do-do-do-de-do

In Jimbo news today, nothing important is happening.
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This just in! Chulip, the famous quirky kissing game from Japan, is finally making its way stateside courtesy of Natsume. An exact date is sketchy at best, but estimates currently hold it for February of 2007. It looks to be quite the unique game.

In further gaming news, Jimbo recently announced that he wanted these Harvest Moon hand puppets. He said little else about the subject.

In world news, it appears that the Japanese population has begun to decrease! Sources show that a vast majority of the Japanese population is classified under the so-called "older" category. What does this mean? This means that there will be less younger people to replace them when they "pass on." Due to this situation, the prime minister is now considering making policies to prevent further falls in birthrates? What does this mean. Potentially, it means that it will make a lot of dudes happy as intercourse becomes mandatory. More news on this as the story develops.

In anime news, it seems that the world will be ending on December 22nd. Rumor holds that the hit anime Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu will be licensed and released stateside. Who licensed it, or how long the release will take will likely be announced tomorrow. Stay tuned.

On behalf of JNN, I thank you for watching. It is now time for a quick commercial break.

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(Book edition)

Welcome everyone! As you well know by the steady increase in
traffic around commercial establishments, the holiday season is upon us. What
does this mean? This means you need to spend money (lots of it) on others, even
if they don’t particularly deserve it. To aid in this endeavor, I have composed
a list of books I have read over the past year and recommend to others. They
are in no particular order, but I do give brief descriptions so you can
identify just the right book.

Alamut by
Vladimir Bartol
Are you interested in history? Has the news of today made
you interested in learning more about the Muslim culture? Do you just want a
generally good read? If you answered yes to any of these questions (or some that
weren’t asked), then you should pick up the historical-fiction novel Alamut. The story takes place in the
titular fortress and weaves the tale of the original assassins (originally
hashhishans). It is an engrossing story that bears frightening resemblance to
fact. I recommend this book to everybody that likes to read. Good luck finding
it though. It is technically out of print and you may need to special order it.

The Time Traveler’s
Wife by Audrey Niffeneger
Before I begin, let me just say that this is a great book
and you should not let the genre get in the way. Now then, this is technically
a romance novel. At least that is what it says on the jacket. While I do see
the romance elements in it, I think it is more than that. It also seems to
delve into the science-fiction category. This is a tale about a man who,
through some genetic defect, is able to travel through time. I don’t mean
centuries of difference, just a few years here and there. He also has no
control over it. I won’t spoil the plot, but I will say that it does make you
think as all of the time-traveling can throw you off. I highly recommend this
book to everybody (even you single guys).

Japanamerica by
Roland Kelts
Do you have an older anime fan (otaku) on your list? I would
recommend this book to them. Within its pages, it details the growth of the
Japanese anime culture in America.
It uses logic and history to explain how and why otaku-dom continues to grow
among the youth of today. It is definitely a worthy read if you or someone else
is interested.

Next by Michael
Crichton
The only reason I am listing this book is because it is a
Michael Crichton book. He is my favorite author of all time. Nevertheless, this
is not one of his better books. Sure, it was a fun read, but it really did not
have much substance. It just jumped around and tried to tackle as many
bio-engineering topics as it could. It is not a great book, but if you have a
Michael Crichton nut (like myself) on your list, you may as well get it for him
or her.

The Gospel of the
Flying Spaghetti Monster by Prophet Bobby Henderson
What, you don’t already own this book? What is wrong with
you? Go out and buy it right now! Not just for yourself, but for others as
well! Geez.

That wraps it up for now. I have read a lot of books, but
this about sums up the highlights. Most of the other books were merely
mediocre. Now, go out there and fuel the economy!

In other news: it appears that I have lately been receiving hits from people who don't subscribe to Xanga. I don't mean just search engine bots, I mean actual people. I noticed on my footprints that people search for actual phrases in google, and they are brought here. Currently, searches for "Rune Factory translation" and "Roland Kelts" shows a link to my site. It is all very exciting.

Recently, my friend Stephen did a post where he gave a brief overview of some anime that he watched (t3h L1nkXor), and there was much rejoicing (yaaaaaay!). I hope to build upon that success. Now, for those of you who don't frequent both of our blogs, on that list he included:

• Kanon (2006) - a heartfelt tale of romance, comedy, and a girl who goes "uguu~".
• Sumomomo Momomo (a.k.a. Sumomomomomomomomomo) - a not-so-heartfelt tale about the troubles of procreation. Brief martial arts sequences.
• Yoake mae yori ruriiro na Crescent Love (parentheses, lol) - a heartfelt tale of... well... y'know, heartfelted-ness.

The two of us have similar tastes. I watch all of these regularly as well. If I didn't, I wouldn't be posting about this. Along with these, I watch the following (spoilers, duh):

Do-do-do-de-do

This just in from the desk of Jimbo HQ! Where is Jimbo? Since yesterday evening, no one has seen or heard from him. Witnesses say they last saw him exiting a Gamestop with a plastic bag. Police later interrogated the shopkeeper and learned that Jimbo had recently purchased a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for Nintendo's Gamecube. Officials are unsure of what to do about this. Strange lights and sounds have since been emanating from Jimbo's residence and no one knows what it means. We here at the Jimbo News Network will keep you posted as events warrant.

Do-do-do-de-do!

Crowds cheer in the street today, as Jimbo announces to the world that he has finally finished the Playstation 2 game Okami! In a press release, he admits that it took over thirty-nine hours of his life. "It was all worth it. It is a great game," Jimbo says in an exclusive interview. Sources also report that by the game's conclusion, Jimbo managed to obtain a rare "S-rank" in two of the graded fields. He defeated five-hundred-fifty-nine enemies during the course of his gaming adventure, netting him Kamic Transformer 4, and he died a grand total of zero times, earning him another Kamic Transformer. Huzzahs abound as a parade is being prepared in his honor.

In entertainment news, the country is in a buzz with the soon to be released DVD for Snakes on a Plane. Sources currently indicate a release on January 2, 2007. The DVD obviously includes the movie, but also some extras including: the making of the film, a Cobra Starship music video, deleted scenes, a gag real, and even commentary by none other than motherf~ckin' Samuel L. Jackson himself.

The final news of the day comes from the world of the internet. Reports show that a new video game based on the Jewish religion has recently been released and is for sale direct-to-drive for about five dollars. It is called "The Shivah", and it follows the path of Rabbi Stone as he tries to solve the mystery of a strange cash windfall. Details are sketchy at the moment, as our reporters are too lazy to research more.

For the Jimbo News Network, this is Jimbo... signing off. Peace out.

Dude, I don't usually post just a video, but this is the funniest video I have ever seen...

Everything about this video works so well. The lip synching is excellent. The character choices are superb (Sasuke as Keanu Reeves, omfg!). It is all just so incredibly funny.

Also, this site is kind of neat:
Here is mine: Jimbo's Library Thing. I should note that I did not include all of my Garfield or Calvin & Hobbes books. That's just because I have all of them, and it would just make my list too long.

I read this sort of post all the time, so in the interest of keeping
things mainstream, I offer this guide to others. Here are a few key
points for posting about finals:

• Complain - I can't stress this enough. No
  one likes to take finals. If you do, and you write about it, you will
  be outcast. Nobody likes a goodie-goodie. It doesn't matter if your
  final exam involves chocolate-eating (which must be nice), you must
  complain about it. For example, say you had the chocolate-eating exam.
  You can complain about having too little chocolate, or a type of
  chocolate you don't like (such as dark chocolate, bleh).
• Use it as an excuse to stop posting - This
  is handy for those of you who are too lazy to post on your blog
  regularly. Finals offer an excellent excuse to stop. All you have to
  say is that you are "overworked" and everyone will understand. Even if
  you don't do any studying whatsoever, the mere thought of those
  scantron forms drives you to a fit of counter productivity (no... not
  882-E!). Even for simple exams like Intro. to Computing or Advanced
  Chaos Theory, the "studying" should be enough to hold you
  back.
• Confirm failure - Self-fulfilling
  prophecies are important in final exam posts. If you say you are going
  to fail your exams, then the future has already been determined. You
  can stop studying and just let the imminent failure roll in. Without
  the need to study or post, you can go out and do other things, like eat
  chocolate.
• Use poor grammar - This should go without saying. Your brain should, theoretically, be processing all of the information involved with the final taking process (heh heh, I used process as a noun and a verb). With this workload, it simply cannot form the coherent sentences necessary for a decent post. Use this to your advantage!
• Be brief and to the point - Your posts about finals should consist of no more than a paragraph. If you write too much, you would seem too eager. It would seem like you have general interest in whatever you are being tested on. You must not let this show. Interest is a sign of weakness, and a serious faux pas in this modern society.

Here is an example
of all of these points in a cumulative fictional post. Take note:

I hope this guide will help everyone taking finals in the near future. Be sure to not do too badly. Also, let me know if you find a college that offers classes in chocolate-eating.

It's time for a funny article. Well, it's not really funny, but I thought it was... odd. We turn our eyes towards China today as two dolphins lives are saved by (drum roll please) the world's tallest man. Yes, you read that correctly. I thought it was a joke too.  The BBC, however, says differently. Anyway, it seems that the dolphins ate some plastic and had some stomach problems (obviously). So the tallest man in the world, Mr. Tallest-Man-In-World, decided to lend a hand and pull the rubbish out (LOL, it's funny because it's a pun). Needless to say, he was successful and managed to garner the publicity he was... reaching for (ROFL). I mean, if the dolphins didn't make it, I'm sure people would not think of him as a very handy individual (I better stop). I am just glad I didn't have to shake his hand after that mess. Ew... dolphin body juice.

... in no particular order.

• Sonic & Knuckles - This was the very
  first game I ever played. The Sega Genesis was the first game system I
  ever owned, and it came boxed with Sonic & Knuckles. I remember
  being in elementary school, before I got good reflexes, and not being
  able to play the game well. I would actually ask my dad for help. I
  think this game single-handedly turned my dad away from gaming forever.
  He just couldn't handle the speed. Wussy. Not long after, I got my NES,
  which leads to...
• Super Mario Bros. 3 - I know what some of
  you are thinking. "What about the first Super Mario Bros.?" Frankly,
  when I was growing up, I thought the original sucked. As a matter of
  fact, I still do. The third one is superior in many ways. I am not
  exaggerating when I say that SMB3 is my favorite Mario game of all
  time. I still play it regularly. This game turned me into a Nintendo
  fan, and cemented my status as a video game nut.
• Harvest Moon 64 - The first Harvest Moon game I ever played. My fanaticism for the series began with this very game and has been a major part of my life since then. I remember just trying it out to see what it was about, then the rest of my days were spent until I "finished" it. It was that good. I later picked up Harvest Moon: Back to Nature, and that game only improved upon the series.
• Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - I still remember the day I first played this game. I went to my friend Chris' house and he asked me bluntly, "you mean you never heard of Zelda?" I shook my head; I never had. So he forced me to sit down and start playing it. I played through the beginning and the first dungeon and was blown away. I immediately asked my dad for it, and it consumed my life for a few weeks until I beat it. This was the game that wrenched me away from the NES and Genesis I spent most of my time on, and helped me transfer over to the Nintendo 64, and beyond.
• Kirby's Dreamland 2 - The original for the Gameboy. Yes, I actually owned one of the big, clunky, "silver" monstrosities that Nintendo called a portable gaming system. I've had other games for my Gameboy before this one, but this was the first I enjoyed. I remember owning the original Kirby's Dreamland first, but not really enjoying it. There were no copy powers yet, and you could easily beat it within and hour. The second game was a huge improvement and sucked up a lot of my time. It had the copy powers. It had the secondary characters. It had the fun that a Kirby game should have. Plus, it was a lot longer this time. This game turned me into the Kirby nut I am. Kirby is still a staple for my Super Smash Bros. games. Speaking of which...
• Super Smash Bros. - I remember seeing the commercial for this game. A bunch of Nintendo characters prancing through a field, singing merrily, suddenly break out and start wailing on each other. It was great. I got this game a short time afterwards, and it has become a regular "time-waster" game. Whenever I had a few minutes to spare before I needed to do something, I would fire up this game and play a few rounds. I was usually either Kirby or Capt. Falcon. Then Melee came out for the Gamecube, and that improved upon everything from the old game (except for Capt. Falcon). This series had become the de facto multiplayer game of choice.
• Dark Cloud - It can be argued that this was the first RPG I ever liked. Sure, I enjoyed Pokemon, but I don't really consider that an RPG. That's just my opinion, don't get on my back about it. Dark Cloud was a fun action-RPG that had bits of city building, and its ever changing dungeons made for some fun gaming. It had its downfalls, to be sure, but I still played it. The sequel was completely different, but it greatly improved upon the original and falls into the category of RPGs I like. It's a very small category to be sure. The only other games include Kingdom Hearts, Paper Mario, Tales of Symphonia, and Final Fantasy X-2.
• SimFarm - This was the first "sim" game I ever played, and is responsible for making me the god-game addict I am today. I first played this game when I was in, I believe, second grade. I wasn't very good at it. I was very, how do you say, "corn"-y. Throughout the years, I have often returned to this game, and every time I play again, I find that I do better and better.
• SimCity 2000 - I never did play the original SimCity. Even today I have yet to actually play it. I don't regret it. For all intents and purposes, I say that 2000 was the first SimCity game, just because it was the first I played. I played this game about a year after I first played SimFarm. It was hard as hell. I still have trouble playing it, even today. That's why I thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the "priscilla" cheat. If SimFarm introduced me to god-games, than SimCity 2K cemented the genre as my absolute, without-a-doubt favorite. They still make up a majority of all of the games I own.
• Myst - Everyone has played Myst at some point in their life. If you haven't, you should. My entire family has played this game. My dad played it for a little while, I played it for a little while, but my [biological] mom was the one who really got into it. She would play constantly, with her little notebook on her lap, just going around and checking stuff out. It was because of her that I got into the game. While Riven is my favorite game in the series, I never would have played it if it was not for my mom's love of the original. Thanks mom.
• Rise of Nations - Sure, I had played several real-time strategy (RTS) games in the past, but RoN was the first that I really got into. I remember the day I got this. My friend Robert and I scored a one-day job shadow with an actual game-programmer at Big Huge Games, makers of Rise of Nations. It was amazing! At the end of the day, the gentleman we shadowed gave (let me repeat that: "gave!") us a copy of Rise of Nations. I was hooked on it for quite a while. Needless to say, however, I am really, really bad at it. It must be because I am so used to the slow pace of all of those god-games.
• The Sims - I end this list with quite possibly the only game that has eaten up more of my life than any Harvest Moon game. The Sims, with its endless arsenal of sequels and expansion packs, has helped me pass the time for so many years. I remember being first introduced to this game by my friend Tim. It was after not seeing him for a week that I actually went over to his house to see what was up. When he saw me at the door, he invited me in and said, "you have to see this game." He had been playing The Sims (the original) almost non-stop. He plunked me down in front of his monitor and had me play for a few hours. There was no turning back after that.

I hope you all enjoyed my list. These games spanned much of my life and I still play them all fairly frequently. There are a lot of other games I enjoyed, but these twelve were the big players. These were the games that made me everything I am today (a geek). Some of them seem dated by today's standards, but that is just what increases the appeal. They all have their own background to them. I would not trade any of these games in for the world (well, okay maybe the world, but not for, say, two bucks).