J... M... U.... Duuuuuuukes!

So, went down to JMU this weekend with the missus and some friends- we're not alum, but our friends are, so we decided to make a day trip of it.  Weather held out, thankfully enough (we had gone down a couple of years ago, when it was absolutely frigid); this was the homecoming game against Delaware, and I have to say, we had pretty good seats (overlooking the Madison endzone), even if I don't really follow team sports.

I'm reminded why I don't drink, or if I do, I keep it to one.  There was this drunk guy behind us in the stands with his friends.  He was nice enough (in that 'lack of inhibition due to inebriation' kind of way), and really chatty.  Kept us laughing the whole time.  His sister in law ended up sitting next to me- I'd say freshman or sophomore.  Nice, and apologetic for her brother-in-law.  He was also kind of 'touchy', joking about how 'this isn't weird, because we're secure... and oh, you look tense, let me rub your shoulders... don't let your wife see!" (with my wife sitting there, cracking up).  I don't really mind it, per se, but after 3 quarters, I was kind of reaching that point of "Okay, dude... just wanna watch the game, and these tickets weren't cheap".  I'd like to think I was a pretty good sport about it; his friends decided it'd be a good idea to go put more alcohol in him before the end of the 4th quarter, so they left early.  High fives ensued.  At any rate, I couldn't do the comedy justice in an LJ post.

Got some time to play the Mirror's Edge demo on the 360.  LOVE the visual design- bright enough to make it visually appealing, but it somehow, nevertheless, is able to give that 'feel' of a corrupt metropolis.  Didn't encounter the motion sickness that seems to be rumored.  It's an interesting gameplay mechanic, trying to implement parkour into a controller layout- perhaps it interests me from the fact that 'real life' parkour is amazing to watch, I don't know.

Halloween was tame- 19 kiddies came to the door, leaving us with a bunch of candy.  Got the hot water heater replaced for just under $1200 (they had to cut in some piping, since our old heater sat up on tripod legs, which let it 'seat' over a drain pipe in the floor), all by a fluke discovery of a gas leak.  I'd complain, but, y'know, $1200 for not dying a fiery death is a pretty good deal.

Circuit City- almost RIP?

Well, Sony has stopped shipments to CC based upon fears that they can't pay their bills.  News to me, but then, I don't go to CC anymore unless they have a really good deal.  Rumors suggest Best Buy will buy them up.

Yeah, asking CC employees for information about their supposed 'area of expertise' is like trying to ask them to name the capital of three states. Any states. It's just *work*, and where do I get off trying to make them think?

And their laughable 'order online and pick up from the store' ideal is really a good idea- but God help you if there's some kind of rebate involved. NOBODY ever knows how to handle one of those, and when pushed, they'll counter that 'everything is on their website'.

It also might have fared better had not every Circuit City I walked into doubled as a club wherein the disinterested employees took turns trying to blow out speakers and woofers with shitty rap music, whilst I tried to make myself heard enough to ask where I could find blank CDs (generally involving me having to make near-obscene gestures to get my request across, and just being pointed 'over there' while he/she either continued talking on the phone, fiddling with an MP3 player, or bobbing his/her head in time with said rap music).

[Xbox360] John Woo's Stranglehold- late to the party

Finally got to play the demo.

DAMN that's fun. Not perfect, but a LOT of fun.

Anybody still playing this? I know I'm late to the party and all... but wow.

Voting fraud pisses me off. But there's something else.

I cling to the notion of every citizen being involved in the election process as being a fundamental right of sentience; you SHOULD have the opportunity to be part of the system that dictates who will lead your nation and implement policies on your behalf (the rare exception being someone who has actively worked as a traitor to the nation- I mean, I'm not even sure I understand why felons can't vote).

Now, that said, I have very, very creative ideas about what to do to people who attempt to undermine that process by way of intimidation, falsehoods, or other impediements.  But you wanna know who takes a close second?

Those people who say that 'anybody who's fooled by those machinations deserve not to vote'.  It's an arrogant, petulant cry that assumes everybody is educated enough on the process, and in general.  Part of our society operates under a cover of fear- fear of being outed on some misdeed, fear of being 'found out' on some charge.  Nobody's a saint; we need to look out for each other just a little more.

To those people who take that elitist viewpoint, I have one thing to say:

"Know what?  FUCK YOU, that's what."