300?

Way back in the Fifth Century
B.C. not Anno Domini
The Greek and Persian armies clashed
In battle at Thermopylae.

King Xerxes started all the fuss
By aping daddy Darius,
Who many years before had tried
To beat the Greeks; their win, his loss.

His army, scores of thousands strong,
Amassed, and made the journey –long!–
Through Persia, Thrace, then Macedon.
Who'd fling their lives at such a throng?

The disp'rate Greeks allayed their hates.
They kinda sussed that all their fates
Were intertwined. They duly formed
An army from their city-states.

The Spartan men should take the lead
(The toughest dudes, they all agreed).
But yikes! It was Carneia-time.
The ephors had to intercede...

Now blessed, the Spartans marched their men,
Some say in thirty groups of ten.
The Oracle forewarned their king
He'd never see his home again.

But adamant Leonidas
Was up for kicking Persian ass!
With fifty foes to face each friend,
He slyly chose a narrow pass.

Three days they held Thermopylae
Till Ephialtes' treachery.
Surrounded, skewered, severed, slain;
They won a hollow victory.

I'm privileged to comprehend
How many really met their end.
Each word commemorates a soul;
You'll calculate 200, friend.

Spring Ditty

The playful cheeriness of Spring
Has once more conquered Winter's grim
Resolve. (Such a tenacious clutch -
But gone now, thank you very much!)

Mirror's Edge [PS3]

Play it for:
* pretty unique 1st-person parkour experience.
* real adrenaline rush when you're being hunted down and have to run for your life.
* genuine feeling of accomplishment.
* the heroine is uber-cool.

Avoid it for:
* some bits are very frustrating.

The Lady of the Neon Heart [poem]

The Lady of the Neon Heart

Of all the girls I've ever known
There's one I've never tried to court.
Instead, transfixed, I wait and watch
The Lady of the Neon Heart.
A curious title, to be sure,
But well-deserved. I'll tell you why.
For when she's feeling amorous
The spark of Cupid's energy
Lights up her soul. The glow beguiles;
This Will o' Wisp leads men astray,
Forever wand'ring in the gloom,
When love's soft light has gone awry.
She neither crows nor mourns their fates,
Emotion'ly she's too inert -
Just like the gas by which she's called,
My Lady of the Neon Heart.

The Ruby Knight [Book]

Book two of the Elenium trilogy completed. More of the same, which is no bad thing. Same brilliant dialogue. It's also very playful, even having a slight poke at fantasy conventions; the characters actually question how improbable certain coincidences seem, and to his credit, Eddings does his best to make it all believable. Additionally, while I like Pratchett for writing the most serious Comic Fantasy, I like Eddings for writing the most witty Serious Fantasy.

God of War [PS3]

Play it for:
* EPIC visuals and story
* seriously cool combat and battles
* devious puzzles

Avoid it for:
* pretty brutal if you don't like that kinda thing

Batman: Arkham Asylum [PS3]

Play it for:
* brilliantly fluid combat system
* the awesomeness of the Batman universe
* suitable for the thinking gamer

Avoid it for:
* no catwoman