I don't know how long this has been active, but apparently YouTube has a new closed captioning system that tries to use voice recognition software to add text to videos (I guess for the hard of hearing).  The results are hilarious.  An example:

I strongly urge you to start watching your favorite videos with this new CC option while it lasts.  I know I already am.  Oh, and as a side note, this is incredibly awesome.

Curling - even though the US sucks at it apparently.

Not to fear, my fellow Americans.  Wipe away those tears of suckitude to the musical stylings of "Curl" by Jonathan Coulton.  He makes everything better.

Yes.  Yes you can.  And apparently my limit is 130 British pounds sterling.

Yeah, I know there's no way I'm going to get it even at that price, but now I can at least say I was there.

Honest to God, I'm normally not one to cry about depriving prisoners of some of the creature comforts us law-abiding citizens get to enjoy, but this story about a judge that will not allow D&D to be played by inmates is a bit cruel and unusual.  I mean, the whole basis of the decision is that it might stimulate "gang activity" and that inmates could "act out" crimes in the game.

Really?  D&D is one of the biggest threats to our prison system, but letting prisoners lift weights and buff up before letting them out on parole is perfectly safe for society?  And just when I thought we had come a long way from the societal paranoria of RPGs epitomized in Mazes and Monsters.

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go pop a +2 Cap of Smiting in some Drow, yo.

Since we're not only nearing the end of another year, but a whole decade, I've been inundated (as I'm sure you have been) with top 10 lists coming out of varied orifices from people ranging from ESPN to creepy uncle Joe down the street - who kind of put me off with his "Top 10 Ways to Decapitate Clown in 2009" list.  Though I'm not surprised that #4 involved an iPhone app made for just such a purpose.

Anyway, I'm going to join the list-mania, but only in the most half-assed way possible.  Partially because I'm sure you're sick of all the Top 10's, and partially because I'm lazy.  Here's my pick for the Top 1 Greatest Game of the Decade, as decided solely by me.  Greatest doesn't mean the most popular, most hyped, my personal favorite, or even the best in terms of gameplay.  To me, it's a game that helped define what many other video games became during the same time period.  So without ado, my pick is...

As most of us take the time today to gather with family and watch our Christmas movie marathon of choice (I'm personally switching between A Christmas Story and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation), I'd like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a happy holiday and Merry Christmas.  I hope it's everything you've all been hoping for.

And to make this post just a little more geeky, this marks the 21st anniversary of my official foray into video games.  Like so many kids before or since, I distinctly remember what it felt like to open up my first gaming system (an NES for me) and just be lit up with happiness for the whole rest of the day while sampling the wonderous entertainment that was first introduced to my home.

So on this particular day, think for a second about the thousands of young gamers who are also receiving their first taste of this hobby we all share and enjoy, and think back to what it felt like when you were that wide-eyed child on Christmas morning - feeling the unbridled joy.

Merry Christmas, everybody!

So I know for a fact that at least the Commodore and I have woken up a few times this past week thinking we were in the middle of the marathon still, scaring whoever else we happen to be sleeping with at the time.  Our mental health is now a shambles because of this marathon, but it was totally worth it.  Because of you guys, we earned over $2,000 for Child's Play, which is a feat I honestly didn't expect to meet considering we're just 6 guys with an Xbox and a dream.  And the experience itself was the most fun we've had in a long time.  It was especially great to meet so many interesting people in the chat.  We all hope to keep in contact as days go by (insert Family Matters reference here).

After talking things over with Boomer and the Commodore, a 2nd annual Rock Band-a-thon certainly seems like it's on the horizon.  The great thing is that we've learned so much from this first go around that the next rendition should have a lot of improvements.  For example:

And that's just some of the ideas.  But rest assured we're already on it, and when we have everything set up, we'll be letting you know when the next marathon will be.  So, in closing out this year's marathon activity, I'd like to again thank everyone who made this possible.  We really couldn't have gotten this far without everyone's help.

In the meantime, we have a few special vlogs coming out before the new year.  Not to mention at least a couple more 16-Bit Gems, Echo Screens, and - dare I say it - the return of Boomer's House Rules?  We'll see you out there.