“I'll pound you, you sign.”

[ Henri to # sign ]

Sounds so yummy and innocuous.

Rich chocolate, chocolate chips and milk blended with ice, topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.

[ starbucks beverages ]

Wait, let's check the nutritional information. Seems like some of those numbers are high, so let's check the “unhealthy food standard” that achieves a 1 on the unhealthy food scale, the Big Mac. Ouch.

It is the unprofessional opinion of the davidkearns.com staff that no one should make the Starbucks® Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino® Blended Creme a daily part of their diet.

I have agents in the field who point out juicy tidbits like this:

Whether black from a bottomless cup or as a Frappuccino mocha skim latte, it's our culture's elixir, coffee . . . In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, Java, Joe or a cup of mud . . . Most of us drink it everyday but few of us know the effects it has on the world's economy or even our own bodies. Also, how do you brew the perfect cup? And, travel with us to the goat hills of Ethiopia to where it all began.

[ To the Best of Our Knowledge ]

Oh, and then I listen to tidbits like this and remember what they say...

I don't think this is a “Nokia” at all, and Nintendo is really only counting sold NDS systems:

Shoppers spent Thanksgiving week stuffing their shopping bags with Nintendo hardware, setting the stage for 2004 to be the year of the hand-held holidays. Shoppers snapped up more than 500,000 Nintendo DS systems during Thanksgiving week, representing more than 90 percent of all units available in stores across the United States.

[ News : Article ]

So odd that I picked mine up on a whim. I've now noticed that many of the games that I'm interested in aren't out until later this month or even February in some cases. If you do know where the extra 10% of the units are, post here, N8 and Scot would sure appreciate it.

It's the two great tastes that taste great together:

Tap into your own light and dark side and create a Samus Haiku, capture the spirit of Metroid Prime 2: Echos for a chance to win ... great prizes

[ Metroid Prime 2 Echoes - Haiku Poetry Contest ]

Of course if these prizes look cool, wouldn't you have them already? Are there dirt poor haiku poets out there who dream of playing Metroid on a brand-new GameCube?

Yet another thing that should already have been in Windows:

Ever wondered which program has a particular file or directory open? Now you can find out. Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded.

[ Sysinternals Freeware - Utilities for Windows NT and Windows 2000 - Process Explorer ]

This one is almost frequented as much as gvim on my computer. If you are any sort of SA or Developer, this is a must. (And G$ will agree)

Retro Studios deserves an ice cream party. There newest foray into the Metroid universe, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, may not seem to different from Metroid Prime, but what it lacks in new isn't necessarily a bad thing. MP2:E plays every bit as good as the first, but with a great new story line, great new baddies, great new levels, and some unique trans-universe puzzles. The splitting of the planet makes for interesting game play that hearkens back to some Zelda or Banjo-Kazooie games (of which I can't quite put my finger on), but in a 3D spooky way. If you liked Metroid Prime, you must get a copy of Metroid Prime 2: Echos.

Update: Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance had the 2 castles with some interaction. However MP2:E has much more interaction than C:HoD did, which I always felt was underused in that title.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is very similar to Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64 and a whole lot more. The graphics have easily been kicked up a notch, if not two. The story is unique, imaginative, and works in elements from the most recent Sunshine Mario. Mario now has extra moves based on the fact that he is made out of paper. And the battle has some very ingenious additions including a live audience that can help or hinder you. If you liked Paper Mario, this one is a no-brainer.

I do like it when I support a company and they repay me for that loyalty. And yes, that means Nintendo. I've dutifully purchased the Nintendo DS, although I must admit that I wasn't really sold on the idea. I picked up Super Mario 64 DS, since Mario is a good intro to any Nintendo platform. I thought I was just buying a copy of Super Mario 64 slightly reworked for the DS platform, but I believe I've got a whole lot more. There are something like 30 new stars in the game. There are new ways of getting those stars including “crystal stars” (like the 8 red coins, but now there are 5 stars hidden) and new “secret castle stars”. I knew that there was going to be new playable characters: Luigi, Wario, and Yoshi. I didn't know that there was a whole story behind where 3 of those characters went, and I'd have to rescue them. And I had no idea that there were new mini games, many of which support networked multi-player modes. All-in-all there is a great game with easily $30 more fun packed into it.

"The Bible also indicates that women are second-class citizens who were put on Earth to serve men, which is central to hip-hop thinking."

[ Weekly World News ]

I guess when you think about it, the Weekly World News is just old-school Onion...

The Nintendo DS with it's unique controls allows you to create the highest forms of entertainment:

Sprung puts you in control of the conversation. Choose your line and get ready to react when your opponent responds.

• Work all the angles
• Flaunt your assets
• Play it cool

[ Ubisoft - Sprung™ ]

Oh, and cheesey dating-like sims too (and three)...

Perhaps this is just media hype or Nintendo spin:

In the entertainment Mecca of the world, people waited in line for up to 15 hours on Nov. 20 to be the first to touch America's newest, hottest celebrity: The Nintendo DS. The paparazzi were out in full force to catch a glimpse of the dual-screen device and its devoted followers.

[ News : Article ]

Or perhaps I stumbled in at the right time. I wandered into the Best Buy right when they opened, sauntered up to a table covered in DS merchandise, and picked up one. I think it was meant to be, eh? I'm not so impressed with the one game I picked up, however, the controls are a bit sketchy, but I can certainly see the potential that the DS has. If they get some of the better N64 titles and rework them to be more DS-friendly, I think we'll have plenty of great games for years to come. (Too bad Conker won't likely be one of them...). Some titles I'd like to see snazzed up and ported include:

• That truck crashing game that N8 has
• Any Rare FPS
• Jet Force Gemini (but what was promised, not what Rare delivered)
• Any other Rare game
• Seriously did anyone else makes games for the N64?

Oh, and if LA is the “entertainment Mecca” then was is Mecca?

Sure it's marketing hype, but so far I am inclined to agree:

Metroid Prime 2 Echoes is one of those rare games that exceeds its predecessor in quality. The game expertly weaves themes of light and darkness in every element, from plot, to characters, weapons, power-ups, even the music. The action is engaging and intense (you'll love to hate the Ing Horde), the levels brilliantly designed, and the puzzles intelligent but approachable. Metroid Prime 2 Echoes is a fantastic installment in one of the Nintendo GameCube's most exciting franchises.

[ Metroid Prime 2 Echoes ]

I haven't gotten so far, but already it feels better than the original. The engine is a bit more polished, the world seems more complex and thought out, and everything is a bit darker and more sinister. Once again, if you don't have a game cube, you are missing out big time.

These 100% cotton thong style panties for women feature SpongeBob in 7 different moods on 7 fun thongs, one for each day of the week. Each one has a day of the week on it and has SpongeBob in a different funny mood. These fun panties are machine washable and easy to care for. Imported.

[ WebUndies.com SpongeBob 7 Days of the week thong set ]

Imported from where? What country is everyone walking around in these? Who has the same moods each day? Or has a different mood each day? Has SpongeBob seen these? Does he approve? So many questions, so little time...