Random Linkage

• I so totally need to get a job in game journalism:
  

  Tecmo in the past has treated their American journalist guests to evenings out at Japanese hostess bars, watering holes where women are paid to keep customers company (not necessarily in a ‘me so horny!’ way … it’s more of a ‘let me keep filling your drinks and you are so funny and handsome and wonderful and let me hang on to your every word!’ male-insecurities-nuking thing).

• 12 Photos that should have never made it online
  

  There’s nothing wrong with firefighters showing off their muscles, but Arroyo made the mistake of competing two weeks after he’d filed for permanent disability status due to back injuries. Apparently his injuries enabled him to lift barbells but prevented him from inspecting buildings for code violations.

• The magnet meltdown problem recently seen with the LHC is just one of those things that happen getting a new particle accelerator going for research

After months away, a hopeful, cautious step towards relaunch, with a focus on gaming for the return post:

•  Jeff Green, famed Greenspeaker of now-gone Games for Window magazine, covers my feelings about people quite well
  

  But as a species, I believe that, mostly, we kind of suck, especially when it comes to being in public spaces together. Like movies. Or on the road.

• Electronic Arts (where the above-mentioned Jeff Green now resides) is pulling back a bit from the hard stance on DRM they held with Spore (more info from Wikipedia).  DRM still sucks, but with loud enough protests from consumers, we can make a difference
• To the anti-DRM stance, consider buying Sins of a Solar Empire or Galactic Civilizations 2 and supporting Stardock, an outstanding publisher who puts out great products and targets gamers who buy games rather than stopping those who probably won’t buy anyway
• I’ve recently gotten pulled in to listening to the Gamers with Jobs podcast.  It’s one of the few podcasts from the gaming community I find worth listening to, but I welcome suggestions from the audience for other good choices