Shahryar Rizvi’s blog
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My Winter Break of Games: ‘Yar’s Revenge
This winter break I got back into a serious PC gaming habit after years of exile. My second Grad School semester will start soon and I will have to manage my time once again. Computer games by nature are a time sink. They are an epic distraction from other hobbies, of which I have many. […]
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January 2010 seems to love comics
The first month of the year seems to be obsessed with comics and cartoons. In full disclosure, I enjoy short-form comics only occasionally. However, the short form seems to be getting all the attention right now. Earlier this month, an illustrator of one of the bigoted JP comics of the Prophet Muhammad was the target of […]
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The decade was cyberpunk
Rihanna — Her appearance resembles the razorgirls of cyberpunk novels. I overlooked her being the victim of domestic violence because I imagine that she is strong enough to overcome it. Powers-that-be forbid that I am wrong, recovering psyches are what razorgirls are made of anyway. Lady GaGa: As much as I loath the contrived eccentricities […]
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Rainbow Six Vegas: Fear and Reloading in Las Vegas
I recently acquired Rainbow Six Vegas 2 because it was cheap. I didn’t intend it, but My Vegas 2 character resembles a clone of Hunter Thompson. He is sure to inspire Fear and Loathing in my opponents. Bring it on you goddamn illiterate lizards. Bring it on like saffron. Update: New character that looks more […]
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Stargate SG1 gets better: Back on the Destiny.
Last time I talked about Stargate Universe, I vowed to avoid it until it got better. That time has come with the midseason finale titled Judgment. The women now have something important to do, in this case a tribunal for a murdeh on the spacecraft. Leaving Dr. Rush on a planet with a decrepit ship […]
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Best of the decade in list
Music Jesu — Silver Jesu — Conquerer http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf Old Year – Jesu Deltron 3030 Textures — Polars VNV Nation — Judgement http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf The Farthest Star – VNV Nation Lustmord — The Place Where The Black Stars Hang http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf Aldebaran Of The Hyades – Lust… Isis — Panopticon http://www.lala.com/external/flash/PlaylistWidget.swf Panopticon – Isis Isis — In The […]
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Avatar review
I got back from watching Avatar. The film was was really engaging and fulfilling. This is another time in my recent memory that I left the theater without regrets. The plot is straightforward: Caucasian man encounters natives connected to the ecosystem, becomes one of them, fulfills their prophecy and fights against the ruthless hegemon he […]
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Best of 2009 In List
A lot of good stuff is being released in December, so the list will change between now and the new year. Albums The Prodigy — Invaders Must Die Isis — Wavering Radiant Brother Ali — Us The Empire Shall Fall — Awaken http://www.lala.com/external/flash/PlaylistWidget.swf Awaken – The Empire Shall Fall Massive Attack — Splitting the Atom […]
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Cosmic Encounter
Earlier this month I bough a highly recommended game called Cosmic Encounter. A classic of thirty years, Cosmic Encounter is a negotiation strategy game set in space. The game has apparently influenced games such as the Dune board game (which shares designers), and Magic The Gathering. In Cosmic Encounter, players choose a color with five planets […]
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