Category: Techno Bob

The epistolary novel goes 21st century

Post author By Bob Benz
Post date April 25, 2004
1 Comment on The epistolary novel goes 21st century

This is very interesting. Haven’t had a chance to really look it over yet, but it mirrors something I was toying with attempting for the Homestead novel I’m kicking around.

I’ve signed up to be a beta tester. Hope the pick me …

And speaking of things literary, heard an NPR interview with Pulitzer winner Franz Wright yesterday. His father is James Wright, one of my favorite poets. The selections they read from Franz’s “Walking to Martha’s Vineyard” were really powerful. So much so that I jumped over to Powell’s and ordered a copy.

Media Bob Techno Bob Web Bob

Building an empire …

Post author By Bob Benz
Post date February 26, 2004

I recently picked up a copy of Civilization III, a computer game that allows you to build an empire. It didn’t take long for me to get addicted. My fledging Roman empire already has wiped out the hated Egyptian and I’m now battling Greece. Those bastards. They sacked and pillaged one of my southern cities, took my catapults and used them against me and have cavalry units that are causing me no end of pain. I become so obsessed that I’ll sit down and start playing and realize several hours have passed.

It’s really a mix of chess, Risk and Dungeons and Dragons without all the tedious dice throwing. Some of the subtleties they’ve built into the game really are impressive. Attacking armies gain advantage based on the terrain they hold, and units gain power with each victory they score. It also allows for building monuments and other features that add a neat dimension.

I learned quickly that it’s important to build features that help ensure domestic order or your cities will dissolve into revolt and disorder. After a few failed attempts, I built my next city near vineyards and immediately built roads to them, giving my Roman citizens an ample supply of wine. That’s keeping those suckers happy while I wage war against Greeze.

Apparently, you can take a civilization all the way up to the modern day. I’ve never been much into computer games. Until now.

Today, Greece. Tomorrow, the world.

Music Bob Techno Bob Travel Bob

Driving all night …

I spent 15 hours in my truck during a recent two-day trip to and from Ohio University, which gave me a chance to test my iPod’s FM tuner gizmo. It worked very well, better than I expected. There are a few spots where I was catching a bit of fuzz, but overall, it was clear and made the drive much more bearable.

It plugs into your cigarette lighter and allows you to listen to your iPod on one of four FM frequencies. It also keeps the iPod charged.

Driving home Friday night reminded me of several of the long-haul late-night trips I made in my younger days. Driving back to Edinboro from a 1981 Dead show at the Capitol Center in D.C. only to run out of gas at daybreak a mile from our exit. Driving from Birmingham to Destin in the middle of a muggy summer night in 1986 and freaking out at the stars and insect accordion hum during a piss stop somewhere south of Montgomery.

And this time, driving through rainy central Ohio swarming with swollen creeks, hoping the temperature wouldn’t drop below freezing and having my entire CD collection at my fingertips. Loading all my CDs into the iPod has given me a chance to revisit stuff I haven’t listened to in a long time. Returning home, I listened to Mazzy Star, the Breeders, Natalie Merchant and Phish. The more I use this thing, the more I love it. I’m now into the “S” CDs in my collection (Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys …) and think I’ll have the whole thing loaded on the iPod within another week or so.

Here’s a link for iPod freaks with too much time on their hands …

Now Playing: From Gagarin’s Point Of View from the album Somewhere Else Before by Esbjorn Svensson Trio