Three Rings of Death

My Xbox 360 experienced the infamous Three Rings of Death last night, 2 years (to the day!) after I bought it. Having heard about quality issues when I bought it I opted for the Best Buy Product Replacement Plan. So I called Best Buy yesterday. They informed me that Microsoft would replace the unit because it had extended the warranty on all 360's that experience the Three Rings. I didn't think that sounded very fair to Microsoft since I had paid Best Buy $50 for their warranty. The customer service guy then said it didn't matter anyway because my extended warranty has expired the previous day.

*sigh*

Thinking of voting for McCain?

If you're at all interested in technology issues, you owe it to yourself to watch this video by Larry Lessig:



Interesting comments afterward, too, suggesting that maybe Lessig's numbers are off. Still, just his stance on Net Neutrality is enough to make any responsible technophile queasy.

Braid

Braid is the most innovative game I think I've ever seen. I started playing it last night and when I looked at the clock I couldn't believe it was 2AM. It's that engrossing. It's a visual feast, has a mysterious and engaging plot, and is just plain fun. Time is used not only as part of the narrative, but also part of the game play. You've got to play it to see what I mean. I haven't had this much fun since Portal.

I wish I had made this game.

I offer one hint-- Do NOT check out the walkthroughs on YouTube. It'll spoil the best plot twist since (again) Portal. If it seems there is a puzzle piece you can't reach, just keep in mind that the game has a non-linear story. You won't "finish" each level in turn as you would, say, Donkey Kong. OK, you can finish each level in sequence. Still, be careful about looking for clues. I made the mistake of poking around and it spoiled the ending for me.

Dinner Tonight

We had home-made broccoli and chicken calzones from the Best 30-Minute Recipe book tonight.  Thumbs up on the recipe and thumbs up on the 2004 Chateau St. Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon we had with it.

It's as if it's trying to tell me something...

This error message from Windows Vista Backup speaks for itself.