Embassy Suites in Denver
I must admit this is a pretty nice view from my hotel room in the Embassy Suites in Denver. And this is all inside. It’s a good thing, because it’s getting a little cold here.
Um…..what?
Tidbits of news and other things I find interesting
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And then there was video
They did it. As I mentioned in my blog a few months back, it was rumored that Apple was in negotiations with record labels for music videos. The logical conclusion at that point was that Apple was coming out with a new iPod that would play video. Well they did it. Today they announced a new iPod that, you guessed it, plays videos. They increased the screen size, while actually making the iPod slimmer than previous models.
The few screenshots and videos of the product in action look promising. I was concerned that they were going to do video on the previous screen size. I felt it was too small to work, but the new screen size is somewhat bigger a looks really sharp. All in all I felt it was a pretty cool little product.
Then I kept reading….
I soon discovered that they released a new version of iTunes and have changed the iTunes music store to where it now has videos for sale on it. “Well, now that could be interesting” I muttered to myself. My first thought was that I haven’t watched music videos since long before MTV stopped showing them, but then I discovered an interesting little treat. Apparently Apple has inked a deal with ABC to sell the episodes of their TV shows on the iTunes music store. It didn’t take long before I was charging an episode of Desperate Housewives to my Apple account. How could I say no to an all you can eat Eva Longoria feast for the low, low price of $1.99.
Mmmmmmmmm….Eva…..
I just finished watching the first episode of the new season that I purchased. It plays right inside of iTunes and even plays in fullscreen mode. It looked great. I am thoroughly impressed with this new direction that Apple is going. We’ll see where we go from here. I think its going to be interesting.
Did I mention Eva?
iPod does video?
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a gadget buff as well as a Mac advocate, so this entry in my blog should come as no surprise.
This morning as I was listening to a podcast of the Wall Street Journal on my way to work, I heard a report today in the Wall Street Journal indicating that Apple is holding discussions with recording labels to license music videos through the iTunes music store. Could this mean that Apple will release a video capable iPod? Hmmmm…. now this is an interesting idea. Although this idea has been pushed around on Apple rumor sites it has always been based on wishful thinking vs. reality. Steve Jobs has mentioned that he would not release a video iPod based on the fact that he doesn’t feel that the small screen is conducive to watching a full length movies. However, Steve has been known to talk down a technology before Apple adopts it as a way of throwing off the rumor mills.
Here are my thoughts. While this would be a interesting idea and a natural progression of the technology, I am not sure that I would enjoy watching a full length film on an iPod in its current configuration. The screen is just too small to be a truly enjoyable experience. Now with that said the screen would be acceptable if we were talking about short length videos i.e. video podcasts. For example if you enjoy watching a 15-minute block of CNN headline news, but don’t have time before heading out for work. Download it to your iPod and watch it on the Subway on the way to work. Maybe even tie the ipod into a TiVo type system that automatically records the shows you want and puts them on your ipod during a sync. (Best Homer Simpson voice here) mmmmmmmm…..video.
I am interested in the direction that Apple will be taking here. Although there are other companies that are already selling devices capable of doing this very thing, it seems that technology catches on only when Apple decides to adopt it and make it cool. As always only time will tell.
A spoonful of sugar makes the wine go down……
Are celebrities becoming the untouchables of the new century? First it was O.J. and lately we have seen celebrities walk on serious charges and accusations. With the likes of Kobe Bryant, Robert Blake and now Michael Jackson all getting out of seemingly airtight cases, it seems that money can get you out of just about anything
Let’s be honest. The prosecution really dropped the ball on this one. It seemed that witness after witness that they called ended up being a better witness for the defense. And this is only my observations based on a few news reports on the TV and internet. But I must tell you, I was sure that Jacko would have at least gotten something for the fact that he gave wine to this minor child. Let us not forget that this weirdo had kiddy porn on his computer, secret stashes of all kinds of pictures of naked boys, and enjoys sleeping with boys. Apparently in California, this is the basis of a nurturing family atmosphere.
Um…..what?
But the worst part about this whole thing, and what scares me the most, is the fact that nobody turned to the parents and said “What the hell were you thinking?” Aside from the fact that Wacko….I mean Jacko is in my opinion a few sandwiches short of a picnic, I don’t understand the thinking or logic behind a parent that allows their child to sleep with a grown man. Unless there is some dark, twisted plan to pimp out your kid to a suspected child molester to gain some monetary benefits of your own. To that affect you deserve to be put behind bars for child endangerment, you filthy piece of crap. I would never allow my child to sleep with a grown man.
I feel somewhat disenchanted in the judicial system in this country as of late. It seems that more and more we are struck with cases just like these where it seems that if you have enough money you can get away with anything, even murder. Well as we all know money can’t buy you happiness, but apparently it can buy you freedom.
Perry Mason….where are you when we need you!?!
P.S. Hey Thomas Sneddon there is some good news for you after all. Apparently they just grew some brain cells in a laboratory in England. Man it must be your lucky day after all.
So this guy walks into a U.S. Customs office…..
It was all I could do to keep from spewing my coffee all over my monitor this morning while reading this story this morning.
OK so let me get this straight, a guy was crossing into the U.S. via the U.S./Canada border in Maine, is found to be carrying (get this) a homemade sword, a hatchet, a knife, brass knuckles and a chain saw stained with what appeared to be blood. AND, here is the best part, THEY LET HIM IN THE COUNTRY!
Um…..what?
Surprisingly they later found a decapitated body, and his live-in girlfriend stabbed to death in this guy’s home in Canada.
The excuse, as to why they let this guy in the country, was that they don’t have a crime lab to check if it was really blood, and he didn’t have any outstanding warrants anywhere.
Now listen to me very carefully Mr. customs agent/border patrol/idiot. You have one job that we pay you well for. That is to keep the bad guys out. This guy had, count with me please:
1. A homemade sword, not a collectible or pretty sword, but a HOMEMADE sword. I know you have been to 2,342 classes on how to spot a suspect, but maybe they need to add HOMEADE sword to the list of suspicious items. Now, albeit I am not a professional border patrol agent, but I would think that any guy carrying a HOMEMADE sword trying to cross into the U.S. might set off some sort of suspicion on your part.
2. A hatchet, yes a hatchet. Was he an aspiring lumberjack? or maybe used it to shave with. COME ON?!?
3. (This is the best one) A chainsaw, with what appeared to be “blood” on it. Maybe he was on a hunting trip, right Mr. Moron? He likes to impersonate Jason and run through the woods with only a chainsaw chasing deer. Yeah that’s it.
No crime lab? That is your excuse? Could you not have the local police check it?
Well Mr. Customs Agent/Jackass. I know that I can sleep better now knowing that my family is safe from folk that are trying to kill us, because you are on the job.
Thanks. Thanks a lot.
Hats off to you George!
I took some time to write this post, because I needed the time to mentally digest all that I saw today. Star Wars III was quite possibly the best Star Wars to date. I do not make this statement lightly. I have been a fan of Star Wars for 27 years and have thoroughly enjoyed all the movies. This movie brought it full circle for me. It answered all of the questions that I have had for all those years. It was very well done and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. I will not bore you with details, I am sure there are plenty of sites on the web that have every minute of the movie chronicled for you reading pleasure. I do recommend that if you are a fan of Star Wars, don’t miss this one.
Priceless
2 matinee tickets to Star Wars III: $12
2 popcorns and a soda: $13.75
Taking the day off to see the movie I have waited 20+ years to see: priceless
Don’t forget to flush
The media and the rest of the blogosphere has gone literally nuts over the Newsweek story that claimed that military interrogators, in Guantanamo Bay, flushed a Quran down the toilet. Oh by the way they retracted it because their sources were unreliable, or as we like to refer to them in the real world “made up.” Of course the politicos have been out in droves on this. With one side saying that his is an example of how the media is out to get the administration and the other side saying that this is an example of how the administration is strong arming the media.
Um……what?
Am I the only one that thinks that all this is just nuts?
Why are we fighting internally when we should take a look at the fact that these Muslim extremists are on a hair pin trigger looking for any reason to go apeshit and kill some people, preferably Americans. Look I am the first to say that the main stream media has a long way to go to get my trust back. However, when it is all said and done, Newsweek didn’t go over to Afghanistan and kill those people. They did not start the riots no matter how many times I hear it on TV. Those people were acting out of their own accord and were looking for any excuse to do what they did. Didn’t their mommies ever sit them down and explain to them that sticks and stones could break their bones, but words will never hurt them?
Let’s examine this for a minute shall we?
Here is the scenario:
Someone that you don’t even know tells you that they think that (let me think…… someone that all Americans can get behind on an equal dislike chord, ooh I know ) a Frenchman might have flushed a (insert your favorite religious book here) down the toilet. Do you?
A. Immediately gather your nearest associates and begin to riot in the street, cause havoc and kill people
B. Write a letter to your Congressperson to express the outrage that you feel towards this act, and call for an immediate ban to all things french
C. Start a blog to persecute the French
D. Realize you have better things to worry about, but nonetheless begin to use terms such as “freedom” fries and “freedom” toast instead of “french”
E. Take another swig of your beer, grab another handful of chips and change the channel
If you picked A please leave. You are nuts and we don’t want you here.
I mean come on. Even if it were true, it is just a book, and only a representation of the word of God. It’s not like they flushed the original stone tablets down the toilet.
This, by the way, brings me to another point, even if it was pocket-sized edition it would take some serious focus and determination to flush it down the toilet. Someone would have to rip it apart page by page and then you still have to deal with the cover. Which is why I didn’t believe the story in the first place, but then again I am, or at least consider myself, a rational adult.
I say as Americans we should do what we feel is right way down in our gut. What I feel deep down in my American gut is that all people have inalienable rights which include life, liberty and the pursuit of justice. Now there is something we can all sink our teeth into. Real hopes, real desires, that is what we really should uphold as long as we breathe air.
As long as what we are doing is defending those rights then the way I see it those who like us great and those who don’t can kiss our collective ass.
So stop the schoogirl-like bickering and let’s get back to work.
Empire building 101
As I sit here watching the Star Wars DVD in preparation for what could be one of the best Star Wars movies ever, being released later this week. I can’t help but think that maybe what Anakin needed was some time in the trenches before rising almost overnight to be the Emperor’s number two. I think a stint in middle management would have done him some good.
There is something to be said for working your way up the corporate ladder and not just getting to the top because you are the emperor’s bitch. Now I get that it isn’t as romantic as showing up one day and leading hordes of imperial stormtroopers into battle the next, but maybe, just maybe, putting together a few feasability studies on a rebel strike on imperial forces might have helped old Vader do his job better.
I am much more willing to follow someone because he has been where I am or has done the things he is asking me to do. Unfortunately it seems that sometimes the only way to get ahead is to be a professional ass kisser. The smoochers are getting ahead with little or no actual ability. Then the CEOs of the world sit scratching their head wondering why their company just isn’t as profitable as it used to be. Well it must be because of the “economy.”
Um…..What?
Hmmm could it be that the jackasses that you are putting in the positions of power couldn’t tell the difference between their asshole and a whole in their head? At least Vader had the “Force” helping him make the right (or wrong) decisions. The only “force” these idiots have mastery over is how to force down another doughnut while looking busy.
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