Customize Your Desktop

I found the coolest new tool to customize my desktop. Go to www.konfabulator.com and download the version for your computer. Then go to www.widgetgallery.com and select widgets that fit your style from over 1500 different widgets. It comes with about twenty standard widgets, but you will have to look online for more personal/custmomized widgets.

I read about this in one of my Maximum PC issues. It is awsome! Currently, I have a digital clock, calendar, yahoo search, and stock index (constantly updated). There are so many useful tools from showing the weather forecast to having a dictionrary -- all on your desktop.

Personally, my favorite is the digital clock. It's colored and it is larger than the toolbar clock in Windows XP. (It also has an old fashioned clock

Check it out!

Here is an example of some of the standard widgets that come with the download:

My New Website

Over Christmas breakI got a domain name and webhosting as one of my gifts. For the moment, I have put toghter a website about my sports card collection. The URL is:

www.kylespages.com

It's all coded in outdated HTML, but now that I have hosting I want to make a new site. First, I need to learn PHP, MySQL, and XHTML.

Hope to post more in the near future!

-Kyle

Posting Downtime in the Future

With my increased homework in the recents weeks I haven't been able to post much at all. In the freetime I have, I've been choosing to allot it to other activities. I don't think I'll be able to post much at all in the near future until school is out which is seven months from now, but I'll keep trying.

Don't get me wrong! I still plan on posting every week whenever time is sparse, but I can't gurantee anything such as daily posting. I will try my best, but the most I'll guarantee is one or two posts a week. I have no regular readers. Therefore, I don't forsee this being a problem.

Just letting anyone (or should I say no one) who cares about my worthless know what's going on.

Halo2 and Thanksgiving

I have been really busy with school the past week, and the previous week I was on vacation. Consequently, I haven't been able to post in here. I don't intend to have gaps of no posting, but I'm trying my best to post as much as possible.

I have had some free time as of late and I have been using it to play Halo2. It all started when I played with my brother for fun and he was better than me. He's never been better than me! He started smack talking me by saying stuff such as I wasn't good enough to play with him. I’ve been playing as much as I can over the past four days. I recommend this game if you have tons of time to kill.

Thanksgiving vacation was fun. The day after Thanksgiving I went to the Pistons game with my Dad and family. It was an awesome game of basketball, but unfortunately the Pistons lost in overtime. I still can't believe Ben Wallace missed a game winning free throw!

Hopefully I'll actually get meaningful posts up in the next few days. That’s enough about my life.

-Kyle

The Holiday Season is Here.... I am gone

With the holiday season approaching full steam ahead, I am going to be very busy for the next week. I don't want to make this a long post because I doubt if anyone even reads this blog, let alone care about what I'm doing for the holidays. Therefore, I'm going to make it short. On Wednesday, I'm going to visit the Universtiy of Michigan with my Dad. Thursday is Thanksgiving at my Dad's house. Next, we're going to a Piston's game on Friday . To finish off the busy weekend, we'll be having Thanksgiving at my Mom's house, also known as home to me, on Saturday. Sunday will be a day to rest and lounge around before school.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a good one.

Two Days Until Xbox 360 Release

Microsoft is set to release the Xbox 360 on November 22. That's this upcoming Tuesday! There has been all sorts of hype surrounding the new console. It's reportedly going to be sold out worldwide on it’s release day. Along with the console, there will be 18 new games released the same day. This will include titles such as Call of Duty 2, Madden NFL 06, and Project Gotham Racing 3.

I'm not getting it the first day it’s out. On the other hand, I believe my brother is going to get it for Christmas. That will be awesome if he does! If he gets it then I'll still be able to play it when he's not using it. I tried out the Xbox 360 at our local Wal-Mart. The graphics were kick-ass! Call of Duty looked so real it made me feel like I was in World War II.

If you have an extra $300 or $400 lying around, definitely go purchase the new Xbox 360. Looking at the different packages, buying it for the extra $100 is well worth it if you can afford it. You'll regret it if you don' because buying the items that come in it separately is much more expensive. Or just wait a year or two for its price to drop. Furthermore, Sony and Nintendo will be coming out with new consoles in the near future. You may want to wait and see if they make something better than the 360.

The biggest downside I see to the 360 is the fact that it is a computer. I already have a computer so why should I dish out another $400 for another one. I can play video games on the computer I have. Most likely I'll eventually get the 360, but I'm a little skeptical as of now.

Schitt Video

This is great:

http://www.barry.fireflyinternet.co.uk/JackSchitt/Jack_Schit.htm

Pretty fun, eh?

Christmas Commercialization

Many people believe that Christmas is becoming too commercial. An affect of this has been Christams starting far too early. Lately, it's been starting before Thanksgivingin which is ludicrous and unecessary. Stores are starting sales sooner, Christmas music is being played on the radio too soon, and etc.

I think the early sales are good because it lets parents get shopping out of the way ahead of time. That way they don't have to rush and shop last minute. On a different note, I think playing Christmas music on the radio this early is ridiculous this early. I've been hearing Christmas music before snow has been on the ground! It just snowed here today and Thanksgiving isn't until next Thursday. Radio stations should wait until AT LEAST December, if not waiting for within two weaks of Christmas.

I had to touch on this because I've been hearing a lot about this topic lately.....

Caught In Action

Priceless:


Oops! Someone got caught. Even if that was posed it's still funny all the same. Really, who bangs pinatas.

-Kyle

Funny Prank Call about X-box

This is a hilarious prank call. It's a guy calling the Bungie/Microsoft help line:

http://media.putfile.com/XBOX-LIVE-Prank-Call

It starts kind of slow, but it's laugh out loud funny towards the end.

-Kyle

Good Movies

I just read a post on a forum about good movies. At the moment, it brought to mind three movies for me.

Boondock Saints

Friday Night Lights

John Q

There are many more movies that I have for favorites, but that's just what came to mind. You can catch a trailer of Friday Night Lights here: JustMovieTrailers

Off to clean my room.....

Think For Yourself!!!!!

I am taking a law class at my high school. Our teacher has openly admitted that she is liberal. Ok, so we get talking about current events. It was about the ban on smoking in a car with people under the age of 18. She said she agreed with it and asked the class of our opinion. Most of the class, too, agreed.

BUT....

She then continued on to say:

Doesn't that make you afraid of what the government will do next?
Will they ban smoking in your house?
How far will they go into your privacy?
Doesn't this scare you guys?

She kept pointing out things to that effect. Then, once again, she states that she is for it.. She again asks the class. Now, everyone votes against it. I'm like, how the hell did the whole class just change their opinions within five minutes because of what our teacher said. It just makes me want to scream "Think for yourselves idiots!” I don't know, but I just think it's stupid how everyone changed their mind so quickly. All because of what our left wing, nut job teacher pointed out. I know my opinion didn't change!

I think that the ban would be good because it would protect children. I don't think it will open up any more doors for the government to invade our privacy. If they even mentioned banning smoking in places such as our own homes, it would really "stir the pot" in America. Especially with the radicals that are gung-ho about their constitutional rights. Militia men would reap havoc! Well, I don't think it would be quite that bad, but there would be MANY furious people. I think the ban is good because people under 18 can't protect themselves from second hand smoke in cars. Therefore, I think it’s good for the government to step in. They may have no other way of transportation unless riding with a smoker such as their parent. In that case they have to suffer the second hand smoke. If this new law passed, they wouldn't have to suffer all the second hand smoke.

That thought may be totally discombobulated, but I think you get what I mean.

Found a New Word

While watching Bill O'Reilly's news program I learned a new word.

gar·ru·lous ( P ) Pronunciation Key (gr-ls, gry-)adj.
1. Given to excessive and often trivial or rambling talk; tiresomely talkative.

2. Wordy and rambling: a garrulous speech.

Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=garrulous

This word is great because now I can sound smart when people are rambling on about nothing. I can now say "Stop being so garrulous" and receive dumbfounded looks.

I could even change the name of my blog. It's very fitting! I kind of like this:

Garrulous Thoughts

It's simple and explanatory. There is one big downfall to that name. I doubt if many people know the definition of garrulous.

That's it for now.

Funny Video on Gay Rights

Here's a link to a hilarious video from John Stewart's show on Comedy Central. It's coming from a skeptical, liberal viewpont, but it's good nonetheless.

View it here.

It may take a few seconds to download.

-Kyle

New way to catch TV shows you miss

Is TiVo too expensive for you? Is taping missed shows a hassle? Are you looking for a new way to catch TV shows you miss?

Well, if you answer yes to any of these I might have a solution for you. Apple has partnered up with ABC to sell TV edpisodes after they air. After the broadcasting of a show, the show would be downloadable from Apple. I presume they would release the epidsodes through iTunes. It would only be 99 cents per song. Cheap and easy. Apple has always been known for their ease of use which they continue with this idea. The spinwheel on iPods is a great example.

NBC and CBS have done the same with DirectTV and Comcast.

I see this as the start of a new trend. This will be the new way to catch all missed TV shows in the future. Not only the shows on ABC, CBS, and NBC, but I think all TV shows will be avabilable in this way in the near future.

You can read the article here:
The Digital Music Weblog

Father/Daughter Talk

I thought this was great.

Father/Daughter Talk

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college.
Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a
very liberal Democrat, and was very much in favor of the
redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch
Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the
lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat
with a professor, she felt that her father had for years
harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought
should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to
higher taxes on the rich and the addition of more government
welfare programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed
by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to
her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.

Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA,
and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that
she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly
studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other
people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and
didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her
time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, "How is you friend Audrey doing?"

She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are
easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA.
She is so popular on campus, college for her is a blast. She's
always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't
even show up for classes because she's too hung over."

Her wise father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the
Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give
it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both
have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal
distribution of GPA."

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion,
angrily fired back, "That wouldn't be fair! I have worked
really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time,
and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing
toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!"

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the Republican
Party."

I found it on a forum so I'm not sure of the source. Regardless, it was a good find. Probably the best analogy ever. It's perfect! Brilliant!

Good night everyone.

P.S. I'm having problems posting pictures. I don't know what's up, but I'm trying to work out the kinks.

Mudvayne and NIhilism

Well, my weekend was great. I lost seven bucks playing poker and gained one back in Tripoley. I bought Mudvayne's latest CD, Lost and Found. It's a great heavymetal album, but some of their songs are odd. Overall, I liked all the songs, even the odd ones. One of the odd things on the album was in the song Choices. In a squeaky voice, they say the words "Eenie Meanie Miney Moe" (spelling?).



On one of my favorite websites, Wikipedia, I found another interesting term:

Nihilism

Furthermore, the most interesting article I have found on Wikipedia yet is on Internet Trolls. It's very intriguing to me to understand the reasoning behind people's logic in doing things such as trolling. I think that's one reason why I find psychology interesting. I loved this article becasue it went so in-depth on why people troll and their reasons for doing it. Also, I agree with the idea that trolls playing "Devil's Advocate" is good for a forum (it depends on the circumstances, but most of the time).

I've got to get back to the Colts and Patriots game. Go Colts!

So Busy

I'm not going to be able to make a worthile post today. I'm sorry. It has been really busy around here. We lost our footbal game yesterday 31-29 with 1 second left it the game (the other team kicked a field goal to win). The aroma was like someone died on our sidelines. There was so much sadness. It sucked so much.

Finally some good sports

I'm so glad that the NBA season has finally arrived. Along with that, NFL and college football are getting exciting. Both of which are awesome sports for fantasy teams online. The best fantasy basketball game I've ever participated in is Fast Break. It's a fantasy game on ESPN’s website. The standard is daily leagues, but there are weekly leagues, too. You choose a lineup each day (or week, whichever league you’re in). The catch is that all players are assigned a point value and you get a 100 point maximum cap for your roster. To get an idea of what it's like lets say you choose Kevin Garnett. He would be worth about 20 points. Whereas the worst player is between three to five points. You choose players for all five positions and a coach you think will win. If the coach wins you get five points and if not you receive zero points. You are awarded points based on each player’s performance that night. Rosters must be locked by midnight the night before. It’s a very competitive game with thousands of people competing.

The prize for winning used to be tickets to the NBA Finals. Now it’s something like a TV from Best Buy for first place, and a gift card (to Best Buy) for second place.

Furthermore, the fantasy football games on ESPN are enjoyable, too. There’s nothing special about them, but I like sticking to one site for all my fantasy sports. I'd lose track if I had fantasy teams on more than one site. There is a point system one like Fast Break for NFL football called Gridiron Challenge. I do that along with two Pick Em leagues (one for NFL and one for College).

Back on basketball……

How about those Milwaukee Bucks? I think they're going to have a great year. I haven't followed sports for approximately the last two years. I’ve been busy and haven’t had much time. I used to be an avid fan and watch Sportscenter all the time. Anyways, prior to the season I would have guessed the Bucks would have been a mediocre team. I was most definitely wrong!!! They really have some chemistry with Bogut and Ford complimenting Redd. An added bonus is that they’re a very young team. For that reason, I think they have a very promising future.



As I have been getting back into the sports world I have been surprised by two other teams. The Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers. Even though I wasn't following sports very much, I still heard all the hype about LeBron and Carmello. It looks like they're both all they were hyped up to be. Also, their teams are starting to form nicely around them. Especially those Nuggets!

Before the season I looked at all the rosters in the NBA. Miami was really a jaw dropper. They have so many big name players such as:

Shaquille O'Neal
Gary Payton
Dwayne Wade
Jason Williams
Antoine Walker
Alonzo Morning

I know Alonzo and Payton aren’t in their prime, but they are still good players. A big benefit is that they bring lots of experience and leadership. It's a pretty old team with the exception of Wade. It kind of reminds me of the Lakers last year with Dwayne replacing Kobe. Add to the fact that the supporting cast is better than the Lakers supporting cast was.

I'm really excited about this basketball season. Should be great fun!

And on one last random note before I leave:

How about those Colts?

7-0

Peyton is finally getting the season he deserves. He puts up superb performances season after season and his team is finally along for the ride. Good luck Colts! A well deserved record.

It’s late and I have school tomorrow. Good night.

Some Political Mumblings and More

I found a new word that I like:

Ethnocentrism

It's the same idea as the cliche "You have to walk a mile that persons shoes". (That being whoever you are refering to)

Also, I found another term I like on Wikipedia. I was doing my government homework when I came across this. It is the idea of Crony Capitalism aka Crapitalism. In my opinion, the theory is unbelievably true in our society here in the United States. Look at how many officials in our federal government have a background in large corporations. Our Vice President Dick Cheney is one such person. Harriet Miers may have been nominated because of cronyism. The gap between the poor and rich is growing, and Crony Capitalism is part of the cause. The affects of Crony Capitalism are only helping the rich businessmen. Furthermore, this helps oligarchy stay true as the powerful elites in America stay in control of our country.

If you enjoy politics and are looking for something to read check out The Irony of Democracy. This book is about the political system here in America from an uncommon point of view. It basically talks about elite rule in America and how the United States doesn't have a true democracy. I've been required to read it in my college government and politics class. I have found it quite interesting thus far.

On a random note:

Theory of a Deadman is a great band. One of their better songs is No Surprise. If you're looking for some new rock tunes, check them out!

Interesting Read

A Thought Over Coffee is an interesting blog about a man's journey starting a small business. The man, Jason Duncan, just finished college in Nashville, Tennessee. Then he moved to Bozeman, Montana with his wife where he is trying to start up a cafe.

It's quite intriguing if you are interested in small business. I just came across it three days ago, and I'm trying to catch up reading it from the beginning to present. Countless hours later and I'm only halfway through.

Check it out.

It's been a while.....

I am dissappointed in myself for the lack of posting in the recent two and a half months. School has been the reason for this. I have been really busy balancing classes and participation in two sports.

One of the sports is soccer. Furthermore, I joined the football team a few weeks ago. Soccer just finished this past week. We finished with a record of 17-3. Unfortunately, we lost in the first round of our district tournament. Consequently, our season is done. We were the best soccer team our school has probably ever had in it's 19 years of soccer. Quite a few school records were broken this year.

Football will probably be done this Friday. Unless, of course, we manage to beat the undefeated, defending state champions. There's always a chance though.

Other than school, I haven't had time for much. I've been spending my weekends with family and playing poker with my friends.

I now hope to regularly update my blog each week. Even during busy times I am going to try posting a few times every week.

Have a good one.....

Tech News & Poker

I found a nice tool to use after a night of poker. It's a free poker calculator on Card Player's website. This is great if you want to find out the percent chance you had/have to win a particular hand. I use it often after nights of poker when I lost with hands that were good before the flop. Additionally, I should mention the calculator only works for Texas Hold'em, but they have an Omaha one too.

I have found an awesome website that is dedicated to tech news. TechNewsWorld is a good alternative site to use if you're tired of the tech sections in the mainstream news. The mainstream news just doesn't have enough time to solely dedicate to tech news. TechNewsWorld only has technology news. Therefore, they have the quantity and quality in tech news that I've been looking for.

Sorry for the short and choppy posts lately. I'm whipped from soccer practices.

Peace out.

Youth Rights

As of late, I have been quite busy. I am sincerely sorry for the non-existent posts in the previous few days.

Moving on......

A few months back, I found an excellent website for a cause that I believe in. I found the National Youth Rights Association's (NYRA) website. Before this past school years end, I had to do a debate report for my english class. My topic was lowering the drinking age and I was definetly for it. After researching the issue, it strengthened my position for it. One of the biggest reasons that got me was:

An 18 year old has almost every conceivable right as an adult such as marriage, voting, signing contracts, buying cigarettes, serving in the military, and etc; why can they not buy alcohol?

Here is a quote I found on the quote page of the NYRA website:

"Whether children have first amendment rights is a vexed legal
question, but what is not in question is that they someday will.
Constraining them from expressing their views is no preparation
for exercising those rights."
-Crispin Sartwell

I believe that quote to be very true. In my opinion, this is a great organization, movement, and cause.

Some good underground pop-rock and a useful website

First off, I have found a great website for finding almost any information online. It's a free online encyclopedia called Wikipedia. This is a great resource if you need an answer to almost anything. Search for places, people, dates, and so much more!

Recently, I have found about a great new underground band Cartel. You can listen to some of their music and read about them on their page at purevolume. Cartel has a new album coming out this fall named Chroma. For more info on Cartel's new album check out absolutepunk's leak on it. They consider themselves pop rock. If you like pop, rock, or punk I think you'd love these guys!

Michigan State University

Sorry for the lack of posting in recent days. I had to go help my sister move out of her house at Michigan State University (MSU). This wasn't the first time I had been there, and I hope it won't be the last time.

I am approaching the start of my junior year in high school. Therefore, it is time for me to start thinking about my future after high school. Actually, I have been thinking about life after high school for quite some time. I want to attend college once I complete high school.

With the choice of college, I have many possibilities because the United States has thousands of colleges. I have been contemplating different choices that have appealed to me, and I have come to a conclusion. I want to go to an in-state college. One reason for an in-state college is because the prices are cheaper for public colleges that are state funded (only if you are a resident of the state). Another reason is because then I can be a far distance from my family, but yet close enough to home to return for occasions such as the holidays.

There are a few other reasons MSU appeals to me. One, it has a large population and quite a bit of diversity. Two, it is a big ten school so sporting events would be great fun. Three, I know many people who are MSU Alumni, including my sister. Four, from staying there, the social life at MSU seems like a blast! Lastly, the academics may not be at the same level of Harvard, but that's probably why its a fun social school. Michigan State has good academics, but don't be expecting Ivy League material.

Previously, I wanted to attend a good academic college and study pre-law. The only reason I wanted that was so after college I could go to law school, become a corporate lawyer, and make tons of money.

As I have gotten older and matured more, I have started to realize how short life is and how material possessions aren't as important as I used to think. It's human nature to want nice possessions and lots of money (known as greed). I still place a high importance on being successful and making money, but I have now started to realize that family and friends are of higher importance. They are just nice benefits to have along with good friends and family.

I believe at MSU it's possible to achieve a good balance of social life and academics. Furthermore, for the price it would be hard to go wrong with MSU.

After considering all the previous reasons, I am highly considering MSU as a possibility for after high school. As I stated previously:

"This wasn't the first time I had been there, and I hope it won't be the last time."

Hope to see you, MSU, in the fall of 2007.

Need an entertaining movie or novel?

I am currently reading The Partner by John Grisham. In my opinion, John Grisham produces some of the best novels that can be read for entertainment. All of Grisham's books will suck you in during the first chapter and keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. I'm only halfway through with the book, but its been a great read thus far. If you have previously enjoyed reading a John Grisham novel, The Partner will not disappoint you.

Today I saw War of the Worlds which stars Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning. If you have spare time to burn this weekend and want to see a good movie then watch War of the Worlds. It isn't one of the best movies I've ever seen, but it's quite entertaining and worth your time. Both, Cruise and Fanning, do an excellent job in this movie. I have really been impressed with Dakota Fanning's acting in recent movies. She did a superb job in Hide and Seek and keeps up the great work in War of the Worlds.

If you're bored and need something to do watching War of the Worlds and reading The Partner are both great choices of entertainment!

Who am I?

You may or may not have noticed that my name is Kyle. I am a high school student. Currently, I am employed as an attendant at the community's fitness center. During the summer I did some landscaping work, but now I'm finished with that job. Landscaping was nice because it taught me a lesson. It taught me that I hate physical, laborious work. Having worked there provides me with motivation to do well in school so I can attain a college education and, hopefully, be employed in a white collar job. The hours seemed to last forever, the work was excruciatingly boring, and it was very draining.

At my high school, I am involved in two sports: soccer and tennis. I have played soccer for as long as I can remember. One hobby I have is playing poker. Recently, my friends and I saw the World Series of Poker on ESPN so we decided to start playing every weekend. It gives me something to look forward to during the week. Some other interests I have include music, card collecting, video games, computers, and, of course, girls!

Not sure what else to say, but here is some quick information that may give you a better feel of what I am like:

I watch Fox News, not CNN! I drive a 1988 Volvo, it sucks, but my parents bought it, at no cost to me, so I'll take what I can get. I listen to all genres of music including rap, rock, techno, heavy metal, and, yes, even country. I receive mostly A's in school and have a 4.01 GPA. I'm tall and in shape.

I have probably just told complete strangers more than they need to hear about me. Let's hope no internet predators are reading this. That's it from me.

Good night folks.

Joining the Blogging Craze

I think it would be appropriate to start off my first blog with a well known cliché.

Better late than never.

Millions of blogs exist on the web and that number is constantly increasing with a reported one blog being created every second. Currently, my blog is just a minuscule fish in this large, expanding ocean.

What sparked my interest in starting a blog?

My interest in poker started when I saw the WSOP (World Series of Poker) on ESPN, two years ago. Some friends of mine had watched it too. Consequently, we started playing poker every weekend. My love for poker has grown ever since then.

This past spring, I saw commercials for the WSOP on TV which made me anxious. Impatience overcame me, and I started looking for a way to find updates and/or the results online. Well, I Found it! About a month ago, I came across Dr. Pauly's blog where he was giving live updates from the WSOP every single day.

Dr. Pauly's blog was the first blog I have ever read. From that moment on, I started reading more and more blogs. Not only blogs on poker, but on a variety of topics. Apparently, I'm only one of millions according to this article from BBC News.

The blogging phenomenon has caught up to me.