What's Going On?

I happened to stumble upon this old blog, and I am thinking about starting to write again. A lot has changed since I began this one years ago, and I kind of want to try to write again. Specifically, I want to do some stuff with board games. I think I will start a new blog about that one. However, I want to keep this one. I think I will use it as a catchall place.

So here are some updates for you:

• I'm getting married.
• I'm employed.
• I've put the 500 albums quest on hiatus.
• I've been watching my DVDs in alphabetical order. Currently, I am finishing Six Feet Under.
• I have two cats now.

The 500 Greatest Albums Quest

I have decided to set my self a new goal in life; I am going to listen to the 500 Greatest Albums of all time according to Rolling Stone. Now some of these albums I have heard before, but I plan on listening to them again as part of this quest. As much as I look forward to enjoying those albums again, I am more excited about discovering new music. I feel like I should have checked a lot of these albums out a long time ago. Hopefully, as I go through this mission, I will try to write reviews of some of the works. After all, these are supposed to be the best right? What will I think about them? I am really curious as to what I will think about some of the albums of musical genres I am not as familiar with. It is all part of making me a better music lover and expert. Wish me luck!

Uncomfortablness and Ignorance of Racism

As I attempt to write a response to the readings from Rothenberg, I am unsure where to begin. Although I have encountered some of this subject matter before, it is still difficult to process, and I find it troubling to me personally. Of course, Bonilla-Silva warns that the material will make you feel "quite uncomfortable" (131), and he is right. Racism is a difficult topic to discuss, and despite any improvements we have made as a society, it is still a rampant problem. This article points out how racism like almost any system has evolved and adapted to stay alive.

It is difficult to change the system because as McIntosh points out white people are not taught about their power and privilege(173). To a certain extent, I believe we are actively taught to ignore it because to admit privilege is to acknowledge a certain extent of racism, and in our current society, to admit to being racist is bad. Therefore, it is difficult for us to acknowledge privilege because we do not want to be seen as racist. Instead it is easier to plead ignorance to the situation and just admit the disadvantage of other groups.

Thoughts on the First Season of Star Trek: TNG

Over the past couple of days, I have been watching the first season of Star Trek: the Next Generation, and a couple of thoughts stand out to me. First of all, in comparison to the other seasons of the series, this one is terrible, yet it actually isn't that bad. I think the best way to describe the episodes is uneven. The writers, producers, and actors have yet to really discover who the characters are.

For example, Picard is a jackass this season. He seems much more aloof, and superior feeling. In the episodes I have been watching he has not reached that more fatherly figure he becomes later in the series. It is kind of disappointing.

Then for the episodes, they are very mixed. Within one episode, there are some really great moments and then some bad ones. In "Where No One Has Gone Before," there is a great montage of characters having hallucinations within the strange universe they explore. It is extremely well done, but then the rest of the episode is not as strong. Of course, other episodes are real clunkers like the first appearance of the Ferengi in "Last Outpost" and the one with the African tribe.

As for the character of Wesley Crusher, he had such potential, but it is so annoying that he notices things before the senior staff. How is that believable? However, I want to like Wesley because as a kid I would have loved to have his experience. Who wouldn't want to be a kid on a Starship?

Anyway, I'm only halfway through the first season. Perhaps, I will find some more observations worth writing about. Then again with this seasons... perhaps not.

Living with The Godfather: The Uses of Copolla’s Masterpiece by the Characters in The Sopranos

Throughout the HBO television series The Sopranos, the characters continuously discuss and emulate The Godfather series of films. Tony and his crew revere these movies and feely deeply emotionally connected to them. For the characters, the movies are a way for them to connect with each other and attempt to justify and explain their lifestyle choice. This use of The Godfather by the characters represents the classic media paradigm of audience uses and gratifications.

Perhaps some of the preeminent scholars in this realm of research are Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitch. Their article “Utilization of Mass Communication by the Individual” summarizes much of the field of research into this approach. At the core of this paradigm is the notion that audience members choose and use certain media texts or outlets to fulfill needs or gratifications they may have such as personal reference. There are three key sources of gratification from the media: the content, the exposure, and social context of exposure.

Based on these ideas, it is easy to see why the characters of The Sopranos are drawn to The Godfather. The movies romanticizes the gritty, dark, and violent world in which they have chosen to operate. The movies serve as a way for the characters to rationalize what they do and as a way for them to base their behavior. Often times in the show, it feels like the characters complain when their world is not like The Godfather. However, based on flashbacks in the series, the viewer can surmise that the world of The Sopranos was never like The Godfather. The scenes of the 50s and 60s in The Sopranos do not seem any where as glamorized as in The Godfather movies. In fact, the world looks much more like the modern day one of the show. It is reasonable to believe the movies have created a false belief of how the past was for the characters. This alternate reality goes into cultivation theory, but I will not go into more detail on it in this paper because it still also works within the paradigm of uses and gratifications. The characters use these texts to reinforce their beliefs of how the mafia should exist.

Within the series, we see moments of how the characters use The Godfather. One of the key examples is how the characters use the movies to relate with each other. In the second season episode “Commendatori,” Tony and the gang attempt to watch The Godfather Part II, but Tony complains about watching the movie again and having the same discussion about the movie. From this exchange, the view is able to conclude that the movies have been viewed multiple times by the gang as an almost group ritual. Clearly, the movies demonstrate a way for them to satisfy some level of camaraderie. It is a clear example of gratification coming from the social context of the movie.: viewing a movie with friends In other scenes in the series, the character of Silvio does an impression of Al Pachino from The Godfather Part III that makes the other characters usually laugh demonstrating another way the movies connect the characters and aid in creating emotional connections.

During multiple parts of the series, characters attempt to emulate scenes from the movies. In the first episode of The Sopranos, Christopher “whacks” a rival gang member in an attempt to send a message similar to the quote from The Godfather, “Luco Brasi sleeps with the fishes." He is then informed by another character that it does not work like that in the mafia; in fact, it would be disastrous. Christopher has based his assumptions and personal reference of the mafia on his use of The Godfather.

Later in the series after Tony is shot by his uncle, Tony’s son, A.J, vows revenge. In the episode “Johnny Cakes," he plans to murder Uncle Junior based on Tony’s love of the classic scene from The Godfather where Michael avenges the failed hit on his father in the Italian restaurant. Although touched, Tony informs his son that it is just a movie! It should not be used as an instruction guide how to handle personal and family problems.

Perhaps it is in this last scene why HBO would have allowed the executive producer and creator of The Sopranos, David Chase, to flirt so clearly with this apparent critique and representation of audience uses and gratifications. HBO, a subsidiary of the publicly traded Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), makes its revenue by airing nonstop entertainment on its channels. Often its content, including The Sopranos, creates controversy due to its graphic depictions of topics such as sex and violence. The cable channel may have possibly approved of these scenes as a way to counter-criticize attacks against the channel and people’s belief it corrupts youth and/or our society. Realizing the uses and gratifications paradigm, HBO is trying to remind people that what they do is used for entertainment purposes. Although the creative team behind The Sopranos may agree with this statement to some extent, they also show a slightly darker side of the argument through their other uses of the characters love of The Godfather.

Collaborating for the Soul Food Dinner

On Janurary 30th, I attended the 5th Annual Soul Food Dinner at Portland State University in the Smith Ball Room. The Soul Food Dinner is a celebration of African American history, culture, and accomplishments. Coinciding with African American History Month, the Soul Food Dinner features traditional African American food, prominent African American Oregonians, and African American art. While attendees try traditional food found in black homes around the holidays, artists perform and presenters showcase achievements of African Americans.

When the program began, it was solely put on by the Department of Residence Life. The program was created by Dementro “Debo” Powell, an Area Coordinator in the department, as a way to share the traditional food he grow up with students at Portland State. During the first year, the program had an estimated 100 people attend, and this year it fed, educated, and entertained over 800 individuals.

During its five year history, the Soul Food Dinner has grown into a massive collaborative process. It has grown from only having Residence Life to including multiple other departments from the Division of Student Affairs including PSU Ambassadors, Student Legal & Mediation Services, the Dean of Student Affairs, and more. The program is such a premier event at PSU that even the Attorney General for the state of Oregon helped out. He secured this year’s keynote speaker: Terry Porter.

In addition to the various departments, the Soul Food dinner includes multiple student groups including Black Cultural Affairs, fraternities, Residence Housing Association, and more. In a large university, this level of collaboration is quite stunning because due to scarce resources departments are usually more prone to isolation. It would not be possible without the incredible vision and devotion of Debo. He is emotionally invested in this program, and people are drawn to work with him on this successful endeavor.

Of course, the program involves more than just people at the university. Additionally, Debo works closely with the African American artist, Mo. Mo was the first African American to receive a scholarship in the visual arts at PSU and has remained connected with the school through the Soul Dinner.

Mo’s involvement brings in another level of collaboration on her part. By being actively involved in the Portland African American Arts community, Mo brings in several other artists as well. While she is primarily a visual artist, Mo invites several spoken word performers to exhibit at the Soul Food Dinner. These individuals discuss issues relevant to African American men and women in an attempt to educate all races about the struggles of these people in the United States. The works are powerful, emotional, angry, and occasionally humorous as demonstrated by Good Sista/Bad Sista.

In addition to the professional artists, the Soul Food Dinner showcases student performers. One of the African American fraternities demonstrated stepping. While a university dance group performed a piece, and there were students singers.

With Debo actively job searching and planning on leaving the Portland area, it will be interesting to see how successful this program will be without. Although he has included so many people in the process, so much of the work and relationships depend simply on his charisma and personality. I sincerely hope this program continues to succeed in the future because it always an incredibly powerful event.

Saving Democracy Through Journalism

During their discussion about the book The Death and Life of American Journalism, Robert McChesney and John Nichols report on the rapid decline of journalism in 21st Century America. To them, this decline is an increasingly important crisis for American democracy. Without credible, informative journalism, our nation will become corrupted by biased information from governments and large organizations.

This collapse of journalism in media has been coming for some time now and is the result of multiple causes. The most commonly discussed reasons are the advent of the internet and the current economy. However, McChesney and Nichols claim that this decline has been coming for much longer, and these two situations have only quickened the collapse, not caused it. To McChesney and Nichols, old media and journalism have been more threated by corporate conglomerates domination and decreasing quality of media, specifically journalism.

In McChesney's views, this collapse of journalism is detrimental to our society. He views media, specifically its journalistic duties, almost as a fourth branch of government. It supplies a source of checks and balances to our elected officials that should be independent of the political system. He believes the press was practically a planned branch of government because the United States history, from the founding of the nation to about the Civil War, is filled with actions by the government to support a free press both legally and financially.

Since the middle of the 19th Century, the press and journalism in America has grown to become dependent upon advertising for revenue and developed a commercial model. This metamorphosis gradually forced the press to become more business oriented and evolve into the mass media of the 20th Century. During the last century, media monopolies and conglomerates grew by swallowing up independently owned papers and broadcasting stations. They then forced competitors out of business. In doing so, these companies began to abandon the communities their media served in order to reduce costs and increase profits for shareholders by reducing staff and using on more one-size-fits-all material.

Without a doubt, I agree with almost all of McChesney and Nichols opinions regarding the fall of journalism. For some time, I have been convinced of the devastating effects the Telecommunication Act of 1996 has had on our society. In my opinion, this act is one of the most damaging pieces of legislation in the history of this republic. It allowed companies such as Clear Channel to acquire countless stations across the country. In doing so, the integrity of our media was damaged and unimaginable harm was done to local communities. Organizations would reduce staff and operate stations in clusters. As opposed to having seven radio stations with seven staffs, there would be seven stations with one staff. Thus, less jobs were created and less creativity was demonstrated. More and more companies would try to apply one approach to every community. What works in New York City does not necessarily work in Nameless, TN.

Hearing McChesney and Nichols talk has only reaffirmed my beliefs. Although my opinions have been formulated based on research of radio mergers, their critiques of newspapers echoes my opinions regarding radio station consolidations. All three of us seem to agree that media conglomerates are bad for local communities across the United States.

In order to rectify this crisis, McChesney and Nichols strongly advocate for government intervention. They believe the government should subsidize local media outlets by creating community oriented organizations and help young journalist gain experience. In doing so, they believe the press will get back to its true calling of supporting communities and aiding our democracy.

To judge the success of some of these changes, we would need to consider several factors. First of all, one would want to examine data regarding the number of newspapers, broadcasting stations, and journalism jobs available after the legislation. Do more communities have more than one print publication? Competing radio or television stations? Additionally, one would want to examine if people are able to make a living being a professional journalist. Are there more jobs for journalists? Are they paid adequately? This information would help to determine some of the success of the proposed changes. Of course, this evaluation would only examine of part of the puzzle.

In addition, we would need to see if the increased help for media actually aides our communities. Would the increased journalism increase the civics of the individuals in the communities? This information could be judged by gathering voting data and more importantly community involvement. Many people believe that Americans are increasingly becoming disconnected from those that live around them. If government support of increasing community media showed that individuals were more involved in their local communities by being better informed, then these people may be considered better citizens, and thus, McChesney and Nichols ideas could be considered successful.

Loving "Graceland"

"The Mississippi Delta was shining like a national guitar," is the opening line to Paul Simon's "Graceland" from the album of the same name. The song details the journey of a man to the legendary home of Elvis Presley. The protagonist of the song is searching for redemption, a mystical understanding, or perhaps some sort of personal knowledge at Graceland similar to a religious pilgrim. In the narrative, the man is on this quest to help recover from the recent end of a relationship.

This song has always had a special place in my heart. To me, "Losing love is like a window in your heart; everybody sees you're blown apart" is one of the most beautiful truths I have ever heard in a song. When ever I have suffered from a broken heart, I have thought of this line. It seems to perfectly explain how I feel so well.

"Graceland" also hits me on another level. For as long as I can remember, I have believed in the "myth" of America. I am a staunch lover of our popular culture and the reality it creates such as the "American Dream." The notion a man or woman may change from pauper to prince almost overnight.

Simon invokes this belief by making Graceland a holy place for secular America. To Simon, the protagonist will be "received in Graceland" along with other pilgrims. They will find answers they are seeking at the home of a poor truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi who became a king. To millions of Americans, Graceland is proof of what is possible in America, and Simon recognizes the power of this location.

Since I am a male, the song has extra meaning for me. It is fairly clear that the protagonist is a man. More than likely it is an auto-biographical song by Simon, but the thoughts expressed could be applied to anyone of either sex. However, it seems to be more applicable to men. Additionally, the song appeals to me due to its regional topics. I grew up in the South and recognize the same history Simon does as the character drives down the Mississippi river to the "cradle of the Civil War." The lyrics are simply beautiful. The opening line is one of the most incredible descriptions of the Mississippi River Delta. Simon simultaneously reflects its beauty and cultural significance. Much of America's music has come from this region including the blues and rock 'n roll.

Without a doubt, I believe this song hits me personally. It was released two years after I was born, so most people of my age are not intimately familiar with it. While they listened to contemporary pop acts like Justin Timberlake, I was enjoying the wisdom and artistry of Paul Simon. It sets me a part from others of my age.

An early memory of mine is hearing "You Can Call Me Al," another song from the same album, with my father. It was also a favorite of mine, but then again, Graceland, the album, is my favorite album. My father and I were returning from an outing when I first heard "Al." I loved it, and over the years, I became obsessed with the song. Eventually, I began listening to the entire recording. It did not take long for me to fall in love with every song on the album. As I grew older, "Graceland", the title song became my favorite. In fact, the first time I went to Memphis with my dad, we played this song.

As time goes by, "Graceland" continues to be a part of my life. It is a song that I listen to in any mood. When I am happy, I find joy in the lyrics, and when I am sad, it comforts me. When I go out to do karaoke, I often sing this song, and it makes me enjoy the moment. Many of my friends are not very familiar with it... except for the fact, it is my staple song selection.

More Blogs Coming

This term I am taking two classes: Arts Administration and Empirical Theories of Mass Media. In both of them, I am required to right relatively short papers based primarily on personal reflection. I have decided I am going to post them on my blog for fun.

Both of these seem relevant to stuff I'd like to blog about as well. The Arts class is about us getting out in to the Portland arts community and checking out shows. We are then asked to write about the experience and talk in terms of the class discussions. I like this idea and believe it will provide insight into my life and Portland.

As for the Media class, I love to talk about the media. This class is encouraging me to write about it more as well. The questions asked really help to frame my writing and give me some direction. Typically, I lack prompts and fail to write. However, I hope these will encourage me to get back in the habit of writing.

So far, I have written three pieces. I believe I will start posting them this week or early next week. My goal will be to post about one piece a week to spread it out over a period of time. This way there is a steady stream of updates to my blog as opposed to one large clump all at once.

If you are curious, the topics so far include "Graceland" by Paul Simon, the death and life of American journalism, and the play Willow Jade which just had its world premiere in Portland. Look for these updates soon.

Embracing My Board Game Geekiness

For the past few years, I have been getting into the board game hobby. I love playing these hobby games like Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, Chicago Express, Dominion, and more. They have become one of my biggest passions and time consumers, but it was not until today that I truly reached the level of board game geek. I have been edging closer and closer to this level of devotion to the hobby, but today I crossed over.

Today, I pre-ordered a board game, called American Rails, that is being designed by a small independent publisher. It is this gentleman's first game, and it is limited to 60 copies. I have never bought a game that has been published in such a small quantity. Usually, I buy games made by the well respected and established companies like Rio Grande Games, Fantasy Flight, and Z Man Games. However, I have been following the development of this game for about a month now, and I am really excited by it! When I found out pre-orders were today, I made sure to get my copy. Now I will own the first edition of what I hope and believe is going to be a very exciting and popular game.

By buying from what is basically a one man operation, I am supporting this man's devotion to a dream of his. It is my support of this small independent game that makes me feel like I have crossed into the realm of true board game geekery. Normally, I would just buy a game from a store either in person or online, but this time I am supporting a brand new publisher and developer. It makes me feel even more part of the community.

Of course this purchase was only part of my push over the edge. As for my second move, well I am seriously contemplating desiging my own board games.

For the past couple of months, I have been fiddling with the idea of this one game, but I have not done much with it. On Sunday, I brainstormed an idea for a second game, and this one I have actually started writing notes down about it. I have almost two pages of material, and I am going to start creating a prototype copy to play sometime early next year. I am really excited by the idea. As my creative wheels were turning for this game, I began developing ideas for a third game. Before long, I will probably be creating a list of game ideas. Who knows where this will lead, but it excites me.

After helping one man follow his dreams by buying his game, I began to think about my own ideas for games. I doubt I will ever create a true classic, but maybe I will one day publish my own game. Hopefully, some people besides me will get enjoyment out of it. Following this path makes no doubt about it, I am a board game geek.

Some Geeky Obersvations

While watching some tv shows lately, I have been making some incredibly geeky observations. Stuff like references to other elements of geek culture and attention to detail. Here are a few of them.

• While watching an episode of The X-Files, I noticed that Mulder resides at apartment number 42. How appropripate. The man who seeks the truth resides at the address which happens to be the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything.
• With the series finale behind me, I began watching Battlestar Galactica with Liza. Now I knew the ship got dirtier as the series went on, but I did not realize how much until this viewing of the miniseries. The ship and its interior such as the CIC is immaculate at the start of the series. Talk about an attention to detail. It is just further testament to the pain staking level of continuity the staff was prepared for.
• Recently, I have become hooked on the show The IT Crowd. One of my favorite elements of the show is the geeky clutter in the background of the office. Particularly, I love the board games which include Ticket to Ride. My girlfriend laughed at me because I was disappointed that they are missing from the first series. I'll try to pinpoint the exact episode they appear and try to identify the exact games.

As I watch more TV this fall, expect more geeky observations. It may become a new hobby of mine.

The Problem With Being In a Relationship...

One of my biggest issues of being in a healthy, loving relationship is that sad country songs just are not as much fun to listen to. I don't know how many times I have listened to a song about a broken hearted man while drinking and mending my own broken heart. I have always found some comfort in these songs, but now, they just do not touch me the same way. I do still feel sympathy for the character in the songs, but I am too busy being happy for my relationship and not wanting to think sad thoughts. As much as I miss connecting to these songs, in no way, would I change my relationship. I am way too happy right now, and I hope I never go back to connecting with these songs. Unfortunately, happy country music is no where as good as listening to a man lament about his loss love while drinking beer, but I guess it will have to do to satisfy my love of twang.

Obama Has Finally Disappointed Me

As you may or may not know, Obama is going to practice a little diplomacy. In the near future, he is arranging a get together with Professor Gates and the officer who arrested him. The three are going to discuss the situation and the issues it brought forth. Now, I applaud the decision to discuss these crucial and critical topics over beer, but I am disappointed by Obama's choice of a cold one. Professor Gates will be drinking refreshing Blue Moon, the officer will have a cool Red Strip, but Obama is drinking a Budweiser.

Why Obama? Why?

For a man who preaches and practices being green and American created products, why would you choose the giant Budweiser? There are several American microbreweries that would have served as a better choice. Many practice green brewing techniques and make organic beers. Although Budweiser is called the king of American beers, it is not even owned by Americans anymore. It is owned by an international conglomorate. The craft brewers are American owned and American made. They would have been a better choice for this wonderful healing opportunity.

For shame Mr. President. For shame.

Please in the future, use a craft brew. If foreign diplomats are ever in the White House to discuss politics and global issues, share with them a true American beer. One that is made by true American patriots like our forefathers. These men and women have crafted a successful beer revolution, and God bless them!

We're Having a Heat Wave

Wow. It is hot right now in Stumptown. It is currently 97, and they are predicting it to be in the 100s for a couple of days and to remain in the 90s the rest of the week. As you may, or may not know, Portlanders are not prepared for this kind of weather. Air conditioning is almost non-existent. I do not have it in my apartment, and before today, I did not even have a fan.

To try to beat the heat, I decided I needed some fans. Of course, I am practically broke, so this decision was a big one and involved some banking magic. Luckily, the choice to go to the store was nice because it was air conditioned. I think I should have stayed longer.

Anyway, I now have two fans. I bought a bigger box one to go in the living room. I figure my roommate and I can both utilize that one. Then I got a smaller one for my room. I can move it from by my desk or near my bed dependnig on where I need it more. All I have to do is unplug it. Hopefully, this heat wave does not last too long. Otherwise, I am going to find it difficult to do anything.

Marvel Divas

Yesterday, my roommate's friend shared with me a comic she recently got. It is called Marvel Divas, and it is the first of a four issue series. Based on the cover and my read of it, I would guess the comic is Marvel's attempt at luring in new female readers. To be honest with you, I think the whole thing is just plain goofy.

The comic tells of the relationship among four female B-league superheroes. I have been out of the comic world for a bit, but I do recognize at least two of the characters on the cover: Black Cat and Firestar. The other two heroines are Photon and Hellcat.

Anyway, the story reads a lot like an episode of Sex in the City with a dash of a Lifetime movie. The gals talk about their love problems and sex life to one another. As you can guess none of them are too lucky. At the end of the issue, the comic touches on the realm of Lifetime tearjerker when one of the super heroines reveals she has cancer. It makes the story even more melodramatic, and for an extra punch, the issue ends in a cliffhanger.

The entire comic really does give off a strong Sex in the City vibe. In fact, the main narrator of the comic is a writer. The publishing of her second book is what kicks off the story. I am not really sure what made this sound like a good idea, but hopefully, it works out for Marvel.

Where Have I Been?

Back in the day, I used to consider myself tech savvy. Back in middle school, I had my own website, and I was reading webcomics in high school. When facebook became available at MTSU, I was quick to join. As soon as I was able to acquire a Gmail invite, I signed up. I used to know what was going on in regards to the web, but apparently I have fallen behind the times. During the past few days, I have discovered so many new things!

On Sunday, Liza introduced me to the world of RSS and ATOM feeds. Thanks to gadgets like Google Reader, I no longer have to surf the web! Everything I care about is sent to one location. I know longer have to wait to see when a webpage will update; I get it automatically. I am sure I am one of the last people to join on this bandwagon, but I am kind of excited. However, I do feel this technology kind of negates surfing the web. Perhaps, I should start stumbling now as well.

For those unfamiliar, Stumble Upon is a website (or some sort of technology... or magic) that sends you to random websites! How cool is that? I do believe it has guidelines as well to direct your stumbling. I have known of it for a while, but I am becoming more intrigued. Apparently, I have been under-utilizing the web lately, but I am discovering new stuff to do... like more social networking websites!

The first one I signed up for is called Readernaut. It tracks what books you are reading, have read, plan to read, abandoned, want, and so on. So far, I am pretty impressed with it right now. Liza and I both signed up for it, but I think you should too! You can find me here.

Then there is 97 Bottles. It is a social networking site devoted to beer. I do believe I have found heaven on the web! It is a way for me to track the beers I try, tell you where I tried them, what I think about them, and more. As of right now, I have not played around with it too much (mostly because I have not drank any beer lately), but I plan to do more with it soon.

If those aren't up your alley, perhaps you might like Dopplr. Dopplr is a way for you to share your travels with friends and complete strangers. I've not played around with it too much, but Liza really likes it. Perhaps you will too.

Now I realize I can do a lot of this on Facebook or Myspace, but I really like having more niche sites. In my opinion, many of the applications on Facebook like these are really buggy and not user friendly. I like being able to share this information with anyone, and most of them have options than available on the big two sites.

Of course, Google is also trying to join in on the social networking fun, apparently. They have created Orkut. I think I noticed it the other day, and my friend, J, sent me an invite for it. As of right now, I have not investigated it, but I probably will in the days to come.

Finally, Liza showed me that Google has their own website hosting and building capabilities. I do believe I am going to create a new site soon. It should be a way for me to share all of my loves and interests in one place. It should have lots of crazy gadgets and what not. I will keep you up to date with the progress. I have some rough plans for it, but I think it will offer me some more options than just a blog.

Has Obama Been Watching Chuck?

While reading the paper, I discovered an article about the Obama administration using colleges to recruit future intelligence agencies. Immediately, I thought of the first season episode of Chuck, "Chuck Versus the Alma Mater." In this episode, it is revealed that Chuck's former professor has been recruiting students for the CIA for years. In fact, he was responsible for recruiting Chuck's old roommate.

Well, now it appears the government will actually be taking steps to such a process, and they're looking at basically creating a degree in spying at certain colleges. Students will receive federal funding with the possible stipulation of having to work for a certain agency. They're also basically guaranteed summer internships. The program is still in the planning stages. I have no idea how I feel about this, but I certainly hope they did in fact get the idea from Chuck.

Chicago Express: A Review

Since I was a kid, I have loved trains, and I love board games. Therefore, it is logical to assume that I would highly enjoy train games. Unfortunately, up until now, my experience has been limited to TransAmerica and Ticket to Ride. Although light games, I love both of them and count TransAmerica as one of my favorites, but I have craved something more in depth.

Thus around my birthday, I set out to fix this dilemma with a purchase of a heavier train game. At the time I was debating among Age of Steam, Steam, and Chicago Express. During this time I was following the Age of Steam vs Steam drama and was unsure of which to get, so I settled on Chicago Express. Mostly because it was what my local game store had. I do not regret this decision; it is quickly becoming one of my favorite board games.

In Chicago Express, players assume the roles of investors and funnel capital into five seperate rail companies in the hopes of making the most money from dividends. The game features a beautiful map and money and stocks on what I would consider fancy paper. It is a visually appealing game.

One of the unique aspects of Chicago Express is that players aren't a single company. Instead, players all have control over a certain company. Well, as long as they have stock in it. This mechanic encourages a high level of player interaction which is why I love the game so much. You are constantly working with the other players to benefit yourself without benefiting them as much. Sometimes it is fun to use your one share of a stock to run a company into the ground, but for the most part, everyone seems to work together.

When the game begins, there is an initial stock auction for the four primary companies. The last company does not appear until later in the game. After a share has been distributed for each company, the game begins.

During the game, players get to choose from one of three actions: auction, develop, or expand. With the first auction, the player names one of the companies and offers a stock in it. Each company has a limited number of shares and a mininum bid. This bid is based off the income level of the company divided by the number of shares out including the one being auctioned. This formula is also how one calculates the dividends from these stocks.

The second action is developing hexes on the board. Developing allows a player to increase the income level of a company by developing cities or mountains. Forrests are a way to pump more cash into the company.

Finally, players can try to expand the network of the rail company. With this action, players use the capital in the railroad to grow and increas the income level by going to various cities. In another great mechanic, players have to use the money of the company to expand instead of their own. Players money is completely seperate from the companies.

All three of these actions can only be chosen a limited number of times. There are little guages on the board to show the progress of the actions. When the indicator is in the red, players are unable to choose that action unti they are reset. After two guages are in the red, the game pauses for a dividend phase.

During the dividend phase, players recieve revenue from the stocks they own. The amount paid out is calculated the same way the mininum share price is calculated. In both instances, the numbers are rounded up. It helps a little to be decent with math. At the end of the dividends, the guages are reset and play resumes. The game continues until one of several end conditions are met. Usually three or more companies being out of stock or trains to expand with.

In Chicago Express, resources are extremely limited. Each company has a set number of shares and trains. Therefore, players have to constantly struggle with how to expand. If they are too slow to expand, it may be more costly later. Then they will need more capital. To do so involves auctioning more shares which lowers the amount of revenue you might receive because more people become involved in the company of. The entire time playing I sit on the edge of my seat watching everything unfold and trying to plan what to do.

As of right now, I really only have two problems with this game: the box and the length. As for the former, the box is much too big for the game. It looks gigantic, but in reality, it really is not. I would say it is more similiar to Ticket to Ride, but it could have been in a smaller box.

With the length, I feel like the game ends too soon! It can be played in about 45-75 minutes which is actually a huge plus for the game as well. I am just always disappointed when the game ends because I feel like things are really starting to heat up and get super interesting. However, if the game went on much longer, it would probably drag some. Oh well. The positives of this game greatly out weigh the negatives.

Chicago Express is a wonderfully delightful game. It has great components, a decent play time, and with only three actions to choose from, a lovely simplicity. However, it has enough tough decision making to make it highly strategic, involving, and addictive. Without a doubt, Chicago Express is one of my new favorite games.

I Wish Lunch Could Last Forever

Last night, I was discussing with Liza my theory on meals. Over the years, I have realized that each meal we eat has a distinct social characteristic. These characteristics relate strongly to time of the day.

Breakfast is the most solitary of meals. For most normal people, it is the first meal of the day, and you are just waking up. If you are like me, you don't have the energy to carry on any sort of conversation. It is a time to get focused on the day and to get prepared. Not to be distracted by people.

On the other hand, lunch is the most social of all meals. It should be enjoyed in a noisy cafeteria surrounded by friends and acquaintances. It is like a mini-midday vacation! Lunch time conversations are always light hearted and never too serious. In college, many of my favorite memories are of eating with groups of people in the cafeteria. In fact, there were times that I had my lunch friends who I never really hung out with outside of the cafeteria. Lunch is the meal that is best enjoyed with other people.

As for dinner, it is the most intimate. It is meant to be spent with significant people in your life: family, lovers, and very dear friends. It is a time to truly get to know someone and reflect about each other. Why do you think dates are supposed to occur in the evening?

Of course, that leaves brunch. To be honest with you, I don't understand brunch. It wants to be breakfast and lunch, but it always turns in to one or the other. Not both. In my case, it usually winds up being lunch. After all, lunch is my favorite meal, and like the Jimmy Buffett song, "I wish lunch could last forever."

Stars, Savings, and Shootouts

So yesterday, I took a page from Liza's book and slept until noon. I haven't done that in quite some time actually. Although it was nice, I didn't actually care for it all that much. I guess I can no longer sleep away my day. I prefer getting up at a semi-decent time. Even if it is just to watch some TV.

Speaking of which, I am on the final season of Deep Space Nine. I got through a disc yesterday, and a disc today. Actually, I may have watched more yesterday. Anyway, I am down to the final nine episode, ten hour story arc. I am really considering trying to marathon my way through all those episodes in one sitting. I think it will be easy to do because they all have cliffhanger endings.

While watching DS9, I started cutting coupons. I am hoping they will save me some money, but I see a flaw in this plan. I cut out coupons for somethings that I don't really need. It was more like "Oooh. I have a coupon for this, so I should get it next time I go to the store." We shall see. The other problem with coupons is that most of them require you to buy two of some items. Is it really worth the savings? I don't know. I guess it is dependent upon whether or not the items are perishable. If it is something like laundry detergent, then I do not see as much of a problem. Thoughts? On the plus side, I am super excited for the KFC coupons I found. Huzzah!

On Saturday, I am going to spend the day visiting someone in Olympia. I am super excited, and I need to finish out the itenerary. I told her I would plan everything out this time, so she won't feel as stressed out. Speaking of Saturday, it is also Derby Day. Luckily, I have talked her into watching the race with me. Now, I just need to find a sports bar in Olympia. I also need to find a place to eat lunch and dinner. Yikes. Oh well, it will be something to do later in the week.

Tonight, I watched Dirty Harry and Magnum Force. It has been about a year since I have seen them, and I was super excited. Both of them are really good movies in my opinion. Harry is more of a suspense oriented action movie in my opinion. It has some action, but it is rather limited really. Still the movie is filled with some great camera shots and scene transitions. I was appreciating it from more of a technical standpoint this time.

Magnum Force, on the other hand, is much more of an action film than its predecesor. In this one, Harry kicks a lot more ass, and I am pretty sure within the first thirty minutes, they double the body count from the first movie. It only goes uphill from there. I have to say that I really like this entry in the franchise. It is filled with action, but it also has a good story. The vigilante cops idea works really well and helps to establish where Harry draws the line with fighting crime. Although he hates the system, he isn't willing to circumvent it. Good movie.

I popped some popcorn tonight, and while the bag was in the microwave, it some how burned a hole in the bag. From the hole, kernels started popping their way out of the bag and shooting around the microwave! It was the damnedest thing. I swear I have never seen this happen before. It was crazy.