Christopher Paolini wrote Eragon when he was about 15 and I enjoyed the first book. Didn't really like the second. Either the novelty had worn off, or perhaps his parents didn't help with this one as much. So now they've made a movie.
This movie could have been decent -- it could never be great because the source material had certain limitations that come with a teenaged author.However, I am sad to report, it wasn't very good. Why? Mostly the acting. Or lack of it. The acting was pretty bad, all around. They picked their two leads based on looks and not talent. Eragon may be a likeable sort, but his acting is more wooden that a two-by-four. I really wanted to like this film, but I couldn't. Brom (Jeremy Irons) was the best actor of the lot and Murtagh wasn't bad either, but it seemed like he was lusting after Eragon a bit more than was healthy and I'm quite sure that wasn't in the book.
The dialogue was bad, but it comes from the book and teenagers aren't noted for inspired dialogue in their first novels, are they? A lot of the problem in the film comes from uneven editing as well as the fact huge chunks of the book were compressed into 30 seconds leaving an unintelligible mess.
So, I say, read the book again instead of seeing the movie. And don't bother reading the second book, either. You will be disappointed.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Monday, December 25, 2006
Lung Cancer in the Family
Dad had his last full and complete physical in May 2006. This November, when I went to the Fastener show, Dad wasn’t feeling well and wasn’t sure if he would even go. He was having a little trouble breathing and we all gave him a bit of a hard time, telling him old age wasn’t curable. However it was getting worse, and we ended up thinking he might have pneumonia. Before we left, he got an x-ray and it wasn’t pneumonia and he was cleared to go by the doctor. When we came back, they said there was a small spot on the x-ray, and it was probably nothing but to come back in. He went in, and they did a second set of x-rays and numerous other tests.
As it turns out, it was something. Dad has stage IIIA lung cancer (Non-small cell lung cancer – NSCLC -- is the most common type of lung cancer. It usually grows and spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer.) He’s never smoked, but before I came to work at Interstate, the office was full of smokers and he spent over 35 years around many chain-smokers in the same room as he was. That’s second-hand smoke, and the most likely cause – though we’ll probably never know for sure.
Yes, that’s bad news. It came real hard to the family, but obviously not nearly as bad as he took it. I can’t say that I blame him, either. He swore me to secrecy and only me, my step-mother, and he knew. He told my sister when she came home from college, as he didn’t want to ruin her first semester’s finals with the news, and I agree. He also didn’t want to tell the employees at Interstate until after the holidays.
The good news is they’ve caught it very early, and there’s over a 90% chance he’ll get better. He had his first chemotherapy session two weeks ago, and it went relatively well. His next one is after the first of the year. He’ll be missing a lot more work now, though the doctors have encouraged him to keep up some semblance of a routine, so he’s planning to work a few hours most days of the week. After the cancer shrinks a bit, he will be having two surgeries to remove the rest, so he’ll probably miss a few weeks then.
And for those of you who wondered why I’ve been non-committal and refusing to make travel plans or select specific dates to do things, now you know. I am needed at home and the office, and I will not be travelling anywhere unless it’s a very short weekend jaunt. Your forbearance for the next four moths will be appreciated.
Lastly, it’s very important he not get sick: quite simply it’s a matter of life and death. If he gets sick, that’s the worst thing that can happen to someone who has been weakened from chemotherapy – it can cause systemic infection and that’s 100% fatal. So, if you’re sick I am asking you to stay away from both him and me until you’re healthy. I’m one of the people who’s always around him, so I can’t get sick lest I pass it along to him. Austri has given me lots of good advice, because she went through this with her father, so special thanks to her for all of her support so far.
INFO FROM NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007194.htm
As it turns out, it was something. Dad has stage IIIA lung cancer (Non-small cell lung cancer – NSCLC -- is the most common type of lung cancer. It usually grows and spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer.) He’s never smoked, but before I came to work at Interstate, the office was full of smokers and he spent over 35 years around many chain-smokers in the same room as he was. That’s second-hand smoke, and the most likely cause – though we’ll probably never know for sure.
Yes, that’s bad news. It came real hard to the family, but obviously not nearly as bad as he took it. I can’t say that I blame him, either. He swore me to secrecy and only me, my step-mother, and he knew. He told my sister when she came home from college, as he didn’t want to ruin her first semester’s finals with the news, and I agree. He also didn’t want to tell the employees at Interstate until after the holidays.
The good news is they’ve caught it very early, and there’s over a 90% chance he’ll get better. He had his first chemotherapy session two weeks ago, and it went relatively well. His next one is after the first of the year. He’ll be missing a lot more work now, though the doctors have encouraged him to keep up some semblance of a routine, so he’s planning to work a few hours most days of the week. After the cancer shrinks a bit, he will be having two surgeries to remove the rest, so he’ll probably miss a few weeks then.
And for those of you who wondered why I’ve been non-committal and refusing to make travel plans or select specific dates to do things, now you know. I am needed at home and the office, and I will not be travelling anywhere unless it’s a very short weekend jaunt. Your forbearance for the next four moths will be appreciated.
Lastly, it’s very important he not get sick: quite simply it’s a matter of life and death. If he gets sick, that’s the worst thing that can happen to someone who has been weakened from chemotherapy – it can cause systemic infection and that’s 100% fatal. So, if you’re sick I am asking you to stay away from both him and me until you’re healthy. I’m one of the people who’s always around him, so I can’t get sick lest I pass it along to him. Austri has given me lots of good advice, because she went through this with her father, so special thanks to her for all of her support so far.
INFO FROM NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007194.htm
Sunday, December 24, 2006
A (Long) Night at the Museum
Well, the reviews are in. They're mixed. Either you love this movie or you hate this movie -- at least that's how the reviews are. I was mildly entertained. There are some good parts, some bad parts, but it's completely mindless. Sometimes, though, that's okay.
It starts slow. Painfully so. But after about 20 minutes, it gets kicking. The premise is great, the execution, not so great. But there are so many cameos by famous people, it'll at least keep you entertained. Just don't think about how stupid it is, and you'll be fine. Ben Stiller may be the least funny part of the film. The actor who plays his kid, can't act very well but I can't help but wonder if it's the fault of the meandering director.
Robin William, Owen Wilson, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney all do some nice work here too.
If you want to be entertained, you will be. If you want to laugh, you might. If you want to be intellectually stimulated, this is not your film.
It starts slow. Painfully so. But after about 20 minutes, it gets kicking. The premise is great, the execution, not so great. But there are so many cameos by famous people, it'll at least keep you entertained. Just don't think about how stupid it is, and you'll be fine. Ben Stiller may be the least funny part of the film. The actor who plays his kid, can't act very well but I can't help but wonder if it's the fault of the meandering director.
Robin William, Owen Wilson, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney all do some nice work here too.
If you want to be entertained, you will be. If you want to laugh, you might. If you want to be intellectually stimulated, this is not your film.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Happy Xmas (War is Over) -- Lennon (and more)
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Acceptance
- Happy Xmas (War is Over) Celine Dion
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Eric Lapointe
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) The Fray
- Happy Xmas (War is Over) Hot Rod Circuit
- Happy Xmas (War is Over) John Holt
- Happy Xmas (War is over) John Lennon
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Maroon 5
- Happy XMas (War Is Over) Melissa Etheridge
- Happy Xmas (War is Over) Neil Diamond
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) The Pop Idols
- Happy Xmas (War is Over) Robbie Williams
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Sarah McLachlan
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Street Drum Corps & Bert McCracken
- Happy Xmas (War is Over) U2
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) The Used
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Roch Voisine
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Julesanger
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Gregorian Chant
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Collective Soul (also have TV Video Clip)
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Jimmy Buffett
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Quo Vadis
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) What's Up
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) The Moody Blues
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Caio Mesquita
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Gary Hoey
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Katia Keres
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Mark Doyle
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Rick Cowling
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) The Mighty Echoes
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Twelve Girls Band
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Marie Michèle Desrosiers
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Crouch End Festival Chorus
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Claudia Ricci
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) William Coulter & Benjamin Verdery
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Les Grands Airs De Noël
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Glenn Hoddle of the Tottenham Hotspur Football [Soccer] Club
- Låt julen förkunna (Julen är här) Tommy Körberg & Sissel Kyrkjebø (Thanks, Simon)
I am continuing to collect versions of this song and I want to thank the many of you who have helped me out.
This is the only serious holiday song I really love. There are others I like, but this one is awesome. If you have a version that is not listed above, help me out and please e-mail me the particulars. Please don't e-mail MP3 files without checking with me, as my mailbox can only hold so much. If I haven't collected your version, I shall gladly tell you which address you can send it to. Or if you prefer to provide me a link to a FTP site or even Amazon, that would be fine too.
Randomness Part Trois
Let's see where to begin.
1. Today, at work, I upgraded from Outlook Express to Outlook. I can't say I'm happy. There are so many little things with Outlook that bug me. The two biggest issues being the address book (Contacts) aren't working properly and I can't figure it out, nor can any of the so-called 'experts' I know. The other is you can't highlight an e-mail in a certain colour using "rules".
2. I cooked dinner. It was very sub-par. This is why I never try anything new. Sweet Corn Cakes sounded good, in theory. In practice, not so good. I ate it all anyway just to spite myself.
3. I got a haircut on the way home from work. Yay.
4. I installed Google Analytics on my site, so we'll see tomorrow how it works (or if it works depending how my installation skills were).
5. The term "emo" has been getting lots of hits on my blog all of a sudden, but mostly it's still the damned Led Zeppelin and Crazy Frog posts that bring visitors here. On the plus side, my hit count is over 95,000 now -- that's a lot of views. On the minus side, most of them look at one or two posts and leave. And worse, none of them click my advertising. I have yet to see a check from Google Adsense. It's okay, though, 'cause I like Google anyway.
6. One of my Chinese vendors sent me the most cool and useful gifts. I don't normally get gifts from my vendors, but happily this was a special occasion I suppose. I got a book in "Practical Chinese Conversations: 100 Putonghua Situations" which comes with CDs and everything. I had mentioned that I was going to try and learn some Chinese phrases, and now I can. The only disadvantage is the don't explain their pronunciation guide, so you've got to listen to the CDs. I can pronounce xièxie, but can't even fathom how to say wènhòu.
7. I told off one of my vendors (Friday) and have yet to hear back. Usually you want to keep a customer, but I guess they don't.
8. I recently added some chick to my MySpace page 'cause she asked, but she's got lots of bulletins, so I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep her around. I hate people who burn through bulletins.
9. I have one ticket (for anyone who wants to go and sit with me) to the 12-23, 27, and 29 Panther Games. And also the 12-25 Evening Dolphins vs Jets game. E-mail me if interested. No charge. Being my date is punishment enough :)
10. My feet are cold. Actually I've been cold all day and coughing a bunch. I wonder if my cold is coming back.
11. Hello to Erin who is recovering from her hoof knee work. Here's to hoping she feels better.
12. I have discovered I prefer cheaper toilet paper to Charmin. I could tell you why but it's a bit gross.
1. Today, at work, I upgraded from Outlook Express to Outlook. I can't say I'm happy. There are so many little things with Outlook that bug me. The two biggest issues being the address book (Contacts) aren't working properly and I can't figure it out, nor can any of the so-called 'experts' I know. The other is you can't highlight an e-mail in a certain colour using "rules".
2. I cooked dinner. It was very sub-par. This is why I never try anything new. Sweet Corn Cakes sounded good, in theory. In practice, not so good. I ate it all anyway just to spite myself.
3. I got a haircut on the way home from work. Yay.
4. I installed Google Analytics on my site, so we'll see tomorrow how it works (or if it works depending how my installation skills were).
5. The term "emo" has been getting lots of hits on my blog all of a sudden, but mostly it's still the damned Led Zeppelin and Crazy Frog posts that bring visitors here. On the plus side, my hit count is over 95,000 now -- that's a lot of views. On the minus side, most of them look at one or two posts and leave. And worse, none of them click my advertising. I have yet to see a check from Google Adsense. It's okay, though, 'cause I like Google anyway.
6. One of my Chinese vendors sent me the most cool and useful gifts. I don't normally get gifts from my vendors, but happily this was a special occasion I suppose. I got a book in "Practical Chinese Conversations: 100 Putonghua Situations" which comes with CDs and everything. I had mentioned that I was going to try and learn some Chinese phrases, and now I can. The only disadvantage is the don't explain their pronunciation guide, so you've got to listen to the CDs. I can pronounce xièxie, but can't even fathom how to say wènhòu.
7. I told off one of my vendors (Friday) and have yet to hear back. Usually you want to keep a customer, but I guess they don't.
8. I recently added some chick to my MySpace page 'cause she asked, but she's got lots of bulletins, so I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep her around. I hate people who burn through bulletins.
9. I have one ticket (for anyone who wants to go and sit with me) to the 12-23, 27, and 29 Panther Games. And also the 12-25 Evening Dolphins vs Jets game. E-mail me if interested. No charge. Being my date is punishment enough :)
10. My feet are cold. Actually I've been cold all day and coughing a bunch. I wonder if my cold is coming back.
11. Hello to Erin who is recovering from her hoof knee work. Here's to hoping she feels better.
12. I have discovered I prefer cheaper toilet paper to Charmin. I could tell you why but it's a bit gross.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Wither the PS/3 and Ninteno Wii Redux
In a previous post, Wither the PS/3 and Ninteno Wii I had asked for help locating a PS/3 and a Nintendo Wii. The offers of assistance were truly astounding. Amazingly, it all ended with the old standby, e-bay. Amazingly, I got a PS/3 60gb on ebay for just $55 over retail. Prices are falling on the PS/3 (rapidly) as supply is starting to appear. It also leads me to believe that they aren't going to be a runaway success like the Wii. The Wii is 1/3 the price and impossible to buy. Further prices on the Wii are going up on e-bay while PS/3 is falling. And after playing both: the PS/3 has better graphics but the Wii is WAY more fun, and I think that's what really counts.
I liked playing with Erin's Wii. I am still desperately searching for a Wii at this moment. Assistance is still gladly welcome. Again, if you find a Wii before the end of the year (SRP $249) I will gladly pay you back including shipping, tax, and the $30 bounty.
I appreciate how many of you tried to help me on this quest.
I liked playing with Erin's Wii. I am still desperately searching for a Wii at this moment. Assistance is still gladly welcome. Again, if you find a Wii before the end of the year (SRP $249) I will gladly pay you back including shipping, tax, and the $30 bounty.
I appreciate how many of you tried to help me on this quest.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Baiji Dolphin Extinct Thanks to Chinese Government
A sad story, a species of Dolphin was declared extinct today. The AP reports that China's rapid and unchecked growth coupled with the consequential destruction of the Yangtze river has resulted in the population of the Baiji Dolphin vanishing, making it functionally extinct. This is the first mammal to be declared extinct in over 40 years.
The Chinese called this mammal the "Goddess of the Yangtze" yet they did little to protect it, and their rampant expansion has polluted the river, destroyed the food chain, and killed the last 400 living creatures since the 1980s. The last sighting was in 2004. It's sad to see a species wiped off the planet after surviving for nearly 20 million years. It does not speak well of our fellow humans.
You can go to baiji.org to read more about this. As their website says "The baiji is Functionally extinct. Lipotes vexilifier is the first species of cetacean – whales, dolphins, and porpoises – to disappear from our globe in modern times…the first large mammal to go extinct as a result of man’s destruction of their natural habitat and resources."
The Chinese called this mammal the "Goddess of the Yangtze" yet they did little to protect it, and their rampant expansion has polluted the river, destroyed the food chain, and killed the last 400 living creatures since the 1980s. The last sighting was in 2004. It's sad to see a species wiped off the planet after surviving for nearly 20 million years. It does not speak well of our fellow humans.
You can go to baiji.org to read more about this. As their website says "The baiji is Functionally extinct. Lipotes vexilifier is the first species of cetacean – whales, dolphins, and porpoises – to disappear from our globe in modern times…the first large mammal to go extinct as a result of man’s destruction of their natural habitat and resources."
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Airbus A380 -- Explosions in the Sky
Airbus and the FAA are at odds. The FAA (after the crash of TWA 800) mandated special fuel tanks to eliminate in-sky explosions, a good idea in theory. Airbus are complaining that this ought not apply to them in an article in today's USA Today. Obviously, that's a ploy by Airbus to save weight, which will in turn save money. There are many ways to cut corners on an aircraft -- some good, some bad. The fuel tank is not a great place to cut corners. Obviously Airbus has no concerns about the safety of their planes: okay, that isn't true. They are worried about more delays, more cost overruns, and more embarrassment. However this is not a good idea. Don't fly Airbus and especially not the A380.
Peter Jackson may or may not direct the Hobbit
Peter Jackson has been removed as director of the Lord of the Rings follow-up, The Hobbit. I think there is 100% agreement outside of New Line Cinema that this is perhaps the worse idea since New Coke. Let me go on the record as saying a Jacksonless Hobbit shall not be seen by me nor many fans. On-line boycott plans are already swirling. I accept that there is a legal dispute, but since this film will likely make close to a half-billion dollars, you imagine they could throw money at this problem and it will vanish. I shall not discuss the legal vagaries of this situation because I don't know the facts of either side, only that lawyers are involved.
However, Saul Zentz, who actually owns the rights says when the rights return to Tolkien Enterprises, he will contract with Jackson and no other director will be allowed to shoot the film.
I just had to weigh in, albeit a bit late due to the fact Blogger Beta isn't even good enough to be Blogger Alpha. I wish I could switch back.
However, Saul Zentz, who actually owns the rights says when the rights return to Tolkien Enterprises, he will contract with Jackson and no other director will be allowed to shoot the film.
I just had to weigh in, albeit a bit late due to the fact Blogger Beta isn't even good enough to be Blogger Alpha. I wish I could switch back.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Blogger Beta and Wordpress
I have made a decision to switch to Wordpress because Blogger Beta pretty much bites ass. It's slower and has too many quirks. All my e-mails to tech support resulted in a 100% response rate: zero. And all of the bugs remain and now they've announced they're coming out of beta and going live. It will be a disaster. But enough of that, I like Blogger and wish them well.
To that end, I installed Wordpress and it works. However, I've got a glitch. The import tool for Blogger doesn't support the Beta version and there's no way to roll back to the unBeta version. So, I can't make the switch. I really want my old posts (100s of them) and comments to come over. So, I'm stuck with Blogger for the moment.
If anyone out there can help, I'd appreciate it. I've spent hours with Google and Wordpress' online support looking for a solution but there doesn't seem to be one at this time. The only solution online that seems to work requires installing two versions of Wordpress (1.x and 2.x) and moving your posts through one at a time. I don't have that much free time on my hands. I'd rather stick with Blogger.
Ah well. There you have it so far.
To that end, I installed Wordpress and it works. However, I've got a glitch. The import tool for Blogger doesn't support the Beta version and there's no way to roll back to the unBeta version. So, I can't make the switch. I really want my old posts (100s of them) and comments to come over. So, I'm stuck with Blogger for the moment.
If anyone out there can help, I'd appreciate it. I've spent hours with Google and Wordpress' online support looking for a solution but there doesn't seem to be one at this time. The only solution online that seems to work requires installing two versions of Wordpress (1.x and 2.x) and moving your posts through one at a time. I don't have that much free time on my hands. I'd rather stick with Blogger.
Ah well. There you have it so far.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Happy Feet
Yeah, I finally saw Happy Feet.
I saw the preview some time ago and thought it looked stupid. I didn't really want to see it. But a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. Everyone who did see it, told me they liked it or loved it. Sure they all thought it got a bit preachy at times (it does). So, I decided to see it based on the fact that my friends are smarter than movie critics (so is a cement block) and based on the fact it has a great soundtrack.
It opens with a Beatles song. Yay. This is always a good omen. The music in this film is fantastic. It doesn't matter what you like: there's something for you -- from rap, rock, pop, R&B, salsa, and so on. None of the songs are long enough to irritate if you don't like that particular piece. The graphics are beyond phenomenal.
And yeah, it's a bit preachy. It's at its worst when they mix in the live-action people in the back third of the movie. Although I fully agree with the political position of this film (yay), a kiddie cartoon is not the place for this type of overt political grandstanding. There's also some other cheap-shots in the film (with which I also agree) that also are out of place here.
I left, entirely satisfied. That may not say so much but considering I didn't really want to like this movie, and I left wishing white men could dance, that's a glowing recommendation.
It makes me glad I'm a penguin. Oh wait, I'm not a penguin. Dammit.
I saw the preview some time ago and thought it looked stupid. I didn't really want to see it. But a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. Everyone who did see it, told me they liked it or loved it. Sure they all thought it got a bit preachy at times (it does). So, I decided to see it based on the fact that my friends are smarter than movie critics (so is a cement block) and based on the fact it has a great soundtrack.
It opens with a Beatles song. Yay. This is always a good omen. The music in this film is fantastic. It doesn't matter what you like: there's something for you -- from rap, rock, pop, R&B, salsa, and so on. None of the songs are long enough to irritate if you don't like that particular piece. The graphics are beyond phenomenal.
And yeah, it's a bit preachy. It's at its worst when they mix in the live-action people in the back third of the movie. Although I fully agree with the political position of this film (yay), a kiddie cartoon is not the place for this type of overt political grandstanding. There's also some other cheap-shots in the film (with which I also agree) that also are out of place here.
I left, entirely satisfied. That may not say so much but considering I didn't really want to like this movie, and I left wishing white men could dance, that's a glowing recommendation.
It makes me glad I'm a penguin. Oh wait, I'm not a penguin. Dammit.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't
Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't. -- Old TV Commercial (Mounds & Almond Joy)
Well I came across this on someone else's blog. Now, I can't remember whose blog it was so I can't give them credit. However, this item of clothing is so cool, it is noteworthy. Yes, a bright green pair of underwear with a very simple warning: "May contain nuts!" As of now, they're sold out.
Also, I have added a link to my Amazon WishList to the right column of this blog. I thought I should point that out to the person who said I am impossible to shop for. I'm very easy and I can be your slave in a variety of price ranges. All my shopping is done. Yay.
Well I came across this on someone else's blog. Now, I can't remember whose blog it was so I can't give them credit. However, this item of clothing is so cool, it is noteworthy. Yes, a bright green pair of underwear with a very simple warning: "May contain nuts!" As of now, they're sold out.
Also, I have added a link to my Amazon WishList to the right column of this blog. I thought I should point that out to the person who said I am impossible to shop for. I'm very easy and I can be your slave in a variety of price ranges. All my shopping is done. Yay.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Dripping Shit, the plumber's tale
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, there came a dripping at the ceiling's tile. Right. Enough Poe, I agree.
So about six months ago, I found a small water-stain in my living room ceiling, about the size of a nickel. It looked old, so I ignored it, and then finally painted it over. No big deal. Or so I thought. Hadn't heard anything since.
A week-and-a-half ago, I was sitting in my living room, watching TV. Anyway, I was having at the time a bout of Montezuma's Revenge. I had to have another bout of it, so I went to the bathroom. Being a creature of habit, I went upstairs to use mine as opposed to the guest unit. I conducted the affairs of state, and returned to the TV and I kept hearing a drip noise. Slow but steady and it finally stopped without me being able to locate it. I swore it was coming from above but that made no sense, so I assumed it was the drain pan in the fridge, which I checked but that wasn't it. Then I noticed, after a second bout of the Revenge, a spot on the ceiling in the same space.
Realization hit. Measurement confirmed it. It was directly under the upstairs toilet. Flush = drip. The plumber came today and said it was probably the seal under the toilet and he'd replace that, but the only way to be sure it was fixed was to rip out the ceiling and check everything. I was opposed to that option based on the destruction it would cause. So we replaced the seal (2-1/2 hours and $270). No we're waiting to see if that fixes it or not. I'll be honest, I'm skeptical right now. I keep hearing this drip noise every 5 or 6 minutes but I've only been able to hear it -- not see it. I know where to look though so I keep checking. Pray for me.
So about six months ago, I found a small water-stain in my living room ceiling, about the size of a nickel. It looked old, so I ignored it, and then finally painted it over. No big deal. Or so I thought. Hadn't heard anything since.
A week-and-a-half ago, I was sitting in my living room, watching TV. Anyway, I was having at the time a bout of Montezuma's Revenge. I had to have another bout of it, so I went to the bathroom. Being a creature of habit, I went upstairs to use mine as opposed to the guest unit. I conducted the affairs of state, and returned to the TV and I kept hearing a drip noise. Slow but steady and it finally stopped without me being able to locate it. I swore it was coming from above but that made no sense, so I assumed it was the drain pan in the fridge, which I checked but that wasn't it. Then I noticed, after a second bout of the Revenge, a spot on the ceiling in the same space.
Realization hit. Measurement confirmed it. It was directly under the upstairs toilet. Flush = drip. The plumber came today and said it was probably the seal under the toilet and he'd replace that, but the only way to be sure it was fixed was to rip out the ceiling and check everything. I was opposed to that option based on the destruction it would cause. So we replaced the seal (2-1/2 hours and $270). No we're waiting to see if that fixes it or not. I'll be honest, I'm skeptical right now. I keep hearing this drip noise every 5 or 6 minutes but I've only been able to hear it -- not see it. I know where to look though so I keep checking. Pray for me.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wither the PS/3 and Ninteno Wii
I am writing this to see if anyone out there among my friends, colleagues, or random blog-readers may be able to assist me in locating two items at regular price. I don't want to go to e-bay and bankrupt myself buying this stuff at auction -- I've seen those prices, I'm not interested. I'd much rather wait.
Here are the two items:
I am looking for a Nintendo Wii (This might be possible -- I know people who've gotten lucky).
I'm also looking for a PS/3 60GB (model PS398000) -- it's got to be the 60GB. I don't want the 20gb.
On either one, if it came in a bundle with games and stuff, that would be okay. I know that's how most places are selling them, requiring a purchase of 3 to 5 games and/or an extra controller. That's cool.
I will pay you up to full retail price plus tax. I will pay for shipping to me. I will also pay a finder's fee of $20 for a Wii and $100 for a PS/3. This offer is good for 30 days from today.
I figure someone out there must have a friend who works at a mass-market or mom-and-pop electronics retailer. I almost got lucky at walmart.com yesterday, 'cause they had the Wii in a bundle with 8 games. I clicked add-to-cart, and then clicked proceed. Sadly, I got the "there are no longer any of these items to add to your cart" Damn and damn again. If I'd have started just a little less time and clicked a little bit faster.
If, on the off chance I get lucky, I will let everyone know here so you don't keep looking in vain.
Thanks,
Here are the two items:
I am looking for a Nintendo Wii (This might be possible -- I know people who've gotten lucky).
I'm also looking for a PS/3 60GB (model PS398000) -- it's got to be the 60GB. I don't want the 20gb.
On either one, if it came in a bundle with games and stuff, that would be okay. I know that's how most places are selling them, requiring a purchase of 3 to 5 games and/or an extra controller. That's cool.
I will pay you up to full retail price plus tax. I will pay for shipping to me. I will also pay a finder's fee of $20 for a Wii and $100 for a PS/3. This offer is good for 30 days from today.
I figure someone out there must have a friend who works at a mass-market or mom-and-pop electronics retailer. I almost got lucky at walmart.com yesterday, 'cause they had the Wii in a bundle with 8 games. I clicked add-to-cart, and then clicked proceed. Sadly, I got the "there are no longer any of these items to add to your cart" Damn and damn again. If I'd have started just a little less time and clicked a little bit faster.
If, on the off chance I get lucky, I will let everyone know here so you don't keep looking in vain.
Thanks,
Hating SCO and their nasty, evil ways
I have not had much to say in public, but I've had lots to say in private as my friends know. Anyway, thanks to Jose, I have this link wherein SCO was officially and legally flamed yesterday by the judge and told to stuff it where the Sun don't shine. The dance is pretty much over, and if you own stock in SCO, take heart because you can still use the certificates as toilet paper. The company is about to be worthless much like its CEO.
To quote the judge, "The court finds that SCO failed to comply with the court's previous discovery-related Orders and Rule 26(e), that SCO acted wilfully, that SCO's conduct has resulted in prejudice to IBM, and that this result, the inability of SCO to use the evidence at issue to prove its claims, should come as no surprise to SCO ....The court, therefore, affirms and adopts the Magistrate Judge's June 28, 2006 Order in its entirety." (emphasis mine; for grand effect, just read the bold stuff)
Read on, my friends, and rejoice in the news. Again, go to this link on Groklaw.
To quote the judge, "The court finds that SCO failed to comply with the court's previous discovery-related Orders and Rule 26(e), that SCO acted wilfully, that SCO's conduct has resulted in prejudice to IBM, and that this result, the inability of SCO to use the evidence at issue to prove its claims, should come as no surprise to SCO ....The court, therefore, affirms and adopts the Magistrate Judge's June 28, 2006 Order in its entirety." (emphasis mine; for grand effect, just read the bold stuff)
Read on, my friends, and rejoice in the news. Again, go to this link on Groklaw.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Serendipity
Here's an e-mail I sent today, with the name removed to protect the innocent.
Hey :)
So I got your holiday card today. And it's really funny on two levels. First, it's the type of lowbrow humour I enjoy. You know I like to make fun of the Hellidays, and this year was no exception. Every year I go shopping for two different cards* — both funny. It took me two weeks this year to find the appropriate off-centre cards. Amazingly, one of the cards I picked was the same one you sent me. I'm not sure if you'll get selection "A" or selection "B" this year, but it would be quite ironic if you got the same card you sent me. Mine are going out tomorrow. They were ready today, but I didn't have to time run them through the postage machine before the mailman came.
So, anyway, the card was a gas. I hope you like mine.
— E
* Okay, three. Card selection "C" is for the older folks who might not like a perverted card with a dirty joke written inside the cover.
Hey :)
So I got your holiday card today. And it's really funny on two levels. First, it's the type of lowbrow humour I enjoy. You know I like to make fun of the Hellidays, and this year was no exception. Every year I go shopping for two different cards* — both funny. It took me two weeks this year to find the appropriate off-centre cards. Amazingly, one of the cards I picked was the same one you sent me. I'm not sure if you'll get selection "A" or selection "B" this year, but it would be quite ironic if you got the same card you sent me. Mine are going out tomorrow. They were ready today, but I didn't have to time run them through the postage machine before the mailman came.
So, anyway, the card was a gas. I hope you like mine.
— E
* Okay, three. Card selection "C" is for the older folks who might not like a perverted card with a dirty joke written inside the cover.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Blowing Blood Out Your Nose
The subject says it all. I woke up sneezing blood. That prompted me to fax the doctor at 6am "Call me when you come in!" I now have antibiotics for my sinus infection coupled with bronchitis. I also have a side order of laryngitis, but that's just a bonus ailment: contract two, get a third free.
It's all Gaby's fault, you know. She was sick and she hugged and kissed all of in Vegas back on 13th. Now her, her husband, both of their kids, their work colleagues, and me all have some malady. Needless to say we're thrilled. Poor Andy went to the hospital Monday and I wasn't far behind.
I started as a sore throat followed by what appeared to be a cold. No such luck, let me tell you. It was an irritating but mild head cold. Then Saturday it morphed. Started coughing that night, and I thought to myself, this feels like my annual case of November Bronchitis. I get it almost every November like clockwork -- since 1983. Couldn't sleep more than 5 or 10 minutes at a pop, so I began flu treatments, hoping it was the flu. Hah! No such luck. Sleep came for 15 to 20 minutes a time followed by 30 to 40 minutes of hacking. Sunday night was much, much worse. All day Sunday I had a headache which grew worse and worse. That night was horrible, with the coughing and headaches. Woke up with the mother of all headaches -- and even my migraine medicines didn't work (three different kinds).
I tried to get out of bed, but my muscles didn't want to cooperate. I felt like there was a 5000 pound anvil on my head. I was in some serious pain. I've had migraines, but this was some new hellish form of one. I know it's some form because I had all the sensitivity and nausea that comes with it. Worse, my brain didn't want to function* but after quite some time I finally managed to move, take more drugs, get downstairs and go to my car. I knew I was supposed to be driving to the urgent care clinic, or the emergency room. I ended up at work, proving how added my brains were.
I called the Doctor's office but he was out of town Monday so I let it lie (big mistake) and went through another night of hell. And that brings us to the opening paragraph of this blog entry. I do not feel well. I've had less than 6 hours sleep in 3 days, and not any consecutive sleep hours.
Hopefully these drugs kick in soon.
* shut up -- I heard that comment
It's all Gaby's fault, you know. She was sick and she hugged and kissed all of in Vegas back on 13th. Now her, her husband, both of their kids, their work colleagues, and me all have some malady. Needless to say we're thrilled. Poor Andy went to the hospital Monday and I wasn't far behind.
I started as a sore throat followed by what appeared to be a cold. No such luck, let me tell you. It was an irritating but mild head cold. Then Saturday it morphed. Started coughing that night, and I thought to myself, this feels like my annual case of November Bronchitis. I get it almost every November like clockwork -- since 1983. Couldn't sleep more than 5 or 10 minutes at a pop, so I began flu treatments, hoping it was the flu. Hah! No such luck. Sleep came for 15 to 20 minutes a time followed by 30 to 40 minutes of hacking. Sunday night was much, much worse. All day Sunday I had a headache which grew worse and worse. That night was horrible, with the coughing and headaches. Woke up with the mother of all headaches -- and even my migraine medicines didn't work (three different kinds).
I tried to get out of bed, but my muscles didn't want to cooperate. I felt like there was a 5000 pound anvil on my head. I was in some serious pain. I've had migraines, but this was some new hellish form of one. I know it's some form because I had all the sensitivity and nausea that comes with it. Worse, my brain didn't want to function* but after quite some time I finally managed to move, take more drugs, get downstairs and go to my car. I knew I was supposed to be driving to the urgent care clinic, or the emergency room. I ended up at work, proving how added my brains were.
I called the Doctor's office but he was out of town Monday so I let it lie (big mistake) and went through another night of hell. And that brings us to the opening paragraph of this blog entry. I do not feel well. I've had less than 6 hours sleep in 3 days, and not any consecutive sleep hours.
Hopefully these drugs kick in soon.
* shut up -- I heard that comment
Monday, November 27, 2006
Beatles: only on iPod via iTunes?
The whole article is here, but I am going excerpt from it.
Yes, the long rumoured move is about nigh! The Beatles come to your iPod. And that may prompt me to buy another iPod. I had one, you know, and then I sold it on eBay. Well, you've all seen the cool black U2 iPod. Can you imagine the funky Yellow Submarine coloured iPod with some Beatles logos on it? Yes, I'm sitting a pool of drool.
NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Click on the iTunes music store and punch in "Beatles" under artist search. More than 50 albums will pop up, including Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Play the Beatles, but none are the real deal. But that may be about to change. While details remain to be worked out, Fortune has learned that iTunes is close to a deal to bring the Beatles catalog online. Apple Computer is said to be angling to become the exclusive online music store for the Beatles for a limited window of time. Other music stores, have courted the Beatles over the years to no avail, but it appears Apple is close to getting first dibs on the band's hits.
Yes, the long rumoured move is about nigh! The Beatles come to your iPod. And that may prompt me to buy another iPod. I had one, you know, and then I sold it on eBay. Well, you've all seen the cool black U2 iPod. Can you imagine the funky Yellow Submarine coloured iPod with some Beatles logos on it? Yes, I'm sitting a pool of drool.
NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Click on the iTunes music store and punch in "Beatles" under artist search. More than 50 albums will pop up, including Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Play the Beatles, but none are the real deal. But that may be about to change. While details remain to be worked out, Fortune has learned that iTunes is close to a deal to bring the Beatles catalog online. Apple Computer is said to be angling to become the exclusive online music store for the Beatles for a limited window of time. Other music stores, have courted the Beatles over the years to no avail, but it appears Apple is close to getting first dibs on the band's hits.
If the deal goes through, it will mark a Nixon-Brezhnev-worthy truce - with the band's record label, Britain's EMI Group, serving as a peacemaker - between Apple Computer's Steve Jobs and Neil Aspinall, the one-time Beatles road manager who is now guardian of the band's business interests under Apple Corps.
At a recent industry conference, David Munns, head of EMI North America, said the Beatles would be available online "soon." The parties were hoping to make a splashy announcement to coincide with the Nov. 21 release of "Love," a mashup of Beatles songs that serves as a soundtrack to a Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil production. That didn't happen.
According to a music industry executive apprised of the talks, the parties were discussing how lengthy a window of exclusivity iTunes might get and how many tens of millions of dollars Jobs - who is said to be personally involved in the discussions - will commit to an advance for the band and marketing costs.
Also being discussed is whether the band would be willing to take two steps at the same time and endorse the iPod by allowing its music to be used in a commercial. Another scenario making the rounds is the prospect of the Beatles following U2's example with a branded iPod. "If the Beatles were in an iPod ad, that would be humongous," this executive said.
The deal could well fall apart for any number of reasons, including the long-running legal feud between Apple Corps and Apple Computer over both their names and the similarities between the Granny Smith that appears on the label's LPs and the half-eaten apple that is Jobs' corporate logo. "The Beatles' position is that they don't sing jingles to peddle sneakers, beer, pantyhose, or anything else," a lawyer for the band told the Associated Press at the time. Notice he didn't say iPods.
This is enormous news. It'll kill that damn Zune right out of the door. Happily the Zune is getting pretty bad reviews from all facets of the press because it's bulky, counter-intuitive, and worse -- what do they expect from the twits at Microsoft, after all they produced Windows. If you own Apple stock, I wouldn't sell it just now. I think you'll see a huge jump.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Bond, James Bond (Daniel Craig in Casino Royale)
(No spoilers)
Let me first start by saying I read all of Fleming's Bond books some years ago, and was dismayed at what Bond had become. This is not to say I didn't think Brosnan wasn't a great Bond, he was. However, the Bond they wrote for him did not have the true spirit of Fleming's Bond. Doctor No had it closest -- a good adaptation coupled with the incomparable Sean Connery. Everyone agrees Connery wins the Bond sweepstakes and that won't change with this new Bond.
However, that being said, I was very surprised to find that Daniel Craig is a very believable Bond. I was one of the detractors and this performance has quelled any objections I may have to his title as Mr. Bond. Royale made an effort to keep near the book (changing Baccarat for Poker to make it more timely, I suppose -- no other reason can be found).
There are very few absurdities in this film unlike the recent predecessors. Yes, there is the standard Bond fare but no invisible cars, jumping from the edge the Hoover Dam, and other absurd moments. If you watch Bond you have to expect some stretch, but not to the absurd.
There is a scene in the Miami Airport. It was not filmed in Miami as anyone in Miami will attest, not to mention the random license plates which weren't from Florida. Reasonable copies of our Police cars and uniforms though. I believe the airport was a Chezch airport or possibly a remote UK airport. I tried to figure it out based on signage and aircraft but had little luck.
Anyway, the Bond beauty was hot. Yay. Bond was well acted and well written. You believed in him. And even though you know how Bond ends up being Bond it's nice to see the story. And it's much harder to present a good film when the audience knows the ending in advance as we all do. (I won't spoil it in case you're clueless here.)
The sole recognizable face is Judi Dench as "M" -- which also provides the one odd time-continuity gaffe. She was "M" at the start and end so how did the "M"s in the middle happen? I think she's a fantastic "M" but they needed someone else for this one film. I really thought so.
There aren't many fancy gadgets but there are some damn fine cars. I won't bore you with the details but the cars were almost as sexy as the women.
I liked the psychological aspect of this film and that's a great thing because it's more towards the original spy thriller. I also liked the fact that at 2-1/2 hours this film moves along quickly until it's ending. Only the film isn't really ending, but rather lulling you into a false sense of complacency for the real ending. And the real ending is fantastic.
Welcome, Mr. Craig. You're a welcome Bond. Another one like this and you'll pass Brosnan and be right there under Connery. You're already past Moore, Lazenby, and Dalton.
Let me first start by saying I read all of Fleming's Bond books some years ago, and was dismayed at what Bond had become. This is not to say I didn't think Brosnan wasn't a great Bond, he was. However, the Bond they wrote for him did not have the true spirit of Fleming's Bond. Doctor No had it closest -- a good adaptation coupled with the incomparable Sean Connery. Everyone agrees Connery wins the Bond sweepstakes and that won't change with this new Bond.
However, that being said, I was very surprised to find that Daniel Craig is a very believable Bond. I was one of the detractors and this performance has quelled any objections I may have to his title as Mr. Bond. Royale made an effort to keep near the book (changing Baccarat for Poker to make it more timely, I suppose -- no other reason can be found).
There are very few absurdities in this film unlike the recent predecessors. Yes, there is the standard Bond fare but no invisible cars, jumping from the edge the Hoover Dam, and other absurd moments. If you watch Bond you have to expect some stretch, but not to the absurd.
There is a scene in the Miami Airport. It was not filmed in Miami as anyone in Miami will attest, not to mention the random license plates which weren't from Florida. Reasonable copies of our Police cars and uniforms though. I believe the airport was a Chezch airport or possibly a remote UK airport. I tried to figure it out based on signage and aircraft but had little luck.
Anyway, the Bond beauty was hot. Yay. Bond was well acted and well written. You believed in him. And even though you know how Bond ends up being Bond it's nice to see the story. And it's much harder to present a good film when the audience knows the ending in advance as we all do. (I won't spoil it in case you're clueless here.)
The sole recognizable face is Judi Dench as "M" -- which also provides the one odd time-continuity gaffe. She was "M" at the start and end so how did the "M"s in the middle happen? I think she's a fantastic "M" but they needed someone else for this one film. I really thought so.
There aren't many fancy gadgets but there are some damn fine cars. I won't bore you with the details but the cars were almost as sexy as the women.
I liked the psychological aspect of this film and that's a great thing because it's more towards the original spy thriller. I also liked the fact that at 2-1/2 hours this film moves along quickly until it's ending. Only the film isn't really ending, but rather lulling you into a false sense of complacency for the real ending. And the real ending is fantastic.
Welcome, Mr. Craig. You're a welcome Bond. Another one like this and you'll pass Brosnan and be right there under Connery. You're already past Moore, Lazenby, and Dalton.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Nick Twisp (and his Younger Brother)
This is a double-review of both "Young and Revolting" the (apparently) last Nick Twisp book and "Revoltingly Young" the story of Nick's younger brother. CD Payne has an interesting style, and if you're reading this review, I can only assume you've read the original "Youth in Revolt" which is an utter classic.
Nick Twisp begins life as an over-sexed nympho-like 14 year-old. He's older in Y&R but that doesn't mean he's mature. That's a good thing. Because what keeps this book enjoyable is the fact that Nick will always and forever be a fourteen year old. His outlook on life doesn't change drastically, and if it did we probably wouldn't like him nearly as much. Nick's a terribly misguided youth and that's his charm. His adventures are still vastly amusing, but nowhere near as madcap as his first adventure. Quite frankly, I miss François and Carlotta who appear briefly only. Payne gives it his best, but the ending is not that satisfying. It's more like an afterthought.
That leads us on to RY which is entertaining as hell. It's closer to the first book than any of the subsequent novels and my constant chuckles had my neighbours on the plane giving me suspicious looks out of the corners of their eyes. It's a rehash of previous books in one way -- you won't be surprised at anything you read because you've seen it all before but sometimes an old comfortable pair of shoes is just what's needed. My biggest complaint about this book is that when Nick makes a cameo -- and his brief appearance can only be called that -- as a 30 year old adult, quite frankly he's not likeable. It would have been better if he hadn't been included. My other complaint is that ending feels terribly rushed and deux-ex-machina, which even the author hints at in a smug, self-satisfied way. Clearly Payne didn't know how to end his novel, so he threw and ending together. The charm of writing journal style means you don't have to contrive an ending.
Nick Twisp begins life as an over-sexed nympho-like 14 year-old. He's older in Y&R but that doesn't mean he's mature. That's a good thing. Because what keeps this book enjoyable is the fact that Nick will always and forever be a fourteen year old. His outlook on life doesn't change drastically, and if it did we probably wouldn't like him nearly as much. Nick's a terribly misguided youth and that's his charm. His adventures are still vastly amusing, but nowhere near as madcap as his first adventure. Quite frankly, I miss François and Carlotta who appear briefly only. Payne gives it his best, but the ending is not that satisfying. It's more like an afterthought.
That leads us on to RY which is entertaining as hell. It's closer to the first book than any of the subsequent novels and my constant chuckles had my neighbours on the plane giving me suspicious looks out of the corners of their eyes. It's a rehash of previous books in one way -- you won't be surprised at anything you read because you've seen it all before but sometimes an old comfortable pair of shoes is just what's needed. My biggest complaint about this book is that when Nick makes a cameo -- and his brief appearance can only be called that -- as a 30 year old adult, quite frankly he's not likeable. It would have been better if he hadn't been included. My other complaint is that ending feels terribly rushed and deux-ex-machina, which even the author hints at in a smug, self-satisfied way. Clearly Payne didn't know how to end his novel, so he threw and ending together. The charm of writing journal style means you don't have to contrive an ending.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The Who in Concert (Pretenders open)
The Who in Concert (Sunrise, Florida), 11-20-2006 BankAtlantic Center. With Set List.
Before we get to the who, a brief word about Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders. What a fucking awesome opening act. They need their own show. Talk about the currently reigning queen of rock, she's right here. You can see she's been around awhile because she knows how to rock and she did a great job. I was happy to see it was nearly 2/3rds full when they started at 735pm and went for about 45 minutes.
I've always been a casual fan of The Who, but I was excited at the chance to finally see them live. I was expecting a concert much like the rapidly-aging Rolling Stones would put on. The Who out-rocks the Stones. I must admit this -- and I like the Stones more than the Who. They took the stage at 850pm and rocked until just shy of 11pm. And when I say rocked, I mean rocked. This band doesn't take it easy and the crowd appreciated it -- despite the paper's lukewarm review today. I enjoyed the music, the cool background visuals, everything. I can say I am more a Who fan now than before the show.
The Who had more feeling in their performance and it showed. They didn't coast through most of the numbers and gave it a good show. Plus, we got a bit of the "South Florida" connection because a number of the songs were written locally in WPB as we were told by Pete -- Roger was largely silent when it came to audience banter.
Their new mini-opera was pretty damned good, too. Nobody stood, but it's a new group of songs and this crowd wanted to sing Teenage Wasteland (Baba O'Reily) at the top of their collective lungs. It was a widely age diverse crowd, too. I liked that.
So we've got Pete's relative (Simon) and a Ringo Starr relative in the band. It's the celebrity back-up band. On keyboards we had Brian Kehew who is the band's keyboard technician because the regular player's wife is very ill and had flown to London a few days before. And let me tell you, they were good. Really good. This was a very tight performance in every good way possible.
Set List (hopefully accurate)
I Can't Explain,
The Seeker,
Substitute,
Fragments,
Who Are You,
Behind Blue Eyes,
Real Good Looking Boy,
Sound Round,
Pick Up The Peace,
Endless Wire,
We Got A Hit,
They Made My Dreams Come True,
Mirror Door,
Baba O'Riley,
Eminence Front,
Man In A Purple Dress (w/o band),
Mike Post Theme,
You Better You Bet,
My Generation,
Cry If You Want,
Won't Get Fooled Again
encore begins
Pinball Wizard,
Amazing Journey,
Sparks,
See Me Feel Me,
Tea And Theatre
added 25 Nov 2006:
Before we get to the who, a brief word about Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders. What a fucking awesome opening act. They need their own show. Talk about the currently reigning queen of rock, she's right here. You can see she's been around awhile because she knows how to rock and she did a great job. I was happy to see it was nearly 2/3rds full when they started at 735pm and went for about 45 minutes.
I've always been a casual fan of The Who, but I was excited at the chance to finally see them live. I was expecting a concert much like the rapidly-aging Rolling Stones would put on. The Who out-rocks the Stones. I must admit this -- and I like the Stones more than the Who. They took the stage at 850pm and rocked until just shy of 11pm. And when I say rocked, I mean rocked. This band doesn't take it easy and the crowd appreciated it -- despite the paper's lukewarm review today. I enjoyed the music, the cool background visuals, everything. I can say I am more a Who fan now than before the show.
The Who had more feeling in their performance and it showed. They didn't coast through most of the numbers and gave it a good show. Plus, we got a bit of the "South Florida" connection because a number of the songs were written locally in WPB as we were told by Pete -- Roger was largely silent when it came to audience banter.
Their new mini-opera was pretty damned good, too. Nobody stood, but it's a new group of songs and this crowd wanted to sing Teenage Wasteland (Baba O'Reily) at the top of their collective lungs. It was a widely age diverse crowd, too. I liked that.
So we've got Pete's relative (Simon) and a Ringo Starr relative in the band. It's the celebrity back-up band. On keyboards we had Brian Kehew who is the band's keyboard technician because the regular player's wife is very ill and had flown to London a few days before. And let me tell you, they were good. Really good. This was a very tight performance in every good way possible.
Set List (hopefully accurate)
I Can't Explain,
The Seeker,
Substitute,
Fragments,
Who Are You,
Behind Blue Eyes,
Real Good Looking Boy,
Sound Round,
Pick Up The Peace,
Endless Wire,
We Got A Hit,
They Made My Dreams Come True,
Mirror Door,
Baba O'Riley,
Eminence Front,
Man In A Purple Dress (w/o band),
Mike Post Theme,
You Better You Bet,
My Generation,
Cry If You Want,
Won't Get Fooled Again
encore begins
Pinball Wizard,
Amazing Journey,
Sparks,
See Me Feel Me,
Tea And Theatre
added 25 Nov 2006:
The Who roadie joins band
From World Entertainment News Network / November 25, 2006 9:15 AM EST
A roadie for rock legends THE WHO has been asked to join the band after he impressed them with his keyboard skills. Band member JOHN BUNDRICK had to pull out of their US tour when his wife became ill, and American roadie BRIAN KEHEW was immediately asked to step in. The Who's manager, ROBERT ROSENBERG, says, "Roadies sometimes stand in for the musicians during the soundcheck. When the band heard Brian they were really impressed."
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Cirque Du Soliel: Love (Beatles)
Saturday night I finally saw the latest in the Cirque Du Soliel oeuvre, Love. First, let me state that it was wonderful through and through and I highly recommend into to anyone as entertainment. However, this should not be the first Cirque you ever see. I'll explain why below.
The music was outstanding, but that's because it's the Beatles. You have to realize that this means there is no live band, so you don't get that as part of your experience. Instead, it's the Beatles singing, via CD I assume. That's not a bad thing at all, but it's not how you should see your first Cirque. Part of that joy is the entire experience.
Love also has people speaking in English as well as the now ubiquitous "Cirque Language". It loses a bit of charm and mystery that way. Nothing wrong with that, but certainly you need to experience that for your first Cirque. On the plus side, there's no mystery to this story of four lads and their music. Various songs are represented in acrobatic ways.
There's a lot less acrobatic stuff and a lot more theatrical stuff. Also decidedly non-Cirque. Again, seeing the songs brought to life is really cool but this is not something one should see as the first Cirque show. Again, everything that goes on is miraculous. We saw the show from row two, right up against the stage (this is in-the-round) and had a great view.
This Cirque borrows a page from Blue Man and has a bit of audience participation. It's a pretty neat effect. And of course the acting is superb, and everything is very well presented. This is a fantastic show and all your Cirque groupies need to see this show.
Many of your favourite Beatles songs are represented, but a fair amount of popular hits aren't -- so be prepared to not hear a song you love. You have to realize they can't include everything -- but the way they randomly sample songs together to make the introductory pieces insures you will hear at least a clip of your favourite Beatles song.
This show rocks. Playing now at the Mirage in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ka is a better Cirque show by all measures except the music -- and I saw Ka (again) this trip as well. But that being said, I still think I like this better.
All you need is Love.
The music was outstanding, but that's because it's the Beatles. You have to realize that this means there is no live band, so you don't get that as part of your experience. Instead, it's the Beatles singing, via CD I assume. That's not a bad thing at all, but it's not how you should see your first Cirque. Part of that joy is the entire experience.
Love also has people speaking in English as well as the now ubiquitous "Cirque Language". It loses a bit of charm and mystery that way. Nothing wrong with that, but certainly you need to experience that for your first Cirque. On the plus side, there's no mystery to this story of four lads and their music. Various songs are represented in acrobatic ways.
There's a lot less acrobatic stuff and a lot more theatrical stuff. Also decidedly non-Cirque. Again, seeing the songs brought to life is really cool but this is not something one should see as the first Cirque show. Again, everything that goes on is miraculous. We saw the show from row two, right up against the stage (this is in-the-round) and had a great view.
This Cirque borrows a page from Blue Man and has a bit of audience participation. It's a pretty neat effect. And of course the acting is superb, and everything is very well presented. This is a fantastic show and all your Cirque groupies need to see this show.
Many of your favourite Beatles songs are represented, but a fair amount of popular hits aren't -- so be prepared to not hear a song you love. You have to realize they can't include everything -- but the way they randomly sample songs together to make the introductory pieces insures you will hear at least a clip of your favourite Beatles song.
This show rocks. Playing now at the Mirage in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ka is a better Cirque show by all measures except the music -- and I saw Ka (again) this trip as well. But that being said, I still think I like this better.
All you need is Love.
Dave Barry
I flew to Las Vegas this past Monday for a pair of conventions (yawn) and also to see the new Cirque show Love (more later). I was standing in line to board and I thought to myself "the back of this guy's head looks awfully familiar." He turned briefly to hand his boarding card to the gate agent, and it was Dave Barry. After I cleared through, I caught up and said "hi" -- he didn't remember me right away, but he did after a few moments. I then left him alone, because I don't want to be a pest. Imagine my surprise when I find out my seatmate is, of all people, Dave.
We chat* a bit prior to take off and we both find the woman behind us insanely irritating because she and her seatmate are doing the crossword puzzle from the inflight magazine. Only they're doing it at a volume that is more conducive to watching a sporting event. We roll eyes at each other and he finally says something along the lines of "If you strangle her, I won't see anything." A tempting offer, but I decide against it and show him my Bose Quiet Comfort headphones -- but even they can't drown her out totally.
He's working on a new book -- I ask him what it's about, and he tells me*. I had a few other questions but mostly he wrote and I read. Neither of us ate the plane food. We both ate the hot nuts. We both had beverages. And that is the generic description.
I fired off an e-mail to Rob because I thought it was cool I should run into his dad on a plane. Slim odds. And I'm looking forward to the new book.
* The nature of our discussions shall not concern you except as noted :)
We chat* a bit prior to take off and we both find the woman behind us insanely irritating because she and her seatmate are doing the crossword puzzle from the inflight magazine. Only they're doing it at a volume that is more conducive to watching a sporting event. We roll eyes at each other and he finally says something along the lines of "If you strangle her, I won't see anything." A tempting offer, but I decide against it and show him my Bose Quiet Comfort headphones -- but even they can't drown her out totally.
He's working on a new book -- I ask him what it's about, and he tells me*. I had a few other questions but mostly he wrote and I read. Neither of us ate the plane food. We both ate the hot nuts. We both had beverages. And that is the generic description.
I fired off an e-mail to Rob because I thought it was cool I should run into his dad on a plane. Slim odds. And I'm looking forward to the new book.
* The nature of our discussions shall not concern you except as noted :)
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Blog Stats through today (from inception)
I ran some statistics on the 93,000+ hits this blog has had. Most, as you know, are related to the topics of Led Zeppelin and Crazy Frog -- people come in to those pages and leave from them without ever seeing the rest of the blog. The remaining pages have a steady viewer-ship -- the blog received about 60 hits per day from "regulars" most of whom I assume I don't know.
Here's a table with the breakdown. I can explain Brazil because that's my Orkut contingent. The hockey posts here explain quite a number of entries. I guess the terrorist posts explain another batch, but who can explain "Reunion Island" -- I didn't even know they had the Internet!
There you have it.
Here's a table with the breakdown. I can explain Brazil because that's my Orkut contingent. The hockey posts here explain quite a number of entries. I guess the terrorist posts explain another batch, but who can explain "Reunion Island" -- I didn't even know they had the Internet!
| COUNTRY (11-12-06 @ 17:34 EST) | Visitors | %Total |
| United States | 26537 | 46.87% |
| Brazil | 9504 | 16.79% |
| Canada | 4833 | 8.54% |
| United Kingdom | 2450 | 4.33% |
| Malaysia | 1728 | 3.05% |
| India | 1012 | 1.79% |
| France | 902 | 1.59% |
| Mexico | 678 | 1.20% |
| Germany | 519 | 0.92% |
| Singapore | 475 | 0.84% |
| Argentina | 468 | 0.83% |
| Australia | 467 | 0.82% |
| Italy | 423 | 0.75% |
| United Arab Emirates | 362 | 0.64% |
| Philippines | 356 | 0.63% |
| Sweden | 322 | 0.57% |
| Spain | 266 | 0.47% |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | 255 | 0.45% |
| Hong Kong | 202 | 0.36% |
| Belgium | 200 | 0.35% |
| Romania | 183 | 0.32% |
| Venezuela | 180 | 0.32% |
| Switzerland | 176 | 0.31% |
| Netherlands | 170 | 0.30% |
| Chile | 167 | 0.29% |
| Morocco | 163 | 0.29% |
| Portugal | 153 | 0.27% |
| Finland | 148 | 0.26% |
| Japan | 125 | 0.22% |
| Norway | 122 | 0.22% |
| Pakistan | 115 | 0.20% |
| Puerto Rico | 114 | 0.20% |
| Saudi Arabia | 114 | 0.20% |
| Egypt | 110 | 0.19% |
| Algeria | 101 | 0.18% |
| Hungary | 97 | 0.17% |
| Poland | 94 | 0.17% |
| Turkey | 90 | 0.16% |
| Denmark | 89 | 0.16% |
| Austria | 84 | 0.15% |
| Korea, Republic of | 77 | 0.14% |
| Israel | 73 | 0.13% |
| Ireland | 73 | 0.13% |
| Slovenia | 69 | 0.12% |
| Qatar | 68 | 0.12% |
| Indonesia | 68 | 0.12% |
| New Zealand | 65 | 0.11% |
| Kuwait | 57 | 0.10% |
| Jordan | 56 | 0.10% |
| Satellite Provider | 53 | 0.09% |
| Taiwan | 52 | 0.09% |
| Sri Lanka | 52 | 0.09% |
| Czech Republic | 49 | 0.09% |
| South Africa | 49 | 0.09% |
| Greece | 48 | 0.08% |
| China | 47 | 0.08% |
| Colombia | 43 | 0.08% |
| Slovakia | 42 | 0.07% |
| Latvia | 42 | 0.07% |
| Lithuania | 40 | 0.07% |
| Croatia | 36 | 0.06% |
| Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of | 34 | 0.06% |
| Jamaica | 33 | 0.06% |
| Bulgaria | 32 | 0.06% |
| Serbia and Montenegro | 30 | 0.05% |
| Thailand | 30 | 0.05% |
| Estonia | 29 | 0.05% |
| Bahrain | 28 | 0.05% |
| Peru | 28 | 0.05% |
| Vietnam | 27 | 0.05% |
| Uruguay | 26 | 0.05% |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 24 | 0.04% |
| Oman | 24 | 0.04% |
| Dominican Republic | 22 | 0.04% |
| Malta | 22 | 0.04% |
| Russian Federation | 22 | 0.04% |
| Cyprus | 21 | 0.04% |
| Panama | 19 | 0.03% |
| Paraguay | 19 | 0.03% |
| Costa Rica | 19 | 0.03% |
| Tunisia | 16 | 0.03% |
| Luxembourg | 15 | 0.03% |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 15 | 0.03% |
| Iceland | 14 | 0.02% |
| Mauritius | 14 | 0.02% |
| Guatemala | 14 | 0.02% |
| Bahamas | 13 | 0.02% |
| Macao | 13 | 0.02% |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 13 | 0.02% |
| Palestinian Territory, Occupied | 13 | 0.02% |
| Honduras | 13 | 0.02% |
| Iraq | 12 | 0.02% |
| Ukraine | 11 | 0.02% |
| Cuba | 11 | 0.02% |
| Nigeria | 10 | 0.02% |
| Georgia | 10 | 0.02% |
| Monaco | 10 | 0.02% |
| El Salvador | 9 | 0.02% |
| Lebanon | 9 | 0.02% |
| Ghana | 9 | 0.02% |
| Ecuador | 9 | 0.02% |
| Barbados | 8 | 0.01% |
| Unknown | 8 | 0.01% |
| Europe | 7 | 0.01% |
| Bangladesh | 6 | 0.01% |
| Guam | 6 | 0.01% |
| Brunei Darussalam | 6 | 0.01% |
| Moldova, Republic of | 6 | 0.01% |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 5 | 0.01% |
| Albania | 5 | 0.01% |
| Yemen | 5 | 0.01% |
| Kenya | 5 | 0.01% |
| Cote D'Ivoire | 4 | 0.01% |
| Netherlands Antilles | 4 | 0.01% |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | 4 | 0.01% |
| Cayman Islands | 4 | 0.01% |
| Cambodia | 4 | 0.01% |
| Sudan | 4 | 0.01% |
| Botswana | 3 | 0.01% |
| Fiji | 3 | 0.01% |
| Anonymous Proxy | 3 | 0.01% |
| Bermuda | 3 | 0.01% |
| Armenia | 3 | 0.01% |
| Aruba | 3 | 0.01% |
| Benin | 3 | 0.01% |
| Senegal | 3 | 0.01% |
| Belize | 3 | 0.01% |
| Suriname | 2 | 0.00% |
| Nicaragua | 2 | 0.00% |
| French Polynesia | 2 | 0.00% |
| Burkina Faso | 2 | 0.00% |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | 2 | 0.00% |
| Uzbekistan | 2 | 0.00% |
| Mali | 2 | 0.00% |
| Afghanistan | 2 | 0.00% |
| Virgin Islands, British | 2 | 0.00% |
| Bolivia | 2 | 0.00% |
| Angola | 2 | 0.00% |
| Zambia | 1 | 0.00% |
| Nepal | 1 | 0.00% |
| Saint Lucia | 1 | 0.00% |
| Kazakhstan | 1 | 0.00% |
| Guadeloupe | 1 | 0.00% |
| San Marino | 1 | 0.00% |
| Belarus | 1 | 0.00% |
| Liechtenstein | 1 | 0.00% |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 | 0.00% |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | 1 | 0.00% |
| Azerbaijan | 1 | 0.00% |
| Mozambique | 1 | 0.00% |
| Maldives | 1 | 0.00% |
| Greenland | 1 | 0.00% |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1 | 0.00% |
| Tajikistan | 1 | 0.00% |
| Chad | 1 | 0.00% |
| Grenada | 1 | 0.00% |
| Reunion | 1 | 0.00% |
There you have it.
Borat The Film
I'll start by saying when I saw the previews for this film, I thought it wouldn't be worth seeing. It looked to be insanely stupid. As it turns out it was insanely stupid. And that turns out to be its saving grace.
If this film took itself seriously, if it made any effort to be intelligent, it would fail as a racist, misogynistic, offensive pile of shit. But, the fact it's not trying to be pretentious makes it work. Yes, this film is bigoted and racist and offensive, there is absolutely no doubt to that. However that's what makes it funny because through the character Borat (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) you see people behave as they really are. And it shows how misogynistic many people really are. The frat boys in the film are suing saying the release they signed is invalid, but they don't come off as badly as the coup-de-grace which is the dinner party in the deep-south mansion.
The change in attitude when Borat brings his black lady-friend in goes beyond anything you could possibly imagine. It's uncomfortable yet funny at the same time. Sure, there are moments when the film drags, and there are moments when it misses its mark, but all-in-all the film-makers did a great job.
If this film took itself seriously, if it made any effort to be intelligent, it would fail as a racist, misogynistic, offensive pile of shit. But, the fact it's not trying to be pretentious makes it work. Yes, this film is bigoted and racist and offensive, there is absolutely no doubt to that. However that's what makes it funny because through the character Borat (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) you see people behave as they really are. And it shows how misogynistic many people really are. The frat boys in the film are suing saying the release they signed is invalid, but they don't come off as badly as the coup-de-grace which is the dinner party in the deep-south mansion.
The change in attitude when Borat brings his black lady-friend in goes beyond anything you could possibly imagine. It's uncomfortable yet funny at the same time. Sure, there are moments when the film drags, and there are moments when it misses its mark, but all-in-all the film-makers did a great job.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
I've Moved to Blogger Beta
I'm not sure how this will work, but I've decided to be proactive and beat the curve. Let's see how well it works. Expect a new look really soon. Your patience with my learning curve is appreciated!
It's really frustrating so far. I've got to tell you. I've added an HR tag between posts until I can get the template totally fixed.
Update: I also apologize to the Technorati users who visit. Due to some unknown bug, about 10 posts were made with the migration date (11-11-06) instead of their original date, so I'm trying to put them more or less back where they belong by changing the date to approximate where they belong. In addition, Technorati shows all 215 posts as new despite the fact most retained their original dates.
Again, apologies as this disaster was not intentional. Beta software certainly has issues.
It's really frustrating so far. I've got to tell you. I've added an HR tag between posts until I can get the template totally fixed.
Update: I also apologize to the Technorati users who visit. Due to some unknown bug, about 10 posts were made with the migration date (11-11-06) instead of their original date, so I'm trying to put them more or less back where they belong by changing the date to approximate where they belong. In addition, Technorati shows all 215 posts as new despite the fact most retained their original dates.
Again, apologies as this disaster was not intentional. Beta software certainly has issues.
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