[Rant] Minor Rant III: For a Few Hollers More

[Shawn]

What is it about customer service where certain customers feel that the best way to accomplish anything is by being the most depraved asshats they can be? Is it the ridiculous saying "The customer is always right" that gives them that feeling of power? I'm sorry, but "We observe the right to refuse service to anyone" just goes to show that there are times where the customer is fucking wrong. Personally I think you find some of the worst people working at a hotel. Sure. Every business has a good deal of jerks. But at least they don't have the spend the night with them. In my years as a night auditor for hotels I've met some of the most fucked up of people. More-so now even now that the hotel has an account where we house the defendants on the Judge Judy show. And let me just say that there is nothing faked about the Judge Judy show. Those people are as dumb as advertised.

I remember one night I had one of these guys come to the desk and ask me to cover him for his cab back from the bar, and that he was good for it in the morning. Maybe it had something to do with the fact he was probably being sued on TV court for a scamming someone, but I decided to not be generous. Afterwards this same fellow asks me if we have insurance to cover theft from the rooms. He leaves, and returns 10 minutes later to announce "MY LAPTOP WAS STOLEN!".

It was the Face-Palm heard round the world.

 

[David]

I really want to continue playing Psychonauts, but I can't stand playing platformers with a mouse and keyboard, and my logitech dual action controller seems to have vanished off the face of the planet in the 12 hours since I last unplugged it and wrapped up the cord

I don't suppose anybody has any Macguyvery ways to plug a Nintendo Game Cube controller into a USB port?

 

[Ravenpoe]

I once wired a SNES controller directly into a serial port, but I don't recommend it.

MacGuyvery way using everyday household items? No, not really. But there are universal ps2/xbox/gamecube to usb converters that go for about $10. Or you can do what I did, and just buy a wired 360 controller to use on PC.

 

[CynicismKills]

I can't find my Earthbound SNES cart. This bothers me on a level most might find sad and a little pathetic.

 

[David]

I do have a PS3 controller that I once got working on Windows, but I'll probably have to look up new instructions now that I'm using Ubuntu. I'm finding it incredibly rare that things "just work" under linux as often as they do with windows. Luckily, I just found the Logitech controller wedged in a space I'm pretty sure I had already checked at least twice before. I sometimes swear there must be gnomes moving my stuff around.

 

[Ravenpoe]

Since I've been getting back into fighting games (this is misleading, I was barely ever in to start with) I've started building my own arcade stick. With high quality 'tournament edition' arcade sticks costing as much as $250 (with the average around $150-$200,) I thought I'd be terribly clever, buy a low grade stick for cheap, and just swap the parts inside out for real arcade parts (mainly sanwa parts, which is the standard used in those expensive sticks).

So I bought this thing:

The MadCatz WWE All Stars Brawl Stick. It's basically the same as all of madcatz's 'standard edition' arcade sticks, except made for a terrible game with shitty artwork that no one wants. Because of this, they're also really cheap, I found mine for $40 online.

So, swap in some proper quality parts, head down to kinkos to print out a new face cover because goddamn I can't have the rock staring at me while I'm playing, and all-in-all I'll have a high quality 'tournament style' stick that I only paid $100 including tax and shipping.

And then I find out that Mad Catz has just put on sale their MLG sponsored tournament edition fight stick (with all of the same parts and features I just modded this thing with) for the ridiculously low price of $99.99.

Well... that would have been easier.

 

[Bones]

I can't find my Earthbound SNES cart. This bothers me on a level most might find sad and a little pathetic.

not at all, the good news is if you have wii U it is coming to virtual Console this SUMMER!

 

[Siska]

I had an old friend from grade school, who found me on facebook, have a complete meltdown when I didn't respond to any messages for about 5 months. I don't really socialize much on facebook. Sometimes I go on a facebook game binge for a couple of months, before I get bored and pretty much don't check in at all. My friends list is mostly full of facebook game addicts.. My old friend, whom I hadn't seen in 20 years, sent me an add friend invite. We chatted and reminisced about the good old days, twice. Then Christmas happened and I was bored with facebook games and pretty much stopped logging on. The following spring, I had the urge to play My Vineyard and finally checked on the 100s of messages I got while gone to see if any of them was from someone I knew. A few was from my old friend. The last one can pretty much be summed up with Why aren't you responding?! Did I do something?!!!?. Not sure what she would think could have possibly offended me 20 years later, living on a different continent, but there you have it. Luckily she had un-friended me so that saved me the trouble of deciding if I should explain myself or block this oddly intensely clingy person.

 

[figmentPez]

I took a turn too wide coming into a parking lot, went over the curb with one of my tires, and popped it. Thankfully I was going there to eat with my theater friends, and they pushed me the rest of the way into the parking lot, as well as changed the tire for me. That's something I know how to do, and have done multiple times before, for myself and others, but it was nice to not have to do that on top of the stress of the situation. Hopefully all I need is a new tire and to get the alignment fixed.

 

[David]

I've largely stopped talking with my last ex because it first began as "You haven't talked to me in a week. Why are you avoiding me??" and every subsequent message has started passive aggressive over me not talking to her any more. I would maybe have replied to her if it had at any point been a "hey, how have you been?"

 

[Tress]

I've largely stopped talking with my last ex because it first began as "You haven't talked to me in a week. Why are you avoiding me??" and every subsequent message has started passive aggressive over me not talking to her any more. I would maybe have replied to her if it had at any point been a "hey, how have you been?"

I hate that shit. I had a friend who did that, and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. I stopped talking to her, because all she wanted to discuss was how I don't talk to her often enough.

 

[Shakey]

It snowed again over night. They aren't plowing the dirt roads any more because they are partially thawed. If they do plow them, they'll just scrape off a big chunk of the gravel with it. My parents got stuck trying to get out this morning, and a few others at work had to call in because they got stuck trying to get to work. hopefully the sun comes out tomorrow to melt some of this crap, because it looks like more is coming on Sunday.

Screw you mother nature.

 

[Bones]

I feel your pain brother, I live and work in the St. Croix Valley, they have just given up on us.

 

[fade]

I took a turn too wide coming into a parking lot, went over the curb with one of my tires, and popped it. Thankfully I was going there to eat with my theater friends, and they pushed me the rest of the way into the parking lot, as well as changed the tire for me. That's something I know how to do, and have done multiple times before, for myself and others, but it was nice to not have to do that on top of the stress of the situation. Hopefully all I need is a new tire and to get the alignment fixed.

Unless you hit it really hard, you probably don't even need the alignment fixed.

 

[Cajungal]

I've largely stopped talking with my last ex because it first began as "You haven't talked to me in a week. Why are you avoiding me??" and every subsequent message has started passive aggressive over me not talking to her any more. I would maybe have replied to her if it had at any point been a "hey, how have you been?"

I don't know what women expect when they break up with someone. Same thing happened to 2 guys I know. "This is weird; it's like we're not friends anymore! We should talk about it."

 

[Shakey]

I feel your pain brother, I live and work in the St. Croix Valley, they have just given up on us.

I even got a call from the mail lady today. No more mail until my road gets plowed... Luckily the plow finally came through this afternoon.

 

[Yoshimickster]

And now, Mickee's pointless pop-culture rant!

Attention directors of super-hero shows- MAKE THE SECRET IDENTITY BETTER! I mean hell, look at Superboy from Young Justice. In civilian mode he looks exactly the same- AND still wears his freaking S t-shirt! I know its a cartoon, but its a cartoon based in a universe where logic exists(discounting killing off Kid Flash in season 2, what the hell was up with that?) The only way a secret identity can work, is if the person changes their facial and vocal features completely. The only one who comes close to in television is Batman, of course in the movies his eyes are still visible so people can still track him through that. People always forget the eyes. Hell, the reason so many people don't recognize most super-heroes in comics is probably because there aren't any voices in that world since they communicate via balloon and what-not. Cover the face, and disguise the voice- THAT is what a good secret identity makes.

This has been Mickee's pointless pop-culture rant!

 

[DarkAudit]

And now, Mickee's pointless pop-culture rant!

Attention directors of super-hero shows- MAKE THE SECRET IDENTITY BETTER! I mean hell, look at Superboy from Young Justice. In civilian mode he looks exactly the same- AND still wears his freaking S t-shirt! I know its a cartoon, but its a cartoon based in a universe where logic exists(discounting killing off Kid Flash in season 2, what the hell was up with that?) The only way a secret identity can work, is if the person changes their facial and vocal features completely. The only one who comes close to in television is Batman, of course in the movies his eyes are still visible so people can still track him through that. People always forget the eyes. Hell, the reason so many people don't recognize most super-heroes in comics is probably because there aren't any voices in that world since they communicate via balloon and what-not. Cover the face, and disguise the voice- THAT is what a good secret identity makes.

This has been Mickee's pointless pop-culture rant!

Back in the late 80s there was a New Universe title named Star Brand. The hero went to a comic convention in Pittsburgh where John Byrne told him his costume sucked because it was too easy to figure out his identity.

 

[AshburnerX]

...(discounting killing off Kid Flash in season 2, what the hell was up with that?)...

He'd have been back. He didn't DIE... he became one with The Speed Force. It's where all super speeders in the DC universe draw their power and it's kinda like Valhalla for them. More to the point, if you've become one with it, your not dead... your just kinda trapped there until you somehow get pulled out. They didn't explicitly say this but that's probably where they were going with it. It's sort of like what happened to the Flash in the Season 1 finale of JLU.

 

[PatrThom]

Back in the late 80s there was a New Universe title named Star Brand. The hero went to a comic convention in Pittsburgh where John Byrne told him his costume sucked because it was too easy to figure out his identity.

Hey, I liked Star Brand. Most of it. And Quasar. And DP7. They tended to behave like real people. Real people with powers, but still.

--Patrick

 

[MindDetective]

And DP7.

Yes.

 

[Yoshimickster]

He'd have been back. He didn't DIE... he became one with The Speed Force. It's where all super speeders in the DC universe draw their power and it's kinda like Valhalla for them. More to the point, if you've become one with it, your not dead... your just kinda trapped there until you somehow get pulled out. They didn't explicitly say this but that's probably where they were going with it. It's sort of like what happened to the Flash in the Season 1 finale of JLU.

Right the speed force, I like that ending now. Well I would if Young Justice would get a fucking third season but because Time Warner is run by jack-asses thats a big no.

 

[DarkAudit]

Hey, I liked Star Brand. Most of it. And Quasar. And DP7. They tended to behave like real people. Real people with powers, but still.

--Patrick

I didn't say Star Brand sucked (It was my favorite New Universe title). It was part of the story where he was told his costume sucked. Then he blew up the convention center.

Then he blew up Pittsburgh.

 

[fade]

I still contend that Clark Kent is a good disguise. The thing you have to remember is that you already suspect Clark Kent because he's part of the narrow section of people in Metropolis that you're exposed to. To Lois, he's just one schlub out of millions of citizens. One who happens to work with her, sure. But she has no reason to suspect that he is Superman, unlike us. All he needs to do is create some dissonance with Superman to throw off any guesses. Once someone suspects, he's probably out of luck, but Kent is probably sufficient to keep it from getting to that point.

 

[Shawn]

I still contend that Clark Kent is a good disguise. The thing you have to remember is that you already suspect Clark Kent because he's part of the narrow section of people in Metropolis that you're exposed to. To Lois, he's just one schlub out of millions of citizens. One who happens to work with her, sure. But she has no reason to suspect that he is Superman, unlike us. All he needs to do is create some dissonance with Superman to throw off any guesses. Once someone suspects, he's probably out of luck, but Kent is probably sufficient to keep it from getting to that point.

A new hero comes to town who's insanely buff, super tall, and has very distinctive facial features that go completely unmasked. If I know a guy who meets those same physical requirements it's not going to be hard for me to come to a pretty strong conclusion. If Lois can't figure out Clark is Superman, I'm afraid she absolutely sucks at her job.

 

[MindDetective]

A new hero comes to town who's insanely buff, super tall, and has very distinctive facial features that go completely unmasked. If I know a guy who meets those same physical requirements it's not going to be hard for me to come to a pretty strong conclusion. If Lois can't figure out Clark is Superman, I'm afraid she absolutely sucks at her job.

You should read this book, then: http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Gorilla-How-Intuitions-Deceive/dp/0307459667

 

[fade]

My contention is that she wouldn't even think of Clark as a match, because why would she? He not Supermanish--he's a slouchy nervous guy in a baggy suit. She might note a passing resemblance. What's more, someone in-universe might not even think Supes has a secret identity.

 

[Cajungal]

I think it would be more obvious in the cartoons, where every male super hero has a chest that's 3x the width of his hips.

 

[PatrThom]

I didn't say Star Brand sucked

I didn't say it sucked either. I was just lamenting its departure.

--Patrick

 

[evilmike]

 

[Chad Sexington]

The use of "feels" instead of "feelings" makes me want to throw stale loaves of bread at peoples' heads, and in the confusion, run up to them and strangle them with their own intestines, I swear to fuck.

The good news is I don't usually have stale loaves of bread on hand, so everyone is safe for now.

 

[Ravenpoe]

The use of "feels" instead of "feelings" makes me want to throw stale loaves of bread at peoples' heads, and in the confusion, run up to them and strangle them with their own intestines, I swear to fuck.

The good news is I don't usually have stale loaves of bread on hand, so everyone is safe for now.

 

[Chad Sexington]

 

[Tress]

The use of "feels" instead of "feelings" makes me want to throw stale loaves of bread at peoples' heads, and in the confusion, run up to them and strangle them with their own intestines, I swear to fuck.

I completely understand how that feelings.

 

[Chad Sexington]

I feel like I could have foreseen this outcome.