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Are you ready for a Gran Turismo type game for motorcycles? Well, Polyphony Digital Inc, internal developer for SCEI (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc), and the makers of the Gran Turismo franchise, is. Announced at the Tokyo Game Show 2005 and called Tourist Trophy, this game features a number of licensed bikes, suits, and helmets and is expected to be the Gran Turismo of motorcyles.

While we're not sure how many bikes will feature in the game, Famitsu provides a partial list. Here's some of what you can expect to ride in Polyphony's first motorbike game:

• Honda CBR600RR
• Honda NSR250R SE
• Honda CB750F
• Honda CBR1100XX
• Yamaha YZF R1
• Yamaha MT 01
• Yamaha TZR 250 SPR
• Yamaha Grand Majesty 250
• Kawasaki ZRX1200R
• Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
• Suzuki GSX1400
• Suzuki Hayabusa
• Suzuki GSX-R600

The final selection will include a small number of motorcycles from the 80s, although 70% will be from the 90s to the present. Although the above makers are all Japanese, the final game will feature European bikes as well.

For a more thorough writeup, check out ign.com and be sure to check out the trailer.

Update: Playing the Angel tour concert ticket presales are starting to be announced. To participate in the Depeche Mode Tracks and Tickets with iTunes Exclusive Ticket Presale, visit your ITMS and preorder your Depeche Mode - "Playing the Angel" album today.

Passwords will be sent via email by Ticketmaster after your album pre-order (please allow up to 48 hours from the time of your album purchase). Ticket presales begin 9/21 at 10 am local time. Don't miss the presale in your city--be sure to check back here frequently for the latest list of upcoming presales. Presale start dates and times are subject to change. Tickets subject to availability and limited to 4 tickets per password.

As of September 16th, Ticket Bastards has announced presale information for Playing the Angel concert tickets, for the following cities:

To hold you over until the concert, have a peek at the Worldwide Premier of Depeche Mode's new video, "Precious".

I don't really feel like posting much today. In fact, I don't really feel like doing much of anything today. It's been four years and it seems not much has changed. Every year on 9/11, I wake up and usually don't even realize that it's 9/11, until I see the calendar. Then it's like... "Oh. It's 9/11 again." I hit the internet and see if there are any links I hadn't seen yet... any news I hadn't heard yet. I think I've seen practically everything there is to see on the Internet regarding 9/11. And of all the horrific pictures that have crossed my line of sight & cursed my sense of peace, perhaps the ones that disturbed me the most are the ones created by our youth... particularly the ones displayed here on the left.

While the pentagon was repaired almost immediately, the former World Trade Center is still but a hole in the ground... a hole in the sky... still, to this day, and perhaps forevermore... a hole in my heart.

One of my fondest memories of NYC is when Peg and I walked from Chinatown to the Brooklyn Bridge. Peg really likes that bridge. Completed in 1883, it spans 6516 feet across the East River, and at the time of its completion, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The main span alone is nearly 1600 feet long. I hope we are fortunate to have this great bridge for at least another 122 years. From there, we gazed upon the majestic beauty of the World Trade Center. It was a magnificent structure. The way it pierced the horizon was really something. The other buildings seemed nearly inconsequential in its presence. We walked maybe half way across the bridge and turned back toward Manhattan. We decided to head toward the World Trade Center. When we got there, words failed me. Words like big... tall... huge... all inadequate. It was so tall, that on a clear day, you really could see the curvature of the Earth. It was so tall, that if you looked around you may have been able to look DOWN upon a passing helicopter.

We took the South Tower Elevators to the 107th floor observation area, where we gazed back down to where we were before. The Brooklyn Bridge looks so much smaller from way up there. The observaton deck on the top of the World Trade Center offered an even more spectacular view. Peg and I watched the sun go down, from what I will always know, as the Top of the World. It seemed like the perfect day. But that was then.

There was some other stuff I was gonna post today, but I just don't have the heart or desire. It's too sad to dwell on this. Peggy's a Brooklynite. So what are the odds that she knew someone that worked in the World Trade Center? Perhaps pretty good, but... she did not know anybody who worked there. One would think that the odds of knowing someone who died there, would be even less. But life is funny that way and sometimes things don't work out the way you'd expect. As is turns out, she did know someone who worked at Carr Futures. As a NYMEX floor broker, he was not usually at the World Trade Center. He and 12 other Carr Futures brokers, were on the 92nd floor of Tower One on Sept. 11 for a breakfast meeting. Of all days... why that day? God bless you, Elkin. We miss you.

Geez, CJ, put that thing away
before you hurt somebody!

The re-release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is due next Tuesday, according to the Web sites of gaming retailers. GameStop lists the title as being available September 13, roughly two months after it stopped selling GTA due to the "Hot Coffee" modification, which allows the game's main character to engage in sex acts.

Every major retailer has pulled the game from their shelves, and Take2 Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, vowed at the time to have a new version of GTA: San Andreas available minus the "Hot Coffee" scenes within "six to eight weeks."

Also released is a PC patch called "No More Hot Coffee", available at both the Take2 Intractive and Rockstar Games websites.

Read the rest at BetaNews.com.

In other related news, hackers have come up with the shocking "Hot Biscuit" Mod that allows the player to control the cute and lovable virtual pets of Nintendo DS's Nintendogs to have hot and steamy, doggy-style, sex!

Note: This Nintendo thing is a hoax. A joke. You know... like Bonzai Kitten. Originally posted at 4 Color Rebellion.

Yes. I am bummed. I've enjoyed Firewire (aka IEEE 1394) for years now and it seems Apple is really pushing consumers toward USB2. To not include a Firwire cable was one thing. Okay, if I can afford an iPod, then I can afford a freekin' cable. But now with the release of the nano, Firewire is not even supported for song syncing. Even though it uses the same dock connector as previous iPods that can use either Firewire OR USB2, the nano can only use a Firewire cable for charging. WTF? While USB2 may hold an ever so slight advantage in transfer speed (480Mbps for USB2 and 400Mbps for Firewire... ooh big deal), Firewire is iosynchronous. In other words, all devices on the Firewire bus have the full bandwidth, while on the USB2 bus, all the devices share the bandwidth. My other problem with this, USB2 implementation on the Mac has always SUCKED when compared to a PeeCee. There's an article on BareFeats.com that supports this. Sure it's an older article, but you get the gist. The other issue is that older Macs (like mine - G4-533 MHz Dual Digital Audio) do not have USB 2.0, only USB 1.0, which yes... is backwards compatible, but only up to 12Mbps. Even my wife's Mac (G4-1.25 GHz Dual MDD) has USB 1.1. I know we can get a USB2 cards for our Macs. That's not really the point. I DON'T FUCKING LIKE USB!!!! Why not go with Firewire 800? USB can't even hold a candle to Firewire 800.

Apple did not explicitly state a reason for excluding FireWire on the Nano. Presumably, the company wanted to save the expense of supporting both USB and FireWire, as well as any power and space cost to including both connections.

Steve Jobs really should have checked with me on this first.

Source: c/net's news.com.

I'm sure most everyone who has visited here Googles. That said, you must have noticed how Google occasionally changes its banner. Ever wonder if you missed any? What they looked like? Well now you can check out the past Google banners at alex tan's wall. I'd wondered if anybody was ever saving them.

This	Plus This	And This

Equals This	And This!

John Noonan, from Huntington Beach, California, turned a top speed of an incredible 259.393 mph on a 2003 partially streamlined 1,350cc turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa, to become the fastest man on two wheels at the 2nd Annual International Motorcycle Speed Trials by BUB. Held September 5 - 9, 2005, at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats, this event is dedicated only to motorcycles and is sanctioned by both the AMA and FIM. Prize Money was awarded in 10 different catergories. This event also featured a Run what-cha Brung contest, where amateurs could take a shot at the course on virtually any motorcycle. For more details about the 2005 International Motorcycle Speed Trials by BUB, visit speedtrialsbybub.com. Pics by landracing.com.

Fuckin' A, John! Nice job, and congratulations!

iPod shuffle vs nano

Originally uploaded by digitalbear.

I've been waiting for someone to post a pic like this. I was wondering about the size difference between the shuffle and the nano. The shuffle, though not as fancy, still does have one advantage over the nano. The shuffle, in addition to being an iPod, without any other cables or adaptors, makes a very convenient USB Flash Drive. In fact, I probably use it more for that, than music. I also have a first generation 10Gb iPod with the movable scroll wheel that I use for music. Remember those? Geez, what a relic. Yes the battery still works, just fine. That nano though... That's the shit right there. See more comparison photos and even some disassembled nano photos here. See the new nano ad here. I must see that thing in person.

Well, it looks like Kanye pulled the "race card" yet again. No, it's not about Katrina this time. And yes, of course it's satire. But it's funny. iPod Nano [ Tempus Fugit | TxFx.net ]

Update: As of September 8th, Depeche Mode has announced the North American tour dates for their forthcoming Playing the Angel Tour. Tickets don't seem to be available yet (at least not for Las Vegas). Keep your eyes and ears open people. It shouldn't be very long now before they go on sale. Remember to keep an eye on Ticket Bastards too.

Here's the scoop on the North American Tour Dates as of today:

See you there!