Yet Another Random Bit of Insanity

[doc.exe]

A belated Merry Christmas to all. And an anticipated Happy New Year too, given that I’m not sure I will be available to give my greetings on time.

Happy holidays!

[Wraith5]

Hmm... I got a fair amount (read: "a lot") in checks and gift cards... I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on decent-quality low-priced PC gaming headsets? Hopefully in the <$75 price range, since I'm not really looking to make an immediate high-price purchase... (As for in the future, I've already had a friend recommend the Astro A40, but I'm making several airplane trips between now and the summer, and I don't want to risk a $150 headset like that right now...)

Also: preferred would be around-the-ear, with surround sound. I've already had to deal with several 'over the ear' type headphones, and those have a tendency to get rather uncomfortable (considering that I wear glasses...).

[doc.exe]

Well, happy belated new year, friends!

2014 was… well, it was a pretty terrible year in many respects. Here’s hoping 2015 is a better year for everyone.

[MEKristian]

Is 2015 the year of the Skiddo, or the Year of the Mareep?

You be the judge.
:V

[doc.exe]

Given the different lines of work I have had so far, by this point I shouldn’t really be surprised by the fact that the old attributed Einstein quote is completely true (you know: “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former”). Yet I am:

My family has a big LP gas tank placed on the rooftop, needed to provide fuel for the stove, the water heater, etc. We changed it a few years ago because it was too old and my mother suspected it had a leak. But when they replaced the old one with a new one, we didn’t ask the contractor to take it away so it could be disposed of (I don’t remember why we didn’t, honestly). We just put it in a corner of the rooftop, away from the rest of the gas and water installation of the house. It has been there, empty and gathering rust for a few years already.

A few days ago, my father solicited some gas from the supply company. They usually come and fill the tank in the rooftop with a hosepipe from their tank truck. We were very surprised when, by nigh time, the stove could not ignite, and neither the shower nor the faucets had warm water. We went to the rooftop and discovered that the gas tank was completely empty. My father was furious and called the supply company, but they assured him that his order was filled and the gas was supplied.

So the day after they sent another truck to verify and they finally discovered the problem: The employee who had gone to the rooftop the day before had connected the hosepipe from the truck to the old gas tank. The old abandoned rusted tank, completely disconnected from the gas installation and at least three meters away from it, was filled with the gas.

I don't even...

[jgkitarel]

Seen things like that happen before.

On a more humorous note, Cards Against Humanity provided the ultimate schmuck bait and made a profit off of it.

[Wraith5]

So, using some monetary gifts I received this Christmas, I purchased a solid state drive and, to my ETERNAL regret, Windows 8.1. My reaction to all the 'features' they added and the things they removed: "WINDOWS, WHY YOU FUCK ME LIKE THIS???"
The SSD is nice, I like the fact that my computer is running faster because of it, but honestly, Windows 8.1 should be an OS EXCLUSIVELY for tablets... Sure, it's not that bad on a non-tablet laptop with a touch screen, but it's not Windows 7. I LIKED Windows 7. 8.1? I honestly wish I could get a refund. I could go on a 20-30 minute (spoken) rant about each individual thing so far, but I don't have the time to type that out right now.

To summarize: SSD is awesome. Micro$oft can go screw themselves, and I wish I had a physical install disc for Windows 8.1 so I could post a video of me CRUSHING IT UNDER A CAR.

[MEKristian]

Hype from the word "go".

[doc.exe]

Well, it seems Marvel finally decided to go and do it.

The Avengers books from Jonathan Hickman were telegraphing something big was coming, to the point there were already many theories and rumors floating around that something like this was on the works, but I didn’t really expected it would happen.

Now, it’s hardly the first time they have toyed with the idea of a significant continuity reboot in the style of Crisis on Infinite Earths… The thing is the previous one (Heroes Reborn) is universally agreed to be dreadful and their other attempts at “localized reboots” in, for example, the Spider-Man books have gone from bad (Chapter One) to… let’s be polite and just call it “incredibly polarizing” (One More Day).

Still, while I have conflicting feelings about it, I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. They are tackling it through an interesting angle (different realities coexisting in the same “Earth”), and they actually have been in something of a creative renaissance since the beginning of the Marvel NOW initiative. The big events still leave a lot to be desired (although I kinda liked Infinity), but the individual books are genuinely good. I have enjoyed most of the books that have been published here.

[runsamok]

Hello,

Regarding reasonably priced headsets, I have moderate hearing loss, so I prefer the kind that sit "over the ear" as in "cover the whole ear area completely". It works better for the hearing aids I have worn. I recommend Turtle Beach Earforce Z11 for big comfortable headphones with awesome sound quality.

[Wraith5]

Well, I guess I could've mentioned this before, but the headset I'm currently using is a Koss CS-100, which is a communications headset model that has been around for a rather long time (I think the pair I used to have was 10 years old?). My previous headsets were Logitech G330s, but those broke within 8 months of purchase... and then the 10-year-old CS-100 had better sound quality. XD

[JamestheFox]

Monty Oum, the creator of RWBY, animator for the action scenes in RvB, and the guy behind the old-school Dead Fantasy and Haloid, died yesterday at the age of 33, due to an allergic reaction during a simple medical procedure.

He was known for his belief in the human spirit, and his... workaholic tendencies, and love of all things awesome. Crazy-cool fight scenes and amazing dancing (both in his animation and in real life) were his providence.

Rest in peace... Goodness knows you've earned it.

[Phht]

New Persona 5 trailer is out. :3

Spoiler: show

It looks like it's going an interesting direction for the non-school-simulator side of Persona games.

[Wraith5]

So, I just started watching Soukyuu no Fafner: Dead Aggressor - Exodus. Pretty damn good so far! They've thrown a few plot twists and developments I both never expected and thought would never happen! Although, there was one plot element I can honestly say I can't believe I never saw coming...

[doc.exe]

Well, as many anticipated due to the rumors and the Sony hack, it finally happened: Spidey is joining the MCU.

The only thing that, ironically, saddens me a bit is the tacit implication that Andrew Garfield will be replaced. People can say whatever they want about AMS2, but it actually proved that he was fit for the role. It was the material what never made him any justice.

In any case, I just hope that the next Spider-Man film will be more along the lines of The Incredibly Hulk and not another retelling of the origin story.

[Random_fan]

If we get another Spidey origin story I'm going to have to be convinced to go see it, because it's so overdone there is nothing new they could do.

[MrRigger2]

Well, that's not strictly true. One article I read said it's possible the MCU Spidey could be Miles Morales, not Peter Parker. But other than that, you're right, there's basically nothing else to do with the origin story.

MrRigger

[Phht]

Didn't Marvel say they were done with doing origin stories at this point (or I guess after Ant Man)? If so, then we don't have to worry regarding Spiderman. (Also, think this will affect CA3?)

[doc.exe]

It seems they will introduce the new Spider-Man there, although very likely only in a cameo.

The way I see it, for the new film they should do what they did with Incredible Hulk: A brief sequence during the opening credits that retells the origin story in broad terms and that’s it. Then proceed to tell a different story that doesn’t retread old ground. Hopefully with another of Spidey’s villains that has not seen his turn in live action yet (Mysterio could be a good choice).

And well, given that Sony is apparently still interested in producing a Sinister Six film, I wonder if they will jettison entirely the chronology of the Marc Webb movies or keep elements from them around.

[doc.exe]

And in some sad news: Leonard Nimoy died yesterday at age 83.

I was never fan of Star Trek, but I had a lot of respect for Mr. Nimoy, both as an icon of science fiction as well as a person. May he rest in peace.

[Phht]

As it turns out, the battleship Musashi was located a couple days ago in 1000m of water. With the Yamato having been located in the 1980s, there's now only one wreck left of the trio to be found, that of the aircraft carrier conversion Shinano, which apparently sunk in ~4000m of water ~65miles from land.


Of course, this means I'll have to change the ship mentioned in that XCOM snippet of mine, as it clearly can't be the Musashi now. I guess XCOM Sea helped find the Shinano instead.... ;)

[MEKristian]

KanColle's fandom has already started on this news.

[Phht]

Watching the live stream tour of the wreck...

Camera work that far down is really creepy to watch compared to photographs. It's like nothing exists outside the ROV lights and new stuff just sorta fades in as the ROV gets closer.

[Wraith5]

What did you expect at that depth? I mean, you can't exactly h4ck your g4mma IRL... XD

... I'm not entirely sure if anyone here will even get that reference...

[doc.exe]

I don’t get the reference but the joke still works for me at least.

And on a different and sadder matter:

AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.

Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.

The End.