So today's Road Runner bill came and once again proves the general stupidity of corporations.
On the front and back of my bill is an ad for the new "Lighting-Fast!" service. On the back it specifically states "Road Runner has increased its speed but not its price." This is eye-catching marketing that is perfect for customers like myself who do online gaming, music & video streaming and frankly live in front of my computer. A friend who works for TWC has hinted to me that the company has been increasing it's bandwidth for all customers. This I assume is to help deal with the rising tide of FioS. I opened the notice expecting to see details relevant to me.
Except, when I open my bill there's a notice inside that states "Attention High Speed Internet Customers." Uh oh! Seems they are raising my rate by 6%. In other words, in the same mail that they advertise an increase in service w/out a rate increase I get a rate increase. WTF? My urge to call customer service was HIGH! Since I once worked in customer service, I stopped myself.
There is good news. The speed increase already happened. I noticed it a few weeks ago. They increased us to 7Mbps from 5. And my experience with TWC/Road Runner has been very good. In 3+ years, I can still count a handful of real service outages or problems. In those rare situations where I've had to deal with them, customer service has always been helpful. And, they are still the only viable game in town for me. We have DSL in the area, but it's only the 3Mbps service. Since we don't have home phone service, we would have to pay too much to justify the loss in bandwidth.
Sigh! I'm just not happy when I get bullshit in the mail. I also think that the juxtaposition of that advertisement with a notice about a bill increase demonstrates internal problems with the company. It shows that different departments aren't talking. That's never a good sign to a customer.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Torture
I caught this great commentary on Slate today concerning the connections between the Bush Administration's use of torture & the character of Jack Bauer on tv's "24."
Our torture policy has deeper roots in Fox television than the Constitution
This is a great read and another example of learning the wrong lessons from books & tv. It also reminded me of a post I made last year about Batman & torture.
Batman Tortures His Enemies Too
This got me thinking about the latest Batman "lesson."
There is a great scene in the new Dark Knight movie where Batman pounds the snot out of the Joker in police lock-up. Many have commented that there was a lot of symbolism throughout the movie and specifically this scene. Perhaps, but the scene itself is not new to the Batman mythos. Nor are the results. The results are tainted, mixed with half-truths and leave a scar on everyone involved. That's the one reality that we can take from this fiction. It's one of the many lessons that Batman taught me through the years: Yeah, you can use ends to justify the means, but get ready to face the consequences.
But, I guess John Yoo doesn't read/watch enough Batman.
Our torture policy has deeper roots in Fox television than the Constitution
This is a great read and another example of learning the wrong lessons from books & tv. It also reminded me of a post I made last year about Batman & torture.
Batman Tortures His Enemies Too
This got me thinking about the latest Batman "lesson."
There is a great scene in the new Dark Knight movie where Batman pounds the snot out of the Joker in police lock-up. Many have commented that there was a lot of symbolism throughout the movie and specifically this scene. Perhaps, but the scene itself is not new to the Batman mythos. Nor are the results. The results are tainted, mixed with half-truths and leave a scar on everyone involved. That's the one reality that we can take from this fiction. It's one of the many lessons that Batman taught me through the years: Yeah, you can use ends to justify the means, but get ready to face the consequences.
But, I guess John Yoo doesn't read/watch enough Batman.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Graphic Novels at the Library!
Months ago, the Queen mentions to me that her Library (she's head of her town's library board & volunteers there every week) has a huge selection of graphic novels located in the "Teen" fiction section. Today, when Slick and I were at ours, we looked. Sure enough, they had a huge collection of Manga and a decent sized selection of Graphic Novels.
I read the first tonight. Titled Identity Crisis, it's a murder mystery involving the Justice League. Imagine someone knows the identities of all the superheroes and decides to target and kill their loved-ones. Imagine that the murders are so well-orchestrated that it perplexes them all, even Batman. Who will die next? What lengths will the heroes go through to protect their own?
Under this mystery lies another one, perhaps even darker than one than the threat of more deaths. How far do capes really go to protect their identities? How many lies are told to protect Truth, Justice & the families behind the mask?
Brad Meltzer scribes a masterpiece. Rags Morales & Michael Bair bring it to life. Check for it at your local library. If they don't have it, then it's totally worth the money to buy it for your own collection. It was so good, I'm almost sorry I know the ending now.
I read the first tonight. Titled Identity Crisis, it's a murder mystery involving the Justice League. Imagine someone knows the identities of all the superheroes and decides to target and kill their loved-ones. Imagine that the murders are so well-orchestrated that it perplexes them all, even Batman. Who will die next? What lengths will the heroes go through to protect their own?
Under this mystery lies another one, perhaps even darker than one than the threat of more deaths. How far do capes really go to protect their identities? How many lies are told to protect Truth, Justice & the families behind the mask?
Brad Meltzer scribes a masterpiece. Rags Morales & Michael Bair bring it to life. Check for it at your local library. If they don't have it, then it's totally worth the money to buy it for your own collection. It was so good, I'm almost sorry I know the ending now.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Boycott this Jacksass
I try really hard to ignore the shit that comes out of the mouths of so-called radio & television personalities. But, I unfortunately couldn't escape this story. Conservative radio host Michael Savage made a horrendous comment about Autism. Here's the AP story:
Radio host angers parents of autistic children
My nephew is autistic. He's not faking. My sister & her family aren't being put on. His comments spit in my sister's face. She agonizes daily with visiting doctors, getting special care in school and trying to figure out out to potty train a 6-year old who can't talk. It puts a strain on the entire family. My sister and her husband work full-time as pastors & they care for the Silent Prince while still trying to give my niece the attention she deserves.
What makes Savage extra-evil is that he had an opportunity to apologize for his remarks and would not. I'm going to try really hard and pray for Savage. In the meantime, I hope he loses his job. Shit like this just makes me angry.
Radio host angers parents of autistic children
My nephew is autistic. He's not faking. My sister & her family aren't being put on. His comments spit in my sister's face. She agonizes daily with visiting doctors, getting special care in school and trying to figure out out to potty train a 6-year old who can't talk. It puts a strain on the entire family. My sister and her husband work full-time as pastors & they care for the Silent Prince while still trying to give my niece the attention she deserves.
What makes Savage extra-evil is that he had an opportunity to apologize for his remarks and would not. I'm going to try really hard and pray for Savage. In the meantime, I hope he loses his job. Shit like this just makes me angry.
Snake Eating It's Own Tail
The most important lesson I learned working for that big mutual fund company was the way things interconnect. The economy is like a game of pick-up-sticks. Move something & everything changes. Change something & everything must adjust. Examples are everywhere. Our economy is dependent on illegal immigration. Change (or enforce) the law and ripples occur. Growers can't find cheap labor, crops don't get picked, grocery prices go up.
Some consequences are expected, others are not. Cities put in traffic cameras. Then officials are shocked - shocked I say - when the program actually deters crime. People actually don't blow through traffic lights. The cameras have to be shut down because they aren't turning a profit. The goal wasn't to deter traffic violations, it was to make money on them.
And now we have the unexpected cost of higher gas prices. Road Kill. "As Americans buy less gas, they're inadvertently cutting into the money for highway projects." That's right, it's all interconnected and not in a good way. Our oil-economy has a stranglehold on us. We pull a stick and the whole structure shakes. There are two ways to deal with this. We can behave like addicts and focus on finding more oil at any cost OR we can follow Brazil's example and transform our energy program.
What's our goal? Holding onto what we had or maintaining American's place as the greatest nation on earth?
Some consequences are expected, others are not. Cities put in traffic cameras. Then officials are shocked - shocked I say - when the program actually deters crime. People actually don't blow through traffic lights. The cameras have to be shut down because they aren't turning a profit. The goal wasn't to deter traffic violations, it was to make money on them.
And now we have the unexpected cost of higher gas prices. Road Kill. "As Americans buy less gas, they're inadvertently cutting into the money for highway projects." That's right, it's all interconnected and not in a good way. Our oil-economy has a stranglehold on us. We pull a stick and the whole structure shakes. There are two ways to deal with this. We can behave like addicts and focus on finding more oil at any cost OR we can follow Brazil's example and transform our energy program.
What's our goal? Holding onto what we had or maintaining American's place as the greatest nation on earth?
Friday, July 18, 2008
Not A Superhero Movie
As per my sister's request, a review of Batman.
Slick and I saw the Dark Knight tonight. Not since the time Crash & I saw Blackhawk Down have I left a movie speechless. We were in the car before I could utter a single word about the film and that was to say "I'm not sure."
It was not a superhero movie. It was a gritty, violent morality play. It's hard to even talk about it for fear of giving things away. I feel comfortable telling you this: The events of the previous movie left the a gaping hole in the criminal power-structure. Batman & his allies have been scrambling to fill that void with law & order. Instead a new player has appeared, one that is chaos incarnate. His name is the Joker.
I will set aside the hype over Ledger's final performance. Yes, he was amazing. Yes, it was chilling. This is the Joker that I know and hate (because saying I love him would be so wrong.) This is not some clown prince of crime. This is the the same vision of Joker that killed Jason Todd & paralyzed Barbara Gordon. This is a sadist who plays with knives & bombs.
The story that director Christopher Nolan tells here is more akin to something you see trying late in the winter movie season. It strives to be an Oscar film. It feels more at home with movies like Unforgiven & Mystic River than it does with Ironman & Hancock. Like Eastwood's Unforgiven turned the western on it's heels, so does Batman forever change the landscape of supposed superhero movies.
A warning to potential viewers. You can not watch this film without feeling the utter hopelessness that Bruce Wayne faces. You can not avoid the shocking morality play. It is not for the faint of heart. I almost couldn't believe that Hollywood allowed them to make a movie about the Dark Knight.
I assumed that it would eventually swing back to a traditional summer blockbuster. I assumed we would see something of the Batman that Tim Burton envisioned. It never happened and I'm still shocked about that. This is makes Frank Miller's Batman almost cheery. I'm still wondering what all those sheep in the audience thought they were going to see. I'm still wondering what THEY thought after it was all over.
Frankly, I'm not sure I do.
P.S. Watchmen trailer FTW!!!
Slick and I saw the Dark Knight tonight. Not since the time Crash & I saw Blackhawk Down have I left a movie speechless. We were in the car before I could utter a single word about the film and that was to say "I'm not sure."
It was not a superhero movie. It was a gritty, violent morality play. It's hard to even talk about it for fear of giving things away. I feel comfortable telling you this: The events of the previous movie left the a gaping hole in the criminal power-structure. Batman & his allies have been scrambling to fill that void with law & order. Instead a new player has appeared, one that is chaos incarnate. His name is the Joker.
I will set aside the hype over Ledger's final performance. Yes, he was amazing. Yes, it was chilling. This is the Joker that I know and hate (because saying I love him would be so wrong.) This is not some clown prince of crime. This is the the same vision of Joker that killed Jason Todd & paralyzed Barbara Gordon. This is a sadist who plays with knives & bombs.
The story that director Christopher Nolan tells here is more akin to something you see trying late in the winter movie season. It strives to be an Oscar film. It feels more at home with movies like Unforgiven & Mystic River than it does with Ironman & Hancock. Like Eastwood's Unforgiven turned the western on it's heels, so does Batman forever change the landscape of supposed superhero movies.
A warning to potential viewers. You can not watch this film without feeling the utter hopelessness that Bruce Wayne faces. You can not avoid the shocking morality play. It is not for the faint of heart. I almost couldn't believe that Hollywood allowed them to make a movie about the Dark Knight.
I assumed that it would eventually swing back to a traditional summer blockbuster. I assumed we would see something of the Batman that Tim Burton envisioned. It never happened and I'm still shocked about that. This is makes Frank Miller's Batman almost cheery. I'm still wondering what all those sheep in the audience thought they were going to see. I'm still wondering what THEY thought after it was all over.
Frankly, I'm not sure I do.
P.S. Watchmen trailer FTW!!!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Like Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend
Philly's Spectrum to be demolished
My mother-in-law told me about it on the phone the other day, but it didn't have the nostalgic effect this article had. Oh the times I spent in that building.
I saw Dr J, Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney & Bobby Jones play for Billy Cunningham the year they won the championship. Fo Fo Fo!
My dad took me to several Sixers games every year. When I was really little we used to ride the Broad Street Subway home. I also remember when we all loading up in the church bus and sat in the cheap seats to see Magic & Showtime or Bird & McHale. Growing up, it seemed like my father was always busy, always at a meeting or something, but we always had the Sixers.
See kids, back then dunking was the occasionally used art-form. Players could actually shoot. They knew how to dribble without palming the ball every other bounce. AND, they wore really short shorts.
It was during one of those games that my father realized I needed glasses. I borrowed someone's binoculars and didn't want to give them back. The next day he took me to get my eyes checked.
Rocky was filmed at the Spectrum.
Before Comcast SportsNet there was PRISM.
Remember that famous last-second shot by Christian Laettner in 1992 against Kentucky. Yeah, that was in the Spectrum. No, I wasn't there, but man do I remember that shot.
In highschool, I had floor seats for Aerosmith. That was increadible.
On the other hand, in college we had the worst seats for Rush. NothingKnew's ex got a really bad headache from the "contact high." I remember having to drive her car back to school. I can't for the life of me remember where he was. I just remember that it rained like a muth%#$& on the Northeast Extension that night.
I remember when my friend Jason scored us Flyers tickets just behind the Ranger's bench one season and the two of us spending the whole time banging the glass. I can't remember who won, but I do remember being glad there was glass between me and them. I swear it wasn't me who threw the beer!
The Spectrum was also the place where some seats had "obstructed views." What does that mean? These were seats that were partially blocked by a wall or stairwell. Seriously, there were spots in the stands where paying customers could not see sections of the floor, ice, concert stage. Can you imagine something like that in one of today's modern arenas?
I'm sure that I'm feeling the same way about the Spectrum as older Philadelphians felt about Convention Hall. How is it that the Colosseum of Rome was used for over 500 years & still stands today, but the Spectrum only made it 42 years? They just don't make 'em the way they used to...
My mother-in-law told me about it on the phone the other day, but it didn't have the nostalgic effect this article had. Oh the times I spent in that building.
I saw Dr J, Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney & Bobby Jones play for Billy Cunningham the year they won the championship. Fo Fo Fo!
My dad took me to several Sixers games every year. When I was really little we used to ride the Broad Street Subway home. I also remember when we all loading up in the church bus and sat in the cheap seats to see Magic & Showtime or Bird & McHale. Growing up, it seemed like my father was always busy, always at a meeting or something, but we always had the Sixers.
See kids, back then dunking was the occasionally used art-form. Players could actually shoot. They knew how to dribble without palming the ball every other bounce. AND, they wore really short shorts.
It was during one of those games that my father realized I needed glasses. I borrowed someone's binoculars and didn't want to give them back. The next day he took me to get my eyes checked.
Rocky was filmed at the Spectrum.
Before Comcast SportsNet there was PRISM.
Remember that famous last-second shot by Christian Laettner in 1992 against Kentucky. Yeah, that was in the Spectrum. No, I wasn't there, but man do I remember that shot.
In highschool, I had floor seats for Aerosmith. That was increadible.
On the other hand, in college we had the worst seats for Rush. NothingKnew's ex got a really bad headache from the "contact high." I remember having to drive her car back to school. I can't for the life of me remember where he was. I just remember that it rained like a muth%#$& on the Northeast Extension that night.
I remember when my friend Jason scored us Flyers tickets just behind the Ranger's bench one season and the two of us spending the whole time banging the glass. I can't remember who won, but I do remember being glad there was glass between me and them. I swear it wasn't me who threw the beer!
The Spectrum was also the place where some seats had "obstructed views." What does that mean? These were seats that were partially blocked by a wall or stairwell. Seriously, there were spots in the stands where paying customers could not see sections of the floor, ice, concert stage. Can you imagine something like that in one of today's modern arenas?
I'm sure that I'm feeling the same way about the Spectrum as older Philadelphians felt about Convention Hall. How is it that the Colosseum of Rome was used for over 500 years & still stands today, but the Spectrum only made it 42 years? They just don't make 'em the way they used to...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
DvD Night Rentals
Maybe you missed them at the box-office. Maybe you never even heard of them. Here are some great movie-night options for the geek with a home-theater...
House of Flying Daggers (2004) - This visually stunning martial-arts "wire-fu" movie is part revolution, part love-story. A must for Crouching Tiger fans.
3:10 to Yuma (2007) - Christian Bale & Russell Crowe star in this violent wild-west tale about an insane outlaw the quiet family man who tries to bring him to justice. A must for wild-west fans & for fans of these actors.
Dan in Real Life (2007) - Steve Carell stars in this romantic comedy that you may have missed last year. Meet Dan, a single dad who's a little too devoted to his daughters.
Night at the Museum (2006) - Totally silly pop-corn comedy. Don't take it seriously and you'll love it. Also a good family flick. Ben Stiller becomes a night-watchman at a museum that comes to life. Insanity follows.
And now, movies that you must absolutely NOT rent. They are bad, worse and just plain wasted crap.
Jumper (2008) - The previews for this movie suck SciFi geeks in even after seeing how bad the reviews are. It can't be that bad, right? Wrong! As a SciFi concept, it's awesome. SciFi channel would have done a better job doing it as one of their made-for-tv giant killer snake movies. It's just bad, bad, bad! I nearly walked out of my own living room.
Stealth (2005) - It's got Jamie Foxx, jet fighters & artificial intelligence gone bad. It's like live-action anime. It's gotta be fun, right? Absolutely not. Jessica Biel can not act. Jamie Foxx is wasted. This movie makes Top Gun look like academy awards material. In fact, if you need to see navy jets, go rent that instead.
The Last Legion (2007) - Pre-Arthurian legend material? Sword fighting? Mr Darcy & Ghadi? (Colin Firth & Ben Kingsley) Why it sounds absolutely like the kind of movie the wife and I would love to rent for a lazy summer weekend. Except that it's OMG bad! If you're going to make up the story of Uther Pendragon and use a big budget to do it, at least have the courtesy to make the movie good.
House of Flying Daggers (2004) - This visually stunning martial-arts "wire-fu" movie is part revolution, part love-story. A must for Crouching Tiger fans.
3:10 to Yuma (2007) - Christian Bale & Russell Crowe star in this violent wild-west tale about an insane outlaw the quiet family man who tries to bring him to justice. A must for wild-west fans & for fans of these actors.
Dan in Real Life (2007) - Steve Carell stars in this romantic comedy that you may have missed last year. Meet Dan, a single dad who's a little too devoted to his daughters.
Night at the Museum (2006) - Totally silly pop-corn comedy. Don't take it seriously and you'll love it. Also a good family flick. Ben Stiller becomes a night-watchman at a museum that comes to life. Insanity follows.
And now, movies that you must absolutely NOT rent. They are bad, worse and just plain wasted crap.
Jumper (2008) - The previews for this movie suck SciFi geeks in even after seeing how bad the reviews are. It can't be that bad, right? Wrong! As a SciFi concept, it's awesome. SciFi channel would have done a better job doing it as one of their made-for-tv giant killer snake movies. It's just bad, bad, bad! I nearly walked out of my own living room.
Stealth (2005) - It's got Jamie Foxx, jet fighters & artificial intelligence gone bad. It's like live-action anime. It's gotta be fun, right? Absolutely not. Jessica Biel can not act. Jamie Foxx is wasted. This movie makes Top Gun look like academy awards material. In fact, if you need to see navy jets, go rent that instead.
The Last Legion (2007) - Pre-Arthurian legend material? Sword fighting? Mr Darcy & Ghadi? (Colin Firth & Ben Kingsley) Why it sounds absolutely like the kind of movie the wife and I would love to rent for a lazy summer weekend. Except that it's OMG bad! If you're going to make up the story of Uther Pendragon and use a big budget to do it, at least have the courtesy to make the movie good.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Mindless Activities for the Homebound Geek
A very good friend of mine is sick and stuck at home. The Dr thinks it's Mono, but the tests aren't back yet. Effectively quarantined and living hundreds of miles from all his friends and family, he's going stir crazy. He's got just enough energy to need mental stimulation but not enough to really do much. I know what he's going through. He can only play so much World of Warcraft. He can only watch so many reruns on TV. He need distractions. So, for him and the rest of my readers, I present just a few mindless activities for the home-bound geek. And yes, I've mentioned many of these in the occasional post.
Netflix
Start with a Netflix membership. The 3-movies at a time deal is the best balance between cost & movies. It also allows for access to the online library. I recommend stupid action, anime & scifi. Serious films just add to the potential for depression. Consider a Babylon 5 marathon. Skip season 5. He actually already got the Netflix subscription today & I sent him a list of movies.
Read the following online comics
PvP - Follow the crazy adventures of the staff of a fictional gaming magazine. Find the archive and start from the begining.
XKCD - The comic that's smarter than you are. If you don't get the joke, you probably don't have a degree in science. Read it anyway.
User Friendly - The staff of this Canadian ISP and their pet "Dustpuppy" who formed in the server farm.
Questionable Content - The life of 20-somethings who hang out in a coffee shop and talk about music. It's wrong, funny and highly addictive. You will be sucked in. You must start in the archive.
Full Frontal Nerdity - Four geeks who play way too much D&D.
The Order of the Stick - The most unusual adventuring party you've ever seen.
ExtraLife - The imagination of Scott Johnson unfolds before us in a single panel. Part gaming reviewer, part social comentator, part insane, all Scott...
Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited
Consider a one-month membership ($10) to access hundreds of issues from Marvel's comicbook line. Slick got me a 1-year subscription 6-months ago and I still haven't put a dent in it. They have huge selections from the "giants" of the Marvel universe including the X-Men, Spiderman & the Avengers. You can choose to read stuff from the early days or catch up on the events from M-Day & Civil War.
Classic VideoGame Rewind
Somewhere in your house there's a videogame that you loved so much that you tucked it away. Does it still work with your hardware? Do you still have that copy of CivIII? What about Fable or Tiger Woods for that old Xbox you're using as an extra DvD player in the den? Dust them off and have at it!
It's not TV, it's Hulu
Even if you have Digital Cable or Satellite sometimes there's just nothing on. Try Hulu. This online "channel" has an ever-growing line-up of reruns & movies. The average show has 5 very short (30-sec) commercial breaks. Catch episodes of Buffy or watch Ghostbusters.
Feel better my friend. If anyone else has suggestions or ideas, please share them.
Netflix
Start with a Netflix membership. The 3-movies at a time deal is the best balance between cost & movies. It also allows for access to the online library. I recommend stupid action, anime & scifi. Serious films just add to the potential for depression. Consider a Babylon 5 marathon. Skip season 5. He actually already got the Netflix subscription today & I sent him a list of movies.
Read the following online comics
PvP - Follow the crazy adventures of the staff of a fictional gaming magazine. Find the archive and start from the begining.
XKCD - The comic that's smarter than you are. If you don't get the joke, you probably don't have a degree in science. Read it anyway.
User Friendly - The staff of this Canadian ISP and their pet "Dustpuppy" who formed in the server farm.
Questionable Content - The life of 20-somethings who hang out in a coffee shop and talk about music. It's wrong, funny and highly addictive. You will be sucked in. You must start in the archive.
Full Frontal Nerdity - Four geeks who play way too much D&D.
The Order of the Stick - The most unusual adventuring party you've ever seen.
ExtraLife - The imagination of Scott Johnson unfolds before us in a single panel. Part gaming reviewer, part social comentator, part insane, all Scott...
Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited
Consider a one-month membership ($10) to access hundreds of issues from Marvel's comicbook line. Slick got me a 1-year subscription 6-months ago and I still haven't put a dent in it. They have huge selections from the "giants" of the Marvel universe including the X-Men, Spiderman & the Avengers. You can choose to read stuff from the early days or catch up on the events from M-Day & Civil War.
Classic VideoGame Rewind
Somewhere in your house there's a videogame that you loved so much that you tucked it away. Does it still work with your hardware? Do you still have that copy of CivIII? What about Fable or Tiger Woods for that old Xbox you're using as an extra DvD player in the den? Dust them off and have at it!
It's not TV, it's Hulu
Even if you have Digital Cable or Satellite sometimes there's just nothing on. Try Hulu. This online "channel" has an ever-growing line-up of reruns & movies. The average show has 5 very short (30-sec) commercial breaks. Catch episodes of Buffy or watch Ghostbusters.
Feel better my friend. If anyone else has suggestions or ideas, please share them.
That F@#%er!
White House: Bush to lift offshore drilling ban
Is it too late for a double-impeachment? Surely Nancy can run the government until January...or at least do a better job than the current occupant. WTF?!? Yeah, gas is $4.04 down the street. I'm sure it's even higher elsewhere. More off-shore drilling does NOTHING to current gas price. Long-term conversion of our energy infrastructure to sustainable & environmentally friendly resources is our best shot. We need more fuel-efficient vehicles NOW. The little-three could have planned ahead and gotten here first. Imagine if Ford or Crysler had invested in Prius-like concepts 10 years ago in preparation for this day? What happened to this country's innovation? It didn't all go into the computer industry, did it?
For over a decade my wife (who claims to know nothing about geo-politics) has been saying that we are headed for a paradym shift in the way that Americans (& the world) live. Our extravagant, gas-guzzling, credit-fueled days are numbered. If she saw this 10 years ago, before the gas crisis, the housing crisis & Bush's War, how did the people in Washington miss it? We could have delt with this with vision & direction. Instead we're running around like Chicken Little and making things worse.
Sigh!
I need a hug & a solar array!
Is it too late for a double-impeachment? Surely Nancy can run the government until January...or at least do a better job than the current occupant. WTF?!? Yeah, gas is $4.04 down the street. I'm sure it's even higher elsewhere. More off-shore drilling does NOTHING to current gas price. Long-term conversion of our energy infrastructure to sustainable & environmentally friendly resources is our best shot. We need more fuel-efficient vehicles NOW. The little-three could have planned ahead and gotten here first. Imagine if Ford or Crysler had invested in Prius-like concepts 10 years ago in preparation for this day? What happened to this country's innovation? It didn't all go into the computer industry, did it?
For over a decade my wife (who claims to know nothing about geo-politics) has been saying that we are headed for a paradym shift in the way that Americans (& the world) live. Our extravagant, gas-guzzling, credit-fueled days are numbered. If she saw this 10 years ago, before the gas crisis, the housing crisis & Bush's War, how did the people in Washington miss it? We could have delt with this with vision & direction. Instead we're running around like Chicken Little and making things worse.
Sigh!
I need a hug & a solar array!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
The New Captain's Chair
The aches and pains the last few weeks have made me really consider proper ergonomics. I thought I had done a good job, but the old setup just wasn't cutting it. As reported, I got a trackball earlier this week. I've also been looking at my overall setup. My conclusions? Change was needed. Slick and I talked about it and concurred it was time for me to look for a better chair. My big concern was cost. I've never spent more than $100 on a desk chair before. There was no way we were going to drop $700-1k on one of those fancy chairs like my old company got me when I was on partial disability. (Lord, I wish I could have taken that thing with me.)
Anyway, Slick and I went out and found a great chair for much less than I expected. It's got everything I need: Adjustable arm support, head rest, lumbar support. Heck, it's so nice that Office Depot was nearly sold out across the region.
The Captain's Chair
We also got a keyboard tray/arm, but the chair adjusts so well I'm taking it back. It's sad how excited I am about office furniture.
Anyway, Slick and I went out and found a great chair for much less than I expected. It's got everything I need: Adjustable arm support, head rest, lumbar support. Heck, it's so nice that Office Depot was nearly sold out across the region.
The Captain's ChairWe also got a keyboard tray/arm, but the chair adjusts so well I'm taking it back. It's sad how excited I am about office furniture.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Utterly Random Post
4th o' July...
...was freaking awesome. Another "geek" couple came to visit us this weekend. I made a ton of "healthy" food. We talked until late into the evening each night. We played fun, silly board games & hours of Zombie Flux. Flux is a card game with ever-changing rules. Zombie Flux is Flux only w/ Zombies. It's an awesomely fun time drinking wine, talking about our pets (that's what couples w/out kids do) and making Zombie sounds.
Who's On First?...
...Well, it's not Ryan Howard. The National League has a "good problem" when 3 of it's best players all play the same position. You can't keep Lance Berkman out of the All Star Game this year. Pujols is batting .346! I love Howard, but he strikes out too much in the face of that competition.
Trackball...
...Well, I finally caved and am swapping to a trackball. My hands hurt almost all the time. Using a trackball should help. I've gone with the Logitech Trackman Wheel Optical mouse based on a number of good user reviews and word-of-mouth. It grips like an ergonomic mouse and the scroll button is surprisingly smooth. Video-gaming could take some time to get used to.
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss...
...Thank you Pandora Internet Radio. I heard about this team-up, but I hadn't heard anything yet. I was listening to Pandora while reading the news this morning & Your Long Journey came on. I rushed over to iTunes (my sister gave me iTunes for Christmas) and got the whole album.
Elton Brand...
...Signed with the Sixers this week. This is exciting. They are a young and improving squad. Brand's addition could get them out of the first round this year. They are probably too young to make an honest run at the title, but it's still exciting. Brand's experience should help this young team.
Feeling...
Better than the other week. I got over the really bad spell barely in time for the 4th. Thanks goes to Slick who forced me to rest instead of helping her w/ our seasonal mega-cleaning. I feel really bad about not helping wash all those nooks and crannies around the house.
...was freaking awesome. Another "geek" couple came to visit us this weekend. I made a ton of "healthy" food. We talked until late into the evening each night. We played fun, silly board games & hours of Zombie Flux. Flux is a card game with ever-changing rules. Zombie Flux is Flux only w/ Zombies. It's an awesomely fun time drinking wine, talking about our pets (that's what couples w/out kids do) and making Zombie sounds.
Who's On First?...
...Well, it's not Ryan Howard. The National League has a "good problem" when 3 of it's best players all play the same position. You can't keep Lance Berkman out of the All Star Game this year. Pujols is batting .346! I love Howard, but he strikes out too much in the face of that competition.
Trackball...
...Well, I finally caved and am swapping to a trackball. My hands hurt almost all the time. Using a trackball should help. I've gone with the Logitech Trackman Wheel Optical mouse based on a number of good user reviews and word-of-mouth. It grips like an ergonomic mouse and the scroll button is surprisingly smooth. Video-gaming could take some time to get used to.
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss...
...Thank you Pandora Internet Radio. I heard about this team-up, but I hadn't heard anything yet. I was listening to Pandora while reading the news this morning & Your Long Journey came on. I rushed over to iTunes (my sister gave me iTunes for Christmas) and got the whole album.
Elton Brand...
...Signed with the Sixers this week. This is exciting. They are a young and improving squad. Brand's addition could get them out of the first round this year. They are probably too young to make an honest run at the title, but it's still exciting. Brand's experience should help this young team.
Feeling...
Better than the other week. I got over the really bad spell barely in time for the 4th. Thanks goes to Slick who forced me to rest instead of helping her w/ our seasonal mega-cleaning. I feel really bad about not helping wash all those nooks and crannies around the house.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Happy Birthday Tom Cruise
File under weird shit that I remember. Today is Tom Cruise's birthday. Why do I know this? Way back in 1989, he played Ron Kovic in the movie Born on the 4th of July. I remember, oddly enough, the interview he gave while promoting the film. It bothers me that I can remember the birthday of this nut-job, but have to look up my niece's birthday.
I have a love-hate relationship with the "trappings" of the 4th. I'm big on our country's history (especially the Revolutionary War,) consider myself Patriotic and love the Constitution. I dislike drunk people with fireworks and never got into parades (Unless it's the Mummers.)
Anyway, back to Tom. Ever since he went off the deep end, I won't see his movies. Frankly, I can't emotionally separate the idiot from the actor anymore. Still, Born on the 4th of July was a powerful film when I saw it at the tender age of 16.
To this day, the story of Ron Kovic serves as a reminder to me about innocence lost and the dangers of clinging to the flag. America is never as bad as it's detractors suggest, but it's also never as good as the Zealots want us to believe. Kovic's story is also one that should, perhaps, be re-introduced to today's generation. Already, the news is too filled with horror stories about injured Iraq Vets receiving inadiquate care. The past repeats.
We the People, at least on the surface, are doing a better job of honoring our soldiers. Brave men and women are not returning to angry and hateful attacks on their honor. Unfortunately, we're imbroiled in another wasteful conflict with no end in sight.
Tomorrow, we pause to reflect, to celebrate, to BBQ in honor of a hard-faught dream. Our challenge tomorrow (and everyday) is to honor our country while still holding it to a higher standard.
Oh, and happy birthday Tom.
I have a love-hate relationship with the "trappings" of the 4th. I'm big on our country's history (especially the Revolutionary War,) consider myself Patriotic and love the Constitution. I dislike drunk people with fireworks and never got into parades (Unless it's the Mummers.)
Anyway, back to Tom. Ever since he went off the deep end, I won't see his movies. Frankly, I can't emotionally separate the idiot from the actor anymore. Still, Born on the 4th of July was a powerful film when I saw it at the tender age of 16.
To this day, the story of Ron Kovic serves as a reminder to me about innocence lost and the dangers of clinging to the flag. America is never as bad as it's detractors suggest, but it's also never as good as the Zealots want us to believe. Kovic's story is also one that should, perhaps, be re-introduced to today's generation. Already, the news is too filled with horror stories about injured Iraq Vets receiving inadiquate care. The past repeats.
We the People, at least on the surface, are doing a better job of honoring our soldiers. Brave men and women are not returning to angry and hateful attacks on their honor. Unfortunately, we're imbroiled in another wasteful conflict with no end in sight.
Tomorrow, we pause to reflect, to celebrate, to BBQ in honor of a hard-faught dream. Our challenge tomorrow (and everyday) is to honor our country while still holding it to a higher standard.
Oh, and happy birthday Tom.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Frustration
After our trip north last month, my body needed time to recuperate. We all knew it would. Over the next few weeks I was feeling "OK." I spent a lot of time functioning at about 80%. This meant I was able to relax, sleep, have fun & still get a few things accomplished. Since I wasn't feeling super, I reserved more and more time for fun and left projects like yard-work & home repair sit idle.
Well, weeks went by and I never really got my groove back. In fact, on Friday things just got worse. My body is in full-blown pain. I know this because I caught myself taking my 3rd painkiller of the day yesterday. Most days I don't take any. Some days I have to take 1 or 2. Three means I'm miserable.
This makes me look back at the last month in disgust. I could have paced myself in June and accomplished projects when I could have managed them a piece at a time. Now, there's no way I'm doing any of the yard work. Slick will have to clean the kitchen before our guests arrive for the 4th.
There's only one thing left to do now. I must find a distraction and I must relax. My body is so tense that even my shoulders feel like they are numb and asleep. The pain-killers (when I've taken them for several days) start to make me feel nauseated. So, I absolutely need to stop feeling bad.
PS. It should be noted that June was (once I stop feeling frustrated about it) a good month. My health was better than worse. Slick & I have been having a lot of fun. Until this weekend, I've been really excited about the summer. I'm still excited. We have friends visiting for the 4th of July. We have vacation with my family. We have vacation with Slick's family. My uncle is visiting in Sept. It'll be a great summer. I just have to get through this first.
Well, weeks went by and I never really got my groove back. In fact, on Friday things just got worse. My body is in full-blown pain. I know this because I caught myself taking my 3rd painkiller of the day yesterday. Most days I don't take any. Some days I have to take 1 or 2. Three means I'm miserable.
This makes me look back at the last month in disgust. I could have paced myself in June and accomplished projects when I could have managed them a piece at a time. Now, there's no way I'm doing any of the yard work. Slick will have to clean the kitchen before our guests arrive for the 4th.
There's only one thing left to do now. I must find a distraction and I must relax. My body is so tense that even my shoulders feel like they are numb and asleep. The pain-killers (when I've taken them for several days) start to make me feel nauseated. So, I absolutely need to stop feeling bad.
PS. It should be noted that June was (once I stop feeling frustrated about it) a good month. My health was better than worse. Slick & I have been having a lot of fun. Until this weekend, I've been really excited about the summer. I'm still excited. We have friends visiting for the 4th of July. We have vacation with my family. We have vacation with Slick's family. My uncle is visiting in Sept. It'll be a great summer. I just have to get through this first.
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