I think I’m a little obsessed about the temperature of my computer. Two things have always annoyed me about the technology in general is the heat they generate and, the level of noise that heat requires them to create due to all the fans in a case. The solution most people have found with the issues of the noise and air throughput is to install increasingly larger (and more slow-moving) fans and this has kept the heat issue at bay for the time being. I’m not sure if every PC will be liquid cooled in the future but I am still a little uneasy about introducing a liquid (even if low-conductive) into my PC case. As you can see, my PC on idle only runs about 15 degrees above standard room temperature thanks to a good software set-up, no pesky programs running when the system is idling, and a couple of pretty hefty fans installed in the case. Honestly though; I’m still not satisfied and my ultimate goal is to have the system running even cooler in future. At the moment my PC is actually missing one of the front fans where the hard drives live and I could install a PCI slot fan under the graphics card to help expel more of the heat from that too since it is the hottest running thing in there. I already use Arctic Silver 5 on the CPU and have a Titan CPU cooler so, not much help changing those. I even have a backup Big Boy 200 just in-case the top fan stops working and Antec ceases manufacturing them. I know, I’m nuts. But I build my PCs to play games almost every day for 5 years with only minimal upgrades and, they don’t usually fall-over. All in all, the parts I find that break down fastest are the mouse and keyboard!

Having said that, not much really impresses me anymore. SL is full of greed and sex, with very little regard for anything other than the depths of Human depravity. So why do I continue to visit a land of griefers and profiteers? The answer is summed up in two words: New Babbage. The city I often like to refer to as a “Utopia of the mind.”

The city itself uses a steampunk design for a backdrop into a social experiment at creating a community in modern times with old world charm and class. The people inhabiting the city are from all walks of life, both in reality and virtually. All brought together a love of the age of steam and steam-powered devices. Inhabitants are encouraged (but not required) to role-play their cares away and maintain a level of decorum during their visit, but, as long as you don’t shoot at people, a person is pretty much free to do as he/she wishes. There are shops, of course as you would find in any other city. After all, running such a city isn’t cheap.

If you like the sound of living in this industrial utopia, you may want to join us in Second Life. It certainly makes a welcome change from the world outside the window.

Today sees the launch of SW:TOR to the general public (those that didn’t pre-order anyway.) In celebration, I’ve put up a little image of the Darth Malgus statue you get with the Collector’s Edition of the game. If you want to say Hi, try sending a tell to Innorahn of the EU Nightmare Lands server. I’m usually up for a chat, unless I’m in a Flashpoint or playing Huttball :P

Back in April I prevented an underground facility from melting down and installed a potato as the central operating system for the entire complex.

At another facility in a deserted wasteland I used a satellite uplink to rain death down upon the security forces trying to seize control of it. I seem to enjoy visiting these facilities, don’t I?

I found out that it is my duty to save the world from a devastating natural disaster by experiencing memories from my genetic history.

Now moving into July, I rescued a cardboard cut-out of a damsel in distress by defeating several fire-breathing demon chickens.

An ancient evil lays slain outside the city of Kirkwall, thanks to my knowledge in blood magic. My fake apostate sister would be so proud of me! The real one probably wouldn’t be.

I went on vacation later in the year to the planet Pandora. The monsters weren’t incredibly friendly and I seemed to find myself running all the time. Still, it gave me a good chance to practice my sniping skills. I eventually discovered the fabled lost vault, although it didn’t exactly contain any mementos to take back home.

After returning back to terra firma, I re-don my robe and wizard hat to take on a rather large and ill-tempered dragon. Eventually it falls and I find my reward in a thousand or so bottles of Mtn Dew. Not to mention this spiffy high definition TV.

As for the rest of this year, later on in the coming week I intend to battle fierce dragons on the frozen tundra of Skyrim. Then off to duff-up rival gangs in the city of Steelport (all because they refuse to wear purple.) Lastly I’ll be travelling back in time to a galaxy far, far away in order to use my blaster in a neat little game of Huttball. Such an action-packed holiday season, I hope yours is as equally entertaining!

Until then it gives me the chance to work on my parallel parking.

I could use the practice.