Have a Happy and Safe New Year!

I think the title says about all I really wanted to say. Everybody take care and I hope to see you safe and happy next year.

Yahoo group, big brother style

I recently received the following information in an email. It is nothing new for them but I didn't know about it and thought I would pass it along. It also seems that you have to go thru the opt out process in each different browser (I.E., Mozilla, Netscape, etc.) you use. If you belong to any yahoo Groups this is important.


Sharing a tidbit of information:
Yahoo is now using something called "Web Beacons" to track Yahoo Group users around the net and see what you're doing and where you are going--similar to cookies. Yahoo is recording every website and every group you visit.

Take a look at their updated privacy statement: http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy

About half-way down the page, in the section on cookies, you will see a link that says web beacons.

Click on the phrase web beacons. That will bring you to a paragraph entitled "Outside the Yahoo Network."

In this section you'll see a little "click here to opt out" link that will let you "opt-out" of their new method of snooping.

Once you have clicked that link, you are exempted.

Notice the "Success" message on the top of the next page. Be careful because on that page there is a "Cancel Opt-out" button that, if clicked, will *undo** the opt-out.

Safe iPoding

Here is an actual serious use of your iPOD, PSP, PDA and Cell Phone. If you go here you can find out how to put basic first aid instructions and information on any of these devices. I just found out about this place and haven't seen how well it is produced or easy to use but it definitely has potential. It certainly doesn't replace taking a class on First Aid but in an emergency it could mean the difference in life and death. If anybody has any experience with this please leave a comment about what you think of it.

Intelligent Design? Evolution? Doonesbury!

Those of you who didn't see Doonesbury from sunday should go read it here. I has a great play on words.

Logo!

Well, here it is and just in time for Yule. OK, so I've had it for a couple of weeks but as I stated in an earlier post I'm feckless. It's on my Spread Shirt site on a few items. I received a coupon offer from Spread shirt that lasts until the end of December. It is from 15% to 30% depending on the total and if I order $200 or more S&H is free. So if anybody would like to order a t-shirt or sweat shirt email me at service@shadowdragonsden.com. If there is a design you like but want it on another color or shirt style let me know and I can create it for you.

What Middle-Earth race are you?

I was a little surprised by the results.




Entish


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

Let me know what Middle-Earth race you are.

Spell Compendium review

I've finally had some time to really read this and IMHO this book could save the back of many gamers.


The Good:
The Spell Compendium takes the spells from 13 WOTC books(but NOT the PHB), 23 Dragon magazine articles, 16 WOTC website articles along with several previously unpublished spells and puts them in one book. They cleaned up those spells that were still 3.0 and renamed several so that campaign specific names (Bigby, Elminster, etc.) are not used in this book. Their is a list at the beginning of the spell description section that tells you what the old spell name is and what it was changed to. They slightly altered the spell description format in a way that is really helpful. Any place that they reference another book in the descrition of a spell they give the book and page number where the information can be found.


The Bad:
I don't have much to knock on this book. The $40 retail price is enough to turn off some from buying it but I think considering the amount of information provided it is worth the price. It would have been nice if the Player's Handbook spells were included but it is already almost 300 pages.


The Unsure:
They only covered the core class spell lists but they gave some basic recommendations on how to apply the new spells to prestige and other spellcasting classes that have their own specific lists. The class spell lists are located after the spell descriptions which is also a different format. I think that will take a little getting used to but generally is 6 of one way or half a dozen of the other way.


Overall, I think this is a well produced and useful product that is worth the price. I welcome your comments on this book.

Spell Compendium just released

I have several copies of the Spell Compendium that has just been release by WOTC. I haven't had much of a chance to look then over but they appear to be very nice.