[Video Game Catch-All Thread]

I've played about 15 minutes of that MLB Power Pros game for the Wii, it's awesome. The hitting system is similar to the hitting system used in Ken Griffey Jr's Slugfest. The pitching is similar, too -- you can move the pitch's location all throughout the windup and a little bit after it. I've only played the exhibition mode, but fingering through the instruction booklet, the game looks incredibly deep, too. I saw there's free agency, trades, AAA call-ups/demotions and even a June draft. The Sox roster includes guys like Nick Masset, Ryan Sweeney, Boone Logan and THE Gustavo Molina.

 

Very fun game, best $40 I've spent in a while.

 

Success mode is a blast. I spent 6 hrs playing it over and over again.

[Video Game Catch-All Thread]

Is that different than The Bigs???

 

Yeah. It has been a Japenese series for 14 years (I think), and this is the first year they used MLB players. It plays a lot like the 8/16bit games (and looks like it too). It looks goofy, but it really is a lot of fun. You can get it for 29.99 for the PS2.

 

 

 

Here is the link to the gamespot page: http://www.gamespot.com/wii/sports/jikkyou...=result;title;0

[Video Game Catch-All Thread]

I just bought MLB Power Pros for the Wii, and I am absolutely loving it. It reminds me of the good ol' days of RBI, Baseball Stars, Griffey, etc. The game is actually pretty deep too (10 season franchise, create a franchise, star mode, etc.). It even has some neat RPG elements. If you are the type who loves the old 16/8bit nintendo games, I recommend checking it out. Just turn of the commentary...it's terrible.

[Video Game Catch-All Thread]

If I wasn't excited enough for this game, the demo put me over the edge.

 

 

Completely agree. I have it reserved at Gamestop now. Sucks I start school on the 21st though.

[Video Game Catch-All Thread]

For those interested, the BioShock demo is on xbox live now.

[College Move In...]

I just moved to Ithaca, NY for law school (Cornell). It's my first time away from Chicagoland, and as bad as this season has been I miss being able to sit back with a beer and watch the sox. I can't really afford the Extra Innings package, does anyone know any cheap alternatives?

 

[Stocks and investing thread]

I think you are making a direct financial relationship that does not exist. Even if the dollar has lost 50% of its value (which seems high) on an FX basis, that is not the same as saying the value of the dollar to the average American is cut in half. Inflation even when compounded since 99 has been very, very low. Yes, the lowered value of the dollar because of poor fiscal policy is a serious problem. No, the DJIA is not the equivalent of 6500.

 

 

I tried to value the dow relative to gold (price per once). More than likely, I made a mistake. But here are two articles I found interesting: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...amp;refer=japan

 

http://www.dailyfx.com/story/special_repor...keyword=article

[Stocks and investing thread]

When does any kind of good news ever get enough press? The media focuses on the bad, because that's what sells.

 

It could be that the economy is not as strong as it appears. If the dollar had the same value it had from 95-00 then yes this would be an economic milestone. However, the dollar has lost 50% of its value during Bush's Presidency so in reality the DOW closed at 6,500 in 99 dollars. Not impressive at all, don't buy the hype.

[THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 22ND (The fight!)]

All I remember from the fight was Mags trying to kick someone, and Robert Fick cheap shotting someone and then flipping off the crowd.

[Tiger Fan Killed in VT shooting]

I just read about Brian in Curtis Granderson's blog. A real shame. One things for sure though, Granderson's a class act. You can read his blog here (some good stuff about Granderson's buddies being sox fans) : http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?...anderson_curtis

[White Sox vs. Rangers, 4/17/07 (L)]

Now Thome needs to hit that guy with a bat before every AB...

[White Sox vs. Rangers, 4/17/07 (L)]

Erstad = designated bathroom break...

[The Sopranos]

Personally, I loved this episode. Knowing that somehow, in the next few episodes, this drama I've been glued to for years is going to end creates such an extreme amount of tension. I have never been on the edge of my seat watching the waves of a lake before.

 

Also, Edie Falco looked terrific. It's hard to believe she is nearly 44.

[PS3]

The rest are either coming to the PS3(SC, DR, GRAW), have far better franchise equivalents on other systems(Blue Dragon, FMS), need cheap ploys to help them sell(Crackdown), or will go on and become the worst game of all-time(I'm looking at you, Too Human).

 

But Mass Effect belongs in the OMFG GREATEZT GAME EVAR category. I hope it lives up to expectations.

 

You are probably right, but I am personally really excited about Fable 2...and Bioshock (PS3 or 360).

[PS3]

Gears of War...and that's it. But even that game is not developed by Microsoft, but rather Epic, who is bringing their own PS3 exclusive shooter due out this year.

 

As for the MGS4 thing, I don't believe it could go to any other system. The game is using every single bit of memory availble on the Blu-Ray disk, which means it would be impossible to port over to the 360. Kojima has stated this many times.

 

 

I own a PS3 and a 360 so I honestly do not have any long term preference over either, but saying that Halo 3 and Gears of War are the only 360 exclusives worth anything is crazy. Here is a list of games exclusive to the 360 that look/are pretty damn good (note some will be out on PC -- but my PC sucks):

 

Alan Wake

Fable 2

Mass Effect

Halo Wars

Lost Odyssey (From Final Fantasy composer and producer)

Blue Dragon (from Chrono Trigger team)

Dead Rising

G.R.A.W

Kane and Lynch

Crackdown

Shadowrun

Too Human

Splinter Cell 5

Halo 3

Gears of War

Project Gotham 4

Forza Motorsport 2

Conan: Hyborian Adventures

Viva Pinata (seriously, it's fun)

Banjo 3

Circle of Doom

 

Sony has lots of great games coming out also, they just need to come out soon because I'm getting bored of playing the same game over and over.

[Winter Meetings Thread]

In the perfect world, KW has drugged up Theo Epstein, Friedman, and Cashman.... White Sox pick up: Manny in Left for a Chicago Style Hotfdog and passes to the Sears tower, Crawford in Right for Javy, and A-Rod for SS for Prospect Sean Tracy.

 

A-Rod, Manny, and Crawford have all requested to be paid in Frank Thomas Sox Dollars to spend in the park.

 

Sorry, back to reality.

 

I'm pretty sure Levine just reported the same thing.

[Book Thread Part 2]

Last month I read Notes From Underground by Dostoevsky, The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, and Naked Pictures of Famous People by John Stewart (eclectic mix eh). While I enjoyed all three, I think I had the best time with O'Brien's book. I am currently reading a collection of Amy Hempel short stories and I am absolutely blown away. If you are a fan of Chuck Palahniuk, you MUST read Hempel (specifically At the Gates of the Animal Kingdom) . Chuck obviously did, and took notes.

 

 

I think I am going to read Timequake by Vonnegut (love Slaughterhouse-Five) next, anybody read it before?

[Wii]

FYI for those interested I bought a Wii last week and am absolutely loving it. Since I have had mine my mom and my grandma have each bought one off ebay. It's almost as fun watching people getting into the games as it is playing them. My girlfriend's mother nearly died playing tennis. Honestly, beyond people complaining about sore muscles everyone seems to really enjoy it.

["Kramer" loses it!!]

I've known two different guys with the name Mencia, and they were both 100% Mexican. This is due to the fact that I went to Gordon Tech, which is/was a good 80% hispanic.

 

So yeah, I was being presumptuous to a certain degree. I'd like to think that I have an ear for Mexican names, because those are my homeboys.

 

 

Maybe you do have an ear for Hispanic names, but Carlos Menica's real name is Ned Holness. Still sound Hispanic?

[Ted Haggard]

Yeah, if you guys all hate Haggard, you must really be harboring some awesome grudges against the poster child for lying and hypocracy, Bill Clinton right? I mean not only did he lie about his stuff for how long, but he got up on national TV and accused everyone else of lying, unlike Haggard who just had a congregation to lie to, and on top of it all he lied under oath about it. Wow, this guy must be super unpopular right now.

 

Wow. I mean....wow.

[No more online gambling?]

Yes, online gambling took a big hit today; but at least our ports are safe!

[Top 3 web gems in White Sox history]

Official list:

 

3. Uribe WS play

2. Iguchi's play

1. Tagging out 2 at home

 

The commentary on Iguchi's play was absolutely genius. Somehow, they managed to squeeze in two racist stereotypes in 10 seconds. Iguchi is Japanese and therefore a ninja, and his play, again remember that Iguchi is Japanese, is "Zen-like". Even better than just assuming that the average person could get his joke, whoever it was (the new guy) said "get it because he's Japanese." Ohhhh now I get it, LOL! ESPN......YES!

[Massive attack foiled in England]

Interesting thing I read was that the Brits became aware of this by doing much the same things that Bush is getting racked over the coals for, monitoring electronic communications and such. Don't have all the specifics but it seems to work. I wonder if this will put any egg on the face of the nay sayers. Mmmm, nah, probably not.

 

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." To some personal privacy is the quintessential liberty. Also, many "nay sayers" were more upset about the process than the concept.

[Films]

I saw The Sting last night (Newman, Redford classic) on AMC for the first time; what a great movie.

 

I've been unimpressed by the Spiderman movies.

 

I've been thinking about getting Netflix lately. What are some opinions or experiences on it? Blockbuster is a ripoff. Family Video isn't bad (2 movies, 5 nights, 1 buck), but I often find myself wandering around the store for up to an hour before I find something. My girlfriend and I are pretty picky when it comes to movies (luckily we have similar tastes), so I thought being able to browse through Netflix and choose that way would be good. Thoughts?

 

 

First, The Sting is so good it hurts. I love that movie. Proven mathematical formula: Newman + drunk (or at least fake drunk) + cards = Instant Classic. As for Netflix, I really love the site. As you rate movies, the site recommends movies based on your preferences. I actually just finished watching a Netflix recommendation called Downfall, it was absolutely fantastic. Personally, I don't really watch a whole lot of the new mainstream movies, but I have heard that people have problems getting the hot new releases from Netflix.

[White Sox scouting Chris Burke of the Astros?]

I like Burke a lot. He reminds me of a younger, right handed Mackowiak. Their numbers are very similar this year. Although Mackowiak has a slightly higher AVG (.309 Vs .296) and OBP (.396 Vs .374), Burke has more extra base hits (11 Vs 22) more RBIs (14 Vs 24) more SBs (2 Vs 6) and a higher OPS (.803 Vs .854). At 26, and only making $365,000 this year, I would love to see Burke in a Sox uniform. The only problem is that Burke sports a career .686 Zone Rating in CF which is scary when you consider that Mackowiak's is .809. But Burke has been serviceable at all of his other positions (2b, LF, RF). If Burke can be had reasonably, Kenny better get him.