Star War: The Old Republic.....a Clockwork Review

This past weekend, like a great many fanboys, I was lucky
enough to playtest the new Star Wars MMORPG from Bioware…”The Old Republic”

To Level set… I am a extreme fanboy…of episodes IV, V and VI, not so much the unmentionable
ones. I was a day 1 “Star Wars: Galaxies” player back in the day though I fled
the game after the infamous “Update”.

My dislike for the first three films seemed to be a precursor
for a sublime hatred of this game, set many years before… However….

I liked it… Allot… please read the entirety of this review
as it is not a glowing dissertation nor a reverent “they can do no wrong review”…

But I liked the game.

The Positive….

I made and played 3 classes of Charecters, 2 republic, 1
Sith empire, They were The Trooper, The Jedi Guardian and The Bounty Hunter.
They Jedi I only played to level 5 but the Trooper and Bounty Hunter I played
until level 11 and level 9… out of the starting planet.

Character Selection was pretty standard, however avatar
creation was amazing. Though their didn’t seem to be much in the way of
options, my heroes looked exactly the way I wanted them to, never in a game had
my Avatar fit the image of what I wanted to play. There are a number of races
to choose from after you first pick a faction, then you choose your “career”
and click, off you go.

The opening cinematics for both sides are amazing and really
capture the feel of the game and the genre…in fact the cut scenes in the game
and the voice acting are some of the best I have ever seen in a MMO.

The play dynamic worked for me, its not a mouse smashing
kinda game where its who ever left clicks the most wins. You choose your attack
it happens, usually over X number of seconds, then you click the next. Most of
the time my Avatar would correct any LOS issues by auto turning to keep a enemy
in his arc.

Game play in a way is typical of most MMO’s with the
exception of your storyline quests, these are different per class and propel
your hero into the world of SWTOR. There are side quests to do, but they are
more or less exp generators and not as involved as the Storyline quests.

The Main quests were remarkably level appropriate for the

classes I ran…hard but not impossible and took you fluidly from one end of the
starting zone to the other. Travel being aided by Speeder bike taxi’s and the
ability to recall to any binding point in the zone.

The Jedi… Though I can not see the harm of letting a Jedi Character
start with a light saber… in SWTOR you start with a “practice Saber”, a
glorified stick…but the move animation and your characters abilities are kinda
cool. At Level 2 my Jedi was kinda neat looking….his equipment and gear gave
him a very “Guardian like” appearance, but, when I got to the Jedi Temple they
robbed me of my cool vestments and had me running around in what could only be described
as a blouse. I can not wait to see what future quests the Jedi has.

The Trooper… The big armored attack guy for the republic was
the class I played the most. I loved the ability progression and the attack animation.
The quests were fun and entertaining… the only issue I had was gear. Even at 11th
level I looked like a guy running around in long johns, while the guy that had
been assigned to me as my underling (all classes get “crew”…I think) looked
super cool. It was great to follow the story as you discovered the Imperial
involvement in the planets war and put a stop to it.

The Bounty Hunter…. The best for last… by far my favorite
class I played. From level 1 through Level 9 I looked and was totally Bad Ass.
Your response choices (think ME2 Radial menu) were bad ass and you could back
it up as you sought to gain entrance into the Mandolorian “Great Hunt”. There
was no part of the Bounty hunter quests I did not like…even the Starting Planet
“Hutta” was a great place (Though I think the Trooper starting area was
bigger). By the time I had won my place in the Hunt I was dressed in kick arse
armor and armed with a bundle of kick ass.

I really did love this game…

The Bad…

I am not going to sugar coat this nor make you wait, in my
opinion the game is 2 months from a great launch, with that said, it is
scheduled to be released in a few weeks. There were a lot of little issues,
Loot lights (when something is lootable a beacon shines up from the body, color
coded to the rarity of the item) not on bodies, bodies disappearing under
ground, Map issues and a odd lag in the using abilities at times could use to
be ironed out.

I know the Mantra “unreleased games Don’t make money”
however Day 1 rep says allot for a game as well.

The Traitor Syndrome…. Was it me or was every story line
based on Betrayal?? There has to be some other motivation as well. There is
also a amazing number of complete Jack-wagon NPC’s …. People who, if they didn’t
have a quest icon over their head…and those quests made me more awesome… I
would have gunned down in a Alderanian minute.

I will close with this…I plan on playing the game.... not that that matters to anyone :o)

Thanksgiving Memories....... I think.

When I think on Thanksgivings past…. I am always reminded of
2nd grade, back at Medill Elementary school.

We were putting on a Thanksgiving play and I had the pivotal
role of Myles Standish, The dark a brooding soldier who was fleeing a life time of troubled memories and seeking redemption in the “New World” ( At least thats what I was bringing to the role…. As the teacher staunchly refused to give me satisfactory motivation).

I have to say, for me the high point, the Climax of the
whole play, was the Ad-libbed Fight scene during the Thanksgiving feast. Done entirely in Slow Motion, Me with my sword gripped in my teeth and a Blazing Wheel Lock pistol in each hand… Charged arms akimbo… into the Mass of Nazi’s
that had descended on Plymouth via their alien Time-machine.

At one point in the battle, after killing 2 SS gruppenfuhers with a ham, I seemingly fired a pistol straight into the air for no reason….that was until the final fight between me and Hitler. It looked like I was finished…he had me on the ground, staring into the barrel of his luger when I say….

Standish “ Know what I’m Thankful for….”

Hitler :::: with fiendish glee:::: “Nien….Vhat?”

Standish :::with a smile:::: “Gravity you son of a Bitch”

As the bullet fired earlier came crashing down through the
top of his head….oh how the Indians and Pilgrims cheered me.

Well…. At least that’s how I am remembering it now…. It was
a long time ago.

Idiotic Blatherings on Dreams.....

Dreams... I have always had great dreams... and also mind numbingly horrifying ones when I was young. I still have them, they haven't mellowed with age. There are some that... as soon as I wake up, I want to go back to bed and continue them.. then there are others, specially when I was young, that I would wake up from and be afraid to breath I was so horrified.

I remember being so scared once, that I could not will my arm over to turn on the light because I was certain that the monster under my bed would grab me. During the bad dreams, it always amazes me how real they seem and how long it takes you ( maybe only a minute it real time but it seems much longer) to realize it was just a dream... and the overwhelming sense of relief that you feel.

As I grew older, even my bad dreams took a cool twist, they usually started bad and then somehow the tables turned. I have to say, for some reason I seem to have the worst luck with weapons in my dreams... firearms at least, maybe that is true for all firearms on the dream plane. I remember one where a murderer was chasing me and some friends ... things looked bad... then BAM! I find a whole closet of guns (that took herculean strength to pull the trigger)... lets just say the tables turned ( even though a few didnt operate).

Its amazing how real everything seems and even feels. I wonder if anyone will ever be able to harness the Dream world as a entertainment venue. Its been covered in movies, but imagine how cool it would be if your new gaming platform was your subconscious mind ( though I will argue I have been entertained by my imagination for all my life).

How would that mess you up.... to be someone else in a dream, then wake up. How would the lines between real and "unreal" blur. I mean I have had a dream where there was a person... who I have never meet... Dont ever remember seeing and yet I felt like I knew them all my life... I even felt that way when I woke up, imagine how a manipulated dream could mess you up.

Where do the "NPC's" come from in my dreams. Sure sometimes some friends...maybe even the person reading this... finds there way into a dream, but for the most part I don't recognize anyone. Is there Central casting? Is it like a Random Character generator?

what if the brain could be programed? can you "load specific "software" ( or wetware maybe), could you have a "multi player" Dream based game? What would the mainframe be like for Dream-players to meet and interact? Would you remember those you met? What you had done? What would losing a life be like?

Romance in dreams? Is it like cheating? should there be guilt associated with it? If you could be programed to dream about a certain woman/man, is that then cheating.... one is not controlled by you (I think) the other would be. What a can of worms that would open. I have always wondered if people get jealous when their other's have a dream about another person.

I am sure that there are people who could and will tell me the science of dreaming and why we do, then they will launch into a dissertation on what dreams mean and how F'd up I am... like someone trying to explain a magnificent illusion... but I like the mystery. I like to think that its a subconscious play ground, sure I believe that the dreams we have must mean something but hey... I have no complaints.... just wish I could revisit some of the past episodes.

Hmmmmmmmm........ The battle against the blatantly obvious

Ok... so there I was watching a movie on Netflix... yes, it was a bad movie, however... and the heroes were trying to figure out who the bad guy was... now in the group there were several contenders, but only one with black clothing and a black cloak. The whole time I’m thinking “Neh, it can’t be him... to obvious” so despite the Evil glares and barely concealed sinister smirks I continued to believe It couldnt be.... It was.

After I regained consciousness ( Apparently you can only bang your head against a table so many before you go unconscious) I began to realize that books and films are just jammed packed full of guys that wear their evil on their sleeve.... ok, if your Darth Vader you get a pass, but if your like wormtongue....shouldn't you at least seem to be a ok guy before they make you the kings advisor. Shouldnt you really suspect something when the cat has his hair greased back, a super severe widows peak and giggles when babies cry ? Maybe this guy isnt really the best choice for Lord Chancellor

Of course their is the the Ying to this black and sinister Yang, thats the guy that is so unbelievably good that he has to be the bad guy....and is. Seldom used but none the less a let down when the heroes life long friend turns out to be in cahoots with the ....wait for.... Black cloak wearing bad guy.

I am trying to remember the last time I was truly surprised at a “reveal”... when the curtain is pulled back to expose the worm crawling, festering sore of Evil’s plan... and I can’t remember one.

will this stop me from reading books and movies....hell no.

Notes on A New Hope....

I decided to jot down some notes while watching the movie.... they are in chronological order and would make sense if you were watching it....but here they are for posterity.

Really? are there that many stray droids roaming the desert to not alone warrant a nightly Jawa droid ambush but also to support a entire thriving industry?? were each of the droids they line up at the Lar’s farmstead found roaming the desert? When will the droids get the vote?

The red one ?.... you choose the red one and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

You can “wake up” a droid by hitting it??

“ I wonder if he means ol Ben Kenobi”...How many Kenobi’s live on Tatoine anyway?

Apparently R2’s hologram is as close to porn that Luke can get....and by his reaction when it cuts off, Luke needs his holograms.

Eating Dinner...Bright Daylight... Gets out side, Twin Sunset.... gets to garage, Night time... I think look might have stopped to view a hologram or two.

How far could R2 have gotten.... he really never struck me as having Nascar like speed.

Dude...seriously.... where the hell did that Sand raider come from?.... it was like luke was near a spawn point.

Are those ancient cave drawings behind luke’s speeder?

“Such devotion in a Droid” whats that supposed to mean you racist bastard.

“You go on Master luke” Oh god please...please leave him.

Ben says “ he was the best star pilot in the galaxy” and all I can think is “Yipeee!” thanks Lucas

full disclosure...I would have giggled like a girl and swung that light saber for hours.

“How did my father die?” Ben “Gulp”

wait...someone tells you he wants to train you to become a super kick ass warrior and you say you have to go home and do your chores?

Death Star Meetings are a “Start on Time, End on time” Affair, they even started without Vader and Tarkin.

Coffee mugs on the table...wonder who does their catering.

Meeting Minutes : Vader responds by choking

“Seriously Sir... you want us to burn down a hole in the ground?”

Vader really needs two guars with him to interrogate Princess Leah?

Jawas are apparently really light.

ok... the Short guy in the background when they pull up to the cantina....WTF?

“we dont serve their kind”....racist bastard

trying to figure out what all the pipes are around the bar

brought blasters to a light saber fight....epic fail

always imagines the guy that goes out to tell the stormtroopers has a very thick Minnesota accent “Oh Yah, dat der fella done cut dem down”

Han solo..... Thats all I got to say about that.

“You bet I could!!”... and all I hear is “Yipeeee”...Thanks Lucas.

Greedo/ Han scene....excuse me I have to close my eyes and pretend Lucas hasnt coated it with liquid suck.

“perhaps she will respond to a alternative form of persuasion” ....me thinks somebody just got back from a training class.

“Set course for Alderan”.....”This thing flys to??....Sweeeeet”

Why exactly is the fact that the door is locked a sign that the droids that they are desperately seeking are not there?

Of course hes a spy....he has a big nose.

funny isnt it....the suckiest things about the Jabba scene are the things they added. Sadly I include fett in that. BTW...just notes there are like 4 other Rhodians with him.

BTW: the Falcon....giggle

“Which way?” Um how about the door way with the huge 94 next to it.

Love the Docking bay 94 scene

I love every inch of the Falcon

Three Cruisers in orbit around Tatoine?

You put him in his place Han.....”Boy!”

you dont know how hard I found it signing the execution order” on account that there are no pens or such.

I wonder if they painted a planet on the side of the deathstar after they blew up Alderan.

During the Light Saber Training scene...look behind look, are those like Giant bags of Generic brand Wookie chow on the shelf?

“You dont believe in the force do you”...”Hells to the no”

“Looks like we are coming up on Alderan” or a British police car

“She Lied” Is Tarkin going to have to Slap a Bitch?

“Terminator her... Immediately” you know ... that never goes as fast as you think, they have to send security to watch her as she cleans out her desk.... then there is the Exit interview....

The Deathstar must need the fighter screen because the sensor station is in the Southern Hemisphere and has different communications protocol....it could take hours for a report to get to the right people.

Bay 327...is clear.

love the three guys that run a cross the hanger bay....must be late from break.

TK421....is not at his post.

bam....1 down 27,987 to go

“I want to go with you”....um ....no

“scheduled to be terminated”? well lord vader....if i move some things around maybe i can fit her in next wednesday.

sure....just leave the unarmed droids to fend for themselves.... racist bastards

obi wan shinobi....all sneaky and stuff

“where are you taking this ...thing”....racist bastard

Dention block shoot out....giggle!

for not being able to see a thing in those helmets....they sure are some camera hitting SOBs.

“Arent you a little short for a stormtrooper?” “Arent you a little ugly for a princess”

The Deathstar has like 1 meeting room..... but nobody knows where it is so thats why Tarkin can always book it.

“looks like you manage to cut off are only escape route” “maybe you’d like to grease up and squeeze back into your cell”

oh sure....now they need the droids

“its not going to take them long to figure out what happened to us” Yeah, but its going to take them forever to find a cab to get down there.

Trash compactor was never my favorite scene.

Deathstar tosses out allot of gray styrofoam

Han can’t bluff worth Shiz...but 3PO has them eating out of his golden hand.

“We’re all going to be allot thinner” obviously aimed at Leah.

3263827....thats the pressure hatch number.

Obi Wan Shinobi....Jedi Ninja

Were they really wearing their clothes under the armor...including Hans boots?...and a Vest? Do you really wear a vest under armor....ever?

Do you think Stormtroopers have to do Electronic time keeping?

I hate the added SPFX in the Han chasing the Stormtrooper scene... Why Exactly is there a huge room full of Stormtroopers just standing around?

“There coming through” God the whining!! they are brother and sister.

BTW, one of the stormtroopers that they kill and steal their armor Does have a grappling hook on his belt....continuity!!

That sir....is a blast door

Vader vs Ben.....BEGIN!!!

Well....they are allot older

“Your powers are weak old man” “Yes, my lungs must be tired, what with all the air I can breath without the aide of a respirator”

NOOOooooo.....I believe that is now the Skywalker battlecry

the Falcon...teeeeheeee

mopey Luke....a good old fashion Killing will bring him out of it.

Atari 1200 on line

luke killed two people....all happy now

“you sure the homing beacon is safely on board?” Vader thinks “a....homing beacon?”

Movie looks great in HD

4th Moon of Yavin....55MPH please

XWING!!!! WOOT!!!

wow.....these are the plans?? they built the deathstar....according to these plans??

Snub Fighter?? you mean the Incom T65 Xwing? the super awesomist star fighter ever?

Bullseye womp rats?? did the womprats have the fire power of half the imperial fleet? No? then shut up!

ewwwwwww kiss number 2

Biggs!!! liked the cut scene at tosche station btw

why does a guy in a basket have a spear?

the sound of sfoils being locked is also the sound of a galactic can of woop ass being opened.

they had to grease porkins to get him in the fighter.

scanners in this universe suck!

ever notice that the guy that is all calm is not gold leader...he’s gold 5

you go red leader

the lag made red leader miss

god this movie rox

Yeah Wedge....you worry about those fighters and let mister womp rats worry about the exhaust port.

Sure....now R2 is your bestest friend in the whole world

Biggs is off the lifeday card list.

Do what he say...do what he say

Han AND the Falcon....Achievement unlock!!

Runaway!!!

I wonder who was flying the surviving Ywing?

Dont act like you care now luke...go back to laughing and joking around while 3po cries streams of oil.

I was wondered if someone watching this ceremony is thinking “gee Ive been in the rebellion 10 year, these guys 6 hours....and I aint ever gotten the big medal”

CLAP CLAP CLAP WHISTLE SHOUT CREDITS

Luminous beings are we.....

As stated before...I am, since 1977, a huge colossal star wars geek/fanboy/nerd, however I am sorry to say that the movies that shall not be mentioned did take some of the fuel from the fire.

At the end of October I picked up “Star Wars Force Unleashed II”, Though as stated in a earlier post, I did have some issues with the game play and the shortness of the game, the story was truly pickled in 100% pure Awesome. From the beginning scene training with Vader to the appearance of Slave I at the end, it was worth every penny I had spent on it. I had paid more for a movie and hadn't been so well entertained.

I also noted that the game did have the added effect of rekindling my Fantonic flames. I soon found myself in possession on the blurays of the true films and watching within the confines of a single weekend.

I find myself leafing through my collection of Star Wars Art books.... One was given to me as a gift on my 18th Birthday by a friend and the others predate that... that hadnt been opened in a very very long time.

I want to play more Star Wars games, Im sad they haven't updated “Xwing” for the 21st century world.... and I am counting the days until the “Old Republic” release.

My kids help to, Kevin and I play Lego Star Wars III on the ps3 and My youngest Owen, actually asked me tonight to finish Unleashed, he liked to sit and watch, like he was watching a movie.

Its like me and a old friend who had a falling out have made up, I can’t wait to see what trouble we get into in the future.

Growing up a Geek

A lot of times I look around these days and think " Its easier being a Geek these days" as I watch the crowds of Goth geeks, Anime Geeks Game Cube Geeks and _______ the card game geeks run around in their little clicks. I don't think things were really that easy for us folk in the Olde Tyme days, Geek wasn't really excepted.

I started high school in 1979, and I was already a geek I didn't belong to any click and due to people moving away and my parents divorce, I think the only people I Talked to were at school. I had one "close friend" ( a geek also) but he being a couple years older and trying to deal with the trials of high school we weren't as close as we had once been.

Geekiness was to be hidden in those days, the last thing you wanted was for the Kids on the bus to find out that you played dungeons and dragons, the verbal assault alone would put a 1000 bomber raid to shame. I loved Star Wars, I made blasters at home, I drew Tie fighters and dreamed of X-wings, but this was something I kept to myself. Out of fear, I dreaded the day when my secret would come out. My first two years of school were tough, but eventually I found a sort of geek underground and two groups of friends.

The first was in the most unlikely of guises, a group of heavy metal, pot smoking beer drinking fantastic people who lived in my old neighborhood. These guys were great, we spent many a day playing D&D in their parents basement followed by watching " Centerfold" on MTV. They did make fun of me because I usually brought a six pack of Hawaiian punch to the "parties" ( still don't drink ) but they were great people.

The second group of people weren't necessarily geeks, but were the geeks age old allies, the nerds. They were the Honor students and computer nerds, basically our little group became everyone who didn't belong, theatre people, library aides the works. I wish I could let you see these people back them, One girl was a Cheerleader who loved Lord of the Rings, Two of the guys were so smart, they went on to be some of the early pioneers of computer gaming. We would do everything together, Two of them were brother and sister and there TV room became our sanctuary, their parents were, and are, held very close to my heart.

There was usually a lot of Geeky drama with in the group, I think at one point every male in the group had asked one particular female out and she had refused them all, Vans were "borrowed" with out permission and boyfriends disapproved of, but that all added to the color of this extended family.

It was through the second group that I came into contact with the Female of the species in a social atmosphere for the first time. In my geeky life I had not been exposed to them. I would eventually begin the dating thing but my first "Girlfriend" was actually someone I meet playing D&D at a local game store ( and I was a senior at the time).

Things were not always sunshine and fresh air, I can still see the Jocks plinking the ears of one fellow on the bus, and the verbal assault was brutal. The insults we suffered in computer class, Dailey, from two football players I sure has put some bricks in my wall ( One of them latter broke his neck in a game and was confined to a wheel chair). I was somewhat taller and broader then most of my friends so I think I was spared the worst but the old saying "Kids can be cruel" is so very true.

A old dead guy once said " what does not kill you makes you stronger" and I think he was right. I still don't like to admit to my Geeky hobbies ( except through the curtain of the internet ) I guess I still may fear those demons of the Jocks but I look around these days and I like to think that it is easier being a Geek in todays world, more birds of a feather sort of speaking. I look back at things back then, we survived, and in fact looking back at those times over 20 years on, when I think of them, I smile.

Vacationing in the Post Apocalypse

(Actually a old post from my Star Wars.com blog)

Sure you can be all doom and gloom about things, " The end is here!!!" " Father why have you forsaken us!" but I prefer to be a glass half full kinda guy when the Apocalypse comes. First off, lots of space, what with all the death and all I imagine property values will drop through the floor. Leather clad, crossbow wielding, Mohawk having Survivors will be able to have the finest homes. Think of it, you drive your "Last of the v-8 interceptor" up to your spacious skull cover mansion to be greeted by your hockey mask wearing wife...bliss. Second, and this sorta ties in to the first, No Traffic, you may have to weave in and out of the abandoned cars but besides the evil motorcycle gangs and megalomaniac wasteland lords, you should have the road to yourself. Third... Purpose, that's right, you know what you need to do, Find a ancient can of spam, loot that last drop of petrol or save the wild hair orphan children, you know what you needs to be accomplished. Fourth...Hopefully Paris Hilton won't make it....imagine... a world without Paris Hilton. Fifth...Making friends, that's right, you can look forward to participating in a bizarre ritual in order to befriend the poor farming community. Don't worry about your friends finding out, chances are they'll be wiped out in a few days by one of the nameless dangers of the PAW ( Post apocalyptic world...TM Clockwork Jalopy Inc). Sixth... If you're a guy, There are apparently a lot of scantly clad women in the PAW. They are all over the place. They are driving tanks, Riding motorcycles, Running towns and heading Gangs-O-Death so that's pretty cool. You have to be careful because apparently the Apocalypse has made them all mean, but they are there. Seventh... Meeting Quirky friends, sure you have you friends now a days, but they all look the same don't they? Don't they look just like the friends over there (points) and over there (points again). In the PAW you'll get to befriend the Nutty inventor guy, the cute little beast Boy or the half dissolved mutant with a heart of gold...think of the times you'll have. Imagine you a Mr Fibbs, the 6 foot mutant penguin, huddled around the wasteland campfire telling amusing limericks until dawn...Oh the times you'll have. Eighth... Super cool mutations, sure there is cancer and slow lingering death, but maybe, just maybe, you'll get yourself a Super Cool Mutation ( SCM ). You could be the desert wandering warrior who can breath underwater or the defender of Happy town that can dissolve into a puddle at will...Think of it!!! Keep in mind SCM's will sort of define you, every corrugated town you wonder into will want to see you shoot beams out your eyes or #### fire. Ninth... You don't have to dress up to go out. Old leather jacket set of beaten up shoulder pads and torn jeans and your set for most occasions. Gone is all that peer pressure as you can finally blossom into your own Grime covered fashion plate. You want to wear sequence boots, you wear sequence boots. Tenth... Thunder Dome...Two men enter, one man leaves...enough said.

A open Letter to the 21st Century....

Dear 21st Century,

Hey Hows it going? Hows your Mom? Hey I just wanted to drop you a quick “letter” ( check wikipedia) in regards to a few things....

1. If I am asked not to use or look at my Smart phone for X period of time I do not think the chronosphere will grind to a halt....in fact, I do not own a smart phone.... now I know those words used in that order mean nothing to you however... I don’t not use “Apps”, I do not name my phone and if I turn my phone sideways....it is just a sideways phone.

1. I do not Text nor do I tweet, to be honest I have replied “Yes” or “No” a few times...but it took me forever to put in on my stone number pad

1. I may not check my emails every 5 minutes....you may have to wait for a day or two for a answer.... I know, just breath.... I have not been abducted by a cult or the like. and if it is really really that important... I have had the same phone number for over 20 years...and I have a ancient relic called a answering machine (+3/+5 against surveys).

1. While we are on the subject.... stop asking me for my Cell phone #. I prefer you call my house. Our phones there are....again, use wikipedia....attached to the wall by wires yet still manage to work. If the world is coming to a end...by all means call my cell phone.

Hope there is no love lost 21st Century, just wanted to level set.

Is Ben Stein right?

Ben Stein.... yes the Guy from Farris Bueller.... was on some morning program today playing in the Cafeteria at work (When you work for “Cable Town” they have tv’s everywhere) and he began talking about how unemployed americans think they are to good for lower paying jobs.

I was sort of in this boat, lost a well paying job, then was unemployed for...basically...ever then took a big ol bite of humble pie and took a lower paying job. It could be much much worse and I truly thank the lord every day for what we have, but it is a lot lower on the ladder.

Is Ben right, are the majority of unemployed Americans simply thumbing their noses at what job opportunities there are out there.... Maybe.

But there is .... in a clockwork opinion .... a tails to this heads, could it be that we expected more jobs in the fields we left to open up eventually. I never thought that finding work would be as hard as it was... I should have started looking as soon as I was let go instead of taking time off but that is water under the bridge. The fact of the matter is I never truly expected the economy to go this wrong for this long.

Businesses do not hire people who are not employed... or more correctly, you are more likely to find work if you are employed then if you are unemployed. I didnt know that then but know it now. I have learned the hard way that the Economy truly truly sucks...for some people.

Is life fair...rarely... did I expect it to be, no, but you know what...It could be worse. I have 2 Children and a great wife that just thinking of make me smile, fantastic friends and .... for better or worse... a job. If I have any words of wisdom for my Brothers in the trenches... its take what you can get, its easier to climb the ladder when your at least standing on it.... even if its the bottom wrung.

Star Wars: The Force unleashed

Ok....So I am slow.... almost short bus slow... almost. I recently picked up “Star Wars: Force Unleashed 2”, not the newest game out there but it was cheap on the used rack and well... as Kyle says “It Had Star Wars on it” so I picked it up.

Now over the last few days I have plowed into it, handicapped as I am by this strange button laden, two stick having uber controller that the kids use now a days and I am loving the story. I absolutely love the Character of Starkiller and some of the stuff you can do is amazing and for a Fanboy... down right giggle inducing.

The game does have its week moments... This General Kota the Jedi guy...ok, was he absent allot from Jedi School?? Cuz, Starkiller is a clone and he’s like...hacking his way through the galaxy and ol Kota keeps getting pinned down with a million rebels with him.

The other thing that burns my buns is the shear frequency of the “Super Mario” Moments, those hoppy jumpy times that are designed specifically to through the aged into fits. There is one time, when you return to Kamino that I actually said “If there is a giant ape at the top of this fiasco I’m killing lucas”.

But all and all The game really has got me and sparked the embers of the fanboy within. If you are a Star Wars fan give it a look.

Addendum to the Best Adventure ever….

I almost forgot one of Monday’s highlights in the heady times after the great quake, for that I apologize oh gentle reader and I shall attempt to make things right.

As we were stuck in “mystical” Grid lock on 495 (couldn’t have been more then a mile or two past the 95 split) I notice Assly Mcspeedsalot on his crotch rocket 9000 weaving in and out of cars. He was not to be held to our concept of lanes and traffic patterns, or even laws for that matter for he was a DC Mcspeedsalot.

I went back to my business of barely moving in traffic when, out of the corner of my eye, I notice Assly slam into the back of a monster pickup truck that had to slam on his brakes because someone cut in front of him. As I watched, Assly (just Assly, not his bike, arms Akimbo) must have flown 10 feet straight up, certainly he went up higher then the cab of the truck. I said “Oh my God!” maybe a little to alarmed as Kevin ask to know what was going on, I explained that I had just seen a Motorcycle crash into the back of a Truck and hoped the guy was OK.

As we ever so slowly pulled past, there was Assly and the driver of the truck picking the Motorcycle up and moving it out of the street and he seemed fine. I thought that the Truck driver deserved some Props for helping.

And I thought that would be the high point of my Trip.

The Best Adventure ever....

Early Monday morning, as the late summer sun peeked over the forested Delaware horizon, My trusty adventuring companion (and eldest son Kevin.... my Philippe Cousteau) loaded up our Honda adventuremobile and headed to the environs of our Nations Capitol. Little did we know at the time, that the unforgiving gods of Adventure had some shenanigans planned for us.

First, the great mystery of 495, the beltway triangle. After making fantastic time, we hit traffic about 10 miles north of the 95/495 split. We did about 5 mph for ever, even when we got on the belt way...then.... for no apparent reason... traffic vanished. We werent by a exit, there was no accident, it just went from fender to fender, barely moving to 55mph in 10 feet...WTF!

Notes for foreigners in regards to 495.... Turn indicators are only used during the holiday season to add to the festive atmosphere. The guy in the Audi IS more important then you and IS allowed to drive like a full fledge Jackwagon and there is no reason why the guy is doing 45 mph.... he just is and you should deal with it because he is about to drop down to 25mph in the middle lane of a major interstate because his god demands it.

Note to the Government of whomever....That toll road to Dulles, loved it, as I was the only one on it...but....Coin baskets??? I spent a hour try to explain them to my son and frankly I expected to see Sonny’s bullet riddle car parked by the toll booth to 28.

Our first stop was the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy center, in one word, Incredible. The layout, the Facility, the exhibits themselves are all fantastic. I was let down that I wasnt able to jump the rail and sit in the Sparrowhawk and play for hours, but I’ll look past that. They have that darn german Dornier with the propeller in the front and back, I built a model of that as a kid and fell back in love with it this Monday. All the rare German planes were fantastic. In the refurbishing area I think they are going to start working on a Helldiver and what could be a Japanese fighter. The P-40.... A plane I have been liking since the flying tigers special on the Military channel...is totally lathered in pure unrefined cool. There was a huge plus for us...a Mcdonalds... it made Kevin a happy camper. I could have spent all day there but we had a train to catch...literally.

We headed to 66 then to the Vienna Metro station, you know, if your nice to those guards, they are nice right back to you, as he advised us since we were going to make multiple transfers we should get passes and even hit the buttons for us...and they worked great as we headed boldly and without fear, towards the National Zoo.

The National Zoo is certainly unencumbered by such things such as animals, As noted by my son, most of the exhibits seemed to be empty. We did see the Panda’s, Guerillas, a single elephant a single lion and a single Tiger. The small mammal house had some cool critters and the reptile house was appropriately creepy but all and all not the best zoo my son has visited. I did note the the natural flow of the zoo seemed to take you to the bottom of a hill then said “thats it....have fun climbing back up the hill to go home” as sort of a bad joke.

Note: I will say that Connecticut Ave was kind of cool.

After the zoo we headed back to Vienna and searched for a Hotel, we soon pulled into the Fairfax Econo-lodge which wasnt to bad....providing you don’t like to take showers, as it seems when they refinished the bathroom they neglected to put in any device to activate the shower head. Our dinner was a disappointment (outback) and we were both asleep by 9:00 PM.

Tuesday

Early morning, we headed back to the Metro station....

Note for non-metroids: You can’t use passes until after 9:30, so if you want to get into the city early buy a one way card as well.

.... And headed into our favorite Station, Smithsonian. It was early but luckly the Castle opens at 8:30. We went in and viewed some small exhibits, Kevin got a great picture of Franco Harris’s Helmet and we went to grab a bite at the little cafe they have and can I say we had the best doughnut in the world, that thing was fricking god like, the smithsonian should have a Museum of Doughnuts with that one as the cornerstone exhibit, Im not joking...that was a great doughnut.

(Once again I will say, if you treat the guards and police politely, they are really nice guys, Kevin wanted to know what one of the buildings was so we politely asked a guard out front and he was very nice “Its the department of Justice, also called the Robert F. Kennedy building”)

The Spy Museum was our first real stop, a Totally awesome place. Kevin is to young to do the one Spy experience thing they have so I have never seen that but would love to go back and give it a try. We had been before but it was wall to wall people it was perfect today and everything Kevin wanted to do, he could.

After the Spy museum we headed to the Smithsonian American History Museum. A great place with a great Military exhibit, though I will say I am shocked by how brief the WWI section is... but hey, most people think numbered world wars began at 2. Kevin really didnt enjoy this museum as much as he had the last time we were there but was a good sport. We decided to head over to the Air and Space Museum so we headed out the front doors to the mall.....thats when the Earthquake hit.

The Earthquake...(BTW Great weather for it)

We had just crossed the street to the mall proper and were crossing under the trees, there was a smash of glass and Kevin said “Dad that lamp just broke” I turned to see one of the Brown lamps that line the mall swaying back and forth with part of its glass dome broken on the ground. I remember thinking “What the _____! is this the haunted lamp post of DC?” as we hadn't noticed anything else and we started across the mall.

We began to notice that all the people from the Smithsonians were beginning to assemble on the mall but didnt make any connection, I got a voice message but couldn't get anything but a busy signal, the woman on a bench by us with her kids had Verizon and she couldn't get anything either. Then somebody who was on the interwebs with there smart phone said, we had a earthquake.... as soon as he said that sirens began to be heard in all directions, Fire trucks and police cars were actually passing each other going in opposite directions.

All of the Museums had been emptied onto the mall by now and there was a mass of people. A helicopter was circling down by the washington monument at one point very close to the ground. We could see lots of emergency lights up by the capitol and sat down in the shade in front of the Air Space Museums.

We had some chats with some other tourists, including a family from Germany as we waited. Kevin seemed a little worried but we talked and he was soon himself. We soon saw people heading into Air and space so we decided to head in and to our surprise, we were allowed in. I should have taken the worried guy in a tool belt looking up at the planes hanging from the ceiling as a sign but we covered the WWI, and Aircraft carrier exhibits and headed around to finish the 2nd floor, as we did a guard said “2nd floor is closed...everyone goes to the first floor” so we obeyed and went to the escalator, as we descended the intercom blared “The Museum is closed...please exit the Museum”.

We asked a guard if they were going to be reopening today and he said no so Kevin and I decided to start our way home....or as it shall be called... “The Exodus”

The Exodus

We walked down towards the Smithsonian Station but it was Closed, or was supposed to be but people were forcing their way down the up escalator. So Kevin and I politely asked a park Ranger where we should go....these people must not deal with respectful people to often in the day because once more a expression of disgust turned into a helpful demeanor as she not only explained that we should “head up the orange line out of the City Center”, she gave us a map to help us.

We didnt have to go to far as we soon reached Federal Triangle and it was open, though it looked like the lifeboat deck on the titanic as many of the buildings had sent people home early. Kevin and I made our way down and he suggested that we should wait a couple of trains to let the people clear out...so we did.

Note too the guy in the Boy Scouts of America hat: If you ever bump into a person like that again and dont say excuse me, I’ll shove that hat down your fricking throat, I dont mind you being a total ass, but dont do it in a BSA hat. ( it wasnt us but the nice old woman we were talking to)

The platform did clear off... that is until people up the track realized they had a better chance of getting on a train if they came down to our station. We were reminded every 5 minutes that the Orange line had been damaged and that was only operating with one track up by new Carrolton and that the trains were only going about 15mph.

After a patent wait we managed to get on a train, we had to stand but we were on one and with some Old Metro hands who filled us in on this and that. At every stop, dozens of people would literally just try to cram themselves in, in their defense more sardines did get in the can but they just pushed people around. on guy got on and it was like he was the only person in the world as he didnt just grab the bar that Kevin and I were holding, but laid his whole sweaty arm against....over Our ( and several other peoples) hands and just didnt care. Apparently one Driver actually had people clear her train because they werent listening to her about people forcing their way on.

We started our trip home at about 3:15 and got to our Truck on the roof of the Vienna Parking garage at about 6:30. Our trip home down 66 to 495N then to 95N was surprisingly traffic free and we got home about 9:00PM

All and all it was a fun, eventful and exciting 2 days....what the heck am I supposed to do to top it?