Who Are You? What Do You Want? Where Are You Going? Whom Do You Serve – And Whom Do You Trust?!
If you don’t have HBO and you’re a fan of U2, make sure you get a friend to tape or TIVO the latest “Off the Record.”
Dave Stewart interviews Bono and The Edge. The questions are smart and the answers are absolutely delightful. My only complaint is that it’s not long enough.
Andrew V.: “And now a clip from the extras on deluxe DVD release of Lawrence of Arabia.”
Firefly Reborn as Online Universe
By Mark Wallace
Like Capt. Mal Reynolds stumbling in after a bar fight, the short-lived but much beloved sci-fi series Firefly will soon make an unexpected return, not as a TV show, but as a massively multiplayer online game.
Now that’s shiny.
Multiverse, maker of a free MMO-creation platform, plans to announce Friday morning that it’s struck a deal with Fox Licensing to turn the show into an MMORPG in the fashion of Star Wars Galaxies or Eve Online.
I might actually play something like this online.
NASA Not Just Aiming For The Moon… It Plans To Stay There
Agency Announces Plan For Lunar Base By 2020 It’s no secret NASA plans to return to the moon sometime in the next decade… but what it plans to do there is VERY interesting. Officials with the space agency announced Monday they plan to establish a base on the moon by 2020… with the eventual goal of sustaining a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve been looking forward to this since I was a kid when Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon. Some folks say we can’t afford to do this while we have homeless people and poor people etc.. I say we can’t afford to NOT do this. Someday this planet is not going to be able to sustain us and the sooner we start out for other stars the better. This piece of rock is getting awfully crowded, awfully fast.
We are ice cream junkies. I’ve managed to detox down to one (maybe two) pint(s) of Ben and Jerry’s a week. At one time I had a pint a day habit, I’m proud of myself for the reduction, don’t push it. I open a pint, I just toss the lid on the kitchen floor for Max to lick clean and tear apart. Beautiful Wife is the same way. Sometimes one of us will buy a gallon of Rocky Road or Bunny Tracks, and Boyo is a “Two scoops, in a bowl, when you get a chance please.” kind of guy. Vanilla. There is no other flavor as far as he’s concerned. He’s 10, give him a break.
I can’t count how many ice cream scoops we’ve gone through in our first four years of marriage. We’ve bought countless scoops that have a trigger or a lever that runs a band of steel through the scoop to release the ice cream. They’ve all broken. We’ve looked in cooking specialty shops, but I’m not paying $50.00 for an ice cream scoop, besides, most of them look like an amped up version of the ones you can get at Walmart or the Commissary and those are, as Pablo would say, “teh suck.” I’d rather not find myself heavily caffinated and armed in a Crate and Barrel demanding my $50.00 back.
Friends gave us this scoop ten years ago when we were in Germany. She was a Tupperware Lady and didn’t try to recruit Beautiful Wife, so…a REAL friend. We just had to replace it because we paid no attention to the note to not machine wash it and the finish was getting to be more like a bastard file than a slippery chrome. We didnt’ flinch at the $21.00 price. This is the BEST ice cream scoop I’ve ever used. If you don’t machine wash it, it will prolly last much longer than 10 years. Okay, eight years, we were lazy about replacing it, because even when it WAS rough it worked better than anything we’ve had before.
Why do I obsess about an ice cream scoop? Because, in case you missed it, I probably scoop at least two scoops of ice cream every single day of my life. Sometimes up to eight scoops a day. I scoop a LOT of ice cream. I like a scoop that scoops HARD ice cream as easily as soft. This one does.
Pablo is going to love this.
Zune Reinforces Microsoft’s Dorky Image
Will It or Won’t It Kill the iPod?
Why Consumers are Angry with Microsoft over Zune
From Google.
If anyone has any positive things to say or link to about the Zune, please let me know. I’m just not seeing it.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini.
I have to admit, I’d never even heard of it until the previews for the movie came out.
What do I think? It’s derivative. I mean that in the best possible way. Do you like stories of good vs evil? Do you like stories with dragons and elves and dwarves? Do you like Tolkien, DeLint, Kay, Brooks? Then you should find nothing wrong with this story. You’ve heard it before. There are no suprises here…at least I expect none…but it’s good enough to keep you up at night.
Perhaps I’ve been too easy on Apple and too hard on MicroSoft. Mike Egan has some opinions that I can’t argue against too stridently, but I will.
Zune: So you want to be an iPod killer
Microsoft’s Zune finally shipped, and everyone agrees: It’s nice but definitely no “iPod killer.” But it could be. And should be. I’ll tell you how in a minute.
In my Computerworld column Why Microsoft’s Zune scares Apple to the core, I argued that, unlike Apple’s overconfident iPod fans, Apple itself is taking Zune very seriously. In that column, I listed Zune attributes and Microsoft capabilities that could hit Apple where it counts—profit margin and market share. I never argued that Zune would be better than the iPod, or even that Zune would succeed. My sole point was that Apple is taking the Zune seriously as a threat to its profitable and dominant iPod line and has good reason to do so.
…
How to kill the iPod
The Apple iPod is beautiful, sleek and simple. Microsoft will never sell a media player that is more elegant than the iPod. That’s just not going to happen, given the DNA of each company. What isn’t inconceivable, however, is that Microsoft could create a Zune that’s more desirable than the iPod. After all, the Mac is more elegant than Windows, but most people prefer Windows. And that’s how Microsoft can kill the iPod: Make the Zune more like a Windows PC.
Let me say that in another way: The Zune can succeed not by copying the iPod, but by becoming the “Anti-iPod.”
He’s got a point. While I love my iPod and am excessively pleased with my switch to a MacBook Pro for my laptop, I know some people want the ability to muck around with their computers. Me? I’ve become tired of mucking about a computer when I’m not getting paid to muck about. When I’m at home, I just want my computer to be stable and to work well. It doesn’t bother me a bit that I haven’t wanted or needed to access my Mac’s kernel. Writing scripts bores me. I find it tedious. One of our commenters in a previous post mentioned the difference between a Mac and a PC was like the difference between a new Mercedes and a 68 Mustang. You’re going to be messing around with the Mustang and you’ll enjoy it. You get the Mercedes because you want to enjoy your driving. That’s where I’m at. I want to enjoy my computing, I don’t enjoy all the mechanics as much as I used to. Besides, I can customize my Mac right out of the box much easier than I could my PC without having to dig through layers and layers of menus.
Later in the same article he asserts that we want a multi-function handheld, Phone, Camera, Music Player, Email receiver and that if the Zune turns into that, it may knock the iPod down. My answer to that is, it would have to do all of those functions exceptionally well. The thing about my cellphone/camera is that it’s a lousy camera. My iPod is an amazingly easy to use music player. With the iPhone in next year’s future, I don’t think, I know that it will be elegant and functional before it’s released.
Yes, I’ve become an Apple-phile. I prefer the elegance and functionality vs the kit/do-it-yourself mentality of the Windows PC community. Lazy? Okay. Maybe. But my Mac has locked up twice since I’ve had it, once when I was trying to install Windows Media Player and once when I was trying to mess around with a beta version of Seamonkey vs the stable release.
Give me a device that works as well, right of the the box as my iPod and MacBook did and I’ll consider whatever they throw at me. I know that sooner or later you’re not going to be able to find just a music player or just a phone. Trying to find a flat panel scanner that WASN’T a printer was damn near impossible a couple of months ago. Multi-function seems to be the deal these days.
I blame Gen X’s fascination with Transformers.
Video from the International Space Station. Very cool.
I haven’t mentioned anything about head shaving in quite awhile. There’s just not that much to write about it and after all, it’s just another hair, or lack of hair, style. But I thought I’d give an update for those two or three people that might care.
I do go through periods of changing how often I shave my head depending on how lazy I am that week. Sometimes I don’t shave more than twice a week. Sometimes I shave every other day. Sometimes I shave every day. I don’t go less than twice a week because the irritation involved in shaving once a week is just not worth it. I don’t let it go much longer than four days. On those odd weeks that I do, I have to electric shave it first otherwise…damn…that just hurts.
I’ve tried different shave cremes and different razors. Beautiful Wife doesn’t give me a hard time about it. I let her go crazy whenever she’s near Burt’s Bees Wax products so she puts up with my searching for the most comfortable shave.
For shaving creme I broke down and spent the money and tried Aveeno’s Therapeutic Shave Gel. I’ve stopped looking for shaving creme. It works. Well. Beautiful Wife even commented on how well it works on her legs and pits. It’s a keeper.
I hate to admit this after making fun of it before, but I tried and LOVE the Gillette Fusion. My face hasn’t been smoother since I was a kid and it shaves the noggin with practically NO irritation what-so-ever. Seriously, five blades are better than three and I thought I’d never give up my Mach 3. You’ll have a hard time convincing me that I need MORE than five blades though.
John Jenkins: The iRifle plugs into your iPod here.
Every now and again I drift down to the site meter hiding down there on the bottom left and click on it to see how many folks are actually stopping by to read what we do here. Maybe 10 of you stop to leave comments, but on an average, between 300 and 600 folks stop by per day.
I know many of you are showing up just for Mom’s and the other folks’ writing and I understand that. But I have to assume that some of you enjoy what I do and for that I want to say thanks. I’m amazed and humbled every day.
Tim
Boyo requested that I download a song for him off iTunes. He’s begun to listen to it over and over and over again. It’s “The All American Rejects.” Good news, it’s “Move Along” vs “Dirty Little Secret” which I liked the first 5000 times I heard it but now…meh. Anyway…he’s 10 so…musical development, right on schedule. He’s had some sort of music player in his room from the moment he came home to us. Because we had it in his nursery, he almost immediately falls asleep to anything by Clannad or Enya. When he was fussy, it was the only music that would calm him down. He’s moved on to other music to listen to before he fades away for the night.
But he’s made the leap. Music isn’t just for falling asleep anymore. I’m not sure it’s a good thing or not. When I went to basic I literally couldn’t fall asleep because there was no music and I’d fallen asleep to music from the time I was 10 until I joined up at 22.
Apparently the Lego people are adding popular music to their commercials because as far as Boyo is concerned it’s “The Bionicle song.” (Click on Inika Web Commercial)
Chris Daughtry, last season’s American Idol “rock guy” released his first album today. I downloaded it. I wasn’t going to, I was going to wait until I could hear more than 30 second snippets off of iTunes, but then I caught him on GMA this morning and sold me.
Comparisons to Nickelback, Fuel and Live are going to come fast and hard and let me tell you, I can only barely tolerate Nickelback and I listen to Fuel and Live just fine on rock radio, but I don’t own any of their stuff.
The difference for me is that Chris Daughtry knows he’s got a good, solid, rock voice and doesn’t try to beat your ears up trying to impress you.
Okay, some of you want to know creds before you put down your money. Producer is Howard Benson lately of My Chemical Romance and All American Rejects. Say what you want about those two bands, they’re not weak in the production department. Oh, and some guitar hero who calls himself Slash makes an appearance on one of the tracks. Yes, the tophatted one himself.
It’s Not Over – Solid track. Probably the first single. Teenage girls will be singing this 5 years from now, creepy teenage boys will be burning CDs with this for the pretty girls they’re stalking.
Used To – Kind of went right by me.
Home – Another one that will get a lot of airplay, especially this time of year. Our folks in the sandbox are going to be listening to this…a LOT. Hell, I am home and it made me homesick.
Over You – One of those, you’re gone but I’m okay about it…now…songs. Note to songwriters, keep the word “closure” out of your songs. It’s too 90s Pop Psych. Kind of creepy. Good hooks though.
Crashed – I think there’s a nod to Robert Plant here. The sitar going through this is very nice. You know that girl/guy you just “crashed” into and you both almost killed each other because the attraction was too strong too fast? Yeah, it’s about that. Well done.
Feels Like Tonight – Another one the girls are going to love. And another one for stalkers to burn on their disks. Great freaking vocals though. If he doesn’t trash his voice young, this guy’s going to be another one of those singers that can make his voice sound like a siren if he wants to.
What I Want – Slash is on this one. It kicks serious ass. Takes you by the throat and screams in your face. I think these two should work together a LOT.
Breakdown – There are some great freaking lines in this song. “Open up the book you beat me with again. Read it off one sentence at a time.” Yeah, I dated that chick. One complaint, and I have it about a couple of the tracks, but his one especially. Starting acoustic, then going hard isn’t necessary every time. You can stay acoustic. Really. It wouldn’t hurt this song one bit.
Gone – How many girlfriends has this guy lost? Good song on it’s own. Endless bass chord at the end? What the hell was that all about?
There and Back Again – Funky and psychedelic. Linkin Park meets old Ted Nugent. I REALLY like this track. There’s that fading bass chord again. Quit. It.
All These Lives – Wow. The anti-war track. Solid. Will be covered. Endless fading bass chord at the end with a scratch across it. Look, you’re starting to piss me off with that.
What About Now – The “we didn’t work before how about now?” song. That chord again, just not as long.
Sorry (Bonus Track on iTunes) – Could have left it off. Another good one on its own. WTF is up with the fading chord at the end of every freaking song?
The songs are all solid works on their own, I just don’t see myself listening to the entire album very much. I’m not disappointed. I like the songs, just too much all at once? Does that make sense?
Buy it. Listen to it. Tell me what you think.
…I would assume that Fox set up the entire Fox Entertainment vs Fox News battle over the OJ thing on purpose just to show how brave and principled they are. ‘Cuz seriously, everyone from Cavuto to Hannity are breaking their freaking arms patting themselves on the back for that thing being cancelled.
Austin Bay is looking for Current Military Lingo.
No, thank you, really. It might give some lawmakers pause before starting the next round of crap, but the consequences of a bunch of draftees in any branch of the service are simply too frightening. Those of us in uniform may bitch and complain but at the end of the day, we’re here because we want to be here and then we go home when it’s time. Having a new generation of coworkers and team members who DON’T want to be here? We’re talking nightmare.
If it was easy, everyone would do it. Some folks just aren’t cut out for it. Forcing Americans to do something they don’t want to do? Ummm, I think we’ve got laws against that, don’t we?
Now the Republicans are comparing Iraq to Viet Nam. Their argument is, just like Viet Nam, if we pull out we’ll be defeated, demoralized, and the troops that have died so far would have died for nothing.
Okay, I see that. I even agree with it to a point.
What I don’t see, from either side of the spectrum, Democrat or Republican, is a way to secure Iraq, turn it back over to the Iraqi people, and pull out without turning it into some sort of modern replay of the fall of Saigon. We don’t have enough boots on the ground. It’s actually going to take more blood and more treasure to secure Iraq and it’s going to take a LOT of time. Perhaps a decade or four. Is America willing to do that? Personally, I don’t think so. I mean it sounded great four years ago. Secure Iraq, train up their forces, turn it back over. Great plan. However, we never secured Iraq, and the Iraqis seem to have no interest in getting trained up. We need a new plan. Anyone seen Plan B? You mean to tell me we did this without a Plan B? No one goes into something like this without a Plan B. It must be secret.
Now I’ve heard some of the pundits try to make the case that if we pull out and Iraq falls apart, that’s an Iraqi failure, not an American failure. Right. If you believe that, I’ve got a bar outside the gate at Osan for ya…cheap. And don’t worry about the paperwork, it’s a snap.
There’s a balance here. At some point, and we’re getting there, the American people are going to turn on the current course of action. They’re going to say enough is enough. Then the 2000s are going to make the 1960s look like the 1950s. The same knee-jerk anger that was used to go after Saddam will get turned around on the government and the military and once again the government and the military will be “the bad guys” in the minds of the regular folks. Hippies will be cool again. Cats and dogs living together…you get the picture.
So…we need to see Plan B, and soon. Otherwise “Run away.” is going to be the only logical plan. And we won’t feel good about ourselves for it, but when it’s the only alternative to our blood and money being thrown into a smelly, stinking hole, it’s going to start looking good.
One of the “benefits” of retiring is the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). Depending on where you are, that’s a three to five day seminar where you get briefed on all your various benefits and get help making the change from military to civilian life.
The one I’m attending has had a strange side effect. I’m becoming terrified of making the change. I wasn’t worried about moving back home or finding a job or even about my ability to write a resume or interview until we had classes about those subjects. Now I can’t sleep. The worst part is, I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t fully understand the reality of the situation or if it’s by design. Their message seems to be, “Be afraid, be very afraid. Don’t get me wrong, being a civilian is GREAT, but be afraid.” All of a sudden I feel like George Carlin talking about the government.
Another disturbing part is that the folks from jobland (corporate America) who do come in to talk to us, aren’t allowed to actively recruit us. They’re not even supposed to pass out cards. It’s not that they don’t want to, they do, they’re just not supposed to in that forum.
However, the charming and very funny lady from Civilian Personnel had no problems at all holding us hostage for two hours as she explained to us in excruciating detail how to apply for Federal Jobs and where they bury them on the AFPC Website. And there seems to be a lean toward the people who are staying in the local area vs moving away. I guess that makes some sort of sense considering the team has their network pretty fully established HERE, but I’d always imagined the folks at the Family Support Center were tied in better to the rest of the country than this.
I had written off the idea of further Federal employment when I get out of The Air Force. First of all, I thought that double dipping was still illegal. It’s not. You can now retire from the Air Force, retirement checks coming once a month, and get a decent Federal Job, do 20 years there, and come home with another retirement check after 20 years. On some levels that sounds like living the dream, but I find that creepy…incestuous…icky. I know part of that reaction comes from being burned out. Which is something else I realized this week. I’m fried. I’m so VERY tired of all this…stuff. I’m not comfortable being more specific, let’s just say I’m not all depressed about the outcome of the last week’s political events and leave it at that.I’m pulling some diamonds out of this rough though and I’m working my way back to being okay about retiring. Apparently there are some jobs out there in the civilian world where you get hired to do ONE thing. I was stunned. One of our additional duties is like a complete full time job out there on the outside. No. I’m not kidding. If you’re the money guy? That’s all you do is manage money. If you’re the safety guy? You do NOTHING but safety all day long.
And check this out…they pay MORE for working longer than 8 hours a day. R3@LLY!
Is anyone still having problems commenting? Please drop me a line.
No one’s said anything but some of our regulars seem to have completely disappeared.
Microsoft has got to be cringing.
The folks over at CNN review the new Zune with a NYT Tech Editor.
Now don’t forget, Soledad OBrien used to be the face of the tech desk at MS NBC. I’m guessing it wasn’t a happy ending, but still, that was harsh.
It’s confusing. Go read Chris Short’s post and leave something in the tip jar if you can.
Via Blackfive.
