Squaremelon, money folding, justice spat, secret wars, phone phollies

Hope you are having a great Memorial Day weekend! Here's a few things to keep you busy:

• What makes those summer holidays better? Why, square watermelon, of course.
• Got so much money you don't know what to do with it? Try some money origami.
• Dept of Justice and FBI officials threatening to resign if they don't get their way in the Jefferson raid. Ministry of Love unavailable to comment.
• I ran across this video for the Secret Wars Re-Enactment Society, a spoof of war re-enacters acting out Marvel Comic's Secret Wars series. I thought it was funny, but posting it here just reinforces that I like some geeky stuff.
• A few inappropriate cell phone ringing stories. I think people should use a little more common sense with their phones; I hate it when one goes off during a movie or event. Toward the end of this article, a professor comments on the pointless conversations he hears immediately before and after classes. I couldn't agree more. I don't understand the inane calls, or why people feel they need to be in constant communication and be always connected.
  

Hicks idol, red hot album, enron conviction, da Vinci thoughts

Just a hodgepodge of thoughts and links today:

• Taylor Hicks wins 'American Idol'. I really stopped watching this show after the initial mass auditions, but remember Hicks and was glad someone less traditionally 'pop-ish' won. I'm mainly mentioning this story because I read in another article that the 63 million votes cast was "more than any president has received", which is actually pretty sad when you think about it. (However, later I realized that this is not the same as "more than total votes cast in a presidential election".)
• On the drive to Green Bay last weekend, I had a chance to really listen to the Red Hot Chili Pepper's new "Stadium Arcadium". Very good album, maybe not as good as "By the Way", but similar in its more mellow and mature Chili Pepper style.
  

• Enron's Lay and Skilling convicted finally. You know, I wonder how much this whole trial cost, and what it compares to the actual cost of the Enron collapse.
• I am currently reading "The Da Vinci Code" (I know, I know, way behind everyone else). I've been pretty aware of the controversial concepts brought forth in it, but have been pretty much blowing off the controversy because it is fiction. However, now reading it, I think I understand some of the concern. I had assumed that the controversial info (which I will not mention for the one or two people who have not read this yet) was discovered by the characters as they progressed through their quest; which should be fairly obvious as fiction to the reader. Instead, these things are stated flat out as facts by the "educated", "professorly" characters as being without a doubt, obvious, accepted fact, etc. and reinforced with a statement in the front of the book claiming this info is fact. They don't even say "some theories say...", or "some speculate..", so I can see how people might get confused what is history and what is fabrication. A ton of what is presented is extremely far from proven fact. (Didn't the guy who "discovered" the Priory of Scion evidence, Dossier Secret, later admit he created it all? Other claims about the Council of Nicaea and such are also pretty much proved otherwise. Etc.) I got to say too that I really don't think Dan Brown is a good writer. His text is flat and straightforward and not very creative writing, but the plot is pretty exciting. I think the scavenger hunt/puzzle solving aspect of it is really what saves it and makes it a kind of fun read. But, it also follows the same formula as "Angels & Demons" of find puzzle, solve it quickly, rush to next stop (or run away from someone), find puzzle, solve it quickly, rush to next stop, etc.

The runner mentality

I'm back from a visit to Green Bay, where I went to cheer my sister on in her first marathon. It was awfully chilly, but there were a ton of people there, and she did a really good job. When she finished, she asked me if it had inspired me to run a marathon. My answer: "no". I don't really get the runner mentality. Even if I was in the shape that I could run a marathon, I'm not sure why I would want to. I have a car. I don't need to run from any large predators. I don't need to urgently deliver a message to the next village. I still think it is a very impressive feat and am amazed by those that accomplish it, but it just isn't for me.

3D specs, nuclear gift, phone spying, that rabbitty thing, fan transformer

Since someone asked about where to get 3D glasses after my last post (you know who you are, Kahn), I spent minimal time doing research and found this place (Rainbow Symphony) which will send you "free" glasses for a dollar.
But in other news:

• Europe talks about giving Iran a nuclear reactor. If they accept before the end of the month, they'll get a free side of nuclear bombs.
• Verizon sued for giving phone info to the government in the NSA phone snooping program.
• and the government is also spying on the phone calls from/to the media to root out confidential sources. (Also, confirmed by the FBI.) Big Brother is watching.
• After years of waiting, looks like there will be a new Sam & Max game. Finally, gaming gets more of the sadistic, dangerous lagomorph.
• Very cool CGI screen test of a Transformer (Optimus?). Fan created, but hopefully the actual movie will be even better.
  

Fun with three dimensions

Self portrait (with 3D glasses) in 3D
Originally uploaded by Brian Whitmarsh.

I've been doing some playing around with 3D - creating anaglyphic pictures with my camera and some free software I found. It is actually pretty easy, but I haven't come up with anything that is really "Wow!" yet. If you want to see what I've got so far, they are publicly available on my Flickr account. (By the way, you'll need red/blue 3D glasses or they'll just look like boring photos.)

Souvenirs, pig personality, wii duck hunt

Holy cow! Heck of an episode of "Lost" tonight. I'm going to quickly throw some links at you, then get back to "Lost Experience" web game (new clue tonight in the Hanso Foundation commercial):

• Why do we buy dumb souvenirs? Probably because that's all we can afford with these gas prices.
• Draw a Pig personality test. I'm assuming this is highly scientific.
• All these years of progress, so what is coming to the Nintendo Wii? Duck Hunt.
  

Spears of destiny, ironic ionic, falcon tv, longer life, colorblind

More links for you!:

• Britney Spears and her husband will soon bring another child to be endangered into this world.
• Ironic ionic: ionic air purifiers may create smog. But, very clean smog.
• Here's some better reality tv: the Minnesota Power Falcon Cam.
• 15 ways to live longer. Transplanting your brain into another body surprisingly not on the list.
• How do things look to colorblind people? (Example less interesting if you truly are colorblind.)
  

La estrella spangled bandera, super reality tv, i meant not guilty, shadows and illusions

Hey, read these:

• There's been some debate about whether a Spanish version of "The Star Stangled Banner" is appropriate, but apparently the government already approved a version of this in 1919.
• Sci-Fi channel to have reality show to pick a new superhero. Wait, "reality" tv?
• Moussaoui asks to withdraw his guilty plea... now. After he is found guilty.
  
• Check out these cool oil lamp shadow projectors.
• and the neat cylinder mirror optical illusions.
  

Mobile eye strain, retaliation planning, cold shoulder for Colbert, health across the pond

Here's a bunch of stories:

• Mobile devices destroying our eyesight. Please take this into consideration when buying your...
• 4 or 8GB iPod nano that plays video. Video on a nano. Great, because I'd love a tv the size of a stamp.
• Iran says if they are attacked by the US, Israel will be their first target for retaliation, and they will attack it with their peaceful, nuclear energy program.
• Several interesting viewpoints on Stephen Colbert's somewhat scathing roast at the White House Correspondents' dinner, and the media's reaction of ignoring it.
• Americans sicker than the English even though they spend much more on health care. It's probably related to stress from viewing tiny pictures and fonts on their mobile devices.
  

Newsmagazine tv troubles, Bush's twin, laptop mods, webcam fun

Still raining, when is it going to stop? If you're cooped up indoors with the weather, here are some links to keep you busy:

• TV newsmagazines are struggling to survive, due to reality TV. Apparently people are more concerned with contrived conflict situations than with real news.
• So it's awful when Saddam Hussein has lookalikes, but funny when George W. Bush does? Actually, it is really funny. Watch the video linked with the story.
• Got an old laptop to play with? Check out these 5 laptop mods.
• I don't really do any webcam stuff, but the Logitech QuickCam Orbit looks like it has some really cool and fun features, including real-time video effects (see the video in the review).
  

Freeware, Koreiran, penny pricing, big blu-ray, wheeee!

Well, it's been raining non-stop today (which is actually probably good for my garden), and work has been horrible this week (long hours on several critical problems); I'm working today, but am taking a couple hours break where I'm not needed.
So, here's some links:

• Here is a huge list of freeware utilities; sure to be something you need on here.
• Iran gets North Korean missiles. Maybe if they just merge, we'll have only one country to consider attacking.
• It actually costs the US Mint 1.4 cents to make a penny. I'm going to go buy a ton of them since their selling them below cost.
• TDK develops a recordable Blu-ray disc that holds 200GB. Better start stocking up on content to record on it.
• Nintendo has renamed the forthcoming "Revolution" console, as the Nintendo Wii (pronounced "we"). Yeah, that's almost as good.
  

Gas by county, easy police catch, new monopoly, secret Jasons, 8-bit memories

Hey, what happened! It went from beautiful this weekend, to cold, windy, and rainy today. I don't mind the rain since I just planted some items in my garden, but this is way too cold!

In other news:

• US Gas Temperature Map, which shows gas prices by county, not by temperature.
• I guess this is one way to lure the dumb criminals out: teen busted trying to steal fake drugs from a display at a police expo.
• You can have a say in the Monopoly: Here and Now edition by voting for landmarks to include.
• A secret society of scientists called the "Jasons" works for the government. Dan Brown to start a book on this once he finds out.
• Did you grow up in the 8-bit age like I did? Try this gamer test to see how well you remember the classics. I'm at 8/16 so far (but I haven't cheated yet):

I played too many games. I got 8/16 on the 8-Bit Gamer test. Take the test!

Summertime and gardening, debit theft, cheap Chinese DVDs, not cheat oil

A huge project installation has been going on all weekend at work, but thankfully, my presence hasn't been required. It's been so beautiful out this weekend, that I've enjoyed being out and getting the first lawn mowing of the season, fertilizing, getting some things planted in the garden (though most I'm still trying to start from seed indoors) , and I put some decorative edging around my garden. (and I spoke too soon, because I just was called from work as I write this.)
But here's some other news, not about me:

• Largest debit card hacking theft could cost customers $500 a piece.
• Movie companies may sell DVDs in cardboard packaging for $1.50 in China to combat piracy. And we pay $15 - 20? Who really is the pirate here?
• Gas prices really aren't that bad when oil could reach $90 a barrel later this year.
  

Googol of Google tools, word wonders, extinction of cash, sleep, robo-chair, religion, gas prices

Here are some items:

• Want to make the most of Google? Wikipedia has a good list of all Google services and tools.
• I didn't see anything too eye-opening here, but here's an article with top ten things that MS Word users should know.
• Cash is finally on the way out... in the UK at least where debit card use has overtaken cash.
• A good night's sleep boosts long term memory.
• The machines are closer to taking over: check out the video of the self-assembling robot chair. I can't imagine how useful that is.
• An interesting demographic view: US maps of religion concentration.
• You think gas prices are bad? How about going to Venezuela, where gas is $0.14/gal? Wait, that's actually much better!
• And also, a good night's sleep boosts long term memory.
  

Review: Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

It's been a while since a review, so I thought I'd do another. I picked up the book Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom for cheap at a discount book store. It is a fairly short book that takes place at an undetermined, but far off point in the future.

The basic story follows Jules and his relationship with his current girlfriend and college friend. They work in Disney World as part of an "ad hocracy" that tweaks and enhances the Haunted Mansion. The story takes place at a point where essentially all needs are provided, there isn't any money, people can do pretty much anything they want, and everyone tries to earn "Whuffie" (which while it isn't defined, I take it to be credibility, respect, etc. Basically a point system where people all over rate people based on their accomplishments and behavior). Jules is murdered early on in the book, but in this society, death is no big deal. He gets restored from his last backup. People are very integrated with technology (phones, data inputs/outputs are all built into them).

There are a lot of neat ideas, but given the size of the book, maybe there is too much packed in. While some of the futuristic technologies and concepts are pretty straightforward to understand, other things are left to you to figure out, and that is a bit frustrating. (Maybe the book would be better on a second reading.)

I also thought the plot was a bit meandering, where big things would be dropped for while and weren't really resolved to a satisfying end. The main character is hard to like mainly because he gets on a very self-destructing path. The very futuristic setting also made it a bit harder to connect with the characters (I've read other sci-fi that does a lot better job of making relateable characters).

The Disney World setting is kind of fun, though it focuses almost exclusively on the Haunted Mansion and the Hall of Presidents. I did like the concept of basically gangs (teams) that take over the management of the rides and exhibits, and they focus completely on bettering the rides.

On the whole, I really can't recommend this book. You might like it if you're really into concept sci-fi or futurism. The Disney setting is fun, but pretty narrowly focused.

Big display, homemade dvr, Google calendar, mousetrap, photocakes

Wow, what a beautiful day here! I got home with enough sunshine left to go for a nice bike ride (a nice chance since I've been working long hours lately). This was my first ride of the year, and yeah, I can tell I'm a little out of shape at it. But, if the weather stays nice I should get back into regular riding form again.

Some good stuff on Make: lately:

• I've got 2 monitors hooked up to my computer (and the coolness outweighs the frivolousness), but this guy went a bit overboard with 12 30 inch monitors hooked up.
• I mentioned Windows Media Center in my last post, but if you are interested in alternatives, you can always build your own DVR.
  
• I gave Google Calendar a try yesterday. Looks like a pretty good online calendar.
• Ever play the game "Mousetrap"? Someone's built a life-size version of it.
• Finally! A way I can add photos to cupcakes and cakes.
  

New PC, leak news, races and speeders, hair art

I received my new PC (pretty quickly, though I had some trouble with UPS), and have been busily going through the frustration of getting it all set up the way I like it and getting my files and accounts moved over (actually, it has been going pretty smoothly). One frustration I hadn't been thinking about: the new PC has no parallel or serial ports, so I can't use my printer or scanner with it (so, that's something new I need to replace. The printer I have is really old, and the scanner was a very cheap one to begin with).

I got Windows XP Media Center Edition with this PC, and I have to say it is pretty slick. You can easily navigate it with the remote, and the interface is very intuitive.

In other news:

• Bush and Cheney reportedly authorized the Plame leak. So when Bush swore to find and punish those responsible, was that the equivalent of OJ searching for the real killers?
• "Malcom" jumps from acting to racing. Part of the aging child actor placement program.
• Oh, the sale is over! But you could have had a driveable replica landspeeder!
• Amazing paintings on human hair. It would cost a fortune to have all of your hairs done, though.
  

DeLay news, Iraq PM, movies online (legally), bbq bad news, classic car

Here are some stories:

• Another ex-DeLay aid pleads guilty, and then mysteriously DeLay to leave re-election race. Could they be connected?
• US and Great Britain want Iraqi Prime Minister out of office. Well, maybe we should invade?
• Major Hollywood studios to sell movie downloads online, but the popcorn will cost a fortune.
• Bad news, men, science is linking barbecue with prostrate cancer.
• Got an extra 1982 Trans Am sitting around that you don't know what to do with? You could turn it into a replica of KITT.
  

Super Mario Troubles, Brain Age, DST, big screen Simpsons

Some items:

• Playing Super Mario Bros. may cause you to face criminal charges.
• For a different type of game, "Brain Age" for the Nintendo DS is released in the US this week. Check out this article on eToyChest for a video of the author getting totally schooled by it.
• Hope you remembered to set your clocks forward for DST. Here's a brief history of Daylight Savings Time.
• The trailer is in theaters now: 'The Simpsons' are coming to the big screen.
  

New PC on the way, KH2 available

Well, I broke down and ordered a new computer today from Dell. Not the first one I customized. I really made an effort to minimize the cost this time, and one thing that helped was I found a 30% off coupon on DealCatcher. Ahh, the Internet... how did we live without you?
Given my hobbies, schooling, and job, I'm fairly literate when it comes to computer stuff (though, I've slipped a bit in my knowledge of the latest components), but I think Dell's site is getting to be very busy and cluttered. I think it could really intimidate someone trying to buy a computer.

I don't know how it slipped my attention but Kingdom Hearts 2 is available in the US now for the PS2. I don't play games nearly the way I used to, but the first Kingdom Hearts was one of my recent favorites, so I picked up the sequel today. It is a weird blend of Disney properties with Final Fantasy properties (a totally unexpected mix of two of my favorites that ends up being the digital entertainment equivalent of a Reese's peanut butter cup). Kingdom Hearts had a great story, great voice acting, and was just plain fun.

Office psas, bad science, microsoftrust, GoogleTV

Here's a few stories for you:

• NBC's "The Office" has it's April Fool's Day PSAs available on their site ("The More You Know" spoofs). Also, take a look around because they have a lot of excellent content for "The Office" fans on the site. (I found that most of the videos required IE and Windows (and site navigation seemed a bit glitchy to me)).
• So how do you know if that science is good? Apply the seven warning signs of bogus science.
• Do Consumers Trust the Microsoft Brand? You can read the article, but I'll spoil it for you: the answer is 'no'.
• More potential Google domination: Is Google TV on the way?
  

Political anti-attack ad?, Dane dialing, UMDs disappearing, fly glasses

Ah, the first thunderstorm of the year (that I remember anyway). My sump pump dreads it, but my lawn appreciates it. Here are some links wash away that last bit of snow:

• Rinck has eyes on Congress - "Our congressman is the smartest person in the district, and we might be the only place in the country that can say that," Rinck said. "But he falls somewhat short on the charisma meter. And it might take a somewhat less intelligent -- although much noisier -- person to get some things done for this district." Oooookay, interesting strategy...
• Denmark has more cel phone subscriptions than inhabitants. Because one phone number per person in your family is just not enough anymore.
• Hope you didn't buy a PSP for the movies. UMD movies might be on the way out.
• Laser used to make glasses for a housefly. Great, why are we improving their eyesight?
  

Abramoff to jail, braintwister, Google's free internet, Sam & Max

Well, it is finally starting to feel like spring here. I am going to have to go down a coat level because it has really warmed up in the last couple days. And here are a few links to keep you warm:

• Abramoff gets close to 6 years. But he's really sorry.
• Here's the way to combine two brainteasers for twice the mental building: Rubik's Sudoku.
• Google patents free wi-fi. And if you are drinking regular water and breathing regular air, you are a sucker. Google Water and Google Air is the way to go.
• I was disappointed a while back when I heard that the latest "Sam & Max" game was going to be cancelled, but received a bit of joy back when I found that Sam & Max comic strips are available at Telltale Games.
  

Some song purchases

For something different today, I thought I would post the last 10 songs I purchased from iTunes (not including the free downloads of the week; by the way, if you have iTunes, be sure to check it out at least once a week to get the one or two free song downloads and occasional free video downloads they offer. Very often the songs are good.). In reverse order:

• "Stars" by Switchfoot. I really enjoyed Switchfoot's The Beautiful Letdown, so I decided to try out this song from their new one, Nothing Is Sound.
• "Burn the Witch (Unkle Remix)" by Queens of the Stone Age. Good version of the same song from Lullabies to Paralyze, and it came bundled with the song's video.
• "Hush" by Deep Purple. Classic, and can be found on The Very Best of Deep Purple.
• "Sour Girl" by Stone Temple Pilots. Can be found on Thank You. I used to pick up almost every STP album until after "Tiny Music" when I stopped paying attention to what they were doing (and I think they were disbanded for a while then).
• "E-Pro" (video) by Beck. I really should buy this whole album (Guero) as all the clips I hear of the songs sound great.
• "Trees" by Marty Casey. Yes, I bought a song by one of the Rockstar INXS contestants. (It's catchy.)
• "Vertigo" (video) by U2. Another album (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb) that I should look into buying. (Even though I heard the story, "1, 2, 3, 14" still bugs me in this song.)
  
• "Under Pressure" by The Used/My Chemical Romance. This is a good remake of a good song.
• "Wires" by Athlete. This was a free download, but I'm counting it since I really like the song. It's on the album Tourist.
• "We're All To Blame" by Sum41. More social commentary than I'd expect from a Sum41 song.
  

Mr. Yuk, 3d maps, color change concrete, new iPod?, vista delay

Hello! Here's a new selection of links for you:

• Happy Birthday, Mr. Yuk! Man, can't he even smile for his birthday?
• Ah, the next obvious step: people are making 3D images from Google Earth.
• and they might have used the free Callipygian 3D software. Red and blue glasses sold separately.
• Chronos Chromos Concrete is color changing concrete. For all of your many color changing concrete needs.
• Will Apple replace the 60 GB iPod with one that is widescreen and Bluetooth enabled?
• You have more time to prepare! Windows Vista delayed til 2007.
  

Classy aircraft, a vista of Vista, the great fuga, x3, the fourth reich?

Some links for you:

• Airbus A350 with BMW interiors. Check out that awesome faux sky night ceiling.
• A short look at Windows Vista. It has some nice interface changes and additions.
• Can you beat La Fuga (The Escape)? It's a puzzle escape video game come to life.
• The trailer for X-Men 3: The Last Stand has been released and is available at Apple's site.
• Rumsfeld compares leaving Iraq now to giving postwar Germany to the Nazis. I'm sure the newly elected Iraqi officials appreciate the comparison.
  

Port sales, computer virus, top actors, arctic oil, ps3 delay

More snow in the forecast! Aren't we passed this yet? Here are some links to keep you warm:

• Is DP World really planning on selling all US port operations?
• Supercomputer builds a virus. Or that's what the Matrix wants you to believe.
• World's top 50 actors as voted by actors. Wait, Pauly Shore didn't even make the top ten?
• Democrats don't like that Republicans add Alaska oil drilling into budget bill to avoid filibuster. Oh, that sneaky Congress.
• Finally it's official, the Sony PS3 is delayed until November 2006. No word on when the next delay announcement will be released.
  

US dictatorship, beer from the sink, Chef walks, big game screen, light sleeper, and mars maps

What a dreary snowy day. I was hoping we were past all of this snow and ice. But, I will gladly take this over the devastating tornados that hit other parts of the Midwest.
Here's some stuff:

• Sandra Day O'Connor says US risks edging toward dictatorship. Then, she mysteriously disappears.
• Woman gets beer from kitchen faucet. Um, lady? You might have a problem.
• "Chef" quits 'South Park'. Isaac Hayes leaves after citing the show goes too far with religious jokes.
• Quake 3 on a 24 screen setup. I am waiting for the guy that starts playing video games in an IMAX theater.
• The Light Sleeper system is a blanket and pillow that wakes you by lighting up brighter. Works perfect if you sleep with your eyes open.
• Is Google Maps not giving you the vacation planning help you need? Now you can try out Google Mars.
  

Your own lightsaber, secrets, junior hire, font effect, solar storm

What's the deal? We had a couple days in the 50s at the end of last week, now a big blizzard today. I almost had forgotten the joys of scooping my driveway. So what's the rule if March comes in kind of like a lamb, but then turns to a lion part way through?
A few links:

• Build your own lightsaber for cheap. You know you want to.
• States steadily restricting info since 9/11. Well, that is a complete shame because... well, I can't tell you.
• Google hires a 15-year old student. And not for sweeping the halls or bussing the corporate cafeteria.
• The Secret Life of Fonts. Does the font you use influence the professor grading your paper?
• Maybe this blizzard won't be so bad. Worst solar storm in 50 years is on the way.
  

What? Iranian nuclear program? butterfly ballots, flexible seating, n to dvd, Mario returns

Sorry for days without posting. It's been another hectic work week, with long hours working on an issue. But, here are some items:

• Iranian negotiator boasts of fooling Europeans on Iran's secret nuclear program. Later, is shocked to find that Europeans read Internet news.
• Not this again. Did "Crash" win best picture due to confusing butterfly ballots? (How many in news media won't realize this is a joke?)
• The Feel seating system from Animi Causa is an interesting design. Supposedly modeled after molecules.
• "Captain N" might be coming to DVD. If you don't remember it, it was a Saturday morning cartoon (when I was a kid) filled with Nintendo based characters. Back then I remember watching to see if my favorite characters would show up, but being disappointed by the cheesiness and poor execution.
• Speaking of Nintendo, looks like there will be a return to classic Super Mario Bros. action in the updated New Super Mario Bros.. Looks old school cool.
  

Loch nessiephant, taxi cop, origami, moving money

Good stuff on the net today:

• Oh good, the mystery is solved. Loch Ness Nessie was actually a circus elephant. Thank you, Science, for ruining everything fun.
• Cop and suspect hail the same cab. Unfortunately, "COPS" wasn't there to catch it on video.
• I am amazed by the winning entries from MIT's origami contest, and that people went to that much effort folding paper.
• And speaking of Origami, are new pics and info on Microsoft's Origami project surfacing?
• Sweden's new banknotes have moving images for fraud prevention. But hey, we got quarters for each State.
  

Live action Simpsons, some worthwhile podcasts

Check out this awesome live action recreation of 'The Simpsons' show opening. It was much better than I was expecting when I first saw the link.

Thought for something different I would post links to some of the podcasts I listen to or watch. I'm lazy and just get them all from iTunes (it's so easy). Anyway, here's a few:

• Ask A Ninja - people ask a ninja questions, and he responds. I guess I didn't really need to explain that. Funny vidcast.
• Diggnation - Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht (formerly of G4-TechTV) discuss some of the top ranked stories posted to social news site Digg.com. Always interesting and often humorous. (Occasional adult language.)
  
• Channel Frederator - a collection of cartoon shorts by different artists and studios. Many are mediocre (or lame), but there are quite a few really good ones. Traditional, CGI, and sometimes music videos that have animation. (Occasional adult language or themes.)
• Geek News Central - tech stories and discussion. Appropriate for all ages.
• The Official Lost Podcast - "Lost" executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse discuss the previous episode, give some hints about the upcoming episode, and answer fan questions. Occasionally, there are interviews with stars of the show.
• CIO Podcast - Information Technology and business stories.
• The Onion Radio News - news farce from the humorist site "The Onion". Often very funny. (Occasional adult language.)
  

Review: "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire

I just finished reading "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maquire. This book was excellent; one of the best I've read in a long time, and I highly recommend it to those that are familiar with the "Wizard of Oz" but have a satirical streak.

The book tells the story of Elphaba (otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West), from birth through the events of "Wizard of Oz". We find that she perhaps isn't the evil to the core person we are introduced to in glimpses in "Wizard". The story covers a few periods in her life from birth, then to her college experience (which I think is one of the most interesting periods in the book), and others including adulthood in the timeframe of "Wizard". The book is sort of using a gimmick (the backstory behind a famous movie villainess) but is not at all gimmicky; it is very well thought out, and makes you think. There are challenging themes of what is good and evil, what is choice, as well as fairly rich political, social, and religious debates. It is a good exercise in taking preconceived ideas (the "Wizard" movie or book) and challenging that with more information that was previously hidden. I'll let you read the book and form your own opinions about the Witch, the Wizard, and Oz.

The one minor disappointment I had was really my own misunderstanding of the book. I thought it was strictly following the "Wizard of Oz" and would just fill in the gaps. However, it actually tells a different version of some of the scenes (basically playing on the fact that the movie might be a revisionist telling of the "true" events). I was a little confused where scenes passed that happened differently in the movie, but that is a minor complaint.

So, in summary, I highly recommend this book. It was fun, well written, and surprisingly deep, plus it adds to an already great story.

Review: "Black" by Ted Dekker

Thought I would give another review; this time for "Black" by Ted Dekker. This is the first book in a trilogy, of which I have not read the last two. If you want to read this, plan to read all three since it ends with a cliffhanger.

Overall, I thought this was a decent book with a good basic premise. The main character, Thomas, is living in two worlds. When he falls asleep in one, he wakes up in the other; the big question of the book being which is real (or are they both real). One world (the "normal" one) is essentially our world in the near future, with most events taking place in the US or Bangkok.
The other world is a vastly different world of magic and strange beasts, and a child-like population. Thomas has tremendous problems trying to convince anyone in either world that the other world exists.

To make matters worse, in the second world, he gets information about the first world. He hears that in the "past" of the world a deadly virus was released that devastated the population. So, now he has to try and prevent that from happening in the first world (on the assumption that our "normal" world is the ancient past of the magical world; even that assumption comes into doubt at some point, though it is obvious there is a connection).

There is a whole lot of stuff going on in this book, and I think that is what saves it. Any of the stories on their own would be kind of flimsy, but the sheer complexity of it and the fast pace keeps it entertaining. I tended to get really caught up in what was happening and then slightly disappointed when Thomas wakes in the other world; but that is part of what keeps you reading. The magical world does seem a bit simplistic, and that made it a little harder for me to buy in that it might be the real one, but since there are effects that carry through to the other world, it is still somewhat plausible.

So, if you are a fan of alternate reality stories, or fast paced fantasy, you'll probably find this book to be OK. I was certainly intrigued enough that I'll be looking for the other two books in the trilogy.

Unlucky lottery, iPod boombox, pong battle, Chinese internet

• Oh no! lottery winners luck can go bad! Well, now I'm totally glad I haven't won millions of dollars.
  
• Apple announced their iPod Hi-Fi today. I am not interested in it.
• Atari threatens the makers of the Pong clock, and then, well, relents. It's a back and forth like... uh... I don't know. Something that goes back and forth.
• China making their own Internet domain name system. Ooh, is this the beginning of a cheaper, overseas knockoff of the Internet?
  

da Vinci lawsuit, governor appointments, e-ink reader, big computer display

• "The Da Vinci Code" author Dan Brown being sued for stealing plot points from a history book called "The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail". Also, authors of that book are being sued by God for stealing points from the Bible.
• Kentucky governor appoints justices to his own case. If I understand this, this governor is investigated over his hiring practices, so naturally he appoints two campaign contributors to be special justices in that case only.
• Some new info on Sony's Portable Reader System (e-ink reader). Looks cool, but I hope it is affordable and has better content support than past e-book devices.
• If you've got $12,000 to spend, you can have this computer display made from 6 24" LCD screens.

Swiss army music, da Vinci sketches, MS Origami, tax problems

• A Swiss Army knife with a built in mp3 player, for when you need to play music and cut things at the same time. Is there anything they haven't put an mp3 player in yet?
  
• If you are waiting for the Da Vinci code movie, here's a gallery of da Vinci drawings.
• What is Microsoft's Origami project? I don't know, but it looks cool so far.
• H&R Block goofs on its own taxes. Yeah, probably not a good sign.
  

President names, shrine attack, port sale, lego games, luxury bath

I just got my bill from the carpet cleaners today: ouch. A lot more than I was expecting. Oh well, had to be done, I guess. What also has to be done: sharing some links:

• Family names their seven children after past Presidents. And not obvious ones like Taft, Roosevelt, or Nixon.
• Askariya shrine attack pushes Iraq toward civil war. Maybe we should wait on reconstruction efforts. Carried out by Sunni insurgents, and already the US is taking some blame. It is a shame this beatiful Golden Mosque was destroyed, and I hope the majority realized that it was attacked by a very small minority that is trying to enflame further violence.
• Bush, while strongly defending the port sale, was unaware of it until after it was approved. Apparently the same for Donald Rumsfeld. If all the necessary investigation and checks are in place, I think this deal should go through; I don't think we should halt this just because it's being sold to an Arab state. I think the same security rules should apply to any purchaser. However, this story does point to more communication problems within our government.
• This guy creates video game scenes out of Legos. Cool, but why would you think of that?
• You want the La Scala home theater whirlpool bathtub.

Review: "Corpse Bride"

I just got Tim Burton's Corpse Bride on DVD, so I thought I'd throw out a quick review of it. I'll start by stating I'm a big fan of almost all of Tim Burton's work (except for "Mars Attacks!" which I really didn't care for, for some reason), so it was no surprise that I liked this movie a lot.

The story deals with shy groom Victor Van Dort who accidentally marries a dead woman while practicing his wedding vows. It gets into a love triangle of sorts, where he tries to make it back to the living and lovely Victoria, but at the same time is sucked into the lively land of the dead and his corpse bride. The story remains pretty simple; there is a murder 'mystery' (if you can call it that) that is pretty obvious from the start, and works well enough as is. There is also some plot around Victor and Victoria's parents and their social ambitions.

The stop motion animation and visuals are stunning. The obvious comparison in style is to The Nightmare Before Christmas, with a nice balance of morbidity and vibrancy. I really like the way Burton plays with light and dark (not just visually) to show that what we traditionally think of as creepy and gruesome is maybe not that bad after all. The wonderful contrast in this movie is that the land of the living is bleak and dreary, with muted color palette and muted behaviors, while the land of the dead is colorful and lively, with much more cheer and freedom.

The music is also wonderful, perhaps not as memorable as "Nightmare", but it is still excellent work by Danny Elfman. The instrumentals are well done, and the land of the dead has a very jazzy feel.

I really enjoyed the movie; if you are a Tim Burton fan, you'll love it. If you like sweet, simple romance comedies, you'll like this movie. Or if you want a movie that is different than the mainstream, give "Corpse Bride" a try.

Veto, Holocaust jailing, deadly elephants, Vista versions, and more

Hello! Here are some links for you:

• Bush seeks line item veto but Congress hesitant to give it. Instead of letting the President (Executive) legislate, shouldn't we just clean up Congress (Legislative) so they don't sneak unrelated junk into bills?
• British author that diminished the Holocaust in his books gets 3 years in jail in Austria. Now, I'm no supporter of Holocaust denial, but isn't imprisoning someone for speaking their belief a characteristic of the historical governments you are trying to atone for?
• Warning: elephants may seek revenge. Great. One more thing to worry about in my day.
• If you are ambitious enough, you could build your own roller coster, like this guy.
• If you use del.icio.us, you might want to try Thumblicio.us, a handy site that displays thumbnails of your bookmarks.
• In order to make things more complicated, Microsoft will have 8 different versions of Windows Vista.
• Need a cool licensed logo or character iPod case? Check out Iconz.
• Fans of "Strange Brew" be on the lookout for the upcoming animated 'Bob and Doug' show.
  

More water, mechanics, mortgages, and money

The Curse of the Water Spirit continues. This morning, when I looked outside, I saw construction workers. Water was streaming out in the street due to a water main break in front of my neighbor's house (maybe my bad luck is spreading). They had to tear up the street to fix it, so it will be a little messy until they can pave it in the summer. Oh well, no major to effect to me (that I know of yet).
Items:

• London survey finds some mechanics are more costly per hour than lawyers and doctors. Well, with all that schooling and malpractice insurance, and ... wait, what?
• Bond sales may promote longer mortgages, like 50 year loans. Yeah, a 50 year mortgage. That's a good idea. You could pay the interest if you won...
• ...the record $365 million Powerball jackpot.

RIAA rips on ripping, declassification, cablebone, water light show

• RIAA now says ripping your CDs to transfer to an iPod is not Fair Use. Oh well, that's fine. Let me just buy another copy of all those songs from iTunes. Sheesh.
  
• VP Cheney has the authority to declassify classified info. No wait! He wasn't supposed to tell you that!
• The cablebone looks like a simple, smart idea for organizing your bird's nest of cables and wires.
• A showerhead that lights up the water based on temperature. Very handy if you can't feel the different temperatures with your skin.

Easy evidence, ironic shooting, DS web, minature food people

Brrr. it's cold here! I suppose the recent cold wave is to help with the ambiance of the Winter Olympics. Here's some stuff:

• If you're going to steal stuff, please be considerate and leave a note in your house indicating 'stolen stuff visable' to help the police in their investigation.
• Man laughing about Cheney accidental shooting incident gets accidentally shot a few hours later. You probably want to avoid laughing about this story.
• Nintendo DS owners, you are getting a web browser (from Opera).
• Here's a neat little gallery of little model people on food landscapes.
  

Happy Valentine's, TomKat split?, eagle power, Cheney coverage

Happy Valentine's Day to you! I hope you've received some cheer today.
It's not all love and flowers though, as Tom and Katie are splitting. Who would have thought! I thought they would have the longevity of Brad and Jennifer, uh, Nick and Jessica, uh, Bennifer, uh... nevermind.

More of an Independence Day type article, but the American bald eagle takes a step closer to coming off the endangered list.

And in case you've missed it, the "Daily Show" had some good coverage of the Cheney shooting incident, including a top-notch re-enactment.

Wiretapped?, holy terror!, is there gravity in your house?, heart eggs

Ah, I came home and it was silent in my house... no industrial fans or dehumidifiers cranking away. Carpet is dry, and now just needs to be reinstalled. Also, I've got a new water heater installed today; hopefully this one lasts longer.
Some links:

• Bush forgets the mics are on again.
• Our newest weapon against terror? Batman.
• Just what you need: your own gravitational measurement devices.
• Valentine's Day tomorrow. Here's an idea for Valentine's breakfast: heart shaped eggs.
  

Hot water, Cheney on the hunt, a review of "Legends of Dune"

Looks like my water heater problems are not over, as it is smoking a little. I suppose I do have to get it replaced now. Could be worse; I could be part of Vice President Cheney's hunt for the most dangerous game.

Anyway, thought I'd start something different by occasionally posting reviews of books that I've recently read (or movies seen, etc.). To start, I'll give this very high level review of the "Legends of Dune" trilogy (The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade, and The Battle of Corrin).

Firstly, these books, which take place centuries before the classic "Dune" series, are now where near as good as the classic series. The trilogy covers a period called the Butlerian Jihad, in which humanity is in a brutal war with the thinking machines (basically robots), their mastermind Omnius, and a handful of "cymeks" (big robots with human brains) called the Titans. It centers on some key members of the families so familiar in other "Dune" series, namely the Atreides and Harkonnens, but it touches on the Corrinos as well. It also deals with the origins of some of the integral organizations in the classic "Dune" series.
On the plus side, I think the books gave a fairly good epic feel, by covering several generations and really showing some change in the characters and situations over time. (Again, not nearly as epic as the original series.) Also, there are some interesting characters, including Vorian Atreides and te complex thinking machine, Erasmus. However, there are also a lot of characters that seemed like they were supposed to be important, but never really went anywhere, like the authors set up too much and then abandoned it as they went.
It wouldn't be "Dune" without politics, and they are here too, but frankly feel simplified and stereotypical. I would have liked more depth and realism.

My biggest disappointments are that the authors try to create the origin of every major element from the classic series (Suk doctors, Fremen, Bene Gesserit, Spacing Guild, Atreides/Harkonnen feud, etc.) into a relatively short period of time (all within basically a hundred years), which I thought was very unlikely (the "Dune" saga spans tens of thousands of years at least) and completely unnecessary. Also, the sub-plot about Arrakis (Dune) is easily one of the most flat and dry (pun intended) stories in the series, which is ironic given the series' namesake. Lastly, when I read the original "Dune" books, I never would have pictured that the history was a giant war between humans and robots. Kind of cheesy, in my opinion.

Verdict? I really felt the authors (one of which is Frank Herbert's son) were really just riding on the coat-tails of the original books, and didn't do that great a job at it. There are some interesting things, and if you are familiar with classic "Dune" you'll either appreciate the tie-ins or find them not in spirit with the original books (some of this could just be my interpretation of the classic series too). If you haven't read the original "Dune" series, read those instead; they are much better books. If you are a die-hard fan of "Dune", you'll probably want to read the "Legends of Dune" trilogy (if you haven't already) for the details and history. If you are a fan of human versus machine stories ("Matrix" or "Terminator"), you might enjoy these as well. Otherwise, the only way I can recommend is if you are looking for an epic series that will keep you busy for a while (but again, read the classic "Dune" story first so as not to spoil your experience of that).

Burns and leaks, channel shopping, Hogfather, real cash for virtual jobs, laser swords

What a week! As you'll recall from the last post, I have a horrible sunburn on my head and face, I came home from vacation to a flooded basement, and now this morning my water heater started on fire. (Oh, and we're in the middle of a blizzard too!) I'm buzzing with anticipation to see if the next thing will be localized earthquake or possibly a Godzilla attack. (I exaggerate the water heater a bit. The electrical box did shoot flames and smoke, but didn't sustain a fire. But hey, it's funnier to think of a flaming tank of water.)
Some things to see:

• Did Cheney authorize the classified info leaks?
• FCC considering a la carte pay TV now, even though against it in the past. I have to admit, I thought this sounded like a good idea, but with deeper thought, I'm not so sure.
• Hooray for fans of Discworld! "Hogfather" being adapted as a TV special. And hopefully, it will make its way here to the US eventually.
• Tired of that boring "real" job? Maybe you can make more money with a career in a virtual world.
  
• A note from my vacation: we ate at a place on Sanibel called Lazy Flamingo. If you're in the area looking for a bite to eat, they've got pretty good grouper sandwiches and salads.
• We are finally getting closer to achieving a true lightsaber!

Deleted emails, clocks, doorknobs, leaks, Google, and Zelda

Hello! I'm off for vacation tomorrow, so don't expect updates for several days. Before I go, here are a few items:

• Dick Cheney's emails deleted from around the time of the Plame incident, contrary to White House Policy. Well, that's convenient.
• Build your own projection clock if you are too cheap to buy one and have lots of time.
• Finally! A doorknob that knows who I am!
• Well, that's an interesting new approach to accidentally leaking confidential credit card info: sending it out with the newspapers.
• What's the future of Google? Scientists and visionaries give some thoughts.
• The 20th anniversary of "The Legend of Zelda" brings some neat new collectibles.
  

CSI criminal guide, best companies, no more buzz lightyear, wow map

• Are crime shows, like "CSI", making smarter and bolder criminals?
  
• The top 100 best companies to work for. The page also has an interesting article 'Uncover the Best Companies'.
• Toy Story 3 will not be made. I agree, move on to more great original work, instead of sequel-itis.
• My gosh, you can use Google Maps for even fictional locations now, like World of Warcraft map.
  

Challenger, end game, chat cartoons

• As we reach the 20th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy, here are seven myths about how people remember it.
  
• Game Revolution has a gallery of game endings sure to be nostalgic to people in my age group. I spent days to see some of these as a kid!
• I haven't had a chance to try this yet, but here's a tool to convert any IM thread or text file into an online cartoon.

Power change, color change cars, iTunes U and GoogleTunes

• Hamas wins majority in Palestinian elections - wait, if a militant group is now in charge, that's not a good thing!
• Here's and excessively scientific article about car paints that change color based on temperature. Bah, KITT was still cooler.
• Apple launching iTunes U, where universities can offer lectures through the application. What a great idea! Let's put class lectures right next to the not-at-all-distracting music and tv downloads.
• And speaking of iTunes, is Google close to developing an iTunes competitor?
  

Room number, just die already!, choco-jolt, robo-pets, all thumbs

Hello! Still busy with work stuff, so sorry for the sporadic, irregular blog posting. But, let's say the inconsistency adds an element of anticipation and excitement to reading my blog, right? "When and what is he going to post?" "Let's check back often to find out!" (Did they buy it?)
Some links:

• Attention dumb criminal: When you rob the motel you're staying at, don't leave a note that lists your room number.
• What's this? A company that buys your life insurance may not have your best interests at the top of mind? This company is trying to cancel woman's contract because she did not die quickly.
• Just what you need: a recipe to make caffeinated chocolate.
• We've heard that pets are good for their owner's health, this article says robot pets are also good for your health. (But not as good for your electric bill.)
• Huh, that's an interesting, simple idea... the Thumbthing helps you hold books open one handed.
• Big Brother, errr... Wal-Mart, Costco, and Target are considering biometric payment systems where you can pay by scanning your fingerprint.
  

Iran, mouse-phone, ye olde historic tale

• Iran is moving assets out of Europe and then their president meets with and pledges support to anti-Israel militant groups. Well, I'm sure this is all just misunderstandings, right? What is Iran doing and why is the world worried?
• It's a mouse; it's a phone; it's both! Umm, why?
• Here is the Historic Tale Construction Kit, which I'm sure you'll have plenty of uses for.
  

Speed of light, misadventure, cartoon wall art, robo-signer

• Is e=mc2 wrong? This theory suggests that speed of light is not a constant (the "c").
• Iraqi Invasion: A Text Misadventure - a text adventure style parody (some rated R language).
• Want a giant Trix rabbit on your wall? Here's a how-to.
• Why learn sign language when you can just get a robot translator? (Wouldn't it be easier to have this translated into text on a display instead of robotic hand gestures?)
  

House ethics, top satire, top conspiracy theories, roof top ads

House Republicans Unveil New Ethics Plan. Am I the only one that initially misread this as "House Republicans Evil New Ethics Plan"? I think it's a good start that they're (Republicans and Democrats) making in looking at ethics, but it seems like it is more about political appearance and avoiding legal issues instead of... well, being ethical. Doing the right things for the sake of not getting in trouble is not the same as doing the right things because you believe they are the right things.
Other stuff:

• I have not read them all yet, but plan on looking through Humorfeed's top satire stories of 2005.
• Got lots of roubles laying around? Why not spend them on elaborate practical jokes?
• The top 10 wackiest conspiracy theories... or are they?
• It was only a matter of time. People are advertising on roofs so their logo shows up on Google Maps' satellite maps.
  

Doomsday, sweetness, digital postcard, aroma clock

Happy MLK Jr. Day to you! Here's a few totally unrelated links:

• Is Iran's president actually a crazy, doomsdayist?
• New tablets can make sour taste sweet. So now I can eat my Chicken McNuggets in Sweet & Sweet sauce?
• A new digital postcard for when you're willing to spend $25 on a "wish you were here".
• Now, instead of sounds, you can wake up to scents with the Aromatherapy Alarm Clock. (Or at least different scents than you normally wake up to.)
• Purdue U. designers win Microsoft competition with this cool bookshelf based PC design.
• A rollable, fabric keyboard looks like a great portable keyboard option.
  

Green ham, Whitehouse/Delay, new nickel, pod hacks, mobile site converter

Oh, man, I've neglected this site a bit because I've been at work almost non-stop this week. Big production issues have kept us on round the clock shifts; maybe some of you other IT workers out there can relate. Thankfully, I can rest up a little this weekend, and after the essentials (like sleep) I'm getting back to a new post here. Here's some links for you:

• Finally! One step closer to green eggs and ham, with the transgenic green pig.
• Whitehouse distancing themselves from Tom Delay. Well, duh. Interesting article in the Bush and Delay relationship.
• New nickel breaks coin tradition by having a forward facing Jefferson. I must admit, I am a fan of these commemorative coin redesigns, though I haven't seen hardly any of the Westward Journey nickels.
• Big collection of iPod hacks on Wikipedia if you are so inclined to add functionality to (and possibly void warranty of) your iPod.
• Need a better view of a site on your mobile device? Google provides this URL to strip down and make a website mobile friendly.
  

Concept cars, long concert, something new in keyboards

Missed several days of posts due to nightmare days (and nights) at work, and then sheer laziness as I recover my lost sleep. Anyway, here are a few links for today:

• Check out these sweet concept cars. The Dodge Challenger concept is especially cool in a retro way.
• Second chord sounds in world's longest concert. First chord started in 2001; entire concert to last 639 years. I would go, but I hate to go to a concert late.
• I hope I can afford the Optimus Keyboard, because it looks awesome.
  

CES and gadgets, religious trends, alien sensations, old body - new tricks

• Lots of cool info popping up from this year's Consumer Electronics Show (caution: loud, annoying music on site); Gizmodo and Engadget are a couple good places to find some interesting coverage.
• Like Sony's new e-book reader. I really like the thought of e-book readers in theory, but I think I'd need some time getting used to it. I know past attempts at them have failed, and maybe it's because people, like myself, like the feel of a "real" book.
• Check out the Entertaible, an electronic, LCD based board game. Now this, I think is a really cool idea. You can load various different board games onto it, but still play it like an old fashioned board game.
• Trying to decide if you should go HD-DVD or Blu-ray for your next DVD player? Gizmodo links to a couple sites that tell which movies are being released in each format.
• Bush giving $6000 of Abramoff raised campaign money to charity in the same manner of other politicians trying to distance themselves from the lobbyist. Wait, if it was campaign money, shouldn't it have been spent on the campaign?
• For the religious minded, Newsweek's five most important religious trends of 2005 offers some insightful thoughts.
• Are you an alien abductee? offers a pretty worthless checklist ("Has someone seen you being abducted by aliens?" to paraphrase one of them).
• MSN Men's Health 18 tricks to teach your body gives some tricks for fighting ice cream headache, minor burns, stuffed nose, and more.
  

Furby hacking, guilty lobbyist, picnic on the go, Google googles the PC

• Hacking your Furby. And I thought these things looked creepy with the fur on!
  
• Lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleads guilty, agrees to cooperate. Congressmen everywhere put hands in pockets, whistle a tune, and try to look innocent.
• Want to enjoy a picnic, but don't have the time to stay still? Try this motorized picnic table.
• Google may be releasing the Google Cube low cost PC at Wal-Mart. Article includes surprising quote of "In fact, Google could over time become more of a hardware company than anything else."
• More Google road to domination: Lexar USB flash drives to include Google software. Google software soon to be installed in televisions, media players, pace makers, and newborn babies.