Spam For Your Mind

No Big Deal has started again as No Big Deal 2. At least, that's our name for now. If you were a member before, or simply want to go check out our site, head on over to http://nbd2.ath.cx

Yes, this is truly one of the most amazing displays of christmas lights I have ever seen, in fact I would probably say this is the best anyone has ever seen.

Don't believe me?
Check it out for yourself

The following is my satire paper for English Class. PLEASE note that this entire paper is completely sarcastic.

Violence in video game is an enormous problem in today’s world. It is the source of all our troubles and is one of the very things that ruin all our children.

Ever since violence was introduced into video games with the very well known game, Pac Man, violence has ruled the streets and lives of our children. All over town, you could see children running about, gobbling up stones on the streets and then chancing after people in a maniacal rage, thinking they were invincible and could even eat ghosts. It has been the cause of many a long evening discussion while watching such child favorite movies, such as The Matrix, and Scar Face, while we sip on our tea and polish our rifles for the hunting season. It is so obvious that not even a common pigeon could miss it.

With the introduction of First Person games, such as Doom, and Quake, has even more increased the violence of teenagers and children all across the country. Teenagers now run rampant in the schools, with the undeniably accurate training that is giving through these games through the most realistic representation of a gun ever to cross through our highly esteemed, well monitored, homes, even the ones secured by the strictest armed guard anywhere in the country: a keyboard and mouse. Yes, it is undeniable that the similarities between these tools of evil and the common projectile weapon are innumerable. So, as the first step to combat the violence in our society, I suggest, keyboards and mice be banned all across the nation. Not only will this make our houses safer from this massive threat, but it will also restrict the access to the most evil place aloud in our society: The Internet.

Yes, that is right. The internet, although it was at one time told to us that its purpose was to more widely distribute the wealth of knowledge of the human race, is really a vast breeding ground for anger and angst. Its true purpose, for which the government created it, was to get our children to rebel against the older people in society. After the government has successfully rid the world of all the wiser and less easily swayed part of our population, they will proceed in raising the very children they have made to rebel and kill off everyone else into mindless, killing machines in order to proceed in the “Mindless Plan” for world domination. We must stop the access to this enormous filth that has plagued our society.
Another fact that has come to my attention is the fact that violent video games cause mental instability in juveniles. If you were to examine all the serial killers and murderers that have come from our adolescents, you would in fact find that every one of them suffers from mental stability issues. This is blatant evidence of the fact that these video games are causing mental problems and must be stopped immediately before the plague of retardation and dehumanization spreads any further. The very simplest way of accomplishing this would simply be to exterminate all people have experienced this evil. They should be put on the next space shuttle headed for the sun where they will die a horrible death and never bother our planet again. This is the only way to rid our planet from this certain doom that will come from these “games”.

So let us act now, before it is too late. We must take care of this problem while we are still able. We will need the support of anyone and everyone to pull through with this plan, and it must be done with great hast. I rush you to do everything in your power to help us. May peace be with you.

Well, actualy it's realy not that bad working over there. We get free food if we get hungry, and it's not like there are alot of hard things to do. I like it. Nice people, not too much work, 7 bucks an hour. It's realy not bad.

Anyway, that's about all I did all weekend, work over there. I'm working on Saturday 12-5 again. Come see me.

now, I just posted this over on the SPUF, and don't feel like retyping, so here is a quote and a link to the thread:

Well, I know there is not an official word as to when friends will be back up but I have a very good suspition it is right around the corner.

Why you ask? Open up your "FRIENDS" window in steam and you will notice, you now have a FN#XXXXXXX at the top of the window. Now, I do not remember this being there before.

I believe that this will be your "Friends Network Number" and will be the basis of what friends will work on when it does come back up. It will no longer go buy your steam acount name, but by your FN#. This way you can have whatever name you want, and it wont have problems locating you. This way you can just get someone FN# and add them by that, and everything will work great.

Now keep in mind this is just my simple Hypothisis, but it sounds good to me.

Discussion?

Original Post can be found here

Well, I kinda was hoping for a little bit better of a response...

Dear Tim,

Thank you for contacting Apple.

After reviewing your message, Apple has determined the nature of your question falls outside the type of support provided via email by the Apple Store.

To obtain technical support for Apple products, call Apple technical support at 800-APL-CARE (800-275-2273). Help is available seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. central time.

You may also stop by the Genius Bar at any retail Apple Store for assistance. To find an Apple Store near you, visit <http://www.apple.com/retail>.

You will find thousands of technical articles, online discussion forums, downloadable manuals, updated software, and a wealth of product information at <http://www.apple.com/support>.

Please review the Apple Store Sales and Refunds Policy at <http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/salespolicies.html>.

If you are eligible to return an item, please write back to this address once you have received the package and we will be glad to assist you. Or, you may call Apple Store sales support at 800-676-2775 to request a return. Help is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. central time, and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. central time.

Sincerely,

Apple Store Customer Support

...
They just don't want to handle this... I hate it when companys do this, they just hand you off to the next guy. I'll call that number eventualy, but I wanna find out how to record a phone conversation first... then I'll call...

I just sent the following message to the Apple Customer Support Center:

Hello, I recently purchased an Ipod nano. Over the coarse of the month two that I have had it, it has been severly scratched. These scratches are not the result of misuse, but simply from normal use(such as placing it into my pocket). As such, I would consider this a bad defect and would like to get my money back. If you could please contact me with how I might get my money back soon, I would be grateful.

Thank You,
Tim Walker
(please note: your reply, as well as the message I am sending you, may be posted up on my website, so please act accordingly)

Yes, I AM trying to get a refund for my Ipod nano, because although I think it is a realy neat little gadget, it scratches HORIBLY. So, I want my money back to go buy an Mp3 player that DOESN'T scratch like a kid who's clothes were made fiberglass. Hopefully I'll get back a favorable response soon. If not, well, I might just think about getting in on that Class Action Suit.

[To Be Continued At A Later Date]

Ok, so it's been a few days since a posted something, probably due to Quake 4. Yes, quake 4. I've been playing that game practicly nonstop while i'm on my pc for the past 3 days. I'd say I've put a good 15-20 hours into it. And that's only the single player part. Yup, I still havn't beeten it, but I think I'm close. It's an amazing game, probably one of my top 10 of all time, up there with the half life series. The graphics are Doom3-esque, yes, but they are pulled off much better than that game, and it's much less repetitive. It does use the same engine yeah, but again, It has a completely different atmoshere. Though, in the style of ID software, most of the guns are just remade guns from quake and Doom. No realy surprises as far as weapons. Anyway, If you have the chance, pick it up. It's DEDINATLY worth your time.

In other news, I found out yesterday that my brother got married this week. I'd just like to say congratulations and welcome to the walker family(read: nut house). His wife has 2 kids, 4 and 10(I think) so I guess that makes me their uncle, at least they told me I'm now their uncle, and if they want me to be, that's all that matters I guess. So again, congrats Paul and Shela.

I still need to get a copy of F.E.A.R.. I've played both demos and it looks absolutly amazing.

I picked up these Griffen Ear Jams at bestbuy the other day. They attach to normaly Ipod headphones and give them little in ear pieces. It makes it louder and increases the base by alot. They also drown out other noises around you by filling up the extra space in your ear. So if you have an Ipod(or even just the headphones) and don't want to buy a pair of $40 heaphones to get the "in ear" quality, pick these up. You'll be glad you did.

I read the other day that MIT has added a special feature on it's campus much like a "big brother" but it's not a whole secretive thing. With their WiFi on their campus, they give the option of people using it to identify themselves so they show up on a giant map of the campus. The map allows everyone to see where you are. So if someone wants to find you while your doing your work or something on a laptop, they can just look at the huge map. Also they are using this to keep track of the most favored spots for people to use their computers at. I don't know why, but it's MIT, they don't normaly need a reason to do some sort of research.

And finaly(yeah i know this is long) I'd like to tell you about the new Google Desktop 2. It's a much improved search bar for you desktop. But on top of that, it can also be an entire sidebar on your desktop if you would like. It can have all sorts of features depending on what you enable. So if your looking for a cool thing to play around with, check this out.

Well, that's all for now my few readers.

Ok, so who here knew that the Dunkin Donuts Office building was behind Walmart? Well it is, I didn't know that either untill today. I went to both dunkin donuts before someone told me it was there. So I was 15 minutes late for my intervue.

Yes, you heard right. I am going to be working at dunkin Donuts. I tryed everyplace else I could think of, and no-one would higher me. Probably because I havn't had a job before. And I realy do need a job too. The only income I have right now is from lawn mowing, and seeing as it's getting into winter, that's going to disapear. So, sadly, next time you goto get your dougnuts, you might very well see me behind the counter. I meen, I could work at worse places. Mcdonolds would be HORIBLE.

Ok, so I think i'm going to keep you guys informed on what realy goes on in these places in case you don't know. First of all, they have a prety scetchy training room. The walls are that dry, bland, tan color that basicly meens you're in an enviroment that you will not like. My first impression was I was in a brainwashing room. There were about 12 computers in the room, all right next to each other, angled so that no-one could see anyone elses faces without turning completely around. They all had large black earphones on, and looked as if all the life had been drained completely out of their souls. Every desk was completely identical, every computer, the same dark black, every moniter pouring the same brainwashing influences into the soon to be employees(read: victims). Sitting in the only two chairs by the door, was a younger girl, probably about 15, acompanied by her mother, who was rudely making comments about the conversation going on the in small room in the corner where the person in front of her daughter was being intervued. I meen sure, the kid did sound a little wierd, and seemed to be overly smart, but hey, you don't make rude comments and looks about someone you don't even know.

The lady who did the intervue seemed pretty nice, she didn't seem to happy about my scattered mindedness. But can you blame me? I had just driven all over town trying to find the place. I'm realy not good thinking of something I'm "proud about doing" recently when I'm kinda stressed.

Well I'm suposed to come back next week for my own training(read: brainwashing)

Finals are today and tomorow. I realy need to do some work on my english journal... well have fun little mongeese, i'm off for now.

Havn't posted in a while, not realy a whole lot going on I guess.

Lost Coast was released last night, for those of you who already own Half Life 2. Now let me inform you, this isn't a level. It's not an expansion pack. It's doesn't even extend the story at all, so if your computer can't run it, your not missing out on important stuff. Now cool stuff is another story.

Lost coast is probably one of the most amazing looking peices of software I've ever seen. The HDR lighting is so much more than you can tell from Day of Defeat Source, probably because there is more water. It also includes a neat commentary, which is a good portion of the actualy content. It explains the level design process and all that went into the high quality map. And yes, it is a single map. It takes about 5-10 minutes to complete + about another 5 with the commentary.

Screenshots realy don't do it justice, but I've got 50 of them any ;-), the screenshots are being shown with the commentary disabled. If it was enabled you would see little quote boxes you point and click the use button on to hear their commentary. It's realy nice. Because I didn't want to upload them all to blogger, I made a yahoo album of them, so here's the link for you:

scratch that, yahoo SUCKS at image uploads.... i'm in search of a new one that DOESN'T make my pictures smaller. Check back in a little while for a link

Update:
Well, 3 of the pictures were crappy and had wierd marks in them, so you'll just have to do with 47. Here is a link to the album:
Spam for your Mind photo album

Also, that'll be the link for any other large groups of photo's I upload.

That's it for now. And remember, those realy don't do it justice. You have to PLAY it to see how cool it realy is.