Pidgeo's word of the week! 

NEPHROLOGY(n):-  a branch of medicine concerned with the kidneys

I went to a Nephrologist today as after three hundred different medical tests last month produced an abnormal result in relation to my kidneys. Nothing major and all the other tests came back negative but I have to get yet another test done in the next few weeks. At this rate I'm going I will be requesting some "Six Million Dollar Man" treatment shortly. The kidney thing isn't stressing me out but something that has been quite a shock is one of the side effects to one of my new bipolar medications... I've become TUBBY! Those who have met me or know me well would describe my build as something along the lines of wily, skinny or to my friends, rat-like and weedy . "Tubby" is not a word used for me at all!! In the last three weeks I have put on 13kgs due to a vastly increased appetite and the additional side effect from the meds so now I'm 81kgs on a frame that shouldn't have more than 70-75kgs max. My family and friends are enjoying giving me hell about it let me tell you!!

On the gaming front it's been a bit of a mixed bag of late. Stu and I have enjoyed some Golden Tee on MAME, using the in-built trackball on the TankStick. I took the 'Stick up to a good mate's 30th for some NBA Jam on a projector which is always great fun in conjunction with a bit of Wii-ing.

XBLA continues to bring the casual fun to Live. Poker Smash could be another form of ultra addictive puzzle goodness along the Puzzle Quest/Tetris bent. I will admit that so far I am garbage at it!! Speaking of things I'm garbage at, I have enjoyed Chassmaster Live but chess is a game I love but wish I actually had some skill in. Trust me when I say I am really bad at it. Metal Slug 3 on XBLA and 1 on MAME are pure SNK classics.... well worth obtaining. I have also been playing LOADS of Catan and think I have moderate difficulty covered... now on to the Sega Rally-ness of Hard!!

The new COD4 maps look amazing in my opinion. Stu has been putting in some serious hours into learning the maps and bringing some sniper violence to the playlists. "Creek" looks like some parts of the deep wilderness in the Blue Mountains I've been to which gets many thumbs up from me. 

Barnzey gets thumbs down and goes on "The List" for continuing to send me excellent but highly addictive free Flash games.

I'm glad there are many wrestling fans that enjoyed my WOOOOOOOO story. My ex Katie was over here today and managed to get a short jab in about my tubbiness!! I for one think HBK-Batista is a sleeper for a 4+ star match at Backlash...

While I'm having a break I might reacquint myself with the wilderness... I certainly have the car to get there!! The van is running beautifully for those wondering.

Why oh why did I decided to load up Keys to Maramon AGAIN?!?! I've finished it 87 times and it's not that amazing.

I did load up Football Limited, which was a rare football management sim from the mid 90's. DosBox is a good friend of mine!

The R18+ rating issue is one that has reared is head again with the announcement of Australia getting a toned down version of Grand Theft Auto IV to meet our ratings system. There have been some very heated words, posts and e-mails from gamers all over our fine land with calls to boycott the Aussie version. Personally I don't agree with boycotting the Aussie version only due to the fact that I know the guys at Rockstar AU well and want them to have loads of success at launch. I do however think it is a travesty at we ADULT gamers get something censored on our behalf by the Classification Board just because its a video game.

Let me spell it out to the Attorney General's of the nations' parliaments... You denying me the right to enjoy the freedom to enjoy an uncut version of this game or any game is along the same lines as the Chinese governments ceonsoring major blogs, news and video sites. There, I said it.  I can go down to my local adult store and purchase some outrageously hardcore X-rated sexually explicit content yet its not OK for me to own a game worthy of an R rating. Don't give me the usual "kids play video games" line either. The majority of gamers are adults! All it takes is a drivers license at the point of purchase, just like alcohol, sexually explicit videos and tobacco. I'd like to know what is worse for me Mr. Michael Atkinson (South Australian Attorney-General and the major block to an R-rating for games in Australia)?? Smoking, drinking or playing a video game?

Here is a quote from his department...

"He doubts whether any safeguards could be put in place to deter young people, who after all (are) the most computer literate and savvy in our society, from being able to access material."

Well it's a legitimate concern, but alcohol and cigarettes are FAR more dangerous to our youth but both are sold in far more retail outlets and they end up in our youth's hands (as are R-rated DVD's), yet this guy is more concerned about the effect of video games with a R rating and that dubious concern that is taking away my right to enjoy an uncut version of an artistic masterpiece along the lines of GoodFellas and Pulp Fiction.

I know, I know I'm suppose to be positive and to me this does have a positive. Rockstar value the Australian audience enough to make changes to the code (not as easy as it sounds) so we still get the game irrespective of our draconian censorship laws and for that I am grateful. Imagine what they could have done...

"Ah the Aussies didn't pass cert.... screw 'em we won't bother"

The slighty modified version coming to our shores is a much better result than the "Blitz: The League" that could have happened...

On my final note, I always appreciate the numerous comments I get both here and sent to me personally on Xbox Live or via e-mail. I'm glad people have taken an interest in my blog and hopefully a few opportunities come through for me as this will lead to some very entertaining blogging. Keep them coming and go the Panthers and Swifts last week...