Wheel of Fortune just released an overhauled version of their iPad game, and I've absolutely fallen in love with it. Not only has the gameplay been updated, but the coolest feature is that the more games you win, the more classic sets you unlock, something I always thought would be a cool feature to add to the games. The sets are pretty true to their eras down to the spinning trilons, eggcrate scoreboards, and changes in Pat's hairdo  should you make it that far.

As this update was made to celebrate Wheel's 30th Anniversary, I hope they do something similar for Jeopardy next year. Take a look below at some of the old sets!

GO VOTE.

I haven't posted anything in a couple of months, and that's about to change soon- my Evernote "Blog Ideas" notebook is bursting with articles, but today I only have one message for you- GO VOTE. If you are not registered, make sure you are for the next time you can cast a ballot.

There are many countries in Asia and Africa- no less than 40- that are run by a dictatorship. Those people don't have the right to vote. You do. I stood in line this past Saturday in 35 degree weather for 2 1/2 hours to vote. When you consider that four years is made up of 35,064 hours, standing in line for three hours to exercise your right as an American citizen doesn't seem that hard, is it?

Consider the elections of 1912. If you were a woman,you couldn't cast your ballot for Woodrow Wilson unless you posed as a man. If you were a black man, although you had been given the right to vote less than 40 year prior, you couldn't cast a ballot for Teddy Roosevelt at some polling places because racist whites made it difficult for blacks to cast a vote. The only people who have been given a right to vote since the founding of America are white males. If you aren't a white male, know that someone fought for you to get a fair shake in this country, and you shouldn't take that for granted. If you're a white male...well, get out and vote too- yours counts as much as any other.

I don't care if you vote for Pedro, Thomas Dewey, Shaft, Captain Kirk, Flipper the Dolphin or Skeletor- just get out and vote.

It's a Very Very Mad World

We're all told that every generation has at least one event that changes their lives- a time when everyone remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing. For generations past the stories involve moon landings, assassinations, explosions, and the death of The King. For my generation, that event was undoubtedly 9/11. For years, people have asked me where I was on that day. I just reply "Oh, just 950 miles away from home and a two hour drive from Ground Zero."

At the time, I was boarding school student. Back in 2001, I was a freshman at The Hotchkiss School- a prestigious Connecticut boarding school that was only a couple hours fron New York City. I had just gotten out of Mr. Crain's first period algebra class- Mr. Crain was a tough, but incredibly likeable teacher, and I remember it being a good day because I had actually done my homework right and gotten back a quiz I had done well on. I wasn't too eager to head over to Chinese class though- I was quickly falling behind and we were due to start writing characters soon. That's when everbody was summoned to the school auditorium.

I overheard a lot of students talking about what it could be- younger students were praying for an early school holiday, while the upperclassmen explained that Skip (our headmaster) normally doesn't call for a holiday until at least a month into the school year. As we all gathered in the auditorium. Skip sat us down and explained to us the situation. "Terrorists have attacked New York City", he solemnly stated. Classes were officially cancelled for the rest of the day, and 500 stunned students filed out of the auditorium, some visibly more worried than others.

As I headed back to my dorm, I could hear the small TV in our common room already blaring live news coverage of the attack. Just as I found a spot to watch the coverage, a second plane hit the World Trade Center. The dumbfounded anchorman went silent for a minute, and as if he were conflicted about stating something so incredibly obvious, he says "Uhhh......breaking news?"

At this point, I didn't know how to feel. I sat there and I could only imagine how my parents, having sent their 14 year old son away to boarding school just 12 days prior, felt. I could only imagine how my classmates, who had parents who worked in NYC, felt. I felt uncertain, fearful, and most of all, guilty. Sure, I was scared, but I felt guilty that so many people around me had such strong feelings that day, and I couldn't empathize because I wasn't feeling that same level of fear and uncertainty. I never forgot that feeling.

Soon after, the bedlam continued. Another plane hit the Pentagon, and another crashed in a cornfield in Pennsylvania. Once I heard about the Pentagon attack, all I could think of was my mom. She worked for AT&T in downtown Chicago, and although they hadn't been hit, the paranoia that engulfs you in a crisis suddenly hit me.

"Oh my God", I thought. "They're going to hit Chicago next."

My first thought was that the terorists were going to hit the major American cities. I called her job three times and left a message at home. Suddenly, I was thrust into the bin of uncertainty with all of my classmates whose parents worked in New York City. Since the school quickly understood that they would be taking a tidal wave of phone calls from distraught parents, they posted a cork board outside of the administration offices to alleviate the phone rush. Even 10 years ago, teenagers didn't have cell phones, let alone texting capabilities- a crisis of that magnitude would be handled a bit differently nowadays.

Students checked the cork board all day long for messages from their parents- some would camp out near the board, and once something was posted, would sprint at the new message with the same ferocity of Lawrence Taylor rushing an offensive line. I remember this guy- I never knew his name, but I knew he was an upper mid- pacing in front of that board waiting for a message from his parents, and I remember the sheer elation he showed when he found out his parents were okay. That made me feel a little better. "We're all going to be okay", I thought.

By 3 or so, my mother called to let me know that her job had dismissed everyone for the day- she had been at the train station for a long time because, as she put it, "It seemed like everyone in the City of Chicago was trying to get on a train at that time."

"We're all going to be okay", I thought again. That time, I believed it.

As the rest of America held candlelight vigils, mounrned, and visited the site, so did we. It wasn't about anybody's race, or checkbook, or how much they knew- we were all in the same boat. Even during my campus visit, I felt that Hotchkiss was a community. I felt so even more after that day.

And that, in a nutshell, is how I spent my 9/11.

How Xbox Music Should Reposition Itself In Microsoft's Makeover

A few months back, Microsoft announced that they were getting rid of the Zune brand, presumably phasing it out as they transition into their Version 8 line of software, computers, phones, and tablets. I've had a Zune Pass (Microsoft's music subscription service) for six months now, but I have no real incentive to use it. I seldom invest time to download music through it, because the second I cancel my membership, I'll lose everything I've downloaded through the Zune Pass. At $10 a month, it's only really worth it if you download an ungodly amount of music- and when you do, you're compelled to keep your subscription going, lest you buy each track for at least buck a pop.

Microsoft will be renaming the service Xbox Music as part of their major overhaul, but that does nothing for me if they don't actually overhaul the service. Honestly, I'm the only person I know who currently subscribes to Zune Pass, and in a time where we can access music just about anywhere at any time, that's crazy. If I were Microsoft, here's what I'd do to make Xbox Music a relevant service:

1: Lower the price.
If I don't download 10 songs a month, then it doesn't make sense for me to spend $10 a month. However, I might be more inclined to ride out the service if I'm paying $5 a month for it. After all, at $8 a month, I could be streaming Netflix.

2. Offer tiered pricing options.
Originally Zune Pass charged $15 a month- however, you got streaming music AND 10 free songs to keep each month- so at least if you decided to cancel one day, you had a lot of music left over to show for it. Microsoft should roll out three monthly pricing options at $5, $10, and $15- the $5 would be strictly streaming, but the $10 and $15 options would offer five and ten free songs a month, respectively.

3. Social integration
I don't need Microsoft to release their own Ping- it wasn't a great service to begin with, and in the end it would ultimately have the same fate as Apple's half hearted attempt at a social media music hub. What I would like to see is a share button for Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, and Pinterest- if people like my taste in music, they may be more likely to see what I'm listening to later. That drives traffic to the Xbox Music website. Even syncing Xbox Live and Xbox Music with sharing capabilities would be a step in the right direction

4. Apps on competing platforms.
Right now Microsoft is playing catch up. So many people are using iTunes and Google Play that it seems impossible to get those people onboard. However, Microsoft can give it a try if they release apps on the iOS and Android devices. Think about it- you create an Xbox Music account online, make a few playlists, and BOOM- you can access those playlists on your computer, Xbox, or iPhone- so your music is always at your disposal. One mistake Microsoft made with Zune was that they didn't create a piece of software that was compatible with Macs, and that's a mistake they should correct this time around.

4. Entice Xbox Live Gold members.
I didn't know until recently that as an Amazon Prime member, I get Amazon Instant Video for free- it's a nice complement to my Netflix service, and that's only one of the perks I get as a member. It would be nice to see Microsoft do this as well- if they offered Xbox Music for free with Xbox Live, that would be a great addition- especially in their conquest to make the Xbox the premier living room entertainment box. I'd even appreciate if they gave Gold Members the opportunity to stream Microsoft branded playlists- that way Microsoft can be in control of the operation while giving a little something extra to their faithful.

Even if they don't give the service away, I would like to see them take a page from the major cable/communications companies (Comcast, Dish Network, AT&T, etc) and offer discounts as part of a bundle deal. If I subscribe to Xbox Live and Xbox Music, I should get some sort of discount on my bundle- I wouldn't even mind if they gave me a small number of Microsoft Points per month that I stay bundled in lieu of a discount.

5. Advertise!
When a company as big as Microsoft has a music service that I haven't seen in the public eye since they discontinued the Zune Player, it makes me think if they're just sending it out to the pasture to die. If Microsoft wants to make money off this service, they need to make sure people know about it. Every new computer, phone, and tablet that runs Microsoft's software should come with a free one month subscription to Xbox Music EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Every Nokia Lumia, HP Envy and Microsoft Surface should be letting people know that Microsoft has a streaming music service. In addition, there should be an app for iPhone and Android that lets you create/log into your Xbox Account and play your Smart DJ mixes right there. Find a way to keep me in the infrastructure, Microsoft.

Microsoft has all of the tools to make a revamped Xbox Music work. Considering their recent moves to overhaul many of their products, Microsoft would do well by making some serious changes in the way they do music as well.

Why The iPhone 5 Launch is Apple's Most Important Ever

Let's jump back a year.

Last summer, tech websites, bloggers, and all sorts of armchair techies were salivating over what Apple's 2011 iPhone launch would entail. The general consensus was that the company would release a totally redesigned iPhone, complete with larger screen, faster processor, and all sorts of other little bells and whistles that would put it ahead of the competition.

By October, we had an official answer. Apple wasn't releasing a brand new iPhone- sure it technically was brand new, but the 4S was just a minor upgrade to the iPhone 4. Sure, it had a faster processor, Siri, and a better placed antenna, but it was no iPhone 5. The reception was favorable, but nobody was blown away- it wasn't disappointing, but more people found it hard to justify standing in line to get one.

Absolutely stunning design by ciccaresedesign.com.
Looks like they took inspiration from another
Apple product- the Magic Mouse.

Now, one year later, Apple is in a much different place. They are still a leader in the phone industry, but the competition is heating up. Android seems to have finally gotten their phone OS together with Jelly Bean. Samsung's Galaxy S3 has been receiving rave reviews. Even Windows Phone 8 has a massive launch planned for this fall that will put its feature set at par or ahead of iOS and Android.

Recently, some friends of mine who were Android fans were telling people how Google's platform was outperforming Apple. Even I had some valid points about how my Windows Phone outperformed the iPhone. Our friends who used Apple devices balked. But with Apple only releasing brand new phone hardware and software annually, its magical features aren't all that magical anymore. A year is too long to wait for change in this age. Many features that Apple didn't implement until later (or still haven't) have been standards on other platforms already. Gigantic screens, 4G/LTE connections, Facebook integration and NFC payments are just a few. 

Simply put? Apple needs to get this phone right. They need to throw everything but the kitchen sink in the iPhone 5, because they can't afford another disappointment like the 4S. With Android phones outselling iPhones and with Windows 8 Phones offering a new level of business security, Apple has no room for error- their market share (and by extension, their financial state) is at stake.

iOS 6 has a few new features, but outside of an updated Siri and a redone Maps app, there's not a whole lot more to speak of. Passbook, their new ticket/pass redemption app, may not even come with NFC technology. By comparison, Android and Windows are both manufacturing phones with NFC technology right now. If this is the case, the iPhone 5 could be technologically behind from the jump. iOS is not a bad operating system, but when Apple customers are looking at how Google and Microsoft are constantly updating their phones and release multiple models each year, it may be jarring to the Apple faithful to wonder why they stick with a company that only releases one phone and one OS adjustment a year.

A specific group that they've got to wow iPhone 4 users. Think about it- the iPhone 4, upon release, was the first iPhone to be distributed to multiple carriers. It came out just over two years ago, meaning that most of these people have just completed their contracts- many of them are surely waiting on the iPhone 5 to be released so that they may upgrade. If Apple doesn't make a phone that wows these customers, they may take their hard earned money elsewhere and consider other devices.

Let's be honest- people will always camp outside of Apple Stores, new iDevices will always sell for exorbitantly high prices post-launch on eBay, and in the end, Apple is going to sell a boatload of phones. But a negligent attitude towards the launch of this phone will not only show on Apple's short term balance sheets, but on their long term perception amongst consumers.

SuitSupply: This Is Not Your Father's Suit Shop

GQ has done a series of articles on a European suiting company that has recently made its way to American soil- Suitsupply. Founded in The Netherlands in 2000, they have been receiving great reviews from men's magazines- they even opened a store right here in Chicago less than a month ago.

Suitsupply is also known for supplying the opening ceremony threads to the Dutch Olympic Team. Ralph Lauren does pretty good work here, but this is some pretty bold work by Suitsupply:

That is some bold work...the orange works surprisingly well.. I'm really liking the white trim on the rightmost guy's navy jacket. Of course, you can't finish it off with anything other than a Dutch tulip!

I'll have to visit the Chicago store sooner than later- something tells me they're nothing like the Men's Wearhouse. I'll fill you guys in with an update later.

How My Business Card Helped Me Get My Wallet Back

ALWAYS CARRY YOUR BUSINESS CARD IN YOUR WALLET.

Let me repeat that- ALWAYS CARRY YOUR BUSINESS CARD IN YOUR WALLET.

If you have them made, carry a few around. If you don't have some, get some made up. VistaPrint, GotPrint, and Moo all do them for next to nothing. Let me tell you, it helps in more ways than just networking.

I was at the barbershop getting my hair cut on Saturday- it was a quiet, normal Saturday afternoon. I was running a little late, so I walked faster than normal to get to my appointment on time.

Everything was going regularly- my stylist Alicia and I talked about our plans for the weekend and how muggy it had gotten outside- just small talk. When we were done, I went to the front to pay. My back pocket was empty. My wallet was gone.

No problem, I thought. My seat probably tilted backwards and my wallet slipped out. No harm done.

I went back and checked the seat. No wallet. I checked every corner of the shop and found nothing. Lucky for me, I know my debit card number by heart (another nice number to have memorized), and the cashier let me pay by spouting off my card information by heart.

After calming down, I figured I must have dropped it in my building. Someone who knows me has probably texted me and said they have it. So I checked my phone, and awesome- someone has my wallet! So I texted this stranger back, and it turned out he was leaving on a train in 10 minutes.

I'm 7 minutes from this station- Strike 1.

I can't run far without getting winded- Strike 2.

The platform to this station is at the top of a long set of stairs- Strike 3.

Shit.

I ran as fast as I could- I knew I was getting my wallet back, but I wanted it right then and there. Block by block, I could feel my chest get tight- all I could think about was my wallet....and that I needed to get back into a gym sooner than later.

I meet the guy up on the platform, and I profusely thank him for giving me my wallet back. He then tells me he found me by my business card in my wallet. He hurried along to get his train, and I left happy that there are still good, honest people in the world.

By the way- Brent, the guy who found my wallet, had sent me an email as well as a text. So I tracked him down by his email address and found out he goes by the @poorbrenton on Twitter. I can vouch that he's one of the good ones- nothing was missing from my wallet, and he made every effort to get it back to me right away. Thanks again!

Once more for good measure- ALWAYS CARRY YOUR BUSINESS CARD IN YOUR WALLET.

Graduation...Yeah Yeah Yeah!

So I graduated today. Thanks to all of my family that came out today- it was great having all of you there! To my friends- I'm going to miss you. Springfield won't be the same without me, and the Chicagoland area won't be the same without you.

On to some good news- I'll have more time to blog in the coming months, so stay tuned! To prove I'm still alive, I've posted pictures:

I Wanna Go Higher!

So if you're a Chicago Bulls fan like me, you watch as many of their games as you can. Of course, it's a given that you watch for their swarming defense, the awesome dunks, and the team spirit that this team exudes. There is one thing that amplifies all of their positives- or should I say, one person. Stacey King.

The King, as I refer to him, wore the Bulls uniform from 1989-1994, so he was part of that first three-peat. After being traded away to the Timberwolves, he became a journeyman, playing everywhere from Turkey to Italy to Argentina. But that's beyond the point- the King has come home, and I couldn't be happier.

Many commentary duos or trios have the problem of not showing much emotion during play- Hockey Night in Canada suffers pretty badly from this, but that's another story for another day. Every color commentator needs a live wire, and lead man Neil Funk surely has one. The King gets incredibly animated during his play-by-play, and just searching for it on Youtube will bring up hilarious results. But the Bulls decided to take it a step further and wrap all of the King's little nuggets into one convenient soundboard.

My only lament is that because he's a Comcast SportsNet commentator, he won't be able to call the action should the Bulls make it to the NBA Finals. Either way, he's the best thing to happen to basketball commentary since Gus Johnson.

Keep bringing the hot sauce, King. Here's to hoping you call Bulls games for the rest of your life.

You can follow Stacey King on Twitter at @Sky21King.

You Can't Sit At The Cool Table

So today I posted this status on my Facebook wall:

"Just to put it out there...I don't think I've ever seen a broke Republican. Just saying.

After seeing some comments questioning if I had ever been to Texas or Kentucky, my old friend Will Luse posted this:

"I've seen broke Republican 'supporters' but not broke Republicans."

This made a whole lot of sense. Republican voters in these poor southern states vote for the VALUES over the policies. They're pro life, anti gay marriage, and pro death penalty- just like the majority of these southerners. But the difference is that these Republican figureheads have money- and lots of it. Mike Huckabee, Rush Limbaugh, John McCain, Mitt Romney...the list goes on. Many southern voters are poorer people who visualize having these lifestyles- a well kept Christian family with wholesome values.

I already know I'm going to catch a little flak for what I'm about to say- those voters were wrong.

Many members of the Republican Party are affluent- as a matter of fact, most of the wealthy people in this country are Republicans. But many Republican supporters live in the poorest parts of the country. Republican candidates merely have to spout some buzzwords about "pro life" and "NRA" and these people go crazy. What they don't realize is that they're being kept from prosperity by those very people who earn their votes. It's like when the high school jock asks the losers to vote for him, but the losers will never get a spot at the cool lunch table in return for their votes.

Every voter has a right to their opinion, and far be it from me to blame someone for voting for a candidate who seems to protect what the voter holds near and dear to their heart. We are democracy for a reason. However, both parties have wholesome candidates and a few errant screws, and it seems like a pretty uninformed decision to vote for a guy just because you like the cut of his family. As the 2012 election looms nearer with each passing day, I'd like to invite every one of my readers to be informed during the election. Read your newspapers, scour the internet, and do your research. If you're the CEO of a trillion dollar company and need to hire a general manager, you would do your research on those candidates- why not the ones who are in line to run our country for the next four years?

I like Barack Obama, but I'm not going to go out and vote for him because he has a great family.

I'm voting for him because he's black. Duh.

Jeremy and Sam go to SXSW! Day 10- Springfield, IL to St. Louis, MO

Our Austin Spring Break trip is officially over. The only reason we left so early was because I had to head to St. Louis for Provost Committee Interviews. I absolutely fell in love with Austin, and I want to go back next year. However, if I do, there are some things I would change.

1. I might fly. I liked road tripping, and I've wanted to do it even before I had a car. But it takes its toll on you. Granted, we each only paid $100 in gas vs. $350 each for a plane ticket, but we would have a had a couple extra days in exchange.
2. I would definitely get a hotel room downtown. When you have to rely on a public transportation system on vacation, you are at the mercy of its running times. This meant that we could only party until 11:30- the last bus leaves at midnight. We would have had to wait until 5 the next morning to get a bus, and seeing how hard the partying continued into the night, that may not have been so hard.
3. I would invite more friends to come. Sam is my boy, but had we had a couple of our other roommates there with us, that would have just made everything so much better.
4. Seeing all of the awesome panels and movie screenings we missed out on, I might consider buying a badge next time.

All in all, it's a great trip that any college student (or anybody, for that matter) should consider taking!

Jeremy and Sam go to SXSW! Day 8- Austin, TX to Tulsa, OK

So Sam and I are sad to have left Austin. It's a great place to be right now, especially if you're still in your 20s. There are a lot of opportunities here. Anyhoo, I just wanted to say that my roommate Keith and I have been telling Sam all semester how good In N Out Burger is. We stopped at one. I was ecstatic.

Sam was not impressed. This is why we can't have nice things. I'll have some final thoughts on the trip after I get back.

Jeremy and Sam go to SXSW! Day 7- One Last Hurrah

So SXSW ends this coming weekend. Unfortunately, we'll be long gone by then. Here are some new observations, followed by more pics:

1. The weird part of Austin (or this festival) comes out at night.
2. Cheap beer continues throughout the night. Score.
3. Sam and I hit on a pair of 40-somethings at a Mexican restaurant. I don't remember why, but we did. They were surprisingly receptive.
4. I have yet to see an automobile taxi out here. I say that because I've seen around 100 bike taxis. They really do love their environment around here.
5. Within 10 blocks, Springfield's Capitol Building has roughly five bars and a few places to get horseshoes. Austin's Capitol Building has at least three times as many bars and food trucks within five blocks. Yep. Austin wins again.
6. If you haven't figured it out yet, I want to move here.

Jeremy and Sam go to SXSW! Day 6- We Need to Buy a Smoker

So my sister had the day off today, and since she and her family haven't been out in Austin long, we all went to find some really good barbecue. The first place we stopped at was Franklin's Barbecue, and the barbecue smelled delicious. However, they were closed by the time we got there, and what we were smelling was the meat they were preparing for tomorrow's lunch crowd. I actually like that they're sticking to quantity over quality.

Another place my sister and her husband had heard about was called Stiles Switch BBQ. We couldn't smell the meat when we went into the restaurant, but they had heard good things about it.

What I thought was a refrigerator behind the counter was actually a smoker- and the second they opened that thing, I knew I was in the right place. I got a mild sausage link, some brisket, and the macaroni and cheese. The macaroni was underwhelming; it was a little dry and bland. But the meat more than made up for it. It was some of the best meat I have had in my life. The barbecue sauce that comes on the side (remember, Texans revere their meat...they don't slather it in sauce) was quite good, too!

If you happen to be in Austin, check this place out- you get more than your money's worth.

Jeremy and Sam go to SXSW! Day 5- Why Have I Never Been Here Before?

Okay. I may or may not add more to this post. Let me make a few statements, and then scroll below for pictures.

1. Getting to the festival was a bit of a drag- mainly because Austin's train system is so new and they haven't worked out all of the kinks yet. They had a station nearby that would take Sam and I downtown, but there was nowhere to park- not even a paid parking lot. Even worse, many nearby places threatened to tow if they saw unauthorized parking in their lots. We took the bus, which wasn't too bad.
2. Austin is AWESOME. They close down like 8 square blocks for SXSW, so there's no worrying about traffic. You just walk around downtown.
3. I want to eventually experience SXSW in its entirety (meaning I'll one day buy a badge), but at $500, I can't afford that. Anyways, you can have just as much fun without a badge. Bands are playing in every dive bar and on every street corner.
4. Speaking of bars, every bar has drink specials. They actually give out a guide as to which indie bands are playing in each bar.
5. Food trucks are EVERYWHERE. Any kind of food you would want is being sold here- tacos, burgers, barbecue, chicken, sandwiches, and every sort of food fusion in between. I had a batch of cheesesteak fries that were out of this world.
6. I didn't realize that the University of texas is less than couple miles away from downtown Austin...so this was basically a giant music festival/frat party/spring break. Can't argue with that.
7. I don't have personal issues with hipsters, but I have never seen so many guys wearing short jean shorts, tank tops, and fedoras before in my life. If all the hipsters dress alike, doesn't that make them mainstream? Mind blown.

I've said my piece. Take a look below.