I was a frustrated man today. I went to Wal-mart to pick up my bow-hunting license and found out that Wal-mart carried licenses for hunting with a gun only. I then was directed to an archery shop up in Naugatuck. They proceeded to tell me that “We don’t have one, and in fact, no one has one!” I soon learned that I had to obtain a letter from the town clerk and mail it in to Hartford along with: (1) proof that I have taken a state-sponsored bow hunting class (photo-copies of certificates), (2) a declaration my competence with a bow, and (3) send in my drivers license and (4) SSN # for catalogue by the state.I suspect that animal rights folks would be giggling with delight about this state of affairs. But I think it is more a fact that gun-owners have a powerful lobby in the NRA and there is no comparable political force for those who follow the ways of Robin Hood. Still, here is hoping one day CT bows to the forces of logic... as vain a hope as past experience has shown that to be.
If they do happen to mail my license back to me in time for the deer season I will have to stay in land specified by the state paying close attention to a different set of by-laws that each parcel of land is ruled by. (there are 9 sets of laws that could govern each piece of designated hunting land) (I doubt the Native Americans or even the pilgrims would have put up with this stuff!)
My biggest problem with the scenario (besides the obvious legislative road blocks to stop the killing of Bambi) is that a firearms license is easier to get than a bow license. Over the last 4 years, there has been only one fatality in CT due to hunting (a fat guy falling out of a tree), and 8 non-fatal injuries, (mostly fat guys falling out of trees) and all of these have been firearms hunters. Bow hunters have such a clean record because of what it takes to be a bow hunter. Using the bow and arrow is an art that takes years of practice, strength, patience, persistence, and self-discipline. Any guy off the street can whack a deer with a high-power rifle, but only a skilled hunter can scout the land and be so intimate with his prey that he can get with in 20 yards before stealthily pulling back on his bow to harvest a majestic buck for which he had the utmost respect and reverence.
Connecticut is the only state in the union to have such ridiculous restrictions and obstructionist legislation against hunters. By they time I have a son or daughter and I try to acquaint them with ways of the wild, I am not sure that we will be allowed to use a fishing pole to catch a fish much less the beautifully crafted bow to hunt deer.
31 Ağustos 2005 Çarşamba
Bowhunter on... well... Hunting with a Bow
Mod-Blog reader and friend, Bowhunter, has sent in this submission for your reading pleasure (and political angst) regarding the state of affairs of hunting in CT:
Katrina News Almost Apocalyptic
I am sorry to admit that I had not been paying much attention to the news around Hurricane Katrina. I live in CT, my immediate family is in CT, and my extended family are no closer than NC to the storm's path. So, it really did not catch my attention, amidst the insanity of job and life. But I can't ignore it any longer. New Orleans is descending into mob rule and martial law. Mississippi was hit so badly that there are about 70 deaths and homes with bodies are not being emptied, but simply marked with paint for later clean-up.
Now is the time for Americans to pray for those hit by the disaster. And, if you have the money, to donate to the relief efforts. That link is to the American Red Cross, which is providing food, shelter, and emergency supplies to the victims. Also consider donating blood which is in short supply.
The toll from this horrible storm is not over, and the effects may well reach up into the north as the economy takes a hit and as oil pipelines are disrupted. Be praying for those directly hit, and be praying for the rest of us for the future.
Now is the time for Americans to pray for those hit by the disaster. And, if you have the money, to donate to the relief efforts. That link is to the American Red Cross, which is providing food, shelter, and emergency supplies to the victims. Also consider donating blood which is in short supply.
The toll from this horrible storm is not over, and the effects may well reach up into the north as the economy takes a hit and as oil pipelines are disrupted. Be praying for those directly hit, and be praying for the rest of us for the future.
30 Ağustos 2005 Salı
Gas Prices Remain Obscene
Gas Prices Remain Obscene
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.
I could not get back to BJ's today, so I gad to settle for this profane
price. One wonders when it will end.
Gospel for the Blue States
An interesting question to ask is what will God do to reach those of the blue states that are morally reletivistic and how will God unite the reds and the blues? I've thought some time on this, but I haven't come to any conclusions. I found this article today, which doesn't not offer any answers but it does offer a way forward.
I have to ask: Will God yet again raise up wise men to face the schism head-on? Men ready to "stand in the gap" before Him and deal with the two nations? And if so, what will they look like?Check it out, it's worth the read.
Revenge of the Sith not coming to a VHS near you
It is official. Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith will not be released on VHS, but only on DVD. This makes absolute sense. Many people who upgraded to DVD in the last few years, did it to watch one of the Star Wars movies in its full audio and video glory. And Lucas has gone on record many times saying that he considers the DVD release to be the "archival copies" that he wants to go down in history as the authoritative Star Wars.
Of course, this just means that Lucas will only have a few more releases of the Star Wars Septilogy. The next "Special Edition" version with new scenes... the HD-DVD version... the downloadable digital version... the 3D version... the direct to virtual reality version...
Of course, this just means that Lucas will only have a few more releases of the Star Wars Septilogy. The next "Special Edition" version with new scenes... the HD-DVD version... the downloadable digital version... the 3D version... the direct to virtual reality version...
29 Ağustos 2005 Pazartesi
Nuclear Jellyfish?
I have always been fascinated with nuclear technology - both fission and fusion - and also have always hated jellyfish, ever since they covered the beach that one year back in my childhood in Wildwood, NJ. But I never thought those two "interests" would come together.
A Swedish nuclear power plant shut down one of its three reactors Monday because of an abnormal accumulation of jellyfish in the cooling system.Somehow I suspect that even Hollywood would think twice before putting out a nuclear thriller based on the idea of nuclear jellyfish. Maybe not the Sci Fi channel, though. They have been churning out "big animal" horror movies like Hershey churns out chocolate, these days.
The Oskarshamn plant in southeastern Sweden uses water from the Baltic Sea in its cooling tanks.
The water has been unusually rich in jellyfish in recent weeks, but the problem grew worse Monday morning, forcing officials to shut down the reactor.
"When there are too many jellyfish in the cooling water, the flow is hindered and we have to clean it to keep the reactor going at full effect," plant spokesman Erik Mattsen said.
Still More Quickie Reviews
Crash: [R] This skewed look at race in America is intended as a wry commentary on the American obsession with race that goes beyond the usual extremes of blatant racism and complete color-blindness. It even goes beyond the usual polarity of black versus white that most cinema of this type deals with. It covers all colors and all stereotypes. And it does so with humanity and tenderness. That is the good side. The bad side is that it is unrelenting in its bleak outlook. The good guys are mess up, the few folks who make a good choice do so accidentally or with highly-mixed motives. This is not a movie to see if you are already depressed, as it will drive you into the ground. But if you are up to it, it is a fascinating interweaving of characters, stories, and philosophical consideration of the problems of race in America.
The Punisher: [R] The Punisher is arguably Marvel's first foray into a complete anti-hero, and is therefore also arguably the character that pushed comics from the light-and-fluffy era of the 70s, into the dark and gritty era that began in the 90s and is still going strong. The Punisher's story is dark and cruel - his family was killed by criminals - so he is dedicated to not only bring criminals to justice, but also to torture them in the process to bring a dark justice to the streets. Frankly, my opinion has always been that the character is at least as bad as those he hunts. Marvel's newest cinematic take on the character is not as dark as the Punisher of the comics. But it is hardly as bright as any of the recent comic-book movies (though, of course, Sin City makes it look positively cheerful) and there is a sense of hopelessness of this story. There are some good scenes in this film - you can't miss the popsicle scene - but overall, this is one you can afford to miss. That being said, it was moderately popular, and they are talking about a Punisher 2, already. So this is not their last chance to get it right.
The Punisher: [R] The Punisher is arguably Marvel's first foray into a complete anti-hero, and is therefore also arguably the character that pushed comics from the light-and-fluffy era of the 70s, into the dark and gritty era that began in the 90s and is still going strong. The Punisher's story is dark and cruel - his family was killed by criminals - so he is dedicated to not only bring criminals to justice, but also to torture them in the process to bring a dark justice to the streets. Frankly, my opinion has always been that the character is at least as bad as those he hunts. Marvel's newest cinematic take on the character is not as dark as the Punisher of the comics. But it is hardly as bright as any of the recent comic-book movies (though, of course, Sin City makes it look positively cheerful) and there is a sense of hopelessness of this story. There are some good scenes in this film - you can't miss the popsicle scene - but overall, this is one you can afford to miss. That being said, it was moderately popular, and they are talking about a Punisher 2, already. So this is not their last chance to get it right.
28 Ağustos 2005 Pazar
A Chicken Walks Thru It
A Chicken Walks Thru It
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.
CRChair and I live in a suburban neighborhood, but with an emphasis on "urban." No farms around for miles and miles and miles. So we were shocked this morning to see this chicken in our neighbor's yard. But I should not be 100% shocked. My parents lived in Newark, NJ for a while - the epitome of "urban" - and had neighbors that had a whole miniature chicken farm on their property. At least I am not awakened each morning by randy roosters, they way they were.
GameBoy Micro Review
I am still of the opinion that the Gameboy Advanced SP (or as we call it, the "G-BASP" is the best handheld game system ever made. Don't get me wrong. I love my Sony PSP - it is an amazing machine that plays games I never imagined would be on a handheld form factor. But the G-BASP is the best balance of playability, portability, and battery life that I have ever seen. A single charge lasts me a week of gaming, and I can go 6 months without playing it, and come back and find it with enough of a charge to play several hours of gaming. Plus, it plays Gameboy Advanced, Gameboy Color, and original Gameboy games which means you can access most of the portable games ever made. The Nintendo DS on the other hand is a huge disappointment (not the worst, I think the VirtualBoy takes that prize.) Its battery is not as good as the G-BASP. The screen is fine. The games are lacking in quantity and quality. And frankly a touchscreen is not the best interface for the kinds of games one plays on a Gameboy.
Well, now Nintendo is trying to correct the mistake of the DS with the new Gameboy Micro. And IGN has up a review the unit which gives one hope that Nintendo is not entirely hopeless. The new device is essentially a tiny Gameboy Advance. It is so small, in fact, that I suspect that many users will find it hard to see details on the screen. And, unfortunately, it does not play previous Gameboy games (nor Nintendo DS games, but that is no great loss). But it is pocket-sized, with a long battery life, and a high quality screen. I'd prefer a little more visibility and a little more compatibility (so I am not going to buy one) but this is definitely a road on the right path.
Well, now Nintendo is trying to correct the mistake of the DS with the new Gameboy Micro. And IGN has up a review the unit which gives one hope that Nintendo is not entirely hopeless. The new device is essentially a tiny Gameboy Advance. It is so small, in fact, that I suspect that many users will find it hard to see details on the screen. And, unfortunately, it does not play previous Gameboy games (nor Nintendo DS games, but that is no great loss). But it is pocket-sized, with a long battery life, and a high quality screen. I'd prefer a little more visibility and a little more compatibility (so I am not going to buy one) but this is definitely a road on the right path.
27 Ağustos 2005 Cumartesi
What makes a "Check" legal?
Working for a bank, I am learning a lot of the stranger sides of banking past and present. One of the more interesting factoids is that a check - technically a Negotiable Deposit Instrument - does not need to be on special paper produced by your bank. Rather, it can be any piece of paper with the critical info on it. The Straight Dope has all the info you need.
Charlie Rice, a columnist for the old This Week Sunday newspaper supplement, once wrote about various goofy checks that he claimed had been successfully cashed over the years:One story from our local area was from a contractor who was being harrassed by a supply house with whom he had a dispute, because they had delivered substandard parts. After years, he lost the case in court and was hounded by a collection agency. In protest, he had the check finally chiselled into a cinderblock and sent it to the company C.O.D. so they had to pay postage, and then have the debate with the bank about cashing it. It was entirely legal.
Eben Grumpy of Iowa was a little slow in paying John Sputter $30 he owed him. Sputter threatened to sue, so Grumpy painted a check on a door and dropped it on him from a third-story window next time he came over. A court ruled the door was legal payment.
Albert Haddock of England paid his taxes by whitewashing a check for 26 pounds, 10 shillings on the side of a cow. The check was ruled legal.
A participant in an arc-welding contest in Cleveland won first prize for a steel check that he hand-lettered. The check was cashed by officials at a cooperative bank. "The canceling holes," Charlie says, "were applied by a bank guard with a submachine gun." Right.
26 Ağustos 2005 Cuma
25 Ağustos 2005 Perşembe
Frogs and Biking Shorts
I'll start by saying that I really don't like Lance Armstrong. I think he's smug, and everything that happened with his wife makes me like him even less. But I don't say this to lecture about morals, rather to say that I'm no fan. Yet, I have to admit that I was glad to see him fire back today against the French press.
There are so many holes with the investigation that it can't be considered serious journalism, and yet the Tour de France director has already jumped on board calling Lance a cheater. I suppose this will go over well in France, were there is more jealousy over Armstrong than there are stinky Frenchmen. But I imagine that this will only further solidify the world's picture of the French as sore losers. The emphasis there is on sore...and losers.
There are so many holes with the investigation that it can't be considered serious journalism, and yet the Tour de France director has already jumped on board calling Lance a cheater. I suppose this will go over well in France, were there is more jealousy over Armstrong than there are stinky Frenchmen. But I imagine that this will only further solidify the world's picture of the French as sore losers. The emphasis there is on sore...and losers.
Juan Cole Fisked
For those who haven't been reading about the Steven Vincent murder, and Cole's incredible take on it, you should take a few minutes here to get the details. I encourage you to at least read the two links on the first line to get the story. But the commentary is great too, and well worth the read.
Cole shows himself to be the absolute anti-Western, anti-progress, and dishonest, left-wing bigot that he is. (And I realize that there are a lot of adjectives there, but he earns every one plus a few I won't type.)
Cole shows himself to be the absolute anti-Western, anti-progress, and dishonest, left-wing bigot that he is. (And I realize that there are a lot of adjectives there, but he earns every one plus a few I won't type.)
The Wonders and Horrors of Fashion
Althouse asks what's with the obsession with abdomens?
But it's gotten so out of hand that we've dropped the requirement about having a good solid stomach area. I don't want to be mean, but if you're a female wearing a mid-drift shirt, and you have inches to pinch so that it's just sticking out between your shirt and your low-rise jeans like some awful oozing thing, then you need to wear something that is a LITTLE bit more flattering. Showing off your stomach, if you have a gut, isn't going to win you many admiring looks.
Haven't we seen enough of the female midsection for a while? The look-at-my-abs style has lasted way longer than was ever justified. I understand a fixation on breasts or legs, by why are we going on for years and years looking at ladies' tummies? It's rather strange, isn't it?I agree. I get the point, you've got a nice tight abdomen and want to show off your surfboard tummie. Great. I'm a guy, I can appreciate that.
But it's gotten so out of hand that we've dropped the requirement about having a good solid stomach area. I don't want to be mean, but if you're a female wearing a mid-drift shirt, and you have inches to pinch so that it's just sticking out between your shirt and your low-rise jeans like some awful oozing thing, then you need to wear something that is a LITTLE bit more flattering. Showing off your stomach, if you have a gut, isn't going to win you many admiring looks.
DOHS Discourages Small-Time Sellers of DVDs
I learned today that the FBI and DOHS have served a search warrant on an eBay seller whom I have been using for some time to get inexpensive DVDs. The seller has always been on the up-and-up, never sold bootlegs, and discontinued all contact with any supplier who ever sold a bootleg. But the Feds showed up, searched his business with no explanation, and treated the man like dirt. The entire place was trashed, and no consideration was given Now, he has decided to get out of the DVD-selling business, because he doesn't want to go thru such an ordeal ever again.
I realize that you can not expect perfection from every encounter with law enforcement - there are inconsiderate people working there, same as where I work - and everyone is entitled to a bad day. But we must keep in mind while pursuing justice that it is possible to crush an honest citizen in the pursuit of the criminals. And nothing is less just than having the criminal survive, and the honest man driven out of business.
I realize that you can not expect perfection from every encounter with law enforcement - there are inconsiderate people working there, same as where I work - and everyone is entitled to a bad day. But we must keep in mind while pursuing justice that it is possible to crush an honest citizen in the pursuit of the criminals. And nothing is less just than having the criminal survive, and the honest man driven out of business.
Intel Porting Dev Tools to MacOS-X-on-Intel
Well, the circle is now complete. First Apple embraced Intel. Now, Intel embraces Apple.
Kevin Smith, director of Intel Compiler Labs, said that Intel will port a complete set of compilers and performance-enhancing libraries to Apple Computer Inc.'s Intel-based version of Mac OS X. Intel will provide Mac tools for both single-core and multicore processors based on Intel's latest compiler technology. Smith said that the tools will contain the same feature set that Intel now provides for its Windows and Linux development tools.This may mean more apps ported over onto the Mac, since the same source will be more easily shareable with the same tools. I wouldn't mind seeing the library of Mac-compatible programs expanding.
"We will offer one set of tools for all OSes," said Smith.
Intel's compilers and libraries will work as plug-ins to Apple's Xcode development environment running in Mac OS X for Intel.
24 Ağustos 2005 Çarşamba
Computers go from filling a Room, to filling a Desk, to filling a Lap, to filling a Palm, to filling a Pen?
This looks very interesting.
How times have changed. Back when I was growing up in the late 70s and 80s, lots of parents thought Scrabble was all the stimulation children needed to excel in school. Nowadays, adults worry that their kids won't do well unless they own a laptop, a cell phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA). And soon, perhaps, the Fly pentop computer will be added to that list...Developed by LeapFrog Enterprises, a maker of educational toys, the gadget is just what it sounds like: a talking computer hidden within a pen the size of an electric toothbrush.Not sure how practical this thing is, but it has the feel of something that will have more use as it grows and matures. As someone once said, "What use is a newborn baby?"
PSP Firmware 2.0 is here
Basically, all it does is add a web browser. But I guess that is not a bad thing. As of now, you can only upgrade by linking your PSP to a wireless network, but a "normal" download (to your computer, then load to a memory stick, then upgrade that way) is on the way.
Fetal Pain Study Draws Fire
A group of doctors is publshing a new study that claims fetuses feel no pain until the 7th week of pregnancy. Obviously, therefore, they would conclude there is nothing wrog about aborting a fetus before that point, right. Um, no. Guess what, if you believe a fetus is human, it is still killing a human life. Plus, there is this little gem toward the end.
When doctors operate on fetuses to correct defects before birth, general anesthesia is given to the mother primarily to immobilize the fetus and to make the uterus relax, Rosen said. Anesthesia during fetal surgery increases the mother's risks for breathing problems and bleeding from a relaxed uterus, the researchers said...Administering anesthesia directly to the fetus is also sometimes done but generally to reduce the release of potentially harmful fetal stress hormones, Rosen said. There is little research on its effects, the authors said.And what triggers "fetal stress hormones"? Well, it couldn't be pain, or something close enough to it to indicate harmful effects on the fetus. Um, sounds like it DOES indicate that to me. I ain't no doctor, but this all smells horribly fishy to me.
23 Ağustos 2005 Salı
HD DVD vs Blu-Ray: This Means War!!!
Well, it is official. The DVD manufacturers have given up trying to find a compromise, and will be coming out with the next generation of DVD players in two incompatible formats. Considering that about half of movie studios have adopted Blue-Ray from Sony and about half have adopted HD-DVD frOM Toshiba, it is likely that it will be consumers caught in the middle in a VHS vs Beta-style conflict.
Of course, the new Sony Playstation 3 will support only Blu-Ray, which will give it a major leg up. (But I hear tell that XBOX 2 will support HD-DVD.) Then again, I am not entirely sure that the public is ready to abandon the existing DVD format for a new one, so soon after replacing their VHS collections completely. Personally, I dread a world where my movie collection becomes obsolete every 10 years. Then again, since I own over 300 movies, this hits me harder than the average person who probably owns under 100.
Of course, the new Sony Playstation 3 will support only Blu-Ray, which will give it a major leg up. (But I hear tell that XBOX 2 will support HD-DVD.) Then again, I am not entirely sure that the public is ready to abandon the existing DVD format for a new one, so soon after replacing their VHS collections completely. Personally, I dread a world where my movie collection becomes obsolete every 10 years. Then again, since I own over 300 movies, this hits me harder than the average person who probably owns under 100.
22 Ağustos 2005 Pazartesi
Calvin & Hobbes on Appreciating the Ephemeral
Okay, yes. I admit it. I post this half for its profound truth and half because I enjoy being able to use the word "ephemeral" in a post.
21 Ağustos 2005 Pazar
Pope: DIY Religion = Bad
As a pretty strict protestant I never thought I'd say this, but I think I love this pope. In his most recent homily he said:
"Religion constructed on a 'do-it-yourself' basis cannot ultimately help us," he said. "It may be comfortable but at times of crisis we are left to ourselves."His basic emphasis was that Catholicism (and Christianity in general) is an all or nothing religion and when you start taking things out you only weaken it. Sure there are exceptions to the rule, but as Christians (or Catholics) we need to live in the rule and not in the exceptions. In reaction a German teenager said:
"That means no sex, basically, doesn't it? He has to say that. He is the Pope, but I think people should make their own choices."Isn't that exactly what the Pope was speaking against? I love that this pope isn't trying to be hip like his predecessor, he's instead really working at being the father figure the pope is supposed to be. I'm very stoked.
Still More Quickie Reviews
Kicking and Screaming: [PG] Will Farrell's take on the Bad News Bears via soccer was actually a pleasant surprise. It is hardly one of the groundbreaking roles for this comic madman, but it is the quiet Will Farrell (most of the time) and that can be funny enough. Add in a splash of Mike Ditka and Robert Duvall in high comic form, and it is a recipe for excellence. This is a light and funny treat.
Wedding Crashers: [R]
This dark comedy is not Old School or the other gross-outs that have made the reputation of Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of disgusting humor here, but most of it is cold and witty. The start of the movie is fast-paced and funny, the later (plot-filled parts) are much slower and much more dramatic. I can't quite recommend this one, because of the darker parts and colder sicker humor, but it is far better than the trailers make it out to be.
Ice Princess: [G] This is Disney's latest clone of the Mighty Ducks - a clean sports comedy that goes from hopelessness to triumph in about 10 easy steps. But let's be honest. These are fun movies, and when they are done well, they are a lot of fun. This one is no exception. The parts are played with charm by all involved, and there is geniune tension and drama, albeit at a teenaged girl level. Still, I recommend this one when you are in the mood for "light and fluffy."
Alien Planet: [TV] Okay this one ain't a movie. It is a TV show from Discovery channel, based on the same idea of the WALKING WITH DINOSAURS - taking creatures that can not possibly be seen in the real world, and using imagination to consruct them via CGI. This time, instead of being real monsters from the past, we are "walking with" aliens from a whole other hypothetical world. It is funny that I enjoy these things so much, considering how I am not convinced of the truth of macro-evolution. But I really do. They make some of the best science fiction stories out today.
Wedding Crashers: [R]
This dark comedy is not Old School or the other gross-outs that have made the reputation of Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of disgusting humor here, but most of it is cold and witty. The start of the movie is fast-paced and funny, the later (plot-filled parts) are much slower and much more dramatic. I can't quite recommend this one, because of the darker parts and colder sicker humor, but it is far better than the trailers make it out to be.
Ice Princess: [G] This is Disney's latest clone of the Mighty Ducks - a clean sports comedy that goes from hopelessness to triumph in about 10 easy steps. But let's be honest. These are fun movies, and when they are done well, they are a lot of fun. This one is no exception. The parts are played with charm by all involved, and there is geniune tension and drama, albeit at a teenaged girl level. Still, I recommend this one when you are in the mood for "light and fluffy."
Alien Planet: [TV] Okay this one ain't a movie. It is a TV show from Discovery channel, based on the same idea of the WALKING WITH DINOSAURS - taking creatures that can not possibly be seen in the real world, and using imagination to consruct them via CGI. This time, instead of being real monsters from the past, we are "walking with" aliens from a whole other hypothetical world. It is funny that I enjoy these things so much, considering how I am not convinced of the truth of macro-evolution. But I really do. They make some of the best science fiction stories out today.
20 Ağustos 2005 Cumartesi
Beware of the Splogs!!!
According to this article a growing problem in the blogging community is "splogs" or "spam blogs." Essentially, these are blogs dedicated to distorting the results of search engines by putting out a million entries pointing to a certain website or family of websites. Thus, when someone types in an honest search for "health food" they are more likely to be pointed to any one of a million spam blogposts for someone's snake oil then to a reputable health food store or news site. It is always about separating the wheat from the chaff, right?
Blogger is by far the worst offender. Google seems to be working hard to adjust their relevancy indexes to exclude splog from having influence on search rankings, but they dont seem to be doing anything more than removing reported splogs. Kind of like going after the zombies one at a time with a shovel. Can we get some help on this Google ? (you can check out weblogs.com to get a feel for just how much splog we are talking about )Now you know why Mod-Blog does not appear as prominently as you might expect, considering our eminent authors.
Googles problem with splog isnt just a blog search engine issue. Its an end user issue as well. No splog detection algorithms are going to be perfect. Not only do we miss splog, but we take out innocent victims along the way as well.
If you are an individual blogger whose blog is hosted on blogspot.com, every day the chances of you being excluded from icerocket.com’s, and other search engines’ indexes increases. Its not just blogspot.com, pretty much 90plus percent of blogs hosted on .info sites are splogs as well.
Gas Prices Reach for the Stars
Gas Prices Reach for the Stars
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.Not a huge change from the last one, but still going up. Is any relief in sight? (Only if you have a bicycle or enjoy walking.)
19 Ağustos 2005 Cuma
Paul Begala
It's hard to fathom why Begala is still considered a leading thinker for the Democratic party, especially when you consider his most recent words before a group of Democratic faithful.
Looking for Cheap Gas?
We've started posting some stories about the outragrous price of gas (and the unconscienceable closing of refineries in the USA), so it is probably time to do something about helping our readers save some cash. Check out GasBuddy.Com which is a free website run by volunteers to identify the prices of gas stations in your area. For my area, they found quite a few though they missed the BJs where gas is cheapest. But again, it is run by volunteers, so we can always go out and get more prices for them as a volunteer, and provide a valuable public service.
18 Ağustos 2005 Perşembe
Bolton and the Stupid Brigade
Joe gives a good summary of Bolton's first go-around with the UN. Remember that according to the Democrats, the President was supposed to send a yes man to the UN to ease tensions. I'm even more pleased that Bolton is willing to say no, especially to blatant terrorist propaganda within the Stupid Brigade.
What Happened to All Those Scandals?
The American Princess ponders the fate of all those scandals that the left assured us were ready to explode. Her conclusions are absolutely shocking! I'll make you go over and read them for yourself.
Graphic Pictures from Iraq
From the People's Cube, a spot-on pictorial that you'll never see in our MSM.
WARNING: There is one shot of frontal nudity. However, if you stop when you see the idiot protestors, you'll be spared having to see some hairy french-wanna-be protester without her shirt on.
WARNING: There is one shot of frontal nudity. However, if you stop when you see the idiot protestors, you'll be spared having to see some hairy french-wanna-be protester without her shirt on.
Sheehan Now and Then
As further evidence of the sad tool that she has become for the left, consider what Sheehan said shortly after her first meeting with the President and then what she had to say later about that same meeting.
Greatest Action Sequences
From John Hawkins, the greatest fights. I'm not sure I can agree with all the choices, although there are some really good picks in the mix. I'd be interested in what our readers think. Any better action sequences you can think of? For me, the Battle of Hoth in the Empire Strikes Back should be in the top ten.
10) The Crow: The invincible Brandon Lee vs. an entire room full of gangsters in a bloody gun battle with slamming music pumping in the background. It was murderous fun!
9) Troy: The Duel between Achilles and Hector was stylish and well done, despite the fact Brad Pitt was involved...
8) Saving Private Ryan: The opening action sequence gave you more of a feel for the peril soldiers were in than any previous movie. It was beyond intense...
7) Fist of Legend: This is the best martial arts movie ever made & the final scene that features Jet Li against the nearly unstoppable Japanese general was phenomenal.
6) The Killers: This movie was full of voluminous & stylish gunplay from Chow-Yun Fat, but the big gun battle at end where dozens and dozens of gangsters died, along with the cruel plot twist, really stood out.
5) The Matrix Revolutions: This was an execrable movie with horrible dialogue, but the super powered battle between Neo and Agent Smith at least lived up to the hype.
4) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: The massive final battle in this movie may be the finest action sequence ever filmed. Giant clashing armies, cut aways to fantastic battles between heroes and monsters, stunning giant war elephants. It was just superb!
3) Kill Bill Vol 1: Whatever you think of Tarantino, you've got to give him credit for making Uma Thurman look like Bruce Lee -- especially in the incredible bloody brawl at the end of the movie. The Bridge vs. the Crazy 88 was off the charts.
2) Equilibrium: When John Preson takes out an entire headquarters using the "gun kata." Just awesome.
1) The Matrix: The rescue of Morpheus. That's the most influential action sequence of the last decade if you ask me.
10) The Crow: The invincible Brandon Lee vs. an entire room full of gangsters in a bloody gun battle with slamming music pumping in the background. It was murderous fun!
9) Troy: The Duel between Achilles and Hector was stylish and well done, despite the fact Brad Pitt was involved...
8) Saving Private Ryan: The opening action sequence gave you more of a feel for the peril soldiers were in than any previous movie. It was beyond intense...
7) Fist of Legend: This is the best martial arts movie ever made & the final scene that features Jet Li against the nearly unstoppable Japanese general was phenomenal.
6) The Killers: This movie was full of voluminous & stylish gunplay from Chow-Yun Fat, but the big gun battle at end where dozens and dozens of gangsters died, along with the cruel plot twist, really stood out.
5) The Matrix Revolutions: This was an execrable movie with horrible dialogue, but the super powered battle between Neo and Agent Smith at least lived up to the hype.
4) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: The massive final battle in this movie may be the finest action sequence ever filmed. Giant clashing armies, cut aways to fantastic battles between heroes and monsters, stunning giant war elephants. It was just superb!
3) Kill Bill Vol 1: Whatever you think of Tarantino, you've got to give him credit for making Uma Thurman look like Bruce Lee -- especially in the incredible bloody brawl at the end of the movie. The Bridge vs. the Crazy 88 was off the charts.
2) Equilibrium: When John Preson takes out an entire headquarters using the "gun kata." Just awesome.
1) The Matrix: The rescue of Morpheus. That's the most influential action sequence of the last decade if you ask me.
The Sheehan Spectacle
I have to agree with Chrenkoff's assessment of the Sheehan situation.
She has convinced herself that by sharing her suffering with those around her, she will find peace. And she also believes that if she can "just make it right for the other families," then perhaps she will have righted the death of her son. But it is not through these things that Cindy will find the end to the pains he feels. But she's too busy selling the party line to stop and realize that.
But what happens when her 15 minutes are up? What happens when all the "supportive" families are gone. What happens when the press goes away and the Democratic party has left her? Then she'll have the same issues, the same pain. She'll realize then that the pain can't be fooled. The war will have gone on, her son will still be gone, and her pain will still be there until she learns that healing doesn't come from politics. This misguided woman is seeking her own peace though all the wrong channels and the far-left Democrats are all too happy to help her along.
In fact, what Cindy Sheehan's vigil increasingly reminds me of most is a vaguely blasphemous spectacle. Here we have Casey Sheehan, the martyred Messiah, and Cindy Sheehan, the grief-stricken Mother of God, sitting at the foot of a forest of little white crosses, while the anti-war crowd partakes in the unholy communion of Casey's body and blood, in the hope that he - through the agency and intercession of his mother - will be their new savior, leading them to the Kingdom of Heaven where the US troops are out of Iraq and George Bush is out of the White House. Casey Sheehan might have died for - and because of - President Bush's sins (and if we believe Cindy's anti-Semitic ravings, Casey, like the medieval Christ, was murdered by the Jews), but his sacrifice will surely bring the political resurrection to the anti-war movement, buffeted by the re-election of BushHitler.What has happened to her family is truly awful. But her time in the spotlight has proven her to be a truly misguided woman in desperate need of help. If she would spend half as much time with a counselor as she has at the President's gate, she might actually find herself able to move on. But then, our country has made it convenient to make a name, and a dollar, for yourself off of your pain. Sadly, Cindy is another unfortunate example of a person who believes that she will find solace in all the wrong places.
She has convinced herself that by sharing her suffering with those around her, she will find peace. And she also believes that if she can "just make it right for the other families," then perhaps she will have righted the death of her son. But it is not through these things that Cindy will find the end to the pains he feels. But she's too busy selling the party line to stop and realize that.
But what happens when her 15 minutes are up? What happens when all the "supportive" families are gone. What happens when the press goes away and the Democratic party has left her? Then she'll have the same issues, the same pain. She'll realize then that the pain can't be fooled. The war will have gone on, her son will still be gone, and her pain will still be there until she learns that healing doesn't come from politics. This misguided woman is seeking her own peace though all the wrong channels and the far-left Democrats are all too happy to help her along.
Obey Gravity Shirt In Space
Think Geek is a great store for any techie. They sell all sorts of Geek related items including one shirt that says "Obey Gravity, It's the law!" In good humor, Astronaut Stephen Robinson wore one in space recently. You can see the photo here.
From the most recent Think Geek mailing...
From the most recent Think Geek mailing...
You read that right. A ThinkGeek shirt recently made it all the way to the space station (and back thankfully) via NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery. Poetic justice was served as the tee that blasted off was our 'Obey Gravity, it's the law!' shirt. We feel like the proud parents of a kid who designed a t-shirt that went into space. Search our site for the shirt to see an action shot if you are curious.
Saudis kill Al Qaeda leader ahead of new King's visit
CNN is reporting that the Saudis have killed a leader of Al Qaeda named "Saleh Al Oufi", ahead of a visit by the new King Abdullah to the city of Medina. Medina is considered holy to Muslims, and it was part of a security sweep to make the city safe. Allegedly, this man was the head of the terrorist organization's activities on the Arab peninsula.
This may just be a simple security sweep, or this may be the start of something truly new and different. The last king tried to straddle a tightrope between the Americans and the terrorists. Enough arrests to make the USA quiet, but hands off of the truly important people. This may be a signal that the new king - the same man who convinced George H. W. Bush to send troops for the first Gulf War - is ready to get tough on terrorists and to reject Al Qaeda in all of its forms. Here is hoping!
This may just be a simple security sweep, or this may be the start of something truly new and different. The last king tried to straddle a tightrope between the Americans and the terrorists. Enough arrests to make the USA quiet, but hands off of the truly important people. This may be a signal that the new king - the same man who convinced George H. W. Bush to send troops for the first Gulf War - is ready to get tough on terrorists and to reject Al Qaeda in all of its forms. Here is hoping!
LifeStraw - Solving the Problem of Clean Water?
This story on Engadget is one that truly has the potential to change the world.
A device about the size of a large pen or drinking straw, the LifeStraw is a complete water purification kit that draws its power from the person sucking down the water. The LifeStraw is the product of ten years of development work, based on the goal of creating an efficient, affordable water-purification system for the developing world, where water-borne illnesses are a major killer. When produced in quantity, each LifeStraw — which uses a combination of mesh filters, iodine-impregnated beads and active carbon to remove particulate matter and bacteria — is expected to cost under $2...If they are smart, what they'll do is sell these as expensive add-ons to survival kits and terrorism preparedness kits, and use the extra profits to subsidize cheap sales to the developing world! I could easily see an American paying $50 for such a device under the brand name "Super Pure" and thereby essnetially underwriting 24 of them free for the neediest peoples.
17 Ağustos 2005 Çarşamba
Playstation 3 appears on Amazon for $299.99
It may be a mistake, but it appears Amazon has again leaked a price before the producer can get their MSRP press release out the door. This time is the Sony Playstation 3 showing at Amazon for $299.99. Hmmm.... That sounds about right, actually, though one can't help wondering.
Gas Still Going Up
Gas Still Going Up
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.
Rumor is that in nearby states it has hit over $3 per gallon. Sigh. Again, this is the cheapest place around my place (within 5 towns).
New Worm Strikes Windows 2000 (and Early XP) Machines
My company upgraded all computers to Windows XP this year, and personally I was quiter skeptical. Windows 2000 was fast, stable, and reliable, whereas my experience with Windows XP was largely that it was just bloatware. (Bloatware meaning it required more RAM, more CPU power, more hard drive space, but gave no discernable advantage.) Well, it appears it is a good thing we did upgrade. Yesterday, a new Windows worm hit the internet hard taking down Windows 2000 computers all over the globe. Several folks in my own family were hit (on work computers, at home we are an Apple family) and it appears that whole divisions of CNN were taken out. Newer versions of Windows XP are immune.
This worm can be stopped if you have the newest Windows Updates. Please check and upgrade your systems immediately, if you have not done so already.
This worm can be stopped if you have the newest Windows Updates. Please check and upgrade your systems immediately, if you have not done so already.
16 Ağustos 2005 Salı
Blind Video Gamer Wins Competition
Only still working link I can find to this story is at Globespot.com. Originally passed on from my girlfriend who found it at KCRA's website (a local news channel). From the associated press:
All I can say is WOW. Glad to see that rather than wallowing in despair over his condition, he faced it head on and did what many would assume to be impossible.
Blind Video Gamer Takes On All Comers
Blind Kid Plays A Mean 'Mortal Kombat'
POSTED: 6:58 am PDT July 28, 2005
LINCOLN, Neb. -- It's no exaggeration to say Brice Mellen is so good at video games, he can beat his opponents with his eyes closed.
Like most 17-year-olds, Mellen loves playing video games. But unlike most gamers, he's been blind since birth.
Mellen said he taught himself to play by memorizing joystick operations, asking lots of questions and paying close attention to audio cues.
His father said his son wasn't very good at first, "but he just kept on trying."
Mellen worked his way up from "Space Invaders" and "Asteroid" to such modern combat games as "Mortal Kombat."
He humbly says he can be beat. But there was no evidence of that at a gaming center in Lincoln.
One by one, he destroyed his opponents -- some of whom thought he would be an easy opponent because of his blindness.
Mellen said that when he goes to college, he wants to study video-game design.
All I can say is WOW. Glad to see that rather than wallowing in despair over his condition, he faced it head on and did what many would assume to be impossible.
Army Recruits To Be Paid In Gasoline
Especially after seeing Nomad's picture, just had to post this from the Borowitz Report. Well, that and to prove that I do still lurk around here from time to time. :-D
August 15, 2005
ARMY OFFERS TO PAY RECRUITS IN GASOLINE
As Gas Prices Soar, So Will Enlistment, Pentagon Hopes
With potential Army enlistees turning up their noses at bonuses and other perks, the Pentagon announced today that it was prepared to "sweeten the pot" by offering all new recruits a free tank of gas.
At the Pentagon, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that the decision to pay recruits in gasoline, while unorthodox, was a "slam-dunk solution" to the Army's nagging shortfalls in enlistment.
"As gas prices approach four dollars a gallon, we believe that a free tank of gas in exchange for a tour of duty in Iraq is an offer these recruits can't refuse," Secretary Rumsfeld said. "And when gas prices hit five dollars a gallon - well, goodness gracious, we'll be turning people away."
Mr. Rumsfeld went on to say that skyrocketing gas prices, rather than being the bane of the American motorist's existence, are actually "America's secret weapon in the global struggle against violent extremism."
Across the nation, Army recruitment offices were being outfitted with full-serve and self-serve gas pumps to accommodate the anticipated crush of gas-thirsty enlistees.
But at one such office in Gary, Indiana, there were no takers for the Pentagon's free gas offer, which also includes a free car wash and windshield-wiper fluid.
In the words of one recruitment officer there, "If things don't pick up soon, we're going to have to throw in free tires."
Elsewhere, Cristeta Comerford, the first female executive chef in the history of the White House, said that the greatest challenge of her new job will be to "fill Dick Cheney's ravenous piehole."
Why Supply and Demand is a GOOD Thing
When I was in High School Economics class, there were two kinds of people who did not get the law of suppy and demand: (1) Rich and spoiled kids who did not understand why you would not buy something, no matter the cost, if you wanted it, and (b) Idealist kids who felt it was immoral to raise prices simply because the market would accomodate it. Well, now we know why matching supply to demand is a good thing
What started as a sale turned into a mob scene as thousands of people pushed their way through the Richmond International Raceway gates to buy a $50 iBook laptop computer from Henrico County Schools Tuesday morning...An estimated 5500 people were on hand when the gates were opened. What followed can only be described as chaos as dozens rushed to get to the head of the line. People were trampled, shoved and pushed...Dustin Coppinger, who attended the sale, said he saw an older man run over by anxious buyers, "An old man in a walker was trampled to the ground. Trampled to the ground... walked all over," he said.Sigh. I want to say I would *NEVER* do such a thing. But then, I already have my iMac and Powerbook, so my supply keeps my demand low.
School Prayer and Roberts
Documents released yesterday revealed that Jon Roberts supported school prayer - a moment of silence before the school day begins to be exact. I'm almost certain that this will be blown out of proportion by the media and those that would like to make Roberts into a religious zealot. The case being discussed - as far as I can tell - revolved around a moment of silence that would allow Christian students to pray if they wanted to and those of other religions to pray as well -again if they wanted to. It's not as big a deal as some would - or will - make it out to be.
This brings up an interesting issue for me. I am after all what most would consider an evangelical Christian, so I've heard lots of grief stirred up over the ban on prayer in school. There seems to be this idea in some areas of evangelicalism that says if we re-instituted school prayer then all of the problems we have in public schools would suddenly up and disappear. The problem with this logic is that the people that promote it are assuming that all the prayers uttered would be nice evangelical protestant prayers - or even if we were to standardize it the Lords Prayer. While there is no actual provision in the constitution for a separation of church and state, there is a provision to prevent state run religion. Essentially what those evangelicals who are so in favor of school prayer are hoping for is state run protestant prayers, which would be unconstitutional. This then leads to another problem, since the prayers couldn't be standardized then the prayers would be of whatever religion the teacher of that particular class is a follower of, thus we would have Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and even Satanist prayers being offered up in our public schools - yeah, that'll fix our problems. So in essence I am opposed to school prayer as something that is regulated by the government. If it were something like what Judge Roberts was suggesting back in the '80s I would have no problem with it. Again, just my two cents.
This brings up an interesting issue for me. I am after all what most would consider an evangelical Christian, so I've heard lots of grief stirred up over the ban on prayer in school. There seems to be this idea in some areas of evangelicalism that says if we re-instituted school prayer then all of the problems we have in public schools would suddenly up and disappear. The problem with this logic is that the people that promote it are assuming that all the prayers uttered would be nice evangelical protestant prayers - or even if we were to standardize it the Lords Prayer. While there is no actual provision in the constitution for a separation of church and state, there is a provision to prevent state run religion. Essentially what those evangelicals who are so in favor of school prayer are hoping for is state run protestant prayers, which would be unconstitutional. This then leads to another problem, since the prayers couldn't be standardized then the prayers would be of whatever religion the teacher of that particular class is a follower of, thus we would have Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and even Satanist prayers being offered up in our public schools - yeah, that'll fix our problems. So in essence I am opposed to school prayer as something that is regulated by the government. If it were something like what Judge Roberts was suggesting back in the '80s I would have no problem with it. Again, just my two cents.
Can anyone recommend a good vacuum?
Well, CRChair and I have killed our first vacuum. It was an el cheapo model that we got from Wal-Mart our first week in our new apartment - all plastic and under $50. It lasted about a year. Then it choked on a piece of yarn. Yup. That is right. A piece of yarn. Bound up the motor and it burned out. Well, I have been researching new vacuums and am amazed at the price differential. Everything from a $20 el cheapo, to a $600 Oreck XL you hear about on the radio, to a $1200 hypo-allergenic machine. But what I want is simple. A good vacuum that will last me a decade, and keep the place clean. Any suggestions?
What is GoogleNet?
Business 2.0 is talking like we are back in the days of the Dot-Com Bubble. Makes one wonder if they realize even NetZero charges for internet access these days.
What if Google wanted to give Wi-Fi access to everyone in America? And what if it had technology capable of targeting advertising to a user’s precise location? The gatekeeper of the world’s information could become one of the globe’s biggest Internet providers and one of its most powerful ad sellers, basically supplanting telecoms in one fell swoop. Sounds crazy, but how might Google go about it?More likely, they are forming a network that might be free during its beta form, but would become a pay-per-play service when it goes live. One thing we have learned is "free" is rarely a good business model for bandwidth, unless you are Starbucks or another restaurant which can guarantee people will buy food while surfing. Then again, maybe I am being overly skeptical. GMail is still free, and Hotmail has never charged for their service.
First it would build a national broadband network -- let's call it the GoogleNet -- massive enough to rival even the country's biggest Internet service providers. Business 2.0 has learned from telecom insiders that Google is already building such a network, though ostensibly for many reasons. For the past year, it has quietly been shopping for miles and miles of "dark," or unused, fiber-optic cable across the country from wholesalers such as New York’s AboveNet.
15 Ağustos 2005 Pazartesi
World's Ugliest Dog is Beloved
Anyone who does not understand this story obviously has never spent any time with a dog. The dog ruled "world's ugliest" is a homely little thing, but it loves its owner absolutely and that makes is beautiful in its own way. We all know our our dog probably is not the most beautiful, cutest, etc. in an absolutel sense, but we all secretly believe they are, because we love them.
14 Ağustos 2005 Pazar
YouTube: Flicker for Video?
YouTube is an interesting new site that has just popped up. It is someone's attempt to provide a Flicker-style experience, but instead of photos it is for short videos. Folks may be aware that I am an avid user of Flickr - I had a pro account before they were out of Beta. But I doubt I will be doing nearly as much for YouTube, because my main digital camera does not have a video mode (the downside of Digital SLRs). But you never know. This could be a nice way to store my photo slideshows, when I convert them into a Quicktime movie via iMovie.
Catching Up
Well, Muse and I have been keeping a bit busy of late but things have settled down, finally. We didn't take the New Orleans job and so are still looking. At the time, we're looking at a variety of options, including some work options that would allow us to pay off our student loans pretty quickly. Then we could be free to go wherever we feel God leading us and not have to worry about what kind of ministry we can afford to be a part of. So things have been a bit crazy but life is finally slowing down just a little bit. And hopefully that means more time for blogging!
Yet Another Mod-Blog Spin-off
I've not posted here for some time, which probably makes many of the "moderates" that read this blog kind of happy. The reason behind my absesnce is because I'm A) pretty lazy B)kind of busy and C) starting to work on my personal blog again. I'll still be posting here if I find something interesting and worthy of debate by the Mod Blog audience. Nonetheless, that's my reason for the absence of my posts.
Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks in NY and London?
Here is one that I hope is false. Of course, I am not sure the terrorists want to do attacks that we already are prepared for. Half of the al Qaeda srategy is to strike where we infidels feel safe.
AMERICAN intelligence chiefs have warned that Al-Qaeda terrorists are plotting to drive hijacked fuel tankers into petrol stations in an effort to cause mass casualties in London and US cities in the next few weeks.I suspect that New York will soon consider closing the tunnels to truck traffic again. Which will cause major disruption to stores in the city that operate close to the edge of their inventory. But London is not so easily protected.
The leaked warning, contained in a bulletin issued by the US Department for Homeland Security last week, says the attacks aim to create catastrophic damage at about the time of the fourth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
The warning came as it emerged that the British Department for Transport had for the first time issued guidelines ordering a tightening of security around the UK road tanker fleet.
The US warning has been circulated among law enforcement agencies and fuel transport agencies. Although a preamble states that “no other intelligence exists to corroborate this specific threat”, the intelligence report is highly specific.
Custom-Made Hybrid Reaches 250 MPG
Hybrid cars are the hope of automakers as a way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, without having to completely switch over to an alternative fuel. Recently, there have been a lot of stories questioning the true fuel-efficiency of hybrids. But if you want a truly fuel-efficient vehicle, maybe it time to talk to the hobbyists.
It looks like a typical Toyota Prius hybrid, but in the trunk sits an 80-miles-per-gallon secret — a stack of 18 brick-sized batteries that boosts the car's high mileage with an extra electrical charge so it can burn even less fuel.Of course, the problem with plug-in vehicles is that they use domestic power which is often produced by burning oil or even dirtier production methods (coal, for example). Still, 250 MPG sounds good to me in the days of $2.50/gallon gas.
Gremban, an electrical engineer and committed environmentalist, spent several months and $3,000 tinkering with his car...He's part of a small but growing movement. "Plug-in" hybrids aren't yet cost-efficient, but some of the dozen known experimental models have gotten up to 250 mpg...So far, DaimlerChrysler AG is the only company that has committed to building its own plug-in hybrids, quietly pledging to make up to 40 vans for U.S. companies. But Toyota Motor Corp. officials who initially frowned on people altering their cars now say they may be able to learn from them.
13 Ağustos 2005 Cumartesi
More Movie Quickies
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: [PG] The original was a classic, even if the Umpa Loompa songs were hokey and mildly distrubing. When I heard tell of a remake, I thought it was another case of Hollywood's lack of original ideas. But this was actually an interesting reinterpretation of the novel. This Willy Wonka is considerably creepier and more misanthropic than Gene Wilder's. But somehow also more human. And again Charlie is the epitome of goodness and wisdom, despite the silly self-centeredness of the other children in the story. This is a fun movie that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Dukes of Hazzard: [PG13] As good a remake as CHARLIE is, this is bad. The original series was a fun and silly family affair. Car chases, silly plots, simple-minded plans, and the good guys always win. The only similarity between this and the original is that it is silly. Bo and Luke are fools. Uncle Jessie is bitter and joyless. Daisy is turned into only a sex object. And the General Lee is not so much a character as... well... a set. This film has no idea what made the original a success. Oh, and if anyone was planning on seeing the film just to see Jessica Simpson, every scene of hers you have already seen in the trailers. This is a film to avoid. Even if you are not offended, you will be bored most of the time.
Sin City: [R] Wow, this is a bad movie. Not bad as in "poorly made." Bad as in evil. The "sin" in the title is not facetious. When there are not horrible things happening onscreen... well... the credits are rolling. The "good guys" are killers. The bad guys are not just bad. While this is based on a comic book, there are not comic book villains. Not insane, or power hungry, or simple distortions. These are serial killers, pedophiles, and worse. This is a film to avoid for better reasons than boredom. And while I see Sin City 2 is on the way, I suspect it won't be better, but rather worse.
Dukes of Hazzard: [PG13] As good a remake as CHARLIE is, this is bad. The original series was a fun and silly family affair. Car chases, silly plots, simple-minded plans, and the good guys always win. The only similarity between this and the original is that it is silly. Bo and Luke are fools. Uncle Jessie is bitter and joyless. Daisy is turned into only a sex object. And the General Lee is not so much a character as... well... a set. This film has no idea what made the original a success. Oh, and if anyone was planning on seeing the film just to see Jessica Simpson, every scene of hers you have already seen in the trailers. This is a film to avoid. Even if you are not offended, you will be bored most of the time.
Sin City: [R] Wow, this is a bad movie. Not bad as in "poorly made." Bad as in evil. The "sin" in the title is not facetious. When there are not horrible things happening onscreen... well... the credits are rolling. The "good guys" are killers. The bad guys are not just bad. While this is based on a comic book, there are not comic book villains. Not insane, or power hungry, or simple distortions. These are serial killers, pedophiles, and worse. This is a film to avoid for better reasons than boredom. And while I see Sin City 2 is on the way, I suspect it won't be better, but rather worse.
iTunes and Google, Sitting in a Tree?
Color me skeptical on this particular rumor though my Apple stock is enjoying the boost.
According to market chatter, Apple is set to announce a deal with Google (GOOG:Nasdaq - commentary - research) calling for Google to offer Apple's iTunes music store through its own site. The rumored deal would pair the nation's leading online music store with its leading search engine.
There's "speculation of an iTunes launch," says Paul Foster, an options strategist at Theflyonthewall.com. "Google is going to offer iTunes somehow on their platform," according to the rumor, he says.
Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said the company doesn't comment on "rumors and speculation." A Google representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
12 Ağustos 2005 Cuma
Amazing Gas Prices
Amazing Gas Prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.
This is from the cheapest place in town. Can you believe it was not so long ago that $2 per gallon seemed like a lot?!
11 Ağustos 2005 Perşembe
Welcome back to the 70s
No, I don't mean disco. I mean high gas prices and a possible gasoline shortage. With gas approaching record highs, it is beyond the point of relying upon the slow emergence of Hybrid vehicles to bring back down the price of oil. It is time to add pressure to the Saudis, drill in ANWAR, and consider some mor extreme measures. Being a BJ's gas customer is keeping me in the black in the short-run, but won't help me on my 45 minute commute for long.
And yes, before someone reminds me, I do realize getting a job closer to home, or a home closer to work is another option.
And yes, before someone reminds me, I do realize getting a job closer to home, or a home closer to work is another option.
MacOS X on Intel hacked - Runs on Non-Apple Hardware
It was inevitable (and possibly desired by Apple's marketting wonks) and now it has happened. Some enterprising hackers grabbed a copy of the Apple MacOS X Developers Preview image off of a BitTorrent site and have hacked it so that it can run on any Windows box (with compatible hardware, that is). No longer do we have to wait for an Apple-produced Intel box in order to see the blasphemy that is the Macintosh fruity goodness running on the chip of the Evil Empire.
Is this a disaster for Apple's desire for a clone-free future? Or is this the best viral marketing campaign of all time?
Is this a disaster for Apple's desire for a clone-free future? Or is this the best viral marketing campaign of all time?
10 Ağustos 2005 Çarşamba
Iraqi Bombs... Are Iranian
This is not a good sign.
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday that weapons recently confiscated in Iraq were "clearly, unambiguously from Iran" and admonished Tehran for allowing the explosives to cross the border...The shipment of sophisticated bombs was confiscated in the past two weeks by U.S. and Iraqi troops in southern Iraq, senior U.S. officials said Monday.Let us not forget that Iran is a Shi'a nation and Iraq is a majority-Shi'a nation. There is nothing that the Mullahs in Iran would like better than to annex large parts of Iraq and declare a Trans-Shi'ite Republic.
ALERT: "The Choking Game" kills brain cells... and kids!
This is a new one to me. Apparently, kids who would never go near alcohol or drugs are being wooed by a game that gives a similar high in which they cause themself to pass out due to asphyziation. The problem is that by choking themselves, kids are (1) killing brain cells and (2) becoming addicted to the adrenaline high associated with the activity. If this is kept up over time, it can kill!!!
...the mother of four thought maybe her 13-year-old son, Gabriel Mordecai, was smoking marijuana. She never imagined he was putting a rope around his neck and choking himself for a rush.I know that Mod-Blog has readers who are teens, who have teens as kids, and who work with teens. Please pass the word that this behavior is not a game. It is deadly.
"A couple of months before he died, he became very hostile, very angry, and he complained of horrible headaches," Pacatte said. "Then I started seeing bloodshot eyes."...Gabriel was airlifted to a hospital in Sacramento. Sarah and Sam made the gut-wrenching, two-hour journey by car.
They prayed at Gabriel's side, but 15 hours later, Pacatte says, "He died on life support. His body shut down."
Iraqi Terrorists Strap Bombs to Dogs
This is disgusting and reprehensible. Suicide bombers are horrible, but at least they are willing humans choosing to turn themselves into abominations. This new trend of turning dogs into unwilling weapons delivery systems is immoral and cruel on a whole other level.
In a war where the line between civilian and soldier is blurred, even man's best friend has been caught up in the combat. U.S. forces hail their trained dogs as heroes, but to insurgents, canines provide the means for a more sinister goal.
Iraqi police cite the recent use of dogs rigged with explosive devices in Latifiya, just south of Baghdad, in Baqubah in central Iraq and in and around the northern city of Kirkuk.
Some Iraqis are horrified by the ethics of dragging the animal world into a human conflict.
"How can they use these lovely pets for criminal and murderous acts?" asked Rasha Khairir, 25, an employee of a Baghdad stock brokerage. "A poor dog can't refuse what they are doing with him because he can't think and decide."
Despite a common prejudice in the Muslim world against dogs, which are considered unclean, even the most virulent clerical opponents of the U.S. presence in Iraq have decried the use of canines as proxies in the war.
9 Ağustos 2005 Salı
Major British Photograph Retailer Ends Film Sales
I own two digital cameras (not counting the one built into my phone) and one film SLR. I use digital for 99.9% of my work, and use the film camera for the rare occasions when I want to try out effects that are easier to get on film. Well, it appears the date is quickly approaching when that film camera will have no more use. One more proof of this is the decision by a major British retailer to stop selling any film, or film cameras.
Dixons was founded as a photographic studio in Southend in 1937, and its retail chain had been built on the growth of home photography.Even 6 months ago, I would have sworn that film photography would remain in the market indefinitely, in the hands of professionals. It was hard to imagine a day when a true pro would make due with the limitations of digital megapixels. But increasingly it is plain that the only advantage of film over digital these days is... well... Remind me what the advantage is again?
Mr Magrath said digital cameras were now the rule rather than the exception.
"We have decided that the time is now right to take 35mm cameras out of the frame."
In 1989, sales of 35mm cameras peaked at 2.9 million in the UK, but now Dixons says it is an "increasingly niche" market.
8 Ağustos 2005 Pazartesi
Congress's DST Tweak may be a Mini-Y2K!
Congress's decision to tweak Daylight Savings Time for fuel efficiency has been reported here before. But today CNN is reporting that this "little tweak" may wind up being a miniature Y2K scamble for many tech companies and businesses.
An energy bill President George W. Bush was to sign Monday would start daylight time three weeks earlier and end it a week later as an energy-saving measure.That's right kids. It is time for another forced upgrade cycle. Congress has suddenly made your precision timepieces and older tech obsolete by changing the law. And not much hope of a tax cut this year to offset this forced spending, either.
And that has technologists worried about software and gadgets that now compensate for daylight time based on a schedule unchanged since 1987.
"It is unfortunately going to add a little bit of complexity to consumers," said Reid Sullivan, vice president of the entertainment group at Panasonic Consumer Electronics Co. "In some cases, depending on the product, they may have to manually increase or decrease the time."
R.I.P. Peter Jennings
Wow, I *must* have been focussing too much on the Systems Conversion at work. I had no idea he was sick, and now the voice of ABC News is dead.
"As you all know, Peter learned only this spring that the health problem he'd been struggling with was lung cancer. With Kayce, he moved straight into an aggressive chemotherapy treatment. He knew that it was an uphill struggle. But he faced it with realism, courage, and a firm hope that he would be one of the fortunate ones. In the end, he was not.Rest in peace, Mr. Jennings
"We will have many opportunities in the coming hours and days to remember Peter for all that he meant to us all. It cannot be overstated or captured in words alone. But for the moment, the finest tribute we can give is to continue to do the work he loved so much and inspired us to do."
7 Ağustos 2005 Pazar
Movie Quickie Reviews
I have had a chance to see several of the big summer movies recently, so here is a rash of mini-reviews for you.
Fantastic Four: [PG13] It ain't no Spider-Man movie, but this film got somewhat of a bum rap from the pre-release buzz which unanimously said "Fantastic, this movie is not." The film is fun summer popcorn movie which rarely takes itself too seriously. It won't be remembered for much 5 years from now, unlike the comic book it is based on, but it is worth watching and maybe worth getting on DVD, if you like the actors or the flame effects of the Human Torth. But be warned the villain is so bad - and I don't mean evil - that most of the time he is on-screen I found myself thinking about doing the laundry.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith: [PG13] This one was better than I expected. The trailers made it look like a bad TRUE LIES remake. And it pretty much is a TRUE LIES remake. But not a bad one. The action is amazing, the dialogue witty and funny, and the over-the-top effects are kept more or less believeable by the charm of the two actors. One must wonder how many hits on a bullet-proof vest can really take. But overall, I enjoyed this one. And it has one of the best last lines in recent movie history.
War of the Worlds: [PG13] This film is being criticized for not maintaining all of the themes of the original. Let's be honest here. This film is not about Britain in the 1900s. This is about 9/11, plain and simple, as seen by Steven Spielberg. The shock felt in the heart, the sudden understanding that what you thought was permanent is mortal, the senseless loss of life and innocense is all here. What is missing, however, is the dignity that was seen that horrible September day, and the coming together of a people to face a threat as one. But then, I suspect Spielberg was in Hollywood on that fateful day, not NYC. Parents, Do not let young kids see this movie. It is all clean, but there are some horrible images here that are sure to provide nightmares for decades to come.
Batman Begins: [PG13] Wow, a film that actually lives up to the hype. Better than Michael Keaton's Batman (even the original, unmarred by memories of later films) and one of the better comic book films. This one proves why X-Men and Spider-Man worked, but Catwoman did not. Comic book films thrive when their source material is respected, the origins are firmly expored, and the special effects are firmly based in the comic medium. They fail when they try to "reinvent" the character, skimp on origin material, or try to replace comic book effects with either hyperrealism or stylization that comes out of other traditions. Get this one on DVD!
Fantastic Four: [PG13] It ain't no Spider-Man movie, but this film got somewhat of a bum rap from the pre-release buzz which unanimously said "Fantastic, this movie is not." The film is fun summer popcorn movie which rarely takes itself too seriously. It won't be remembered for much 5 years from now, unlike the comic book it is based on, but it is worth watching and maybe worth getting on DVD, if you like the actors or the flame effects of the Human Torth. But be warned the villain is so bad - and I don't mean evil - that most of the time he is on-screen I found myself thinking about doing the laundry.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith: [PG13] This one was better than I expected. The trailers made it look like a bad TRUE LIES remake. And it pretty much is a TRUE LIES remake. But not a bad one. The action is amazing, the dialogue witty and funny, and the over-the-top effects are kept more or less believeable by the charm of the two actors. One must wonder how many hits on a bullet-proof vest can really take. But overall, I enjoyed this one. And it has one of the best last lines in recent movie history.
War of the Worlds: [PG13] This film is being criticized for not maintaining all of the themes of the original. Let's be honest here. This film is not about Britain in the 1900s. This is about 9/11, plain and simple, as seen by Steven Spielberg. The shock felt in the heart, the sudden understanding that what you thought was permanent is mortal, the senseless loss of life and innocense is all here. What is missing, however, is the dignity that was seen that horrible September day, and the coming together of a people to face a threat as one. But then, I suspect Spielberg was in Hollywood on that fateful day, not NYC. Parents, Do not let young kids see this movie. It is all clean, but there are some horrible images here that are sure to provide nightmares for decades to come.
Batman Begins: [PG13] Wow, a film that actually lives up to the hype. Better than Michael Keaton's Batman (even the original, unmarred by memories of later films) and one of the better comic book films. This one proves why X-Men and Spider-Man worked, but Catwoman did not. Comic book films thrive when their source material is respected, the origins are firmly expored, and the special effects are firmly based in the comic medium. They fail when they try to "reinvent" the character, skimp on origin material, or try to replace comic book effects with either hyperrealism or stylization that comes out of other traditions. Get this one on DVD!
6 Ağustos 2005 Cumartesi
Darn You, Hollywood Marketeers!
Okay, I am mad. Very mad. Truly and really angry. I just finished watching the film Million Dollar Baby which was put out last year and directed by Clint Eastwood. This film was put together and marketed to the public as a feel-good film of the year. Underdog female fighter works her way from the trailer park to championship of the world. Woo-hoo! Sounds great, right? Yeah, well, that is not the story. Or at least not the whole story, or even the really dramatic part of the story.
SPOILER WARNING!!! If you want to see this film and not be spoiled, read no further!!!
Still there? I though so. Anyway, the last act of the story takes place after a tragedy. The main character has been reduced to paralysis. This character has been abandoned by everyone but one last friend. And the story turns to... wait for it... EUTHANASIA. That is right. This is not an underdog story. It is not a feel-good, walk-out-of-the-theater-with-a-song-in-your-heart movie. It is a movie about assisted suicide and "death with dignity." So much so, that no character ends the film feeling good, fulfilled, or even just surviving. Everyone is devastated and arguably condemned to Hell.
Now, I am not against sad movies. There is a joke in my circle of friends that when I choose the DVD for a movie night, you can be sure it will be depressing to some extent. I even buy films at time for their sadness, or at least their bleak look at life. But this film is simply a betrayal. Not from Mr. Eastwood or the actors, they did a fine job. This is a betrayal from Hollywood. This film was sold as a family feel-good triumph story, and instead it is a moment to ponder death in all of its... well... darkness.
The last time I felt so betrayed by a film was THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, which was sold as a feel-good, coming-of-age film and instead wound up being an argument for the benefits of abortions in the age when they were illegal. Sort of like making a comic book film whose main point is that Judicial nominations take too long. It destroyed the film for me, and soured me on Tobey Maguire until Spider-Man.
C'Mon, Hollywood. Everything is not about selling DVDs. Especially when a film can sell itself on its own merits. Tell us honestly what a film is about and we can make our own choices. Don't sell us Snake Oil and then act shocked when we didn't realize it might include fangs.
Sigh. I am going to bed now. Tomorrow, someone remind me why I ever started collecting DVDs.
SPOILER WARNING!!! If you want to see this film and not be spoiled, read no further!!!
Still there? I though so. Anyway, the last act of the story takes place after a tragedy. The main character has been reduced to paralysis. This character has been abandoned by everyone but one last friend. And the story turns to... wait for it... EUTHANASIA. That is right. This is not an underdog story. It is not a feel-good, walk-out-of-the-theater-with-a-song-in-your-heart movie. It is a movie about assisted suicide and "death with dignity." So much so, that no character ends the film feeling good, fulfilled, or even just surviving. Everyone is devastated and arguably condemned to Hell.
Now, I am not against sad movies. There is a joke in my circle of friends that when I choose the DVD for a movie night, you can be sure it will be depressing to some extent. I even buy films at time for their sadness, or at least their bleak look at life. But this film is simply a betrayal. Not from Mr. Eastwood or the actors, they did a fine job. This is a betrayal from Hollywood. This film was sold as a family feel-good triumph story, and instead it is a moment to ponder death in all of its... well... darkness.
The last time I felt so betrayed by a film was THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, which was sold as a feel-good, coming-of-age film and instead wound up being an argument for the benefits of abortions in the age when they were illegal. Sort of like making a comic book film whose main point is that Judicial nominations take too long. It destroyed the film for me, and soured me on Tobey Maguire until Spider-Man.
C'Mon, Hollywood. Everything is not about selling DVDs. Especially when a film can sell itself on its own merits. Tell us honestly what a film is about and we can make our own choices. Don't sell us Snake Oil and then act shocked when we didn't realize it might include fangs.
Sigh. I am going to bed now. Tomorrow, someone remind me why I ever started collecting DVDs.
End of the Palm as we know it
Well, Palm has been going downhill for a *LONG* time, especially after having split their software and hardware divisions into PalmOne and PalmSource. (One of them recently went back to plain old "Palm" but darned if I can remember which one.) Palm has been struggling trying to stay with their "simple first" philosophy without losing out to the high-powered abilities that high-end users want like playing movies and high-powered games. Well, they may have finally lost out. According to several articles, the new Treo 670 will be running Windows Mobile OS.
Personally, the only Palmish thing I miss on my non-Palm T-Mobile Sidekick which I use as phone and PDA is the Bible software I could load and carry anywhere. But it is still sad to see the market contracting violently like this, especially since it gives Microsoft another monopoly foothold. Here is hoping that alternative devices like the Sidekick continue to fill the void that Palm refuses (or is unable) to fill.
Personally, the only Palmish thing I miss on my non-Palm T-Mobile Sidekick which I use as phone and PDA is the Bible software I could load and carry anywhere. But it is still sad to see the market contracting violently like this, especially since it gives Microsoft another monopoly foothold. Here is hoping that alternative devices like the Sidekick continue to fill the void that Palm refuses (or is unable) to fill.
A Fireplace That Runs on Water
This is just amazing! A fireplace that produces fire by taking in water, splitting the atoms that make it up into hydrogen and oxygen with electrolysis, and then igniting them and recombining them into water. I realize this not new technology in any way - we did electrolysis in high school physics class and it was considered old even then. But it is a new way of putting it all together into an attractive product. It is doubtful to be cost-effective or energy-efficient over just burning logs, but it would mean you'd never have to go out back in the snow to get more burnable stuff. Just scoop in more snow!
The Atomic Age Is 60 Years Young Today
Today marks the 60th anniversay of the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Understandably, the Japanese people used this occasion to call for an end to nuclear weapons and to call upon the U.N. to force all nationals to get rid of their nuclear arsenals. For better or for worse, we all know when that will happen -- when these same nations can replace their nukes with something even more destructive. For better or for worse, the genie is out of the bottle and he ain't going back in.
5 Ağustos 2005 Cuma
The Evil CNN Reviewer Strikes Again
I have no desire to see the new DUKES OF HAZZARD movie... well... check that. I am male, after all, so the tv commercials and trailers are reach a certain portion of my nervous system. Anyway, I have no RATIONAL or MORAL desire to see the DUKES OF HAZZARD movie, and it has been torn apart by the evil CNN reviewer. You have to love any review that contains the line, "This flick is a car wreck with boobs."
Besides, Willie Nelson as Uncle Jesse strikes me as just wrong. No offense to Willie, but it doesn't fit.
Besides, Willie Nelson as Uncle Jesse strikes me as just wrong. No offense to Willie, but it doesn't fit.
Kerryites did NOT emigrate
After the 2004 election, there was quite a bit of talk about leaving the "red state dominated" United States for the kinder, gentler (colder) shores of Canada. Stars, celebrities, and embittered normal folks vowed to leave a country that would hand GWB a second term, and apparently hits on Canada's immigration website SOARED. Well, it was all for naught.
Toby Condliffe, who heads the Canadian chapter of Democrats Abroad, did have an explanation of sorts.
"I can only assume the Americans who checked out the Web site subsequently checked out our winter temperatures and further took note that the National Hockey League was being locked out and had second thoughts," he told Reuters.
4 Ağustos 2005 Perşembe
No Virigina, Apple Is Not Using Intel's DRM
We noted here the widespread reports that Apple was using TPM/Paladium technology in MacOS X on Intel to secure the new OS to Apple-only machines. Well, according to new multiple reports, it just ain't true.
Commenting on earlier reports, a reliable source who requested anonymity told OfB, “While many rumors are being circulated on the web about Apple's future direction on Intel processors with DRM, the majority of them are just that - rumors.” The source, a registered Apple developer, continued, “Reality is that these boxes are production PC's in an Apple case, not DRM or TCPA protected, and none of these boxes will remain in circulation after their purpose has been served - they must be returned to Apple.Well, here is hoping. But I suspect something like this will be used to ensure that MacOS X does not end up on - say - Dell machines.
Canine 2.0
Yes, you heard that right. They have cloned a dog. Am I the only one who thinks the cloning controversy is a bit over-wrought? I agree completely that human cloning raises a morass of moral questions, and should be held off on. But the cloning of sheep, frogs, cats, and dogs does not really bother me. This is not the sci fi clones where exact copies awake full-grown and fully-trained to fight in a Star Wars battle. This is just replacing the nuclues of a fertilized egg with that of some other cell. More like what a virus does every day in your body, except it is mammalian DNA.
I dunno. Please educate me if I am wrong. But it seems to me that this is more a case of media hype than a real concern.
I dunno. Please educate me if I am wrong. But it seems to me that this is more a case of media hype than a real concern.
3 Ağustos 2005 Çarşamba
London Bombers Were Low Tech
Apparently, the NYPD gave a press conference today with one goal - to impress New Yorkers that what happened there can happen anywhere.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly warned the materials and methods used in the London attack were easily adaptable to New York.Another reminder that the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance.
"Initially it was thought that perhaps the materials were high-end military explosives that were smuggled, but it turns out not to be the case," Kelly said. "It's more like these terrorists went to a hardware store or some beauty supply store."
The NYPD officials said investigators believe the bombers used a peroxide-based explosive called HMDT, or hexamethylene triperoxide diamine. HMDT can be made using ordinary ingredients like hydrogen peroxide (hair bleach), citric acid (a common food preservative) and heat tablets (sometimes used by the military for cooking).
HMDT degrades at room temperature, so the bombers preserved it in a way that offered an early warning sign, said Michael Sheehan, deputy commissioner of counterterrorism at the nation's largest police department.
"In the flophouse where this was built in Leeds, they had commercial grade refrigerators to keep the materials cool," Sheehan said, describing the setup as "an indicator of a problem."
Blog Business
Well, Jamboree is over and I can see that the blog has a few things in need of fixing, such as the ex-shoutbox. But first I'm going to sleep for a day or so. Then I promise I'll even put up a new poll.
Does this mean I am doomed?
If this comic is true, does a teetotaler like me have a chance? Then again, some might note I have larger problems if I am turning to the comics for romantic advice.
Infocom Bonanza!
Thanks to our reader Rob for point this out! You do not have to be a Mac user in order to enjoy the old Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy game. Some hacker has put up all of the old Infocom games as Web applets. Just point your browse that way, and you can play any of the old games (including the frustration fests known as the Zork series) for free! (Java required.) If you are one of those people who never knew the wonder of a text-based adventure game, this is your chance to taste what you missed.
2 Ağustos 2005 Salı
Apple Releases a Multibutton Mouse - Hades Freezes Over
Okay, we have another sign of the apocalypse, Apple has released a multi-button mouse... or at least the equivilent. Their new "Mighty Mouse" has a touch-sensitive surface allowing various actions to be mapped to various functions in the Operating System. At the same time, existing users can continue to use this mouse as a simple one-button mouse, which is probably how Steve Jobs expects to not contradict his "Apple will never release a multi-button mouse" statements from past MacWorlds and press conferences.
Hmmm... I wonder if they have a bluetooth version yet.
Update 4:38 PM EST: It appears there is no BT version available at any price, as of now. I am guessing they wanted to get something out there now, and will release the wireless version at the next big event. That way they can drive sales twice.
Hmmm... I wonder if they have a bluetooth version yet.
Update 4:38 PM EST: It appears there is no BT version available at any price, as of now. I am guessing they wanted to get something out there now, and will release the wireless version at the next big event. That way they can drive sales twice.
GWB: "Teach Intelligent Design"
Now here is a topic I never thought a modern Republican president would touch.
President Bush (search) said Monday he believes schools should discuss "intelligent design" alongside evolution when teaching students about the creation of life.Amazing. I am one who thinks that Christians tend to talk about evolution too much, since the truth or falsity of macro-evolution (Christians accept micro-evolution) has no bearing on one's salvation. But it is nice to see a modern politician - one whose career is NOT over - willing to take a stand.
During a round-table interview with reporters from five Texas newspapers, Bush declined to go into detail on his personal views of the origin of life. But he said students should learn about both ideas, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported.
1 Ağustos 2005 Pazartesi
MacOS X on Intel Leaked, Lockdown Confirmed
Well, apparently, the inevitable has happened. MacOS X on Intel has been leaked on BitTorrent sites, and the hacking community has snatched it up like a mixture of Jolt! cola and Red Bull. And lo and behold, it appears to confirm what some had feared - the way that Apple is planning to keep control of MacOS X on Intel is by making use of Intel's DRM technology. This will lock MacOS X to hardware that Apple sells, and prevent third-party makers from cloning Apples. It could also, in the wrong hands, be used to keep users from using any software which is not "Apple-approved." Engagdet has the story in all its gory detail. Well, in enough gory detail for non-tech-heads, anyway.
Bolton (John, Not Michael) Gets a Recess Appointment to the U.N.
GWB has decided not to let the Senate stall any longer.
President Bush sidestepped the Senate and installed embattled nominee John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations on Monday, ending a five-month impasse with Democrats who accused Bolton of abusing subordinates and twisting intelligence to fit his conservative ideology.This is probably exactly what Senate Dems wanted, anyway. They were not forced to take a hard stand against the president, but can not be blamed for a hard-core conservative getting the post.
"This post is too important to leave vacant any longer, especially during a war and a vital debate about UN reform," Bush said. He said Bolton had his complete confidence.
Bush put Bolton on the job in a recess appointment _ an avenue available to the president when the Congress is in recess. Under the Constitution, a recess appointment during the lawmakers' August break would last until a newly elected Congress takes office in January 2007.
The King of Saudi Arabia is Dead
This is definitely one of those good news, bad news situations. The bad news is that King Fahd of Saudi Arabia is dead. This means that a major stabilizing force in the Middle East is gone, and now the oil-rich kingdom will be facing a power struggle for a new balance. The good news is that Prince Abdullah - a long-time friend to America and the man who owes President George H. W. Bush quite a lot for Gulf War I - has been chosen to be king and will be crowned on Wednesday. We are likely in for some rocky times with our shaky ally as the new king consolidates power, but in the end this may be a much better situation for American and the War on Terror. We shall see if Prince Abdullah remains a friend, but I suspect he will.
Hitchhiker's Guide Text Game for Free!
How come no one told me about this until just now?! Years and year ago, Infocom released probably the best (and funniest) text-based adventure game every based on the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. The game was a mondo success and sold a grillion copies - or something like that - and turned out to be a gold mine for its author and the game industry. Well, now the game is available for free as an Apple Widget for use under MacOS X 10.4. This is amazing. If you never got to play the original, be sure to download and play this version of that classic game!
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