POLL:

What internet browser do you use?

A) Internet Explorer 6
B) Internet Explorer 7
C) Mozilla Firefox
D) Safari
E) Other (please specify)

-------------------------------------
Thanks for participating!

Here are some updates:

1) I have noticed that for a while now, my Xbox Aficionado emblem has disappeared without a trace. I still have more Xbox games than any other console, so where's it gone...?

2) I'm still working on my PC to get it fixed up and running normally again. Now after 2 Windows repairs, I am trying to install several months worth of Microsoft updates, but as usual, they are not installing. Dammit. Any help would be appreciated.

3) I have changed my Blog picture to something more relevant than a gif that has been origin in moving TV show "Misplaced" (also known as "Lost"). The new one is as basic as it can get, but because my computer is in PC limbo right now, I can't access teh Photoshop. :(

4) I feel lonely...I don't get much comments on my blog posts these days, and I think it's mostly due to me being so busy that I don't get enough time to post in yours. You are all great friends, so I'm sorry if I can't return the favor. Thanks a lot for replying, though.

- Duff

Yesterday I turned on my computer, went on the net, and a little while later, a message came up saying "Services and controller app has encountered a problem and needs to close". Soon after this, another message box popped up saying something along the lines of "Services.exe has been terminated. The system will reboot in 60 seconds", and so it counted down.

Now I keep my PC squeaky clean (full virus & spyware protection, etc.) and everything is usually just fine, but since the message began coming up on random occasions (soon after booting up my PC), all MSC applications (things like System restore and Disk defrag) won't open.

So today I manage to repair Windows using the original installation CD (which in turn got rid of Internet Explorer 7 - replacing it with IE6 - and Windows Media Player 11 - replacing it with 9) and this seemingly fixed the "Services and controller app" problem (meaning all MSC applications now work fine). Now I go to try and reinstall the newer versions of Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, but everytime I do, my PC just reboots after a while. WTF! It can't seem to get past the installation process without giving up (apparently having something to do with the validation of Windows, seeing as I had just repaired it). So I'm stuck.

All in all, the MSC apps are working fine again, most things are just as normal, except for IE and WMP. Now all I need to do is update these versions (without Windows freakin' crashing on me) and make sure everything else is fine. Also, I would really like to know what caused this problem in the first place. Was it a bad/buggy website I visited while on the net? Or was it because of something I had done the night before, when the computer was working perfectly fine? Any help would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks.

Yep, it's ma date of birth today!

Duff_ManX has aged another year. If you want to read more (including the reason I don't disclose my actual age), please see here.

Long live the 23rd of February! Woohoo, celebrations! :D :D :D

^ My best attempt at a synonym for Radiant Silvergun! Possibly one of the coolest sounding titles around.

Fear me, for I am Level 29:

Radiant Silvergun is a vertically scrolling shooter video game, developed by Treasure Co. Ltd. It was released in arcades on the ST-V platform in 1998 and subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn, with added cutscenes by noted animation studio GONZO. The game was not released outside of Japan.

It features a unique and innovative weapons system, with seven weapons available at any time. The player has three buttons to control the weapons; the weapon fired depends on the combination of buttons pressed.

Thanks for your time! :D

I spent too much time on here last year, so I decided that I wouldn't do the same for 2007.
That doesn't mean I don't come on, I still do, and quite a bit. My Union needs looking after, as do game updates, news, and your blogs! There's more than enough on here to keep you busy, but I realised that this was keeping me away from more important things, such as actually playing the games we come on here to look up and talk about.
So if you've been asking yourself why I, Duff_ManX, don't seem that active these days, posting in your blogs and whatnot, it's because I've decided to spend less time coming on to GameSpot and making myself busy with what's really important. If you're up for a bit of inspirational reading, I suggest you check out this. It's a good read, and can make you appreciate life for what it has to offer.

Duff_ManX out...

Enjoy! :)

[video=J3FglTr75bkOsjXX]

Hi-dilly ho-dilly, GameSpoterinos!

I have recently added three new PSP games to my collection.
They are:

Title: Daxter
Genre: 3D Platformer
GameSpot Score: 9.1
Reason: Christmas present from my sister
Duff_ManX Rating: Ohhh yeah!

Title: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Genre: Modern Action Adventure
GameSpot Score: 8.4
Reason: Christmas present from my close relatives
Duff_ManX Rating: Ohhhhh yeah!

Title: Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend
Genre: Modern Action Adventure
GameSpot Score: 6.2
Reason: Purchased myself, fan of the series
Duff_ManX Rating: Ohhhh yeah!

That's all for now. Hope you guys had a great Christmas and a happy New Year! :)

Your pal, Duff_ManX

Gunbarrel Sequence
[video=JyY2xWat5bgFuDXb]

Review:
What a film! Gritty, action-packed, and a nice return to form for the series. Daniel Craig filled Bond's shoes perfectly, and bought a lot more to the role than the past few actors have. My only niggle is that the film didn't entirely feel like an addition to the series, but a different action movie altogether. Still, it was well made and a fine example of what makes Bond flicks so great.
I give it an 8.7/10 and a hearty recommendation (extra points for the hot girls featured, rreoww!! :P ).

Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), James Bond, Solange (Caterina Murino)

Are they serious?

For a while now I have been wondering what I could do to get another emblem, and thus kickstart my third row.
So yesterday I come on, and, like everyone else, see this crazy little 'Turkey' emblem, which appears to have done the job for me! :D

The description for this so-called "emblem" is as good as any...

"Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey 2006 Turkey Turkey Turkey"

...Okay, maybe not. But whatever anyone thinks about it, this little turkey has got me to third base without any work whatsoever! Has it ever been that easy? ;)

Thanks for reading, guys. :)

- Duff