Ralph Nader is coming to my school tomorrow.

That's right.

Ralph freakin' Nader.

Any questions you want me to ask him?

I have just exceeded the bounds of my own nerditude.
First, read this comic.

You know the part about horrifying mathematicians?

I just wrote a program to try and calculate that number.

Too bad I got an overflow error. Maybe I'll store it somewhere and retry it in 25 years when computers can actually handle numbers that large.

Also, I wrote an essay that proves that videogames are an art form for an English class. Here it is.

Few forms of expression have had difficulty being recognized as forms of art. Creative writing, poetry, painting, and music are all easily recognizable as art. Videogames combine the use of design, writing and music into an interactive medium. Why is it, then, that many still view videogames as a childish diversion?
Videogames began with the advent of games such as Pac-man, Asteroids, and Donkey Kong. These games consisted of simple art and music, and contained next to nothing in terms of storytelling. Today, the average videogame has a budget comparable to that of a Hollywood movie. These projects employ professional artists, musicians, writers and actors. Games like “Half-Life 2” and “Metal Gear Solid” are revered for their superior storytelling. Producers like Hideo Kojima spend months finding the right style for their games and putting emotion and symbolism into their worlds. Valve Corporation’s Gabe Newell stated that videogames will become the preferred method of storytelling in the future because of their interactive nature. This aspect of videogames alone could be regarded as art.
The artistic style of a videogame is extremely important to its success. Some games like “Killer 7” and “Okami” use a technique called cel-shading to achieve the look of an animated movie or TV series. Other games use a more fantasy-oriented approach, with intricate character design and detailed architecture. Games such as “Shadow of the Colossus” have employed this technique. Still others approach realism with elaborate lighting and shadows and a high level of detail. Much work goes into fine-tuning the art style of a game so that nothing feels out of place or forced. Here, the elements of design and technique combine to create a form of art.
Music is another fundamental part of a videogame. Few dispute the fact that music is a form of art, and proper use of music creates a certain atmosphere for the player. Some even use music as a theme, such as the classic hit “Amplitude”. Just like in movies, music can be used to create tension or hint at an upcoming plot point. Some games like “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” use a technique called procedural sequencing, in which the tempo or notes of an in-game song can be changed to reflect the mood of a scene. For example, in a fight the tempo of a song can be sped up. Music adds to the immersion of the videogame experience, which is part of the art form in itself.
In a videogame, the elements of storytelling, art design, and music all come together in a cohesive form. All of these elements are combined in ways that make each game unique. Sometimes, these elements are used in new and fascinating ways, causing even more immersive and artistic experiences for the player. It is only logical, then, that videogames should be seen as art.

This is copyright Evan Hemsley. If you want to reprint it, ask for permission.

Finals.
Disneyland.
Huge freaking weekend-long airsoft war.

Yeah, I'm done for about 3 weeks.

I'm well into redesigning the website. This is odd, considering I've had finals. Strangely, it seems that during finals my creativity gets sparked like mad. I'm not going to reveal anything...but let's just say it's Wii-friendly. :) Hopefully I know enough ActionScript to get this working like I want it to.

In other news, I'm about 25% done with my Lugaru campaign. I've got a good portion of the dialogue written and about 7 maps completed. It's starting to look and feel quite good...I'm really surprised at how awesome the story I've written is. I guess I did have a sweet creative writing teacher last year. Anyway, what this means is that I have a new Yelsew command: Buy the full version of Lugaru. Seriously, it's 15 bucks. Just get it: it's a perfect example of near-flawless game design. Even Terrence can play it, because it was originally made for Mac. Besides, otherwise you won't be able to play my sweet new campaign. Anyway, once I get back into editing, I'll take a few screenshots for you guys.

Also, Rogue Galaxy came out today. If you have a PS2, buy this game. I'm actually going to buy a PS2 this week - to commemorate the end of finals, and to get Rogue Galaxy, Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, Zone of the Enders 2, Metal Gear Solid 3...the list goes on.

In other news, Beyond Good & Evil was named IGN's #1 underrated game of all time. I fully approve of this choice. Go play Beyond Good & Evil. It's a frighteningly good game.

That's about it for now. Rant over.