In our adulation, let’s not forget that the female of the species flocks well.
Archive for the ‘Current Matters’ Category
Finnish Game Jam, Pt.2
Sunday, January 31st, 2010Okay, the jam is almost over, our game is finished. Fire! To deadify! Your rivals! I am quite satisfied what our team of three accomplished in just 48 hours. We hadn’t met before and there was nothing ready before the jam. I felt it kind of unfortunate that I, almost immediately after the theme for the jam and the voluntary accomplishments were announced, came up with the game idea.
Unfortunate in the sense that in a happening like this, it might be a bit risky to hang yourself on an idea right-off-the-bat. Fortunately the idea carried us to the end. And stop reading this and try out the game!
Finnish Game Jam
Saturday, January 30th, 2010At the moment I am taking part in Finnish Game Jam, part of the Global Game Jam. We are to make a game in 48 hours, without prior idea or team. There are certain constraints, mandatory and voluntary ones. Right now we are progressing rather nicely. We have a programmer, a designer (me) and an artist in the team.
We have a solid 20 hours to go…
Potential New Year Resolutions
Saturday, January 2nd, 2010A new year is upon us and in another year, a new decade as well. I had this crazy idea to try and write on my blog every single day something, anything, for the coming year. Instead of making up my own mind, why not ask the more essential people (=bots), you, the supposed readers.
What do you think? Should I take it upon myself to write something on this blog for every day a whole year?
Sunday Night Ramblings, Part II
Monday, December 14th, 2009I accidently clicked the “Add New” and now I’m expected to be intelligent, witty, insightful, interesting and all those other Slashdot moderations.
I’ve been slightly discouraged reading (and answering) all the attempts at spam this Blog receives. There seems to be two approaches, one is the obvious google-bombing style; stuff your comment post with as many links and keywords as you can. It doesn’t really matter if they are not that all related, it’s all good for the grand Google.
The other, more disheartening one, the spam contains a comment so generalized, careful not to say anything at else, but yet, trying to appear sincere, that it might appear real to some. I have extracted some fun answering those, as you might have noticed. I was thinking maybe I’d get famous and popular by writing those angry, yet funny replies to obvious spammage. I suspect this will be a type of activity that will get old soon and paying any amount attention to it loans some credibility to the whole activity.
I think spamming reveales one usually wisely hidden aspect of the existence of humanity, namely that we continue to exist solely for the actions and dedication of those who decide to pull _more_ than their own weight. “It’s not my business”, “somebody else can take care of it, there were plenty of other people”, “I couldn’t do anything, I would have only messed everything up”, “I don’t have time for it”, “I have other problems”. If it weren’t for those people, the people who make preceding type of comments would wear us down. Spamming is the unfortunate side-effect of the fact that we have those people.
Now, how’s that for some rambling?
Sunday Night Ramblings, Part I
Sunday, December 6th, 2009I just finished re-watching Soylent Green (1973) a rather nice piece of 70’s dystopian sci-fi. The story doesn’t quite follow the Harry Harrison novel (Maker Room! Make Room! (1966)) but it has that distinct 70’s quality about it, from the time when we were last to scared for about over-crowding, destruction of the biosphere, climate change etc. It has a scene were two of the main characters eat a supper made out of Real beef and some warn-out vegetables, stolen from a scene of crime. And its the best meal they’ve had in a long time, or ever.
Funnily enough, the most modern thing in the film, an early arcade game Space War (1971) is the most dated thing in the film. I think one can draw a certain rule from here: If a technology is new, don’t portray it in any work claiming to be set in the future, you’ll just get it’s whole impact wrong and it ends up looking cheesy and dated.
The film was Edward G. Robinsons last, he died 9 days after his last scene. His last scene was a nice piece of 70’s cynical view of the future. Robinsons character goes to “home”, a place to have a nice, dignified death. You lie on a bed, you have 20 minutes to listen your favourite music and watch lovely landscapes. The main character, played by Charlton Heston, have to talk to him before he dies. According to IMDB, Heston was the only one knowing that Robinson was dieing of cancer, so his tears in the scene were real.
Another piece of nice 70’s cynicism of the future, were young women called furniture. Yes, they were part of an apartments facilities and Heston’s character casually has sex with one of them, in the same way he steals soap, booze and food from the apartment.
Ohh, 70’s, I miss you so…
Not My Day
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009There was an important message on the company mail, stating that all company this-and-that -model phones would be changed. There was a three day window, Monday through Wednesday, at the beginning of the month, from 8 to 15, at the office to change it. I had one of those models. Since I’m on training this week I decided to leave early today to get it changed. As per the instructions I remove the SIM-chip beforehand.
Being such an organized person, I also remember to pack my climbing gear, sweatpants and my shoes, before I leave home.
I arrive at the office in time, only to hear that the change isn’t supposed to take place until _next_ month! Ok… I barely make it in time for my training (running in the sleet) and I plan to assemble my phone during the day, just in case somebody needs to contact me. At some point I remember I left the SIM-card at home. Ok. I also forgot my t-shirt at home and I didn’t feel like sweating in my work shirt, so I decide to stop by at home before going climbing.
Once I get back home, I start to unpack my bag just to notice that I had forgotten the damn phone at home in the first place! Just not my day. I doubt there is anyone as unlucky in the world as me is.
And I didn’t go climbing either.
Dead People
Monday, October 5th, 2009One of my favourite Finnish authors, Veikko Huovinen, has died. Veikko had prose that had a distinct deliciousness to it. I always wondered about the apparent success of another Finnish author, Arto Paasilinna, who’s prose is so much poorer compared to Veikko’s.
My first contact with Veikko’s work was when there was a tv-series based on his short stories. One of them involved two men, quite bent on drinking alcohol, with the other one being somewhat older and richer. At one point these men left on a roadtrip together, stopping every now and then to buy some more booze. And not just your ordinary gutrot but more refined stuff.
The younger man grows more impatient during the trip since they are not touching the alcohol. He is left to imagine the drunkage taking place when they get to their destination, a recluse log cabin in Lappland or something. Instead of staying at the log cabin, the old man takes the younger man into the woods, which are a-plenty here in Finland, for long hikes. Instead of drinking all the alcohol, the old man proceeds to bury them! In the middle of nowhere! Expensive stuff!
All the accumulated booze is scattered in to the wilderness. Shortly after the trip, the old man dies and leaves the younger man the locations of all that booze… The younger man soon becomes a skilled orienteerist and a cross-country runner, with the occasional prize of a nice bottle of single-malt, instead of slowly drinking his brains out in his flat.
All the above paraphrased from memory. That was the story that sparked my interest (way-back when I was a kid) and made me ask one of his story-collections (”Matikanopettaja”) for Christmas. I was pretty much sold. I’ve been reading his stuff over the years, not really extensively, but enough to keep the fan-flame alive. Pretty much a year ago, one of the finest gentleman in the world, Sam The Bedrock, held his graduation party in Sotkamo, where Veikko lived all his life. We went to get a view to his house, overlooking a river. I took a photograph or two and in one of those photos, if you squint your eyes, you might just imagine seeing Veikko in the window looking outside, pondering… hmmm… pondering… about what…?
Loomed Anniversary
Sunday, September 13th, 2009I don’t think I could have wished for a nicer day. I just got back from a fireworks display at the amusement park after spending a good few hours there on the day that was just enough to ask for for this time of year. Sunny and pleasant all day. A nice retribution for yesterday when I got literally soaking wet on a cycling trip.
The day went as planned. Some light computer gametry and coffee in the morning. Day at the amusement park. Retiring home for a pizza in the evening. Catching a fireworks display at night. There’s still some pizza left and a spot of heavy cider in the fridge.
It is shame that the supposed humans I know are such a bunch of pussies…
Looming Anniversary Incoming
Thursday, September 10th, 2009Well, I have not received any counter-offers as to the programme for my looming incoming anniversary. It looks like the programme will be: Attend the local amusement park and dissober myself. Maybe somewhere in between I’ll engage in some self-inflicting debauchery as well.
…Or is it?!