I just got an interesting email from PA reader Wes who had the opportunity to attend a book signing by James Luceno author of The Unifying Force. He had this to say:

The way we see it is this: if we're going to be blocked as obscene by so many filters, we ought to at least earn it.

I just about have The Unifying Force wrapped up. Already I can say it’s my favorite book of the series. I won’t go into any detail here because I don’t want to spoil any of the awesome surprises this book will spring on you. I’m honestly sad to this series come to an end but there is apparently life after NJO. This story from Star Wars.com says that Troy Denning who authored one of the other great books in the NJO series Star by Star is already signed up to pen a new novel that takes place some time after NJO.

Fans of the New Jedi Order series are now tearfully traversing the pages of the final volume - weighing in at nineteen linked novels by a handful of different authors, it's easily the most elaborate undertaking in what is called The Expanded Universe. It's not really my thing. Maybe Gabe can come by later and tell us about the graceful Chungo blade-dance. I'm riveted.

This is basically just to test it out, no prizes or anything this time - but here's the information for the Tournament. Looks like you have a week to get your score in. Tournament name is "PA Invitational," password is 9090550, round settings are R5NJY8C.

Penny Arcade's other purpose is to measure time for us, like a metronome - commemorating the site's fifth year will serve any person on a romp through the archive as well. I'm sorry to keep harping on it, but it just seems so impossible.

You might remember a while ago I flipped out and made a long rant about how political cartoonists are the scum of the earth or something. Well one of the gentlemen I spoke about happened to see my post and had this to say:

Man, you have to read some of this shit. Wondering if the Judges from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance will make an appearance? Wondering about racial tensions, or perhaps air piracy? Gamespot has a bunch of really crazy information, and some really high-res art besides.

The Avatar had a link to a Register article we found highly amusing, something about being awarded a patent for the circumvention of spam filters. Now, I believe with unwavering certainty that there is a reasonable and perhaps even noble reason for wanting to mail people who don't want to be mailed. I would never disparage corporations, which I think of as fountains of goodwill. For example, I have full faith that AT&T's new rapedroid - with a bank of three hideous, whirling cocks - is... Well, it's hard to imagine a proper purpose for such a thing.

Wow that’s right, it has been five years. Not bad for a couple of guys who don’t even know Frank Cho.

Happy Anniversary to Penny Arcade. We turned five today.

I won't be satisfied until we graduate to "Shady Dealings."

Here is a quote from Matt Smith, the Microsoft Game Studio developer responsible for the ball physics in Links 2004. This is from the Xbox forums:

I beat Prince of Persia this morning. My total time ended up being right around 10 hours even. I was trying to figure out how to describe how amazing the ending is. Tycho called me after he beat it and told me it was “masterful”. I think that’s probably the best word for it.

Links 2004 is much, much better than I expected - and I expected it to drift lightly into my apartment, placed in the CD tray by a glowing angel. Really, the only things we would add are:

Tycho is right, I have been super busy lately. Any free time I’ve had has been spent on games though and I wanted to share my thoughts on a few of them.