A quick note regarding VG vs. PG

Okay, this is just a short tip for vapers. The two types of fluid used in e-cigs are Propylene Glycol (PG, same stuff used in fog machines), and Vegetable Glycol (same as PG but with a vegetable base).

Now, here’s the thing. I got some VG juice from Johnson Creek — their flavors are great — and I began to have problems with harsh hits from my eGo-T (yeah, I got one, I’ll write a review later) and my 510-T.

It turns out this can happen with VG because VG is thicker than PG and you have to allow more time for the atomizer to “drink it in”. I replaced the VG in my e-cigs with PG-based Vanilla from Vaper’s Choice…and, lo and behold, the harsh throat hits stopped. I also started getting a lot more vapor per puff.

This may not be exactly what was causing the harsh hits, but, given that the PG worked, I’m inclined to believe it was a major factor. But I do not speak for all vapers — some prefer VG to PG. Search the Internet and draw your own conclusions. But do it before you blow $20 on a bottle of e-liquid that may end up being useless to you.

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Partial Transcript of Stephen Colbert’s “super-PAC” press conference

Okay, guys, I’m still looking around for a full transcript of this, but this is the best I can do for now. Anyway, these are a few highlights from Stephen Colbert’s press conference yesterday after the government green-lighted his “super-PAC”.

Excerpts follow…

———-

COLBERT: “One way to get a lot of cash is with a political action committee or PAC, a private group of like-minded citizens formed to promote a candidate or an issue. … Some maybe candidates out there, already have exposure because they’re on TV — like Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, and Sarah Palin, who are on Fox News. … I thought, why not me? So I decided to form ColbertPAC.”

COLBERT:  “[Our intent is]…to poke fun at lax campaign finance laws that treat corporations as people whose feelings will be hurt if they cannot express themselves freely, generally by donating large amounts of money to political candidates.”

COLBERT: “I hate my parent company! they never let me do anything. [Laughter] Everyone else’s parent company let them do it. Karl Rove is a paid employee of Fox News and he gets to talk about his SuperPAC American Crossroads all the time.”

COLBERT: (Responding to a question about what he would do with the money: “‘…I don’t know. Give it to me and let’s find out.’”

COLBERT: “I believe in the American Dream. And that dream is simple: That anyone, no matter who they are, if they are determined, if they are willing to work hard enough, someday they can grow up to create a legal entity which can then receive unlimited campaign funds which can be used to influence elections.

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Fix for Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings Launch Bug

I’ve noticed on a few gaming boards that several people are having problems starting up Witcher 2. They launch the game, see a wolf splash screen, then they’re either returned to the Launcher screen, or, if they launched with the .exe itself, the desktop.

The following GOG .exe file can help many of those with this problem. It can be downloaded here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2DT6N3XR

Happy gaming and good luck if you’re having problems getting Witcher 2 to launch — keep trying, it’s an awesome game.

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And now, a dirty penguin joke…

A penguin is driving across the country in his car when the engine overheats and he has to pull over into the nearest garage.

The mechanic greets him and says, “Well, it’s going to take me about an hour to diagnose the problem…”

The penguin replies, “Is there anything to do in this town for an hour?”

After a second, the mechanic replies, “Well, I don’t know if you like ice cream, but there’s an ice cream shop across the street…”

The penguin thanks him and heads off to the ice cream shop. He orders some vanilla ice cream, tries to eat it, but since he has no hands, he ends up with ice cream all over his beak. Just then he looks up at the clock and realizes it’s been over an hour. He rushes back to the garage.

The mechanic immediately says, “Well, looks like you blew a seal, buddy!”

The penguin replies, “No! No way! It’s just a little bit of ice cream! I swear!”

(okay allow a few seconds for the slower of you out there to get it…)

🙂

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inFamous 2 for the PS3: Review

The first inFamous dropped like a bomb on the Playstation 3 exclusive scene. It was probably the best exclusive Sony IP people had seen. I’m happy to report that, aside from a few minor grievances I have with the game, the sequel is very satisfying — provided you liked the original inFamous, because inFamous 2 is basically a clone of it.

Storywise, inFamous 2 occurs after the events of inFamous and the destruction of Empire City. Cole (you) and his buddy Zeke head down to a town down on the Gulf Coast named New Marais in search of “Blast Cores”, which will give Cole the extra powers he needs to defeat “The Beast”, a mysterious monster tearing a path of destruction down the whole Eastern Seaboard. If you missed the first inFamous, don’t worry, it’s pretty easy to figure things out. If you have played the first inFamous, and kept a save file, you’ll get a bonus — a chance to import some of your Karma and experience points from inFamous to inFamous 2.

It should be noted that while you are ostensibly in New Marais merely to acquire new powers, you start off with a lot of powers already. Which means the powers you are going to get are well beyond the powers that were in the first inFamous (though you’ll be regaining some of those, too — like my personal favorite, the “Precision” power, that slows time and allows you to zoom and target a very small area — perfect for headshots).

inFamous 2 continues using the Karma system implemented in the first inFamous. Bad actions lead you towards negative karma, good actions lead you toward positive karma. As you progress in your campaign, if you stick to evil or good (and not mix the two), you will end up unlocking new and awesome powers that vary based on whether you’re evil or good, and exactly how evil or good you are. These powers also require experience points to unlock, which you earn by finishing missions and performing side tasks such as healing wounded civilians or stopping muggings and such — if you want to play as the good guy, of course.

A unique twist to this, however, is achieved by adding two characters: Nix and Kuo. I won’t go into their backstories and spoil things for you, but you get Kuo at your side for major missions if you choose to be good, and you get Nix at your side for missions if you choose the path of evil. Each have a different array of powers, some of which can actually combine with your own powers for intriguing attacks and massive damage. For instance, Kuo can shoot a cloud of mist at an enemy, which, if shocked by Cole, will put surrounding enemies in blocks of ice they cannot escape from (in other words, for them, it’s “Game over, dude!”). Nix works similarly. However, they are not limited to just directly aiding you; the AI is good enough for them so that they’ll go out on their own and engage enemies.

Cole goes for a little "shock and awe" in inFamous 2 (click to enlarge)

Speaking of the AI, it’s not just good with Nix and Kuo; it seems that Sucker Punch has worked on improving enemy AI. They seek cover very well, they can attempt to flank you and perform more complex strategies than I recall from the first inFamous.

This installment of inFamous gives me one thing I felt was sorely lacking in the first inFamous — a much improved (or rather, *existent*) melee system that can be upgraded the same way as your powers are. inFamous 2 also removes some of the more boring and repetitive missions from the first inFamous — I would say that the quality of missions in inFamous 2 is much better, and the missions themselves are more varied in objectives.

inFamous 2 virtually demands a replay so you can go the opposite way, Karma-wise, than you did the first time around, so you can see what the powers are on the other side of the morality spectrum. There are also graphical changes in Cole’s appearance depending on which path you’re choosing to go down. On this first playthrough I’m going for positive Karma, so I have a Cole with a white shirt, a kind face, and who shoots glows blue (I believe taking the evil path gives you a red aura).

Sucker Punch has also added something very interesting — UGC, or “User-Generated Content”. In other words, missions created by players themselves. While I was playing, most of the UGC missions had been written by Sucker Punch themselves, but I began to see a few true user-generated missions cropping up. One was titled simply “Large Scale Shootout” and it delivered exactly what it promised (a large-scale shootout — *bonk*). This essentially makes the game “infinitely” playable, in a way.

My only complaint, so far, regarding inFamous 2, is that, unlike the first inFamous, I haven’t had a “Wow!” moment yet. You know, “Wow, holy s**t, am I actually doing this?” moments? Haven’t had any so far. But I’m still only about 2/3rds of the way through the game. Some people may find the graphics are not luscious enough for their tastes, but whatever Sucker Punch has taken away graphically, it has added to speeding up the engine so that you can engage in massive battles without the game hitching for even a second.

I give inFamous 2 a solid 9.25 out of 10.

 

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Quick review of the new Joye 510-T “Tank” e-cigarette

Joye, the makers of the hugely popular “510” e-cigarette (the numbers mean nothing — or they indicate something, but I have no idea what it is) introduced a new e-cig: the Joye 510-T “Tank” cigarette.

So I plunked down $70 for a starter kit from e-smokeytreats.com (they still ship the fastest) and it came in the mail yesterday. I’ve been vaping steadily with it for a day and a half now.

The primary change to the 510-T is a “fluid feeder” system, meaning that instead of using wadding to hold the e-liquid, it uses a cartridge that you open up and directly fill with e-liquid — meaning you’re going to be adding more fluid less frequently.

And indeed, it does last longer and gives out a higher kick of vapor than the old 510. The batteries also last a good deal longer than the older 510 batteries. And a quick tip here: Do NOT plug a 510 battery into a 510-T charger, you will burn it out. Although the 510-T can use a regular 510 battery, even though it’s a lower amperage.

So, after testing out the 510-T, I’m fairly impressed. Vapor output is about the same as the regular 510, but removing the need to drip and constantly top off cartridges with e-liquid is now no longer a problem.

I have two small complaints about the 510-T. The first is that the blank cartridges they use are a pain in the ass to open. I have to bite the top off at the moment; I’m still looking for a better way to get that top off.

The second complaint is lack of flavor. The regular 510 isn’t so great at delivering “taste”; the 510-T is even worse. Although the juice I’m using could be the problem, so I ordered up some e-liquid from Johnson Creek, which many people swear by (the new Blu cartomizers use Johnson Creek e-liquid and they produce a LOT of taste — unfortunately they don’t produce a lot of vapor).

Other than those two issues, though, I find the 510-T “Tank” system to be a definite step up from the regular 510. It kicks out a little more vapor, but the key thing is how much longer it lasts than the 510 — both in terms of battery and in terms of refilling the e-liquid.

In the final analysis, I think vapers are still waiting for an “iPhone” of an e-cig — something that’s a real change, a huge step up. The 510-T is not there yet. But it’s on its way. It is definitely well on its way.

However, one caveat — I’m an early adopter of e-cigs, and this system has only been on the market for a short while, so unless you really really want one, I would wait a little longer to see if there are any problems with the 510-T over time.

I will be sure to let you know if there are. In the meantime, I consider the Joye 510-T “Tank” to be the best electronic cigarette currently on the market.

Vape on!

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PSN back up

PSN is back up. Though there are tons of people trying to log in so servers are jammed.

Good luck logging in.

Will get back to more in-depth blogging soon.

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Watson Beaten by Congressman

This story is a few days old but I figured I’d get it in there. Watson was beaten one-on-one recently:

Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) beat Watson $8600 to $6200. Holt is a nuclear physicist and a 5 time Jeopardy champion.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/01/rush-holt-jeopardy-watson-_n_829672.html

(apologies for linking to the Huffington Post *grin*)

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Charlie Sheen Interview Transcript

This country loves watching a train wreck, and there’s no bigger train wreck right now than Charlie Sheen. So, against my better judgment, I am posting a transcript of an interview he did on the Alex Jones radio show recently. Here you go.

———

Alex Jones: You don’t ever wanna go there, you don’t ever wanna defend yourself, but you’ve told me privately most of the stuff, names, it’s not true, but what is going on with the women in your life?

Charlie Sheen: The goddesses? Alex the goddesses, let me just say this about the goddesses, I don’t believe the term is good enough, but when you’re bound by these terrestrial descriptions, you must use the best choice available, right?

Alex Jones: Yes

Charlie Sheen: So if you think about it, dude, it’s like I’m 0 for 3 with marriage, with never an excuse, but like in baseball, the scoreboard doesn’t lie, never has. So what we all have is a marriage of the heart. To sully or contaminate or radically disrespect this union with a shameful contract is something that I will leave to the amateurs and the Bible grippers.

And I just gotta add this cos there was a whole firestorm yesterday about Brooke been a part of our crew and let me just say this, this is all I’m gonna say about it, where there were four, there are now three. Goodbye Brooke good luck in your travels, you’re going to need it, badly.

Alex Jones: So Brooke did go along with you but she’s not there now?

Charlie Sheen: No she’s not there now and we are and, I don’t know, winning, anyone? Rhymes with winning, anyone? That’ll be us. Man, didn’t make the rules. Ooops.

Alex Jones: Charlie, I’ve known you for six and a half years or so and I knew you when you were completely clean and I’ve known you since, but, the point is, now, I’ve never seen you when I was out at your house or talked to you on the phone, so energised as you are now – I mean you’re on fire as nails told the news yesterday. I mean I agree with that description.

Charlie Sheen: As I think it was nails that said, and I’m really really flattered, cos he got it right. I mean he might be nails, but I’m frikin bayonets, you know. I’m battle tested man. I’m tired, I’m so tired of pretending like my life isn’t perfect and bitchin and just winning every second and I’m not perfect and bitchin and just deliverying the goods at every frikin turn, because, look what I’m dealing with man, I’m dealing with fools and trolls, dealing with soft targets and its just, you know its just strafing runs in my underwear before my first cup of coffee because I don’t have time for these clowns. I don’t have time for their judgement and their stupidity and you know they lay down with their ugly wives in front of their ugly children and look at their loser lives and then they look at me and they say “I can’t process it” well no you never will stop trying, just sit back and enjoy the show. You know?

Alex Jones: Wow, well I am speechless. Later we’re going to get into Apocalpse Now, but what comes to mind is when we were there a few weeks ago watching it in your home theatre when Colonel Kurtz is saying “You can kill me, but you don’t have the right to judge me”

Charlie Sheen: Boom, that’s the whole movie, that’s life. That’s life, there’s nobility in that, there’s focus, it’s genuine, it’s crystal and it’s pure and its available to everybody. So just shut your traps and put down your McDonald’s, your magazines, your TMZ and the rest of it and focus on something that matters. But you can’t focus on things that matter if all you’ve been is asleep for forty years. Funny how sleep rhymes with sheep. You know. Anyway. We’re getting off topic. We don’t care anymore Alex, we don’t care. Let’s get to the work business because there’s been a lot of speculation, a lot of rumours. Imagine that with the media.

Alex Jones: Well sure, let’s go over that, because when I was there, two weeks ago at your house, you looked great, totally clean, you were working out super hard when I went and worked out with you at that private gym I mean they put you through an incredible workout, you know they’re exercising in the pool, and you’re saying “look, I’m ready to go to work. I’m ready to go right now” and then they add the lie that you don’t have a hernia, well I’ve seen your hernia, I’ve go thte same hernia in my belly button and your hernia was hurt, but again you don’t wanna defend yourself on that and, you know, tell folks the truth about it, but the point is, it seem that there are some people in your life that are trying to demonise you, they’re doing these vanity cards, you know talking about how they’re going to outlive you, it seems pretty darn aggressive.

Charlie Sheen: Yeah I didn’t care about that vanity card. In fact I went right straight home with that one and just dispelled that. And that was actually, you know, one of the few compliments that clown has paid me in freakin almost a decade. But I’m excited to get back to work and not to completely discount what you just talked about, if you bring up these turds, these little [inaudible] losers, there’s no reason to then, you know, bring them back into the fold because I have real fans, they have nothing. They have zero. They have that night and I will forget about them as my last image of them exits my beautiful home. and they will get out there and they will sell me and they will lose. And they will lose the rest of their lives as they think about me and my life the rest of their lives, so, bring me a challenge somebody, becuase, you know, it just ain’t there. Winning.

Alex Jones: But you’re ready to go to work, right now?

Charlie Sheen: Well yeah but I’m tired of being told “well you can’t talk about that and you can’t talk about that” BULL S-H-I-T. Let me just say this, there’s nothing. I just think it’s deplorable that a certain Heim Levine, that’s Chuck’s real name by the way, mistook this rock star for his own selfish exit strategy bro. Check it Alex, I embarassed him in front of his children and the world by healing at a pace that his uninvolved mind cannot process. Ok last I checked Heim, I’ve spent, I think, I don’t know, the last decade effortlessly and magically converting your tin cans into gold and the gratitude I get is this charlatan chose not to do his job, which is to write. Clearly someone who believes he is above the law. Well, you’ve been warned dude. Bring it.

Alex Jones: Charlie, Everybody that I know that knows you, and I know you well, talks about how, behind the scenes, you give incredible amounts of money to charity, you help people, you give things to everybody, you go out and help firemen and schoolchidren, you are genuinely a nice guy. But you always just let people attack you and lie and the years I’ve known you and the years that people who’ve known you for decades, they say, Charlie is on fire and when he came out of what he’s been in the last seven months, he is not putting up with people trying to push him around anymore, is that fair to say?

Charlie Sheen: It’s yeah, it’s an understatement, you know it’s, I’m sorry man I got magic and I got poetry at my fingertips most of the time and this includes naps. I’m an F-18 and I will destroy you in the air and I will deploy my ordnance to the ground.

Provided by: The Global Herald

 

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Watson’s Jeopardy Transcript

I don’t have the time to copy and paste everything from the J! Archive, which archives all Jeopardy games, but I can at least give you links to every single question and answer in the IBM Jeopardy Challenge. You’ll see every question, every answer, who got which ones correct, and the wagers on Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy. Roll over the dollar amounts posted on the questions to see the answer and who got what. Also roll over Final Jeopardy for the answer. In addition, the numbers in the top right corner of each question box indicate when that question was selected (1 for the first clue picked, 2 for the second clue picked, etc.)

Here ya go:

Watson Game 1 (Jeopardy round only)

Watson Game 2 (Double Jeopardy and Final Jeopardy)

Watson Game 3 (Full Jeopardy episode)

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