Choose Your Candidate

USA Today has a little "game" where you answer issue questions, and it compares your answers to Presidential candidates. Based on how many times you match with a candidate, and your weighting of issues, it gives you which candidate you agree most with. It was a fun and interesting little thing. I've been thinking about something like this for a little while, and it was nice to find.

Before listing my results, let me give a few caveats. You only match if your answer was exactly the same as the candidate (for example: I said on an Iraq question "No, we shouldn't have gone in because there were no WMD"...I didn't match with candidates who simply stated "No, we shouldn't have gone in" and "Yes, we should be there"...obviously, I'm closer to one of those opposed to the other). There are only 11 questions and some issues only have 1 question. It's not perfect, but it's still interesting.

Without further ado, here are my top 3 and bottom 3.

Issues: Iraq, Health Care, Immigration, Same-sex marriage, Tax reform, Global warming, and Experience

My weighting - More important: Tax reform, Iraq, Health care, Immigration
-Less important (or no difference): Global warming, same-sex marriage, experience

Top 3 (in order)
1. Chris Dodd (Sen. Conn - D) - I matched eight of 11 questions with Dodd. Mismatches occurred over global warming (mine: alternative fuel, his: carbon emission tax), same-sex marriage (mine: marriage is ok, his: not marriage but civil unions), and Iraq troops (mine: withdraw most starting immediately, his: remove from Iraq, but keep in region).

2. Barack Obama (Sen. Ill. - D) - I matched on 6 of 11 questions. Major differences in global warming, health care, and details of Iraq (not ultimate goal, though).

3. John Edwards (Fmr Sen NC - D) - I also matched 6 of 11 here. Differences in global warming, immigration, and funding Iraq war.

Bottom 3 (in order)
3. Ron Paul (Rep. TX - R) - Outside of his views on Iraq, I disagree with him. Foreign policy could be good, but socially I don't agree with him.

2. Duncan Hunter (Rep. Cal. - R) - Alternative fuel sources for global warming is the only area I agree with him.

1. Fred Thompson (Fmr. Sen Ten. - R) - Aside from experience (which I don't value too much), I didn't hit a single issue with Thompson.

Interesting things of note, all Democrats outranked any Republican. Highest ranking Republicans for me were John McCain and Sam Brownback. Many issues weren't included that can influence who I would support, but it was still nice to see candidates positions broken down without all the rhetoric you hear in speeches.

Take the quiz/play the game, and tell me your top candidates.

Introducing....Halo 3

Halo 3 released today and will create a bit of a stir amongst video gamers. I was not one of the crazies who opted to stand in line or even go to a store for a midnight release. Unless I was taking today off, there would be no point in picking up the game that late because I would still want to go to bed immediately. However, I do have the game pre-ordered/reserved, and have every intention of picking it up on my way home from lab today. Because of these plans, I actually came in early, so that I could leave early (see, I'm smart, not crazy).

As for all the hype, I'm not buying it. Mostly because I never really played Halo or Halo 2. I played half of one of them in co-op mode with a friend my junior year at Butler, but it obviously left little impression (can't even tell you which I played). I participated in the Halo 3 multi-player beta testing, and thought the game entertaining, but was not floored by it. Basically, if this game turns into just an average shooter, then I'm fine with that. In other words, everyone claiming Halo 3 as the greatest thing since sliced bread needs to take a step back and actually play the game.

With that said, I'm still looking forward to playing Halo 3....at least for a month, then Call of Duty 4 comes out.

My Fall TV guide

With the new season of TV shows upon us, I have decided to let you know the most important shows to watch each night. Of course, by most important I mean the shows that I like and plan to watch. So without further ado, here is the essential TV guide for this fall. (All times eastern...to eliminate confusion)

Sunday
1. Sunday Night Football (NBC) - This should take priority if the game is good, and with the NFL's flex scheduling, the games should generally be good.

2. Family Guy (FOX, 9 pm) - In the case of a poor game, this should be the first show you change to. Irreverent, random humor. Season premiere is the "Star Wars episode", a must watch.

Newcomer of interest: none

Monday
1. Heroes (NBC, 9 pm) - A good show from last season promises to be even better. It is distinctly possible that if you didn't watch last year, you might be confused...at least at first. Find a website that can catch you up. Producers promise shorter story arcs, so you shouldn't have to wait all season for answers (that would be a welcome thing).

2. How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8 pm) - Best sitcom on TV last year, and no reason to expect a decline. Not an essential viewing (ie. don't TiVo/record it), but fun to watch if you have time.

Newcomer of interest: Chuck (NBC, 8 pm) has potential to be a fun show, as long as it doesn't take itself too seriously and try too much conspiracy mumbo-jumbo. Plus, an attractive blonde secret agent doesn't ever hurt....ever.

Tuesday
1. NCIS (CBS, 8 pm) - The best of the investigative detective shows on TV. This one doesn't take itself seriously and the characters are likeable (unlike the CSIs).

Sadly that's all for Tuesdays...no newcomers of interest (Cavemen? seriously?).

Wednesday
I bowl on Wednesday, so there are NO shows of interest. It does appear that Wednesday is the day for new shows though.

Newcomer of interest: Life (NBC, 10 pm) could be a very entertaining show, and might be worth giving a shot.

Thursday
1. Grey's Anatomy (ABC, 9 pm) - Goes from a previous favorite of mine, to on a very short leash. Last season as a whole wasn't as good. Hopefully they get back to the light hearted entertainment that the first season had. A poor year and this one might not be on the list next year.

Newcomer of interest: None

Friday
Friday night is NOT for TV. Watch a movie or go out. If you do have to watch TV, network doesn't offer much. I would recommend Dr. Who or Stargate: Atlantis on SciFi, but only if you don't have anything else to do. I'm guessing my Xbox gets most of the Friday work...when I'm around.

Saturday
Like Friday, Saturday is NOT for TV. If you must watch, College Football on ABC might be your best bet.

There you have it. Now you know what to watch and when to watch it. Note, many shows aren't even beginning until January to avoid that mid-season lull at Christmas time. Most notable January return: Battlestar Galactica (SciFi).

Enjoy your TV viewing.

Sneak peak movie review: The Kingdom

Interestingly enough, this movie doesn't come out for another week or two, but I've already seen the movie. A local theater was having a sneak peak or preview showing. A buddy of mine had some free ticket coupons and wanted to see this film, so I went. In anticipation of its release, I'm going to give you my review.

The Kingdom

Premise: A FBI agent (Jamie Foxx) takes his team (Jenifer Garner, Chris Cooper, and Jason Bateman) to Saudi Arabia without approval to investigate a terrorist attack on a US/western compound.

Review: Overall this is a really well done film. It is interesting to see how a film will handle middle eastern/islamic culture, and the movie treats it with the respect it deserves. The movie does an excellent job pointing out that not all Muslims are terrorists. In fact, quite the opposite, that only a select few are terrorist and most find their actions awful. The film's action spends most of the movie non-existent, but the final 30 minutes more than make up for it. The final 30 minute chase/shoot-out is stunning. Despite the lack of action, the movie holds you with a bit of uncertainty and political thriller aspect. On the whole, this movie does a bit for terrorism what Black Hawk Down did for modern war...that is makes it very real. In that sense, this is NOT a "fun" movie, but yet equally well done and worth a viewing.

Recommendation: 4 out of 5 stars. If this is a movie that interest you to begin with, a big screen will make it better. If you aren't excited about it, go ahead and wait, the DVD will be around in 6-8 months.

It's been a week...

since my last post. To be honest, nothing really exciting or major has occurred to spur a posting. I've read a few articles in USA Today that I could respond to, but even those don't really get me too excited. I could rant about a pet peeve, but I'm in a general good mood and don't feel like I need to get my blood boiling. I could discuss football, but it's really too early to tell anything (although the Colts looked good, and Denver struggled to put up points against the Bills...I'm around a bunch of Bronco-homers, so that's all I hear about...PS. Jay Cutler is NOT the second coming....of Elway, that is). I've seen a few movies, but none that were outstanding and none were terrible, so they really haven't left an impression.

Basically, with a relatively mundane week, I'm just putting this up so you (my faithful, adoring audience) have something to read and can say that I've posted. That's about it. Maybe something will strike me this coming week and my next post will be more lively.

Maybe....

My X-Box 360 anniversary...

or quite nearly. I received an e-mail this weekend to renew my Xbox Live membership in a month. I signed up for a year membership the day I got my system, so that means I've had my console for 11 months. Since this e-mail is fresh in my mind, and I don't feel like ranting about anything (I can, but don't want to), I will just give some of my thoughts on owning the 360.

I never would have guessed that I'd become an Xbox guy. Of course, I never thought I'd be a Playstation guy either. As a kid is was Nintendo or bust. I stuck with it through the N64. However, it became clear that PS2 was the way to go. I was going to hold out for a PS3, but the delays and the price quickly got me into the Xbox arena. With that said, I have loved my 360. It is a true joy. I'm going to list some of the best games that I have yet played on the 360, and why I like them so much.

5. Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (1 and 2): There are several things that at face value would cause me to NOT like this game. It's a third person shooter (instead of first), and it encourages squad based combat (not my favorite). However, it pulls these off without a hitch. The game and story are very interesting, the maps are excellent, use of cover is phenomenal, and intelligent squad play is not essential. It has an enjoyable multi-player, too. Still a favorite for my brother and I to play online.

4. Rainbow 6 Vegas: A tactical first person shooter (FPS) that was a great joy to play. The use of cover was simply outstanding. Use of squadmates was easy and helpful. The online terrorist hunts with my brother are still some of the most fun games we play.

3. Call of Duty 2: A World War II FPS that was all around excellent. I really enjoy WWII games (and am pumped about Medal of Honor: Airborne tomorrow), and this may very well be the best one to date. Great level design and gameplay. My biggest complaint is a complete lack of a cover system. Online sniper matches with my brother still bring great joy.

2. Gears of War: Excellent graphics, good story, and superb gameplay make this one of the greatest gaming experiences ever. I've beat the single player game 4 times (including co-op play with my bro). I still play the game online with friends (I have actually burnt out on it a little). Just an excellent game. I'm looking forward to Gears of War 2...it's only a matter of time.

And the number one game on the 360....

1. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: A first-person role playing game (RPG) set in a Lord of the Rings like fantasy world. I generally HATE RPGs, so the fact that this is the most amazing 360 game I've played is impressive. It is a single player only game, and I have put nearly 120 hours into this game alone. It is possible that I might buy an expansion or two and get another 10-15 hours out of the game. The story is awesome, and there is just nothing like hacking and slashing your way through a dungeon.

Those are the 5 best experiences I've had thus far. Madden 08 misses out by being too new, but it stands a shot at getting a lot of playing time (I'm 8-0 with my fantasy drafted team so far). There are a ton of games coming out from now until Christmas that look awesome, so it is likely that by next year, I may have a completely different top 5. I'm looking forward to games that can top this list...it'll be a good video game year.