Government Spying/Control Part 2

I have added to the right a clickable "badge".

From the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) page.

ABOUT EFF

"From the Internet to the iPod, technologies are transforming our society and empowering us as speakers, citizens, creators, and consumers. When our freedoms in the networked world come under attack, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is the first line of defense. EFF broke new ground when it was founded in 1990 — well before the Internet was on most people's radar — and continues to confront cutting-edge issues defending free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights today. From the beginning, EFF has championed the public interest in every critical battle affecting digital rights."

From my post
01 May 2008
Government Spying/Control

Since 9/11 our government, in its infinite wisdom, has felt the need to spy (secretly) on our populace. I'm all for LEGAL means of obtaining information but. when it comes to getting this through WARRANTLESS means, I have issues.

This is where the EFF can be of help, and not only in the the Bloggers' Rights arena.
NOTE: The title is a link to the first post. That in turn links to a Newsweek article. The "badge" links to EFF and the Bloggers' Rights page.

-More to come

Spore Pt. II

So, Spore has been released. Have I bought it yet? No. Why? I'm not made of money. Yes, I have money. Just not in the ammounts that allow me to buy the game at this moment. The version I'd like costs US $79.95. This is for what is known as the Galactic Edition.

The Spore Galactic Edition contains:

Spore Game DVD (PC/Mac compatible)
"The Making of Spore" DVD. An exclusive behind the scenes documentary on the making of Spore.
"How to Build a Better Being" DVD. A 50-minute evolution documentary by the National Geographic Channel featuring Will Wright and Spore.
"The Art of Spore." A 128 page hardback book featuring Spore artwork and stories from Maxis' artists.
Exclusive 100-page Galactic Handbook
Exclusive Spore poster
All in a collectable 'Spore Glyphics' hard plastic box

True, US$80 may not seem like a lot. For me it is. That same ammount gets me four fill-ups of gasoline (petrol for my UK readers). It's groceries for a couple of weeks. Frugal shoppers that Jen and I are, this is decent ammount of food.
It's quite a few things.

I could just get the regular edition of the game. US$49.95. Still a hefty ammount to spend.

Spore can wait. Spore: Galactic Edition can wait. Putting food in our stomachs and gasoline in our cars can't.

I'll keep you up to date on this all.

-More to come

Spore

With a little over seven (7) days to go until this game "drops" (releases) in the USA, I am posting to let my readers know of it.

This is a much delayed relsease from the man who brought us such other series as SimCity and The Sims. The latter being one of the, if not the best, selling games for the PC, Will Wright.

This game will allow the player to go from the Cell stage to outter space. Using your own Creature created with the Creature Creator -a stand-alone release. Or the Creator that ships with the full release. Then, the player can down load other Creatures from the Sporeopedia to populate the stages between the Cell stage and the Space stage. Thus allowing said player to populate their worlds.

This is said to be the ultimate god -lower case g intended- game.

Click the title to see the Spore web-page link for more.
Scroll to bottomofblog to see a couple more Spore related
items.

-More to come

Love Songs

Taking a que from Mr. Nighttime. Again :-)

These following songs, to me, evoke a sense of love.
They are played on radio. Not a lot. When they
are, it's usually when I am not listening, on a station
I normally don't listen to or just about to end.

These all have meaning for me in some way. They
evoke in me a more youthful time. A time when I
was alone in the world. I had my parents and brother, sure.
I didn't have Jen. I didn't have my sobriety.
I didn't really know what love was, except for shat I heard in these songs.

I start with what is one of my favorites.


Rush
TEARS
Music and Lyrics by Geddy Lee
(the only song in Rushes library written entirely by Lee)

All of the seasons and all of the days
All of the reasons why I've felt this way
So long...
So long

Then lost in that feeling I looked in your eyes
I noticed emotion and that you had cried
For me,
I can see

What would touch me deeper...
Tears that fall from eyes that only cry?
Would it touch you deeper
Than tears that fall from eyes that know why?

Nazareth
Star

Walkin' alone at night in the cold rain
Wond'rin if I will see you again
In some corner light
Runnin' down the road in the warm sun
Dreaming that I am still the one
Resting by your side

You took the road to fortune and fame
Your name in lights
I want you to know I still feel the same
Star, I still love you
I still love you

Remembering when you played me that first song
The first show that you asked me along
Just to be around
Workin' so hard till you got that first break
You said you could turn them around
Give them something new


Trooper
Oh, Pretty Lady

Pretty lady
Here I am
With my heart on my sleeve
Hat in my hand

You said you could help me
Help me now
Change my life
Please show me how

A face of clay
And yet so warm
I feel like I've weathered
Eternal storm


Kiss
Beth

Beth, I hear you callin
But I cant come home right now
Me and the boys are playin
And we just cant find the sound
Just a few more hours
And Ill be right home to you
I think I hear them callin
Oh, beth what can I do
Beth what can I do

The song Jen and I first danced to follows.
It has much meaning for us. I gave Jen a cassette tape (remember those?)
with this as the first song.

Journey
Faithfully

Highway run
Into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round
Youre on my mind
Restless hearts
Sleep alone tonight
Sendin all my love
Along the wire

They say that the road
Aint no place to start a family
Right down the line
Its been you and me
And lovin a music man
Aint always what its supposed to be
Oh girl you stand by me
Im forever yours...faithfully


Styx
Loreli

When I think of lorelei my head turns all around
As gentle as a butterfly she moves without a sound
I call her on the telephone, she says be there by eight
Tonights the night shes moving in and I can hardly wait

The way she moves, ooh-ooh-ooh
I gotta say
Lorelei lets live together
Brighter than the stars forever
Lorelei lets live together
Brighter than the stars forever

Thus endeth my post on Love Songs.

More to come

Full upper tooth extraction...

...HURTS. At least it does after the numbing agent -Lidocaine in this case- has worn off.

Today I had all my upper teeth pulled out in preperation for dentures. The uppers came out today. The lowers in January.

I took four Advil soon after the Lidocaine began to wear off two hours after I returned home. The prescrbed med. was taken at 5:00 EDT (-5 GMT) It helps.
Not as much as the Advil does though. Then again, the Advil is in a higher dose.
Not to mention a higher allowable dose.

Back to the pain part. I've delt with the extraction pain before. Many a year ago. After the extraction of all four wisdom teeth at one go. That, gentle reader, HURT LIKE A BITCH after the numbing agent, Novacaine in that case, wore off. Tylenol 3 prescribed for that. If that weren't a prescibed pain killer I'd use that for ALL my aches and pains. Dental and otherwise.

I don't deal with pain well. The meds are a welcome thing.

I am in bed recovering and will be here most of the rest of the day and a good portion of tomorrow (Tuesday)as well.

Wish me well.

-More to come