VX2

Over the last two days I spent close to six hours attempting to eliminate one of the worst adware programs ever devised: VX2. It not only tries to install malicious software and redirect your browser (yes even Firefox), but it actually attempts to hijack your machine, by screwing with the recycle bin, anti-spyware programs, and even restarting at random. After many attempts I finally found a solid solution. I can safely say that VX2 is eliminated.

Still, I feel like a chump. How the heck does the CS major get infected with such horrible gunk? Shouldn't he know better? Yeah I should, and in this case, I definitely shouldn't have fallen for the trap that caused all of it to happen. Guess its just another lesson one must learn

more on the PSP

I was afraid Sony would try to push style over funtionality with the PSP, and it looks as if Im' not far off. Considering Kutaragi's comments.... well, sorry bud, but if that's your idea of a game system, count me out.

eight is enough

Random Thought: my roomate and I were discussing what the perfect size for a college class is. The size where the professor gets to know you, you know your classmates, and the atmosphere is the perfect mix of strong lecture and casuality. We determined it to be a size ir around 6-10, give or take a few extra on the higher end of the spectrum. Any Less, and the professor will see everyting you do in class, and with such a small size will probably expect even more from the students than normal. Any greater, and you tend to feel like a number, and getting to know a prof. can be difficult when they are flooded with students after every class, all asking for the same extension. The atmosphere of the class is also far to cold; since not everyone knows each other, most just sit quiet before, during and after class, making the entire event silent and boring.

oh, and I hate the eagles. A lot.


Update: Just played the demo for the new Punisher game. Pretty much generic Max Payne wannabe minus the grittiness or the bullet time. The only interesting thing about it is that you can torture/kill victims in some interesting ways, but only at certain times, which makes it nothing more than a novelty. That's all I can really say considering the demo lasted me all but five minutes.

Run Away!

I thought the new semester meant getting away from the snow. Now the forecast says a possible 10 inches could fall in the Baltimore/DC area. Is Mother Nature chasing me or something?

In other news.... well there isnt' much to say. first week back was slow, and once you've done the drill a fwe times a new semester just feels like business as usual.

It only seems to make sense that the worst day of the year happens to be a monday.

2nd semester

back in Baltimore

woot...

WHFS

HFS, one of the best rock/alternative stations in the Baltimore/DC area, had now become a spanish pop station. HFS was one of the best stations I've ever listened to, hell, one of the only ones. Its loss, as well as the loss of the incredible HFStival will be felt by many a college puke.

The world smells like teen spirit no longer....

The horror

Just picked up Resident Evil 4, in what will probably be my last game purchase until the summer (unless I end up getting a possible on campus job). I'll update with impressions tonight.

Update: So very, very glad I decided to pick this up rather than wait a while. While RE4 hasn't had the same flat out shocking moments its predecessors have had, the overall tone is downright creepy. The graphics, superb: forget the videos on the 'net, you haven't seen this game until you've seen it on a real TV screen.

Its the combat however that truly shines here. Capcom has struck the perfect balance between realism and the unreal. The unreal includes:
-headshots don't always kill
-Leon won't fall off of dangerous ledges

the real includes:
-locational damage that actually works, enemies that are rarely constricted to borders or boundaries, and an environment that is highly interactive (yes, you can shoot the fish, and eat them t00). Simply put, the game behaves in ways you would expect it to were it a real life scenario, and this makes great. When you realize that few games come close to achieving this in the ways RE4 does, you truly begin to appreciate what it offers.

For a long time, I believed no game this generation would touch Metroid Prime. Then Half Life 2 came out. Still, I was confident no console game would touch Prime. Its sequel, while not quite as amazing, wsa certainly more fun. After only 4 hours of play, I'm truly beginning to think that Resident Evil 4 will challenge both of them. And it may just win.

ICEE

So we've been getting snow and ice showers over the last few days. This is not an uncommon occurence where I live. In fact, one always expects it. What is not expected is having massive power outtages every time. The juice was out for close to 24 hours over the course of two days, after being out for 18 hours shortly before Christmas. Now the lights are flickering from time to time today. Soon it may feel like something of a reward, being able to turn on those lights.

Let's see what's been up

Mientkiewicz wants the ball: and so do the Red Sox. While I can understand the team's reasoning of wanting the historic World Series ball, Mientkiewicz is a backup first baseman who may not even be on the team come next seaon. He owes no loyalty to Red Sox nation, and considering how many other high profile balls have entered private collections, I don't understand why this is any different.

You down with PSP?: How does Sony do it? When the PS2 launched with a major shortage and poor launch titles, the gaming media continued to oggle over it and its "pretty blue LED" rather than take a critical stance. Now with the PSP, Sony gives incredibly vague details about the US launch date and price, and all the reports out of Japan are showing the battery life to be atrocius (4 hours tops playing Wipeout? C'mon). The response of the gaming press?

"OMG, the screen is so nice!"

I fear for how the mass market will react to it. Am I the only one that realises that to fully enjoy the PSP will require several memory sticks/battery packs/movies on UMD, making the system not only more expensive than made out to be, but far less portable?

Its obvious that with the PSP Sony is trying to do the same thing the Playstation did: Destroy Nintendo at all costs. Considering the Big N's been doing a great job with the Game Boy lineup, I'd like to see them continue with that success rather see than Sony's "style over substance" become the future of the handheld world. Nintendo has been doing just fine themselves, but I wonder if that will continue come the spring.

Pitt and Aniston split: In a time when there is war in the middle east and devastation in Asia, why is this front page information on every major news website?

and finally... its coming. Are you ready?

DDR mario style

ummm yeah. Its DDR with Mario. Considering the nature of DDR games, I'm actually not shocked.

Big post later tonight or tomorrow. There's lots to talk about, but I'm still catching up on playing some Prime 2 after an almost 24 hour blackout. Scre Pennsylvania snow storms.

what's been up

as expected, this post holiday week has been very quiet. Thankfully I've found some things to keep me occupied.

The DaVinci Code: Finally got to read this. I can see why its so popular; its an solid thriller. I can also see why its so controversial; the ideas it presents would throw any Christian for a loop. There's been so much controversy about the novel that I'm not sure what is true and what is not, but I'm not sure I really care. Its fiction, and entertaining fiction at that If people begin to openly discuss religious beliefs or some great revelation is made from this, great. But I don't think Dan Brown meant to change the world.

Return of the King: Watched half of the extended version, which was over 2 hours alone. The strange thing is that I'm not quite sure what to think of the extra footage. In the first two Rings films, the bonus content was excellent; sometimes it was necessary, but even the little things helped flesh out the film and the characters. In ROTK, many of the new scenes felt unecessary, or may even make things worse; Gimli, for instance, is further plunged into the role of comic relief when he should be far more. Some of the new footage is also hard to find, as it can be a anything from a few minutes to a split second. Considering the film is already incredibly long, its critical that the additions are worthwhile, and I can't say that all of them are. Bottom line: Fans of the movies alone will probably feel the extended version to drag on. Diehard Book fans will enjoy it, although those who disliked the many cuts from the book won't find enough here to change their minds.

And of course, I'm continuing to enjoy Metroid Prime 2. The game is like a Christmas gift for the fans, so rich in content is it.

P.S. - Am I the only one who noticed that the opening gituar rift to that song by Gavin DeGraw is identical to the one in "Can't Stop" by the Chili Peppers? Not that I listen to top 20 pop radio....