The Onion Strikes Again

Ah, satire.

Bush Asks Congress For $30 Billion To Help Fight War On Criticism

At least I wish it was satire. I think it's too on the mark, so we'll just call it reportage.

Back at it

Digging out from the backlog almost makes one consider never vacationing at all.

Nah.

As to the beach books. The James Lee Burke, while his typical excellent writing, is the same novel, yet again, but set in the Civil War. Fine for a beach read.

Oh, but the book by Mr. Branton, a disappointment. I hereby give up on critically acclaimed modern comic novelists. I toss this in the same heap as the equally bad "The Corrections" and "The Teatherballs of Bougainvillea". Note, I don't link these works. I'm not going to make it easy for anyone to read these. Do so at your own risk.

I've started, but not finished George Dyson's book. What fun! First and second hand history by someone that understands what's going on. Just imagine what life would be like today if we'd let the physicist build and run the space program instead of the bureaucrats and test pilots.

And Jennifer and I are reading the latest Harry Potter out loud. We're only getting through a chapter or so a day. We're enjoying it, so if you've read it already, keep your mouth shut!

Away

I'll be "off post" for a bit - heading off for our yearly beach vacation. I've got the stack of books ready. They include:

House of Wacks (although mine didn't come with the nifty Betty Page cover.
White Doves At Morning James Lee Burke (my beach buddy for over a dozen years)
Project Orion George Dyson - totally blown away by his Darwin Among the Machines

Of course, I couldn't resist, so the new Harry Potter will be waiting for us at the Lighthouse View when we get there on Saturday. I hope to get some family reading time in before the press spoils the whole thing.

La Vida TV

BoingBoing has been covering a recent spate of cellphone legislation around the world. Most of it's directed at the camera enabled. I do not currently own one of these, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Personally, why would I want a crappy digital camera? Well, because you'd always have it with you. A crappy photo of something happening is far better than no photo at all. Eventually this technology will be woven into our clothes - virtually impossible to limit cameras, voice and video from anywhere. Can't ban it, so better start figuring out how to live with it.

And the phone cameras won't be crappy forever. I'm increasingly aware that the cellphone is becoming the platform of the future. In fact, I can easily imagine a future where the personal computer disappears and we simply lease space and processing from (I'm not sure who - hopefully not the phone companies). At home or at work we'd have a monitor of some sorts, but our cellphones would give us exactly the same amount of access. I love my iPod, I use my Palm but love it less daily, but I NEVER leave the house without my phone. What I really want is one indestructible and cheap device (virtually disposable), that give me access to unlimited computing power, every piece of music, film or TV show, every book ever written, that fits in my pocket or on my belt.

Do I want it to fit in my ear? Probably not. but I'd love for it to talk to my sunglasses. Worried about invasion of privacy? You should be. But banning the technology is a poor way of attacking the problem. So, how do you fight it? Etiquette!

I'm serious - more to come.

Field of Vision

Last night I went to see The Matrix Reloaded, shown on the local IMAX. My friend, Penny joined me.

Wow.

This is an amazing way to see a feature film, but perhaps too intense for regular viewing. The picture, huge, bright, crystal clear, was actually too big. One couldn't see it all. And the shear size of the image and its quality did no favors for the actors skin - showing every flaw in striking detail.

Now perhaps that's one of the visual effects the directors were after, and I have no complaints on that side. I found the movie, the 2nd of 3 parts, to be visually stunning, entertaining, and engrossing. I await the next and final chapter (as opposed to the next Star Wars movie, which I rather dread).

But back to the IMAX. I'm becoming something of a cinema connoisseur, not movies, mind you, where I'm certainly an enthusiastic amateur, but for the movie house itself. Having studied and built my own cinema, I've had to examine and consider the environment for viewing movies for over a year now. I'm by no means an expert, but I an keenly aware of the items that make for an ideal, and less than ideal movie experience. I can't explain acoustics, but I've worked with those who do, as well as lighting, projection, image quality, even seating and refreshments. By way of proof, a friend and frequent movie goer (at least once a week if not more) when visiting my cinema recently reported that watching a movie (actually The Matrix), was "the best movie or theater experience I've had in over 20 years", only to be matched by a now closed 20s era movie palace.

But back to my point. The IMAX may produce physically undesirable effects - it's just too big, too loud, too intense and too immersive. I was tired and had a bit of a headache coming out of the movie.

In addition, I'd written recently about enjoying watching the credits. On this screen, once again, they're too big and difficult to focus on. They may have been easier to see, read, and understand on a smaller or normal sized movie screen. It will be interesting to see this film in my cinema when it becomes available on DVD.

All that aside - a very interesting way to see a movie and I'm open to seeing another on the IMAX screen to try it again.

Discuss

Out of Sorts

Ah, I am such a creature of habit. After doing the radio interview last night it was 11 - the time I typically go to bed. Normally, I've had an hour or so to unwind, watch TV, be ready to drop of, which I usually do within minutes of closing my eyes.

But to be spun up into full marketing mode, the adrenaline flowing, heart pumping, isn't an on/off situation. So a had a snack (not really needed, now was it?) and read until after 12. This morning I can't get my head clear.

And to add to matters, I'm wearing this damn bandage on my head. Sunday night I bent over to look at something on the tread mill and when I straightened up I caught the edge of the control panel and ripped a piece of scalp clean off. Lost about 3 or 4 square inches of skin. For someone with a full head of hair it would have been a glancing blow.

If it had been on a leg or arm it would have been an unpleasant abrasion. But on one's naked scalp, a surprisingly sensitive area, it's an open, oozing wound. It it were a bit lower on my forehead I'd look like Gorbachev.

CptnRandy On The Air

Tonight, I'll be doing my day job (yes, you heard me) and be on the "Computer America" radio show with Craig Crossman.

If you would like listen, here's their web site for streaming audio or you can go through their web site. 10:30 Eastern time. I believe there will be an archive with streaming audio as well.

Search the Blog

This is pretty cool - Technorati Keword Search.

What is it? It's a search engine for blogs and it's stunningly up-to-date!

Simon Dumenco is a Fraud

Hrumph. Doc Searls lead me to this link - an article titled "American Idle". In it the writer, Simon Dumenco slashes away at technology, specifically TiVo and blogs. He claims that these technologies are making him lazy, impassive, and yes, a fraud in claiming he's seen or read something he has not.

Ah, but the fault, dear Simon, is not in our blogs, but in ourselves. Or more specifically, in yourself.

I find TiVo useful, VERY useful. But I wouldn't bother to claim to have watched something that I have no interest in and I certainly wouldn't record it so I could claim with a clear conscience that I'd watch it sometime in the future. That's your problem, Simon, not mine.

And I use other peoples' blogs to help me find interesting and useful stuff and see their opinion of what they've found. Only a fraud wouldn't read the source. I read your article, Simon, but I never would have found it without Doc blogging it. I know who Doc Searls is. Who the hell are you?

Such stuff you say.

Link-o-rama

Oh, here's an nifty feature - iTunes integration! So, for example, if I happen to be listening to the Riders In The Sky singing Wah-Hoo from the album "A Great Big Western Howdy..." by Riders In The Sky I can link it all up with ease!

And here's my little link test, as well: .
Riders Online

Yet Another Blog Tool

Trying another blog posting tool - this one's called "Kung-Log". Looks pretty good - still not as easy as emailing. Then again, the *&$#!!! email submission through BloggerPro is unreliable, at best. And I still can't get my XML straightened out.

Of Cats and Dictionaries

My friend Penny has put together a list of Cat-lover's dictionary of terms and behaviors.

I've contributed one - anyone else have something to add? Use your well honed email skills and receive the credit you so richly deserve! (No, don't send them to me. What am I going to do with cat terms? On the other hand, if you do send them to me, I'll take credit for the good ones.)

Don't Know Why

Kathleen introduced me to Norah Jones last year. I'd probably heard her by then, but not really brought her into foreground processing. She is, admittedly, much more interesting to listen to than virtually all of the other pop played on the radio (I do like Five for Fighting).

I saw her mentioned in the news today and it reminded me of a question. What is the meaning of her song, "Don't Know Why"? I went to the web, but after reading what I could find, it was obvious that they don't get it. It's not about something - it's a story, or more to the point, a lament.

The content: an alcoholic, presently inebriated and unable to rise to full emotion, wistfully reminisces about a love that could have been, but will never be.

It's a torch song, folks, but ultimately depressing!

Another bad idea

Another bad idea.

I'm a bald man and content with my lot. If they had a cheap and effective baldness treatment ("here, swallow this pill and make an appointment with the hair stylist"), I'd take it, but I'm fine with things the way they are. In fact, I shave the wispy strands on the top of my head. I often consider stopping men with comb-overs and other poor hair-o-flage and telling them that the jig is up.

Anyhoo - just like bringing back the Mamoths, can chick with teeth be a good thing? Buckeye egg, just North of here has 14 MILLION chickens. Besides the poor management and environmental mess they cause, imagine what they'd be like if they could bite back!

SETI @ Home

I can see that the PC behind me has just picked up the 1219th work unit
in my little search for intelligent life in the universe. It's one of
4 machines I've got using their spare processing power to work on this
little task. I had one other online, but it's off on someone else's
desk now, no longer part of the search.

I started several years ago, then dropped off after nearly 1000 units,
using just one machine. When they popped back up in the news lately I
decided to load it up again, with some real horsepower. My desktop at
work is a Dual 1 ghz G4 PowerMac. It rips through work units at nearly
2 a day. The old PC behind me takes 4 days to get through 1. It's too
bad the software can't use both processors - I'd love to see how fast
that'd go.

Why do this? I'm not sure we'll ever find anything this way, but it's
worth the spare processing. Plus, it's a neat screen saver. Other
than that, it's a fascinating start at using the computers connected to
the net as more than just advanced TVs. There's power out there, and
possibility.

What possibilities? Ah, talk to Mr. Dyson (not that one, his son, Esther's brother).

Links:
SETI @ Home
SETI
Darwin Among The Machines - By George Dyson

Unexpected Home Theater Benefit

While I must admit I've been just this side of giddy since we finished Cinema Murray, my wife and I have discovered a unique benefit to watching movies there (get your mind out of the gutter!): Credits!

Movie credits are designed for a big screen and next to impossible to read on a TV screen, even a big RPTV. On the 110" they're perfectly readable.

When we go out to movies we like to stay and watch credits - we're interested in who contributed, locations, music, etc., but at home and watching on TV there isn't much point. And forget about trying to watch credits for a broadcast TV movie (actually, I don't watch broadcast TV movies anymore and when I do watch TV, it's through TiVO - no commercials!)

Take for example, last night. It was a double feature: Romancing The Stone with the girls, then Night Shift when they went to bed (Barney Rubble, what and actor!).

Watching the credits, we discovered that Kevin Costner and Shannon Doherty are both in the movie (Night Shift Credits)! We popped back through the scenes to confirm that yes, both were on screen for a few seconds. You'll also find Vincent Schiavelli in his traditional weird, scarry guy roll, but you can never miss this guy He's also in the opening moments of Amadeus.

In addition, the watching the credits provides a nice "falling away" period from the movie. A transition from being absorbed in the story, a moment or two to think about what you've seen, but not entirely withdrawn, held still by the music, dimmed lights, comfortable chair.

A Scary Idea

This is a scary idea: Elephants to protect forests.

I can't say I disapprove, but training wild animals that are also fairly intelligent surely has the potential for a B grade horror movie.

Oh wait, here it is: thank you, Mr. Crichton.

Which leads to another rather bizarre idea I've had for some time. On occasion I hear about someone that's interested in attempting to bring back the mastodon. From what I've seen, we're confident they "disappeared" about 10,000 years ago in pretty sort order. It's also clear that we had something to do with it.

OK, other than the possibility that they were tasty, what if they were very intelligent and nasty. See, there's your next horror movie. A well meaning team of scientists bring back a huge heard, thinking them gentle giants, only to discover they have a deep, genetic hatred of man.

Oh, sorry, Crichton beat me to that one, too.

And while I'm harping about Crichton, please, someone, force an editor on this man. I have a feeling that there's a real writer in there, if only someone could tell him, "let's drop the first half of this thing and don't despair over the red ink, dear. It's for your own good."

Links-of-Interest

I check in here a couple of times a day: Boing Boing: A Directory of Wonderful Things

They do find the most interesting things. I have noticed, however, if I read Fark and Metafilter I'll trip across the same stories again and again.

I used to read Plastic and post there as well, new stories are slow to appear and I lost interest over time. I do not post on Fark and tried to register for Metafilter, but it's registration is closed.

I am, however, a Senior Member on the AVSforum.

The Rich Have No Imagination

OK, this is what I want for Father's Day.

Don't you just hate that the super rich have no imagination? Sure, if I were rich as Bill Gates, I'd do all of the charitable good works, build a castle of a house, but then I'd take a few BILLION and have some real fun. Do you know that you could have a space shuttle built for only $4.5 B? And the launch is less than $200 million each time.

I'm actually kicking around a novel idea based on this. It would be in the format of a biography of just such a super rich man - someone with a real imagination. There's a subject that Alfred Bester could do justice too.

Remote Madness

I've been trying to program my very expensive super remote to easily operate all of the components of my home theater with one-button ease. I've always thought I was a pretty smart guy, at least with consumer electronics, but this thing is driving me nuts. I'm trying to figure out how to get a Home Theater Master MX-700 remote to switch the video source of my Hitachi 5500 SX projector.

I've "learned" the projector remote into the MX-700, but that only allows me to manually change the video source. What I want is to hit a macro button, for example, "Watch TV". I need the Denon AVR-4802 to switch to TV, the projector to switch to Video, and the lights to dim to setting 4. Oh, and the curtains to open to 4:3 mode. Right now I have to do each manually, or at least mostly.

Oh, and my IR repeater doesn't seem to work reliably. It did for a while, but now it's not. Sometimes. And I didn't change anything.

I'd like to do this myself, but it's getting to the point where I'd pay someone to just make it work. If there were anyone around here that could get me to 100%. It would be even more frustrating to pay someone and still only get to 95%.