Slept until about 9 (after dog duties of course) and then have lounged/napped on and off for most of the day. It's 9 pm and feels like 4 pm, except that it's extremely dark outside for 4 pm. The dogs just don't know WHAT to do.
If you haven't seen Anchorman yet, and you don't like cheesy/campy comedy, skip the movie. Some people liked it a lot, I was very disappointed in it.
I just found the most kick-ass feature in MusicMatch. Many of you have seen the Artist On Demand feature at the last party when a certain Hispanic/Mexican (yes, there is a difference - ask the folks running the Census) hottie requested some Latin pop music that we'd never heard of. I typed in the name and had over 40 songs at my fingertips by that artist in a matter of seconds.
In an effort to find better mood music for later in the evening, I started surfing the web looking for suggestions. I found some, typed them into the Artist On Demand search. By default, it lists the songs for an artist by popularity. Now here comes the cool part: Right click over the artist's name and you can have it add the most popular tracks (10-15) to your library automagically.
It doesn't actually download the songs, and it doesn't charge for them, but it does add a link in your music library and (as long as you have an Internet connection) acts just like the song/file is local. This means a virtual library of 50,000 songs or more (and they can even be saved in playlists).
This little $50/yr(?) service has now given me a way to not only keep from buying any more CDs, but I don't have to *ahem* download music, and I don't have to use up all my disk space.
In summary: This f'in rocks!
Watching the ways in which technology has developed (and consumer reactions to it) over the past few years has been fascinating. Apple has taken a large chunk of the desktop market share with ridiculously priced hardware and a so-so interface.
Sorry Apple fans, but Mac OS is Unix.. Something I've dealt with for more than a decade, and OS X - the GUI, may be a pretty face but it is certainly nothing impressive (or pitiful, for that matter) compared to other X Windows Window Managers that I've used on various Unix platforms.
While all of this is happening, Windows deservedly loses market share. Windows sucks. All it has going for it is applications. The lack of tightly integrated, easily installed applications is exactly what is holding up Linux as a viable desktop for the masses. Imagine Apple/Unix reliability, Windows-like application availability, and a price of a few hundred dollars (Linux is free). It's only a few years away.
Well gosh. What got me started on that rant? Oh yes. I'll certainly give Apple credit where it is due: The iPod is cool as hell. Not the look (call me old-fashioned, but electronics, especially ones that have constant environmental and pocket-crud exposure; should not be white), not the sound (the specs are actually kind of bad compared to most other high-end MP3 players), but the interface. It's just so damn usable. It is one of those rare products that makes you want to love it.. that you dream about owning. That makes people like me want to sell their higher-priced, better-featured, higher-quality (sound), better built, more stable gadget just to jump on the bandwagon.
.. Yet even though Apple seems to not only have cornered a large part of the portable music device market, but the digital music market. The desktop application software surrounding all of this (digital music acquisition, management, and transfer) is years ahead of what Apple is offering through their iTunes program/service.
Damn, I really ramble on about random drivel at times, don't I? lol!
Time to go lay down again.
G'night.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!
So I lied. I am writing a second blog entry today. Somehow continuing the entry I started earlier today doesn't feel right.
I went to the Webster's site, typed in 'fuck', and then entered my guess at that ever elusive password for the economic theory question. I could have *sworn* I had it with 'MATHEMATIZATION', but I was wrong. Damn!!!
*Finally* got all of the Christmas decorations down except for one set of icicle lights on the inside that are being keept for mood lighting. Understand that the extent of christmas decorations this year was some garland on the bannister, the aforementioned icicle lights over the kitchen and hallway, and a couple strings of icicle lights over the deck. It's not like there's still a tree in the window (which one of our neighbors did have until last week) or a Santa on the roof.
I'm either getting really old or going through some weird musical phase. I've really liked big-band/swing music ever since I started listening to it a couple of years ago. These past few weeks though, I've actually preferred it to everything else.
The funny thing is, if you really listen to the words, it's some of the most imaginitive, expressive, full-of-sexual-innuendo music out there. Louis Jordon is good for that. There's a song about milking a mule. Yes, you read that right. Then of course there is "Caldonia".. perhaps the most re-made song in big band history. It's all about this crazy chick that his mom warns him to stay away from, but she's just rockin' his world.
Maybe I'm just getting tired of the same old music. I'm a music fiend, but lately, nothing inspires me, nothing makes me feel it right *here* the way it used to. I wonder if maybe it's (additional) hearing loss. Let's hope not. I spent a small fortune on this stereo! Maybe that's it. I just cranked up the stereo loud while listening to Malaguena (Stan Kenton). I think the speakers are changing my taste in music. Not that rock/pop sounds bad on these speakers, but when I turn it loud.. damn if it doesn't sound like there's a real band in here (or at least outside the window).
practicinghedonists and vueaskew have been giving me some pointers lately about the one thing we have most in common (or at least what brought us together in the first place). Wow, lots to think about. Thanks guys! Now I just have to figure out which part to focus on first (ADD does that to a person).
I don't know how much anybody else here is following what's happening in the blogging world, but it is quickly becoming an accepted means of journalism. There are quite a few people out there scraping together a living by doing this... and their entries are typically a couple of paragraphs and links to the interesting stuff they've found that day. I'm beginning to think that's the easiest job in the world. I sit here without a thing to write, look back a few minutes later and I've typed out several pages (Much to the chagrin of my readers, I'm sure; since I had nothing to say.. I'm possibly just making this into "much ado about nothing").
9:04pm. Just received a page. Gotta work. buh-bye.
I went to the Webster's site, typed in 'fuck', and then entered my guess at that ever elusive password for the economic theory question. I could have *sworn* I had it with 'MATHEMATIZATION', but I was wrong. Damn!!!
*Finally* got all of the Christmas decorations down except for one set of icicle lights on the inside that are being keept for mood lighting. Understand that the extent of christmas decorations this year was some garland on the bannister, the aforementioned icicle lights over the kitchen and hallway, and a couple strings of icicle lights over the deck. It's not like there's still a tree in the window (which one of our neighbors did have until last week) or a Santa on the roof.
I'm either getting really old or going through some weird musical phase. I've really liked big-band/swing music ever since I started listening to it a couple of years ago. These past few weeks though, I've actually preferred it to everything else.
The funny thing is, if you really listen to the words, it's some of the most imaginitive, expressive, full-of-sexual-innuendo music out there. Louis Jordon is good for that. There's a song about milking a mule. Yes, you read that right. Then of course there is "Caldonia".. perhaps the most re-made song in big band history. It's all about this crazy chick that his mom warns him to stay away from, but she's just rockin' his world.
Maybe I'm just getting tired of the same old music. I'm a music fiend, but lately, nothing inspires me, nothing makes me feel it right *here* the way it used to. I wonder if maybe it's (additional) hearing loss. Let's hope not. I spent a small fortune on this stereo! Maybe that's it. I just cranked up the stereo loud while listening to Malaguena (Stan Kenton). I think the speakers are changing my taste in music. Not that rock/pop sounds bad on these speakers, but when I turn it loud.. damn if it doesn't sound like there's a real band in here (or at least outside the window).
practicinghedonists and vueaskew have been giving me some pointers lately about the one thing we have most in common (or at least what brought us together in the first place). Wow, lots to think about. Thanks guys! Now I just have to figure out which part to focus on first (ADD does that to a person).
I don't know how much anybody else here is following what's happening in the blogging world, but it is quickly becoming an accepted means of journalism. There are quite a few people out there scraping together a living by doing this... and their entries are typically a couple of paragraphs and links to the interesting stuff they've found that day. I'm beginning to think that's the easiest job in the world. I sit here without a thing to write, look back a few minutes later and I've typed out several pages (Much to the chagrin of my readers, I'm sure; since I had nothing to say.. I'm possibly just making this into "much ado about nothing").
9:04pm. Just received a page. Gotta work. buh-bye.
Monday, February 14, 2005
I'm Going to Tell Mommy!!!
(political/privacy rant follows)
That's what my little brother used to tell me when I did something I wasn't allowed to do. The difference now is that there is no mommy to tell when there's a problem serious enough to warrant it. Big Brother is also your mom, dad, and the police, little bro. Sorry 'bout that. I did what I could; or at least more than most.
I've been screaming about privacy issues for 2 decades now, and not surprisingly, the response has always been one of shock over me reacting so negatively to having my guns taken away (The Brady Bill and other attempts by HCI), to having the cable guy telling the police I have 4 dogs in my house (patriot act) - in several places I have lived, this # of dogs was illegal, and oh-so-many other things. I mean,.. if I have nothing to hide, I should have no problems with it, right?
Does anybody have nothing to hide? Readership is up to about 20 on this blog. I know most of you and I *know* we all have skeletons.
Now my employer, assuming they are still my employer by then, is requiring fingerprinting and retinal scanning, along with their ongoing practice of scanning of *my* network for their safety(something I must agree to if I am to connect to their network.. which I must do to work and be paid).
The Federal Government is now mandating a uniform drivers license that among other things will have your SSN (and therefore credit and background check) information on it, and will be stored electronically with a digital photograph for easier transmission to various government agencies.
Additionally, this is the first in a series of steps in making the driver's license a federally owned and regulated process thereby allowing them to do things I can't even begin to imagine. If you've ever read any of the reasons why a universal ID is a bad idea, you can fill in the blanks.
Students in many schools are now being required (without parent permission) to wear RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags
to track their every move. They can tell where you are on campus every second of every day. Oddly, even though schools find this suitable for living, breathing human beings, lawyers are cautioning against it's use for dead folks.
I wonder how much longer it will be until we are no longer allowed to access the Internet, you know.. for our own safety. Maybe they should close all Internet Cafes like another country has done.
People are we really that afraid of our own neighbors? Do you really think that the police and the government are here to help you?
Do you really think that you have any *right* to privacy? Try again. Here is an excellent presentation about what rights you really have.
Do you think that even though you are told by the government that you have the right to refuse your SSN that if you do, you are in some way protected? *bzzt* Wrong answer! You should refuse, but here's something you probably didn't know. If you refuse to supply your social security number to *anyone*, THEY have the legal right to refuse you service.
This doesn't include just minor things like library cards and admission to your buddy's bowling league, but to services that can make or break your entire life/career. Universities, drug testing facilities, the FAA (pilot's licenses), the central nursing/nursing assistant database, and so many more things.
Now that this is all off my chest (at least for the next 5 minutes) and has been posted for less than an hour I get an email telling me not only how wrong I am saying these things about Big Brother and how paranoid I am; but also how much trouble I'm going to get into one of these days for saying such things. Do you not see the irony, the stupidity in what you are saying? "Fear not, for they will protect us. Be afraid, for they are watching?".
Sheesh. They probably own the blogging sites, and you will be in as much trouble for reading this as I will be for writing it.
At least we can all sleep at night knowing that if we get cancer, all we need is a shot of the HIV virus to set us straight again.
That's what my little brother used to tell me when I did something I wasn't allowed to do. The difference now is that there is no mommy to tell when there's a problem serious enough to warrant it. Big Brother is also your mom, dad, and the police, little bro. Sorry 'bout that. I did what I could; or at least more than most.
I've been screaming about privacy issues for 2 decades now, and not surprisingly, the response has always been one of shock over me reacting so negatively to having my guns taken away (The Brady Bill and other attempts by HCI), to having the cable guy telling the police I have 4 dogs in my house (patriot act) - in several places I have lived, this # of dogs was illegal, and oh-so-many other things. I mean,.. if I have nothing to hide, I should have no problems with it, right?
Does anybody have nothing to hide? Readership is up to about 20 on this blog. I know most of you and I *know* we all have skeletons.
Now my employer, assuming they are still my employer by then, is requiring fingerprinting and retinal scanning, along with their ongoing practice of scanning of *my* network for their safety(something I must agree to if I am to connect to their network.. which I must do to work and be paid).
The Federal Government is now mandating a uniform drivers license that among other things will have your SSN (and therefore credit and background check) information on it, and will be stored electronically with a digital photograph for easier transmission to various government agencies.
Additionally, this is the first in a series of steps in making the driver's license a federally owned and regulated process thereby allowing them to do things I can't even begin to imagine. If you've ever read any of the reasons why a universal ID is a bad idea, you can fill in the blanks.
Students in many schools are now being required (without parent permission) to wear RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags
to track their every move. They can tell where you are on campus every second of every day. Oddly, even though schools find this suitable for living, breathing human beings, lawyers are cautioning against it's use for dead folks.
I wonder how much longer it will be until we are no longer allowed to access the Internet, you know.. for our own safety. Maybe they should close all Internet Cafes like another country has done.
People are we really that afraid of our own neighbors? Do you really think that the police and the government are here to help you?
Do you really think that you have any *right* to privacy? Try again. Here is an excellent presentation about what rights you really have.
Do you think that even though you are told by the government that you have the right to refuse your SSN that if you do, you are in some way protected? *bzzt* Wrong answer! You should refuse, but here's something you probably didn't know. If you refuse to supply your social security number to *anyone*, THEY have the legal right to refuse you service.
This doesn't include just minor things like library cards and admission to your buddy's bowling league, but to services that can make or break your entire life/career. Universities, drug testing facilities, the FAA (pilot's licenses), the central nursing/nursing assistant database, and so many more things.
Now that this is all off my chest (at least for the next 5 minutes) and has been posted for less than an hour I get an email telling me not only how wrong I am saying these things about Big Brother and how paranoid I am; but also how much trouble I'm going to get into one of these days for saying such things. Do you not see the irony, the stupidity in what you are saying? "Fear not, for they will protect us. Be afraid, for they are watching?".
Sheesh. They probably own the blogging sites, and you will be in as much trouble for reading this as I will be for writing it.
At least we can all sleep at night knowing that if we get cancer, all we need is a shot of the HIV virus to set us straight again.
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