"This construction would not be physically possible in real life," Neil deGrasse Tyson grumbled, as he slid to square 5 in Chutes & Ladders. (credited to @drewtoothpaste)

It's not too difficult to conceptualize people creating a computer that can design games based upon numerical or statistical elements, such as a deck of 52 cards divided into numbers and sets. Show me a computer than can take a theme (let's say, WWII tactical), create abstract mechanics that reflect playable functionality within that theme (let's say combat rules for historically accurate factions/units/weapons) and then make it fun (Combat Commander anyone?)....well, then I will bow to our new artificial overlords.

Four years ago I got a copy of the original Bioshock for my PC. I had just moved into a new place and didn't have internet yet, so I decided to install this single-player game for entertainment until I had connectivity. Lo and behold I couldn't install the game, as it required a phone-home. I haven't purchased a computer game since. I've discovered hobby board gaming, which works great in the absence of power and internet connections. The new way of doing things in the world of video games can go eat it's own asshole.

I wonder if CmdrTaco is the source.

You are indeed right on target. It WAS propaganda to get you interested in buying their games. I got my NES when it first came out (I even had the damn Robot). I remember playing Duck Hunt and Gyromite at first, and then ignoring it briefly. Then, Nintendo Power came out, and around that time the supermarket in my town started renting movies and games. From that point on I had information and a supplier. All downhill from there! Looking at some of those old covers brings back memories.

Got it when I was in 3rd grade. Had a subscription for years afterward. That was a great time to be a kid and be fortunate enough to have access to high-tech gadgets like the NES/Super NES.

She was saying stupid things, but you can bet the farm on this: everyone at that council table knows who dad is in Cupertino.

so it's going to be difficult to get my Earth Day tire fire started. But I will keep trying. It's too important!

A friend of mine was renting a room in the house of a lady who lived down the street from me. She had been suckered into a Nigerian 419 scam, was convinced that the people she was communicating with were "Good Christians", and sent them about $30,000. When she took out a loan against her home, her daughters attempted to intervene with the courts to declare her incapable of managing her assets. She ended up losing the house and all her money, and my friend lost his room. She was a nice old lady whose mind was starting to go, and unfortunately was taken advantage of by some cold bastards. Don't mock too hard, it could be someone you love or even you one day.

On my laptop, the last three versions of Ubuntu that I have tried supported my wireless interface out of the gate. On the new 10.04 LTS version, it does not work. And of course, this is just a sampling of the BS I've had to endure when dealing with linux on my personal machine. The main thing I've learned is that if you get something working, turn off updates so that your machine doesn't automagically frack up. Gee, that seems similar to some other system i'm familiar with. Sorry, but I've had zero problems with Win7 and tons of problems with Ubuntu. Linux is great, but not on the desktop. I'm eager to have someone prove me wrong though.

That was actually a Lenin quote.

Muhammad can go suck a big, floppy donkey dick.

....one of the chief things that is causing our country to fail. As an avid boardgamer, I am offended and disgusted.

What you outline here makes me think that Microsoft will have an edge in cloud based email. Say what you will about MS, but they do have tremendous support resources from their company on down to solutions providers. If they are successful in putting exchange in the cloud, it will have a lot to do with them taking advantage of the current old-school knowledge base. I couldn't imagine Google trying to port my company's (complicated but works well) exchange system over to Gmail. It would be a nightmare.

From theonering.net

1.2. What will be included in the two movies? According to the Empire Online interview with PJ and GDT (link above), the two movies will include all of the iconic moments in the book, The Hobbit, as well as being expanded to follow other events that occur ‘offstage.’ This includes the White Council and Gandalf’s comings and goings to Dol Guldur. Pj: “We expanded out the universe a lot more so that we weren’t just staying with Bilbo and the Dwarves on their journey, as the book pretty much does. We started to expand some of what’s happening to Gandalf outside of that journey.” Things we know are included so far: - backstory of Thrain, Thorin’s father - Beorn - Spiders - The White Council - Gandalf’s journeys to Dol Guldur - The three trolls (Tom, Bert, William) - Sauron ( including some of his history)