Pirating

Chris' movie post got me into thinking about piracy again. But movie and even music pirating isn't as big a deal as video game pirating. Movies are probably watched by people more in the theaters than on illegal websites. I've also read that music artists make more money on concerts than CD sales or legit downloads, so they can still makes tons of money. When people download hacked PC games or buy used copies of PS3 games, the makers get NOTHING.

Before I get into my main point I would like to answer the rhetorical questions: Is pirating a sin? Is it okay to pirate?

Answer is yes and yes, because we are human. We like to get things free, even it would have only cost us a dollar.

Just like in natural selection, the relationship between seller and buyer is a struggle. Whoever comes out with better tactics and strategies wins, until the other side retaliates. I will not get into morals, only law and enforcement. We know the world is a place where not everyone follows the rules for the sake of it. I admit that I avoid my phone in the car only out of fear of a ticket. On the other hand, I keep my car at 70 because I derive my excitement on turns, and I like to save gas. If I was more crazy, I'd probably drive at 85-90 and tell the law to suck it. My point being is that we follow some laws out of natural inclement, and others because of fear of punishment. That's as far as I'll speak about morals. The only thing that matters is what video game makers and players can do.

Here's my own life memory of video game protection:

1995ish I remember after you installed Doom it was able to run off your hard drive.

1997ish I remember playing a flight simulator game that required you to run the CD in the tray, even though all data files are installed.

The gamer solution: make CD copies and pass them out to friends

The maker solution: CD encryption

2000ish Sim City required the real CD, it would know if you were running a fake.

the gamer solution: hacked EXE files of the program no longer required the CD aka "no-CD cracks"

the maker solution: STEAM digital distribution

2003 or 2004 is when Steam came out. At first I thought it was just for CS to convert online CD-keys into accounts. Boy was I wrong. Steam allows makers to release games that had to be activated by Steam. Once a new CD key was locked into an account, that's it, it's useless. This made even single player games unsellable.

Even with all this anti-piracy action, most gamers are playing pirated single player games. Hackers found ways to bypass Steam logins.

the maker solution: force the game itself to work only after connecting to the company's servers.
Starcraft 2 can't be played on LAN, and apparently Diablo 3 single player won't load unless you connect to the internet.

The piracy issue was pretty isolated to PC games but it's being targeted in console games now.

Gamestop makes billions of dollars off used games alone. The video game industry wants a slice of the pie but Gamestop pretty much gives them a middle finger. How ironic, I thought game makers and Gamestop were best friends when I was a kid. Games make nearly all their money in the first few months, then people buy the used versions. Apparently this is a reason that games cost so much now.

It all comes down to whether you think buying a PS3 disc entitles you to property or a license. The gamers say it's their property and that they can sell it. Makers say that it's a license, but they have no power to enforce that. The only thing they can do is to force registration.

BF3 was the first console game that made you enter a CD-key and lock it into one account. If you buy a used BF3 at Gamestop, you will need to buy a $10 license fee to play online. I think most online games will do this from now on, pretty much ensuring that I will never buy a Call of Duty game again. And there are discussions about making the next Xbox or PS4 game discs just data, and having to pay full price for licensing.

Alot of gamers got pissed at this but I thought it was pretty smart. I support what people do for their own interests in business. If hackers can get around it, good for them. Makers want to make money, and the people want to be lazy and steal without punishment. Of course the most moral people won't steal software, but like I said, we all have different morality standards for different things. This is where force comes into play. We are all thieves of opportunity, it depends on how easy it is.

At least I admit when I pirate. There are those who claim to be liberating files from capitalist overlords. Or those who claim they do it out of necessity. Stealing a piece of bread is a necessity for Aladdin, playing video games is not. They are not heroes of society. They are not the only ones trying to get by. Gaming programmers have grueling schedules and it pisses them off that they are only getting a fraction of their earned money.

It's good to see both sides because although I like free stuff, I know companies won't survive if they make no money.

So here's the conclusion:
It makes sense to pirate things if you're not sure if they're good or not (while knowing it's "bad" no matter what). But if you like a game or movie or band, go buy a new version or watch in the theaters or buy a CD. If you're not supporting things you like, then its your fault if they die out.

Note to self, try to watch some episodes on TV instead of using hulu all the time...

Tat!

Lol, i hope if i ever get ink it doesn't look like something else!


We are Troy and Abed

we're not the only ones who watch bad movies on purpose

JuMex - Movies

Andrew mentioned that in the past few weeks he's seen a lot of movies: MIB 2, Chernobyl Diaries, Avengers, etc. This must have cost him a fortune. Here is CP's spin on Mac's JewMex. I call it JuMex..
I wanted to share with you guys a forum website that people share links to movies that they have recorded. http://movie-forumz.mobi/ For movies like The Dictator, it may not be worth paying the price of the ticket to watch it in the theater so this forum would be perfect for movies like that. It can be confusing to navigate from the forum to the outside website, but the basic thing is to find the forum thread for the movie you want to watch and click the blue Lets Go bottom which takes you to the server streaming the movie. From the server website, it gets even more confusing. Depending on the server website, sometimes you have to click continue as free user button and others you have to click on a continue link which pops up a bunch of ads then it will load the movie. It's a pain in the ass, but hey that's what you got to do if you are a JuMex.

Guess what this picture is!


Last Time's Answer:
Mister and Lady make baby!


Can you guess what this picture is?

Friday Flashback [17]


Summer 2006 in Vietnam on the road from Saigon to Da Lat. I swear I thought we were gonna get ambushed.... bushes everywhere...

Childhood McNugget: Counter-Strike

I was re-arranging old pictures on my old computer when I digged up these golden memories.

By the way, when you first buy a computer you should re-format it so that at least 50% of it is backup. For example on this old P4, there's 160 GB. I dedicated 100 GB to pictures and music and programs, and the other 60 is for Windows. I keep everything backed up like Office and drivers. That way when the computer gets laggy after a year, I reformat and re-install everything. I get a fast computer again, and don't have to worry about files being lost. Also, if there's a virus, no problem, just reformat.

Sadly my digital album stops after 2008-2009, when I realized pictures will always be on facebook.

Anyway, click any of the thumbnails for a larger picture, or open in new tab.

Counter Strike was the most revolutionary game in my lifetime. It was the first addicting online game for the non-nerds. I remember the popular jocks knew me for being one of the best at CS in my grade. It was easy enough to pick up, but difficult to master. Add in the fact that this game became popular before DSL meant that kids were going to PC Lans which defined the new arcade of the 2000s.

 Teamwork was essential too, it's pretty non-existent in console games now because there's only dumb kids blabbering on the mic.

I'm not sure if another game replaced CS as the online king, but at my high school it was pretty much nerd-status by 2004-2005. But COD 4 didn't come out until 2007, so I wonder what people were playing 2005-2007.

 we thought we looked so badass. picture is dated 4-13-2003
 it's like a sweatshop, but with CS instead of sewing machines
 I think aC was the last real clan I was in, with practices and scrimages. I'm Chingsta, Chris is Azn Sensation, and Joe is Fob Stick.
the TN clan, when we pretty much retired from competitive play after my 10th grade. Here I am with Jon and Linh. I honestly cannot ever remember playing with Tony ever. Did we Tony?
 Stacking with pistol, knife, and grenade
CS Source: guns look more realistic 
before he was good at SC, he was good at CS

A Modern Day Problem


The feeling that stays the same through the centuries

Game, Set, Match


The most electrifying game in all of history!








2011-2012 AP Yahoo Fantasy League Champion

Thank you thank you! This is what everyones hardworking money buys...

weekend update May 2012

None of us do weekend updates anymore, but this one was noteworthy. With this label tag, we shall look back with amusement throughout the years.

I became a godfather on Saturday with Ti's confirmation.

Also, Khoa and Lisa played ball 1v1. Khoa is actually stronger than someone. Well done Khoa.

Also, Khoa said a joke that made everyone laughed. We proceeded to clap for him. Well done Khoa.

5/22

It's the 22nd but we're gonna be talking about 12 gauge! Look at this awesome civilian legal shotty!

http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/shotguns/ksg/

My Got! Slugs in one tube, buck in the other!!!


Lube me up baby!

Here's a pretty darn good deal for an oil change.

The place: Route 66 Auto Service. 525 E Route 66, Glendora CA 91740

This place will give you a $20 rebate voucher for your oil change, 
all you have to do is fill out a form during your oil change and they will mail it out and everything, so this means:

First Full synthetic oil change: $50 

Oil changes from then on: $30! 


and every oil change comes with a free car wash!

Guess what this picture is!


Last time's answer:
BiA Scrabble Board

Can you guess what this picture is?

Friday Flashback [16]

If you never understood the context to this video, here it is. Bao, Andy, Jon, and I were sleeping in the small room in the back of my old house. Bao fell asleep first so we decided to play a prank on him. Jon and I played as the robbers while the real "Jon and Bryan" were asleep. Therefore Andy is calling for us two to wake up. As robbers we come in with airsoft guns but don't demand any money, we only demand Andy "draw a dick on his face". Unfortunately Andy covers Bao's face so we only get a glimpst of it. I was trying to signal to Andy to take off the blanket and draw with the marker, but he didn't so I shot him in the leg at 0:31 in the video. Poor Bao, we did it to him again when us four slept over at my new house. Unfortunately I didn't record it that time.


And thus the An Phong tradition of SBD was born.

Random Knowledge

Here's a random fact from one of my classes that makes you wonder.

"According to Piaget, you are as conceptually smart as you will ever be at the age of 21. From then on there you will only advance your intuition"

How do you guys feel about this? I know that when I heard this in class, being 21 myself, I had a big "fk" run through my mind. I don't consider myself conceptually inferior to others but I definitely see myself as below average. Maybe that's why Math is hard...mudama!

Friday Flashback [15]


Guessing this is 2006. Messing around in the backyard of the old house.

Another strategy to counter set defenses

Yesterday's post showed how the Laker's Triangle had off-ball screens and swinging the ball to opposite sides in order to disrupt the defense. Then when someone is open, they take a shot. That's when it's successful, sometimes the shot clock winds down and Kobe has to put up a bad shot.

Compare this to the Knicks this year, they post up Carmelo against a set defense. Amare doesn't help here because he's a fast paced player, not a post up player. This brings me to the point of this post:

The other way to counter set defense is to shoot the ball before the defense can set up. This is what the Denver Nuggets are doing to the Lakers. But the best team to ever to do this is the Suns from 2006-2010.
 They were fast because they were playing out of position:

Center- Amare Stoudemire (a natural PF)
Power Forward- Shawn Marion (a natural SF)
Small Forward- Raja Bell (a natural SG)
Shooting Guard- Leandro Barbosa (a natural PG)
Point Guard - Steve Nash (a white guys shouldn't be this good)

All of these guys outside of Amare could shoot threes very well

Note: Fast paced offense is called full-court offense, whereas slow paced like the Lakers is called half-court offense.

As you know, a team has eight seconds to cross the half court line. Therefore teams were usually prepared to set up their defense within eight seconds. That's why Coach D'Antoni wanted the Suns to shoot in seven seconds or less (they are called the SSOL Suns).

This team will be the most fun team ever in the history of the NBA. Unfortunately that small size also meant that their defense sucked. But they were so good at scoring that they routinely went deep into the playoffs. Check out this crazy clip:

ball movement

First off, something new: I was doubled teamed for the first time in life tonight at the 24.  It wasn't even in the post, it was like 15 feet away. I had a little streak of 3 shots in a row, and as you know from NBA Jam: He's On Fire! lol.

Anyway, I saw the last quarter of the Clippers-Grizzlies game at the gym, and I have to say the Clip's crunch time offense is pretty stale. They give Chris Paul the ball, give him screen or two, and hope he makes a shot or drives and kicks to the open man. The problem is that the other 4 Clippers just stand in place, it makes it hard for CP to find anyone. CP made crazy shots in game 4, but Grizzlies adapted for it in game 5, so Clippers offense was stagnant in the 4th quarter.

Lakers commentary: Steve Blake and Matt Barnes need to hit half of their open shots, or else Lakers lose the series. Bynum and Gasol get outhustled by McGee and Fareed. Dear God, they will go up against Perkins and Ibaka next. That's like McGee and Fareed on steroids!

The Lakers offense right now isn't terrible, but it's not great either. The isolation calls for Kobe and Bynum result in the other four Lakers standing still. I really miss the Triangle offense. While never completely understanding it's mechanics, I understand that its a system that tells players where to go based on where the ball is, where they are on the floor, and where the defense is. This results in two things: tons of options for any play based on what the defense gives them, and it forces role players to be active in moving around, instead of relying on a superstar. By the way, it's called the Triangle because three people set up so that any of them can pass to the other, resulting in post-up, a three pointer, or a cut to the basket. For example, the Fisher-Kobe-Gasol triangle was very efficient. But not as deadly as the Kobe-Glen Rice-Shaq triangle. HAX!

Check out this video from the 2010 Finals. Don't look at the player with the ball, just look at all five Laker jerseys and see their movement. Not only is there great ball movement, it was made possible by how there are off-ball screens and cuts. Beautiful basketball. The Knicks are trying to sign Phil Jackson for next season. This is exactly what Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and JR Smith need.


Basketball: a reference for real life

I was reading some articles on ESPN last night, and today marks the 10th year anniversary of Allen Iverson's "practice" speech in front of the media. Here are some famous parts:

Reporter: "So you and coach Brown got caught up on Saturday about practice?"
Iverson: "If I can't practice, I can't practice. It is as simple as that. It ain't about that at all. It's easy to sum it up if you're just talking about practice. We're sitting here, and I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we're talking about practice. I mean listen, we're sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we're talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game last it's my last but we're talking about practice man. How silly is that?
Now I know that I'm supposed to lead by example and all that but I'm not shoving that aside like it don't mean anything. I know it's important, I honestly do but we're talking about practice. We're talking about practice man. (laughter from the media crowd) We're talking about practice. We're talking about practice. We're not talking about the game. We're talking about practice. When you come to the arena, and you see me play, you've seen me play right, you've seen me give everything I've got, but we're talking about practice right now. (more laughter)
Reporter: "But it's an issue that your coach continues to raise?"
Iverson: "Hey I hear you, it's funny to me to, hey it's strange to me too but we're talking about practice man, we're not even talking about the game, when it actually matters, we're talking about practice."
Reporter: "Is it possible that if you practiced, not you but you would make your teammates better?"
Iverson: "How in the hell can I make my teammates better by practicing?
Reporter: "So they can be used to playing with you."
Iverson: "They should be used to playing with me. Those are my teammates. So my game is going to deteriorate because I'm not practicing with my teammates? Is my game is going to get worse? I'm asking you, is my game going to get worse? So what about my game? Is my game going to get better because other players are hurt on my team, I mean, do that hurt me? Do you think that hurts me? I'm being honest, people are hurt on my team but do that hurt me? Does that hurt me when I go out there and play 48 minutes, does that hurt me as a player? Does that hurt me if this person is hurt or that person is hurt? Do it hurt me?
Reporter: "You don't need it as much as they do."
Iverson: "What do you mean by I don't need it as much?"
Reporter: "Because you're the superstar"
Iverson: "What do you mean I'm the superstar?"
Reporter: "Because you're better than they are. One of the best in the NBA."

---------------------------------------------

Reporter: "May I respond to that?"
Iverson: "Yeah"
Reporter: "There are people that have suggested, myself included, that instead of shooting 40 percent, you...
Iverson: "What do you know about basketball? Have you ever played?"
Reporter: "Yes"
Iverson: "I don't know Phil, I don't know you as a basketball player. I know you as a columnist but I have never heard of you as a player though.
Reporter: "Why is that an issue?"
Iverson: "Why is that an issue? Because we're talking about basketball."
Reporter: "Let me ask my question."
Iverson: "Go ahead, Phillip."
Reporter: "Supposed you shot 44 percent..."
Iverson: "I don't know about that. That is in God's hands. I do not know if that will help me or not. That's God. God does that, It ain't up to you to say if Allen Iverson does this then he'll do that. That's up to God. It ain't up to anyone in here. That is up to God. He handles that.

-----------------------------------------

Iverson thinks that practice is for increasing individual skill only, so he thinks he doesn't need it, because he already gives 100% out on the real games. Because you know, basketball isn't a team sport. Also, his low field goal percentage is something he can't control, from deduction, he is saying that he shoots the ball and God determines if it goes in.

I don't even blame ballhogs anymore, most of the time they don't know that what they are doing is inefficient. I actually think it's a bit unfair for coaches and broadcasters to say that teamwork and passing to the open man is the "right way to play". It's unfair for the ballhogs with tremendous talents. So let's just say that the "right way" is the one that leads to the most win probability. Teams with high assists ratios have higher field goal percentages. That usually leads to better chances of winning. But ballhogs refuse to look at the numbers and see what they're doing is inefficient.

How does this relate to real life? I respect people for giving it 100% effort, even when they do something wrong or short sighted. Unfortunately, it's bad when they don't see mistakes. Worse it's when they refuse to admit mistakes to themselves. The famous quote goes something like this: "When you start to think you know it all, you stop learning." And when we stop learning, GG.

Moral of Iverson's career: stay humble and keep learning.

Meme Monday [13]

This is the "troll face" meme.

Lawn Enforcement - Weed Patrol Truck #1

One day I was sitting on the train riding to work and I was thinking to myself, "only if gardening was a more profitable and respectable occupation, I may have taken over the family business once my dad retired." Then I was thinking, "man what cool truck would I drive and what would I do with it to make it look bad ass?" Well this was what I imagined... Thank you photoshop for making this vision possible!

Lazy Sunday! #1.4



Giving new definition to the term "Pick n' Roll"! XD







Friday Flashback [14]



The UCLA Undie Run. Also during midterms week at midnight, but happens only on Wednesday of Finals week. Sounds like the zombie horde approaching. Someone even has cowbell lol. The crazy thing about this is video is that I don't think Duncan was done with finals yet -_-
In today's newspaper... But there are no girls in the pictures!

NBA playoff thoughts

I would say that teams need three things to truly contend for a championship. I'm not going to include fringe teams like Jazz or Sixers, etc.

#1. Good ball movement to get high quality shots
Teams with this quality: Lakers, Clippers, Mavs, Grizzlies, Spurs, Heat, Bulls, Celtics, Thunder

#2. An unstoppable scorer
Teams with this quality: Lakers (Kobe), Spurs (Parker and Ginobili together), Heat (Wade), Thunder (Durant), Knicks (Carmelo)

#3. Experience and considering a season a failure if they don't win it all. Yes every team considers losing a failure, but there are only few teams where it's a black mark on their superstar's career if they lose.
Teams with this quality: Lakers, Heat, Thunder
(Celts, Mavs, Spurs are getting too old for legit expectations... Bulls are off due to Rose inury)

Of course, there's also defense, but most teams that are contenders have good defense.

Sidenote: the worst team in the playoffs are the Knicks.

New York Knicks: All they do is run isolation plays for Carmelo. There is no ball movement. He gets the ball in bad spots, and theres turnovers because they force the pass to him. In contrast, Kobe gets the ball in his preferred spot because the Lakers swing the ball around, or use off ball picks to get Kobe into his spot. If you watched Game 1 or 2, the Knicks PG dribbles upcourt, then immediately dumps it into Carmelo for an isolation. More than half of their possessions look like this! I can't believe this a playoff offense. Melo dribbles here and there and then takes a bad shot. And if he gets double teamed, he isn't a good facilitator like Lebron. Add in the fact that Carmelo and Amare don't complement each other. Forget the Miami Heat, they would get swept by any other playoff team.


Predictions:
Heat will lose to whoever wins the West

Grizzlies-Clippers: anyone's series. It's so evenly matched. Both have great ball movement and good shooters, but no true unstoppable scorers. If I had to pick a winner, I'd go with the Grizzlies because they have Game 7 on their floor.

I think the biggest threat are the Spurs. Parker and Ginobili have been giving me nightmares since I was in high school. They are so good collectively that they are a more serious threat to teams than Kobe alone, since they work together to get layups or open shots. Either way they shoot higher percentage than Kobe, and they are both clutch in crunch time. This is why I say that Bynum is so important to Laker's chances. But if Lakers and Spurs meet, going against Tim Duncan will be one hell of a career test.

Lakers are becoming a two superstar team again. Bynum right now is more of an asset than Gasol was three years ago. Gasol couldn't dominate like this. With both Kobe and Bynum demanding double teams, and Sessions getting transition points, and Blake and Barnes hitting open shots.... I think the Lakers can win the championship. And if they do, Bynum will be MVP.

TECH Thursday [5]

Tired of lighting that camp fire? Let me introduce to you a bigger version of the can gel use to keep catering food hot. Meet Stove In A Can ($30 for one stove and 4 fuel cell), with a one hour flame for each fuel cell this thing can boil a pot of water in 5 minute: Follow dinner by lighting up that camp fire pit with this cool world fire pit, but the price is steep at $1679:
-KHORN-

The Wednesday Be De

*ba dum psh!