tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13864807211427988522024-03-18T22:05:22.377-07:00On the BrinkMinecraft and other musingsGorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-83939217731903440532010-12-03T21:08:00.000-08:002010-12-03T21:08:00.521-08:00Apologies for the lack of new postsI feel I have to offer some apology for the lack of activity on this blog for awhile. The holidays, family, and financial hardships have sort of collided to form a "perfect storm" that has left me with a lack of blogging enthusiasm. I'm currently sorting things out however, and am attempting to hit the pavement looking for work and trying to get back into the swing of some normalcy. I'll do what I can to update a bit more frequently, but I can't promise too much.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-6134358471716489052010-11-20T08:13:00.000-08:002010-11-20T08:13:47.345-08:00Renovations and The NetherMy recent Minecraft time has been spent not mining fantastic new depths or discovering uncharted landscapes, but rather doing a little interior managing and cleaning. As it was, in my haste to dig deeper and find new minerals, I had left my home mine a terrible mess of sloppy caverns and nooks that lead nowhere. So little by little, I've been sorting things around, closing off dead ends and sprucing my stairways for ease of travel. I'll put up some sign markers as well just to make sure I know what's what. All these steps are part of the bigger plan to link together several different mines and islands together in one more unified feeling network. Through hell or high water I want to bring order to my Minecraft world.<br />
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And speaking of 'hell', I decided to take a break from what I was doing in order to take a little vacation to just that place. Although in Minecraft they call it The Nether instead of Hell, it's basically the same miserable place. After some trial and error, I concocted a nice Obsidian portal in one of the little nooks of my home.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5ZFlA-khpNVietU1A3Ye44mWrhSyu2JbF9krYTXQocuVUPVXUds2Wm5oIu_jAxffuPRnqUhpMtd1EVPfAx8Gx7qnxdmSuPPDNtPu5D_yla58XYJpXYW_TiRE8k9Wi4so5MhQAGi8lxKs/s1600/hell2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5ZFlA-khpNVietU1A3Ye44mWrhSyu2JbF9krYTXQocuVUPVXUds2Wm5oIu_jAxffuPRnqUhpMtd1EVPfAx8Gx7qnxdmSuPPDNtPu5D_yla58XYJpXYW_TiRE8k9Wi4so5MhQAGi8lxKs/s400/hell2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the pretty colors!</td></tr>
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Making sure I left behind many of my more important items and was traveling light, I stepped inside. After a nice trippy screen wobbling effect, I found myself here...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiY5LVg38BJVnyVPfcPNhTWsRdLHBJVPtxvyiBSDPJ0hzAX-HndC-0UzTZ4zX-ht-ivsgBIgcyHbctvHjRHIHNDegPtvQJCMcpkeSXk8bHG4cpWymFBxk2DcazPCL5y0WXbwR6D1Zdj_B/s1600/hell3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiY5LVg38BJVnyVPfcPNhTWsRdLHBJVPtxvyiBSDPJ0hzAX-HndC-0UzTZ4zX-ht-ivsgBIgcyHbctvHjRHIHNDegPtvQJCMcpkeSXk8bHG4cpWymFBxk2DcazPCL5y0WXbwR6D1Zdj_B/s400/hell3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cure for the Winter Blues</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After taking some time to soak in my hellish surroundings, I walked forward a bit to see what I could find to bring back. After mining a few of the local rocks, I noticed some of The Nether's less than friendly inhabitants (known as the Ghasts). Being that I was on a small island surrounded by lava, I had few options when it came to hiding, and once he started shooting fireballs that sounded like they exploded behind me, I knew it was time to head back.<br />
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Once I rushed through the portal back home, I breathed a sigh of relief. Considering though I could still hear the disturbing noises of The Nether on the other side of the portal, I didn't want to hang around there much longer. Safely back in the depths of my home, I cooked some Pig meat and pondered what to bring on my next trip to The Nether.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-84412496475941981552010-11-15T18:51:00.000-08:002010-11-15T18:54:30.126-08:00The guy who makes his living being a badassCame across <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/14/max-hardberger-sea-captain-pirates-seized">this</a> story here about Max Hardberger, the guy who makes his living stealing back boats stolen by pirates. Pirating pirated ships is like being a double-pirate, therefore that makes him pretty much awesome already, but reading some of his exploits should have Hollywood lining up to get this guys life into a movie.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Over the years, he's distracted crews with prostitutes and witch doctors, bribed officials to look the other way, conned Russian mobsters and hidden from naval radar by riding out thunderstorms at sea; he's even taken a 10,000-tonne freighter out of Haiti while the 2004 revolution was going on around him. </span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigU_V17Wka7jZq-4Z5Ipj31vWgv9Fy-vSU7s0FrPwuTJCu9wdxBRv4vYz1euGmtJQ1i5h7cMDHXtYoSmjqJcg-tzVw8UExNB6U9n1o1KXC0ayn8FYjiL2Chm1TucKs7urRcPdfkR43AOdA/s1600/Max-Hardberger-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigU_V17Wka7jZq-4Z5Ipj31vWgv9Fy-vSU7s0FrPwuTJCu9wdxBRv4vYz1euGmtJQ1i5h7cMDHXtYoSmjqJcg-tzVw8UExNB6U9n1o1KXC0ayn8FYjiL2Chm1TucKs7urRcPdfkR43AOdA/s400/Max-Hardberger-006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a guy you'll never be as awesome as</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">All that and he's never failed to take a boat back. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Oh and he also </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">has an English degree from the University of New Orleans, an MA in poetry and fiction from the Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa (one of the best creative-writing programs in the US), has a law degree from the University of Northern California, and has taught English and history at high school.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-54969431812068529242010-11-14T10:13:00.000-08:002010-11-14T11:14:06.115-08:00Holographic character Hatsune Miku performs at sold out concertIn <a href="http://dvice.com/archives/2010/11/the-next-lady-g.php">news</a> that could make human musicians sweat a bit, a hologram is having great success on stage in Japan. For those not in the know, the software <a href="http://www.vocaloid.com/en/index.html">Vocaloid</a> allows users to create synthetic singing voices for music tracks. Someone took this to the next level by having a holographic avatar of the fictional singer Hatsune Miku perform live on stage. Whether you find this creepy or enticing, the result is undoubtedly fascinating.<br />
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<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DTXO7KGHtjI?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DTXO7KGHtjI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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And for those possibly aroused by the above video, again in Japan we had the recent <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/cliff-kuang/design-innovation/holograms-you-can-actually-touch">news</a> that holograms you can touch are becoming a possible reality. At the University of Tokyo, researchers devised some clever methodology that can allow one to feel the images being displayed.<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y-P1zZAcPuw?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y-P1zZAcPuw?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-11700646820916246552010-11-12T17:04:00.000-08:002010-11-12T17:04:06.492-08:00Hungry? How about a tasty beard?In the category of "so absurd you just <i>have </i>to believe it", comes this story <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40136299?ref=nf">here</a> about a man who was forced to eat his beard after an argument. Naturally the battle royale was over something important like a tractor, and sadly for this fella, it escalated to where he had to have a hairy snack.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Troy offered to buy it from me for $250 dollars. I paid twenty bucks for it. He thought I was trying to cheat him," Westmoreland told WLEX-TV.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"> </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"></span></i></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline !important; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0.6em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.6em; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"One thing led to another, and before I knew it, there were knives and guns and everything just went haywire."</span></i></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 25px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"></span></i></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline !important; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0.6em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.6em; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 25px;">"(Then) they cut my beard and forced me to eat it," he said.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.6em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.6em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 0.94em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.6em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.6em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So remember kids, beards are dangerous, and should only be handled with caution and by professionals. Otherwise you might end up like this poor guy.</span></div></span></span></div>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-90338109391720743602010-11-12T09:20:00.000-08:002010-11-12T09:20:16.021-08:00Facelifts and island buildingWhile it's been awhile since I could devote a serious chunk of time to Minecraft, there has been progress to be made. Some time ago I decided to embark on a building project that would include bridges connecting the various islands around me, and a tower over the ocean. Well it wasn't long into my construction that the first blunders occurred. This one started as a result of building a ladder to reach the surface of my home island quickly. In my haste, I hadn't properly enclosed the exit hole, so one morning when I went to the surface I was given a greeting by two Creepers who wanted to give me an explosive hug.<br />
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One death later, and I was taking the long trek back again. I knew for this building project I needed lots of two things: Stone and Glass. With that in mind I went about putting my furnaces to good use, pumping out ample quantities of both. I finally felt like I was putting my resources and efforts to a unified use now, and with a spring in my step, I went out and began making my first bridge.<br />
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And this was where I started to see the bigger picture, and realize the challenges I'd face. The first island I would approach wasn't much of an island to begin with. Barely more than a sandbar, I contemplated just building my bridge over it and ignoring it. But then I decided that if there wasn't much of an island there to begin with, I could just build it up. So slapping dirt on the ground, I began to expand and eventually raise it up. I'm planning on this island to have a greenhouse of sorts.<br />
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Also during this timeframe I began to experiment with different texture packs, as the latest Minecraft patch offered quick and easy swapping between them. I'm fairly pleased with the one I'm trying now, although some of the textures I might look for alternatives to.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZkhOzDlK3luqKsRTq6X-tza6LGb8PpcW1Z91YqwRa0Z5p_XWjIvpR5ZaPJ_fl-5W7CYnHpv6ypAoH_G4NaMYfoQFzVTuMP1bTy7jwVh3xbHGN7QoVFLIRa2t-ya0eCw4ilT8xJkG5YU8/s1600/bridgetonowhere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZkhOzDlK3luqKsRTq6X-tza6LGb8PpcW1Z91YqwRa0Z5p_XWjIvpR5ZaPJ_fl-5W7CYnHpv6ypAoH_G4NaMYfoQFzVTuMP1bTy7jwVh3xbHGN7QoVFLIRa2t-ya0eCw4ilT8xJkG5YU8/s400/bridgetonowhere.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bridge to nowhere</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
To see this through to completion will take much time for sure, but I'm ready to tackle it.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-34973374464373023832010-11-10T08:09:00.000-08:002010-11-10T08:09:19.875-08:00Open source PC driver for Kinect already?Hot off the heels of the <a href="http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/11/kinect-drivers/">story</a> that there's a $2000 bounty out for an open source Kinect driver, we've got some results already surfacing.<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rKhW-cvpkks?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rKhW-cvpkks?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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And this was just 3 hours after the European launch of Kinect. Personally I'm curious as to what sort of apps and uses we could see utilizing a Kinect/PC setup.<br />
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In other news, I apologize for the lack of updates and such recently, as I've had company from out of town the last few days. I'm working on my next Minecraft progress report, and I'm considering a few other things like revamping the visual layout of the blog.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-13399508196520204232010-11-08T09:17:00.000-08:002010-11-08T09:17:43.958-08:00Jim Morrison might finally rest in peace nowLooks as if The Door's singer Jim Morrison's spirit could possibly breathe a little easier now, as outgoing Florida Governor Charlie Crist is considering a pardon for him over indecent exposure charges that were levied against him in 1969. From <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/128087-crist-willing-to-consider-jim-morrison-pardon-before-leaving-office">this</a> story here, Crist is quoted as saying:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>“Candidly, it's something that I haven’t given a lot of thought to, but it's something I’m willing to look into in the time I have left,” said Crist. “Anything is possible.”</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px;">Truly a relief, considering that those pesky charges have really been a drag on his career. I mean it's not like The Doors are some legendary band of classic rock history or anything. In any case, Jim Morrison's ghost could not be contacted for comment on the developments, although I'm sure someone is going to attempt a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">séance to change that.</span></em></span>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-90158747355496690312010-11-07T08:45:00.000-08:002010-11-07T08:45:02.909-08:00War nearly breaks out over Google MapsCame across <a href="http://gawker.com/5683446/nicaragua-blames-google-maps-for-accidental-invasion-of-costa-rica">this</a> story here, which in hindsight now is amusing but could've ended up far more serious. Basically what went down was a Nicaraguan military commander was attempting to utilize his Google-fu to discern where the borders of his country were.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #303030; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Nicaraguan troops are accused of crossing the (hotly disputed) border into Costa Rica and setting up camp for the night. But the commander says it was all a mistake caused by shoddy Google Maps.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #303030; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Turns out, the error was caused by incorrect border data from the State Department. In a blog post, Google says they've now corrected the error.</i></span><br />
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While I've lost track of the amount of times Google Maps have saved me from getting lost on trips, I have to say I would probably double check with other sources if my route could essentially lead me to WAR.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-67963996079015778992010-11-05T09:17:00.000-07:002010-11-05T09:17:58.112-07:00Just got these classic Nintendo Power magazinesTalk about a blast from the past. Recently I was given a stack of over 20 old Nintendo Power magazines, assorted issues ranging from the 20's to the 60's. It's like a rush of pure nostalgia reading through these, hearing the games of my youth talked about when they were brand new.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0A6BDKzpAZPAGN6eU5-97Kpv8DdzxMSok8QcY_5DfWOAVpJz775PHkY57My1_lJncj7xQ4GYyqgnXNvRo0hWG9hJvhfYDrRIfchJ9o1aTjikzg8jhkcKZ-DVHfvayn85I88JizCzlM2W/s1600/DSC02502-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0A6BDKzpAZPAGN6eU5-97Kpv8DdzxMSok8QcY_5DfWOAVpJz775PHkY57My1_lJncj7xQ4GYyqgnXNvRo0hWG9hJvhfYDrRIfchJ9o1aTjikzg8jhkcKZ-DVHfvayn85I88JizCzlM2W/s400/DSC02502-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some are in protective plastic</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The quality is pretty good I think, with some wear on the covers but most interior pages being fine quality. Many still feature the fold out poster insert if I recall correctly. As for the content, I dig the in-depth guides offered inside, but for me the best pleasures are stuff like the little comics they'd have inside.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfEGlD3kwTL8tcmgshWs1Uptct48OErP0LNEHpdTqQgpcnUU10QPUFh2PmgWCXrbfvn9Z84Ib4RyT0pX3W0aA6qIsyLDQesemtHQjXj4eH13YTxzz0XQpVchY7yQqwOgwKWpOPiHla-uF/s1600/DSC02511-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfEGlD3kwTL8tcmgshWs1Uptct48OErP0LNEHpdTqQgpcnUU10QPUFh2PmgWCXrbfvn9Z84Ib4RyT0pX3W0aA6qIsyLDQesemtHQjXj4eH13YTxzz0XQpVchY7yQqwOgwKWpOPiHla-uF/s400/DSC02511-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKTt2SIGzaNPzMpHxZGF4zSta1GwzWRigdv_hJVqYw-77OW-RE0tFgc71l2CK-LGQBRgJ5yIgyYRo0g7fPxe6Y3tuAC-4xFQEd4E7pW8D9t8ZzTuwdWUe81m-SURm_nvC6Fi7NmhY6yFq/s1600/DSC02510-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKTt2SIGzaNPzMpHxZGF4zSta1GwzWRigdv_hJVqYw-77OW-RE0tFgc71l2CK-LGQBRgJ5yIgyYRo0g7fPxe6Y3tuAC-4xFQEd4E7pW8D9t8ZzTuwdWUe81m-SURm_nvC6Fi7NmhY6yFq/s400/DSC02510-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AbgMvNAWAdOBXbCs1BDFYn4tMLupUqsAeiYwTOXMD3FFWOziwLqM2eNNiZSvZz05DxD3-TdqiUQWiAwk7u8iZr4mc-LJXsbamV4U-9qko_dLmkpJQDTNJmkvKYnEARUGBDR1-cdydFv9/s1600/DSC02512-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AbgMvNAWAdOBXbCs1BDFYn4tMLupUqsAeiYwTOXMD3FFWOziwLqM2eNNiZSvZz05DxD3-TdqiUQWiAwk7u8iZr4mc-LJXsbamV4U-9qko_dLmkpJQDTNJmkvKYnEARUGBDR1-cdydFv9/s400/DSC02512-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back when videogames = Nintendo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I've gotten a huge kick out of reading these, and part of me is considering simply keeping them. However, my financial situation isn't exactly in the best of shape, and sadly I'll likely have to part with these via eBay or something. In any case, it's given me a nice dose of nostalgia.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-38833969906904388172010-11-04T08:19:00.000-07:002010-11-04T08:19:00.310-07:00Progress and The PlanSince my last recounting of the many failures I'd accumulated, I figured it was time to hunker down and get to work on rectifying the mess I'd left myself in. Brooding over the lumps of Obsidian that were seemingly taunting me, I started mining around the area just hoping to gather come more minerals. It was during this effort at expanding the lava cave chamber a bit that I made my most startling discovery yet.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfz-k1WAsONSCNGqjGyc-Dn06zgSBe9coUBkubdU1g8XB3Py_1faQ6bmIfkLeMkpYHd0peyjuootDXpair7jYgY2G76eVzoxkD5dcSyO-pEvlldQtwJ6uk84jCPh0twCzXc7422UF4WzK/s1600/DIAMONDS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfz-k1WAsONSCNGqjGyc-Dn06zgSBe9coUBkubdU1g8XB3Py_1faQ6bmIfkLeMkpYHd0peyjuootDXpair7jYgY2G76eVzoxkD5dcSyO-pEvlldQtwJ6uk84jCPh0twCzXc7422UF4WzK/s400/DIAMONDS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamonds aren't just a girls best friend</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
My face lit up in the biggest and dumbest grin I'd had in some time as I mined the Diamond, and when I found 2 more blocks just like it in the area, my wish was granted, and I now possessed in my hand a Diamond pickaxe. Nothing could stand in my way now, and I gleefully began harvesting the Obsidian in the region. Now this was where my lack of common sense bit me in the rear.<br />
<br />
I was happily mining away when I sort of forgot that there was some lava below me. One little molten bath later and I was running away on fire while hoping against hope I could get in some water to put out the flames. Of course I was not so lucky, and of course I had to die at night, so I respawned literally in the middle of an army of skeletons/creepers/zombies with nothing but my fists and my wits. After a harrowing trip, I managed to make it back to the safety of my home. It was then that I really started noticing how haphazard and disorganized everything was. Nothing was pleasing to the eye, and the layout made me cringe. I thought about things for awhile, and after considering it, I decided on a new course of action:<br />
<br />
First, I'll mine what Obsidian I can. Then, I'll make a network of covered land bridges to the surrounding islands. After that I'll pick a spot over the ocean waters and try to and make my fortress tower. I am considering doing a run or two through "The Slip" (the hell zone) in the meantime however, just for the sake of laughs and many deaths.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-36003904242386330852010-11-03T08:40:00.000-07:002010-11-03T08:40:29.345-07:00I won't look at this movie the same way ever again...Hey all, sorry for lack of updates and such the last couple days, I've been a bit busy. I'll have a more proper update a bit later today, but in the meantime I thought you might enjoy this snippet of video from a cheese-tastic movie. I'm talking about Cliffhanger, and when I first saw it years ago I never noticed this little oddity:<br />
<br />
<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XOW1rhZCTmg?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XOW1rhZCTmg?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
Check out the insane grin from the one guy on the helicopter. Sort of throws the whole movie in a different perspective.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-84814062925740402562010-11-01T11:53:00.000-07:002010-11-01T11:53:24.002-07:00The fails keep on mountingWell the much anticipated Minecraft Halloween update came the other day, and I took my time to play around with it. I didn't venture too far to see some of the nearby Biomes, but I have noticed what seems like even more monsters around now. This was a blessing though, as it allowed me to hunt plenty of Creepers and gather a decent amount of gunpowder.<br />
<br />
This brought me to one of the biggest frustrations I had, which was figuring out how to actually use the stuff. After trying combinations of all sorts, I was at my wits end. It was then that my friend who also plays Minecraft finally clued me in. Sand and gunpowder. That was NOT what I was expecting, so after a proper facepalm, I went ahead and crafted 3 TNT. Excitedly I went down to the Obsidian and placed my block.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSk00IB80_swUuYgA3iNF9wpDwaP2iFTQIZphpbsMAnIAHV_rbaMqN-BcHwfRxtyQPQgqD9UvTaYeaAOmbIwv7AI6XMX0WApXabuiC5IOn4ZMypAM1iYr9-4Z6IS4rGgyt9W7kswJcDqf/s1600/pre_fail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSk00IB80_swUuYgA3iNF9wpDwaP2iFTQIZphpbsMAnIAHV_rbaMqN-BcHwfRxtyQPQgqD9UvTaYeaAOmbIwv7AI6XMX0WApXabuiC5IOn4ZMypAM1iYr9-4Z6IS4rGgyt9W7kswJcDqf/s400/pre_fail.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This has to work...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Lighting the fuse I ran like the wind out of the way and heard the BOOM behind me. Turning around, I was greeted by this...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IDmQlQCDd58Z5xVE35FibqAtxTaz-_OLeO4HOac058n98DAp9B7tOlGeWhPYwrQTiq9eWvRrBDoKSD5DSq9ZDCT7yd9r5U4qoGR7G0gbb_-7c6ywJuQNOvu9wbjG2Spa_1hcO1GFZrX7/s1600/post_fail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IDmQlQCDd58Z5xVE35FibqAtxTaz-_OLeO4HOac058n98DAp9B7tOlGeWhPYwrQTiq9eWvRrBDoKSD5DSq9ZDCT7yd9r5U4qoGR7G0gbb_-7c6ywJuQNOvu9wbjG2Spa_1hcO1GFZrX7/s400/post_fail.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Well that didn't work</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After dealing with the immediate letdown, I told myself that maybe I just didn't use <i>enough </i>TNT to blow up the Obsidian. So, blocking off the lava, I placed my last two TNT blocks down. This was when things got a little hairy. One of the blocks caught fire on its own, and I was left burnt and scrambling to escape before the two blocks exploded. Luckily I got away in time, but unluckily the Obsidian was still standing.<br />
<br />
Bankrupt of TNT, bankrupt of pride, I was left with the sinking realization that I was going to have to man up and find some Diamonds.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-48274337805892464742010-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:002010-10-31T08:00:13.204-07:00MGM to declare bankruptcyStumbled across <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/oct/31/mgm-bankruptcy-spyglass">this</a> story here. So MGM studios is going to declare bankruptcy this week in a deal with creditors over its multi-billion dollar amount of debt. It's sort of amazing when you think about how long this studio has been around, this quote from the article sums it up nice:<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Insolvency amounts to a humiliating comedown for a studio with a back catalogue of 4,000 titles holding 205 Oscars between them</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">While I'm sure their attorneys are hard at work trying to push through the process quickly, it's already caused a hold up of production on some titles. Now in a perfect world this bankruptcy proceeding would be a wakeup call not just to MGM but to other studios as to how mismanagement, bloated budgets, and lack of creative thinking can lead to this financial situation. A wakeup call that would turn them away from tired sequels and remakes with overpriced stars and more focus on simply making good films.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">Sadly however, we all know that we don't live in such a perfect world. </span>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-46272738209493597642010-10-30T20:19:00.000-07:002010-10-30T20:19:59.667-07:00The 11th hour, and no costume for HalloweenWell it's essentially Halloween, and here I am without a clue as to what to dress up as for the get together I'm having with friends/family. I'm notoriously wishy-washy about this sort of thing, and I usually end up just having to improvise at the last minute. One year I took a garbage bag, poked some holes for the head/arms, padded it out a bit by sticking newspapers inside, stuck some banana peels to it, and went to a Halloween party as a trash bag. I was hoping to avoid such a scene this year.<br />
<br />
Anyways, drop me some suggestions and tell me what you're dressing up as if you're doing that this year.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-42935886280915727732010-10-30T10:10:00.000-07:002010-10-30T20:36:44.402-07:00The hunt beginsWith a bow in hand, I hiked my way up to the surface and was greeted by a moon in the sky and stars all above. Knowing the time was ripe for a monster hunt, I made my way over to a larger landmass in the distance. Quickly I found a Creeper bouncing along. I was giddy as I safely plucked arrows at it from a distance, not needing to fear an explosive end to the evening. I noticed it dropped a grey lump of something, which I quickly picked up. I had one like it it in my pack for some time, and had been wondering where it came from.<br />
<br />
It was then that I recalled the words of a friend I know who plays Minecraft, who spoke of getting gunpowder from Creepers. Now I had a lot more drive and initiative to keep hunting. This initiative was almost brought to a screeching halt when one of those damn skeletons starting sniping at me from a distance. A little fancy footwork later, and the archery battle was won by myself. Dawn broke, and on my way back home, I noticed something off in the distance. Heading over I found it was bamboo.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxvwxvHV4vCkETnR34YH7wUBAw7leESg4JeC9TR-nlhpYG0ZxRYM3GMijqPJNg72wBtEIkyXffHFHkWAjsd2BXbX-ZNiRBeiyG_gZ1J8v1LuG_bWZQxxDH-o8MJcvpKZHNTipmkdwmmpN/s1600/bamboo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxvwxvHV4vCkETnR34YH7wUBAw7leESg4JeC9TR-nlhpYG0ZxRYM3GMijqPJNg72wBtEIkyXffHFHkWAjsd2BXbX-ZNiRBeiyG_gZ1J8v1LuG_bWZQxxDH-o8MJcvpKZHNTipmkdwmmpN/s400/bamboo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the hairless sheep in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Pleased with this little discovery, I grabbed what I could and went back home, killing some pigs along the way for meat. After tending to my wounds and playing around a bit with the bamboo, I found I could craft paper with it. The day went by with arrow crafting and flint mining, and once the next night began I started my next hunt. This time however, the situation did not look so good...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_TI6x9JB2PfCttcSXDqjmJcnrWTPyPAnoenbhk82MYlLRuBKgquY1TukmZy_Yumq64s_x4_9pmgctW6kRyp17o5C41mfC_hy-zp9VReuOqE6Sznf-tAjQbV5X_gm7GOklqQodVLo8wik/s1600/sevenskeletons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_TI6x9JB2PfCttcSXDqjmJcnrWTPyPAnoenbhk82MYlLRuBKgquY1TukmZy_Yumq64s_x4_9pmgctW6kRyp17o5C41mfC_hy-zp9VReuOqE6Sznf-tAjQbV5X_gm7GOklqQodVLo8wik/s400/sevenskeletons.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look close you can count 7 skeletons</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Skirting the coast for awhile, it seemed it was just skeletons everywhere. I eventually did manage to snag another gunpowder off a Creeper, but it was a disappointing night overall. The dawn did bring this satisfaction though...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3x7WztF1vtnMOGB0Qtz1U-lRq9upIzeqK9l3TCb40QFDzxck5bLZHI4tHs7wszUVPbTWYxyqEIvdO7i6vjzwPZit0_VDzroTbZg3syjHcjGr4KW-7yObGLrkQqmaAEN2dOqUIayelF_x/s1600/burnbabyburn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3x7WztF1vtnMOGB0Qtz1U-lRq9upIzeqK9l3TCb40QFDzxck5bLZHI4tHs7wszUVPbTWYxyqEIvdO7i6vjzwPZit0_VDzroTbZg3syjHcjGr4KW-7yObGLrkQqmaAEN2dOqUIayelF_x/s400/burnbabyburn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the smell of flaming skeletons in the morning</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Some things came up which cut my play sessions short, but I overall feel like I have a better plan now than I did before. Another thing I'm considering is seeing if I can manage an animal farm perhaps down below. Corralling them in there though might be easier said than done, but an animal/tree farm could help keep me more self-sufficient.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-16269396691788954372010-10-29T09:04:00.000-07:002010-10-29T09:04:46.843-07:00Woman picked up her own head after horse riding accidentJust came across <a href="http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/woman-picked-up-own-head-after-horse-fall/story-e6frfku0-1225944333785">this</a> story about a woman who fell off a horse and suffered a severely broken neck. Instead of being in shock or saying "ouch" like most of us, she went and just grabbed her head and got out of there. From the article:<br />
<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">She tried to get out of the animal's way as it galloped around after the fall, but when she tried to pick herself up, the horrified 26-year-old found her head stayed where it was.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Realising she had to move to avoid being stomped on, Ms Maxfield cupped her hands around her own head and lifted it into place to avoid damaging her spinal cord.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">"As soon as I came off the horse I knew something was wrong. I went to get up but my head stayed on the floor,"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Crazy enough as that sounds, she's actually recovered and is back riding horses again. Awesome for her I say, but I'm still having to suppress the nausea from the thought of having to lift up my own snapped neck.</span>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-13890835757180010152010-10-29T06:20:00.000-07:002010-10-30T20:37:11.950-07:00Discoveries and downfallsAfter my efforts at taming lava proved moderately successful, I chose to expand my flood operations to encompass some other nearby lava pools. After some trial and error, I managed to ensnare a few other lava pools and convert them to that much darker looking material. Satisfied that it would be mine once I either had the correct pickaxe or some dynamite to blow it up, I went back to my little home nook.<br />
<br />
That's however, when everything went wrong. After hearing the plunk of arrows hitting near me, I took cover and tried to spot my foe.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZ1joihwnEjNS4-okiNAd7znX9SfXirAhfiKQ_2OVk-64rHw6FrlozeRb7HOyxOpVejLnBTX7M-1qB4Q6i_piYGxPfTicifiurijHPbLNO4pK0oJGc3qQUGHvkbdtOsSDhr9eyGsPl0SG/s1600/damn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZ1joihwnEjNS4-okiNAd7znX9SfXirAhfiKQ_2OVk-64rHw6FrlozeRb7HOyxOpVejLnBTX7M-1qB4Q6i_piYGxPfTicifiurijHPbLNO4pK0oJGc3qQUGHvkbdtOsSDhr9eyGsPl0SG/s400/damn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm really starting to hate these guys</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After spotting him, I did my best battle roar and charged at him. Despite taking some hits, I cut through him, feeling victorious. That feeling died about 10 seconds later as another arrow slammed into me. Before I could spot him, more damage rained down on me. With no pig meat on hand, the situation was bleak, and I had a feeling of inevitability in my gut. Mustering my courage, I rushed him, knowing full well what the result would be. Sure enough I dropped to the ground dead, and I glumly chose to respawn.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cAsJ9JgV-0HtFh8IcGhZdnkYhC9Kzns27q1wh6eR58WNq-FR9ndZVBI8HxSyh5BXwgzN5l9jpBaYuLmQlJxGwLKYnnsMTNjqEFLqRcLamPWYls9Qi1Q7BnkCDHTq_GirNZJvjU2muBRs/s1600/dejavu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cAsJ9JgV-0HtFh8IcGhZdnkYhC9Kzns27q1wh6eR58WNq-FR9ndZVBI8HxSyh5BXwgzN5l9jpBaYuLmQlJxGwLKYnnsMTNjqEFLqRcLamPWYls9Qi1Q7BnkCDHTq_GirNZJvjU2muBRs/s400/dejavu.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deja Vu</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Back at my original starting point with nothing but my fists and shattered pride, I set back out on the long journey home. The trip was quiet, and without incident. Thankfully, I recovered my lost gear in the cave where I had died earlier, although my nemesis was nowhere to be found. Putting that aside, I went and decided to mess around with crafting a bit. It was there I discovered I was quite the numbskull. All this time I had been taking the convoluted route with building stairs, when I could've crafted ready made ones all along.<br />
<br />
Feeling the need to take out some frustration on some monsters, I went back above and ran over to another nearby island connected by a sand bridge. The moon was high in the sky, and I felt the thrill of battle pulse in my veins. Quickly I found my prey. Hacking down one of those green Creeper things, I looked around for more. Oh did I find more. About 3-4 of them milling around, with a spider there for good measure. Foolishly I waded into battle, and predictably I died quickly.<br />
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Deciding I needed a better battle plan, I trekked back and recovered my items and battered armor, and retreated to my home to lick my wounds. It was then, in the depths of my cavern that I finally crafted a proper bow and some arrows. A smile came over my face as I planned to exact revenge the next time I got on.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-63941918193524391302010-10-27T19:26:00.000-07:002010-10-30T20:37:51.935-07:00Playing with lavaToday's Minecraft exploits were more about experimentation than anything else. Some successful, some not so much. As I explained earlier, my OCD can spring up from time to time, and early on I tried to build a nice little stairway up to the surface. The result however, was less than successful...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM-xPLMuAm_aBABpcFM80_OU5dqyltQlNCsNdifChWDae2-Mfy__ArpSEYhBD-KuPevXbiWg_iX21FJiMem_qutAKt4HvsdnJGBCAnhney53A4v3JtNNojOporOI5Zg5yxX5yz-pw0Vfw/s1600/ohcrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM-xPLMuAm_aBABpcFM80_OU5dqyltQlNCsNdifChWDae2-Mfy__ArpSEYhBD-KuPevXbiWg_iX21FJiMem_qutAKt4HvsdnJGBCAnhney53A4v3JtNNojOporOI5Zg5yxX5yz-pw0Vfw/s400/ohcrap.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone thirsty?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After plugging up this little disaster, I went back down south and tried to find a bit more minerals. I managed to snag a few bits of gold to craft a little gold pickaxe. I had mistakenly thought it would help me with mining some dark deposits I found deep in my mine. That theory went out the window and I was left with a golden paperweight. Deciding to explore some of the nooks in my cave complex, I found a small amount of water flowing down from some of the rocks. Doing a little rough mapping in my head, I estimated that the water was relatively close to some of the lava I found earlier.<br />
<br />
In what I decided would be brilliance or idiocy, I decided to see what would happen if I could get the water to flow down onto the lava. Thus began a long and winding effort at carving a path for the water to flow. After much doubt and almost getting swept away by the water, I busted a block open and could see it pour down below. Excitedly I rushed down to find the lava pool was no more, and after sealing off the water for the moment, I was left with this.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3uiSN4DIOY8cEvjngo2IQgugFGdu3mLRpcByYCJ1G_HEAtO98AE7KIdCZfNsd2Hx88rbjSbKOvODG1V0sdHpMakhfOe6OKtA5hl6MDJzgH5WwP38S7mZzBzZGIPKR1deq9F-cgRWbmIc/s1600/SUCCESS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3uiSN4DIOY8cEvjngo2IQgugFGdu3mLRpcByYCJ1G_HEAtO98AE7KIdCZfNsd2Hx88rbjSbKOvODG1V0sdHpMakhfOe6OKtA5hl6MDJzgH5WwP38S7mZzBzZGIPKR1deq9F-cgRWbmIc/s400/SUCCESS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now if only I could actually mine it</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
With that feather in my cap, I decided that I had better not risk fate and push my luck. Tomorrow I'm going to do a little trial and error research in finding out what I can craft. Yes, I know there's wiki's and guides out there, but I'd like to approach this as unspoiled as possible. I'm the type that values the journey more than the destination.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-28100748348553358402010-10-27T08:41:00.000-07:002010-10-27T08:42:41.507-07:00Shazbot! Starsiege Tribes MMO in the works.Just got a blast from my past today when I stumbled across <a href="http://www.massively.com/2010/10/23/hi-rez-studios-announces-development-of-tribes-universe-mmo/">this</a>. So much time years ago spent flying around with my rocket pack trying (and failing) to precisely take out people over my 56k connection. Now, this dev team isn't the same from back then, and it being an MMO could mean all sorts of failures and disappointments, but it still gave me a nostalgia rush when I found out about it.<br />
<br />
Oh and Alpha signups are available <a href="http://www.tribesuniverse.com/">here</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVX19A-PCLNDIYui4rmrKk-TbcLSAY_kb0s2ya2gmCd8vQxA-Ac65mzL6kd4wbsaBibF0rdHhOdcwPEoY3dn-JHIQ4JFv0V41G-W2AQTWfp7jEdqJCfbmoHZnFWhCYIzIBLXFdzR4QF9xi/s1600/shazbot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVX19A-PCLNDIYui4rmrKk-TbcLSAY_kb0s2ya2gmCd8vQxA-Ac65mzL6kd4wbsaBibF0rdHhOdcwPEoY3dn-JHIQ4JFv0V41G-W2AQTWfp7jEdqJCfbmoHZnFWhCYIzIBLXFdzR4QF9xi/s400/shazbot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please be good, please be good...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-68021701633625568612010-10-26T10:16:00.000-07:002010-10-30T20:37:29.801-07:00Obsessions on the side: MapCrunchWhen I'm not punching trees or hundreds of feet below the surface looking for minerals, lately I've found myself going to a simple yet addictive site, <a href="http://www.mapcrunch.com/">MapCrunch</a>. It's a basic concept, just randomly toss you to a Google Street View around the world. But that explorer spirit in me can't help but be fascinated by the lure of globe trotting. And they even have Antarctica on there, I mean how awesome is that?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4AMTP73y9anf0ChQzdtdjWlCdwkYZsmRBDTDim8J0g-PyG53EI76J66Cw5V-uaFIRPnt5RAxmvXurruN_4pdbtFDwpLKpygCQKlTXcXAE8S6_ZzJYSsM_MiUQlt21ThydViRu949uiPN/s1600/crunchy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4AMTP73y9anf0ChQzdtdjWlCdwkYZsmRBDTDim8J0g-PyG53EI76J66Cw5V-uaFIRPnt5RAxmvXurruN_4pdbtFDwpLKpygCQKlTXcXAE8S6_ZzJYSsM_MiUQlt21ThydViRu949uiPN/s400/crunchy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful day in Switzerland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-38388575337235962342010-10-25T21:03:00.000-07:002010-10-30T20:38:11.149-07:00Somewhere, beyond the sea...As I suggested in my last post, I had decided to strike out to other mountains to mine in, as my long search downward in my previous home hadn't produced much of anything besides copious amounts of ordinary rock. Well today I decided to throw caution to the wind and simply pick a direction and strike out on it. That choice however led me to a rather large expanse of water. But alas, there was an island out there. Not much to look at on first glance, but I thought "what the heck?" and went for it. After a swim, I found my new island home to contain a rather fascinating hole leading into a cave. Taking the literal plunge, I found it to be curiously roomy, so I began my mining exploits.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHopACEA0k2IhtVSSB4VOW2x5gNgYKN5Ctsjq2j3C7Ml5tfeX-uFtEihxBkx4C2cmZBSWfuiImRDKsPearUUB6IiHrpYq1ja1ASgupDRqj7hM21yNvYkGU_ZQYicMI9Ate3eCGlXbb_NmC/s1600/I_Hear_Them.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHopACEA0k2IhtVSSB4VOW2x5gNgYKN5Ctsjq2j3C7Ml5tfeX-uFtEihxBkx4C2cmZBSWfuiImRDKsPearUUB6IiHrpYq1ja1ASgupDRqj7hM21yNvYkGU_ZQYicMI9Ate3eCGlXbb_NmC/s400/I_Hear_Them.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can hear them up there, waiting for me</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I was quickly greeted by some Iron deposits, which allowed me to craft a few new items. After I carved out a new home space, I continued downward. Now whether it was coincidence or not, I could've sworn I heard an odd few musical notes play when I stumbled upon another opening. This one led to another roomy expanse, but I quickly followed my gut and mined downward, feeling as though I was close to something. What I was close to ended up to be something rather hot.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZi_l2msieVMEGnBEPNy72nvapdYT_JFlavJ8hJBaumxxnLygmiFPNPZ_DKmKX4XokDQnu792vccsWQ3ZOX4iqNiNvZlYyIhS11kYBxPwO78vQ8R4ocJl4sVfv79hyphenhyphenZOGVo7WYBpdzosow/s1600/here_be_lava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZi_l2msieVMEGnBEPNy72nvapdYT_JFlavJ8hJBaumxxnLygmiFPNPZ_DKmKX4XokDQnu792vccsWQ3ZOX4iqNiNvZlYyIhS11kYBxPwO78vQ8R4ocJl4sVfv79hyphenhyphenZOGVo7WYBpdzosow/s400/here_be_lava.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadly, I forgot to bring marshmallows</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Excitement and a bit of trepidation hit me, as I knew I was peeling back another layer to the game. After finding my stone pickaxe to be rather ineffective at mining the reddish deposits nearby, I switched to my Iron one and began some collecting. With that done, I cautiously began poking around a bit more, ever careful not to stupidly bust open some lava lake that'll come spilling out onto me.<br />
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It was also around then that I had a run in with a literal room full of monsters. This was more by accident than anything else, as I traced the groans and spidery noises to a one block opening in one of the cave walls. Being the clever (cowardly) person that I am, I killed the zombie and spider from my relative safety. Before I could whoop in triumph however, another Zombie came to the opening, which was then followed by another.<br />
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This game is going to be the death of me.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-58440679793801152582010-10-24T16:16:00.000-07:002010-10-24T16:16:59.894-07:00The creeping OCDI tried to ignore it, I tried to say it wouldn't happen this time. But sadly, my obsessive tendencies kicked in and I stopped my descent into the mountain to nitpick over steps. I had simply been digging downward in a style that allowed me to hop back up if need be, but that nagging voice in my head convinced me I needed to retrofit all my past steps to be proper walkways down.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgso3dcyBz33mDv5I3-FbOTb13Htiu9XBUzzv2oV7pEEYwIhQZHo7BfB7N7IVgXIZaxtqe1eNqQtbhC63MLPq_lAsmVdU-XibrTdkMg4VZH4iqyIUYIJOw6Ss7KAP5JfbU4yxYBMtoZezGn/s1600/steps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgso3dcyBz33mDv5I3-FbOTb13Htiu9XBUzzv2oV7pEEYwIhQZHo7BfB7N7IVgXIZaxtqe1eNqQtbhC63MLPq_lAsmVdU-XibrTdkMg4VZH4iqyIUYIJOw6Ss7KAP5JfbU4yxYBMtoZezGn/s400/steps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the bottom</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Now, this on its own doesn't like a major cause of concern. I mean in the long run I'm making it more efficient, right? But invariably I know this is probably only the beginning. Soon I'll be beating myself up over a stray block of dirt on the side wall looking out of place.<br />
<br />
In any case, I managed to get my steps in order, and make a secondary path deep inside the mountain up to the surface. After stacking some blocks above the door to make sure I don't lose track of it, I decided to take a trip back to the first home nook I had. Even after only this short time, I was taken aback by how cramped and awkward it felt to move around there. After grabbing some things from the storage bin, I left to go see the sights around my newer mountain home.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHl3sY1ZysDoWN58GClXekVKQ_d_TQ_BR6_3BcNjBJbwNUHLm7cwsSs_iTbspk5dhpbP1pKmbHjQXgFMkiZ6wqlhnHJVlUCWu96AS5xPaPuTOHFuaLOxGyroX7Y0EBjxPFvDiR7lMtzFPP/s1600/nightlights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHl3sY1ZysDoWN58GClXekVKQ_d_TQ_BR6_3BcNjBJbwNUHLm7cwsSs_iTbspk5dhpbP1pKmbHjQXgFMkiZ6wqlhnHJVlUCWu96AS5xPaPuTOHFuaLOxGyroX7Y0EBjxPFvDiR7lMtzFPP/s400/nightlights.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few nightlights.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Taking note of the visible surroundings, I determined that I need to check out some of the other mountains tomorrow. The current one I'm in just isn't offering up the diversity of minerals that I need. I'm sure if I go deep enough I'll hit better things, but I'd at least like to get some better metal for some armor and such. Especially since I've seen one of those green monsters hopping around the area just looking to ruin my day.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-36569599225227137812010-10-23T10:18:00.000-07:002010-10-23T10:18:58.656-07:00Got ancient computer parts in the attic? NASA might be interested.Just read <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/12/us/for-parts-nasa-boldly-goes-on-ebay.html">this</a> over at the New York Times. Apparently NASA has been buying old computer parts like 8086 chips and such on eBay because those nearly 30 year old parts are still the type that are used in the shuttle. Crazy to think that todays wristwatches probably pack parts that have more beef than the sort that are used to help launch people into space.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCtY9sCkSKCQkASpo_2IyuqpVT6mFZKbAvU-g_QMG6hmDh47AC2MP1sqdiwLYp_kEQ1d-NS_-aGUxnb-CtUNU-UODULRX5B4Y_eK0mBVPluI6zVStD9ZbFRAgEz-h_AZw384QWHCF9xYG/s1600/tobibmpersonalcomputer2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCtY9sCkSKCQkASpo_2IyuqpVT6mFZKbAvU-g_QMG6hmDh47AC2MP1sqdiwLYp_kEQ1d-NS_-aGUxnb-CtUNU-UODULRX5B4Y_eK0mBVPluI6zVStD9ZbFRAgEz-h_AZw384QWHCF9xYG/s400/tobibmpersonalcomputer2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clocked at a blistering 4.77MHz</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In any case, check those basements and attics and put that "junk" up on eBay, because you never know who might be interested.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1386480721142798852.post-14451514577790219872010-10-22T21:30:00.000-07:002010-10-30T20:38:39.430-07:00Getting settled vs ExplorationAs I literally and figuratively dug a little deeper in Minecraft, I quickly found myself torn between wanting to stick to a home base and wanting to just wander the land looking for that awesome sweet spot. After spending the night making my descent in my home cave a little more orderly and manageable (torches ftw), I decided on a strategy of little home bases scattered over the land, with markers to make returning back actually possible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2gUoRHQRX0-5vN04TfS_4k_ziMrsGSzhPwDOgHZfKQyXkik1wLskWFRnEwRNTCkxwM0r9bOqnGlRpgmawrvMYtP4aq9bYB8Ne0DpFdOMzoWJMFj83DRCmJKHvsDwlr__Nmdz020_Xgz5/s1600/minecraft005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2gUoRHQRX0-5vN04TfS_4k_ziMrsGSzhPwDOgHZfKQyXkik1wLskWFRnEwRNTCkxwM0r9bOqnGlRpgmawrvMYtP4aq9bYB8Ne0DpFdOMzoWJMFj83DRCmJKHvsDwlr__Nmdz020_Xgz5/s400/minecraft005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got my head in the clouds</td></tr>
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Daybreak came and I trekked up some of the local mountains, finding more than a few possible bases. There was no glittering "DIAMONDS HERE" sign sadly, so I had to just pick a path and stick with it. Finding one interesting looking cave in the side of the mountain ended up in a near fatal path that had me inches from falling. Thankfully after a blunder or two I made it somehow inside.<br />
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My relief lasted roughly two seconds though, as I heard the gurgling moan of something less than friendly deeper inside. Poking around with all the courage of a mouse, I stumbled upon my nightmare.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNashVrEsSHcpb0-VpJyYhYvGzzbdeD5iAGoazAAbYpB5Tw7Qb2n2tfstmUJ_QKh33ofCAqWZlXML5Hb0YDQ2szqldS1khdotHDOH5kte9TdKNZJSxAaFhuTpVh64cFciGX-zupeu7Qofc/s1600/minecraft007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNashVrEsSHcpb0-VpJyYhYvGzzbdeD5iAGoazAAbYpB5Tw7Qb2n2tfstmUJ_QKh33ofCAqWZlXML5Hb0YDQ2szqldS1khdotHDOH5kte9TdKNZJSxAaFhuTpVh64cFciGX-zupeu7Qofc/s400/minecraft007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The face of fear</td></tr>
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Mustering my courage, I swung my sword gallantly and bobbed and weaved back and forth in a less than elegant display of footwork. A deafening explosion that left me a cripple however was how this fight ended. Stuffing my face with some several day old pig meat somehow helped my health situation. I nearly had relaxed when I heard the same exact disturbing sounds from earlier.<br />
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Well hey, I wasn't planning on sleeping any time in the next few days.<br />
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Thankfully, my knowledge of the past fight and a little dumb luck left me the victor of the next battle. With that out of the way I started to explore my spacious cave that was situated on the side of the mountain. I can't say for certain what lies below, but I do know that I'm feeling a lot more confident in myself now.Gorlotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696043344150016916noreply@blogger.com0