BSD & Gaming

Telstar Logistics reports that Hanger One could become a location for the Smithsonian. Pictures and full details on Telstar’s web site.

[LINK]

For those of you who haven’t found it yet, there is a really good Dieselpunk web site located at http://www.dieselpunks.org with tons of great information and picture galleries. Don’t waste any time go on over and take a look,  it’s really worth it !

In a New York Times article Amazon.com says it was selling 143 eBooks for every 100 paper copies and now sales are on the increase hitting 180 per 100. I can understand why sales are up from my own perspective. I love to read …and I love books! However years of lugging around tons of books every time I move has been a nightmare, being able to have all those hundreds of pounds of books on a few data disks…. it’s just too convenient.

It’s not an easy choice when you sentimentalize hard-copy books the way some of us do. Some books in my collection were gifts from people and those are especially hard to consider getting rid of. Every book holds a memory for me, not just the work itself…  where I was, what I was doing and experiencing at the time when I read it. That experience doesn’t hold for me with the digital editions. Getting rid of my hard-copy versions is something I’ve been contemplating for some time now but not a choice I’ve been able to make yet.

NYT’s story is here – [LINK]

WIRED had an article marking today’s anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. It got me thinking about a lot of things, mainly about where we have been as a country and where we are going in the future. It’s tough to see positive things when, as a nation, we are so dispirited. It was huge events like Apollo 11 that helped us to see we can do great things and we can reach outside of our petty worldly fears and selfishness for something bigger. I just hope in today’s apologetic rhetoric we don’t rush to rewrite history into a more politically correct version forgetting the accomplishments made and losing hard won lessons.

The knowledge gained from NASA’s work has affected everything from the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the homes we live in to the technology that goes into the cars, computers, phones, and every other gadget we love. Maybe the short sighted folks in D.C. will remember that and realize that while it may cost a little to keep it fed, NASA is the “golden goose” that pays us back a thousand fold everyday.

For WIRED’s article go here – [LINK]

It seems like all the shows I have any interest in have been taken off the air till next season or in some cases permanently. I hope there are some good movies due out this year because lately my viewing choices are really slim. Oh well time for more Trek Online when I have free time.

It’s not the newest MMO out there, but it is new for me. I’m referring to Star Trek Online (STO). It’s funny to me that I have been enjoying this game so much when you consider the fact that  magazine and fan reviews of the game are giving it a poor rating. The truth of the matter is despite all it’s criticism I’m experiencing something in an MMO that I haven’t in a very long time. I’m having  fun and enjoying it!

The game itself is quick and intuitive, for me the real focus is PvP space combat. The way combat works in STO reminds me a lot of the Starfleet Command 1 & 2 game series which I liked a lot back in the day. Amazingly STO was shoved out the door after only two years of development and in that short a time period I’m surprised they have accomplished as much depth and functionality as they have. Most game developers would still be in the planning stages arguing over details.

Like any online game I’ve met some cool people and some complete idiots, nothing new there. I’ve been wanting a good science fiction MMO that doesn’t take months of endless grinding before you can do anything fun. I don’t dislike sword and sorcery themed games, I’m just tired of them for now. In STO there is some tedium in the leveling since Klingon content is limited but when you group with others on missions or get into the PVP combat it becomes a lot more enjoyable. I was able to go from a starter character to a mid level rank very quickly compared to other MMO’s, days instead of months.

In STO there are only two factions currently available to players, Federation and Klingon, with the Federation being the more fleshed out of the two. The Klingon side is very limited in terms of in-game PvE and general content. Even so I play the Klingon side pretty much exclusively, the Federation ambiance is a little too “touchy feely mary sunshine” for my taste. I prefer the Klingons because they are just earthier… grittier in style. I’ve finally worked my way up to getting a D7 Battle Cruiser… yeah baby!!

All together I’d say STO boils down to this; If you are able to enjoy what the game offers now and willing to be patient with it’s growing pains, if you do not have attention deficit disorder, and you are looking for some light fun then I would say give it a shot.

However, those demanding and expecting a maturity of content and game play that comes after years of tweaking like WoW or EVE, then I would definitely not recommend this game for you.

Decide for yourself, go take a look on the official pages. [LINK]

“TICKETS, Get your TICKETS!!”

Calling all Steampunk enthusiasts out there! March 12-14, 2010 in Emeryville, CA will be the date and location for the upcoming convention. I really wish I could be there, but being on the east coast and money shy will make it a no go situation for me.

[LINK]

Yea baby!!! It’s about damn time!!

I’m really happy that the show CHUCK returned for a 3rd season. There are very few shows worth watching today and this has been one of the few greats out there. The first two seasons were “awesome” to say the least <snigger>.

The latest season has had some good points to it so far, but there is definitely a lack of clarity in the stories that makes me think some executive up the food chain is interfering with the script writers and are trying to drive up ratings with tired old plot formulas.

The focus on Chuck’s work at the Buy More and the relationships there has been minimal and that’s missing out on a huge part of the character.  Another area they are messing with is the love interest part of the show, “will they or won’t they?”.  That only works for a season or two at best before it starts to drive an audience away, I wish decision makers would learn that lesson already. Dragging their feet on the Chuck & Sarah plot is not helping.

There are only 15 shows ordered for season three and we’re just about half way through. While I plan to see them all, I do feel the writers need to get their groove back and finish the show with a big bang not a whimper. Speaking of the season’s final episode…  my gut feeling is the 15th show will be the last episode ever for the series….I do hope I’m wrong about that.