In this interesting read on "The 10 Weirdest Game Console Names", they give a little insight into where the name "XBOX 360" came from. Apparently, they were worried that people would buy a Playstation 3 over an XBOX 2 because the lower digit would seem inferior. Skipping 2 all together would seem brash. The term 360 actually means something, but they must have been grasping at straws to get it to make sense in regards to a video game console.

All in all, who cares about the name, its a great system.

And why is the Wii only number 10? That has to be the worst name ever. It deserves at least second, trumped only by ColecoVision... a leather company? What the hell?

Labels: video games

So far, so good, for the January 11th trip to New York! Hopefully I'll get to see Grand Central Terminal again and possibly the New York Transit Museum Annex. You should also look forward to some flickr fridays from myself with my new camera!

Visit my flickr page: j.reed

Labels: flickr, new york, subway

Happy Holidays, everyone! I'm about to place an order for my final Christmas gift, my Canon Rebel XTi! It turned out to be cheaper to get it online, it'll also let me have charged batteries for the 11th.

Here are some interesting holiday themed news stories:
‘Why Frosty?’ Yuletide crime victims ask

In Chicago, 32 plastic baby Jesus dolls were stolen from nativity scenes set up in people’s front yards. The kidnappers then lined up all the dolls along the fence outside a Chicago woman’s home; she rounded them up and turned them over to her parish priest.

In Ohio’s Hamilton County, a pair of 18-year-olds were arrested for using screwdrivers to stab an inflatable 12-foot-tall Frosty the Snowman. “Why me?” asked Frosty’s owner, Matt Williquette. “And why Frosty?”

Man burns self in Christmas break protest

A man doused himself with flammable liquid and set himself afire, apparently to protest a school district’s decision to change the names of winter and spring breaks to Christmas and Easter vacation.

Passengers get $50 bills from bus Santa

A woman hopped aboard buses, greeted passengers with “Merry Christmas” and handed each an envelope containing a card and a $50 bill before stepping off and repeating the process on another bus.

She did it so quickly that descriptions of the woman varied among surprised Spokane Transit Authority passengers on several routes Thursday, The Spokesman-Review newspaper reported Friday.

Well, not yet. But I do plan on buying it on the 11th of January, along with a small trip to NYC to use all of the battery and/or Memory Card.

Canon Digital Rebel XTi (EOS 400D)

Canon EF 28-135 IS USM

Lowepro Slingshot 100 AW

Should set me back a 'mere' $1,100. I can't wait! I will be buying it from B&H's brick and mortar store in midtown Manhattan!

Yikes! I missed two weeks of Flickr Friday! I'm going to this wonderful city on the 11th! Here is a great shot of New York City looking north from atop the Empire State Building. This picture was taken with a Nikon D80, which is the other camera I was considering buying over the XTi. I think the D80 is a bit better, but hopefully I'll be able to pull out these god-awesome shots still.

Visit my flickr page: j.reed

Labels: flickr, new york

Its like these rocks know when we dancin'!
this post includes an embedded video availible here

Labels: video

According to a US backed survey of market influence shows that HD DVD has the upper hand thus far with consumers and critics. They point to Sony's heavy handed approach and lack of successful media products in the past (UMD, MD, Betamax, etc.) as the lack of momentum for their new digital video disc format.

Some consumers are even upset about the fact they they had to buy Bluray when they bought their PS3, as opposed to Xbox 360 owners who had the option to buy it as an add-on.

I personally am on HD DVD's side. I've read the reviews touting better quality picture on the HD DVD and I also enjoy the lower price. The selection isn't that great, however, I can't get clutch movies like Black Hawk Down, which is currently a Bluray only title.

I've never had a history of doing something online and then sticking to it. I usually leave all my web pages half done or actual finish them and never maintain them. It looks like I've broken the mold with my 100th post here at Riposte. I figure I'd recap my past 100 posts with a few of my favorites and a bit of trivia.

televisions begin their bid to take over the world
Just last night this post came to mind while I was trying to figure out what wasn't "Comcastic" with my out-of-service internet last night. We have so many cables feeding to so many TVs in this house, I can't possibly imagine why the statistics of this survey weren't greater.

Riposte was originally supposed to be only a temporary blog title.

nypd gets new wheels
This post has one of my favorite photos on my blog. I got to see a Charger from a local township ploice department on my way home from work one day. They look mean!

I used to blog on my homepage back before I ever heard of the term "blogging". I simply called it "News" and posted things about my website or some funny real life story.

crowd attacks taxi driver, then fare
Here is a heart warming tale about the wonderful people in NYC.

I'd estimate around 20 people read this blog, utilizing FeedBurner stats and word-of-mouth from the people I know who aren't familiar with RSS.

I'll leave you with my favorite video post and my favorite flick friday from these past 100 post:
gotham city (From before ff was a regular feature)
law and order: special letters unit This ones just tooooo cute.

This looks awesome, I wish I was driving around in the city just about now. Hopefully I'll have a NYC trip sometime this winter!

Visit my flickr page: j.reed

Labels: flickr

this post includes an embedded video availible here

Labels: video

Back in October I told you about the Lexus that can parallel park itself. I also linked to a video of the system working well in parallel mode. The car can also, supposedly, park itself into a standard spot in reverse. Some guys at Automobile Magazine found out that the system seems to have a high learning curve and isn't very good at parking while on a hill. But seriously, how many parking lots are inclined?
this post includes an embedded video availible here

Labels: cars, video

Your classic toaster is soooo 1909... its bulky, its square, it doesn't do anything right. Enter, the rollertoaster. As the name implies, your soon to be toasted whole wheat white bread alternative feeds through two red hot rollers two slices at a time. Due to this space saving design, you'll have more space on your counter top for, I dunno, things that go on your counter top? It even seems conceivable that you can mount this on your wall for some premium toasting times. I'll buy one.

One of the best reviewed games of all time -- Gears of War -- apparently has a really good sound track. I've never played them game, but I've asked for it for Christmas (its on sale at Circuit City for $15 off this week!). There isn't a soundtrack out yet, but with tracks as good as these, it shouldn't be too far off.

Who knows if these tracks are legitimately free like I've been told, but you can grab them here (Encounter) and here (Locust Battle).

The music was done by Kevin Riepl, who is unknown enough to not have a Wikipedia page. Who knows today in this age where the game of door knob has its on Wikipedia page that someone has their own great website and did the music for this game not have a Wikipedia article.

Labels: music, video games, xbox

The RS4 is a wee bit faster than the one seen in this advert, but its still a great one.
this post includes an embedded video availible here

Labels: funny, video

I don't know where this is. I just got home and I'm too tired to look for a picture to post with some kind of theme and then talk about it. I almost posted a picture of a wet cat. Honestly.

Visit my flickr page: j.reed

Labels: flickr