Technical Difficulties

Note to self: quit buying HP laptops.

The hinge on my laptop appears to have popped, cracking the plastic piece. The computer itself still works, but I'm afraid to open because the last time I did, it cracked further. Hopefully I can get it fixed soon because I have a lot of stuff that needs typing this weekend.

Sent from Adam's Incredible.

Blogging on the go.

So I just had the crazy thought of, "hey, I have a smartphone, I wonder if I can blog with it?" Well, sure enough, I am able to log into Blogger and type -- although its kind of a pain in the ass -- but this is exciting. Just be expecting a lot of typos. There have been many a time where I've actually had an idea or urge to blog, but was never near a computer. I guess now I really don't have that excuse.

Updates from my phone, I think, will be fun because they'll most likely be quick little blurbs or thoughts. Now I need to figure out if and how to add pictures because pictures are fun.

Well, this is exciting but I should probably get back to paying attention in class. I have great ideas in my head and will hopefully make them a reality on here soon.

Sent front Adam's Incredible.

BOOM SHAKA-LAKA!

Dear EA,

I want to thank you personally for revitalizing the NBA Jam franchise. You have no idea how much fun -- although I've only played two games -- how much nostalgia was flowing from my living room. This game kicks so much ass! It's modernized, yet still has a classic sense to it. Now get on rebooting NFL Blitz.

Love,
Adam

Yeah so it's been awhile, huh? I made this big long fuss about how I was going to update this blog more and I was off to a good start...until school started. This semester is nothing what I thought it would be. It isn't difficult, per se, it's just a lot of work. Between class, The Reveille and Best Buy, I don't have a lot of time to do anything that isn't work or study. When I do have free time, it's usually getting caught up on my TV shows or playing video games.

I need -- no, will -- to make time for you dearest blog because there is so much I want to do with you. So many ideas in my head, I just need the time to put them on paper, er, screen font.

Well, I finally broke the ice and started writing in this today. Now, back to more Halo: Reach and NBA Jam.

Basketball Jones

Man, I miss Space Jam -- that was such a great movie.

Anywho.

I'm tired as hell. I played like 4 hours of basketball today. OK, so maybe I didn't play the whole time (like it was back in practice), but I went and played my usual games with dad at Calloway's and then I decided to go and "help out" at Alexa's open gym shootaround thing.

Once or twice a week, every week, dad and I go and play some ball. Generally we shoot HORSE to get warmed up but as of late we've been helping Alexa with some post moves. We play a best-of-three series to 11 unless we're pressed on time. At the beginning of Summer, he'd kick my ass because I was fat and out of shape and he couldn't miss a 3. But the past three weeks, I've had this number. Just today in game 2, I was down 1-9 and came back to win 11-9. 10 unanswered points -- it felt good.

I also got up and volleyball spiked his shot, which felt awesome! I haven't done that in like two years, but I digress.

I guess losing that weight has helped my game. At the beginning of the Summer, I weighed in at about 253ish. It was bad.

However, I just stepped on the scale not too long ago and it read 234. Sure, I haven't hardly eaten anything today and played a good bit of ball, but still nearly 20 pounds in almost 3 months isn't too shabby.

Also, dad and Alexa were approached at Calloway's by a guy looking to help train Alexa. His name is Tony Harris. Dad was telling me about how he used to play in the NBA for the Sixers and the Celtics and also in the European and Phillipines league where he scored 105 points in a game! He seemed pretty kool and knew what the hell he was talking about -- which is what Alexa needs.

We also shot HORSE after Alexa's shootaround. He gave me a nice whooping after the first game -- to my defense I had just got done shooting with a girl's ball -- and beat me HORSE to nothing. However the second game I only lost HORSE to HOR. I was pretty happy.

Losing this weight feels good. I feel quicker and as if I'm getting some of my game back.

Damn, I sound like an old man fantasizing about the glory days and everything. This is sad. I need to stop talking like this.

I think I'm gunna go find that copy of Space Jam.

From The Daily Reveille -- July 29, 2010

Jailbreaking smartphones can come with a price

Ahoy, matey.

It’s time to batten down the hatches, shiver me timbers, gather some wenches and wonder where all the rum has gone.

Aside from the swash-buckling, high seas faring, Jack Sparrow look-a-like pirates, the term “pirate” has stretched into a newer, different meaning in the modern technology age.

Have you ever decided you didn’t want to pay for a CD but just downloaded it anyway? Well, you’re a pirate.

Ever decided you didn’t want to wait the five months for the movie to come out on DVD and just bootlegged it off some Internet site? Here’s your eye patch, matey — you’re a pirate.

While the war between record and movie industries and Internet piracy has been an ongoing struggle for the past decade or two, these aren’t the pirates this column is focusing on today.
This one comes down to all those upset smartphone users who aren’t happy with the current settings or customization levels their handset offers out of the box, and decide to break through that pre-existing barrier to do some things to the phone the manufacturer may...read more here.

*From www.lsureveille.com*

From The Daily Reveille -- July 27, 2010

Facebook still has merit despite privacy concerns

Adam Arinder is off to work.

Adam Arinder is hooked on Assassin’s Creed 2.

Adam Arinder is typing my column.

(Insert your name here) is now reading Adam Arinder’s column.

Now just imagine a children’s choir singing Radiohead’s “Creep,” and you got yourself a fine movie trailer.

Those first three sentences were my last three status updates on Facebook with the final one being what should pop up on yours.

There have been plenty of columns written about Facebook in the past, so there’s no point in going into any discussions about etiquette or history.

It wastes time, it’s a perfect procrastination tool, it’s a great way to keep up with old friends and it’s also a great way to blow all your money buying virtual tools to have the best farm in “Farmville.”

Facebook has taken over.

It’s killed MySpace.

Twitter is around and highly successful, but it just doesn’t have the same depth of stalking capabilities Facebook offers.

It doesn’t seem like anything can pass up this networking giant — it just keeps growing.

Last week, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the social networking giant has passed the 500 million-user mark.

That’s a hell of a lot of farms. Read more here...

*From www.lsureveille.com*

From The Daily Reveille -- July 22, 2010

Apple diverts attention from iPhone antenna issue

The iPhone 4.

It’s sad when I can sit down to type a column and not even have to worry about coming up with a fancy, eye-catching lead.

All I have to do is type “iPhone 4,” and all of a sudden you’re hooked. That’s all it takes for my web hits to explode. Twitter will unleash its infamous fail whale because of all the retweets, and Steve Jobs will come after me because he’s not going to like what I have to say.

As I’m sure you know — unless you live under a rock — the iPhone 4 released nearly a month ago, and release it did.

It crashed servers, caused riots, required people to stand in line for 10 hours and made some people very rich on eBay.

The iPhone 4 launch was so successful Apple sold 3 million units of the “Jesus Phone” in only three weeks.

The phone has a gorgeous display, high -definition camcorder, LED flash, gyroscope and improved accelerometer, fully equipped with iOS4 and boasts two cameras with the ability to use “FaceChat” to visually talk with the person on the other line.

I personally can’t wait for the ChatRoulette app to be released, but I digress.

With all the amazing features Apple boasts about its newest iteration of the iPhone, it seems to have forgotten one important detail...read more here.

*From www.lsureveille.com*

From The Daily Reveille -- July 20, 2010

Smartphones may push the limit of technology

With everyone wanting to surf the Internet, check email and waste their day away trying to beat their friend’s high score in “Doodle Jump,” many people find their cell phone bill much higher at the end of each month compared to their older phones.

This sudden increase in a user’s monthly bill is the result of a required monthly data plan tacked on by the phone company.

While it seems most people don’t mind paying the extra $20 to $30 per month — myself included, as I recently jumped into the smartphone game — many people don’t see the point in having a device that does anything more when all they want to do is make a phone call.

However, in a world dominated by smartphones, data plans and 3G, it’s nearly impossible to find a worthwhile phone that doesn’t require a higher monthly bill.

These devices that can hardly even bear the name of “phone” have become so convoluted — some users can’t even keep up. Some people just want something that calls their grandbaby — nothing more, nothing less.

While I can understand it costs phone companies a lot to build, support and maintain these cellular networks used for surfing the Web and downloading the newest version of the “I Am T-Pain” app, there should be some sort of option to buy the same handset and just turn off the Internet portion.

Instead you’re forced to either buy a smartphone with the extra monthly bill, or you have to buy — for lack of a proper phrase — a dumbphone...read more here.

*From www.lsureveille.com*

Employee of the Month

Wow...look at me go. Two updates in one week. Maybe I can make this work.

So District decided to show up in the store today to do roundtable discussions on how management and employees feel about the store -- and WOW did I learn a lot. I would love to discuss things and about how I feel about what was said during the meeting, but since Best Buy seems to have eyes like hawks and fire/threaten to fire people who just make funny YouTube videos, I'm scared to talk too much on here. They're probably reading this right now.

Anywho, there is something I'd like to discuss concerning work, but I feel I'll just save it for my first "Monday Rant" on -- you guessed it -- Monday.

In other news, I finally got out of my writer's block and finished my column for Town Favorites. Now the only thing to come up with is a headline, but that shouldn't be too difficult.

I've also come to the conclusion I may have been too hard on NCAA 11 in my initial evaluation of the game. The running mechanics are vastly improved over 10 and the overall game play does appear much smoother. However, other than that, it's the same damn thing no matter what people may say.

I also went and had dinner with Andrew tonight -- who I haven't been in contact with in forever. It was fun, we had wings then played some NCAA 11. I must say I was quite impressed with the Parmesan Garlic flavor sauce. I may have to get it next time. I also went and purchased a bottle of their Hot sauce. I was already considering it so I could use it on Domino's wings or even if I get some frozen wings from Wal-Mart, but our waitress went on this whole ordeal about how her manager is mad because she isn't selling enough sauce bottles and if she doesn't sell 10 she has to buy the rest and blah blah blah. I think it's a whole crock of shit, but she was kind of convincing and I already wanted the bottle anyway. Hell, I may buy the Parmesan Garlic bottle next time -- and even nominate her for an Oscar!

Unfortunately this will conclude my second "real" entry. I have to be at Best Buy in about eight hours and I could sure use the sleep.

Until next time, journalism fans.

From The Daily Reveille -- July 15, 2010

New football games lack innovation, stay successful

While summer is a great time for rest, relaxation and a period of time without the stresses of class (with the exception of you poor souls in summer school right now), it’s not the best time for a gamer.

As a strategic sales ploy, most video game publishers hold their blockbuster releases for the fall to capitalize on those holiday shoppers.

Both the “NCAA Football” and “Madden NFL” franchises have made EA Sports some serious money, and every year they kick off my unofficial start to the fall gaming season.

“NCAA Football 2011” was released on Tuesday, and I’ve spent most of my free time playing it and counting down the days until its night in the real Death Valley, not the virtual one.

Would you like a review? Of course you would.

Luckily, this one will be...read more here.

*From www.lsureveille.com*