27 February 2007
Trust Snape.
Fun stuff. Snape's sure to wind up a good guy, but I like the promotion nonetheless. Of course, I'd never buy the Americanized version of HPatDH. I want my English heroes complete with intact Briticisms, so I preordered this one from Amazon.co.uk.
25 February 2007
How did this not win an award?
It's a fascinating, presumably uncensored, voyage into the midst of the troops deployed in Baghdad, Tikrit, and other Iraqi cities. I have no idea why this fine film didn't get more play, bigger press, and even an award nomination or two. See it, it's on cable now.
24 February 2007
Another reason TV is better than movies
I am taking a calculated risk. What's the upside? I overcome my nausea, fall deeply in love, babies, normalcy, no more self-loathing. Downside, I date Michael Scott publicly and collapse in on myself like a dying star.
Best writing on TV, even if it's painful to watch sometimes.
For the uninitiated, first watch the British version with Ricky Gervais, including the Christmas finale (7.5 hours total), and then start on the US one (Season 1: 3 hours, Season 2: 12 hours, Season 3 to date: 9 hours). It's worth the time. You may have to add a few hours for cringe-induced pauses.
23 February 2007
21 February 2007
Happy Day Breaks!
On the flipside, the wife and I have given up on Studio 60. Last I checked, it was supposed to be about the backstage of a comedy show. They've lost their way, and, with it, their audience. I've replaced it with The Dresden Files. Dresden is another fine effort from the Sci Fi channel, on the heels of the excellent Eureka. It's no wonder I don't go to the movies anymore (although I'm dying to see The Departed, Children of Men, Pan's Labyrinth, Crank, and The Prestige...on DVD, of course).
For those interested, shows I'm still currently watching: Heroes, The Office, The Amazing Race, Boston Legal, Battlestar Galactica, Scrubs, Iron Chef America, The Soup, and The Dresden Files.
Shows I'm waiting for the next season of: Doctor Who, Eureka, The Shield, Hu$tle, Nip/Tuck, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
New shows I'm going to give a chance: Painkiller Jane and The Ri¢hes.
Two Swords-a-Swinging
Why do I get the feeling that he hoped the damsel in distress would overlook his distended belly, patchy facial hair, pattern baldness, and "Wisconsin Civil War Re-Enactment Society" t-shirt, and fall passionately in love with her sword-brandishing rescuer?
It's one thing to watch porn; it's quite another to try to live it.
12 February 2007
The XO (a.k.a. the $150 laptop)
This thing is cool. They're rolling out this month. I want one. The OLPC group aren't stupid, though. I'll be able to buy one eventually. No way Negroponte and his buddies would willfully pass up the biggest source of private funding to support the entire One Laptop Per Child initiative: me. And other geeks like me who want hand-crankable computers with wireless capability. I'd pay more than $150 for a fully functional XO laptop, so they can overcharge me and sell them at an even deeper discount to impoverished nations.
Brilliant.
Plus, from a national security perspective, it makes sense for everyone to have a similar device in the event of a catastrophe. Pretty soon this, or something like it, will be in everyone's house.
Brave new world, indeed.
06 February 2007
Methinks Tom Wolfe will be writing about this...
Here's the scoop.
And some analysis.
And some more links, courtesy of cnet.
Oh, lordy wow.