I'm in the center, surrounded by some friends from work and the spouse of one of them.

I'd like to thank Alisa for the kick-ass job she did on my makeup. It really made the costume. She also reminded me about the bandage. With a costume like this, it's all about the details.

The picture quality sucks, but I couldn't help it since the original photo suffers from poor lighting (it is a Halloween party). As I get more photos, this post will probably change. Stay tuned.

First, we have Bush using September 11th to flog his agenda, yet again. As though his ability to hug a crying girl makes him different from any other president who would've experienced a tragedy like this. We were all sad. Anyone who can vote was around for the aftermath. WE ALL SUFFERED. Bush is not special.

And second, we have POWs decrying Kerry for being appalled by war and atrocities associated with it. I don't care if my grandmother committed terrible acts, it doesn't make them right. But what do you expect from the supporters of Bush, who want us to believe that the world is yes/no, black/white? They want you to believe that someone who willingly served in Vietnam thinks all soldiers are evil. It's just asinine.

Over the last few weeks, I've been watching great shows like Frontline: The War at the Pentagon, Nova's many offerings, a history of musical theatre, the story of Dr. Seuss, and the examination of Kerry and Bush (may have also been Frontline).

Public television kicks ass. You should watch more of it. The signal-to-noise ratio is so dramatically high compared to commercial TV. Do yourself and your brain a favor. If you're in the Philadelphia or Delaware Valley, check out WHYY TV12 to see what's coming up.

And thus it begins on this October 16th: the Christmas shopping season's slow creep into every fold of my precious brainmeats. Today, I walked past an Express in the King of Prussia Mall (the largest naturally-grown mall in the U.S.) and I saw a Christmas display.

Screw all of them. Give me Halloween and Thanksgiving, you scum!

The news is out and it's official, Half-Life 2 has gone gold.

The release date is set at November 16th. If I can get the new PC funded, built, and running by then, I am taking the day off and getting my game on like never before with the game that's being called the "best game ever."

I will never sleep again.

Alright, it's official. I have absolutely no idea how anyone could be undecided at this point in the election. Is it because it's been made a big important thing, a new demographic of sorts by news media outlets? Perhaps all this talk about the oh-so-important Undecideds is making people feel OK about remaining blissfully ignorant of the candidates' positions (though I have no idea how you'd do that).

I'm going to make it easy for all of you out there who are on the fence about this issue. Click through to find out how you should vote (because, at this point, you need to be told).

AP News Wire: Washington, D.C.

President George Bush issued a statement following the Vice Presidential Debates assuring America that the War on Terror will not interrupt seasonal fesitivites. Amidst growing concerns about Terror, and its role in Horror, the Bush administration has released a statement concerning the specifics of scaring and celebrating.

"Now, I understand that what with the...ah...Halloween holiday coming up...the...ah...American families who enjoy candy and sweets are concerned," President Bush began at an impromptu news conference on the Hill. "We are committed to fighting terror. In all its forms. But horror is OK. We are not fighting horror. With Halloween...on the way...it's important to understand that your children may attempt to elicit fright through specific use of 'horror'. Scares, frights, chills. These are a healthy part of American culture at this time of year."

Last Thursday, I watched John Kerry do exactly what he needed to in order to make Bush look bad. He didn't trounce him, or have a movie moment of utter victory, but he played it exactly like he should've. I am a liberal, with strong Democratic leanings, but I realize that the debates determine the tone for the rest of the campaign and I am less interested in declaring the winner and more interested in seeing who looks like a winner. John Kerry looked like a winner.

After many months of delaying and designing and deliberating, I experienced three firsts today, most important of which was getting a tattoo. And I'm quite happy with it. (If you want to skip my blathering and just see the tattoo, you'll have to wait until it heals. However, click 'Continue reading' to see the design.)

I went to Olde City Tattoo, only a few blocks from where we used to live in Old City near Penn's Landing in Philly, with Alisa and went under the gun. Getting a tattoo is something I've wanted for quite some time, and the experience was not very different from what I expected. Alisa asked me if I saw this as some kind of rite of passage. Perhaps. I'm not sure what it represents for me, if anything, but I have a feeling of invigoration and satisfaction, and a sense of... I'm not sure... 'acheivement' doesn't feel quite right. I suppose it's just the idea of doing something a bit scary, a bit painful, and a bit unknown that appealed to me. There is also something very liberating about marking one's self permanently, which I didn't expect (though that could've been the endorphins after the session was over).