add some soul

Beer and Comics.

2008-02-22T02:03:00.000-05:00

Okay, so you probably already know this, but I'm a nerd.

And If you didn't before, you do now.

In any case, Brian and I are such nerds that we decided that we should blog about it. Isn't that what everyone wants to read? Nerds blogging about being nerds?

To that end, we are now running BeerandComics.com. Yes, BeerandComics.com.

Do you like beer? Do you like comics? One? Both? Then we are in agreement.

Yay, I like the internet.

Ian!

Mitt Romney

2008-02-07T00:31:00.000-05:00

Man, this almost makes me like Romney.

Via WFMU.

the Goddamn Batman.

2008-01-16T01:33:00.000-05:00

I found this via google image search.

On myconfinedspace.com

If this Vans a rocking, its my wife being drilled by a guy named Ricky

2008-01-05T18:13:00.000-05:00

Via BoingBoing.

The Dark Knight 1966 Style

2008-01-05T16:34:00.000-05:00

Via YesButNoButYes.

God I love comic books.

2008-01-02T23:44:00.000-05:00

So Marvel is putting out a book in their Ultimate Universe called Ultimate Human. I had seen the title somewhere, and didn't think a whole lot of it. I even saw something about a Hulk/Iron Man book coming out, and didn't think much of it. Didn't even realize they were the same book.

Then I heard Warren Ellis is writing it. And now I must read it.

Preview. It looks so sweet. Tony Stark is an asshole, and Bruce Banner is really bummed out about being the Hulk - its totally how it should be.

And its due out this week!

New favorites

2007-11-27T23:26:00.000-05:00

Death by booze

2007-11-27T22:46:00.000-05:00

It would take 18 bottles of Bell's/Kalamazoo Two Hearted Ale to kill me

Does this mean I should have another beer?

Via the Presurfer.

Um...

2007-11-16T16:45:00.001-05:00

Seriously? This could be awesome or a disaster.

Wow.

2007-11-16T15:07:00.000-05:00

Just when you thought old internet memes couldn't get any better:

Via YesButNoButYes.

Dreams

2007-11-13T03:19:00.000-05:00

My favorite thing about my deams is that I can usually tell when they're dreams.

But every once in a while I have this one dream.

I'll be in the middle of another, often pleasant dream, and I'll startle awake because I SWEAR I heard two, loud, sharp knocks on my door. As in my bedroom door. Its happened in different houses, and every time the knock matches what that door would sound like.

And every time it starts me awake, and I lie in bed frozen in fear for a minute or two. After a bit where I decide that even IF it was someone in my house who had banged on my door, they either would have made more noise by now.

So I slowly sit up, and reach for the baseball bat I keep under my bed. Yes, I keep a baseball bat under my bed. Fuck you. Its my home security system.

I put on my glasses and open my door, poised to strike.

Nothing is there. As usual.

Aferward this happened tonight, I creep downstairs, where I can still hear the high-pitched noise, meaning BJ fell asleep with the TV on again.

Of course he did, so he's there, fast asleep, and the menu for the West Wing DVD he was watching is on the screen.

I ditch the bat at the bottom of the stairs because I'll feel stupid if BJ wakes up.

He does (if only half way) and says "hey dude".

I mumble a hello and get a glass of water from the kitchen, pausing to pick up my bat by the stairs.

Figures that the only realistic dream I've ever had is one that nearly makes me crap my pants. Sounds about par for the course.

I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle.

Meth Minute 39

2007-11-05T15:04:00.000-05:00

I just discovered Meth Minute 39 today. Only 6 episodes in too. Oh, and its funny.

Via YesButNoButYes.

Blackwater

2007-11-05T15:03:00.000-05:00

Why isn't everyone pissed about this?

Warren Ellis

2007-11-05T14:53:00.000-05:00

Warren Ellis writes a column on Suicide Girls called the Sunday Hangover. I think the idea is that its supposed to be weekly, but for some reason it doesn't show up on the feed that often. Maybe its behind their subscription wall, maybe he just doesn't do it every week. In any case, I don't care, its just that good.

This week he declares: America broke sex.

He makes a pretty strong case, actually. Its stuff like this that makes me love him.

That and, you know, Fell, Black Summer... I've yet to read Global Frequency, but I've got it at home in my "to read" box.

But its not just his comics. He's funny, smart, and I can't seem to get enough. But yeah.

America broke sex.

24!

2007-10-25T01:54:00.001-04:00

So awesome.

Ouch.

2007-10-24T13:26:00.000-04:00

from NadShot.

And that is seriously one of my favorite scenes in the latest issue of All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder. Its Miller writing Batman, so how can you go wrong?

But seriously, a blog dedicated entirely to comic book characters being hit in the crotch? Wow.

God, its stuff like this that makes me love Boing Boing.

Via Boing Boing.

Scotty

2007-10-12T23:07:00.000-04:00

=

So. Simon Pegg is going to be playing Scotty in the new Star Trek movie.

Between that and John Cho as Sulu, you'd think they were making a comedy.

Get the hell out of our store, please!

2007-10-10T01:12:00.000-04:00

I always have to hunt for this when I want it, so I'm putting it here. I can never find it on YouTube, but Google Video previals!

Maybe Spiderman likes anal.

2007-10-10T01:02:00.000-04:00

"spiderman watch" = "mmmm nice 'I love cock!!" ?.

Its stuff like this that makes me love the Register.

Computer Nerdery

2007-10-05T01:08:00.000-04:00

So Timmy hooked me up with this old Dell that he picked up. Its a 650mhz, so its not exactly a beast.

But I've got Win98SE running on it (without any of the proper drivers, so there's still some problems) and in the above picture you can see the Xubuntu install running on it.

Win98 is on there so I can play Starship Titanic and RAMA. Who knows what else, but those both have issues running with either WinXP (RAMA) or Wine (both have some issues - some tolerable, some not).

Anyhow, its has a new battery, is 1024x768... I can't complain. Also, maybe it'll be my live music computer. Hydrogen anyone?

Fair and Handsome

2007-10-05T00:57:00.000-04:00

This is kind of messed up. Its actually a cream to make your skin lighter. I know it has a lot to do with the caste system that's existed in India for so long (the ligher-skinned people from the north were usually part of the higher castes), but it still weirds me out a bit. Mostly 'cause they make the one guy feel bad for being darker skinned.

MagLev?

2007-09-28T11:05:00.000-04:00

So far, I've yet to ride on one, or even see one. So way to go Germany.

Seriously, how is that picture not the coolest looking thing ever? Maybe that's just the Star Trek fan in me, but why would you no want to ride on that?

So I remember that MagLev was the coolest thing ever when I was younger. It was (and still is) really fucking cool. If you don't already know, Wikipedia defines it as:

[quote]
"a form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles (especially trains) using electromagnetic force"
[/quote]

I remember thinking that this was going to be the future of like, all transportation. I was a weird kid.

Via Engadget.

Tiki

2007-09-26T15:28:00.000-04:00

Apparently Tiki culture leads you to the Devil.

That makes total sense. I mean, I worship every piece of art I like.

I'm SO glad I got rid of my Hawaiian shirts years ago.

Via Boing Boing.

Making Decisions

2007-09-26T15:25:00.000-04:00

I've already used this. I'm notoriously bad at making up my mind.

Universal Decision Maker.

Via the Presurfer.

Its not actually this easy, folks.

2007-09-26T15:21:00.000-04:00

Way to go, Riker

2007-09-26T15:19:00.001-04:00

And this is why you shouldn't sit on computers:

Amen Brother

2007-09-20T12:14:00.001-04:00

So there's a classic breakbeat that we all know whether we realize it or not. It has inundated popular music in such a way that we take it as natural, and don't think about where it came from. As with most of culture, we borrow so heavily from what we know of the past that we don't realize where it came from and what we're actually creating, vs what we're borrowing.

Amen brother is a classic example of this. As this fellow puts it, It has entered "the collective audio unconcious":

Its a bit long, clocking in around 18 minutes, but well worth a listen (there's not actually a lot going on visually in this video).

More about it on the Wikiedia article on Amen Brother.

The Ten Most Polluted Places in the World

2007-09-19T15:42:00.000-04:00

National Geographic has a photographic piece on what they're calling the 10 most polluted places. Some of it is staggeringly filthy looking. Its sad to see people among some of this.

Link.

Via Boing Boing.

Dance music!

2007-09-19T15:18:00.000-04:00

So I just added Boing Boing to my RSS reader. I've read bits of it in the past, but never committed. And in the first 10 minutes, it turned up this gem:

Infectious dance music mashed up with footage of an old revival meeting? Seriously, how can you go wrong?

Its a band called Familjen and I think I found a new musical obsession.

Electro always reminds me of Shawn of the Dead.

Via Boing Boing.

Walkable

2007-09-18T15:17:00.000-04:00

How walkable is your house?

I don't remember where I found this, but its interesting. Especially considering that up until this summer I didn't own a car.

It looks like my house is considered to be pretty damn walkable - it scores a 72/100. Apparently that means that its "Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car." I'm actually kind of surprised by that, since most people in the area wouldn't think of my hosue as being very walkable. I'm the guy who doesn't mind walking 2 miles to work on nice days, so maybe that says something.

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

2007-09-12T12:37:00.000-04:00

HOLY POOP.

More about Crystal Skulls here

and here:

via Geek Monthly

California

2007-09-12T11:28:00.000-04:00

So work sent me to the Society of Environmental Journalists conference at Stanford last week. I recorded some sessions (both audio and video), and generally it was pretty interesting.

Most of Stanford's north campus looks like this around this time of the year.

Northwest lost my luggage when we flew out, and it took a few days to get that sorted out. I had to go shopping and hit the laundromat.

The crosswalk sign was broken by our hotel in Palo Alto, so it was constantly giving us the horns. That, combined with the fact that there was an All Mac and a Fry's across the street were the only things that made the Super 8 where we stayed better than the Sheraton where everyone else was (we were overflow from the conference).

Stanford's tower was right across the street from one of the buildings we had sessions in.

The CalTrain station in Palo Alto. We rode this a lot.

My first experience with Thai beer. It was okay. And so was the Pad Thai.

The Golden Gate from above and to the west. An early stop on the whirlwind tour of the city some of my friends gave me.

GGP from BB (Baker Beach).

My feet met the Pacific for the first time on Baker Beach.

We found Yoda in the Presidio.

At the end of the night, we went up the Twin Peaks for a beautiful view of the city. I'm told its usually a lot foggier, but not Friday night.

RIP, Michael Jackson

2007-08-31T20:58:00.000-04:00

Beer legend Michael Jackson is dead.

[quote] He is primarily credited with establishing the language and identification of beer styles. Before Jackson, all beer was essentially the same; today, beer authorities recognize more than 100 major styles, defined by their cultural and technical characteristics...

Many of those styles – especially obscure varieties from Belgium – would be extinct today if not for Jackson's writing...

For thousands of self-professed beer geeks, Jackson was a cult figure who inspired the U.S. microbrewery renaissance. [/quote]

Thanks for the beer, Michael.

Via Beware of the Blog.

Batman!

2007-08-02T14:25:00.000-04:00

Everyone who knows me knows how excited I am about this:

The trailer is just okay, but I am more and more excited about the movie every time I think about it. Batman Begins was so well done. It made a blockbuster comic book movie while still getting pretty close to the tone (if not the look, or even really the plot) of one of the classic stories (in this case, the Frank Miller-penned Year One) of that character.

I'm also excited to see the joker done right. Tim Burton's 1989 Batman was good, and Jack Nicholson was great in it, but I think Dark Knight is going to better capture the insanity that really characterizes the Joker in the comics. Or at least I hope.

For how much I love Batman, I'm not that big a fan of the 1960s Adam West TV series. For a lot of people the campyness of it is what makes the show, but I just can't dig it. Then again, I don't like a lot of the older print comics (okay, pretty much all of the '30s-'60s) of Batman either.

In any case, if you've ever wondered what that TV show would have been like had they approached it seriously, without all the camp, the answer is pretty damn good:

Via Geek Monthly.

New Weakerthans

2007-07-30T12:25:00.000-04:00

I can't tell you how much I love the Weakerthans. Left and Leaving is probably one of my all-time favorite albums.

Their new album, Reunion Tour is out in September. The first song to hit the web is Night Windows (mp3).

I can't wait. This is so good.

Via Stereogum.

Bear Mountain Picnic @ Mac's Bar

2007-06-24T01:42:00.000-04:00

So I've seen Bear Mountain Picnic before, and I'll say this about that show: I was the only one on the floor at Mac's for their set, I was drunk, wearing a Mr Spock t-shirt, and the only one who laughed at a Stillsuit joke made by one of the other bands (JHaJ favorites Great Lakes Myth Society, actually). It was kind of nerdy and sad. I'll also say this: it was awesome.

Unfortunately, this show wasn't quite as good. Not that it was bad, but there seemed to be some guitar problems throughout, and you couldn't hear the vocals very well. This seems to be a problem that has plagued Mac's for years. It was better for a while when they beefed up the PA, but they've since stripped it down a bit more again, and its getting hard to hear anyone singing in there again. Which it too bad, since these are some damn fine lyrics.

To top it off, Sexual Pantalones played next. They're pretty bad - it seems like complicated music for the sake of complexity, and not really listenable. It was enough to make me leave. Again, too bad, since I was looking forward to seeing Don Caballero. Oh well.

However, looking past the problems, Bear Mountain Picnic was still pretty good. They played my favorites like Silent Trade, Your Cousin's Neck (up for download on their MySpace), and they closed with Core which is available on their website.

They actually make a lot of music available for free. On their website they have no less than seven songs available for download. Even better, though, they sell t-shirts at their shows (and for only $5), but the CDs they just give away. Sure, they're burned copies of a 5 song EP, but hey, free music, right? They did that with their first EP The Demo as well.

And since I've gotten home I've listened to Happiness in the Dybosphere like, five times. Its that good.

Now, here's hoping the t-shirt fits. All they had left were smalls.

Bear Mountain Picnic's website
Bear Mountain Picnic on MySpace

Science!

2007-06-24T01:36:00.000-04:00

I was walking around Old Town Lansing today, and I couldn't pass up this photo op. I have no idea what was behind that door, either. I couldn't see in the door, and the place wasnt open.

Holy sweet goddamn.

2007-06-21T01:33:00.000-04:00

Its too bad she won't live. But then again, who does?

Via YesButNoButYes.

Super-Size Me (With Whiskey!)

2007-05-16T23:13:00.000-04:00

Sheer hilarity.

See and Be Scene

2007-05-14T01:56:00.000-04:00

So there's this great band that started out here in Lansing, eventually made it big in Detroit, and is touring full-time both nationally and internationally. Basically, they've gotten pretty big.

They're The Hard Lessons.

I remember meeting them way back when - talking to Korin about my crappy keyboard that I played at one show with my old band. Its still funny to think of them as something so much bigger than that.

On the Impact today, I heard their new song and instantly fell in love with it.

It seems that there have been several songs in recent years that I've fallen in love with that friends of mine have written making fun of the hipsters in the so-called "scene". Hell, this isn't the first time I've heard the phrase "see and be scene" in that context coming from someone who's come up out of the Lansing scene. Point in case, I Am a Bolt of Lightning:

I Am a Bolt of Lightning - All State Make-Out Champ (mp3)

In any case, the new Hard Lessons song rules. And they're almost a whole new band. They're growing up from a great rock-and-roll act, and are becoming a FUCKING KILLER power-pop act. I really hope their new stuff all sounds like this. You can get it from their MySpace, or right here:

The Hard Lessons - See and Be Scene (mp3)

LOL

2007-05-04T00:12:00.000-04:00

But Ronnie? Ronnie the Bear? He could give a fuck.

2007-04-27T01:55:00.000-04:00

So I have the first Harry Potter movie coming next in my NetFlix queue for one reason and one reason only. Wizard People, Dear Reader. Its on Illegal Art, which is the same label that put out the most recent Girl Talk (yes, he's done more than just Night Ripper) record.

WPDR is a spoken word project, meant to be played along with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The author/reader, Brad Neely, spends most of the movie telling you what's happening, like a book on tape gone horribly wrong. Harry is "Ol' HP", Snape is "Snake" (and also a she), Ron is "Ronnie the Bear", Dumbledore is "Dumbledore the Half-Dead", and Hagrid is "Hagar the Horrible". Needless to say, he gets a lot of plot points wrong too, but you're too busy laughing to care.

Point in case:

I'm totally having people over to watch it sometime soon. Needless to say, there will be beer and Wizard People, Dear Readers!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

2007-04-26T02:13:00.000-04:00

Its one of those things I learned from Rock n Roll. Girls just want to have fun.

I recently ran across a version of that song online by a fellow named Greg Laswell, and I like it more than the original. Anyhow, I can't give a direct link to the mp3, but you can find it on Fabulist. Its great. (also, thanks to Lauren for turning me onto Fabulist.org)

Also, the Silence Xperiment did a mashup of it and 2 Live Crew, called Hoochie Mamas Just Wanna Have Fun. Its pretty damn good.

Genuine 5 Star Gentleman

2007-04-24T16:11:00.000-04:00

I haven't blogged in quite some time. This semester got really busy, but in a couple weeks I should be back in the swing of things, once both of my major class projects are done.

Anyhow, for right now, my friends (and foosball aficionados) The Stationary Set have been working on thier album for what seems like... well, its taken a damn long time, that's for sure.

In any case, they have yet another tune up on their MySpace page. Its from the album, and it looks like they're getting past the mastering stage (this one is, according to Josh, "the final master of "Genuine 5 Star Gentleman""), and apparently the album is out for pressing.

I know they're not the most positive song lyrics, but this song makes me feel good.

Sky Blue Sky

2007-03-01T13:05:00.000-05:00

So not only did I see the cover for the new Wilco album for the first time today (and for the record, I think its just okay, but that's how I felt about A Ghost is Born's cover when I first saw it), several tracks have leaked somehow.

Shameless Complacency has three of them up. I guess I'll link them too.

Either Way (mp3)
Walken (mp3)
You Are My Face (mp3) (LINKS REMOVED)

Is it revolutionary? No, not really. But its good, and I like what they're doing. I think they're starting to act their age, and that's okay.

Personally, I'm eager to see what Impossible Germany sounds like, since I remember it being one of my favorites live. I also wish they'd record Is That the Thanks I Get?

Full Sky Blue Sky tracklist at Pitchfork.

Via Stereogum.

I know how I'm saving the planet...

2007-03-01T12:54:00.000-05:00

Only a British Scientist would suggest something like this. Want to reduce CO2 emissions? Simply breathe less.

[quote]
"If we merely cut out one breath in three, we could decrease the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere each year by a staggering 0.63 gigatonnes. That's the same effect as saving five million acres of land (an area the size of Wales) from deforestation."
[/quote]

What do you suppose this man looks like?

Yeah, that's him on the right. And I have a new hero.
Via the Register.

Death and hatred to mankind never sounded so good.

2007-02-17T13:10:00.000-05:00

So, as I mentioned here, CAKE has a rarities disc coming out later this year. Their cover of War Pigs is amazing.

APPRAENTLY, they're having a music video contest - ie you make your video, put it on YouTube, they pick a winner, etc. I have no idea what you can win. WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THEY'RE OFFERING THE ENTIRE SONG FOR DOWNLOAD NOW. Check it.

Godddamn its SO GOOD.

And since I think the mp3 will only be up for a couple more days, I'm mirroring it myself.
CAKE - War Pigs (mp3). (LINK REMOVED)

CAKE

2007-02-06T07:21:00.000-05:00

I love CAKE. I've been kind of nutso about them on and off for years, but this makes me REALLY excited for their new album. You wouldn't think they could pull off War Pigs, but...

Ghost Ride It Video

2007-02-04T00:49:00.000-05:00

So I wrote about this last month. Apparently, that was them filming part of the music video. The video? For a different mix of the song, but holy crap, they ghost ride ECTO-1. WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?

Last.fm

2007-01-31T02:04:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what I've been listening to?

I've been an avid Last.fm user for a while, ever since my friend Matthew introduced me to it.

Basically, it uses a plugin in your music player (iTunes) to keep track of what you listen to and how much. It then not only reccomends you new music based on what you apparently like, but pairs you up with "neighbors"; people with similar taste in music, giving you more to explore musically. It also lets you keep track of what your friends are listening to.

As you can see, I've been listening to a lot of Ted Leo (between the Pharmacists and Chisel - his band from the '90s), and I recenly got into the Hold Steady. Also, Mistah FAB has a wonderful place on my Last.fm playlist.

Anybody else on Last.fm can feel free to add me as a friend.

EDIT: Apparently that table updates itself every week with my most recently listened music. Sweet!

Sons of Cain

2007-01-24T23:32:00.000-05:00

I love Ted Leo. I've seen him twice, and met him both times. A supremely nice guy (he and Mike Doughty are the nicest rockers I've ever met),

He and the Pharmacists have a new album due in March called Living With the Living. That's still way too far off for my liking. In the meantime, the new song Sons of Cain (mp3) (LINK REMOVED) can be found all over the blogosphere. Its SO GOOD that I don't know if its a good way to tide me over, or more torturous to have to wait that long, knowing how good it will be. In any event, I love it, check it out.

Thomas H. Cruise...

2007-01-23T15:35:00.000-05:00

Tom Cruise is Jesus?

I guess if you're descended from aliens, you've found your savior. And with a fashion sense like that, what more can you ask for?

The Mechanical Man

2007-01-19T00:36:00.000-05:00

If you've not read Beware of the Blog, I highly reccomend that you do so. They have a 365 Days Project that's pretty sweet. Basically, an mp3 a day for a year. And that's where I discovered The Mechanical Man. (LINK REMOVED)

I really can't quite get over this song.

Check out the lyrics:

I'm the mechanical man.
I was build in a factory.
My serial number is 084567123.

I'm designed in the USA,
And manufactured in Japan.
Does anybody here know a robot girl who wants to meet a mechanical man?

I was made out of stainless steel;
Protect my frame from rust.
There's a vacuum cleaner built into my chest that automatically picks up dust.

I am 5 foot 8 inch tall,
And as strong as a moving van.
Does anybody here know a robot girl who wants to meet a mechanical man?

I can fix an automobile.
I can put up a Christmas tree.
I can milk a cow, I can mow a lawn, I can pour you a cup of tea.

But I'm looking for someone,
Who could help me to charge my coil,
And fill me up with batteries and feed me my daily oil.

I would not care at all,
If she looked like a garbage can.
Does anybody here know a robot girl who wants to meet a mechanical man?

Via Beware of the Blog.

Paula Abdul

2007-01-12T14:52:00.000-05:00

Is she drunk? Dave thinks she might be receiving cunnilingus below the level of the camera. I figure that might explain the gyrations and lack of focus, but it doesn't account for the slurred speach. Unless I've been doing something wrong all this time.

Via Stereogum.

Snorting Fire

2007-01-11T22:45:00.000-05:00

This is not, as they claim "awesome". Yet I can't look away...

Source.

GHOST RIDE IT

2007-01-05T17:23:00.000-05:00

I read this article on Pitchfork today. I was actually kind of surprised - not only that a "Crunk Hits" album existed, but that THEY'RE UP TO VOLUME THREE.

So I was talking about it at work, and one of the guys hadn't heard of Hyphy. I don't really know that much about it, but I told him what I could, and we turned to Wikipedia. The discussion turned to Ghost Riding, which he insists isn't a new phenomenon. Apparently when he was growing up, they used to do a lot of these same car tricks that you see in Hyphy, only they used to do it to be assholes. He's from west Michigan, so what can you do?

Anyhow, the Wikipedia article on Ghost Riding links to this YouTube video:

Holy crap is that amazing or what? Video download (LINK REMOVED), in case you just GOTTA have it for your very own.

Also - there's a whole nother verse - listen on Mistah FAB's MySpace, and again, if you must: mp3 download.

ALSO: Bonus points for sampling the Ghostbusters theme.

Trains!

2007-01-02T03:11:00.000-05:00

I meant to put these up earlier, but forgot to until I found them on my phone today.

I love trains, and the ride to Chicago on Amtrak is great. I rode Amtrak into Wisconsin to visit my folks over the holiday break, and I snapped these of a freight train passing while waiting on the platform in East Lansing, Michigan.

Union Station is wonderful, but for me there's still something about an outdoor platform at 8 AM.

Forget Me Not

2006-12-29T15:24:00.001-05:00

So one of the features that keeps tempting me to switch to Firefox 2.0 is the fact that it remembers what tabs you had open after you close it - even if Firefox crashes. But Firefox just doesn't quite do it for me - its visually jarring compared to the rest of the apps on my Mac, and even after I skinned it, there are just a few little quirks about it that keep me using Apple's Safari.

I might give it another try sometime, especially since a friend pointed me at Fasterfox, since Firefox is pretty slow on the Mac. But really its the tab thing that's the most tempting.

Well, no more.

Forget Me Not is a nice little haxie that saves your tabs for you. You can unclose tabs, unclose windows, and it remembers what you had open when you close the application.

I can't tell you how glad I am. I've been wanting this feature in Safari for a long time now, and today, I am happy.

Via TUAW.

Have a very Jack Bauer Christmas

2006-12-19T21:51:00.001-05:00

I personally was hoping that Santa would have to take the little girl out. Or that her present was a bomb. Or plutonium. I guess Santa isn't as ruthless as Jack. Few are.

The new season of 24 begins January 14.

Via The Best of YouTube.

Packing and Tetris

2006-11-29T12:34:00.000-05:00

This was totally me and my dad this last weekend when we moved my sister out of her apartment.

Via YesButNoButYes.

Hey Ya! Charlie Brown

2006-11-28T13:52:00.000-05:00

So we all remember Outkast's Hey Ya! from a couple of years ago. And we all remember Charlie Brown. The following is what happens when two guys edit them together in one of the greatest feats of time-remapping and editing I've seen in an amateur video.

Via YesButNoButYes.

EDIT: And guess what's on TV tonight?

Tom Waits

2006-11-27T14:04:00.000-05:00

Man, I love Tom Waits.

There's an interview with him on Pitchfork today, and its really good. I've always been interested in sounds, and if you listen to Tom Waits, I'm sure you know that he is too. Apparently his favorite sound is bacon:

[quote]
"In a frying pan. If you record the sound of bacon in a frying pan and play it back it sounds like the pops and cracks on an old 33 1/3 recording. Almost exactly like that. You could substitute it for that sound."
[/quote]

His perspective on his personal mythology is always something I've loved too. As you read interviews with him over the years, and from different places in his career, he will tell outragious stories. Some are so bizarre that they can't be true, and some are just weird enough that they could be, but after a while, you begin to accept that there is little you can really know about the person he really is if all you rely on is what he tells you.

[quote]
"The fact is most of the things that people know about me are made up. My own life is backstage. So what you "know" about me only what I allowed you to know about me. So it's like a ventriloquist act."
[/quote]

His new album Orphans was released last week.
You Can Never Hold Back Spring (mp3) (LINK REMOVED)

Bovalve

2006-11-20T23:59:00.000-05:00

My friend Nate is taking a class on experimental interface design. He opted to build an electonic music controller of his own design. The result was the Bovalve. Its an experimental physical interface for a synthesizer, so I'm not sure how playable and practical it is yet, but is super-cool none the less.

According to Nate, the Bovalve combines

[quote]
"the concept of pitch from a trumpet, and the expression of a violin bow, and (you) get this: four fingers, a squeeze control, and two thumbs to change (the) sounds."
[/quote]

Lookit:

SingShot

2006-11-17T14:36:00.000-05:00

So SingShot lets you record your own Karaoke for the whole internet to hear. Some of it is good, but who really likes good karaoke? Not me.

Some of my favourites tend to be from the same people. For example, anything that wolffen sings is PURE GOLD.

However, Dave has a favorite too. I'm pretty sure I should feel bad about laughing about her singing, but its just... Well, check it out for yourself:

The whole site is totally wonderful. I've killed over an hour at work just digging around.

Via Stereogum.

Lasse Gjertsen and musical video editing

2006-11-14T16:36:00.000-05:00

So some people might remember him from Hyperactive (which is kind of annoying, really), but Lasse Gjertsen is pretty awesome if only for this video( which you should watch at least past the halfway point to get the full effect):

HOLY CRAP AWESOME, NO?

Also:

And Deadly Media:

I spend way too much time on YouTube at work.

Via Music Thing.

Spiderman 3

2006-11-14T16:19:00.000-05:00

So the trailer for Spiderman 3 is up on the official site. There have been a few leaks, however.

LIKE VENOM.

You can read more about that on Kung Fu Rodeo, that's where I nabbed that picture from.

I WAS going to include the YouTube video, but Sony had them pull it. So, here it is elsewhere: WMV on GorillaMask. Get it while its hot.

Chickens

2006-11-09T12:56:00.000-05:00

So yesterday, in Dinosaur Comics, I read this:

Today, I read this article in the Register.

Apparently, Ryan North called for the defacing of the Chicken article on Wikipedia, saying that if everyone defaced that article and left the rest alone, we'd be fine, since "DUDES ALREADY KNOW ABOUT CHICKENS". Apparently. the world listened.

Also: everytopicintheuniverseexceptchickens (dot com)

I, for one, call it brilliant, but never really expected anyone to actually follow through. Cheers to you, Ryan North.

Marathon

2006-10-31T15:50:00.000-05:00

So I've never really been much of a gamer. I like Tetris, I played a lot of Mario back in the day, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is hands-down one of the greatest games ever.

I'm taking a class on Machinima right now, so I started looking more into games. I was talking with someone at work, and he hooked me up with original copies of Marathon.

Bungie Studios made Marathon in the early to mid-'90s, originally for the Macintosh. In a slight bit of irony, Microsoft bough them in 2000, releasing Halo exclusively (at least at first) for Microsoft's XBox.

Long story short, Marathon is a FPS that predates Halo. While its graphics are obviously inferior. its gameplay and even its storyline are very similar. But when I played it via OSX's Classic, but it ran really poorly. It was unplayable.

So imagine my excitement when I found Aleph One. An open-source, cross-platform engine that lets you play any of the Marathon games (there are three) as well as independently-created games. Mac OSX, Windows and Linux are all supported.

So how well does it work?

To put it simply, damn well.

I've only run it on a Mac (my Linux box is, sadly, dead), but it is amazingly fast. My Powerbook and my G5 at work play it equally well, as does a Quicksilver G4 here at the office. Network play is awesome and really easy to use. The install (like I said, I only did this on a Mac) was a breeze, and even installing the provided hi-res textures was pretty easy.

Not often that I get excited about a video game, but here I am, excited.

Blogimedes

2006-10-17T14:11:00.000-04:00

Its fairly well-known that the internet is pretty much the source for all the wisdom and knowledge of the universe.

But what if you want to understand what makes someone a "fat fuck" as opposed to a "really really extremely super fat fuck"? There are many shades of obesity.

Or what if you want to know why WoW is better than the Office?

To answer these important questions, there is Blogimedes. He addresses the issues in a way we all can understand. With booze.

Witness the wisdom:

Truely life-changing.

1week of art works

2006-10-16T11:17:00.000-04:00

iPhoto

2006-10-12T22:03:00.000-04:00

So anyone who knows me know that I'm a Mac user. I have been a Mac user exclusively for a few years now (maybe two), and before that I was bi-platform. Anyhow, one of the applications that I've been using since before I got a Mac is iTunes. We all kind of take it for granted, but when all is said and done, I think its a great app.

A lot of people didn't like the new version (iTunes 7) when it first came out, mostly for the changes made to its appearance, and some pretty strange interface changes. I happen to like the way it looks just fine, but one thing I like a lot (which I'm in the process of taking advantage of) is the ability to have multiple libraries.

This is pretty great becuase it is going to let me keep all my music on my external drive, and keep less on the internal of my Powerbook, freeing up some of the rapidly-dwindling space on my 80GB drive.

Anyhow, today, while thinking about adding a bunch of my girlfriend's pictures from her recent trip to India to my iPhoto library, I thought "Wouldn't it be cool if iPhoto allowed multiple libraries like iTunes does now?" I don't know if I want iPhoto to deal with that many high-res photos every time it opens (slowing its launch down even more), so I thought this'd be a sweet way to get around that problem. So I tried it, and it does! And I'm only running iPhoto 5! Not even the most recent version!

Apparently this is somewhat known already (mentioned here, while talking about this feature in iTunes 7), but a quick google for "multiple iphoto libraries" turns up some stuff, with a lot of people pointing at iPhoto Library Manager, so I'm not sure how widely known this is.

Useful? Probably not extremely for most people. Cool? Most definately.

Talib Kweli: Listen

2006-10-02T13:54:00.000-04:00

So today on Pitchfork they posted a stream of the new Talib Kweli single. There's not much hip-hop that I love like I love Talib Kweli, and oh man is this going to be a great single.

Catchy as hell, danceable, and intelligent. Not as political as he gets sometimes, but its a single, and you can't listen to politics all the time.

You can stream it here, and stream the video here.

And if you're too lazy to Audio Hijack it yourself, I have an mp3 download here. (LINK REMOVED)

Via Pitchfork.

Okkervil River - the Presidents Dead

2006-09-26T16:35:00.000-04:00

Okkervil River - the Presidents Dead

So when Pitchfork linked this, I wasn't that crazy about it initially. It wasn't that bad, I guess, but it wasn't their best. It didn't help that it was about a fictitious assasination on the President (be he real or also fictitious). I don't like our current administration, but something about that lyric didn't sit right with me.

I was unsure about how I felt, but when the whole band kicks in near the end, I didn't care so much any more.

Its definately worth a listen, if only for the rock (country-rock?) at the end.

I'd have to say that its not as good as Black Sheep Boy is - you can listen to a couple songs off of it, and plenty more, here.

Favorites:
Okkervil River - Black
Okkervil River - Westfall

Source.

Tom Waits

2006-09-19T16:28:00.000-04:00

So I just discovered that Tom Waits has a new album coming out this Fall. Entitled Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers. and Bastards, its a mixture of rare and unreleased material, coupled with 30 new recordings, each of the three discs having it own, unique character.

[quote]
“Brawlers” is chock full of raucous blues and full-throated juke joint stomp, “Bawlers” contains Celtic and country ballads, waltzes, lullabies, piano and classic lyrical Waits’ songs, while “Bastards” is filled with experimental music and strange tales.
[/quote]

Sweet. Something for everyone, and I love every bit of it.

You can hear Bottom of the World from the "Brawlers" disc on the Anti website, or here on my server (just my work machine really) (LINK REMOVED). I can't promise that either will stay up forever, so listen while you can.

An excellent song, in the Tom Waits lonely, rambling ballad tradition. It is simultaneously sad, yet somehow hopeful. He encompasses a certain spirit that permeates American folklore in a way that no one but Woody Guthrie ever has. This is why I love Tom Waits.

Orphans are due November 21st.

Source.

GW meets Little Richard

2006-09-18T20:09:00.000-04:00

So, I really like something about YouTube. It allows all the great stuff that would have gotten onto the web eventually (along with a lot of other crap) to not only make it out there, but to do so quickly, and with lower bandwidth than an actual embedded video would.

And one of my favorite ways to find good stuff (excluding Dave at work sending me ridiculous shit) is The Best of YouTube. Now, it bothers me when the guy includes content that's NOT from YouTube (if you're going to call it The Best of YouTube, it better not be the Best of YouTube, Google Video and Whatever the Hell Else I Feel Like Including), and a lot of it is crap, but he does turn up gems that I wouldn't look up myself. Case in point:

It doesn't get much better than that. Unless, of course, you're Fred Phelps.

Source.

Tech Support

2006-09-18T19:51:00.000-04:00

While I do sometimes have to deal with end users, I'm really glad that I haven't really been on the front lines of our support staff in some time. The one thing I miss the least is the phone.

Some days it really did feel like this, and I am so glad to only have to deal with professors who know everything about how computers should work, 'cause apparently I don't know how to do my job, yet for some reason they always talk to me when something doesn't work, only to have me come out there and complain to me about how things are, and not like the answers I have for them... oh crap.

Source.

GOSPEL TIME

2006-09-18T19:34:00.000-04:00

I don't get very many TV channels - I pay for basic cable just so that I can get internet cheaper (yes, the two packaged together is cheaper than just the internet) and so I can watch 24 clearly without having to worry about an antenna.

About a week ago I was flipping channels, and this was on the TV. Now, between the 2 public access channels and TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network, or THE BIBLE NETWORK as I call it), I'm used to seeing some weird things on my TV relating to Jesus, or the gospel.

That said, I wasn't prepared for several uninterrupted minutes of silence and the words GOSPEL TIME printed in big red letters across my screen. No joke, it went on for a few minutes, and I'm assuming I came in somewhere in the middle of it. No sound, no change, just those words sitting silent and motionless. I must say it was one of the stranger things I've ever seen on TV.

Kermit the Frog

2006-09-18T19:26:00.000-04:00

Kermit the Frog is going to be the Grand Marshal at MSU's homecoming parade. I grew up watching Sesame Street and I love the Muppets, so this is pretty awesome.

I may not care about football, and I might not have a lot of school spirit (MSU's pretty great, don't get me wrong, but I'm not all about it like some people seem to be. I've earned one degree here, and I'm working on another, but I don't have this strange belief that other people seem to have that whatever school they went to is the best), but I just might have to go to the parade.

As Homecoming events go, I've already got one on Saturday that I'm going to with the radio station, so I might as well make a weekend of it. And I mean, its Kermit. How could I not go?

Source.

Flash Drives

2006-09-18T19:16:00.000-04:00

I may be one of the few people I know who are at all excited about this, but I'm REALLY excited.

I saw it all over the place today.

TDK has introduced the second Solid State Disk (the first coming from Samsung). This is more or less the same media that get used in thumb drives and mp3 players (like the iPod Nano and Shuffle), but is instead built to replace laptop hard drives.

Basically, this means that they're more shock resistant, consume less power, are smaller in size, and should boot your OS faster than a regular drive. Greater durability, longer battery life, lower weight, and faster data rates (supposed 300% faster read and 150% faster write) make me very happy. Did I mention that they're quieter and generate a lot less heat too?

I can't wait until they get them more affordable - Samsung's charging something akin to an extra $900 for a laptop with their SSD inside.

Ball Buster

2006-09-14T15:31:00.000-04:00

Dave sent this to me at work the other day. Sure, its funny from the get-go - a family-oriented board game named Ball Buster - but the unintentional one-liners that occur as it goes on are even better.

Source.

Nothin' But a Dog Thing

2006-09-13T00:34:00.000-04:00

This is why Married to the Sea is amazing.

Analytics

2006-09-03T15:05:00.000-04:00

So Google provides a tool to track traffic on your webpage. I recently added it to my blog, so we're going to see what happens.

Check it out: Google Analytics. It shows pageviews, a map of the geographic locations of visitors (fairly non-specific, but I can see what part of what country people are in), and a whole lot more stuff that I haven't even begun to look into.

There's also a Dashboard Wiget out there to let you track it right from Dashboard. Dashalytics.

I'm really kind of geeked (in every possible sense) about this.

Source (TUAW).

Mudcraft

2006-09-03T14:40:00.000-04:00

So a professor of mine made this game called Mudcraft. He was technically the producer, and he worked on it with Jason Tye, who developed the original design for his Masters Thesis.

Anyhow, I remember playing it in the department's lab, and its kind of fun. You basically get to mine mud to develop this community of mud people. Watch out for the sun, and for too much rain, as either can kill your people.

If you don't feel like downloading it, it was all made in Flash, so you can play online here.

I was reminded of this a while ago when it was featured in Macworld!

Impressions

2006-09-03T14:23:00.000-04:00

I'm not usually that impressed by impersonations in stand-up comedy, but this guy is waaaay too good to not like. Unbelievable and funny. His George W Bush is DEAD ON. His John Madden is just plain amazing. Absolutely worth every second of the 20 minutes.

"I am the Keymaster, are you the Gatekeeper?"

Source.

Chewbacca

2006-08-31T16:51:00.000-04:00

I can't remember where I saw this, but I saved the link. For all you Star Wars fans out there:

Turns out Chewy is catching up with the times.

Man, that makes three sci-fi posts in one afternoon. My true colors really show through some times.

Stevie Wonder

2006-08-31T16:37:00.000-04:00

I saw Steveie Wonder on TV the other day, and it reminded me to go back for these.

My friend Meg's boyfriend has a blog, and some of its good. He posted these videos a while ago. (He's also where I first heard about xkcd) I had seen the first Stevie Wonder one before, but not the Herbie Hanckock or the performance of Superstition. Here are the Stevie ones in their full YouTube glory:

Sesame Song:

Superstition:

And while we're talking about Stevie Wonder, who can forget that bacon feeling.

Source.

Inspiration

2006-08-31T16:27:00.000-04:00

You know those inspirational posters (and the subsequent parodies from Dispair) that far too many people bought? The ones that don't actually inspire anyone? Well, I saw these, and while they're not exactly the most clever things I've ever seen, many of them are just amusing enough for the dork part of me.

I think I saw this on Blank Baby somewhere, but I can't find it offhand at the moment. I'm pretty sure its there though, so I guess I owe Scott McNulty (also of TUAW) thanks for this one.

Source.

Star Wars Last Supper

2006-08-31T16:19:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure if this is sacrilege, but it is indeed brilliant. Yup, its exactly what it seems to be, a re-creating of The Last Supper using Star Wars characters.

Source.

Junior Senior

2006-08-09T11:30:00.000-04:00

So on Pitchfork today, they published a little article on the new Junior Senior video:

All in all, its pretty good, but my favorite part would have to be the end. ASIANS TRYING TO SING IN ENGLISH ON A CARNIVAL RIDE!

Asians + Western pop culture = HILLARIOUS

This is the video that first made me fall in love with Junior Senior:

and after seeing them a few years back on campus at MSU, I was sold. They put on a great show (and Senior even had a bad case of the flu that night), and were supremely nice guys when we got to talk to them after the show.

People in Michigan talk weird.

2006-08-04T22:37:00.000-04:00

I've noticed some of these things, and I do some of them. Some of them drive me nuts (its not Meijer's, its Meijer, goddammit!), but all of them are hilariously true.

I present to you the Michigan Accent Pronunciation Guide.

Some samples include:

Company names as possessives

"Melk"

"Parrty Storre"

Most of it explains specific pronunciations, and oh man are they accurate. It makes us appreciate how we talk, and how weird it really is, because we don't really have a strong accent in the way a lot of other parts of the country does (think Texas), but man, do we enunciate weird.

Source.

The Amazing Screw-On Head

2006-08-04T22:20:00.000-04:00

I like Mike Mignola. I've only read some of Hellboy, and I liked the movie, and now I like The Amazing Screw-On Head. Its almost enough to make me upgrade my cable so I can get the Sci-Fi Channel.

You can watch it on the Sci-Fi channel's website (liked above) or on YouTube: Part one, part two, and part three.

If you want to (I know I did) you can grab them off of YouTube like so (via LifeHacker). I used the method the second commenter suggested, and it worked great.

While I'm on a Star Trek kick...

2006-08-04T22:15:00.000-04:00

While I'm on a Star Trek kick, check it out: they can heal bones with ultrasound. Its not quite as advanced (obviously), but it still reminds me of stuff like the dermal regenerator on Star Trek, where they can just wave it over an injury and that's all it takes to heal.

Source.

Life on Mars

2006-08-04T22:06:00.000-04:00

So the Russians are planning a virtual trip to Mars.

In order to simulate a trip to the red planet, they're taking volunteers to be locked up in and airtight capsule for 500 days. That's 18 months, with no way of getting out:

[quote]"If supplies run out, there'll be absolutely no asking for a re-fill; the doors of the "space ship" will be sealed for the whole 18 months of the experiment."[/quote]

There are simple requirements for volunteers:

[quote]"being of fairly young age, in good health, fluent in English and having a University diploma"[/quote]

Of course, they have to pass the medial and psychological exams after that, but that's still suprisingly undemanding.

Source.

Beam me up, Scotty.

2006-08-04T21:55:00.000-04:00

More than a year after his death resulting from Alzheimer's and pneumonia, Jimmy Doohan, the man who played Mr Scott on Star Trek is finally making it to space.

According to his wife,

[quote]"He finally gets his wish, I can't think of a more fitting send-off than having some of his fans attend this, his final journey."[/quote]

His ashes join those of Timothy Leary and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry among the stars. On this launch will also be the remains of Star Trek writer John Meredyth Lucas.

I personally always liked Scotty. Not as much as Mr Spock, but those two characters were always the two I really appreciated, especially in a few of the movies. They took their roles and made them into performances.

When he died, it made me sad to think that he will no longer be around, but its good to see him finally make it to space.

Source 1, Source 2.

Steve Wozniak and Buzz Aldrin

2006-08-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

So Steve Wozniak, the inventor of the first Apple Computer and Segway Polo enthusiast, and Buzz Aldrin, one of the first men on the moon, are going to the south pole.

As if that wasn't already strange enough, they're driving a Hummer. A Hydrogen-powered Hummer. How fucked up is that?

One of the guys at work said that "it sounds like a bad premise for a buddy movie". And interestingly enough, they're filming it IN 3D for a James Cameron film.

Source

Zune

2006-07-24T21:55:00.000-04:00

Today Microsoft confirmed Zune, their portable music player, in response to the iPod.

How well this will work with their WMA Plays-For-Sure format(s) is yet to be seen, but I read one report (that sadly I cannot find right now) that alluded to it not working completely with it.

And if they want it and URGE, their joint venture with MTV to take off, they had better play nice with each other.

Now, I don't think they'll beat out the iPod. The iPod is a great success for a reason - it looks nice, is easy to use, and it works damn well.

But what I find noteworthy is that while they haven't knocked off the iPod's look completely, the white color and the big, wheel-like button are clearly influenced.

One good thing is that at least it doesn't look like this Register-linked parody, which is more than just slightly rediculous. (original source).

I remember Microsoft Bob. I'm not going to lie, I had some fun with it when I was a kid. I think it shipped with Windows 95 when we first got it.

Wow, I remember that, even though it was 11 years ago. I was only 11 or 12. Wow.

Gasoline

2006-07-24T21:34:00.000-04:00

I don't really pay much attention to the news.

I occasionally read the State News, but only really because I can get it for free on campus, the crossword is pretty good, and a friend of mine is one of the music writers, and I like to read what he writes. Generally, I find it a poor publication, but I pick it up sometimes.

I also won't pay for a newspaper, much less find the time to sit and read it.

Don't even get me started on television, I rarely turn mine on unless I'm putting a DVD in.

As a result, I get my news online.

Forget CNN and MSNBC, or any of that crap. I go straight to the BBC, who I think has some of the best coverage of America on the planet. Kind of funny huh?

I also don't own a car, so I don't pay too close attention to gas prices. Occasionally I put gas in my girlfriend's car, so sometimes I notice. But I generally get around on a bike, unless someone (usually the girlfriend) gives me a ride.

So I took some notice when I read this article on the BBC, stating that US gas prices are at an all-time high.

Not that I hadn't noticed that gas prices were a whole hell of a lot higher lately, but I feel like and old man when I say things like "I remember when I started driving, and gas was so much cheaper...". I feel like an old man enough, so I don't need that shit.

And apparently while I'm seeing places selling gas for more, the US average is only $3.015 a gallon. It almost doesn't seem that bad any more, since its been higher than that here, and its raised so gradually. Unbelievable. Its times like this that I love my bike.

The U.S. vs John Lennon

2006-07-24T21:16:00.000-04:00

I have mixed feelings about this. Not that I don't want to see it, or that I don't think what its saying (drawing certain parallels between Vietnam and our situation today and between Nixon and Bush, as well as presenting a portrait of John Lennon, whom I think was a wonderful musician as well as a wonderful public figure) is nessisarily illegitimate. I have mixed feelings in that it makes me excited to see it, and to hear his music, and to (frankly) learn more about this man that I have some admiration for, but it also scares me.

The classic saying that they repeat in the trailer is that "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" and in some ways that is sadly and scarily true. It applies to us today, and that makes me sad, scared and uncomfortable.

Maybe that's good, complacence is death, and we shouldn't get complacent. I certainly don't want to. We have a long way to go, and maybe that's what we need to know. Maybe this is a reminder.

Information Week

2006-07-19T16:17:00.000-04:00

Another thing I recently discovered at work. Information Week is a shit magazine.

We've recieved this magazine at the office for probably as long as I've worked here, but it never really got much of my attention. It was just there on the table, every week.

There have been several cover articles in the last couple of months that got my attention and convinced me to pick it up.

First, there was an article on the cover of the June 12 Issue that discussed the trial of a former UBS PaineWebber employee (who allegedly inserted malicious code into one of their servers), and promised to discuss the importance of internal security.

Then there was and article in the June 19 issue discussing Bill Gates and his decision to leave Microsoft.

I found both articles (and keep in mind that these are the cover articles) really uninteresting. I understand the significance of these two stories, but after reading these particular pieces, neither seemed to important to me. It was like their staff chose to do as much as they could to make them seem unimportant, while still filling up a lot of space. When I was done reading, I felt (despite my knowing better) as if they didn't garner enough importance to warrant being on the cover.

And that has nothing to do with what they were about, as both stories were a big deal. It has everything to do with being written... I won't say poorly, just in a rather uninteresting manner. Two weeks in a row. With stories that I was really interested in knowing more about.

I got a glass of water from the other room today, and once again saw the cover of this weeks issue (see right). Its an article on making IT attractive to the next generation of tech-minded youth. I was tempted to pick it up.

I hesitated briefly, and walked back to my desk. Like so many things, if they dissapoint you frequently and hard enough (no matter how interesting or exciting it might seem from the get go) and you're going to stop trying or caring.

Good luck Information Week.

Vader

2006-07-19T15:39:00.000-04:00

I found this today. Hilarious. If you dig Star Wars and know who James Earl Jones is, you owe it to yourself to watch this.

[quote]This video mashup is of Star Wars, but with sound bytes from other movies James Earl Jones did.[/quote]

Dave sent me a link on The Best of YouTube today, and digging around there I found that.
Source.