Alive since 2004
Visiting Tacoma blog Exit 133, I saw that the Kickstand Cafe has a “Closed Until Further Notice” sign up in it’s window.
According to the comments, the current owners Chris and Dawn are looking at selling the place, and that a possible new owner will regut the thing and start fresh with a new name, and new decor. Best of luck to the new owners, and I look forward to visiting for a cup of coffee sometime.
It’s odd. I was thinking about Measure Map the other day. It’s the easy to use, blog specific, website stat tracker/blog analysis tool. I’ve been using it for Cinder Inc. for a year or so now, and have loved how it gave me great data on who came, and from where among other things.
Of course, Google bought Measure Map and any updates on it ceased. I was worried that with the Google buyout that it was just something they picked up, so it wouldn’t compete with their own Google Analytics. I have been playing with Google’s own tool for a few weeks now, and while it’s useful, it wasn’t very user friendly, and much of it’s features just didn’t seem all that useful with the amount of traffic that Cinder Inc. gets.
Today, Jeff Veen, the lead designer on the old Measure Map project, announced today a new version of Google Analytics, full of many of the features that made Measure Map easy to use, but also with a much more power and usability behind them. It’s a cross breed of the two previous programs, but so so much more it looks like.
They are rolling it out slowly to their users, with the top users getting it first. I look forward to the time I can play with it here in the future!
Puzzle Quest – Challenge of the Warlords
I heard about this game through a recommendation on Quarter to Three and after hearing the buzz I knew I’d have to get it. It’s a puzzle game, similar to the match three colors of Bejeweled, but it adds a fantasy story and skill system on top to really add another complete level.
You pick from one of four typical medieval classes (Knight, Warrior, Druid, Wizard) and with each having their own special skills that have different effects. You move about the country side doing quests for people (kill the rats in the cellar type things), but what makes it fun is the battles. You fight the rats, orcs or elves by playing a Bejeweled like game, with each side taking turns on the board. You match 3 or more of like gems of different colors to gain magic points so you can use your skills, while matching three skulls causes damage to your opponent. Couple this with the fact that your opponent is trying to do the same to you, and you start having to look moves ahead to try and win.
Filled with numerous variations, like being able to capture enemies so you can either learn their skills or use them as a “horse” and ride them into battle, or sieging the different cities you come across and bringing them under your control, the game is addicting. Jess and I both fight over who gets the DS to play before bed to just play a few more levels, or complete the next quest. Addicting, fun, easy to get into, but a lot of depth and different strategies to take as you progress in the game. The story is nothing to write home about, but then this isn’t about the story! It’s about beating an orc by playing bejeweled! What could be better!
So I finally managed to find a Wii.? We’ve been looking for one for a while, and through the magic of the internet, I heard that when Target has the Wii in their Sunday ads, that means they will have it when the store opens on Sunday.
Not too bad, we only had to be there by 7:45, for the store’s 8 o’clock opening.? There were about 20 or so people who were waiting for them to unlock the doors, and the quick walk back to their electronics section, a swipe of the card and I was able to walk out of Target a Wii owning man!
I picked up, using store credit, at Gamestop Wii Play and the extra controller that came with it, so Jess and I could play Wii Sports later on that night.? Setup was a breeze, Ash already loves to play with the controller, and Jess already kicks my butt in Tennis, Baseball and Bowling right off the bat.? Great.? Mii’s are fun.? But I need more.? If you are out there and have a Wii, let me know your friend code in the comments!
Here’s My Wii Friend Code – 3710 3590 4408 3554
