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All of you anti-Dreamcast people are missing out on a true delight. This game defies genre pigeonholing by incorporating a number of genres (like RPG and Fighting) very smoothly as if it was all just part of normal life. Maybe ‘LifeGame’ would be an appropriate title. Example: “You go to meet someone at the video arcade at 10am. You get into a fight with five people and you twist one of the defeated’s arms. He promises to meet you at 3pm the next day to give you information. After that, you have *nothing* important to do until 3pm the next day. Play some video games at the arcade…Go talk to Nozomi to see if she’ll open up…practice your moves…get told you’re too young for a drink…yadda yadda. You just have to wait for time to pass.” ^^ Fortunately (sometimes unfortunately), time moves faster in the game than in normal life.

This could be the fault of the translation, but Shenmue contains the largest group of rude Japanese people ever assembled in one place. Just ask someone you don’t know for a little help..you’ll see. ^o^ You also have a main character that sleeps in his clothes (belt too!), never takes a shower or a bath, never eats or takes a shit, can drink - but doesn’t have to, and receives roughly $150 a month in allowance. Also be sure to check out the prostitute in the sleazy section and Santa Claus during December. :) All of which makes for a very amusing and entertaining game. I’m on the third and final disc now…waiting for that fight with 70 people. ^_^

On Playstation side of things, I picked up Final Fantasy IX the other day. I don’t know why…it’s not like they’re going to run out of them anytime soon. And considering I still have a barely played FFVIII sitting in my game rack along with other numerous unplayed RPGs, it’s not like I’m aching for a new RPG to play. I also have a propensity for playing an RPG until almost the end and then stopping. Current victims: Chrono Cross, Legend of Dragoon, Star Ocean 2 and Xenogears. I’m sure I’ll get back to them sometime in this lifetime. ^^

What the hell happened to the Flats in Cleveland? I hung out there over the weekend and I was rather disappointed. What happened to the great, mystical, party-time area down by the water? Granted, I was only on the east side of the Flats, but it just seems like a larger version of the club scene down here in Akron, with the same style of clubs. Nothing overly creative or ground breaking. Not to say that’s bad…I’ve always liked the club atmosphere and I’m a dance floor nut. But the hullabaloo about the flats certainly seems unwarranted these days.

Fortunately, the local band scene is still strong. There was a cool local band called T & C at "Heaven and Hell" which used a *tuba* for the bass sound. So sweet! I was pleased on how well it fit in with the guitars and drums. The lead guitar also plays two guitars at once in a few songs. Check the group out if you’re ever in the area.

Huey Lewis, where are you? ‘Tis not a request for his true whereabouts. If he and the News are still together, they’re probably working on a small time circuit somewhere with REO Speedwagon and Peter Cetera. ‘Tis a request for their CDs! A search through numerous local stores has come up empty…not even a divider with their name on it. Not even in the largest local stores that still carry copies of Disco Duck and Debbie Gibson is Pregnant with My Two Headed Love Child.

Back in the day, Huey Lewis and the News was the sh*t. No no….the *SHIT*! From Sports to Fore! to the Power of Love, they were riding on top of the world. For a few years, anyway.
^_^ But certainly long enough to warrant stacking a few of their CDs at your local Best Buy!
(Yes, I know I can get them online…it’s just the principal of it all…)

On the Presidential Race:

Republicans:
” You can’t change the rules in the middle of the race.”

Democrats:
” We responding to the will of the people.”

Lady on the Chris Rock Show:
” I’m ready to shove a ballot box up somebody’s ass!”

"And the beat goes on…" More vote counting…More spin…More whining. I’m thankful I’m able to watch all this completely from the sidelines. Voting third certainly helped. ^_^ It’s very amusing listening to the national and local talk radio hosts. Only the centrists seems to be thinking clearly. Those favoring either side seem to be blowing a gasket every hour on the hour. One host even demanded that there should be a march on Washington on inauguration day if "Gore steals this election". *laugh* Well, I hope the kids are paying attention. They’re getting an amazing lesson in civics, including plenty of shiznit that wouldn’t even show up in college texts.

*stretch* Ahh…My dream is coming true! Go-Tongue is leading in the popular vote and Dubbaya will probably win the recount in Florida and win the electoral vote. Congratulations America..the person you voted for to be your president won’t be in the White House for the next four years. All due to an antiquated and flawed election system. I really hope America doesn’t forget about this and does the right thing. What would be a good term for this type of President…Pseudo-Pres? Electoral-Pres? Brides Maid Who Ran Off With the Groom Pres? ^_^

This election also showed how ridiculously ancient the local level election system is….same style ballots for decades (I never liked the push-pin style)…Bags of ballots showing up a day late…People being turned away from polls because they ran out of ballots or the lines were too long. And while they haven’t mentioned it, I always wondered how election workers got their jobs..what requirements they had to meet. Any background checks there? Prove that these ladies might not be on the take (or suffering from something that could hamper their work)? I always thought that the lack of security at polling centers was amazing…for such an important task, that’s been rife with fraud all over the world, to not have any decent security here in the states. Makes me wonder how much fraud happens with each American election.

I just loved watching the election coverage after 8pm. To call Florida for Gore so early was incompetent, especially after polls there showed it was going to be very close (I’ll throw Michigan in with that too). And it made watching the returns very amusing, especially when Bush was leading in Florida even after 50% of the precincts in.

A forgers paradise! At least here in Summit County, Ohio. No ID was necessary to vote. All you had to do was to give them your John Hancock and have them compare it with the original one you gave when you registered. They didn’t even cover up the original signature! Anyone who could do spot signature forgeries could have had a field day!

Looks like I’ll have to retract some of my harshness about Mai Kuraki. I still think that none of the released singles from the album were as good as others on the album. However, I do find myself listening to two songs off of that album very often these days. I’ve also enjoyed her new “Simply Wonderful” single as well. Waddaya know…I think I’m actually looking forward to her next release. ^^

Issue One: US Post Office security. I just got back from the post office after picking up a package. Now, they asked for no identification of any kind to prove that I actually lived at the address on the package slip they left at my door. Any yahoo could take one of those slips from your door and get your package from the post office with zero trouble. How do you feel about this frightening lack of security by a government agency…Fred ‘The Beetle’ Barnes? ^_^

Ze Charlie’s Angels movie…’Silly, Sexy Fun’. Yes, that’s my quote and yes, it sounds like something from the cliff notes of the ’sixty second review’. But it fits the movie perfectly. It ain’t Ayn Rand, but neither was the original TV series. An amusing enough distraction for a couple hours, especially if you find any of Angels attractive. (Love Lucy Liu’s cute freckles ^_-) Cameron Diaz’s stint on Soul Train is pretty funny too.

What really stood out for me was the choices of music. A killer selection of 80s tunes with a few choice 70s cuts as well. That makes this the second Barrymore produced movie where the music kicked major buttocks. (The first being the underrated and immensely enjoyable Never Been Kissed). Makes me wonder if Drew herself is choosing the tunes…it’s certainly someone who has a jones for 80s music…I can dig it. ^_^ Time to go out and grab the soundtrack!