Dojo Info 10/23/08

1. Microsoft Hit With California Class Action Lawsuit For Xbox 360 Failures
   I’m just putting this here as a kind of bookmark for when my Xbox goes belly up.
2. How much do you love football? So much you’d cut off a pinky to play it? That’s what Trevor Wikre did.
   Oh my goodness. It wasn’t like he was in the middle of the championship game or something. I predict this guy’s name will surface again attached to a bar clubbing or glass eating contest.
3. Pro-life counselor decked outside abortion mill
   I’m speechless.
4. More Nirvana Tracks Hit Rock Band
   Songs are “Breed,” “Lounge Act,” “On a Plain,” “Polly,” “Something in the Way,” “Stay Away,” and “Territorial Pissings.” The Xbox store needs to make it easier to browse now that there’s 8.3 billion RB songs for sale.
5. T-Mobile delivers the G1 (aka Android) phone
   Editor’s gave it 3.5 stars. Not a bad start but nothing special yet.

Choice Hotels Paying Customers for Abortion Receipts

Truth is stranger than fiction. This time, in a very sad way. This from the FRC.

Women certainly don’t profit from abortion, but the Quality Inn in Maple Shade, New Jersey does. In a story that has rattled the local community, New Jersey Right to Life confirmed this week that two area hotels are offering discounted rooms to women who can prove they’ve had an abortion. Both the Clarion Hotel in Cherry Hill and the Quality Inn in Maple Shade reduce room rates by up to $50 for girls with a receipt from the nearby abortion center. The Quality Inn even goes so far as to give away “free pancake and egg breakfasts” to girls who can produce a stamped clinic pamphlet.

According to volunteers from the area’s “40 Days for Life” campaign, many of the patients leaving the Cherry Hill clinic are “alone, crying, and in extreme pain.” After their digoxin injections, these mothers are sent home or to area hotels to wait for their babies to die. The next day, they return to the clinic to deliver their dead children. Do these area inns really want to facilitate the killing process? And, from a legal standpoint, are they prepared to incur the liability if any medical complications arise? Unfortunately, the reason these women need a place to stay is because the clinics don’t care enough about their health to monitor them overnight, despite the medical risks. That should be a clear signal to these hotels that local abortionists are harming women.

Of course, the hotels may honestly believe that theirs is a compassionate offer. But even with the best of intentions, a discount like this only makes it more affordable for young girls to cross state lines for an abortion. As the Right to Life branch accurately points out, New Jersey doesn’t have a parental notification law on the books, making it an even more attractive location for young girls who want to obtain an abortion without ever calling home.

Ironically, both the Quality Inn and the Clarion are part of an umbrella corporation called Choice Hotels International. Join us in urging the Choice chain to choose life. Call the company toll-free at 800-300-8800 or log on to www.choicehotels.com. In the upper right corner, you’ll see a tab for “customer support.” Click through to voice your concerns. Rather than play a disturbing role in promoting abortion, encourage this company to start stocking pamphlets from nearby pregnancy resource centers.

Update 10/25:

If you don’t believe that a few minutes of your time can change the world, we can prove it. On Wednesday, the Update highlighted a story from New Jersey where two hotels were offering room discounts to women who could prove they had abortions at a nearby clinic. We encouraged you to contact the franchise and voice your values. Today, I’m happy to report that after just two days, your overwhelming response through phone calls and emails has resulted in an immediate change of policy.

Yesterday, we received a letter from the corporate office of Choice Hotels. It reads, “‘A copy of the Washington Update (dated October 22, 2008)… recently crossed my desk. It referenced two hotels within the Choice Hotels franchise system. The email message highlighted your organization’s concerns regarding these hotels, and I wanted to take this opportunity to respond to you directly as this issue has been resolved. The Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, upon reflection, has ended the practice of offering special rates to patients of the Cherry Hill Women’s Center… we do try to be sensitive to issues and questions raised when it is within our power to do so and we are happy to provide you with this positive update…’ Sincerely, Anne Madison, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Choice Hotels International, Inc.”

We applaud Choice Hotels for moving so swiftly to correct this problem and congratulate all of you who took the time to be pro-active–and perhaps save a few lives in the process.

Presidential Election Decided by Dance Off

My gootness… those are some mean moves. If only the election was decided this way.

Hat’s off to the creators of the video… amazing job. Hat tip to KSR.

Blogged.com, Traffic Whore?

I don’t know what to think. One minute they’re telling me I’m “good” but bury me on page 4,685 or something. Then I learn I’ve been upgraded?!?

Is this like parent who are sick of hearing their kids complain so that throw some ice cream at them and change the change to Nickelodeon?

I’m not sure. Anyone out there know the truth?

Ellery Is Now on Planet Earth

Hello everyone!

I’ve returned from my dark, dank cave of an office. I had hoped to merely add some photos of our new “little one” with the cool Lightbox scripts to this ongoing endeavor I call a blog but one thing led to another and *boom* there goes 5 hours.

I needed to update to a newer version of WordPress. Sounds good in practice, but even as easy as they make it, it doesn’t always fly. I couldn’t log in. Turns out there’s a work-a-round for this bug:

Of course, in order to do this you need to backup the Db. Since I do it so rarely, I had to re-remember how it’s done. Then I there’s the site itself. Ugh. We’ve been on this design for years! It’s just so 2004, isn’t it?

I was just going to update the site quickly. I kinda had a plan. But the tweaker in me wouldn’t let me stop. SOMEBODY MAKE ME STOP! Ok, I’ll shut up now. Here’s what’s really important.

TEMP: Site Swap Happening

Weirdness of all sorts. Hopefully short term.

Ref Tackles South Carolina QB, Spurrier Implodes

What the heck was this guy thinking?!?

What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

According to this clip, the Democrats are largely responsible for the housing crisis which is negatively affected out economy. Certainly interesting stuff. I wonder how Democrats respond?

We’ve Arrived!

Well, I have to admit… I’m a bit speechless. After more than 12 years (3 domains) and 5,000+ posts I’ve been handed an award. Not just any award, mind you, but a “Good” or “Very Good” depending on who you ask. A moment to yourselves, like Linda Richmond, I’m a bit veclempt.

Apparently, the esteemed folks over at Blogged.com, feel I’m worthy of a 7.4. A freakin’ 7.4!?!? Ask me not how ratings are determined but that must be some serious crap because it places my site on the 46th page of Technology Blogs. Since when did this become a technology blog?

Lest I seem ungrateful, I’ve prepared a speech.

To begin, I want to thank the search engine wonks over at Blogged.com, without whom I certainly would never have received this award. That and the rodents on my treadmill of an Internet connection, who keep my upload times at a screaming 46k/sec.

Second, I should thank WordPress. Honestly, they’re legit. Not like those lamos over at MoveableType. (You know who you are!)

And most assuredly, I should thank you, my loyal readers, all 14 of you, who click Refresh and Refresh to the song of melodic birds and rushing fountains, all for the mere opportunity to bask in my greatness. I say, “It’s my pleasure.”

Lastly, I should thank Amy Liu of ye ole Marketing Department. It all comes down to the endless hours that she puts in, most of them at sweatshop wages all for the opportunity to bestow this gift of kindness upon unworthy souls like myself.

And for that, I am eternally in your debt. (If you could potentially send any traffic my way, there’s a ten spot in it for you.)

Peace out and au revoir.

BioShock 2 Trailer – 1st Look

It was only the best game I’ve ever played, er… recently played… OK, the best game that I’ve played recently that wasn’t Rock Band. Fair enough?!?

Obama as Actor

Zing! It finally occurred to me. How could I have missed this before? What triggered this idea? I read the following:

Obama speaks plenty about supporting our troops but he’s only made two trips to Iraq. How many trips has he made to the battleground state of Iowa which is important in his upcoming Presidential election? 45.

Obama isn’t evil. He’s not the next coming of Hitler or Mussolini. He’s really just another tax-and-spend politician—a power broker.

How did he arrive at the precipice of the most powerful position in the world? With looks, and charm, and slick words. Nothing else really. What he really is is a fabulous actor. Don’t think if Denzel was running he wouldn’t be ordering new furnishings for the Oval Office right now. (BTW, I love Denzel the actor. Denzel the politician, not so much.)

That’s why when Hollywood had to choose between old, white, unhip Hillary and young, (semi) attractive, black Obama they went his way in droves. It’s not about their political positions, as with most who practice these days they can be changed like a new wardrobe. It was about his image. How good would he have been on The West Wing?

The troubling thing is that as goes Hollywood, then follows the media and eventually most of America. We certainly love our celebrities.

Obama is going to win the White House in three weeks. But it won’t be because of any ability to help America improve itself. It will be because he chose “Change” as his mantra and portrayed the role of President better than anyone else running.

Dojo Info 10/15/08

1. Elk Grove “Super-Pumpkin” Breaks State Record
   Talk about steroids… that’s can’t be organic.
2. Green Halloween Movement Grows
   This mother needs to put a raincoat because her house is going to be seeing some eggs.
3. ‘Rock Band’ TV show, featuring Alice Cooper and Sebastian Bach, to jam on VH1 Classic
   Rock Band for TV? Is that a good idea?!? I”m not sure but I’ll certainly tune once to find out.
4. Deus Ex 3: First details
   I hadn’t seen this anywhere else. Maybe it’s still a long way from being released. Those early games were pretty good… almost as good as their predecessor, System Shock the being of Warren Spector’s efforts in 3D space—Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss back in 1992. That game had me. And for those of you who don’t know me, the answer is “Yes.” I am a geek.
5. Hyundai shows off W-100 watch phone
   It’s a cell phone watch. Really.

Starpex Lifelike Guitar for RB, GH

Better controllers for RB sounds like a step in the right direction. At least for addicts like me. Not sure I’m ready to buy just yet, first there’s no Xbox version yet, but also…. it’s getting good, not AWESOME ratings by critics.

Plus, it’s $180 but, “Hey! It’s only rock-and-roll but I like it, like it, yes I do!”

If you do want to buy one, go here.

Worst Wedding Ever

Just be glad this isn’t how yours went. Or, if you’re not yet entwined in marital bliss, you better pray to the Good Lord above this doesn’t happen at your wedding. [via KSR]

Oh yeah, Daniel Orton chose the Wildcats. Woot!

Palin Jams on Rock Band 2

Just like the Miis, Rock Band opens it up for players to create. Love this stuff.