up my library to keep me interested, and Giant Bomb Quick looks to stem the tide of boredom. Sometimes, those guys have a sense of humour about games that I can get into. Check out the </span><a href="http://www.giantbomb.com/videos/quick-look-goat-simulator-2014/2300-8709/#" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Quick Look for Goat Simulator</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> to see what I mean.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537225395181965479noreply@blogger.com0