January 2003 Archives
Na na na na, Na na na na, Hey hey hey, Good-bye!
As excited as I was over the previously-mentioned tutorial on map creation for SimCity 4, it didn't take me long to realize that actually creating such a map from scratch was a bit beyond my artistic ability. Thankfully, some other SC4 fanatic is working on a map repository which might offer a bit more variety.
In the silliest attempted Intellectual Property scam since British Telecom claimed patent rights on hyperlinks, SBC Communications is trying to squeeze companies that use frames on their websites.
When I want a good, home-cooked steak, I use Alton Brown's pan-searing technique for a wonderful medium-rare sirloin (my cut of choice). The first time I did it in my tiny apartment, though, I learned to disconnect the smoke alarm; it sounds like others have
learned this lesson the hard way themselves. [via Looka!]
There are lots of cheesy non-reasons I could give for not updating recently. While I can't blame the release of SimCity 4 for the last couple months' slowness, it certainly hasn't helped matters over the past week. Anyway, if anybody else is playing, but is unsatisfied with the provided and auto-generated region maps, there's a good article at SC4EVER on creating your own. My biggest complaint with the standard maps is the distribution of different-sized city blocks; the article explains how a custom config.bmp file will let you arrange play zones to your heart's content.
I know that certain people have reservations about Ben Affleck's impending performance in the upcoming Daredevil movie. I don't have a dog in that fight; even though I'm looking forward to the flick, I was never so into the comic as to have preconceptions about the characters. (Besides, I'm mostly waiting to see Jennifer Garner as Elektra.) Still, I'm beginning to understand that kind of concern over casting due to the latest rumors about the next Superman flick. Brace yourself; they're talking about Ashton Kutcher as the potential last son of Krypton. I feel ill.
Last month, web and print columnist John Scalzi published a science fiction novel, in serial form, on his website, for free. Even though I kept reading it on the site, I thought that Old Man's War was a good enough story to be worth chipping in a buck fifty for a full-text copy. As it turns out, I'm not the only one who felt the tale was worth paying for, and I'd like to congratulate Scalzi on selling the story to Tor books for hardcover publication. Way to go!
