DT Money's Perspective

Can It Be True?

2007-08-24T06:23:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER 300!

What To Do About Michael Vick

2007-08-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

Michael Vick hasn't even gone to trial yet, but he's already guilty of a few things, with the biggest "stupidity". I mean did he really thing his "boys would have his back" while they were staring down the barrel of serious jail time? It amazes me how many of these athletes stick to their childhood friends as though they owe them a share of their success. They weren't the ones that had to go to school for for years, put in all that practice time, then get drafted by some NFL team. It's like his entire entourage hit the lottery!

How did they repay him for his generosity? By promptly selling him up the river.

Again We Wait For A Tribe Winner

2007-08-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Indians ain't gonna get it done this year. They have zero chance of advancing to the playoffs this year led alone winning the world series. Not only are they currently not hitting, but their pitching has really let them down this year. They have had to depend on 3 pitchers all year (C.C. Sabathia, who finally emerged as their ace, Paul Byrd, and Fausto Carmona, who shocked everyone with his filth!) Without these 3 pitchers there's no doubt that we would be a sub .500 team. Jeremy Sowers whom I knew was a flash in the pan, was mercifully sent down to AAA to work on his stuff. He's a left hander that relies on his location to get batters out. The problem is when he misses his spots he's throwing BP fastballs and everyone was teeing off on him! Then there's Cliff Lee. Now to his credit he was coming off of an injury and missed all of spring training. He was never able to regain his form from last year and the year before that when he was really dominant. He was also sent down to AAA, which is unheard of for a veteran pitcher but the Indians had no choice. He was blowing leads left and right, so he pretty much force the front offices hand. Lastly, there's Jake Westbrook. Jake is a right hander who showed great stuff over the last 3 years. He too was coming off an injury, and has struggled all year. The trading deadline came and went but the Indians didn't make a move to improve their rotation, but it's hard to blame them because there really weren't that many front line pitchers available.

Hitters will always eventually hit, but unless the Indians solve their pitching woes this season is over.

DT

The Browns?

2007-08-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

When was the last time the Cleveland Browns were any good? How many first round picks is it going to take for this team to begin to show some progress? I'm a huge ND fan, but I have my own doubts about Mr. Quinn. His arm strength and big game performances are what worry me the most. Name one big game he won while he was at ND. It may not be fair to blame it all on him, but he had some awful games in those big time contests.

I'm watching the Browns play the Detroit Lions right now, and they have yet to score a touch down. Not only in this game but in the entire pre-season. This is their second pre-season game!!!!!!!! Are you telling me that the Kansas City Chiefs scrubs are better than our scrubs? Amazing. I am not blaming this on Romeo Crennel because I think he's an okay coach, but this does go to show that just because you were an assistant coach on a team that won 3 Super Bowls doesn't (Romeo & Charlie Weis) doesn't make you the second coming of Vince Lombardi. Oh, and I hate Bill Bellichick.

DT

Innocent Until Proven Guilty? Yeah, Right.

2007-08-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

Late last month the dogs belonging to Ving Rhames were accused of mauling a man to death on the actors property. Yahoo news and the Associated Press seemed certain of this in their stories so it had to be true. The actor was out of the country at the time of the incident and probably couldn't have been held responsible anyway, but it was disturbing to see the public conclude he was guilty of "something" nonetheless. Well the autopsy has been completed and it turns out the dog bite wounds "were superficial" according to the coroner's report. The wounds were on his arms and legs, and in no way were life threatening. When dogs attack to kill the wounds are usually found near the face and neck, and none were found in those areas of the victim.

Now I will be the first to admit that celebrities in general get a free pass for just about everything they do, but can we at least let the case get to court before we convict and hang someone? Michael Vick is a prime example of this. I have no idea what the man is guilty of, and neither does anyone else except him and maybe the witnesses involved in the case. But all of my friends are absolutely sure he's guilty of something. Maybe he is, and maybe he isn't. That's not for us to decide unless you happen to be sitting on the jury. Let due process run it's course before we hang someone. Sheesh!

DT

That's Mr. 300 To You

2007-08-18T17:36:00.000-07:00

By now you have all heard about the infamous "Wii Bowling Tournament" I hosted a few weeks ago. I was the favorite coming in, but ended up getting my butt kicked by some other dude. I think his name was Luke. To be honest it's all a blur now. Anyway, Scott and his wife took first and second place. All I did a few weeks later was retool my throwing motion and bowl a perfect game. That's right. I bowled a perfect 300 in Wii Sports Bowling, so from now on whenever you see me just call me "Mr. 300". I think it has a nice ring to it, don't you?

DT

Do The Amish Get Down? No. Not So Much.

2007-08-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to a friends wedding (John Weston) and I have to say I had a pretty good time. To be honest my wife and I got there a little late, but we made it there in time for the "I do's" and what not. The vows were pretty cool, even though John almost lost it, but he held it together in the end. My wife almost lost it too, but she cries over just about everything. I don't let her watch Extreme Home Makeover anymore. His bride's side of the family is Amish and I was curious to see how they would be at the reception.

So we get to the reception a little late (never you mind why) and everyone seems to be having a great time. I probably killed 7 or 8 cups of punch, but who was counting? I love that stuff. The food was very good, but the green beans were just a tad too salty for my taste, and for some of the other guests as well. All in all it was a pretty good spread. The cake was awesome! I think it came in like 8 different flavors or something.
The food has been eaten. Everyone is full. The music starts. The Amish exit stage left. The end.

DT

Blockbuster Online Price Change

2007-08-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

I knew a good thing like this couldn't last forever, but it was great while it did last. Blockbuster Online (www.blockbuster.com) had the sweetest deal in town when it came to online rental services. For $17.99 they were giving you 3 online movie rentals at a time mailed to your home, unlimited in store exchanges per month, and one free game or movie rental per month. So here's how it worked. You fill your online queue with movies, and as they become available they are mailed to your home. You might be saying that plenty of online rental offer this, right? Well they do, but how many of them let you return your movies in the store in exchange for 3 more rentals? And since you returned them to the store they considered them returned to the warehouse and immediately shipped the next 3 movies in your queue! That works out to about 15 to 22 rentals per month for $17.99! That's less than $1 per movie! No wonder they raised the price. Now it's $21.99 for 3 rentals per month, and you only get 5 in store exchanges per month as opposed to the unlimited option of the old plan.

It's still better than what Net Flix has to offer because it used to take forever to get movies from them. Now I will admit that their new PC viewing option sounds intriguing but unless I'm able to easily stream that movie to my big screen TV I don't think I would ever try it. I just don't see myself sitting at a PC watching a full length movie. It looks like Block Buster still has the best deal in town. Check it out.

DT

Losing Weight. Again.

2007-08-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

I am back at it again, but this time I have help! I am trying the Weight Watchers points system beginning Monday and I'm very excited. This system sounds cool because you really can eat whatever you want, but in moderation. That doesn't mean I'm going to wolf down McDonald's cheeseburgers every day, but if i want to indulge in the occasional fast food treat I won't need to make myself feel guilty about it. Shannon tried it and she didn't like it. Not sure exactly why, but it may be because you really do have to micro manage your diet. Counting points and measuring your food can be time consuming, but if done properly I don't see how it can't work. This system also forces you to examine what you are putting in your body, and that's a good thing. I will keep you posted on my progress.

DT

Bioshock

2007-08-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have a Nintendo Wii but the Xbox 360 continues to be my system of choice. It's not just about the graphics either. There are just more games for the system, and the games are the type I like to play. I would love to have PS3 as well, but that's just not in the cards right now. Not sure when it will be either. I picked up Bioshock for the 360 and this game is phenomenal! In fact it will probably win game of the year. Yes it's that good and dare I say it may even be better than the mighty Halo 3? We shall see. In the mean time pick up this game and enjoy it. It truly is a work of art. Great job Irrational/2K Boston/2K Australia Games!

DT

Xbox 360 Games For Sale On Ebay

2007-03-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

I am getting rid of all my Xbox 360 games! They are on Ebay now, but you if are interested in any of them give me a holla' and I will pull it off the site for you. I'm only asking for $20 to $25 per game which is a steal! You can check them out here:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsympka21QQhtZ-1

DT

Barack, Hilary, or John?

2007-03-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

With the 2008 election just over a year away it's time to start thinking about who will be our nominee. Our Democratic nominee of course. It doesn't matter who the Republicans put up there this year, because they aren't going to win. They've had 8 years to muck it up, and they have taken full advantage of it. Since the countries experiment to elect a "common man" into the White House failed miserably it is good to know we will have someone with intelligence occupying the place on the next go round. Don't get me wrong, you do have to have some intelligence to get as far as Bush did, but not much. This presidency reminds me so much of a massive Hollywood production from the first election up to now. I still can't believe he was re-elected!!!!!! And I bet some Democrats voted for him in the first and second election. Was Gore and Kerry really that bad? I thought they were both smarter than this guy, and he still managed to make it close in both elections! Amazing really.
But back to the democrats. Webster and I were talking about the candidates today, and who we would like to see on the ticket. We both agree that Hilary won't win the nomination and I doubt she would want to be on anyone's ticket as the understudy. I think she wants it all, or nothing at all. If she was vice president I would be afraid of her staging some kind of coup just so she could become president. Even if she one the nomination so many republicans have been convinced that she is the devil incarnate that they will never vote for her. If you listen to Rush, Hannity, and O'Reilly long enough they will convince you Mother Theresa was evil.
My dream ticket would be Edwards as President and Obama as Vice President. Obama could run for president after Edward's second term. This gives him more of the expereience that everyone says he's lacking. I liked Edwards for president over John Kerry in the last election, but I would have been more than happy with Kerry. No matter who you want to win make sure you get out there and vote. Your vote means more than you think!

DT

Can't Sleep

2007-03-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been having trouble sleeping. I can get to sleep okay, but I always wake up to go the bathroom and can never get back to sleep afterwards. Probably due to stress or anxiety. Work, bills, life. Shannon asked me if it had anything to do with her, but I couldn't tell her the truth! No, I'm only kidding. It has nothing to do with her or anyone else. I end up laying awake in bed thinking about everything but sleep. Was I shopped today? Do I have to get gas in the morning? Did I sell enough accessories today? How are we going to pay the gas bill this month? Does she like me? Eventually I fall asleep watching Jimmy Neutron or Spongebob but it takes a couple hours. If it gets any worse I will see a doctor, but I've grown quite attached to Spongebob and Jimmy Neutron so I will let it go for now. The Fairly Odd Parents is a great show too. My kids got me hooked on those shows! Spongebob is very well written for adults, as some of the jokes are of the variety that only adults would get. Very clever writing.

DT

Go Buckeyes! Directv Sucks!

2007-03-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here watching he Buckeyes make a huge comeback against Tennessee for a bid to the "Elite Eight". While I should be watching it in HD, Directv's satellites continue to screw up. Or it could be this lousy receiver they delivered to the public. I am so close to switching to cable! If only I didn't have so much money invested in this system I would do it tomorrow.
OSU was down by 17 at the half, now they've trimmed the lead to 4 with 11:53 to go in the half. I think they have this one wrapped up. I don't think Greg Odgen is the real deal. Is that his name? I keep think of Kevin Garnett when I see him play, but he doesn't have anywhere close the skill that Garnett had at his age. And Garnett skipped college. He remains one of my favorite players to watch, and he seems like a genuinely nice guy. Not as good as Kobe, but then who is? I don't know if I'll stay awake for the ending, but I will try. I just haven't been into the tournament or college basketball this year. Probably because Duke was so bad. I guess you could I'm not one of those "die hard" sports fans and you would be right. If my team isn't winning in any sport it makes it less interesting to me. The one exception is football. Pro and college.

DT

A New Column

2007-03-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

Okay. I give in! I can't believe how many requests I get every day from my friends asking me for advice on everything. I get asked about marriage, work, relationships, etc, etc... so I am going to begin an advice column for all my peeps. Don't worry I will keep the names confidential to respect the privacy of everyone involved. These stories are real and not made up or fake in anyway. I will keep it real as best I can, but don't be offended if you don't agree with my recommendations. Peace.

DT

The Last Mimzy

2007-03-21T05:55:00.000-07:00

Any of my friends will tell you that I am not one to rush out and see any newly released movie. I think movie theatres charge way too much and the atmosphere isn't as comfortable as my own home. However, every once in a while a movie comes along that piques my curiosity, and the latest one to do so is The Last Mimzy. Hey, I know it's being marketed as some kids fantasy movie but I love science fiction movies like this. I've been toying with the idea of taking my two girls but I'm not sure if they would enjoy it. They're 5 and 6 so maybe their old enough. At any rate I will go see this movie, so you can expect a review once I do.

DT

Update On My New Laptop

2007-03-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

I had my new portable for a few days now, so I've had a chance to put it through its paces. Well sort of. I have no intention of making this a game machine or anything else multi media which is why I didn't spend a ton of money on it. So for what I primarily use it for things are going quite well. I am having some issues with the DVD drive playing movies all the way through, but I'm not sure if it's the drive or the software. I am beginning to think it's the drive because from day one I had problems opening it at the press of the eject button. I had to keep pressing it and it finally opened. Once you get it opened the first time it opens up every time after that. Minor annoyance but I'm not sure if I'm going to send it in just for that. Maybe I will.
When I try to watch a movie from either a DVD or even a DVD +/- it locks up. And when it locks up you have to hold down the power button to reset the machine. Now that's a major annoyance that I will probably send it back for if I can't figure out what's going on. Other than that everything works very well. I was given a pair of Dell usb speakers that work great! I'd like to give out a quick thanks to Ryan for the speakers and to John for the carrying case. The "China man" is calling us. Peace.

DT

Dell? No Thanks

2007-03-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that I used to work for Gateway, so I'm somewhat partial to the company. It was very good to me and I would go back to work for them in a minute. Well at least the Country Stores. I'm not sure about the other channels, but we used to have a blast in that place! Tons of great memories and stories from Gateway! I'm sure I will share a few of them with you guys in this blog in the future, but for now I want to share a little story with you about my brief experience with Dell.
Two years ago, I bought my dad a Dell computer from Aaron's Sale and Lease. Why from Aaron's? You know what they say about black folks and credit? Well there you have it. Anyway, his grandchildren somehow managed to muck it up and it either needs to be reloaded or the drivers for the modem need to be reinstalled. When you buy a computer from Aaron's you don't get any software. In fact I think a lot of the computer manufacturers are making you burn your own restoration disks nowadays. Not a horrible thing if they charge you less for the computer, and with the prices of them these days I can't complain. We don't have the restoration disks so I decided to call Dell. It took me several minutes on line looking for a phone number that didn't lead to sales, and when I did find it of course it didn't give me an option for tech support! I only wanted to ask them how I would go about getting the disks sent to me even if I had to pay for them. Since I couldn't get a hold of anyone on the phone, I decided to hop back on line and download the drivers myself. Of course navigating Dell's website wasn't took me longer than it should have. It drives me crazy how difficult PC makers make the websites to navigate. Gateway's used to be the same way. Anyway I found the drivers I needed, at least I thought I did! I found at least 10 different files for the modem, 4 of which were labeled "drivers". How in the world can there be 4 drivers for one modem? So I just start downloading like a mad man until I realized that once I burned these to a CD and took them to my dad's place I would have no idea which one to install! Now I'm getting pretty frustrated and as a last resort I decided to join Dell's forum to get some help from other Dell customers that may have experienced the same thing I was going through.
I fill out the application to join the forum which seemed more difficult than it needed to be! It took me 6 attempts just to pick an "approved" password. Finally I find one then I have to wait for an email to activate my membership. This is something that I'm used to because I join tons of forums and if they didn't do this you would have all of your friends signing you up for stupid off the wall stuff that you wouldn't know about until you started getting strange emails! What I didn't expect was for it to take as long as it did! I opened my email program up and expected the message to appear immediately, so I hit update. Nothing. I hit update again. Nothing. I hit update again. Nothing. I go and make myself a hot dog, and when I come back nothing. I go and make myself another hot dog. Nothing. I hit update. Nothing!!!!!! What could possibly take so long to activate an account for a forum????? I finally went to bed and gave up in total disgust. When I woke up to go to the bathroom I couldn't get back to sleep so I decided to go downstairs and fool around on the web. Sure enough the email was there! Too bad I had no desire to visit their stupid forum! Ugggggghhhhh!
I'm going to try my hand at reinstalling the modem before I do a complete reload on the system. If I can just get the system back on line I can hop directly onto Dell's website and download any drivers or updates it needs instead of burning them all to a CD and hoping I downloaded the right one. Wish me luck.

DT

Blogging In Bed. It's Kind Of Cool

2007-03-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

Ok. So I got this new laptop and I've been dying to try using it all over the house. Well now I'm in my bed blogging! While it's kind of cool, I can't say that it's all that comfortable. At least not while you're lying on your belly. Maybe if I wasn't a touch typist it wouldn't be so bad, because it would be more comfortable for a "hen pecker" but I am what I am, as Popeye would say. So while it's cool for now there will be few and far between entries on this blog from the bed. And I can tell already that my wife hates it......

DT

Refurbished or New? What Should Your Next Portable Computer Be?

2007-03-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

When it comes to purchasing a laptop computer you can't help but consider the cost of the unit. While they have come down in price considerably since I sold them for Gateway back in 1998 through 2002 they are still a significant investment for most people. When I was working for Gateway the idea of purchasing a refurbished anything electronic was strictly out of the question! Man how times have changed! A wife and three kids later, two cars, a house payment, insurance, etc, etc........ Well now you can see why refurbished seemed a little more attractive at this stage in my life.
After several months and weeks of consideration and weighing the pros and cons of new and refurbished I (thanks John) I finally decided to go the refurbished route. Do I have any regrets? Well, I'm happy to report that I don't have any! In fact I may never buy a new laptop again! When I purchased the unit I knew I would have to wait at least 5 days to get it, and during those five days I went over and over in my mind of what the condition might be once I got it. Would there be dust and lint stuck between the keys? Would the screen have scratches all over it? Would there be burned out pixels? Would the chassis be dented and scratched? Boy was I relieved when I pulled it out of the box and noticed only 1 imperfection. The front grill of the speakers has about an inch long dent. I hardly noticed it until I stepped back and viewed it from a distance. The screen is in excellent condition, as is the chassis and keys. No dust or lint in the keys, and it looks just like you would expect a brand new laptop to look. I was really put at ease when I pulled it out of the box and saw the HP seal on the sticker that held the box shut.
I purchased mine on EBay but you can also buy them direct from the manufacturer. I paid $599.99 for mine, plus $39 shipping and handling. for what I got with it I have no complaints and I highly recommend anyone looking for an inexpensive laptop to check out a refurbished model. You might be pleasantly surprised just as I was.

DT

Review: NBA Live 07' Sony PSP

2007-03-08T17:58:00.000-08:00

Summary: Last year's version of NBA Live for the PSP was the best basketball game on the system. Unfortunately, fatal flaws grounded this game faster than a Steve Kerr slam dunk.

I usually go into this long winded diatribe when I review games, but I'm going to keep this one short and too the point. This game feels like NBA Jam for the Sega Genesis. It has all of the prerequisites of an over the top arcade basketball game. Let's go down the list shall we?

No defense? Check.
No play calling required to win? Check.
No fouls called? Check.
Catch up A.I.? Check.

As you can see all we are missing to truly make this an NBA Jam styled game are two less players on the court per team, and that wacky over the top announcer that yells "boom shock a locka!" or "Is it the shoes?" In all fairness to NBA Jam that game was way more fun because you knew what to expect when you sat down to play it. With NBA Live 07' for the PSP you expect to be to able make a 4 foot pass without having the frigging ball stolen every other god blessed time!!!!!! You expect to be able to make a wide open 3 pointer using Kobe Bryant, while playing on the default difficulty level, and playing against the Golden State Warriors who don't know what a defensive play looks like!!!! You expect to be able to hold Steve Nash to under 56 points when you're playing as the Lakers!!!! You expect to be able to block at least one shot out of 5 games played!!!!!! You expect to take at least ONE FREE THROW during that same 5 game stretch!!!! I can't even tell you about the free throw mechanic used this year because I have yet to take a single free throw!!!!!!!!!!! UGGGGGGGGHHHHHH! But wait! There's more! The computer has no problem playing lock down defense on you, but they seemingly score at will! Your computer controlled teammates do a horrible job of stopping the ball handler from driving right down the middle of the lane for an easy dunk or layup. But when you try the same move, you are instantly double teamed and more often than not, the ball is stolen from you! Curses! To make matters worse, when you see players like Steve Nash own the paint it gets really frustrating! He's making layups over Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom at the same time!!!!!!!! That will never happen in a million years!!!
In closing, do not buy this game. Do not rent this game. Do not even pick it up to look at the back cover when you go to the store. I'm saving you the disappointment of wasting $40 of your hard earned money on a steaming pile of horse sh**t! Peace.

Graphics 6/10 Their passable.

Gameplay 3/10 Utterly hopeless attempt at arcade styled basketball using simulation rules.

Lasting Appeal 3/10 You wont want to play it again for a long time.

Overall 4/10 The menus look nice, and the packing is decent.

DT

The Denny's Conundrum

2007-03-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

Denny's. I've been going there for over 15 years, and I could never understand why until now. Think about it. The food isn't that good. The service can be absolutely dreadful. The atmosphere until recently was smoke filled, and it isn't exactly the cleanest place to have a meal. But every month or so I found myself back there with my wife, and sometimes with our kids. Now that I've taken the time to "analyze" the hold this place has on me, I think I've figured it out. It comes down to comfort. I just feel comfortable in those uncomfortable booths, I enjoy inhaling that disgusting second hand smoke, and I enjoy my pancakes burnt and dry, my eggs bland, and my soda watered down. What I find most humorous about Denny's is that they give you this ton of food for next to nothing, but it is so disgusting that you can never finish it! Doggy bag? I don't think so. I wouldn't feed that stuff to my neighbors dog, and let me tell you, I'm not particularly fond of my neighbor. I haven't been to Denny's since December, and I can't see going back there for a long, long, long time. Unless I have this sick and twisted craving for nostalgia. I'll see you at Pete's.

DT

MLB 2K 7 Review

2007-03-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

Summary: If you're into simulation styled baseball games this is a must have title to add to your collection. The minor deficiencies aren't enough to knock this years game off the top perch. Batter up!

My favorite genre in video games is sports. Football, baseball, basketball, and hockey are my top purchases every year, so when the new version of MLB 2K7 came out 4 days early I had to pounce on it. While last years game was more than adequate, there were some shortcomings that kept it from getting scores hire than 7.9 to 8.5. Were these issues fixed this year? Is this years game a perfect 10? Read on to find out.
Baseball is a sport that's very hard to perfect in a video game, because there are 3 separate areas that need to be spot on. Pitching, batting, and fielding. If even one of these is less than perfect it will ruin the entire game. Let's take each of these areas in this years game and see just how 2K faired.

Pitching: 8.9/10
This year 2K took took the old adage "if it ain't broke don't fix it" to their approach to pitching. Last year the pitching mechanic was made up of a 3 step process. Select your pitch type, aim your pitch with a cursor, then throw it. When you begin the wind up process a circle appears on the screen indicating your power. The longer you hold down the button, the larger this circle becomes indicating a harder throw. Once your power is set that circle begins to retract and the key is to stop it right in the center of the bullseye, which determines your accuracy. If you nail the bullseye you will throw darts on the mound. But if you miss, prepare to do your best imitation of Jose Mesa during the World Series against the Marlins. The computer will make you pay for your mistakes which is a refreshing touch. It adds a nice risk reward to pitching that makes you think about the situation. Do you reach back for a little more on that 3-2 count to finish him off, or do you play it safe and stay within yourself? On the default difficulty you will probably average 4 to 6 strike outs per game because the computer is really aggressive. I would like to see the computer take more pitches, but they do swing at balls which is cool. You can adjust the settings and sliders to "fix" the AI, but you will miss out on any achievements! The best camera view for pitching is behind the pitcher because it looks just like a TV broadcast. The camera is zoomed in enough to give you a great view of the batter and the plate.

Batting: 7.0/10
Batting is probably the hardest thing to get right in a baseball video game, especially when you're playing against the computer. This year batting is made a little more difficult than least year due to the speed of the pitches. You have so little time to react to the ball that you really can't tell if its going to be a ball or a strike. Now I know some of you are thinking "well it's supposed to be fast! These are major league players here!" Well, that's true but this is still a video game and the last time I checked I wasn't making $4 million per year to hit .300 from my couch, thank you very much! That being said it does make the game more challenging, and once again the sliders can be adjusted to your liking. Home runs seem to be a little too plentiful this year, and I wish there were more walks. I have played several games and I have not been able to draw one walk! Not a single walk! I would be a lot more patient at the plate if I knew I stood a chance of drawing at least a few walks per game, but as i currently stands your only strategy is to go up there and whale away at just about every pitch. This is one slider that I may eventually adjust, because it's just not baseball without walks. You have too choices to swing the bat. There's the old school method of just pressing a button and hitting away or theres the "MVP Baseball" method of using the right analog stick to swing, which is the default setting in the game. To swing using this method you pull back the right stick just as the pitcher comes out of his wind up, then as the pitch approaches home plate you either let go of the stick for an average contact swing or push it up for a power swing. Both methods work fairly well, and you don't have to push the stick up to hit a "big fly". Instead, your timing plays a big part in how much power you generate on your swing. The more in sync your loading up your swing the more power you generate. Pretty cool. Batting is passable this year, but I'd like to see it overhauled for next years game.

Fielding: Fielding is what really brings the score down for this years game. While you can adjust sliders to fix the issues with pitching and batting, there's not a whole lot you can do about the fielding portion of it. Fielding just seems so "mechanic" this year. Its almost as if you don't actually control your fielders. Last year the fielders had too much momentum that hampered their movement. This your it seems they over compensated for this by completely doing away with momentum. You will over run several balls because they players move so fast. What should be routine put outs become infield singles that eventually lead to costly runs. Another problem with the fielding is that they did away with the option to add power to your throws by holding down the turbo button. In fact the turbo button has been done away with all together. This really puts you at the mercy of the computer left to determine how hard to throw balls from the outfield back into the infield. Now where's the strategy in that? It might as well be auto fielding! Lastly fielding is made even more difficult by the size of the baseball after it leaves the bat. You can barely see the ball! In fact if it wasn't for a blue trail left by ball coming off the bat fielding the ball would be nearly impossible. I'm hoping for a code that will make the ball the size of a beach ball! I know they're going for realism but next year make the size 4 times larger!

Presentation: 9.5/10
This is where this game shines. You know how some reviews say that if your friends or family members happened to walk by as you were playing they might mistake it for an actual broadcast? Well it's definitely true for this game! Last years game looks average compared to this years. The crowning jewel is the player models and animations. I don't think they are as good as NBA 2K7's but they are the best we've seen in a baseball game to date. Now some of the lesser known players still look like crap but the big name guys look great. Heck, they even nailed the managers and coaching staff! Mark Hargrove looks just like Mark Hargrove! I"m playing with the Indians and it is really cool to recognize your players on the bench just by looking at their faces! "Hey, that's Cliff Lee!" As for the animations they included all of the big time players swing animations, mannerisms at the plate, and what their on deck warm up routines. Its really amazing. The stadiums look just as good too. If there's one complaint about the graphics its the rain effects. We've seen the same old effects for the last 10 years! This is a "Next Gen System" isn't it? Surely they can do better than vertical lines crawling down the screen. Maybe next year.

Overall this game is still work checking out if you like realism. I highly recommend it even if you do have to adjust some of the sliders to make it more playable. My final score for this game is an 8.1 / 10. Swing for the fences!

DT

I WAS A JERK, AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE!

2007-02-27T16:53:00.000-08:00

There comes a time in a man's life when he has to admit when he was a jerk, and just an all around "A-Hole". This is my time. It's actually pretty amusing when I think about it. As some of you know I spent 6 years in the military from 1988 to 1994. It was really one of the more entertaining periods of my life, as I got the chance to travel to places I never would have gone to otherwise, and met some pretty cool people. Well, one of these cool people was Erik Helmut Astheimer. "Asti" was in my unit when I was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. Austi had a wife and two kids that I sometimes baby sat for. The kids were Ryan and Kayle. I'm not sure if the spelling of her name is correct because it's been so long, but I think I'm close. His wife's name was Michelle, who happens to be at the center of this story. Michelle was fiery red head with freckles, and she only measured 5' 2" tall. I was young and impressionable at 24 years of age, and I hadn't really lived all that much. In fact I rarely left my barracks and when I did it wasn't to go to clubs or the like. I usually stuck to the base and played it safe.
When I was discharged I needed a place to stay and since I had become really close to the family I was invited to stay there. Now, its not what you're thinking. There was no torrid affair of any kind. In fact we never made any physical contact whatsoever! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! So if nothing every happened what am I apologizing for? Well, I must confess that I had a huge crush on Michelle! Huge! How could I have a crush on what I considered at the time to be one of my best friends? Man, all I can say is that when you're that age and you've never had a girlfriend up to that point, your emotions and hormones can get the best of you! Let's just say that I feel like a total ASS whenever I look back on that time of my life, and if I could ever get in touch with Asti or Michelle I would apologize because I disrespected both of them. I really thought very highly of both of them and I can't help but feel that I betrayed that trust with Asti.
So, Asti if you ever do a google on your name, and provided that I spelled it correctly I hope you eventually find your way to this blog and look me up. My number is 330.412.4762, and my email address is jamieshan@ameritech.net. Look me up and we will reminisce about old times and I hope you will be able to forgive me for being the biggest jerk in the entire world.
Just so we are all on the same page, my wife is the first woman I have ever dated. The first woman I have ever kissed. And the first woman I've ever......well, you get the idea.

DT

UPDATE: I am so bothered by this that I went on line to try to find a current phone number and address for either of them, but no luck. I even spent $7.9 of my own money for one of those pay sites, only to find out later that I could have gotten the same outdated information for free. I also learned that I spelled his name wrong before, which I corrected. I will keep searching, but I must admit that it was weird seeing their names and addresses from so many years ago. It even showed the address where I stayed with them for close to a year. Apparently he remarried some girl named Misty. I would love to catch up with them. The search continues.

My New Lifestyle

2007-02-25T15:41:00.000-08:00

What's up my peeps? As most of you know, I have decided to make some dramatic changes in my lifestyle in the last week or so. No, it's not that! I have decided to change the way I eat and exercise. Over the past 10 years I have really let my self go. I didn't realize just how much until I was getting out of the shower and hardly recognized the reflection of the person staring back at me. My face looked 15 years older instead of ten, and my gut had blown up to enormous proportions. Sure, I'd always known I'd packed on a few pounds here and there, but the final tally blew me away. I went from150 lbs. to 200 lbs. over the last 10 years. Now, some may say that this isn't a huge deal, but I'm only 5' 4", and that makes it a huge deal. It bothers me that I'm considered "morbidly obese" by the medical world, so I figured its time I did something about it. It's been a little over a week, and I've only lost 3 lbs., but I feel a whole lot better but I know I have a long way to go. This is not a diet! DIETS DO NOT WORK!!!!! This is a lifestyle change! That is the only way you are going to lose the weight and keep it off! Trust me. I've been doing this for years and years and years, and I know what works and what doesn't. Diets do not work.

Oh, and one last thing. Do me a favor? If you see me eating something less than healthy, or you see me going out to eat at a fast food place don't wag your finger at me and say "Ha, I knew you couldn't do it!" Or "You're of the wagon already?" Or "Hey, what happened to your diet?" Just know that I'm making a conscious effort to eat what I want, and when I want than you very much! Now if you want to offer words of encouragement I am all for that. Thank you very much!

DT

Terrorists Beware: Bauer Is Back!

2007-01-15T17:18:00.000-08:00

The 6th season of 24 started last night with a spectacular 2 hour premier, and it did not disappoint. The show picks up two years later after last years finale. As you'll remember the show ended with Jack being kidnapped by the Chinese Government for the death of one of their diplomats. The Chinese doesn't easily forget, however everyone has a price and the Chinese struck some undisclosed deal with the US president to bring Bauer back to the US. Little did Jack know he was going to be a sacrificial lamb.....
Sure, there are some unbelievable sequences but every show of this nature will be that way. Just enjoy it for what it is, and welcome Jack back with open arms. The one thing you will notice immediately unlike seasons past is how this story line is ripped right from today's headlines. You will see a lot of muslims discriminated against, and several references are made to the detention of Japanese Americans during World War II. Great stuff. You never know which side the show is on because they do a good job of describing the pros and cons of both sides of the argument, but something tells me that they are not for setting up detention centers for American citizens based on their name name or religion. Enoy the ride!

DT

Bush's New Plan

2007-01-10T13:18:00.000-08:00

President Bush is all set to take to the airwaves in less than 3 hours to explain his new plan for Iraq to the American people. The only problem is that this isn't a new plan at all. The only difference in this plan is that he's adding more troops. Remember 3 years ago when he said "When the Iraqis stand up, we'll stand down"? Well, what if they never stand down? Does your new plan take into consideration that they may never stand up to defend their own country? This war was never our fight anyway, and now we are stuck there. They need to devote an entire section to your presidential library for every fallen US soldier in Iraq. Everyone of their names should be posted, along with any relatives they've left behind. This would let the future generations know that you were the worst president to ever grace the White House. You were never fit to hold the office, and your body of work lets everyone know it. If you voted for this man, you are just as much to blame for his actions as he is. And if you voted to re-elect him I hope you are happy with the results.

DT

Keep Your Head Up Buckeyes

2007-01-09T05:41:00.000-08:00

It was a fine run, but we met our match last night. No excuses about a 51 day layover, even though it was the longest in NCAA Football history. No excuses about Ted Ginn being hurt for the entire game, even though he was their number one player all season long. I wont make any of them for OSU because they had a great season, but on this night they were simply out coached and out played. The Gators wanted it more and they went out and took it. They did to OSU what OSU did to Miami. They punched them in the mouth and took their candy.
Don't feel sorry for the Buckeyes. They will return to this place with in the next 5 years because they are Ohio State. They will get the best recruits year in and year out, and parents all around the country will line up to send their kids to the coach that loves to rock the sweater vest. A program like the Buckeyes never rebuilds. They only reload! A mere bump in the road.
This will be the last we see of Troy Smith. I just don't see him making a splash in the NFL at his size. I know it's been done before with Doug Flutie, but even he stuggled in the NFL with his size. If anything he will be slot receiver or a perennial back up quarterback. I don't see any team giving him a chance to start.
No excuses for the Buckeyes, even though the layoff of 51 days, and losing their star player for 3 quaters gave them no shot to win that game! I won't make any excuses.

DT

Movie Review: Stay Alive

2007-01-08T12:57:00.000-08:00

Stay Alive
Summary: As survivor horror movies go this one wasn't too bad. The idea of a video game coming to life has been done before, but this was different enough to warrant a look. 2 out of 5 stars.

Survivor horror movies will never be taken seriously because of their subject matter. That's not to say that some of them aren't entertaining though. I quite enjoyed the Resident Evil series and felt it should be the blue print for movies based on video games, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Scream is in league of it's own and should be credited for keeping this genre alive. Stay Alive falls somewhere between both of these. It's based inside of a video game, and the characters are running for their lives throughout the film with hidden dangers around every corner. Unlike these other movies it's based on real life characters. Countess Elizabeth Bathory was a very wicked lady indeed. She was obsessed with maintaining her youthful appearance so she got this idea that if she bathed in the blood of virgin girls she would remain young forever. Yikes! She is credited with the kidnapping and death of over 800 young women in the early 1600's. She was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in her castle.
The movie follows the story of 5 "gamers" who come accross this underground game after their friend dies a grisly death in an apparent murder suicide. They would later learn that he died exactly the way his character died in the video game Stay Alive. Of course the cops don't believe the kids and instead suspects them of the murders, so they not only have to stop this crazy countess Bathory from lopping their heads off, they have to elude the cops while doing it! Normally I would complain about movies being unbelievable but this one gets a pass because its based in the video game world. Some things will leave you scratching your head, like how some people are killed even though they never played the game. Hmmm......
They guy from Hero's makes a brief appearance (the nurse) but he's the first one killed. What's wrong with that guys mouth anyway? Frankie Muniz has one of the leading characters and he plays a geek just like he did in the sitcom. Overall the actors did a pretty good job. The lead detective is also the guy from Need For Speed Most Wanted. He plays the cop in that game too. Real cocky SOB! There's only one brief nude scene in the theatrical release but I hear the director's cut would have garnered an "R" rating instead of PG-13 so mabye you'll want to check that one out instead.
For what it is Stay Alive was pretty good. Not the best, nor was it the worst. I wouldn't pay to see it in a movie theatre but it's worth a rental.

DT

Over At Last!

2007-01-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

It's over. By "it" I mean the holiday season. I can't remember ever being so exhausted after the holidays than after this one! The extended hours at work, the pressure to buy gifts for everyone, and the tax man pounding down my door made for a very stress filled holiday. Now that "its" all over I can get back to the task at hand. Not sure what that means exactly, but I'm going to get back at it anyway!

I gave my moms a 55" wide screen projection tv. I had an extra one lying around. Don't ask. It's hard buying for my parents every year, because I have to try to out do myself every year. I think that was the last "big" gift for a while though. The year before that I bought my dad a new computer, so this year it was my mom's turn. Merry Christmas mom and dad! I love ya!

I got my wife some "Happy" purfume and toiletries, a leather jacket, and a 90 day membership to CURVES, a weightloss club for busy moms. You're probably thinking it took some pretty big balls to buy my wife a membership to a club, but this is something she wanted so I was in no danger of offending her. My boo knows I love her just the way she is, so no worries there. "Don't go changin' to try to please me! I love you just the waaaaay you arrrrre!".

My kids got spoiled as usual by us, and they were still ungrateful!!! My oldest daughter moped around the house all day because we forgot the batteries to her toys, and because my wife didn't get her the right doll. Excuse me? Back in my day my parents would have packed up all my toys and returned them, after my mom delivered a swift box to my ears! The nerve of these kids today. I wanted to return her toys, but my wife wouldn't let me. She is way to easy on them.

What did I get? Um, let me see. I got 2 pairs of pants for work, 3 tee shirts, and a novelty digital camera. I use the word novelty because the back of the bubble wrap touts it as being "the worlds smallest digital camera." Okay. I'm not complaining at all. My wife has never been good at buying me gifts because I get a lot of the stuff that I really want on my own. Besides money was very tight this year. In fact I'm still trying to catch up on bills that I let slip to make this Christmas happen. Tis' the season.

HAPPY HOLIDAS (and this includes New Years) to you and your families. I hope the year is both prosperous and healthy for all of you. See ya!

DT

Monday Night Football On ESPN

2006-11-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or is ESPN trying too hard to make Monday Night Football appeal to "all fans"? As a fan of football and the NFL I could care less what celebraties are in the booth, who is calling the game or who is singing the opening theme song! Don't get me started on Pink and NBC! What happened there! I would have payed Bocephus whatever he wanted to keep him! I stuck with MNF during the Dennis Miller experiment, and I absolutely hated it when they got rid of Dan Dierdorf. To this day I think he is one of the top 3 color commentators in the business. Here's a quick tip for ESPN and the producers of MNF. It's only about the games, man! We only care about the games.

DT

Michael Richards aka "Cosmo Kramer" aka "Racist Pig"

2006-11-20T16:18:00.000-08:00

Man. Just when you think you know someone, you're soon brought to the realization that you don't know them at all. Especially when it comes to celebraties. We get to see such a small part of them, and that part is fake! However that doesn't stop us from "relating" to the character they play and soon we are sucked into believing that this is who they are. It's not their fault, as they're only doing they're job, and who would really want to know that one of their favorite characters was in reality nothing like they one they played on tv or in the movies? Such is the case with Michael Richards. You also know him as Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld. I was a huge fan of this show and of Richards taping episodes twice a day and watching them in the evening, even though I have the first three seasons on dvd. Now, I don't know if I can ever watch the show again. After seeing and hearing the venom spewed forth by Mr. Richards I will have a hard time laughing at his character from now on. I'm a black guy and even though I only saw a hand full of African Amercians even appear on the show, it was still one of my favorites and I will miss watching it. Am I being to harsh on Mr. Richards? I don't think so. He will apologize for the remarks tonight on the David Lettermen show, when he appears via sattelite with his friend Jerry Seinfeld, but will it be genuine? Or did Jerry Seinfeld make the guy the get up there and apologize just keep his fortune from crumbling? The Seinfeld empire could be at stake here, you know! Rumor has it that the apology is filled with tears and such to make sure we know that he's sincere. Whatever. When you speak the words he did, I will always think they are deeply seated feelings that he's always carried with him, and for that it will take more than appearance on a late night talk show even with Mr. Seinfeld himself before I am able to forgive and forget. So long Seinfeld and cast. It was nice knowing you.

DT

Avoid This Man At All Costs!

2006-11-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

This is one angry black man, and along with all other angry black men should be avoided at all costs! Do not attempt to apprehend him, as he posseses super human strength, able to slit the throats of two full grown adults at the same time without recieving a single scratch! He used to be seen in airports hurdling benches and befriending unsuspecting decent white folks, but lately he has been relegated to the golf courses of sunny California. If you see him checking out your wife, daughter, friend, sister, neice, or cousin and they are white, you'd better get them and yourself the hell out of there! The situation will not end well, and you could all find yourselves on the business end of a machete.

DT

Movie Review: Firewall

2006-11-06T16:41:00.000-08:00

Summary: This movie never even comes to a smolder. The plot is ridculously laughable, and the action sequences are even more hilarious. If you're a Harrison Ford fan you have to be asking yourself why he took this role.

I like Harrison Ford, and up until this point I can't think of one movie he starred in that I didn't like. Heck I even liked 7 Days, Seven Nights. (I still can't believe Anne Heche is gay! Ellen Degeneres? It's one thing to be hot and gay, but at least have good taste! Yech!) But I digress. This is the kind of movie that makes you wonder why Ford took this role. Paying off a favor for an old buddy? Maybe he lost a bet? Who knows but this movie is flawed from the beginning.

Plot: Ford's character is some big shot security guy at a major bank. He designs the computer security systems to safeguard against computer hackers. He and his family are being held hostage by a thug and his minions and will be killed unless he helps them rob the bank. They need him because only he can crack the security. Sounds good so far, right?

His character is married (Virginia Madison) with 2 children, both of which are extremely annoying. The boy also starred in Hostage with Bruce Willis which was a whole lot better than this movie. His wife is a famous architect and it just so happens that she designed the house they live in. Ain't forshadowing great? Only if it's used properly in the movie!!!!! Remember this for later in the review.

Ford gets into his car and notices the man he just had dinner with hops in the back seat and is now pointing a gun at him. "Your daughter has pretty eyes," he says to Ford. Then he shows a picture of his daughter taken by a cell phone. She is bound and gagged and is obviously in great pain. Ford lunges for him, but then remembers the guy has a gun. They get back to the house to find everyone tied up and hating life. 16 minutes later we find out why they are being held hostage! 16 minutes!!!!! Why did it take so long to get the plot going!!!

Ford is fitted with this high tech James Bond stuff before he's sent off to work. Pen that's really a video camera, and a tiny microphone. There's also a guy tailing him, and this same guy has this monitoring equipment in his car so he can see and hear everything that's going on. Right. Here's where the movie just gets plain silly. You mean to tell me that he couldn't write a simple note on a pen and paper to someone in his office letting them know he was being held hostage and to send the police to his house? Right. No one in his office wondered why he was acting so strangely? Right. He fires his secretary he's had for god knows how many years for no apparent reason and she doesn't get suspicious? Right. We later learn that he fires her only to advance the plot later on in the movie. Pathetic really. Here's the best part. Later on in the movie he is alone with the lead thug for the entire second half of the movie and he never tries to knock him over the head with a blunt object, then send the police to his home! Ford couldn't take that "limey Brit" out? Ha! This is the same guy that single handedly defended Air Force 1 against 100 terrorists, and the plane didn't crash!!!!!!!

Remember the forshadowing bit? Well, his wife designed the house so they devise a plan to escape. They are making their way through the air ducts and down into the garage. They all make it into the car, she starts it up and just as she's about to drive off the bad guy flashes a gun in the window and she's forced to abort her plan! Curses! Usually when forshadowing is used in a movie, any movie it almost always works out in favor of the victim meaning they usually don't get caught. They usually get caught earlier in the movie to build up suspense for the second attempt. They blew it on this one.

There are so many unbelievable sequences in this movie that it really makes it more of a comedy than the thriller/action movie it's supposed to be. Harrison Ford I'm ashamed of you! Next time don't sell out. Your fans deserve better than this heaping pile of pooh you've delivered here. Save your money on this one folks. If you want a good Ford action move stick with Airforce 1. It may not be totally believable, but at least its entertaining.

DT

Know Who You Are Voting For!

2006-11-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

With the elections tomorrow I thought it would be a good idea to put you wise to exactly what party each candidate belongs to. I want the facists out of power, and if you're with me you will vote the Democratic ticket for every contested office, and that includes the garbage collectors!

Governor/Lt Governor; State of Ohio
Larry Bay/Debra K. Fries, Independent (Write-In)
Robert Fitrakis/Anita Rios, Independent
James Lundeen/Kevin Becker (Write-In)
Ted Strickland/Lee Fisher, Democratic
William S. Peirce/Mark M. Noble, Independent
J. Kenneth Blackwell/Thomas Raga, Republican

Attorney General; State of Ohio
Marc Dann, Democratic
Betty Montgomery, Republican

Auditor of State; State of Ohio
Barbara Sykes, Democratic
Mary Taylor, Republican

Secretary of State; State of Ohio
John A. Eastman, Independent
Jennifer L. Brunner, Democratic
Greg Hartmann, Republican
Timothy J. Kettler, Independent

Treasurer of State; State of Ohio
Sandra O'Brien, Republican
Richard Cordray, Democratic

State Representative; District 50
John P. Hagan, Republican
John Johnson, Democratic

State Representative; District 51
Scott Oelslager, Republican
Kody V. Gonzalez, Democratic

State Representative; District 52
William J. Healy, II, Democratic
Eric Waldrop, Republican

State Representative; District 61
Mark D. Okey, Democratic
Brant Luther, Republican

State Senator; District 29
Thomas E. West, Democratic
Kirk Schuring, Republican

State Senator; District 33
Tracey Winbush, Republican
John A. Boccieri, Democratic

US Representative; District 16
Thomas Shaw, Democratic
Ralph Regula, Republican

United States Senate
Sherrod Brown, Democratic
Mike DeWine, Republican
Richard Duncan, Independent (Write-In)

Judge; Ohio State Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/1/07
Terrence O'Donnell
William Michael O'Neill
Judge; Ohio State Supreme Court

Judge; Ohio State Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/2/07
Robert R. Cupp
Ben Espy

Judge; Ohio State Court of Appeals; District 5; 6 Year Term Starting 2/09/07
John W. Wise

Judge; Ohio State Court of Appeals; District 5; 6 Year Term Starting 2/10/07
Scott Gwin

State Issues

Issue 1 Referendum on Am. Sub. SB 7 - Workers' Compensation
Shall certain measures from Amended Substitute Senate Bill No. 7 to reform Ohio's Workers' Compensation Law be approved?
Amended Substitute Senate Bill No. 7 makes changes to Ohio's Workers' Compensation Law, including the following:
Changes procedures for determining the amount of compensation that may be received for wage loss or permanent total disability. Allows workers' compensation and benefits to be awarded to a victim of sexual assault at the workplace. Prohibits certain prisoners from receiving workers' compensation and benefits while confined to a county jail and designates the Bureau of Workers' Compensation Special Investigation Department a criminal justice agency. Exempts the addresses and phone numbers of workers receiving workers' compensation and benefits from Ohio's Public Records Law and from public access, except to journalists. Allows employment in a sheltered workshop for injured workers with traumatic brain injuries even if a worker is receiving workers' compensation and benefits. Requires that workers demonstrate "substantial aggravation" of a pre-existing condition by certain objective criteria before workers' compensation and benefits may be awarded, specifies eligibility qualifications for permanent total disability compensation, and reduces the time frame for which claims may be brought. Improves the ability to settle workers' compensation claims under certain conditions, voids certain settlement agreements upon death, increases amounts available on specified attorneys' fees and changes rules of procedure related to certain appeals. Prevents the Workers' Compensation Oversight Commission from setting a different policy than requirements outlined in Ohio law regarding who may serve as investment managers. Allows self-insuring employers to pay compensation and benefits directly under certain conditions. IF APPROVED, THESE AMENDMENTS AND ENACTMENTS WILL BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

Issue 2 Proposed Constitutional Amendment
To adopt Section 34a of Article II of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. Except as provided in this section, every employer shall pay their employees a wage rate of not less than six dollars and eighty-five cents per hour beginning January 1, 2007. On the thirtieth day of each September, beginning in 2007, this state minimum wage rate shall be increased effective the first day of the following January by the rate of inflation for the twelve month period prior to that September according to the consumer price index or its successor index for all urban wage earners and clerical workers for all items as calculated by the federal government rounded to the nearest five cents. Employees under the age of sixteen and employees of businesses with annual gross receipts of two hundred fifty thousand dollars or less for the preceding calendar year shall be paid a wage rate of not less than that established under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act or its successor law. This gross revenue figure shall be increased each year beginning January 1, 2008 by the change in the consumer price index or its successor index in the same manner as the required annual adjustment in the minimum wage rate set forth above rounded to the nearest one thousand dollars. An employer may pay an employee less than, but not less than half, the minimum wage rate required by this section if the employer is able to demonstrate that the employee receives tips that combined with the wages paid by the employer are equal to or greater than the minimum wage rate for all hours worked. The provisions of this section shall not apply to employees of a solely family owned and operated business who are family members of an owner. The state may issue licenses to employers authorizing payment of a wage rate below that required by this section to individuals with mental or physical disabilities that may otherwise adversely affect their opportunity for employment. As used in this section: "employer," "employee," "employ," "person" and "independent contractor" have the same meanings as under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act or its successor law, except that "employer" shall also include the state and every political subdivision and "employee" shall not include an individual employed in or about the property of the employer or individual's residence on a casual basis. Only the exemptions set forth in this section shall apply to this section. An employer shall at the time of hire provide an employee the employer's name, address, telephone number, and other contact information and update such information when it changes. An employer shall maintain a record of the name, address, occupation, pay rate, hours worked for each day worked and each amount paid an employee for a period of not less than three years following the last date the employee was employed. Such information shall be provided without charge to an employee or person acting on behalf of an employee upon request. An employee, person acting on behalf of one or more employees and/or any other interested party may file a complaint with the state for a violation of any provision of this section or any law or regulation implementing its provisions. Such complaint shall be promptly investigated and resolved by the state. The employee's name shall be kept confidential unless disclosure is necessary to resolution of a complaint and the employee consents to disclosure. The state may on its own initiative investigate an employer's compliance with this section and any law or regulation implementing its provisions. The employer shall make available to the state any records related to such investigation and other information required for enforcement of this section or any law or regulation implementing its provisions. No employer shall discharge or in any other manner discriminate or retaliate against an employee for exercising any right under this section or any law or regulation implementing its provisions or against any person for providing assistance to an employee or information regarding the same. An action for equitable and monetary relief may be brought against an employer by the attorney general and/or an employee or person acting on behalf of an employee or all similarly situated employees in any court of competent jurisdiction, including the common pleas court of an employee's county of residence, for any violation of this section or any law or regulation implementing its provisions within three years of the violation or of when the violation ceased if it was of a continuing nature, or within one year after notification to the employee of final disposition by the state of a complaint for the same violation, whichever is later. There shall be no exhaustion requirement, no procedural, pleading or burden of proof requirements beyond those that apply generally to civil suits in order to maintain such action and no liability for costs or attorney's fees on an employee except upon a finding that such action was frivolous in accordance with the same standards that apply generally in civil suits. Where an employer is found by the state or a court to have violated any provision of this section, the employer shall within thirty days of the finding pay the employee back wages, damages, and the employee's costs and reasonable attorney's fees. Damages shall be calculated as an additional two times the amount of the back wages and in the case of a violation of an anti-retaliation provision an amount set by the state or court sufficient to compensate the employee and deter future violations, but not less than one hundred fifty dollars for each day that the violation continued. Payment under this paragraph shall not be stayed pending any appeal. This section shall be liberally construed in favor of its purposes. Laws may be passed to implement its provisions and create additional remedies, increase the minimum wage rate and extend the coverage of the section, but in no manner restricting any provision of the section or the power of municipalities under Article XVIII of this constitution with respect to the same. If any part of this section is held invalid, the remainder of the section shall not be affected by such holding and shall continue in full force and effect. A majority yes vote is necessary for passage.

SHALL THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT BE ADOPTED?
YES
NO

Issue 3 Proposed Constitutional Amendment - Gambling and college scholarships - Learn & Earn
To adopt Section 12 of Article XV of the Constitution of the State of Ohio.
This amendment to the Constitution would:
Permit up to 31,500 slot machines at seven horse racing tracks and at two Cleveland non-track locations. Permit expanded gaming in the four Cuyahoga County locations if approved by the county's voters. Distribute the revenues as follows: 55% to the slot and casino owners and operators. 30% to the Board of Regents for college scholarships and grants to eligible students and administration of the program. The remaining revenues to be divided among local governments, race tracks for purse money, gambling addiction services, and The administration of the Gaming Integrity Commission comprised of five members appointed by the governor and the majority legislative leaders. The moneys provided by this amendment are to supplement and not supplant existing and future constitutional obligations to post-secondary education and local governments.

Issue 4 Proposed Constitutional Amendment - Restrict smoking places - Smoke Less
To adopt Section 12 of Article XV of the Constitution of the State of Ohio.
This proposed amendment would prohibit smoking in enclosed areas except tobacco stores, private residences or nonpublic facilities, separate smoking areas in restaurants, most bars, bingo and bowling facilities, separated areas of hotels and nursing homes, and race tracks. The amendment would invalidate retroactively any ordinance or local law in effect, and would prohibit the future adoption of any ordinance or local law to the extent such ordinance or law prohibited smoking or tobacco products in anyplace exempted by the amendment.

Issue 5 Proposed Law
To enact Chapter 3794. of the Ohio Revised Code to restrict smoking in places of employment and most places open to the public. The proposed law would:
Prohibit smoking in public places and places of employment;
Exempt from the smoking restrictions certain locations, including private residences (except during the hours that the residence operates as a place of business involving non-residents of the private residence), designated smoking rooms in hotels, motels, and other lodging facilities; designated smoking areas for nursing home residents; retail tobacco stores, outdoor patios, private clubs, and family-owned and operated places of business;
Authorize a uniform statewide minimum standard to protect workers and the public from secondhand tobacco smoke;
Allow for the declaration of an establishment, facility, or outdoor area as nonsmoking;
Require the posting of "No Smoking" signs, and the removal of all ashtrays and similar receptacles from any area where smoking is prohibited;
Specify the duties of the department of health to enforce the smoking restrictions
Create in the state treasury the "smoke free indoor air fund;"
Provide for the enforcement of the smoking restrictions and for the imposition of civil fines upon anyone who violates the smoking restrictions.

SHALL THE PROPOSED LAW BE ADOPTED?
YES
NO

There you have it. In closing, if you enjoy watching this great country become the laughing stock of the world, then by all means be a sheep and vote along your Republican party lines. But if you want to take this country in a new direction vote the Democratic ticket. Hey, they can't do any worse than the crooks in office now!

DT

Before You Vote On Tuesday, Who Are You?

2006-11-01T16:29:00.000-08:00

As we approach zero hour to voting Tuesday before you pull that lever you should ask yourself "Who Am I?" Are you a Republican or a Democrat? How do you know which is which? I will attempt to distinguish the two for you, then you can decide for yourself.

Let's start with Republicans. Until recently, the 1994 to be exact neither party had a "monopoly" on the moral authority in the country. Both parties have always been somewhat corrupt each erupting with their own scandals over the years. There was Nixon and Watergate, then Clinton with the infamous intern. Leading up to 1994 the Democrats had enough scandals in the paper to warrant Newt Gengrich's "contract with America". This contract would restore trust in the government and it succeeded in running the Dems out of power, giving the Republican party control of the house and the senate. Newt never said just how long that "trust" would remain restored, and as it turns out it didn't take long before the Republicans found themselves as the immoral party trying to regain the trust of the American people. It's remarkable how history repeats itself. What's the saying, "find me an honest politician and I'll......." I had to give you that brief history so that we can once and for all do away with the nonsensical idea that only Republicans have morals and good values! Rubbish. There's bad in everybody, just as there's good in everybody. Be wary of anyone that tells you otherwise. Here is some of what the Republican party stands for.

Small Government - Before the this current president this was true, but government spending has grown exponentially since he came to power. Small government refers to government programs such as welfare and other progams designed to assist the public. Republicans tend to have an "every man for himself" attitude. Bush's "faith based" initiatives are not only un-republican, but they're also unconstitutional. That however is an entirely different subject.

Conservative - This could mean a few different things, but I will sum it up for you. They don't like gays or lesbians. They also don't look favorably upon abortion or a woman's right to choose. That being said they are all extremely hypocrtical! Mark Foley, Tom Delay, Rudy Guiliani, Bob Ney, Bob Taft, and most recently Rev. Hogard. They guilty to some degree of the same type of behavior they supposedly disdain! Give me a break. Throw the bums out!

Now, the Democrats founded they're party on helping out the underdog. Basically they believe that the goverment should play a role in making the lives of everyone better, especially those less fortunate. This is how they get the Big Government moniker The Democrats understand that rich business owners wouldn't be so rich if it weren't for the common less fortunate man. He works in their factorys and buys their products. If the less fortunate guy wasn't there to buy those products how would the rich guy get rich????? They owe it to society to give something back to the community which is why they pay higher taxes. It's a perfect system, right? You get rich off the sweat and brow of your neighbor then you should pay more into the system. It makes sense to me, which is why I've never complained about paying taxes. It's a neccessary evil in a civilized society and I for one am willing to do my part. The "Dems" believe in social programs, such as welfare and social security, which were both Democratic programs.

So what about Bush's "Faith Based Initiatives"? Well in my opinion these are nothing more than payoffs to his base for re-electing the bum! I also question the constitutionality of these programs. Are they available to all religions or just those that the administration deems fit or acceptable. Does for instance a "Wican" or "Muslim" organization have access to the same funds if they're also doing charitable work?

The Democrats have a rap of always raising taxes, but you can't have it both ways. Do you want everyone to get a fair shake or do you want the rich to get richer and the rest of society to fend for themselves? You have to make that decision on your own. But the next time taxes are raised, ask yourself if you'd rather have your kids and grand kids pay for this huge national debt or do you want to start dealing with it now. You can't have it both ways.

DT

Gone But Not Out!

2006-11-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

I had to take a bit of a hiatus to get the new store prepped and ready to go. We still have a long way to go before we're ready for our first customer, but things are going very smoothly. For those of you that have taken the time to come out to visit I'd like to ask what you think so far? Customers have been trickling in all day wanting to pay bills and start new service so I think we picked a great location. It should be an exciting run and I'm looking forward to the challenge. I will post finished pictures next week!

DT

New Store Pictures

2006-10-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

As promised here are some pictures of the new store taken from the inside. If you look closely at the window treatment you will notice a rail that goes across the entire window. This is to hang collateral and other signage. We were suprised at just how many poster holders were all ready being displayed. I'm sure some of them will go. The sign on the outside of the building is HUGE! And the plaza has a digital sign on out front that they allow you to display your specials one a or twice a month. Cool beans!

This is a shot from the behind the center island. As you can see the installed handset cradles still have the "claws". They won't be changed until the rebranding.

This is the kitchen area. The door you see cracked open there opens up to the hallway with the restrooms. I thought the backroom would be a little bigger but it's all good.

Here's a shot of the manager's desk. Not that I plan on spending a significant amount of time back here..... You can also see that the safe is in place. The cage is on the opposite side of the room.

This is a shot of the cash pods. I think we will have at least 4 active initially. Oddly enough there won't be a bill payment kiosk right away. Apparently we have to make a case for it. Okay, no problem there. At least I hope. Take a look at the two cash pods on the left, and notice how they are stuck togther. I'm not sure if they will be seperated, but I think I saw the condiuts in the ceiling already in place. Such a strange position for those pods. Oh well.

This is a shot of the infamous "red wall" present in stand alone T-Mobile store. If you look closely you can see me in the reflection holding up the camera. Let's hope these walls are put to better use than are now. Such a waste of space. How about hanging a plasma on it?

This is a shot of the public restroom entrance. There's also a water fountain for public use as well. Cozy!

Here is a shot of the left wall. As you can see the store is not fitted for the rebranding. It will have to be done later. That's a terrible waste of money, but there was no other way. Oh well. What's one more overnight stay until 3:30 anyway?

Movie Review: Inside Man

2006-10-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Summary: The Inside Man is one of Spike Lee's better efforts in a long time. Fast paced, entertaining, and full of twists and turns it's sure to please!

The Inside Man is a movie about a bank heist that's planned and executed to perfection. Clive Owen is the mastermind, Denzel Washington is the tough as nails cop with problems of his own, and Jodie Foster is the "middle man" with her own agenda. As most of you know, I'm a huge Denzel fan, and I think Jodie Foster is great too. Check her out in a little known movie called "The Accused" in which she plays a rape victim. I'm not really a huge fan of Clive Owen. In fact I'm really not sure of what other movies he's played in, however in this role he was perfect. In fact the entire casting was done very well. Willem Dafoe made a very brief appearance as well.

This being a Spike Lee "Joint" you would expect it to have some type of racial overtones and the movie doesn't disappoint. Tension is immediate as stereo types are played up right in the beginning. From the racist beat cop that initially calls in the crime to the hostage who is let go and accused of having a bomb in his brief case by police surrounding the building. They immediately thought he was in on the heist because of his ethnicity. Brilliant and funny too. I say funny because while this movie does attempt to take on some heavy topics such as racisim and stereotypes it never takes itself too seriously offering up some really funny stuff. I know I laughed a few times.

On too the acting. Denzel was great in this role. This guy is so smooth it's scary. I haven't seen one movie that I didn't like him in. Training Day may have been the one exception but only becuase I'm used to seeing him play the hero. "Why did Denzel have to be crooked to win it? Why?" I don't know. Why did Halle have to become a porn star to win hers? Don't know that either. But I do know that without Denzel playing the lead role the movie may not have worked. He is able to bring tension to a role in one minute, then comedy in the next while offering every other emotion in between. He plays a dective that's been accused of stealing money from the evidence room after a huge drug bust. While he strongly denies any involvement, we are led to believe that maybe he did have something to do with it, and Washington plays this balance to perfection. You know he isn't all good, but there is some good in him.

Jodi Foster's role is minor in this one. She plays a seedy "get anything done for the right price" type of character. She has no apparent morals, and if she does they are tied to money and power. She is very attractive in this movie, even thought there's no sexual tension between her and any other character in the film. Very sexy nonetheless. I like her in this role, as she is intelligent and doesn't take crap from anyone. Not even Denzel's character, the dectective. I wish her role had a little more to do with the heist. As it stands I guess her role could be categorized as minor in the end. Anyone else could have played this part, such as Sharon Stone or even Demi Moore. Foster did play the role she was given very well, but it wont start any Oscar buzz. Her character is cold, calculating, and all about "me", which suits her style well. Oh, by the way, she sucked in "Flightplan" as did the entire cast, crew, director, writer, and anyone else who had anything to do with this piece of rubbish. That movie was much better as "AIR FORCE FRIGGIN ONE !".

Clive Owen's character is the most interesting of them all. He is robbing a bank, but it's not entirely for money. He has a hidden agenda and for him, it's not all about self. He is a bank robber with a moral compass, and it's this compass that actually drives the entire film. In fact without it there would be no film. I'm not going to spoil the film by going into anymore detail than that, but I think you will appreciate his character after you've watched the film. During the heist it becomes evident that he does in fact possess a conscience, but he can still be a brutal "arse" when he has to get his point accross. Will Clive Owen's performance prompt me to scour Net Flix for more of his work? Probably. He did a great job in this one and I look forward to seeing him in more.

This is a very smart movie with a great ending that harkens back to the days of "The Usual Suspects" which is one of my all time favorites. The cinematography is brilliant and is typical of a Spike Lee Joint. Sweeping panoramics and a great since of style. I particularly like the effect used when Denzel's character finds out he's been outsmarted by Clive Owen's. The scene starts with a far away shot of Denzel, then it starts to zoom in as though the camera is on wheels "which it probably is" until it finally stops on an extreme close up of Denzel showing the anguish on his face! This is a trade mark of Spike Lee's movies (Malcolm X) and it's used very well here. The musical score is a little jazz with sweeping orchestral scores. Very well done.

I have very little fault with this movie. It's a great story that touches on the racial tension based on our current day culture. Stereotypes are exploited but in a humerous kind of way that pokes fun at all of us, including Jews, people of Middle Eastern decent, blacks, whites, Chinese, elderly, and even the overweight. There are some very attractive women in this one, espeically the "cell phone girl". Check her out when she is ordered to "disrobe". Thick brizzle indeed! Check this one out if you're a fan of The Usual Suspects or any other bank heist movie. I think you will enjoy The Inside Man.

Ain't That Sweet

2006-10-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

My wife drew this for me on the table at The Maccaroni Grille on Sweetest Day. I love my boo boo!

Scenic View

2006-10-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

I took this picture from the front seat of a van on the way home from Columbus today. Not bad for a camera phone. The detail in the clouds is particularly cool.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 for Xbox 360 Review

2006-10-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

Summary: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 offers many improvements over last years version, such as double the courses and ramped up difficulty. It should provide enough challenge to get you through until next years version is released.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 for the Xbox 360 left quite a bit to be disired. EA took the same route as they did with their other sports franchises. Dress up the graphics a bit and cut out most of the extra features to rush it to the stores. Well this year they devoted a little more time to the franchise than last year, but the 360 version is still lagging behind it's little brother in a few key areas. Most notably is the lack of courses in the 360 version. The Xbox game shipped with a whopping 29 courses, while 360 owners only get 12. Still that's twice more than last year, but one has to wonder why EA decided to do this. They had well over a year to work on the game so to come up 17 courses short is in my opinion inexcusable. I thought the 360 was the next gen console! Another feature left out was the difficulty sliders, which lets you tailor the game to your liking. This one isn't that big of a deal, since the 360 provides plenty of challenge even for the most seasoned Tiger Woods player.

Graphics & Presentation 8/10
Most of the graphic resources were spent on the player models, particulary Tiger Woods. If you have a High Definition tv your jaw will drop when you see how well they were able to render his likeness, as it's simply amazing. Using new technology called "Universal Capture" or UCAP. I'm not going to go into great detail about this other than to say that it uses lots of sensors on the models face to get a more accurate rendering of facial animation and bone structure. In short Tiger looks great. The other golfers? Well they didn't fair as well. They look good, and in fact better than they did last year, but compared to TW they look somewhat out of place. The animations for some of the swings aren't as smooth as they are in real life. This has been a trade mark of the Tiger Woods series for as long as I can remember. Any shot that requires less than a full swing looks horrible, and nothing like a real golfer. The putting animation also looks unrealistic. How hard is it to mo-cap a putting stroke? The courses themselves look great. If you look closely at the ground you can see the shadows of the clouds rolling by. Nice touch! My only gripe with the on course graphics are the fairways. They just don't look like they're made up of real golf turf. I think what's missing is the texture, and maybe this is a limitation of the hardware. The fairways look like that photo realistic crap we used to see in a lot of the old PC games. Mind you this is a minor gripe and in no way affects the gameplay or my overall enjoyment of the game. But if we're going to do next gen, let's do it right! The create a player feature returns and is better than ever, but its going to take some time to create that "virtual you" accurately. It took me about a half an hour and I'm still not totally happy with the results. My biggest complaint is that the black characters skin has that CG shiny look to them, as though they're made of plastic. It looks pretty creepy.

TV style presentation was promised in this years version, but I personally don't see it. They've added picture in picture after a shot, and that's about it. Some of the camera angles they switch to after a shot are totally disruptive and ruin the gameplay exeperience. Especially when putting. Too bad we don't get presentation sliders to change camera views. The commentary is rehashed from 3 years ago, which is pretty disappointing. How hard is it to get these guys back in the studio at least once very two years? Lame.

Gameplay 9.5/10
This is why we buy the game every year, right? Let's face it. Tiger Woods golf games "used" to be a push over. You "used" to be able to take your golf shots without giving much thought to where the ball eventually landed because you knew you would sink a 46' put with your eyes closed. Well not anymore! The difficulty has finally been ramped up and the game actually provides considerable challenge. There are still a few annoying aspects to the gameplay, but I will get to those later. With the new "true aiming system" the size of your target marker is based on your golfers experience level. No longer can a player just starting out take dead aim at every flag stick. The aiming circle changes in size as you change clubs and as your player gains more experience. The scoring clubs such as the SW, LW and PW have smaller circles, while the Driver and fairway woods are noticeably larger. This automatically makes the game harder and more life real golf. I watch a lot of golf on tv and I know that you can't take dead aim on every hole. You have to consider the "risk/reward" factor before taking your shot and this new aiming system makes you do just that. So even if your timing on your swing is perfect there's still no guarantee your shot will make it to within 10 feet of the hole. Just like in real golf. Yes! I'm playing my career on the "Hard" difficulty setting and it is providing just the right amount of challenge. In last years version you had the option to max out your power or accuracy stats anytime you wanted, which made the game unbalanced and too easy. In this years version you have to practice and even then the computer decides at what pace you increase your abilities. It was an ingenious way to make the game more challenging, while also giving it more replay value. Other than the True Aiming system, the next biggest change to gameplay has to be in the putting. No longer is there a 2 foot vaccum surrounding the hole. You will have to earn every putt that you make, and the greens are flat out murder! Be extra careful with those downhill putts!!!! Thank God they got rid of that stupid "Game Breaker" feature, that was essentially a gimme on any putt at any length. It really made the game feel cheap last year. While I refuse to use the A button for a power boost or spin control, it does make a return in this years game. I don't know of any golfer that's able to shape their shot by imparting spin to the ball in mid-air. This a cheesy gimmick and I wouldn't be upset if it was removed from future versions.

I do have a few gripes about the gameplay. First of all some of the shots off the tee are inconsistent. I know in real life, shots can go anywhere off the tee but distance shouldn't vary by 60 to 70 yards per shot. My golfer's driver power is a 250. Some drives go 259, and some go 202! Very frustrating when you're trying to win a tiger challenge against an opponent that consistently nails 269 yard drives. My other gripe is the "catch up" AI. I'm on my third match in the Tiger Woods Challenge, playing against Tenanaka the Japanese guy. The first time I played him he was missing putts left and right. Before the next match I upgraded my equipment, and increased my stats a little. Wouldn't you know that now he's sinking puts like Chevy Chase in Caddy Shack! It makes the game challenging but in a cheap sort of way. My last gripe is with the putting stats. It seems to me that this is a stat that shouldn't be upgraded. If you read the greens correctly you should make the putt. You should not be aided by the computer by increasing your stats. It kind of takes the fun out of it for me. Either you can putt or you can't, but it shouldn't be left up to the computer.

Overall 9/10
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 is still be the best golf game out there on any system even with 17 fewer courses than the current gen version. Providing more challenge than years past you will be playing Tiger 07' for months to come. Daily tournaments on Xbox Live is also a major plus! With only a few issues in presentation and graphics keeping it from getting a perfect score this one is a sure fire hit. Go pick it up today, and I'll see on the first tee!

DT

Nokia N73 Cell Phone Review

2006-10-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

Summary: The N73 does most of what it set out to do very well, with only a few hiccups along the way.

Working for one of the major cell phone service providers has it's advantages. The biggest one being that we get to try out all kinds of cool stuff before the rest of the public does. However, I would much rather live in Europe or Japan where they seem to get everything before "we" do, and cell phones are no exception. The phones overseas are so much more advanced than ours that you hardly ever see them importing our US only phones. I'll bet they laugh at the specs of our stuff when compared to theirs. I've always been a gadget freak which was what drew me to the Nokia phones. The company touts them as "computers" and they are pretty close.

The N73 is one of Nokia's latest offerings. Sporting the "candy bar" form factor it fits nicely into they're already full line up of "do everything handsets". With a 3.2 mega pixel camera, Carl Zeiss optics, a built in flash, auto focus, and zoom lens the camera alone may be worth the price! The pictures are absolutely stunning, offering nice color saturation and crisp images. At 3.2 mega pixels the images are large enough to print, but I wouldn't suggest blowing them up beyond 5x7 inches. There are a few drawbacks to the camera functions. First of all the processor isn't very fast, so don't expect to be shooting pictures of Susie or Johnny taking ballet class or playing football, as these images are likely to turn out blurry and distorted. Secondly you have to hold the camera very still for about 3 seconds after depressing the shutter or these pictures will also be out of focus. Again this comes from the processor not being fast enough to record the images. However, even with these drawbacks the N73 takes the best photos of any camera phone I've every owned and I've owned quite a few of em'. The video feature didn't fair quite as well as the single shot mode. You have to be in a very well lit area or the picture will appear grainy during playback. While the "flash" or lamp does turn on, it has to be fairly close to the subject to be of any use at all. Outdoor video appeard much more true to life because of the available light. Overall quality during playback was still acceptable.

The phone portion performs flawlessly. The call quality is crystal clear (T-mobile Network) and the reception is on par with other Nokia handsets. If you have used Nokia's in the past then you already know what I'm talking about when it comes to reception. You will appreciate the stereo speakers when using the speaker phone feature, or when playing back your mp3's and movies. Navigating the phone book can be accomplished by using the joystick or the voice activation feature which works suprisingly well. No longer do you have to "train" it for each specific name in your phone book. Simply press your bluetooth talk button, say the name and boom! It finds it. From there you can press the green send button to make the call. Very nice! As far as outgoing audio quality I haven't had any complaints so I assume all is well.

Computer? Yeah, you could say that. The handset runs on the Symbian 60 3rd Edition OS. It can run office software such as word and excel, has an awesome calandar feature, can send and receive email, and can run a myriad of other software titles much like a Pocket PC or Palm OS device could. Creating documents on the small keypad might not be the ideal choice, but if you're in a pinch it will suffice. Speaking of the keypad it feels a little cheap and out of place on such a classy phone. They feel "plasticky" and too soft for my taste, but this is just my preference. I liked the feeling of the N80 and and N91 keypads much better.

You have not browsed the web on a phone until you've browsed the web on this one! This is by far the best web browsing software that I've ever seen on any phone period! It is so much better than Internet Explorer for the Pocket PC you'll wonder why this wasn't done before. Blackberry Web Browser? Forget about it. This one does it all. When you're browsing a web page you have the option to zoom out to get a full view of the page. From there you can move a small square around the screen until you get to just the section you're looking for, press the joystick in and voila! You are at precisely the spot you wanted. No more scrolling aimlessly around the page hoping you land on the spot you wanted. Try out this browser and you will never go back to another. I dare you.

Overall build quality seems very solid, if not a little too light. The camera is protected by a sliding rear door, which is something the N80 sorely lacked. I could have easily scratched the lens on the N80 because it was always exposed so I'm glad they decided to include the door on this one. If you're going to spend all that money on Carl Zeiss optics then you'd better find a way to protect that glass, and they did. Kudos to Nokia! Overall navigation is carried out by the use of a 4 way joystick that sits just above the number "2" key and in the center of the "4" softkeys. I would have designed the joystick to sit a little higher because it's too easy to press it in and make a selection when all you wanted to do was go up, down, left, or right. Still after a few days you do get used to it and all is well. The key is to "tap" the stick instead of trying to push it. Batter life is just about what you'd expect from a phone with so many multimedia features. I've charged it every two days with liberal use of the camera, webrowsing, bluetooth headset, and phone calls. I would rate battery life as "good".

I've had the phone for just over a week now, and I haven't had one lock up, freeze up or any other malfunction. The same couldn't be said for the N91 and N80. Performance has been fairly quick and smooth. I do wish Nokia would have added an "auto lock" feature to prevent the accidental button mashing that inevitably takes place while the phone is in your case or pocket. You can manually lock it, but that is such a hassle. Luckily there's a third party software title that you can download for free that solves this problem. Now this phone isn't going to be as fast as a laptop or dedicated PDA for that matter, but it is much faster than the MDA, SDA or older Pocket PC phone devices that I've used in the past. Some other cool features are the "speak name" feature during ring tones, the 2.4" 265k color screen, blue tooth, and stereo speakers.

If you're looking for a phone that "does it all" then the Nokia N73 may just be for you. The candy bar design may turn some people off, but it's classy looks, excellent camera, and huge screen will draw most people in. Check it out!

Pros -
3.2 mega pixel camera with Carl Zeiss Optics
Camera protected by sliding door
2.4" 265k color screen
Stereo Speakers
Small form factor
Excellent Web Browser
Symbian 60 3rd Edition OS

Cons-
Keypad feels a little on the cheap side
Sub par video quality in low light situations
Joystick takes some getting used to
No auto lock feature out of the box

DT

Fish Anyone?

2006-10-20T16:48:00.000-07:00

Eaddie's on Wise Ave. opened a restaraunt and they have the best battered fish in town! And the beer battered fries are great too. Check it out.

My New Digs

2006-10-18T17:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a shot of my new store taken today. I will post some from the inside later. It is beside the Chinese buffet.

Were You Watching?

2006-10-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

Today one of our most basic rights was signed away by the President and the Republican controlled House and Senate. For over 200 years we all enjoyed the right to a speedy trial and to be made aware of why we were being imprisoned. Not any more. The President now holds the power to hold an "enemy combatant" for an indefinite period of time without an attorney, without knowing why they're being held, and without a trial. A "military tribunal" will decide who fits the category of an "enemy combatant" and guess who decides who's on the military tribunal. If you said the President you would be correct. The military always does the Presidents bidding wether it's a Republican or Democrat. They are after all the Commander in Chief.

Some might say, "This is neccessary to fight the war on terror." I say you're a fool for trusting any President with this amount of power to wield it responsibly. Have we forgotten about the corrupt office of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan? You could even throw Bill Clinton into that category as well. There is nothing stopping Bush or any other President from holding a political opponent as an "enemy combatant" for allegedly aiding and abetting terrorists. Maybe you're the editor of a liberal news paper and you write scathing remarks criticizing the Presidents foreign policy in the Middle East. Could you be an enemy combatant? Maybe your group is responsible for some vicious ads attacking the Presidents domestic policy. Could you be an enemy combatant? Yesterday, the answer to both of these questions was "no" because there were laws in place to protect your freedom of speech. After today all bets are off. You are at the mercy of the Commander in Chief, and at his whim he could lock you up for anything he deemed a threat to homeland security. Is this really the direction the United States of America should be taking? Our forefathers are turning over in their graves. They did their best to protect and safeguard against this type of abuse, but I wonder if any of us cares? Do you? I will leave you with this: "Power corrupts, but absolute power destroys." Were you watching?

DT

Where You Been?

2006-10-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

WTF?! No updates in close to a year! Yeah, I've been pretty busy lately. But I'm back on line now, and there's a whole lot of catching up to do! The mid term elections are right around the corner and if you don't vote democrat, then I never want to hear you complain about how this country is being run (into the ground) for the next 2 years! Please go out and vote! Doesn't matter what you vote (DEMOCRAT) so long as you vote.

I promised you guys a photo blog last year and now I'm ready to go! Got me some new hardware, the lovely Nokia N73 and it is the bomb! Expect a full review in the next few weeks. I promise. Well, that's all for now. You can expect a new picture everyday, and maybe more on some days. See ya!

DT

Me!

2006-10-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

What Would You Ask Your President?

2005-11-23T09:34:00.000-08:00

You have the opportunity to ask President George Walker Bush any question you'd like, and he has to give you an honest answer. What would your question be?

My question:

Mr. President, if you feel this is an honorable and just cause that our troops are fighting for in Iraq, and that every soldier is a "national hero", why haven't you encouraged your own children and family members to join the fight by enlisting in our armed services?

Down But Not Out

2005-11-22T16:16:00.000-08:00

I spent the better part of today combing the earth for one of the elusive Xbox 360's, and I came up empty. I thought for sure that this hype was Micro$fts marketing machine at work and there would be plenty of systems to go around, but I was wrong. I still believe this is exactly what Micro$soft wanted, pre holiday hype to sell more systems this season.

I ain't licked yet! I have one more ace up my sleeve and I'll bet you'd love to know what it is......

Stay tuned for my first impressions of the Xbox 360 and a full review of Tiger Woods 2006 and Madden 2006. Out.

DT Money's Perspective On.........The Xbox 360 Launch

2005-11-21T16:33:00.001-08:00

Here we go again! Another console is slated to launch in a matter of hours, yet the real entertainment will take place in the moments leading up to it. You see, I enjoy watching stupid people sit outside the stores like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Babbages in hopes of getting a system in the first shipment. Do you really have nothing better to do than sit on a slab of cold, hard concrete for 8 hours to get a "toy" that you could just as easily get the next day? You will see them on the 11:00 news tonight braving the elements, wearing nothing but a hoody, and there's always a cig in their mouth. "The Xbox 360 is gonna be awesome! Whooooo!" "But aren't you concerned about the price? Isn't $400 alot of money for a game system?" "Hecks yeah it's alot of money, but I figure on workin' some overtime at Taco Bell." Nice. Real Nice.

If you were smart, you would do what I plan on doing. I'm going to pay a "meth head" a few bucks to stand in line for me. They're up for 72 hours at a time already, so why not make some cheese doing it? Hey meth head, just be sure you don't sell my shiny new system for another fix, or we could have trouble......

DT Money

DT Money's Perspective

2005-11-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

What's up people? I have been wanting to start a blog for a long time, but I've never made the time to do it until now. My main man Sizzletron put me wise to how easy it is to set up, so here I am. If you are invited to post on DT Money's Persepective make sure you bring it strong, son!

What's DT Money? Those of you that know me can figure it out. Those of you that don't know me, will very soon........

Keep checking back at DT Money's Perspective for some interesting editorials, opines, and special treats. Oh, and I'll be sure to keep it real. Out.

DT Money