I have a new addiction. It started so innocently. I would listen to BBC 7 for the old comedy shows (Round the Horne, Dad's Army etc.) and then leave it on (via internet) for background chatter as I worked.

They began to play a detective drama about 3pm EST. I listened in absently, but I soon began to find myself clamoring for the headset when it came on. I MUST listen. I'm addicted.

The serial is usually called "Paul Temple and the...." whatever, or whoever got shot. Peter Coke plays a smooth, debonair detective/novelist called Paul Temple who is famous for his ability to finger the killer at the end of the 8th episode. He and his wife go all around trying to snoop out the killer or evil group. His wife Steve (Played impeccably by Margaret Westbury if I remember right) is always trying to get him to stop and take a break, but killers must look in the dictionary for the definition of vacation. THey never take any.

This radio program from the 50's or 60's (I think if not earlier, I'll have to look it up on Wikipedia) has 30 minute episodes ending with a cliffhanger of sorts. Someone is found dead (normally my #1 suspect) or they are involved in an obligatory car accident when someone tries to kill them. There are bombs to be handled and Scotland Yard detectives to be put down. However, Paul is well known to the police and is usually called in by Sir Graham the police inspector to help out.

Now, I don't know why, but I've somehow really gotten addicted to this program. It's like the Su Doku puzzle you used to pass by while reading the comics. It's nothing until you try to do one on a day off. Then you get hooked. I'm always trying to piece together the clues and I'm happy when I get 75% of the mystery solved.

I like radio programs. In fact, I like them much more than TV programs. I don't have a TV and I frequently am reminded why I don't when I turn them on at a friend's house. That's another argument for another bored Smollett, but I think all in all, I'm hooked on radio programs and its a real shame that there are very few, if any in America. Sure you have NPR and Garrison Keillor's program is there, but NPR is about rich liberals/conservatives blithering. There isn't any detective radio dramas or comedy. I have to go to BBC 7 or another BBC channel for my entertainment.

I'll ask though, anyone know of any here in America or have we decided that our technology is far beyond all radio could possibly comprehend with 100% of its brain?

Now, if anyone was watchful, they'll see that I said "I don't have a TV" but yet, there it is, a 360 rap sheet on the edge of the blog. I have a TV (sorry for the misinformation) but I don't have a tuner, thus I only use it for my Wii, seldom for my 360, and to watch a movie everyother day or so.

One of the best things to happen to games is the ability to create mods. Now I'm almost ready to say that Oblivion on the PC is much better than Oblivion on the Xbox for this very reason, however I realize to really enjoy Oblivion you need a bit of cash to buy those wonderful electric toys. That's another discussion for another time.

After playing Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2, Morrowind, Oblivion, and a few other games that allow you to "tweak" the game, I suddenly found myself not playing at all. Sure I have fun saving golden haired children from a horde of demons or zombies (take your pick) and I generally enjoy being a thief character. On a side note, if I had to point out what I think my characters look like, it'd be something like on the blog of Rellington (this website). There's a rather HAHA! looking fellow who looks like he's about to give it to someone good and proper with a knife. Thumbs up to Rellington for such a positive picture of things about to go awry for the forces of evil.

I'm finding myself instead drawn to the toolsets. In NWN 1 and 2 I created a island with a few quests, some beer drinking skeletons for comic relief and then I go back from time to time to add something I've figured out how to do or delete the mod and start over. I suppose I should upload them but I've noticed that for good mods, you get showers of adoration and for the lukewarm to bad mods you get a clump of mud in the face. I couldn't live down mud in the face, it makes for bad PR. I've made some hum dingers though and I think I might finally post my lastest mod. The ICBM arrows for Oblivion.

Its not a serious mod. The arrows are overpowered. I noticed that fire damage to a target or group of targets can send them flying. So I made some arrows that explode on impact and so far I've sent about 100 horribly mangled bears to their doom as they shoot towards the sky. Overpowered, but I can't get over how funny it is to watch those rag dolls fly. Even more funny is when they smack something on the way down.

I would post it on www.tessource.net which is a good website if you want to see what there is in the mod community. I've always found fairly well done mods there. To end this and start fiddling again with my NWN 2 mods, I merely state that my next task is learning how to script. I can do basic things, but as I told my boss, "It's my secret sorrow as an engineer, but I can't program my way out of a paper bag."