I’m also not motivated to “have it first”, so if I wait till something goes on sale or turns up used at a store, I’m happy enough. Failing that, I can always visit an Xbox room and play a game with friends when we have the time. I’m not even interested in Nintendo’s new hardware, which is a first for a while.

Hell, the last “game” I bought was an interactive recipe book for my wife to use on the Nintendo DS. She’s the last person that’s used the DS! Now that it seems I am officially a “casual gamer” (Oh, the horror), I’ve got time for all those flash games at Kongregate.com.

I’ve been a member of that site for a long time, but I didn’t really visit all that often except for the occasional game of Boxhead. The site has a great idea behind it. People that play games get to rate them. The more games you rate, the more points you get. Playing games and achieving certain tasks like a high score or something difficult gets you more points. Getting enough points gives you a certain level.  Leveling up gets you…nothing. Well, it gets you a little number next to your name for status I suppose. One of my friends must have been playing a lot of web games in the past year, because he’s way higher than I am!

The game I had been struggling with today was “Dolphin Olympics 2“. This game has a series of badges that are based on score, as well as distance or height jumped. I could not figure out the game mechanics. It was trick based, but the first badge was about score. The rest seemed much easier to accomplish, but I wasn’t coming close.

Then I thought about it for a moment, and youtube’d the game. It turns out people spend significant amounts of time on this flash game trying to get the high score, do all the tricks, or accomplish all the goals for the badges. Just when I think I find something casual to play, someone goes and makes it competitive and hardcore again. I used the few tips I learned, accomplished my badge for some easy points and moved on.

I like Kongregate because the best games are rated by the players, and you don’t need to sort through a ton of crap to find interesting games. For example, I found a new version of Boxhead, as well as a cool physics based thought puzzle game called Splitter all today. All this, for free? Wonderful.

However, Rick Astley just used the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade to Rick Roll the entire American audience. Millions and Millions of people that had no idea what was going on were subject to an Internet prank. That almost makes up for all the hours of boring television in my childhood.

ALMOST.

Pipe wrench Fiiiiiight!

(Pipe wrench fight.)

At the moment, I’ve kept it “Actual Friends Only”. If I don’t find myself comfortable at the idea of visiting your house, or sending you an email about something we share mutually in common, I’m not adding you to my friends list. This means I run with a tight knit crew of people.

In fact, my crew of friends is much tighter than my brothers, who I accidentally invited to Facebook. My brother, who only bought a computer a month ago, signed up and had 55 friends on Facebook in two hours! He might be the key demographic for this sort of social network, but that’s ridiculous. Even if I put EVERY foreigner I knew, met, or ever talked to in Korea, I wouldn’t have that many people on my list. I’ve got about a dozen people I could add, but haven’t, but I’d never reach a social network that big. It is simply impossible for me to ever out socialize my brother. It’s not a competition, but seriously, it’ll never happen.

The current thing that gets me to check Facebook at the moment is rip off of Progressquest. One of my friends found a multiplayer, semi-cooperative version of Progressquest with a Dungeons and Dragons skin on it. You pick characters and equipt them. Then you click a button to put them on an adventure. The game plays in the background while you work. Then, after a certain period of time it reports a success or a failure. The time alerts you to when you will reach the next milestone in your adventure, when you level up, when you get an item. All you control is where your adventurer goes, what they wear, and when they drink their potions. Even that can be automated somewhat.

You’ll get an update on your status that reads something like this:

Encounter 3: Mountain

Three bugbears chased Smee Butterpants across a rope bridge, hurling javelins (and insults) as they ran! Smee Butterpants made an Armor Class check with a difficulty of 26 . . . and rolled 32 Smee Butterpants dodged the javelins (and ignored the name calling) and deftly cut the rope bridge behind him, sending the bugbears down into the rushing river below. He then noticed a partially concealed cave containing the treasures the bugbears had been guarding. Smee Butterpants received 55 XP and 9 gold.

Armor Class check: d20: 11 AC Bonus: +20 Buffs: +1 Total: 32 Difficulty: 26 55 XP 9 Gold

Here you see my Dwarven Warlock, Smee Butterpants, succeeding in his task. I did nothing to make this possible except to send him to his doom. My friends that play this game can buff me, which is a clever mechanism to keep players nagging other people playing. I can also buff my friends so they get bonuses.

Now, each adventure takes a certain about of time, and if I get injured, I can choose to recover my HP by waiting before I undertake them. This means I can start the game in the morning, then go to lunch if I take a beating, and return to full health if I wanted to continue later in the day. The more time spent playing is more time spent leveling…etc. It’s got all the issues of a grind encapsulated in Progressquest, except it’s socialized and more hands on. It’s a total and utter waste of time, but I played it at work all day because it’s no more involved than a click every thirty minutes at most.

Anyway, other than playing around with pictures and digging up a few old friends I’ve lost touch with, I haven’t gotten to deeply involved with Facebook yet. It might stick around for a while, but I’m not giving up the blog.

Students reacting to this book with an Internet Shock Horror picture staple on the cover. All it needs is a weird circle on the cover for this image to be complete. Once you see something horrible on the Internet, you can never un-see it, and now whenever I see two fists in a stretching configuration I’m scarred for life.

“Oh…man, no, what’s this?”

“Guys?! Look at this book!”

You know the rules.  Post the list on your blog and highlight the ones that you’ve tried.  Or in the comments, copy and paste the ones that you’ve tried.

(Bolded means I’ve tried it. Bolded and in Italics means I LOVE it.)

1.    Myeolchi Bokkeum (Stir-fried Anchovies)

2.    Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)

3.    Bulgogi (Grilled Marinated Beef)

4.    BulDalk (Burn-your-pants-off Spicy Grilled Chicken)

5.    DalkBal (Spicy Chicken Feet)

6.    Korean Fried Chicken

7.    Dalk Galbi (Stir-fried Marinated Chicken and Veggies)

8.    San Nakji, chopped (Semi-live Baby Octopus)

9.    San Nakji, whole (Live Octopus)

10.    Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)

11.    Juk (Rice Porridge)

12.    Galbi (Grilled Short Ribs)

13.    Galbitang (Short Rib Soup)

14.    Shinseollo (Fancy Hot Pot)

15.    Gobchang Gui (Grilled Beef Intestines)

16.    Seng Gan (Raw Beef Liver)

17.    Galbi Jjim (Stewed Ribs)

18.    Bossam (Steamed Marinated Pork with Lettuce Wraps)

19.    Japchae (Clear Noodles Stir-fried with Pork and Vegetables)

20.    Jaeyuk Bokkeum (Spicy Stir-fried Pork)

21.    Kimchi Jjim (Stewed Kimchi with Tofu)

22.    Ddong Jip (Chicken Gizzards)

23.    Odeng/Eomuk (Street-side Fish Noodles)

24.    Hoddeok (Stuffed Street-side Pastries)

25.    GeiJang (Raw Fermented Crabs)

26.    Hongeo (Fermented Skate)

27.    Gochujang Samgyeopsal (Grilled Pork Belly Smothered in Red Pepper Paste)

28.    Lotteria’s Shrimp Burger

29.    Sae-u Kang (Shrimp Flavored “Fries”)

30.    Doenjang Jjigae (Fermented Bean Paste Stew)

31.    Cheonggukjang (Stinky Fermented Bean Paste Stew)

32.    Boshintang (Dog Soup)

33.    Seonji Haejangguk (Hangover Stew with Clotted Cow Blood)

34.    Ddeokbokki (Chewy Rice Cakes in Spicy Sauce)

35.    YukHui (Raw Beef Salad)

36.    MiyeokGuk (Seaweed Soup)

37.    Mae-eunTang (Spicy Fish Soup)

38.    Nakji Bokkeum (Stir-fried Baby Octopus)

39.    Ojingeo (Dried Cuttlefish)

40.    Beondaeggi (Silkworm Larvae)

41.    Golbaenggi (Sea Snails)

42.    Jangeo Gui (Grilled Eel)

43.    Jaratang (Turtle Soup)

44.    Bogeo (Blowfish)

45.    Sae-u Sogeum Gui (Salt Grilled Shrimp)

46.    Deodeok Root

47.    BindaeDdeok (Mung Bean Pancake)

48.    Pajeon (Green Onion Pancake)

49.    Bibimbap (Mixed Rice and Vegetables)

50.    Boribap (Mixed Barley Rice and Vegetables)

51.    Marinated Garlic

52.    Patbingsu (Shaved Ice and Red Bean Treat)

53.    Dotorimok (Acorn Jelly)

54.    Naengmyeon (Chilled Noodles)

55.    Makkoli/Dongdongju (Rice Beer)

56.    Bokbunja (Raspberry Wine)

57.    Soju (Rice Whiskey)

58.    Andong Soju (Strong Rice Whiskey from the Andong Region)

59.    Jogae Gui (Grilled Shellfish)

60.    Haepari (Jellyfish)

61.    Gyeran Jjim (Steamed Egg)

62.    Corn Ice Cream

63.    Dolsot Bibimbap (Mixed Rice and Vegetables in a Sizzling Stone Pot)

64.    Mandu (Stuffed Dumplings)

65.    Ddeokguk (Chewy Rice Cake Soup)

66.    Songpyeon (Stuffed Chewy Rice Cakes)

67.    Hot Bar (Fried Fish Batter Street Food)

68.    Shikhye (Sweet Rice Punch)

69.    Any product with Green Tea in it

70.    Gujeolpan (Nine-section Dish)

71.    Yogurt Soju Cocktail

72.    Baechu Kimchi (Cabbage Kimchi)

73.    Any Kimchi that’s over 3 years old

74.    Baek Kimchi (White Cabbage Kimchi)

75.    Shake-’em-up Dosirak

76.    Mul Kimchi (Water Kimchi)

77.    Oi Sobagi (Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi)

78.    Ggakdugi (Cubed Radish Kimchi)

79.    Sae-u Jeot (Salted Tiny Shrimp)

80.    Myeongran Jeot (Salted Pollack Roe)

81.    Changran Jeot (Salted Pollack Guts)

82.    Ssamjang (Mixed Soybean and Pepper Paste)

83.    Kalguksu (Hand-cut Noodle Soup)

84.    Ramyeon (Ramen Noodles) in a Tin Pot

85.    Entire Hui Meal (Korean style Sashimi)

86.    Gimbap (Seaweed Rice Rolls)

87.    Jokbal (Pigs Feet)

88.    Sundae (Blood and Noodle Sausage)

89.    Yeot (Traditional Korean Candy)

90.    Naengi (Shepherd’s Purse)

91.    Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

92.    Budae Jjigae (“Army Base” Stew, traditionally including hot dogs and Spam)

93.    Agu Jjim (Stewed Monkfish)

94.    Haemultang (Seafood Soup)

95.    Nurungji (Hot Water Mixed with Rice Scrapings in a Stone Pot)

96.    Sujebi (Rustic Dumpling Soup)

97.    Janchi Guksu (Thin Noodles in a Seaweed Broth with Condiments)

98.    BungeoBbang (Goldfish-shaped Stuffed Pastry)

99.    Raw Ginseng or anything with Ginseng in it

100.    MakHui (Chilled Sashimi Soup)

I’ve found a string of plugins that has reclaimed that space and made it a much more useful space in my browser:

1. Delicious Bookmarks: If you need access to tagging and blogging bookmarks for your delicious profile, you can use this from the status bar to update your account from delicious.

2. Webmail notifier: Want to check your multiple web email accounts without having to log into each service individually? This sits in your status bar and tells you if you have mail. Added bonus, it works with Korean web email services like Naver. Score!

3. Google Reader Watcher: Do you have tons of RSS feeds? Do you use Google Reader? Then monitoring new articles can be annoying, but you can use this from the status bar to keep up on your feeds. WARNING: This wil DESTROY YOUR PRODUCTIVITY. Keeping up with feeds is really distracting.

4. Twitterfox: Twitter, that unproductive, utterly narcisictic waste of time. How could I amuse myself blogging at work without you? WARNING: This wil DESTROY YOUR PRODUCTIVITY. I only follow and keep up with Twitter because of the little “T” icon sitting in my status bar which seems to be saying, “People are talking! Waste more of your time!”

5. Fire.Fm: Fire.FM is the streaming service of Last.FM integrated into your browser. Do you like Last.Fm ability to find music from your preferences, and how you can listen to free music of related artists? Then you’ll love being able to do all of that without having to bother with the Last.FM site. Letting a music service pipe in music from bands I like while I focus on browsing? Sweet.

6. ForecastFox: Need to know the weather for the week and you don’t get cable television? Watch the status bar of your browser and let ForecastFox get your weather for you. I’ve installed this in the past, but had to uninstall it because it was messing with browser stability. I hope it’s improved since I’ve last used it.

Do you know any awesome Firefox plugins that use the statusbar? Share them in the comments below if you do.

If my group of friends would adopt Twitter over Facebook, we could all easily keep in contact with each other via a website/SMS, and I wouldn’t get these obnoxious “Join Facebook!” messages in my email. (Yeah, I’m never joining Facebook. I’ve got a blog 8 years strong. Deal with it.)

Ideally, this Twittering would work out of the box with Korean phones. The Twitter SMS service doesn’t yet work in Korea properly. There is no one to send the Tweet messages to. You can’t send an SMS to a Korean service provider and have it pop up on Twitter directly. This RADICALLY diminishes Twitter’s usefulness. Considering the only time you can update is when you are in front of a computer, and I already have a blog, why would I bother with Twitter when I can update fully here on my website?

I’ve found an acceptable work around for any phones capable of sending email. You will be able to sign up and use Twitter in a semi-functional manner. However, it requires you to sign up with a third part unaffiliated with Twitter, and hand over a password. It’s best if you don’t rely on your Tweets for anything mission critial. As long as you are having some fun with Twitter, it won’t matter.

I’m hoping that Twitter eventually comes to Korea. I don’t want to use a clone like “me2day” Tweeting at work between classes is about all I have time for when I sit down. It’s a sort of micro-blog of my day to help me recall topics I might want to talk about later in the evening when I write. (I can also use the “Notes” feature in Opera to keep a unified notepad that follows me where ever I work.)

I signed up for service at Twittermail.com. I was going to use emailtwitter.com, but Opera told me their security certificate had expired. Hmmm, I have to hand you my password to my Twitter account, and you have an obsolete security certificate? Yeah, no thanks.

So, anyway, the first problem is figuring out what email address you have. I know for KTF my email address is “my_numerical_phone_number@vmms.nate.com”. However, this is an “email out” only sort of service. I can’t figure out how to send an email back to my phone at all. My phone gets emails from other phones, but not from gmail or outside services. I sent an email to my normal account and tried to reply to it. No dice.

Once you sign up for Twittermail, you can set up their “Secret email address”  as a contact, then send an email to that address. It will show up as a tweet.

One of the services at Twittermail was recieving “@your_username” tweet replies directly in email. This would be like getting an SMS when someone was talking directly to you on Twitter. Sadly I can’t get this to work, as everything that hits my phone email address doesn’t get to me on my phone. So, while I can send to Twitter an email that gets converted to a tweet, I can’t get any of my old tweets, or anything people contacting me send.

Of course, if I signed up with a third party email that I could check on my phone via the web, I might be able to use this gateway Twittermail service to retrieve my tweets. However, this would probably run up my connection fees, so I’m hesitant to even try. As it is, I don’t know how email is calculated into my service contract.

However, with less fanfare, another browser had been released in the past week that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Opera 9.5 is continuing the tradition of being a great browser that almost no one knows of, and fewer people use, those that do use it however, love it.

Opera and I have a history going pretty far back for a piece of software. It’s the only piece of software I’ve consistently used for eight or nine years. I’ve been using it longer than Firefox, which is probably a close second considering my migration to Linux at home. I first got started using Opera as a browser when they released a version with gestures. I think I might have even been using a version BEFORE gestures got added.

I know I was using Opera when it was still shareware, before it went adware, before it went freeware (free as in beer). The key feature when I first started using Opera was tabbed browsing and the fact that it would fit on a 3.5′ floppy drive. (This was pre-USB key making transporting an entire OS easy.)

The thing that slowed Opera down besides a shareware purchase model and being ad supported was a radical adherence to the .html standards. The browser was so good at rendering pages correctly that it actually did itself a disservce because no website ever followed the standards correctly. Having a website choke because it wants to render crappy pages in IE sucks. With Opera’s browser share hovering around 1% on a good day, no website will ever go out of it’s way to support it with correct web scripting either.

Opera consistently adds features that get ripped off by other browsers. Mouse Gestures and Tabbed browsing were standard in Opera before Firefox took them mainstream. Opera has voice navigation, a speed dial, and all sorts of other nifty features that other browsers will eventually integrate. Firefox’s extensible nature make it very difficult to prevent any feature Opera invents from staying unique to Opera for long.

This makes Firefox a constant competitor for Opera’s users. Why switch to a different browser of Firefox can do everything Opera can with extensions? While Firefox can always gain features, add-ons can sometimes be resource hogs that slow down systems.

Opera comes built with the features at the beginning, and the browser never gets as bogged down with too many add-ons. The “widget” feature of Opera allows you to add web services as stand alone applications, but they are a different beast compared to the numerous Firefox extensions. Firefox is more adaptable, but Opera is usually quicker rendering pages whenever I use it. It’s not a huge difference either way though, a few milliseconds at most.

Where Opera really shines is the embedded market. My Wii runs Opera’s browser and my DS could too.  I desperately wish my phone did as well. An embedded device with Opera will make the best use of the screen space of any web enabled device with it’s unique rendering system. Opera will also allow you to sync your bookmarks, speed dail, and notes between different platforms by signing up for a free my.opera account.

I’ve started using Opera at work. I can sync my browser bookmarks between work and home. I could theoretically do this via delicious, but I use that service as a repository and global storehouse that I want to keep separate. It’s also fun to play around with the different features.

Opera isn’t perfect, despite the speed, and there are a few things I hope they can fix. I’ll continue to use Opera as a secondary browser until they fix some of the following issues:

Opera’s adblock via css is fine, but it takes a little more work than Firefox’s extension that does the same work to set up. Opera’s spell checker needs some work, and posting from wordpress in Opera is a pain because the text field gets mangled when you switch views from Visual to HTML. Also, Opera in Linux occasionally chokes with SCIM, which is the imput method I use to switch from English to Korean.