Darth Drabek

Yeah, it smoothed things over with Vandal the blood dealer pretty well. Although I am wondering about the alternate ways to pass that situation. I screwed up the whole "thin blood" quest on my first playthrough, then used dementation on Vandal as a Malk and now dominate as a Vantrue. However, there was a persuade option that led to Vandal asking me to tell a gruesome story about the worst way I'd "violenced up somebody," and he'd let me buy blood again. My only dialogue option at that point was "I'm no killer." I wonder if that was because of high humanity, and I wonder what you could say to satisfy him.

Amen to that. I'm listening to The Who. Specifically, "The Seeker." Because I won't get to get what I'm after, 'til the day I die.

Oh man, I started a new game as a Ventrue. I know, I know, kiss-ass Cammy tool, right? Wrong! Dominate in dialogue is devious. For example, instead of convincing Chunk to open the Gallery Noir, I just make him do it. Then (and here's the kicker), I tell him to go somewhere... and dance. Next time I see our favorite security guard, he's flailing his limbs at the Asylum.

Once again, you guys go nuts while I'm away. Ummm.... "Black Cadillacs" and "Bukowski" were my favorites off that Modest Mouse record. Sometimes I think Modest Mouse is ripping off Tom Waits. And Pitchfork sucks harder than the 1,000 Shop Vacs sucking in unison. Bunch of no-talent hacks and rampant elitism. I must be slacking, because I haven't heard anything by this "Gnarls Barkley" collective, although I must admit the name is fantastic. I do know that the Twilight Singers have been covering "Crazy," which I believe is the hit, at their live shows. Also, is that AC album similar musically to their other work, because it seems the lyrics have taken quite the departure. And speak of the devil, Tom Waits - Singapore

Mojo Nixon with Jello Biafra - Are You Drinkin' With Me, Jesus? i know you can walk on the water but can you walk on this much beer? Genius.

I liked Bertram's ghoul, whatzizname. Also, Fat Larry was a great character. Nines' populist rhetoric was spot-on, and I also enjoyed Mercurio - maybe because his look is clearly inspired by Mike Patton. Oh and number one just might be GARY, boss.

Neil Young - The Needle and the Damage Done

I think people just have low expectations for the storylines in shooters, and high expectations for RPGs from veteran devs. It's a heritage that goes all the way back to Wolfenstein 3D and Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold, continued through the various Quake and Unreal games that everybody just bought for the multiplayer anyway. Although I suppose the Half-Life games have tried to change the way a story can work in a shooter. Anyway, I'm playing Bloodlines again. That is, when I'm not playing Shenmue 2 or DOA2 Ultimate for the Xbox. Yes, I've been gaming a lot lately.

PB&J with creamy peanut butter and orange marmalade (i love the stuff, everyone else seems to hate it)

Oasis - Whatever

I've got the official patch, but for whatever reason that quest got screwed. And I was not about to slink around her apartment again while her boytoy chills on the couch.

My favorite "civilian fight" was between the two philosophers in Trademeet (BG2). "I hope you know I'm only being proven right, here."

If it's worth it, ya gotta protect it. I just bought an $80 cushioned, hardshell case for my late-1960s Gibson acoustic. I know I'll be moving again soon and that baby is worth thousands and only gonna appreciate, so I figure the expense is worth it to ensure its safety.

The Streets - It's Too Late It's about a guy who was always late, and it came back to bite him. There's a moral here! Last verse: I said meet me at the gates Leave now don't be late I waited for a while listening to her voicemail, mind set sail Then the facts turned me pale, wind rain and hail My fears unveiled, for my fair female She'd walked away, too little too late I step up the pace, walk past the gates, rain runs over my face Spirit falls from grace I purchase a hazy escape at the alcohol place in the chase Sat down I got a fat frown Weeping and drowning my senses For this love game's expensive I walk in a trance Got a wounded soldier stance The everyday geezers stares throw me off balance Now nothing holds significance And nothing holds relavance 'Cause the only thing I can see is her elegance

For whatever reason, when I (finally) successfully installed all the web cams, saw that edition of the paper and even got the congratulatory e-mail from Imalia, that ungrateful woman failed me on the quest. It's probably just another bug, but after basically building a stealth character to complete those specific missions, I was pretty torqued about not passing the quest.

I liked the Tiatmat song from Ash Rivers' bar the most - the others not so much. I wish there was more reason to spent time in that club, as I heard "Isolated" so much coming and going from visiting the sisters that I got sick of it. The song at the Last Round was fitting for the Anarch HQ. They were all very fitting, just not all my cup o' tea. And yes, talking about the game has caused me to start playing again as well.

Yeah, the only one of his I know is Original Pirate Material. It's pretty boss, boss. Took awhile to get used to the whole "British rapper" thing, but once I did I really started to like it. Especially the enunciation. The Replacements - Answering Machine

The Streets - Turn the Page The sea of black, the beaming heat on their faces Then a figure emerges from the wastes Eyes transfixed with a piercing gaze One hand clutching a sword raised to the sky They wonder how, they wonder why The sky turns white it all becomes clear They felt lifted from their fears They shed tears in the light After six dark years Young bold soldiers, the fire burns Cracks and smoulders

PJ Harvey w/ Thom Yorke - This Mess We're In

Wow..... to Iron Maiden? Just... wow. Teenage Fanclub - Dumb Dumb Dumb

Maybe she wanted to talk about music. We do that here, occasionally. For instance, the Police. Did you know Stewart Copeland, who played drums for the Police, also had a side project with Trey Anastasio from Phish and Les Claypool of Primus. It was called Oysterhead, and I wouldn't recommend checking it out unless you're a dirty hippie or a member of Colonel Claypool's Frog Brigade or whatever he's calling it these days. That probably belonged in the useless information thread.

Every time I hear the Doors I think of a very awkward moment in my life, in which I was a naive college freshman looking to see a good rock show. My friend and I went to a bar known as "The Smiling Skull" to see a band that invoked the Doors at their best and worst. As neither of us had fake IDs, we were the only fellows in the bar not drinking - and our lack of tattoos and leather apparel only served to widen the gap between us and the rest of the bar's clientele. The Offspring - Self Esteem Ah, the sheer pathos of it!

But does that really counter all the extra fat in it? Eh, I wouldn't drink the stuff anyway. Too thick for my taste. I always feel like I'm drinking paint. Jackie's Chan's "Police Story" had an awesome stunt/action/fight sequence in a multi-leveled shopping mall. BTW that is pretty funny, taks. Reminds me of Bob Uecker in the Major League movies.

How do you figure? Hmmm... Billy Joe Armstrong was asked to be the second guitarist in Rancid, but he declined because he wanted to try to make it big with his own band (Green Day). Mohawk champion of the world Lars Frederiksen was hired as the second choice.

Andy Van Slyke, former centerfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, led the National League with 45 doubles in the 1992 season.