The Outlet's Top Ten Stories of 2007.

First thing's first. Some of you...okay, all three of you...might have been wondering what happened to the Website of the Week? It will return January 4th. Now to the article.

The Outlet has only been around for little more than a month. However, the editor has a damn good memory of what happened in 2007. I took the unenviable (and difficult) task of narrowing my picks to ten, and I did it. You may not agree with my picks. That is fine.

I give you my top ten stories of the year.

10. The writers strike- Starting last month, the writers for the late-night comedy shows (Letterman, Leno, and O'Brien), sit-coms, dramas, and film walked from their jobs and to the picket lines, thus shutting down production of many shows and movies. This was the result of bickering between the writers and producers over money from internet shows. The strike still goes on, but the late-night shows will return on January 2nd.

9. College football upsets- Starting with Appalachian State's victory over Michigan on the first week of the season, upsets were the story in college football this year. Many once-thought improbable upsets became reality and the BCS was once again thrown into a mess.

8. NIE Report- Iran was once thought to be enriching uranium for nuclear weapons. However, according to sixteen intel agencies, Iran stopped enrichment in 2003. This caused outrage and broke my trust in the Bush Administration.

7. Minnesota Bridge Collapse- In August, a river bridge, as a result of faulty maintainence, collapsed into the Mississippi River, shutting down a major accessway and killing 9 people. This tragedy made the nation think about bridge safety.

6. Sports Scandals- See Tim Doneghey, Barry Bonds, Michael Vick, and Adam "Pacman" Jones.

5. Don Imus canned, then back on air- The day after the Women's College Basketball Championship between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, radio show host Don Imus called the Rutgers players, who lost the game, "nappy-headed hos". The comments sparked outrage from Women's groups and the African-American community. Led by the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, Don Imus was canned by MSNBC and CBS Radio. Eight months later, Don Imus was back on the radio.

4. Celebrities behaving badly- See Linday Lohan, Paris Hilton, and (Do I need to mention?) Britany Spears. Also see Chris Crocker's "Leave Britany Alone" video.

3. Global Warming (and its hypocrits)- See Live Earth and Al Gore.

2. Chinese Recalls- See toy recalls and pet food recalls.

1. Virginia Tech Shootings- On April 16, just 4 days before the 8th anniversary of the Columbine Massacre, Virginia Tech student Cho Seung-Hui opened fire on the campus, killing a total of 32 students and faculty before killing himself. The Virginia Tech shootings had all campuses across the nation thinking and revamping security measures. A blue-ribbon panel investigation led by Governor Tim Kaine (D) determined that the campus failed miserably in the prevention of the killings and the security of the campus. Lawsuits have been filed and more are sure to follow.

These are the Outlet's ten stories of the year. 2008 is sure to be a busy one at The Outlet with a pivitol and crucial presidential election coming up. I am also looking forward to the NFL Playoffs, fallout from The Mitchell Report, fallout from the Barry Bonds indictment, and the future of TV and Film as a result of the writers strike. Bring on 2008.

Good night, and good luck.

Comments on New England Patriot's Undefeated Season.

Perfection. It is something that very few achieve. Whether it is a student graduating with a 4.00 GPA or a sports team finishing a season undefeated, perfection doesn't come easy and it involves determination and dedication. Perfection is a grand task in anything a human beign or a team does. It should be respected and admired.

Undefeated seasons have happened in college sports (many in college football and even in college basketball), but a professional team finishing a season without a loss is something that I thought I may never see in my lifetime. The NBA, NHL, and MLB seasons are about six months long and the NFL season, while only having 16 games in 17 weeks, is exhausting. Going unbeaten in a professional sports season with all the talent and experience that those players have is an astonishing task and something that may never occur in real life.

The realization of a professional sports team finishing a season undefeated happened last Saturday night when the NFL's New England Patriots beat the New York Giants to end their season without a loss. The Patriots finished an accomplishment for the first time since 1972 when the Miami Dolphins went 14-0.

My congratulations go to the Patriots. Finishing an NFL season undefeated is an amazing task that requires effort, dedication, and teamwork. They had all of that. The Patriots should be proud of themselves. They finished a goal, a feat, and an accomplishment that may never be seen again. I have a new respect for the Patriots despite the cheating scandal from the first game against the New York Jets.

With all that said, the Patriots have a taller task ahead of them: to win the Super Bowl. Finishing a regular season unbeaten is a tremendous accomplishment, but it will mean little or nothing if they lose in the playoffs. This is a taller task too, since unlike the NBA, NHL, or MLB, the NFL playoffs are one game; either win or go home.

The New England Patriots should be commended for their achievement. However, they now need to win the Super Bowl. If not, their undefeated season will either be tainted or be forgotten. That said though, finishing a season 16-0 is a grand accomplishment.

Go Patriots!

New York Governor Elliot Spitzer (D) Uses Hoax Site in Presentation.

Read this article on GamePolitics. The article has a link to the presentation.

In a nutshell, the presentation is nothing more than propaganda and scare-tactics, not to mention that one of the sources used, a website called "Mothers Against Videogame Addiction and Violence", is a hoax site created by an NYC design school student.

Politicians going this low not only to scare parents and to take advantage of single-parents, but also to pass legislation (Governor Spitzer backs a game sales restriction bill) that has been declared unconstitutional nearly ten times is not only unacceptable to the people that elected said politicians, but is also defamatory of the enitre videogame industry and gamers themselves. Tens or hundreds of thousands of the hard-working citizens' tax dollars have been wasted on excessively-flawed bills, most of them being passed with false information and scare tactics that Governor Spitzer is using. It is just sad that the people we trust, those who we elect, those who have heard the people say we believe in you and we trust you with our future are stooping to this level.

Governor Spitzer should know better.

Good night, and good luck.

Comments on Mitchell Report and Steroid Use.

First off, I want to say that I'm still here. I got bogged down with college finals and holiday shopping. Now to the article.

Baseball. It is America's pastime. Many Americans, including myself, have gone to at least one baseball game, whether it may be a minor league game or a major league game. Those who went to baseball games have special memories. It could be watching a manager (the head coach in pro baseball) argue with an umpire or even watching a home run. The home run is what baseball fans want to see. The loud smack of the ball being smashed by the bat grabbed the crowd's attention and they would stare in astonishment as it flew at times into the second or third decks. Kids looked up to them as heroes or role models. We all had baseball players as heroes and idols. We thought they could do no wrong. We all thought that the players had integrity.

Sadly, we thought wrong.

The use of anabolic steroids was thought to be a small issue in Baseball. That was until the BALCO scandal broke in 2003. The lab, owned and operated by Victor Conte, was busted and he went to jail for distribution of illicit steroids. The scandal also targeted Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds just to name a few. Barry Bonds denied involvement and said that he never took steroids knowingly. He is now indicted for perjury.

The steroid issue got worse on Valentine's Day in 2005 when Jose Conseco's book "Juiced" hit store shelves. The book outed alleged steroid users such as Raphael Palmero and Mark McGuire. Canseco and his book was dismissed as false. However, a senate hearing was called on St. Patrick's Day that same year on that very issue. The testimony of McGuire ("I'm not here to talk about the past"), Sosa ("I don't speak English"), and Palmero ("I have never taken steroids...period") changed the public's view of Canseco and his supposed lies. Needless to say, the testimony from the players, the MLB commissioner Bud Selig, and the Player's Association executive director Donald Fher was not satisfactory for the senators. They demanded far stronger penalties for positive drug tests. MLB adopted the new policy later that year. Also later that same year, Raphael Palmero tested positive for a banned substance less than half a year removed from the senate hearing. The news gave Canseco even more credibility and nearly got Palmero indicted by the feds for perjury. That dark year for baseball got even worse with the release of the book "Game of Shadows", which fingered Barry Bonds for use of steroids.

This leads us all to the steroids investigation in Baseball. Headed by former senator George Mitchell, this investigation took nearly a year and a half. It was to recommend that baseball take stricter steps with steroid and Human Growth Hormone (HGH) testing and also named those who received, purchased, or have taken steroids. Yesterday, the completed report was released. About 80 names were mentioned, including Roger Clemons, Barry Bonds, and a lot of other current or former players.

Despite the report's recommendations, I say those named in the report should be punished. Although the report didn't say that those named took steroids and HGH, let's have common sense here. When was the last time that someone didn't use what they purchased or received as a gift? I never buy something that I don't intend to use. THOSE NAMED IN THE REPORT SHOULD HAVE THEIR RECORDS ERASED PERIOD!!! I don't care what records, games, and which World Series will be affected. It would not be inconceivable to think that an entire season could have been effected by those who took steroids. Recently, disgraced track star.Marion Jones had to return her medals and accept a 2-year ban from the IOC after admitting that she had taken illicit substances. Her records were erased from the books. Why can't MLB do the same thing?

The players association is also at fault for this scandal. In 2002, they would not agree to drug testing as a part of a new labor deal. If a new deal wasn't made, a strike (2nd within a decade) will result. They claimed that it was a violation of privacy. What a load of crap. When I took a job last summer which had nothing to do with anything athletic, I had to take a urine test. The players should do the same. If they had nothing to hide, they should take the test. I am a supporter of the forth amendment, but if they want to prove their innocence, they should submit to an advanced test for any drug use.

I'm sorry to say that I no longer trust any records in Major League Baseball. This entire scandal is the fault of the players and the players union. They fought for their "right" to shoot themselves up with the cream and the clear. They fought for their "right" to take the HGH. Now they are paying dearly for it. Do I need to say "you reap what you sow"? The players not suing the authors of "Game of Shadows" or Jose Canseco, as well as not suing the sources and the writers of the report, are also adding to the suspicion.

Earlier in this post, I said that those named should have their records erased. They should also be banned from the Baseball hall of fame. If Pete Rose and Joe Jackson got banned from the hall of fame for betting on the game, why can't the ones who cheated also be banned. Cheating on the game is worse than betting on it. Unlike the gambling scandals that affected a team and an individual, this scandal is affecting an entire institution and a sport. The legitimacy about a player's accomplishments and his steroid test history should be a factor in determining acceptance into the hall. If not, then I think the hall of fame thinks that gambling is bad while steroid usage is not.

I also have one last topic to bring up: the race card. STOP IT! This is not about race in any way, shape, or form. This is about those who cheat to break records and to win games in an illegitimate fashion.

This is the worst scandal in Baseball history period. The integrity of the game, what little it had left, is gone. It will remain gone until MLB and the Player's Union can agree on a detailed test that can detect any performance-enhancing drug in any way, whether it be by urine or blood. The players must undergo the test once a month administered by those independent from the team. If the player skips the test or fails it, they should face a one year ban. A second failed or missed test should result in a permenant ban without the possibility of reinstatement. The policy should also have no statute of limitations. This means that the first failed test sticks with the player for the rest of his life. These may be harsh measures, but it may be necessary to earn my trust in the game again. Steroid use in all of athletics needs to stop. Kids look up to athletes as role models. They are their heroes.

Let us never forget the quote "Say it ain't so, Joe".

Good night, and good luck.

Website of the Week: GamePolitics

Video games have either been praised or targeted by politicians since the dawn of the industry. Some politicians applaud the game industry while others try to legislate against it. Although most gamers say that politicians need to ignore the issue, I say the issue can't be ignored.

Game sites report on political stories surrounding games, but one site is dedicated to the matter of the political side of games: GamePolitics.com

The editor and creator is Dennis McCauley, a games columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. His site has been praised by various news outlets and cited by watchdog groups. Dennis McCauley has also been featured in Next Generation's 50 most influential game journalists.

GamePolitics features stories about game legislation, the perception of games in the mainstream media, watchdog groups, and game charities among others. This site also broke the story of the infamous Hot Coffee mod in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This site also allows the readers to post relpies to the stories (my post name is Buckeye 531).

Website of the Week: GamePolitics

Comments on NIE report on Iran's nuke program.

When I heard reports on the news about Iran enriching uranium, I was concerned. Iran's president, Mahmoud Amadineajead, is an unstable and insane human beign. This is a person who denies the Holocaust and repeatedly rants about how he would love to destroy the nation of Isreal. I could only think that he would enrich uranium to start or continue to develop a nuclear weapon. His disdain for the West and America are well-known and well-documented. A nuclear weapon in the hands of a madman is nothing short of a horrifying reality and will more than likely result in hell on Earth. Despite excessive sanctions from the United Nations, Iran remained undeterred and continued to enrich uranium, essentially spitting in the face of the international community.

...or so we thought.

Earlier this week, the National Intelligence Estimate released a report that says Iran ended their uranium enrichment program. Not recently, not a month ago, not even several months ago...for four years! That is correct. Iran's uranium enrichment program was halted in 2003 according not only to the NIE, but to fifteen other intelligence agencies. This is not one or two agencies. Sixteen! A total of sixteen agencies said that Iran halted their uranium enrichment program. President Bush held a news coference about the new report. He said that he only got knowledge of the report on November 28.

Should we believe him? Of couse we could. However, if anyone paid close attention to the President's comments, he changes his wording about Iran and their uranium enrichment throughout the summer and into the fall and winter with a three day pause in August. Why would he want to change his rhetoric and words drastically in less than half a week's time? Is there something going on in the White House? What is behind the change in the President's words? Was he given the NIE report in August? I gave him a slight benefit of a doubt. That was until a former national security council member told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann that, in a nutshell, the President knew about the intelligence report on Iran, but he (the President) continued to warn about Iran and their attempts to get a nuclear weapon. President Bush even said that World War 3 will result if Iran's attempt to get a nuclear missle were successful even after he got the intel report.

I am stunned and appaled. I feel lied to and been put through unfounded and unwarranted fear. The efforts of placing tougher sanctions on Iran will fall apart due to the Administration's deliberate attempts to get this nation into another war, costing this nation even more of our brave men and women, costing more of our tax dollars, and further straining of our military's resources. The members of the Bush Administration at the least should tell the American people what really happened. However, that will not be enough for President Bush and for Vice President Cheney. I'm calling for a congressional investigation into the matter and into the intentions of these two. I, along with the American people that put these politicians in their seats, want to know what the hell is going on. We all have a right to know.

I trusted President Bush. I trusted his reasons to go to war in Iraq. My vote for him was a statement that I had confidence in him. My confidence in him in his second term was already shakey and this intel report made said confidence hit the breaking point. In fact, it surpassed that point. I supported him, his reasons to go into Iraq, and his re-election. Now, I regret it. I fully regret it. This nation is now stuck in a war that no one knows how to get out of, and the thought that the President and the White House to lie to the citizens of this great country to get into a military conflict with Iran is beyond dispicable.

Iran is a threat, was a threat, and will always be a threat as long as Amadineajaed is still in power. Courtesy of the lies put out by the White House, Iran is now a much larger threat. If Iran continues their uranium enrichment, the international community, especially Russia and China, will no longer have faith in this nation and may not support further sanctions. This should be grounds for an investigation of the White House and possilby an impeachment of the President and the Vice President. The Administration put this entire nation in further danger by warning all of us about an enrichment program that was suspended for nearly half a decade. I'm calling on all politicians regardless of party or partisanship, to condemn this vile act. The American public and the international community should never have to go through this. We should not be in fear of a threat that didn't exist since 2003. This is yet another lie of this reckless and thoughtless President and Vice President. These two as well as the rest of the administration should be investigated. If need be, they should be impeached. If convicted, they should be removed from office and put in jail.

Good night, and good luck.

Thoughts on XBox 360 hardware failures, other design flaws, and a lack of common sense.

Microsoft's video game console the Xbox 360 has hit games like Gears of War and Halo 3, It also has reported frequent hardware failures, including, but not exclusive to, the Red Rings of Death, a 3/4 ring around the switch that is indicative of a fatal hardware error. If this occurs, the system will not operate again and must be sent to repair services. Seems simple enough, but when your second 360 fails (this has happened), you have to wonder to yourself what the hell is going on? If Microsoft says they fixed the system or sent you a replacement, then why does it crap up again? Even the Elite 360s get the rings of death. I thought the XBox 360 Elite would've had this problem fixed, but I guess I was wrong.

Another thing I find agonizing is that 360 owners had their console die after the warranty expires. That means the owners would have to pay for repairs or for a replacement. The cost could be from $100 to $150. What the hell?! My Gamecube cost me $100 (without game and RF switch), my PS2 (thin unit) and my Nintendo DS (the original) cost me $150 each. Even my DS Lite, which I purchased less than a year after release, cost me $130. I bought four systems at a price range from $100 to $150 individually. A basic 360 costs $270. If it fails after warranty (which to Microsoft's credit they extended), you are screwed. You will have to pay anywhere from 37% to 55% of the basic unit's price. If the complaints from 360 owners are true and the replacement or repaired units are also crashing, who will pay such a price again and again. What the hell is going on Microsoft?

The 360's woes don't end there. The early units also scratch up discs (YouTube videos prove this). This is believed to be the result of a lack of padding around the DVD lens. Excuse me? Didn't Microsoft know this? What's up with that? Were the manufacturers drunk? This is laughable. It is truly pathetic for a rich company like Microsoft not to do anything about this before the system's initial launch in 2005. Inexcusable and unacceptable in every sense of those words. Microsoft, Peter Moore, and Bill Gates should have known better. These weren't minor scratches either. These scratches were thick, easily visible, and difficult to clean without going to a store and spending money to get it buffered. Just sad. My Gamecube and PS2 doesn't scratch discs and neither does the Wii nor the PS3. You should know damn better Microsoft.

I also have other hardware issues to take up with Microsoft. Where the hell is backwards compatability? I mean right out of the box backwards compatability. The PS3 and the Wii have backwards compatability with their past systems without the use of any on-line process. When you get your Wii or Playstation 3, as soon as you hook it up to your TV, you can put your Gamecube disc or your Playstation 2 disc in their respective systems and play right away. Why isn't it that simple Microsoft? Why can't it be?

The problems and complaints go on. Why do I have to buy extra equipment and an XBox Live subscription of $70/year while the Wii and PS3 have free online play ready out of the box? Why the hell does the richest company in the world need more money and to charge for online connectivity? What would I rather have: the ability to play Halo 3 online at a cost of $70/year or to play games like WarHawk online or online games for the Wii for free? Common sense Microsoft, please?

The Xbox 360 should be better than what it is now. It should not be scratching up discs. It should not be having hardware failures. It should be backwards compatable out of the box. It should have Wi-Fi right out of the box and for free. Had Microsoft waited a year to test the system or were not too cheap to do so, the XBox 360 would not have it's problems. I can see why Hideo Kojima won't put MGS 4 on the 360. The same goes for Square Enix with Final Fantasy XIII. Who would want to buy a game for a system that has hardware problems and design flaws? Not me.

Nintendo and Sony should be laughing at Microsoft. The PS3 has more advanced technology than the 360 and it doesn't have hardware failures (or not to the extent of the 360). It also has everything built in to the system that 360 owners will need to buy in order to take full advantage of their system. The lowering of the basic PS3's price to $400 should also be a selling point to those undecided between the 360 or the PS3. The Wii also has superiorites to the 360. The Wiimote allows for more precise aiming in FPS games than analog sticks. This is why the control and aiming in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is better than Halo 3. Also, the Wii has free on-line play and a better download service than the 360.

I was looking forward to buying an XBox 360, but the thought of the numerous hardware failures and spending lots of money for those repairs or replacements is a turn off. I can't believe that the world's richest company is cheap enough to put out a machine with costly online play, lack of built-in backwards compatability, lack of built in online equipment, lack of other hardware built-in to the PS3 and the Wii. and an overall terrible hardware design with dated technology, costing many 360 owners money and grief. My brother has an Xbox 360 since December 2005. It was a basic unit and it hasn't had any hardware problems. He is lucky, that's all I can say.

Look, I know the PS3 has (or had) a steep price. Yes, it is expensive. However, you get all the things that the 360 owners need to take full advantage of their system and it has free on-line play. It also is a reliable system. It is also designed by a company that has far more hardware and console design experience than Microsoft. What would you, as a consumer, prefer? A $270 system that is known for and prone to hardware failures (and having a crappy customer and repair service) or a $400 system that has no widespread reports of critical failures? I'd pick the latter (if it were between the PS3 and the Wii, I'd pick the Wii, but that's another story). I was looking forward to owning an XBox360. It is a damn shame that the system, with a great game line up, has numerous design flaws. Microsoft is the richest company in the world. They had the resources, but were too damn cheap to use them.

In the words of the late Edward R. Murrow: "Good night, and good luck".

IGN top 100 out; Super Mario Bros. #1

IGN. com recently released their (what I believe to be) annual top 100 games of all time list. I agree with the games listed, but I believe Final Fantasy VII was underrated. Nevertheless, a great list.

Super Mario Brothers took the top spot as well as it should. Had it not been for this game, video games would be extinct. Regardless of preferences, everyone who considers themselves a true gamer should own a copy of the game and play it every chance they get.

You can see the list here.

Gamespot reviewer fired for bad review? Yes, he has.

According to internet message boards and other sources, Gamespot's longtime editor Jeff Gerstmann was fired for a mediocre review of the video game "Kane & Lynch". The reasoning for the firing is rumored to be advertisement pressure from the game's developer and publisher Eidos Interactive.

If the review and advertiser pressuring are the sole reasons behind Jeff's firing, this is just a sorry episode for Eidos Interactive and for CNET, the parent company of Gamespot. It will terminate the credibility not only of Gamespot's reviewers, but the reviewers that work for other outlets. No advertiser or company has the right to push reviewers and media outlets around.

Source: GamePolitics

UPDATE: GameRevolution's Duke Ferris confirms that Jeff Gerstmann was fired due to pressure from Eidos. You can see his comments at the Gamepolitics link.

Unbelieveable. This is just a damn shame. Eidos and CNET has crushed the credibility of reviewers not only at Gamespot, but also the reviewers at other sites. I feel badly for Jeff and I hope he can take legal action against CNET and Eidos for pretty much wrecking his career and his life.

I am also sorry to say that I will no longer contribute to GameFAQs, which is connected to Gamespot. This is a protest to this sad episode.

Broadway Stagehand Strike Ends

After 19 days, many shows cancelled, and millions of dollars lost, the strike between the Broadway producers and the stagehands comes to an end.

I'm glad this dispute is resolved. This strike was hitting restaraunts and tourism very badly.

Now let's see if the television writers and producers follow suit (I miss Jay Leno).

A this and that about the CNN/YouTube Republican Presidential Debate.

Aftet watching (some parts) of the Republican presidential debate, I can't pick out a winner. All I can say is that there was a lot of back and forth insults and whatnot. I did see somethings that I want to hit on, though.

I am disappointed with former NYC mayor Rudy Guliani's insults, most of which were directed at former MA governor Mitt Romney. I expect better from the former mayor and the crowd let him know about it.

Another topic that struck me was the use of torture. I approve the use of torture as a last resort to get crucial information out of imprisoned terrorists. Information that can save the lives of so many Americans. However, Senator John McCain (AZ) made very good points about not using torture. He was a prisoner of the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. McCain recalled the horrible experience and wouldn't want the same for the terrorists held. I can see his point, but given how far the terrorists will go to kill America, I have to disagree.

In the end, there was no winner in my opinion.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl looking awesome

I trust that all of you Super Smash Bros. Brawl fanatics are keeping up with the updates from the game's website? The characters, stages, moves, music, items, and all of the game modes look incredible. I simply can't wait to get this game (and a Nintendo Wii). Another thing that is incredible (and conveiniant is the fact that you can use the GameCube controller with the game. Those who mastered Super Smash Bros. Melee will easily pick up Brawl.

The game is set for release in Febuary 2008 (hopefully).

It should also be noted that Nintendo's website has undergone a facelift. More on that later.

BBFC says no link between games and violence, but defends ban of Manhunt 2 video game.

The British Board of Film Classification, the United Kingdom's ratings board for films and video games, refused a rating for the video game "Manhunt 2" last summer. That means that the game is banned from the UK. Even the edited version, which was downgraded from an "Adult's Only" rating to a "Mature" rating by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, was refused classification. The BBFC's reasoning behind the refusal is the fear that children might imitate the violence in the game.

However, the BBFC admits there is no proven connection between video games and violence. Andrew Caldecott, the attorney for the ratings board, says, "The board's position is that there is insufficient evidence to prove, as a fact, there is a casual connection between video games and behavioural harm...".

So let me get this straight. The BBFC refuses classification to a game on the grounds that it may turn the young ones violent, but they have no factual proof. This is just the BBFC throwing their weight around and shoving their moral beliefs down the throats of the British citizens. I feel bad and sorry for Rockstar and Take-Two (the developers and publishers of the game). They deserve better than this.

Source: Kotaku

You can read about the appeal here.

Republican presidential candidate enorsed by Nevada brothel...What?!

You can't make this up. Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-TX) has been endorsed by Nevada brothel owner Dennis Hof, owner of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch in Carson City, Nevada.

All I can say is wow. It is not everyday that a politician, especially a Republican, is endorsed by a brothel. Ron Paul, however, does not condone prostitution according to spokesperson Jeff Greenspan.

Source: Associated Press and www.azstarnet.com.

Review for "Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King" on GameFAQs.com.

My review for the PlayStation 2 RPG "Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King" is available to read on GameFAQs.

You can read it here.
You can read other reviews I did for GameFAQs.com here.

NOTE: My contributor name on GameFAQs is general531.

Hawthorne Heights guitarist Casey Calvert dead at age 26.

The rock group Hawthorne Heights lost a young and talented guitarist. Casey Calvert passed away at age 26. The group was on tour when he was found unconscious on the tour bus by local law enforcement. The cause of death is unknown and an autopsy is underway.

Casey Calvert was a great guitarist and he will be missed.

The story is from VH1.com.

Kevin DuBrow found dead in Las Vegas home at age 52.

A sad day not only in heavy metal, but in all of music. Kevin DuBrow, lead singer of the 1980s heavy metal band "Quiet Riot", was found dead in his Las Vegas home. The band was known for mega-hits such as "Bang Your Head" and the cover of Slade's "Cum on Feel the Noize". Kevin DuBrow was 52. The cause of death is unknown and an autopsy will take place.

This is according to Reuters.

Kevin DuBrow is a talented rocker and singer. He and his voice will be sorely missed.

Arkansas Razorback football coach Houston Nutt resigns.

Three days after defeating the formerly top-ranked (BCS) Louisiana State Tigers in triple overtime, the University of Arkansas offered head football coach Houston Nutt a 2-year extension. Despite the offer, Houston Nutt resigned from the school. It was a mutual decision between him and the administration. He ends a decade-long tenure with a 75-48 overall record, a 42-38 SEC record, and three SEC Western division crowns in 1998, 2002, and 2006 (0-2 in SEC Championship games).

Arkansas defensive coordinator Reggie Herring will be the interim head coach for their upcoming bowl game.

NOTE: The Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Arkansas Razorbacks tied for the division title in 1998. Because Mississippi State beat Arkansas that season, the Bulldogs went to the conference title game.

Jack Thompson goes on ethics trial, faces disbarrment.

Controversial attorney and anti-video game activist Jack Thompson faces the Florida Bar in a hearing that can result in either a temporary or permanent disbarrment. He is on trial before Judge Dave Tunis due to his actions in court cases against the video game industry. One such action got him kicked off a civil lawsuit and a termination of his pro hac vice (license to practice law in other states) in Alabama.

In my opinion, he at least could be temporarily disbarred. Jack's actions, especially the aforementioned act and his actions after losing an attempt to get the video game Bully declared a public nuisance (which would outlaw sales), are an example of how not to act professionally. He should be glad he was not found in contempt and thrown in jail.

The story is from GamePolitics.com.

Missouri Tigers new no.1 in new BCS standings.

The new Bowl Championship Series standings are now released and there has been a shakeup. The Missouri Tigers are the new number 1 in the BCS standings courtesy of their win over the then BCS no. 2 Kansas Jayhawks and the Arkansas Razorback's upset victory over the Louisiana State Tigers in triple overtime. LSU was the previous number 1 in the BCS.

The BCS top five as of this posting (BCS averages are from ESPN).

1. Missouri Tigers (0.978 BCS average)
2. West Virginia Mountaineers (0.971 BCS average)
3. Ohio State Buckeyes (0.920 BCS average)
4. Georgia Bulldogs (0.827 BCS average)
5. Kansas Jayhawks (0.792 BCS average)

If Missouri beats the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Championship game and West Virginia defeats rivals the Pittsburgh Panthers, then they will meet in the BCS National Championship in New Orleans. However, Ohio State, who finished up their season with a Big 10 Championship and a win over their bitter rivals the Michigan Wolverines, can get in with either a Missouri or West Virginia loss. If both teams lose, then it will be the Bulldogs and the Buckeyes in New Orleans on January 7.

The rest of the BCS standings are at espn.com.

Hilarious Video Game Reviews by the Angry Video Game Nerd.

My brother came to visit my house the other day. While he was here, he shown me some films by the Angry Video Game Nerd. For those of you that did not see his films, he reviews bad video games that were on the Atari, Nintendo Entertainment System (the 8-bit one), and other old systems. These videos are hilarious, especially his reviews for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game and for Bugs Bunny's Birthday Blowout game. It's unfortunate for me to say that I had the TMNT game for the NES (the first one). Looking back on it, that game was horrible.

You can watch his videos here.

NOTE: His critique for Dragon's Lair is available on GameTrailers. Go to the GameTrailers site and type in "Angry Video Game Nerd Dragon's Lair" in order to see it.

WARNING: These videos are NOT SAFE FOR WORK. They are also NOT for those under the age of 17.

New Wave Band The Romantics Sue Activision Despite Permission for use of Cover.

According to GamePolitics.com, The Romantics, a Detroit-based 1980's rock group, are suing Activision for the song "What I Like About You" being used in Guitar Hero Rocks The 80's. The band's complaint is that the song sounds too good. Yes, that is right. The Romantics are suing Activision because the cover used in the game was, the band claims, sounded better than the original. Personally, this is just another frivilous lawsuit in an era in which anyone can sue anybody for no apparent reason. The Romantics gave Activision the permission to use this song. When you get set to play the song, a graphic in the top-left of the screen says that the song was MADE FAMOUS BY, which means that it is a cover band playing the song, not the actual band. I guess in this day in age, you can sue for anything now.

Catch the story here.

Welcome to my blog.

Here it is. Welcome to The Outlet. I will be repoting and commentating about various topics including sports, entertainment, news, and other things.

A this and that about comments.

I welcome your opinions and comments to my stories. We have the constitutional right to speak our minds whether others like them or not. However, that does NOT mean that you can post whatever you want. I also have the right to determine what is okay for you to post and what isn't. I do not allow any racist, sexist, threatening, defaming and other hateful or hurtful comments. My comment moderator is set so I can read what you say before it is posted (I'll try to check those comments whenever I can). I thank you for your cooperation and post away.

UPDATE: I turned off the comment moderator. However, I still can delete your posts that violate my policy.