exo-politics

Ha! I had to get in another post today, because I found the neatest thing when I was cruising the internet for something to do today.

Did anyone ever play Oregon Trail back in the '90s? I played a lot in my 5th grade gifted and talented class. (Yeah, you can see our gifts and talents were put to good use :P) I was trying to find a computer game to play today, and I thought about trying to find some kind of free download for Oregon Trail.

Instead I found a website called Virtual Apple II. This thing is awesome! It claims to have nearly every game released for the Apple II computer available to play in your web browser! Now there is a plug in to download for some of the games, but it is just like any other plug in you would use. Like Java, Flash, or whatever. In Google Chrome browser, it's just another extension.

I played the whole game this afternoon. I even named my characters tacky names to provide some amusement on his or her tombstone if they were to die.

It was very fun, and I am looking forward to seeing what other games I can find on there to play!


"and I'll wait for the sign"

government hooker

Did you know that if you purchase a video game and find that there is a glitch in the software (or decide that you just don't like the game!) that you cannot, according to Walmart and Best Buy store policy, return the game? Their reason upon inquiry is that it would be against federal copyright law to return the game for a refund or exchange for something different. So you better hope you're going to like that new game you get.

Some would read this and say, "well duh, why are you upset, you can't break the law?" Interesting story: Corey knows the law, especially in that area, and had never heard of this being the case. He did some research. He first searched the copyright laws himself. Finding no evidence of it being illegal to return an opened video game, he wrote a letter to John Boozman, the U.S. Senator from Arkansas (who better to ask than one of the people who helps make the laws!) asking for some insight on where to find it stated in the laws that this is a valid return policy. Senator Boozman's reply included a copy of an email consulting the Federal Copyright Office. That's right. The people who directly make the laws these retailers claim prevents them from taking opened media returns.

The Office's reply stated that the "law" Walmart and Best Buy keep quoting does not exist. Read it again: returning opened video games for a full refund is NOT against the law. And that is according to the FEDERAL COPYRIGHT OFFICE.

These retailers clearly need to change their reasoning for the no return policy from "it's the government's fault" to "we're really just assholes trying to make more money." Because it's not the government's fault. They really are just assholes.

-steps off soapbox-


"I can be good, if you just want to be bad"

bye bye bye

Day 29 (next to last!) is a song from my childhood. I already used Two Pina Coladas in this countdown, and the other songs are really made up, so it would be hard to describe them here.

So this one's not really from, say, early childhood, but I was 12 when it came out, so I think it counts. Bye Bye Bye came out when my obsession with 'N Sync was at its peak. I knew all the dance moves in the video, and I still know all the words :)




"I don't want to be the loser and I've had enough"

for the first time

Another day off. Another day to finish this ridiculous meme. Day 28 is a song that makes me feel guilty. I think this one out of all of them makes you give out some of your most personal feelings. Saying what makes you sad, angry, or whatever is pretty shallow, but what causes you to feel guilt can really reveal something about you. It reveals a lot about what your priorities are and who and what you care about.

I chose the song First Time by The Script. I think a lot of times I don't do enough to work on my relationship and I get frustrated because I feel like there's not a lot I can do about it. I won't say a lot more. I'll just post the song.




"trying to make it work, but man, these times are hard"

moonlight sonata

This post is a little awkward as this song has no lyrics. Day 27 is a song I wish I could play. I chose Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. It is my favorite song on piano, and one that I never learned to play, but wish I did. I took a formal piano class in college the semester before I started nursing school, but did not keep up my practicing near enough. I would like to start playing again if I get the chance.

freebird

Day 26 makes me glad I was a band kid! It's a song I can play on an instrument. I have quite a repertoire from years in the Razorback Marching Band, lol :)

I picked about the most cliche marching band tune outside of and Earth, Wind, and Fire song. Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd.




"if I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?"

two pina coladas

On a much lighter note from the last post, day 25 is a song that makes me laugh!

Two Pina Coladas by Garth Brooks brings back so many happy memories from growing up with my cousins, singing this song, and having no idea what "setting sail with Captain Morgan" really meant. It's mostly that last bit that makes me laugh every time I hear this song!

Note - I could not find this on YouTube! What the heck?! This is some crappy version from Google Videos




"let's set sail with Captain Morgan, and never leave dry land"