Chatter Of The Squirrel

Todd Goldman

The Inter-web is all abuzz with Todd passing off other people’s works as his own ART.

See http://www.miketyndall.com/todd_goldman/

Todd’s making good money selling his T-shirt designs at http://www.davidandgoliathtees.com/index.php. He’s had gallery exhibitions, and his stuff is being passed off as fine art (http://www.fascinationstart.com/todd_goldman).

Which isn’t a big deal. It’s not the first time asses have ripped off another person’s work. But interestingly, it’s the first time I’ve heard the perp going on a public forum and accusing the victim of being a pedophile, and then hiring a lawyer to smack the admin of the forum to remove the libel commited against him.

References:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/2007/04/23

http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp04052007.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Goldman

Deja Dilbert

Last Saturday, Scott Adams pulled one of his comics off the press and replaced it with a repeat. The reason for which was explained here.

But for those who wants to read what the intended comic was, look here. One of the few places that published the comic irregardless.

Incidentally, the Houston Chronicles is also where you can read all the old strips of Dilbert. The syndicate at comics.com only gives you a one month archive. But no such restrictions at Houston Chron.

Heh… Who needs to pay for the VIP subscription at comics.com now?! Just no Sunday strips though…
I foreshadow a dip in productivity at work…

Blog loses virginity

After doing this blog for one and a half years, for the first time, a stranger has linked to me!

http://cartoons.blogcarnival.com/archives/2007/04/underwear_repli.html

Milestone!

Taking a pulse on housing

Reading one of the random newsletters that fell into my mailbox.

—Quoted—

Senators urge Fed to protect subprime borrowers

Senators including presidential hopeful Christopher Dodd urged the Federal Reserve on Monday to protect borrowers in the subprime-mortgage market by toughening rules on both bank and nonbank lenders and restricting some loans. See full story.

Sales of existing homes plunge in March

Sales of existing homes plunged 8.4% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.12 million, the lowest in nearly four years, the National Association of Realtors reported Tuesday. See Economic Report.

Home prices fall at fastest rate in 13 years

U.S. home prices continued to fall in February, with 17 of 20 major metro areas seeing lower prices in February compared with January, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller price index released Tuesday. See Economic Report.

—End of Quote—
Housing is what’s been propping up the dollar and the US stock market in recent years since the tech burst and 9/11. Thanks to Alan Greenspan’s brilliance.

Now this bubble looks like it’s running out of steam. And what affects the US will have ramifications on everyone.

Interesting times…

FallOut 3!

Those who’ve played the FallOut franchise will know how I feel.

FallOut 1 & 2 were great games. And FO: Tactics too was an incredible challenge.

But we never got to see FallOut 3, despite waiting years and years.

This franchise belonged to Interplay, which had been developing games for years and years. Starting with Battle Chess, which I remember with some fondness, in the days of double digit MHz PC systems.

Ah… My first PC AT, 12MHz with 1MB RAM and 20MB harddisk. And a CGA computer capable of displaying 4 colors at a time.

Since then, Interplay had many successful franchises. Including Baldur’s Gate, Planescape:Torment (best RPG there ever was) etc.

But despite the success of their games, the company had fallen into hardtimes. Unable to pay its staff. Evicted out of its premises. Slapped with numerous lawsuits. Taxes. etc. Generally having no money left to develop, nor publish anymore games.

Till they’ve been forced to sell the rights to FallOut.

To Bethesda Game Studios. Known for The Eldar Scrolls series.

For 5.75 million.

And now, they’re going to do FallOut 3.

And after selling the full intellectual property rights to Bethesda, Interplay gets the license to create a FallOut MMORPG. That’s what the millions are for I guess, a last ditch gamble to dig themselves out of insolvency.

I wish success to both projects. While I’m still young, please.