Perhaps Google Calculator is still in Beta too?

Alright, I'm not going to be honest and say that I can't really imagine working with numbers that large, but honestly Google's answer seems to be a bit off the mark...

Perhaps Google Calculator is still in beta? My fear is that if Google can't answer what appears to be a very straight forward question, can we really trust any answer it gives us? I'm sure there's some answer buried in talk of algorithms and large numbers and string theory that will explain this situation... even it it won't make sense.


Speaking of Beta, though, it seems someone else has noticed that almost half of Google's products are still in Beta. I've mentioned it before, that it seems everything Google is still beta, but obviously I don't have the pull to get a response from Google. At least, I never really tried, simply expecting that I wouldn't ever get a response. This guy did get a response, though:

"We have very high internal metrics our consumer products have to meet before coming out of beta. Our teams continue to work to improve these products and provide users with an even better experience. We believe beta has a different meaning when applied to applications on the Web, where people expect continual improvements in a product. On the Web, you don't have to wait for the next version to be on the shelf or an update to become available. Improvements are rolled out as they're developed. Rather than the packaged, stagnant software of decades past, we're moving to a world of regular updates and constant feature refinement where applications live in the cloud."

So, according to the spokesman, they have very high internal metrics to measure their products, and applications on the web are different than traditional software...

What I have to wonder about here is Gmail, which has been in Beta for 4 years now. High internal metrics or not, there's really no excuse for it at this point. There's not been a new feature added, or any noticeable change or improvement for about a year. Perhaps I've been lucky, perhaps there are many issues going on that they are fixing, problems other people are having, that I am not.

Still, it seems like they could the Beta tag off before they reach an entire presidential term...

Certainly, some of their products deserve a beta label (Chrome, anything from Labs, Knol, etc.), but Orkut, Gmail, Docs, and the like really need to be set free of their beta shackles.

Disbarred!

Alright, I'm sure that most gamers have heard this already, but Jack Thompson has been disbarred! I have a mixture of feelings about this, simply because I despise the man and all of his methods, but the I think Tim at Ctrl-Alt-Del summed it up nicely:

If I may interject into all of the "Ding dong, the witch is dead" chanting, I just wanted to put a little perspective on Jack Thompson's disbarment.

As much as you may "hate" Jack Thompson, it should be important to remember that he was not disbarred for speaking out against video games. We as gamers have not won any significant battle here against the idea, the belief that video games are the root of all society's ills. Jack Thompson was disbarred for the way he presented his opinions, in a blustering, overly sensationalist and irresponsible manner.

So yes, while this may be a blow to his credibility and hamper his tools as an anti-video game violence advocate, I sincerely doubt this will silence him. And there are plenty more lawyers and politicians out there just like him.

Though you may want to envision Jack Thompson as the figurative "head" of the anti-video game sentiment, and that that head has just been decapitated, try to keep in mind that he was just one particularly vocal appendage of a many-limbed beast.

I agree here. I would like to go a step further and state that I believe that this is not only not the end of the anti-video game sentiment, but I really don't think we've heard the last of Jack Thompson. Just because the man is no longer allowed to practice law, it doesn't mean that he won't still get plenty of air time with the media.

Sure, he's been punished for breaking the law, for abusing his position, and for being a complete ass. That doesn't mean that he's been silence, it also doesn't mean that he's going to back down from his position, and now that he's no longer concerned about disbarment, I'm sure he'll actually no longer feel compelled to censor himself at all, which means he could be, if anything, even more viscous than ever.

People like this, completely off the mark and out of touch with reality, make me feel so much pity. I have no problem with an opposing opinion, and I respect differing perspectives, but this man takes it to such an extreme, spewing lies, skewing facts, repeating misinformation, and just being wrong. How someone can behave as he does, even spitting in the face of people who try to support his position when they point out his mistakes and errors, in the hopes of keeping themselves looking sane, I just don't understand.

Either way, he got what he deserved, he brought it on himself, and while a part of me feels sorry about his losing his ability to practice law, that part is so very infinitesimal that it is completely overshadowed by my smug chuckle and general feeling of happiness over his getting his just desserts.

The Silver Wolf Full Metal Rubber Band Gun

I have never wanted a rubber band gun more in my life.

I recall, when I was younger, seeing the wooden rubber band guns at the State Fair, or at those little kiosks in the malls, and even, from time to time, at a random gift shop at some side of the road attraction. I can't remember for sure, but I may even had owned one for a short time, before it broke, if not, I'm sure I knew someone that had one, because I've used one, and it was good.

This thing, compared to the cheap wooden guns of my youth, is absolutely amazing! I wish I could read Japanese, so that I could find out more. It combines the greatness of Metal Gear Solid and the awesomeness of a solid metal rubber band gun.

I Understand Teasers...

But this, however, seems to go too far.

Seriously, apparently the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog is working on a new game, called Prope, perhaps; according to this odd little flash animation, it will be the first game that even penguins can play.

Ok. I have to admit that my curiosity is piqued, but I just can't see it possible that anyone could create a game that could be played by a penguin, setting aside the possibility of their ability to control a game with their flappy wings and webby feets... I don't see how there could be a game that a penguin could understand.

So, setting aside all doubts of whether or not a penguin could physically, or mentally, play a video game, would such a game really be worth playing? I mean, let's consider for a moment, moving past the amazing claim of a game that a penguin could play, and ponder what such a game would look like. How could such a thing hold your attention?

Of course, the only problem with this is that my limited attention span will likely not have me checking back to see what it's all about. I can only hope that one of my news sources will stay on top of it for me.

A Glorious Time to be Alive!

So, I purchased something on a lark at Costco recently, and I've just now decided to give it a try. Organic Batter Blasters.

This is pancake batter in a can, not unlike whipped cream...

Wow.

Not only is it insanely convenient, and makes me feel like I'm living in some sort of sci-fi Utopian future, but they're also really tasty.

Hooray for science!!

WOW!

Alright, the lame, and overused pun, in today's title is probably going to negate anything witty I might have to say, but still, I hope you'll read on.

There's a story on Wired yesterday with a title that I needed to read twice: "Bejeweled, Warcraft Combine to Form World's Most Addictive Game"

For a moment, I assumed that this was simply some kind of joke, and then imagined, for a moment, a game of Bejeweled where gems are replaced with Orc heads. Then my eyes wandered to the screen shot, and I was suddenly filled with a plethora of feelings... mostly disgust, intermingled with pity.



The concept here is that someone created a plug-in, or add-on for World of Warcraft that allows you to play of game of Bejeweled during tedious or mundane tasks.

Really?

World of Warcraft is one of the biggest time-wasters on the planet, and people pay for it, in many cases addicted to it. Bejeweled, by a similar token, ranks fairly high as a worthless time waster, and people will play it, like so many other 'casual games', instead of working, looking for work, feeding their kids, etc. So, now there's actually someone that's actually taken an enormous time-vortex and crammed it into another time-eater? Isn't that like taking uppers and, instead of downers, but more uppers at the same time?

I want to be clear on the understanding here. First, there's tasks built into WoW that are so mundane, that people are actually looking for something to do at the same time? If that's the case, the game ceases to be a game, and just becomes work, doesn't it? Alright, so, with that said, instead of listening to the little voice that says, 'hey, this is boring, go outside, find a girlfriend, and stop living inside this game!', people are actually bringing casual gaming inside of WoW (much like running Bejeweled in your cubicle, at work)?

I feel so sorry for these people. I'm sure I'm not the right person to feel pity for pretty much anyone, and I'm almost certain that I would, with my addictive personality, find myself deeply buried inside of WoW, had I ever succumbed to its wiles. However, I can't help myself here. This is so pathetic, and laughable, I still can't believe it's not actually a joke.

Maybe it's time to get all the WoW players together and have an intervention. I'm sure we can get of them into a nice 12 step program, and have them well in no time.


Since I'm on the subject, though...

I suppose I might as well mention another WoW article that had me checking the calendar to be certain it wasn't actually the first of April: "Pentagon Researcher Conjures Warcraft Terror Plot".

Hard as it is to believe, Wired felt this belonged in the "Danger Room", as opposed to games. The simple concept here is that the oxymoron of American Intelligence has actually gone as far as to study the concept of terrorists using a virtual world, like World of Warcraft, to plot and plan future terrorist attacks.

I'm not even sure how to approach something like this, at least not without just laughing derisively. Even with all the maps and descriptions of how it could be done, it just seems so asinine. Do we really expect Bin Laden to get his cadre of criminals together on a server and train them to drop a nuke on the White House?

I'm sure we have nothing to worry about, as I see one of two things might happen. Either we're see a huge drop in terrorist activity around the world, as Al-Qaeda members cease functioning as cells of suicide bombers and drug / gun runners, and instead begin to build up their guild, farming for gold and items, and launching a Jihad on the Horde.

That, or they'll be too busy playing Bejeweled, and just won't be listening to the plan.

Righteous Kill

When it comes to Righteous Kill, there is really nothing surprising about the movie at all.

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are great actors. There's no one that can deny that, and of course, in this film, they give incredible performances. Though they're both getting on in years, and it shows, the roles are written for that purpose, I'm sure with these two in mind. They fit perfectly into their character's shoes, but of course, you expect it from them.

Once you move past the stars, John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg give good as well, and really, the entire cast show a kind of polish you'd expect from a movie of this type.

As to the story, I'll be honest, it's not exactly groundbreaking. When I say that there's nothing surprising, I include the entire narrative. If you're paying attention, during the first ten minutes, you'll more or less have the story pegged from the get go.

This isn't to say that the story isn't tight. It's still a well written piece, even if it doesn't break new ground, or take you on a truly twisting journey. I just find it disappointing, to see a movie that doesn't really push any limits, or do anything new. It's just there.

Still, it was an enjoyable movie. I didn't not like it, as a matter of fact, I enjoyed it. It has a comfortable feeling about it, perhaps because you feel like you've seen this movie before, or perhaps this episode of Law and Order. I recommend watching it, if you've enjoyed Pacino and De Niro's previous typecasting, because this will feel like a warm sweater and a bowl of beef stew on a cold winter's day (if you find that sort of thing comfortable).

Zune v.3

Well, it came rather quietly. Not many are heralding the arrival of the new Zune update.

It is, however, a pretty slick update. Sadly, this is what the Zune should have been when it launched so long ago. However, the new features are here, and they're pretty slick.

On the software side of things, they've added even more options, things that are pretty useful. They've more tightly integrated their 'social' functions, and seemed to have sped up everything overall.

On the hardware side, they've added games. Yes, I know, games, but to me it's pretty cool. You get Hexic and Texas Hold 'Em for free, and overall, they're pretty slick, feeling pretty speedy and responsive.

You can also now peruse the marketplace right from the Zune via WiFi, which is a pretty great feature. At least, it will be for those that actually use the Marketplace, which I really don't, but I applaud them for getting it up and running. You can also now add the WiFi key right from the Zune, albeit in a very painfully slow way.

While some might think it's silly, I also like the fact that they've now added a clock to the corner as well.

Another interesting feature is that you can now add songs you hear while listening to the FM radio to your cart, which attempts to find the song through some crazy magic, and downloads it when you sync. Again, this would be useful if I bought music through the Marketplace, but it's still pretty slick.

Overall, I honestly think this how they should have launched. It's really too bad that it took them this long to really get things right, but still, it's better late than never. I'm most impressed, though, with their steadfast support of my ancient brick of a Zune 30. Most people might find the Zune to be a joke, but, really, I like my Zune, and I'm strongly considering pick up a 120 sooner, rather than later.

Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading! Yes!

Admittedly, the Coen Brothers could write / direct an epic length movie entirely focused on ripping Band-Aids from the arms of hairy New Yorkers, and I would probably stand and applaud at the end (no, I don't actually approve of applauding movies in theaters, unless a member of the cast or crew are on hand to receive it). They really can do no wrong for me. So, with that, you can imagine that I enjoyed Burn After Reading immensely. (Thankfully, there was no bandage / hair interaction.)

This movie is great for many reasons. It's good to see the Coen Brothers return to the dark comedy, because they have such a penchant for it. There are laughs that are intelligent, not just site gags, there's gore that, even when you know it's coming, still manages to shock you. The story is solid enough to carry you from beginning to end, and it's threaded very well. The little details are always what make their movies so great, and in this, they don't forget that.

It's a lot of fun to see Brad Pitt play something other than Brad Pitt again. Don't get me wrong, I generally enjoy his movies, but the fact that he's capable of pulling off so many different characters isn't utilized as much as I think it should be. Fight Club and 12 Monkeys stand out, as does Snatch. In this, he's so off the wall, and, well, wacky, that you can't help but to love his character.

It's good to see Frances McDormand do something I find entertaining again. She's so good at what she does. John Malkovich does an incredible job, George Clooney certainly brings it in spades, and even Richard Jenkins proves again that he can pull of amazing work in a supporting role.

Now, I'll admit that this movie might be a little hard to swallow for people, following in the wake of No Country For Old Men. First, they're completely different styles. You simply can't compare the two, but if you were to try, you'd find that No Country is certainly the superior film.

I'll also admit that this is definitely not their best work. If you compare this film to Fargo, for example, you'll see some of the flaws. Certainly, there's some things about the movie that feel lax, lazy. I can't help but to feel like this movie was rushed in the hopes of getting a good reception by riding No Country For Old Men's coat tails.

However, I fully expect to see this movie up in at least a couple of categories at the Academy Awards. (Again, I'm sure the epic Band-Aid ripping movie would be an Acadamy pick as long as the Coen's had their names on it.)

Still, I can't extol enough the virtues of this movie. It's fun, witty, wacky, and simply a good time. It certainly expands the canon of the Coen's films in a positive way, and is very much worth the watch.

Pineapple Express

No.

Pineapple Express isn't good. As a matter of fact, I'd barely recognize it as mediocre. It's really too bad, because I like Seth Rogen, I really do, but I like Seth Rogen in the background, in a supporting role, where he belongs. He's really not good enough at anything to carry a film in any way.

I've always found Judd Apatow movies hit or miss, often depending quite a bit on who stars, and what they do. I find that stories that are touching, and have characters that you truly like tend to hit for me (40 Year Old Virgin), while movies that exist simply to make Will Ferrell more money (Talladega Nights) generally miss their mark.

I have nothing against movies about stoners, really, I just don't usually find them all that funny. I think it's because most movies written about stoners are written by stoners while stoned, and as I understand it, being stoned makes even the most mundane seem hilarious. Reason follows then, that something written while being stoned, will not actually be funny. Pineapple Express, I think, stands as case in point.

Admittedly, I laughed a few times, but it was obvious from the pace of the movie, that I was supposed to be laughing a lot more. It seemed, though, that I wasn't the only one failing to find humor, as it seemed the normal roar of laughter one expects at a comedy was very much lacking. It wasn't just that the jokes weren't funny, they more often than not felt forced, were delivered poorly, or were simply just broken.

The story is also pathetic. I have no problem with comedy being over the top, breaking the rules, but it still has to either make sense, or work in the story. In this case, there was nothing.

Finally, I found that I just didn't care. There was nothing that happened in the entire film that made me feel like I should have any interest in the characters. They didn't matter, and were entirely throw away. You could have taken every situation out of the context of the film, and simply re-shot it using anyone off the street, and I would have had the same level of compassion about them.

No.

I'm done. I was sorely disappointed, and just can't recommend this to anyone. I fear that there may even be stoners baked out of their minds unable to find this anything but dismal. Don't think you've missed anything if you haven't caught this one.

Traitor

I saw Traitor about a week ago, and really had almost nothing to go on. This was not a movie preceded with any sort of fanfare. Given the sheer volume of movies I watch, I was actually amazed that I couldn't recall a single trailer about the movie.

So, as usual, I went into the movie with some reservation, but trying hard to be open minded. I'll admit that the bar might have been a little high just because the star of the film is Don Cheadle, a man who has yet to let me down, when even in a bad movie, he still gives a great performance.

Thankfully, I wasn't let down.

The story is well written, and doesn't take too many liberties. It unravels at a decent pace, layers being peeled off one right after the other. The characters are both real and believable. You experience the majority of the film following Muslim Terrorists, and while the writer's personal opinions about the wrongs of their actions are clear, it doesn't sour the story.

There are some down notes, however. The direction is good, but not stellar. Some of the acting feels forced. The final scene, to me, fell a little flat. The story drags a long a bit in a few places. There are details in the third act, upon which the entire story depends, that seem a little far fetched.

The few flaws do not cloud the whole of what is a really good movie. No, it's not wall to wall action, but instead a cerebral tale that rather fulfilling. Overall, the reviews of Traitor have been very mixed, and to a degree, I can understand, but I really think this is one that shouldn't be missed, even if you wait until it hits video.

More Google Chrome Whining

I thought I'd gotten all the complaining out of my system in my last post, but apparently not.

I discovered something else, while writing the last post about Chrome.

I destroys my task bar. I haven't even bothered to see if this is a common complaint among users, but rather, I'm simply writing the thing off for now. Perhaps when it's out of BETA (I'm guessing sometime around 2032), I will look into it again, or if they at least jump a few version numbers (not whole numbers, mind, just a few tenths is fine).

The problem that I'm having is that Chrome literally locks up my task bar, requiring me to restart explorer. I hadn't realized it at first, but I noticed it last night, did some testing, and while I don't know what's causing it exactly, I know that it's Chrome causing it.

I'm disappointed, to say the least.

But please, don't cry for me. I'll be alright.

Zero Shame-ctuation

Alright, I'd like to be rather brief with this one, because I don't think it really deserves much attention, yet that's tempered with the fact that I feel the need to gripe.

This week's Zero Punctuation was about Too Human, and I can't begin to explain my excitement in the many ways in which he could tear this game apart. I clicked the link and was excited to see the video was over ten minutes long. I was miffed for a moment when the video started, telling me that it was being sponsored by Warhammer Online, which took up the first 5 seconds. I was upset, because I'm already unhappy about the crap they put at the end of thing, why would they need to add anything to the beginning.

What I'm talking about is the fact that The Espcapist has adopted the 'whore' method of making money. They dedicate their site, and everything on it, to whoever will give them the most money. This isn't bad, really, just annoying. I suppose brand recognition is the hope, but I tend to only notice it long enough to decide whether it's something I'd be interested in in the first place, and then just move on. For the last so many episodes, Zero Punctuation has been followed by some sort of advertising, whether for The Escapist, or whoever it is that's given them money. Usually we're talking about three minutes out of an eight minute video where I just close the browser tab and move on with my life.

Today, however, I found feeling profoundly upset. Yahtzee stops talking at four minute and thirty seconds, which means that, with his intro, it's less than four minutes of substance. Moreover, that means the advertising at the end of the video is over six minutes long!

To me, that's unacceptable. Apart from the fact that there's no chance he'll ever rip on Warhammer Online after all the money he and The Escapist are making from them. Apart from the fact that Too Human certainly merits substantially more tearing. That means that it's a 60/40 split on the advertising to video scale.

Imagine, if you would, that you entered the movie theater, and found that your hour and a half long movie was preceded by over an hour of trailers. Imagine that you're watching American Idol, or whatever pathetic television show is making waves these days, and during the hour that it's on, you watch 40 minutes of commercials and only 20 minutes of singing, or whatever they do.

No.

I'm not happy.

I preferred it better when Yahtzee's bit wasn't a filthy whore.

300

Oddly, I'm not referring to the film 300 in the title, but rather, the fact that this is the 300th post to this blog. That's a lot of posts, I think. I had considered, briefly, the idea of making some sort of over-the-top sort of post, akin to dropping balloons on your 1,000,000th customer at the Super Market (how does one figure that out, I always wondered when watching movies and sitcoms that depicted such a thing). I decided, however, just to mention the fact that it is my 300th post, thank those of you that read (however few there are), and move on.


In this case, moving on means that you'll be reading a post regarding the frustration I'm feeling toward Google's Chrome. I've had time to think about things since I last posted about Google's new JesusBrowser. I still feel like Google can do no wrong in my book, yet, I feel that maybe they have.

I refer to the mouse scrolling issue.

This might seem minor, certainly, but it's a big deal to me. There are numerous fixes out there already, for others using different drivers, but nothing for me. Those fixes require you to update something, or remove something, or add Chrome to an exception list of some kind. I've seen fixes for people on XP and people on Vista, people with Dell Mouse Software, and people with Lenovo's. I've read them all, and done my own troubleshooting... But the bottom line is, it should just work, right?

Maybe I'd be telling other people to stop whining, and just move their fingers a few inches over and up to use the arrow keys. Maybe, if it weren't happening to me. But it is. The issue seems to affect primarily those using touch-pads, but also those using certain mouse drivers. It seems that Chrome has taken over the issue of scrolling, deciding that it needs to dictate what happens when I scroll up and down, demanding some different type of communication with the device than most other applications.

The problem is this: Why would you release a browser with this flaw? I mean, I understand that this issue isn't going to affect the majority of your users. However, the reason it's eating away at me is because I have to imagine there was someone involved in either the developing or the testing of Chromium, later Chrome, who must have been using a laptop of some kind (as almost all use Synaptics touchpads, and therefore are vulnerable to the same problems), and fired up the browser and said, with a silly sort of British affectation, "Oi, the damn thing won't scroll up!".

It can't be said they really didn't know about this from the get go. Then, to not list it immediately as a bug? Sure, they released an update today for some security issues, and those are certainly important, but isn't this important as well? (Hell, they fixed a problem that caused the entire browser to crash if you typed about:% into the address bar, not because it was a vulnerability, but because it was 'annoying'.) It has a dramatic effect on the usability of the browser. Sure, for years, I had no scroll wheel. I muddled through life at some point without a web browser, without Google to answer every question I have. There was a time that I had to type every command directly into a command line to make my computer work. Now, however, if I encounter a computer without a scroll wheel on it's attached mouse, I find myself almost flabbergasted. How can one survive without a scroll wheel?

Don't get me wrong, I've been disappointed by Google products in the past. Certain bugs, or flaws that seemed so glaring, so amazing that I could only shake my head in disbelief. This, however, seems... well... it just seems like it's too much. Something that should have been polished before release. I can forgive a page that doesn't render correctly, that's a given. I can forgive lack of customization this early on. I can forgive missing features, things that just haven't been implemented yet. But, for a company, that has released enough software at this point to have the basic functionality of a windows application figured out, to allow me to download and install a product in which I cannot scroll web pages (of course, I can scroll the options pages), it actually makes me mad.

I imagine they'll get it sorted out. I'm sure it won't be long before they do something about the problem, and I'll be able to happily use their product. However, it will be tarnished (and I really don't mean to make a Chrome pun there), because I'll know they brought it out far too early. Sure, it's my fault for expecting something better, because of course it's a beta. However, everything Google does is beta, and I'm really beginning to thing they either need to just completely re-brand themselves as GoogleBETA, or start releasing functional products, even with frequent updates, that don't need to hide behind the 'BETA' tag.

Still, I love Google, and I know they're just trying to do what they need to do to make the money that pays the people that do the things they're trying to do. But, it really seems like it's time for them to start owning up and just releasing things when they're ready, or at least near ready.

By the way, if I don't ever post again, you'll know it's because the Google™ Hit Squad(BETA) took me out, if not efficiently, at least eventually.

Do tell, Fortune Cookie, do tell...

Well... it seems, according to the fortune cookie, that things are looking up! This is very good, as I'm sure I'm in need of things looking up.

...in bed.

The Guild - Season 2

So, I went back, because I was trying to find when I'd posted about 'The Guild' here before, but after digging through posts for a while, I discovered that I hadn't. That seems odd, because I swear I spent time making the key clackity clack about it. It's also a shame, because it's great, and I think the world should be well aware of it. Not that they're likely to hear about it from me, but still...

The Guild is an online sitcom. Online shows are called webisodes, but I have such an aversion to the term, though, I can't really tell you why. I think it might be simply because I can't call an online show a 'webisode' as a whole, because the term webisode sounds like a single instance of said show. The problem is that we need a whole new classification of online shows, with fresh new terms that fit with better and diverge more from television...

Wow, that was some rambling.

Where was I?

Ah, yes, The Guild. It's an online show that is written by, and stars, Felicia Day. I recently talked about her when I posted about Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (which you can now watch again on the site, as opposed to YouTube. If you still haven't watched it, you need to remedy that immediately!). She's one of those people you see as being a real actress, yet in every way, she's a very real person. Clearly, she doesn't have the status and stature of the more untouchable sorts, but still, she seems like someone that would be awesome to hang out with. Which is, I assume, how she has such a cult following as people imagine her being approachable, real, and overall, just very cool (umm, third paragraph down on that link). (Come on, she actually runs The Guilds website (well, wordpress blog), seems to actually use Twitter and plays World or Warcraft (ok, I won't hold that one against her)).

Anyway, if you've been reading this post instead of checking out The Guild, you're doing it wrong. You need to go watch the first season, which is ten episodes, and will take you around 45 minutes to an hour to enjoy. It's funny. Very funny. There's also plenty of links that will take you to various other media that is also funny. You can also read the posts, and see how much the show has interacted with the fan community, which is also pretty fun to see as well. I'm tired of hyperlinking things, so, I'll just let you wend your way about the site yourself. You'll find the funny. It's good.

The point of this thing is that there's an interview with Felicia Day after her screening of The Guild at PAX on Joystiq, which reveals that filming of Season 2 is coming. You can just read the highlights, or can you listen to the whole thing, which is pretty entertaining overall, and lends credibility to my previous statements about her being a real person.

So, with Season 2 forthcoming, there's even more reason to get caught up on the lives of these sad sad MMORPG players. I'm sure you won't regret it. Probably.

(Ugh, I promised myself that I'd had enough PAX coverage crammed down my throat, and that there was no need to re-post any of it on here... then they go and tell me about season 2 of The Guild, and my plans were foiled!)

FADE IN:

INT. APARTMENT

A BOYFRIEND sits with his long time GIRLFRIEND, who has been estranged from him for the last month, something he wants to remedy. They're conversation has stretched on for far too long for his liking, but, still he presses on. On the MP3 player comes the subtle twang of Mike Doughty's live music just loud enough to hear.

BOYFRIEND
I just don't understand, why is this so hard?

GIRLFRIEND
I don't know. It just is.

The BOYFRIEND stands up and begins pacing back and forth. He shakes his head a few times.

BOYFRIEND
You love me, right?

GIRLFRIEND
Yes.

BOYFRIEND
Then why can't we-

GIRLFRIEND
I just feel like I need to get myself right,
before I worry about us again.

Outside, a car door slams outside. A couple of people are heard walking loudly up the steps toward the security door right next to the apartment. They laugh and giggle with the joyousness of inebriation. One them giggles hysterically, calling the door various names and cursing it's refusal to open. A few moments pass as the BOYFRIEND and GIRLFRIEND listen to the welcome distraction, but finally, the door opens, and slams, and feet pound up the stairs, rattling pictures on the walls.

BOYFRIEND
These last couple weeks, they've been good?

GIRLFRIEND
Yes, they have.

BOYFRIEND
We've gone out, things have been good?

GIRLFRIEND
Yes.

BOYFRIEND
That's all I want, all I'm looking for.

GIRLFRIEND
No, you want assurances.

BOYFRIEND
That too, but, you're not planning on
seeing anyone else, right?

GIRLFRIEND
No!

BOYFRIEND
Then what's the problem?

This time, the GIRLFRIEND gets up, and walks away for a moment, disappearing into the small kitchen. The door to the refrigerator opens and closes, and she reappears a moment later holding a can of Dr. Pepper.

BOYFRIEND
Caffeine? Really?

GIRLFRIEND
What?

BOYFRIEND
Never mind.

GIRLFRIEND
Listen, I'm just not ready yet. That
doesn't mean that I won't be, I'm
just not ready now.

The BOYFRIEND walks around and drops into the couch, the GIRLFRIEND remains standing, watching him. He looks up at her, as if figuring something out.

BOYFRIEND
I feel like you've just left me on hold,
and the muzak version of "Here I go
again on my own.." is looping over and
over, driving me insane!
(Hums a few bars)
Don't get me wrong, I like Whitesnake
and all...

The GIRLFRIEND walks over and drops into the couch on the opposite end and takes a drink of her Dr. Pepper.

GIRLFRIEND
Dammit, now I've got that song stuck in my head!

BOYFRIEND
See how it's aggravating?!

GIRLFRIEND
Oh shut up!

The BOYFRIEND stands up and walks toward the hallway, and then stops to look back at his former / current girlfriend.

BOYFRIEND
Wanna go have sex?

GIRLFRIEND
Yeah.

She stands and follows him.

FADE OUT.

Google Chrome

Well, now, this is something. I'm writing this post from within the new Google Chrome. Being a big Google fan boy, of course I wanted to download it the moment I started reading the comic that was posted yesterday. And, so, far, I have to say that I'm really impressed.

Considering that it's still very much in beta, the new browser is great. Web pages load quickly, almost as if cached. It's pretty. Very pretty. The interface is clean, and everything is pretty much right where it should be, and works exactly the way you'd expect a Google product to work. I like the way it highlights your current field, and the ability to resize large text boxes inline as well. Everything renders pretty well, so far, which is a given since it's built on WebKit. The inline spell check works pretty well so far, as well.

There's a few design elements I'm not big on, such as a lack of a home button. I understand that opening a new tab also opens your 'home' page, and honestly, I can't remember the last time I actually pressed home in Firefox, but it still seems like one of those comfort things that's sorely missing.

I'm also not liking the lack of options and customization. I like that it highlights fields, but I don't like that I can't customize the highlight color. Similarly, the way it pops up a small link at the bottom to tell where you're going is great, but it's very obtrusive, and the fact that it's gray is ok for most pages, but looks out of place in others (although, something I do like is that it will not cover a button, so if there's something at the bottom of the page, it keeps out of the way of the mouse, which is nice). I also see no options for plugins, yet, so, many of extensions and plugins I use on a regular basis won't be gracing this browser soon, and I wonder if Google, a company who's revenue comes mostly from advertising, would allow something like AdBlock Plus.

My biggest issue, one which seems to be shared by many, and is an absolute deal breaker at the moment: I can't scroll up. I can scroll down without issue, and that's great, because I love to scroll down. I spend most of my scrolling time scrolling down, but on occasion, it's really useful to be able to scroll up. It's terrible, because the cursor changes into scrolling mode, as if it knows what it's supposed to be doing, but nothing happens.

I understand the reason that Google's done this, and I'm curious how this is going to play out, as it seems their main target is Internet Explorer users, who need to learn that IE sucks, and is a terrible browser. The problem, as I see it, is that their more likely to just pull Firefox users into their fold simply because those users are more likely to try something that isn't already familiar, and will understand the reasons for using a better browser (as they've already done so by switching to Firefox). Sure, there's plenty of Internet Explorer users that use Google for searches instead of Live!, and will potentially switch once Google starts plugging their own browser, but they could just have easily plugged Firefox instead of just building a new browser from scratch. (Of course, I understand the other reasons for building a new browser, because the concept of this browser and the way it handles pages is very good.)

Now, I certainly believe that just about everything Google does is amazing, and I more than welcome this new browser on my computer. However, I can't see myself using it as my main browser yet, even if they fix the scrolling issue right away. It's a great first step, and I'll be keeping my eyes on it as time goes on, and I'm hoping it gets where it needs to be so that I can jump ship from Firefox, and get on board with Google (and being a hardcore Firefox fan, that's pretty hard to say).

Of course, with Google's history, I'm sure this thing will be in beta for quite awhile. (Seriously, I've been using Gmail since shortly after it was announced in 2004, and it still says beta under its name...)