Brainwaves of Sken

Many of my friends will, no doubt, be at the Penny Arcade Expo. 30,000 of them, in fact.

Keynote speaker will be Wil Wheaton.

“I can also finaly announce this year’s headlining band The Minibosses. They’ll be joining The OneUps, MC Frontalot, Jonathan Coulton, Freezepop, The Neskimos and Optimus Rhyme. You can get info and listen to tracks from all this year’s artists on the PAX site.

PAX 2007 is really shaping up to be a show you don’t want to miss. We’ve got a massive new venue, a projected attendance of 30,000 people, more than fifty exhibiting companies, and the greatest line up of geek music ever assembled under one roof. Plus everything else you expect from PAX like Console free play, arcade machines, a huge Lan Party, panels with industry pros, the Omegathon and a ton of other shit I can’t think of right now. There’s just no other way to say it, this show is going to be fucking nuts.”

Man.

Only one thing (besides the cost of travel) gives me pause: I hear much of the “DS action” at PAX – will I be much like a man blindfolded, staring at the floor while a sea of gamers struggle in combat I know nothing of? A GBA, I think you will agree, is just not the same.

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Rock singer Neil Young, in a song referencing the event, sings, “History is a cruel judge of overconfidence.”

When Bush spoke, the U.S. had 150,000 troops in Iraq; the number now stands at 160,000 or more. American casualties at the time were 139 killed and 542 wounded. A year ago they stood at 2,400 killed and now it’s 3,350 dead.

With that in mind, here are excerpts revealing how one newspaper, The New York Times, covered the event and aftermath four years ago. They include this nugget: “The Bush administration is planning to withdraw most United States combat forces from Iraq over the next several months and wants to shrink the American military presence to less than two divisions by the fall, senior allied officials said today.”

– Editor & Publisher (I love this paper, just like I love On The Media on public radio)

Loyalty Day or M.A. Day?

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Hi kids!

I have Jeska to thank for hosting me in her fair city. I had a five-day weekend wherein I flew to San Francisco, saw what there was to see, ate what there was to eat, and met up with old and new friends. We walked, drove, bussed, and were taxi’d (not on the melted freeway). There was talking, laughing, basking in the sun, sea lions, arcades, bars and pirates. I met people so interesting, you might hazard to call them “psycho”. I’d show off my pictures, but I’m afraid I’ve mislocated my xD USB dongle thinger (maybe I left it? hm).

SF Video, on the other hand, will have to wait until I have a few moments to edit. :)

Work has resumed with a bang – I’m to go out to GM’s Milford proving grounds to get an interview re: their hybrid program this afternoon, and most of my bosses all the way up the chain will be there. Here’s hoping I maintain their good graces, neh?

I haven’t seen my girl in a week, and won’t see her for another – LAME! Clearly, someone must pay for this scheduling travesty; I must talk with her professors.

I was wickedly delighted at the size of my bank account… until I remembered that I’ve a massive check to write for my business expenses. It’s so weird, how they do it, but hey, tax-free, so whatever. I sure as hell wouldn’t stay (alone) in a $350-a-night hotel in Times Square otherwise.

I want to write up my experiences in San Fran, and I also want to work on any of a number of videos, and I also want to hang out with some of the fine folk I haven’t seen in a long time. Alas, I can’t do it all simultaneously. … not yet, anyway.

Thanks to pathwalker, peculiaire and hmrpita for getting together with myself and jupiters_angel, and I hope ariock and Stephanie are feeling better – food poisoning suxx0rs. Next time I go out, they’re on my “must see” list, along with ranger_d and mactavish and skyfire1228.

Yes, it’s almost creepy how many Michigan people now live a stone’s throw from SF.

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Jonathan Coulton’s First of May (thanks mactavish!)

I’d love to hear this song during beltane festivities this year. ;)

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In a couple of hours I’ll meet up with Ms Pita for breakfast and then be on my way to the airport. I didn’t get to meet all of the Michigan expats or all the beekeepers, but if that was my plan, I’d be here all month.

I took pictures aplenty, and even *gasp!* video, so you fine folk will hear all about it when I return.

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It is ridiculously exciting. :D

If you’re in the area, please give me a call (or drop me an email, I’m sure I’ll check it) – 248-797-7581. I’m supposed to meet up with Joy and Jeff (along with Jeska) for dinner on Friday, but we haven’t made our plans for the rest of the weekend yet.

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trase: so while you were gone
trase: someone came into the room and was trying to get into Frank’s laptop
trase: just cuz the music had stopped etc
trase: it was
trase: Bruce Schnier
trase: :D
trase: it was crazy!
trase: like here’s THE MAN in terms of security
trase: Schneier
me: That’s awesome.
trase: so yeah
trase: we didn’t say anything but it was like WHOA
trase: LOL

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Hi there, folks –

I need a ride to Metro on Thursday of this week – I live relatively near, and should probably be there by 5:30 or 6 for my 7:30pm flight.

Can anyone help? This isn’t a work flight, so I don’t want to leave my car in an expensive lot. I’d be happy to take you to lunch – I have Thursday off right now, so I’m pretty flexible.

Also, I arrive back at Metro next Monday at about 8:20pm. Same thing – I’d be happy to treat you to dinner if you’d drop me off at home!

*much gratitude in advance*

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