How not to generate hype for your MMORPG

So, I was wondering, what forthcoming MMORPG has stiff-but-detailed figures, a generic “high fantasy” flavor and absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever?

Thanks for clearing that up, Sigil!

The Washington Post calls

OK, geeking out time: I grew up on the Washington Post, either as the Post (when we were stateside) or back when it was one-half of the now much-inferior International Herald-Tribune. Even today, thousands of miles away from the Post, I still read it regularly, and when some other site points to an article there, I always check it out.

Despite what nationally syndicated infotainers might tell you, the paper that everyone reads in the Washington area is the Post, whoever you are and even if you’re waaaay out in the suburbs. (The biggest competition for the Potomac News wasn’t one of the myrid of other local papers surrounding the Beltway, it was the 800-pound gorilla of the Post.)

So when Post reporter Frank Ahrens calls the Star to apparently do a follow-up on a previous article on the future of local newspapers (a topic I’ve written about here before, more than once), I get as giddy as a schoolgirl. (No costume changes, though, sorry.) He talked to Peter and to our publisher, Stephan Wingert.

Allegedly he might be talking to me about the Star’s more aggressive push online, but really, given that he’s already talked to Peter and Stephan, I doubt he’s going to need anything from me. But still, cool.

When the article is posted, I’ll link to it here.

Online shopping

Long before there was a World Wide Web, I used to get claustrophobic and kind of manic at the Tysons Corner mall at Christmastime and I was the first person I knew to shop for Christmas gifts online. This year will mark the seventh where I’ve done some of my shopping online and either the fourth or fifth where I do all of it that way.

Amazon has been my primary shopping venue, but I’ve been looking to branch out some. This year, thanks to NPR, I’ve discovered Mighty Goods, which points to cool stuff all over the Internet. Definitely worth a gander.

What to buy me for Christmas, part 4

OK, last one of these. After this, folks, you’re on your own. Twenty-one days until Christmas and 27 until my birthday, chop-chop.

• U.S. Out of California T-Shirt
• Daily Planet PRESS T-shirt
• “Never forget” Dinosaur T-shirt
• This shirt or that shirt from Thinkgeek
• Or about a million things from my Amazon wishlist

In other Christmas-related news, check out this online advent calendar. I like the coloring page on December 2.

Mark Burnett’s “Pirates”

The creator of “Survivor” is now casting for his new reality show, “Pirates.” Deadline is December 12 — next Monday — and the application apparently includes an audition video, but the application documents are a little vague on that subject.

Now I just need to find my passport, come up with and shoot a video in one week and get lucky.

Oh, and get a crash course in sailing from Dad …