Eric Gagne Must GO!

August 17, 2007 By 2 Comments

I don’t know the Red Sox’s new relief pitcher two ways from Sunday. I’m not familar with him, how many Cy Young awards he has purported to have won, or even how much money the Red Sox managed to scrounge together to get him. All I do know is that this walking beard with safety glasses has cost the Sox 3 very crucial games in August. Games in which the Red Sox were ahead, but lost after he showed up.

My parents and I watched as he blew two games to the Orioles last week. It’s no wonder then that a fellow Sox fan I met at the Philly airport called him “Eric Gagme”. Now being part of the Red Sox Nation, I’m very familiar with defeat. If there is one thing we know, it’s how to take it on the chin, so I feel a bit hardened against the train wrecks this man has caused over the past two weeks. Despite this, tonight’s loss at the hands of the Angels was nothing less than a disaster. The Red Sox rallied back in the 8th to take the lead thanks to Big Poppy and Manny finally firing together like days of old. Then Gagme comes in and makes a royal mess of the entire situation. Him, combined with some of the worst calls from a home plate ump New England’s ever seen, conspired to hand the Sox a loss just when the Yanks seem to be coming out of their losing streak.

So from this NC Sox fan, I’d just like to sincerely suggest to Mr. Francona that you get back all the money you spent on this scruffy looking Nerf herder, and figure out a way to clone Papelbon before it’s too late.

Filed Under: Sports

Women & Children First!

August 16, 2007 By Leave a Comment

While on my trip, I found out via Twitter, that Bush’s Brain, aka Karl Rove, had resigned from the floundering administration. While I would much rather have seen him forced out, his departure is none-the-less a thing of beauty. Think Progress has put together a list of many of the major players who have either been “downsized” or “opted out” from what many call the worst Presidency in United States history:

- White House Senior Political Adviser Karl Rove
- White House Counselor Dan Bartlett
- White House Budget Director Rob Portman
- White House Counsel Harriet Miers
- White House Political Director Sara Taylor
- White House Director of Strategic Initiatives Pete Wehner
- White House Deputy National Security Adviser J.D. Crouch
- Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty
- Acting Associate Attorney General William Mercer
- Justice Department White House liaison Monica Goodling
- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
- Army Secretary Francis Harvey
- Joint Chief of Staffs Chairman Peter Pace
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson
- U.N. Ambassador John Bolton
- USAID Director Randall Tobias

Just as a reminder, it is still a full year and a half before W’s term is up. I guess the grass really must be greener. Pretty soon it’ll be just King George and Barney ruling over his disgruntled subjects. Who needs lackeys anyway?

Filed Under: Politics

iRan All Day

August 16, 2007 By Leave a Comment

One half of my master plan was complete. I had successfully talked myself (and my wife) into purchasing an iPhone for my upcoming trip home to New Hampshire. I was able to justify the plunking of serious cash due to the fact that I was about to spend long hours stuck in limbo thanks to today’s modern aviation system. The iPhone would allow me to stay connected at my parent’s house, a place where computers are alien and the Internet might as well be just a new fangled way to catch dinner.

In the weeks leading up to my trip, I ripped all of my Futurama DVDs and placed some 30+ of my favorite episodes onto the iPhone, along with several unwatched movies, five episodes of Star Trek: DS9, three great Christopher Walken SNL skits, and of course, The Legend of Boggy Creek. These video treats, along with some 3 Gb of music, podcasts and photos were sure to make the twilight zone of Reagan National all but a faint memory. There was only one problem… would my beloved iPhone’s battery be up to the challenge? Since the product’s launch I’d been hearing all of the FUD coming from Crackberrys and so called “experts” that the iPhone’s battery just didn’t cut the mustard. I packed my mini-charger just in case all of the doom and gloom came to pass.

I am delighted to disappoint anyone who carries 2 or 3 extra battery packs by saying that my iPhone lasted ALL DAY both traveling to and from New Hampshire. Oh, I know what you’re thinking, I only checked email a couple of times, or maybe surfed for 20 minutes or so. Wrong! The trip from Greensboro to Laconia involved only one stop in Washington DC, and the lay overs were relatively short, so I wasn’t surprised when my battery was still going strong after setting down my suitcase. But the voyage back to Greensboro from NH was a little slice of hell that lasted from 7am until 9pm, with the iPhone down to 10% when I kissed my wife in our kitchen that night.

On that long journey, I sent tweets via Mobile Twitter all day long. I had a 30 minute iChat with people at work via BeeJive. I watched four episodes of Futurama on the various plane flights. Listened to a complete podcast episode of Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me (45 minutes), made 5 phone calls, checked email about every 2 hours and surfed to dozens of web sites. Just before touching down in Greensboro, my iPhone warned me it had reached the 20% battery level. Once we landed, I checked voice mail, made a final call to Mindy, and knew that the iPhone had passed with flying colors.

Craig reports similar battery performance with his iPhone on his recent trip to the C4[1] conference, so I know I’m not alone. At one point while I was sitting having dinner in Philly’s airport, the waiter asked me how I liked my iPhone. He had been thinking of purchasing one himself, but had heard reports of poor battery life. I spent a few minutes giving him the lowdown with my experiences and he seemed quite pleased that the things he had heard were untrue. I’m pretty sure I made a sale while I was eating my over-priced, airport fajitas, and so I’m here to spread the truth to anyone willing to listen. Although factors like continuous wi-fi and bluetooth can put a hurt on run time, in general, the iPhone’s battery does quite well, thank you very much. Go tell it on the mountain.

Filed Under: iOS, Mac

Going Home Again

August 15, 2007 By 2 Comments

The more things change, the more they stay the same. All the familiar sights, sounds and smells of home jumped out to greet me as I got out of my parent’s car and stood in the driveway of my childhood home. “She’ll be 100 years old in just a few years.” dad said as he helped mom out of the car. My grandfather had build our home back in 1917 for the huge sum of $2,000 with help from his family. Complete with a granite walled basement (that floods most every spring), and an old fashion pass-through from the kitchen to what used to be the dining room, my parents have done a remarkable job of keeping the house up, despite being in their late seventies. “I’m home again.” I thought to myself as I settled in for a week of relaxation, visiting relatives and exploring old haunts.

Growing up in the small New England town of Laconia, NH meant beautiful foliage in the fall, endless hours of sledding in the winter and beaches packed with tourists in the summer. Nestled along sprawling Lake Winnipesaukee, Laconia and her surrounding townships, are a classic destination for anyone looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Vacationers from Massachusetts to California all come to enjoy good food, the White Mountains and crystal clear lakes. One of the favorite local eateries is the Tamarack Restaurant. Located on Route 3 in Weirs Beach, the drive-up style diner proudly serves its 100% fresh lobster roll each summer, that some say, is the best in the entire lakes region. Lobster roll, YUM!

Despite all of this, it is a truism that kids seldom appreciate the place where they grew up. Looking back now, I’m a little ashamed to say that I didn’t fully treasure my home and all it had to offer. I think I can chalk this up to simply being a kid who was too wrapped up in school work or playing in the brook to realize what was happening all around me. Visiting my parents this past week brought to mind everything they gave me while I was growing up – a safe place to play and learn, friendly neighbors who looked out for each other and the love and support of our huge family. When I was a kid, it always seemed like my dad would point to someone and say “See him/her? That’s your cousin.” So although I was an only child, I always had plenty of help getting into trouble. One of my notorious side-kicks was my cousin Judy. You always remember the good times it seems, and my memories of her and the rest of the Maheux/Groleau clan bring smiles to my face. Judy has a family of her own now, a loving husband and two sons and I couldn’t be happier for her. Visiting with her reminded me that I have to do a better job of staying in touch.

Things have changed around Laconia now, but thankfully not much. Some businesses have closed, but others have sprung up in their place. Sacred Heart Parish where my family attends mass is alive and well, the beaches are still crowded and the drive-in movie theater at the Weirs manages a double feature every night in the summer. Kids still pump quarters into the video and skee ball games at Funspot (more on this later), older streets are still a wreck from nasty frost heaves, and children still come home to visit their folks from time to time. Some of those children sit and enjoy a Red Sox game with their parents and quietly think to themselves how lucky they’ve been. Lucky to have been raised in a place so wonderful, by people so generous and loving. Thomas Wolfe once said “You can’t go home again.” Thanks to my trip this past week, I know now that nothing could be further from the truth. May we all be so blessed.

Filed Under: Myself

So Much for That

August 14, 2007 By 1 Comment

Word comes today that Fox has cancelled the afore mentioned right-wing “answer” to The Daily Show – The Half Hour News Hour created by 24′s Joel Surnow. The pilot episode of this televised train wreck featured Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter as President and Vice President respectively.

The show was critically panned from the start, unfunny and always contrived. What Surnow and Roger Ailes never seemed to learn is that The Daily Show isn’t successful because it makes fun of Bush and company, but because it mirrors truth. Stewart, Colbert and company went after Clinton and other left leaning figures just as vigorously as they do the GOP today. People in power will always be legitimate targets of satire and no amount of canned laughter or pandering to demographics can make something that is forced and awkward suddenly seem hilarious.

Here endeth the lesson.

Filed Under: TV

“24″ Goes Green

August 5, 2007 By 1 Comment

Here is a bit of news from the Washington Post that is sure to bristle the spines of climate change critics everywhere. As part of Fox’s company wide Cool Change directive, spokesman Chris Anderson says that the entire production of their hit show, 24, is going green. The Post reports that when production starts on season 7 this month, both vehicles and generators will run on a more “planet-friendly” biodiesel blend of fuel which will start at 5% and gradually increase as filming continues. In addition, the show’s electricity bill will be spent toward renewable-energy credits that will bring shares of wind, solar and water power to the power grid of Los Angeles.

As the face of 24, actor and producer, Kiefer Sutherland stars in a short video on Fox’s website that talks about the production’s initiative as well as tips that people at home can take to heart to help fight climate change. More web installments are planned once the show begins airing in January, and the concept of climate change is even said to be being worked into this season’s plot lines (don’t laugh, anything is better than last season). Sutherland has high hopes that by making 24′s production carbon neutral, they will lead by example and demonstrate that the problem of global warming is solvable.

Perhaps the most positive thing to come out of this development isn’t that 24 will be using less fossil fuels or even that it will spread the word about the genuine danger of climate change. No, the real news here is that a show with such deep conservative roots, on a partisan network like Fox, is taking a position on an issue that is in direct opposition to main stream right-thinking. The show’s co-creator and executive producer, Joel Surnow is an unabashed “right-wing nutjob“. Recently he helped to create Fox’s answer to The Daily Show, the 1/2 Hour News Hour and has taken flack for 24′s casual treatment of torture and abuse of civil liberties. Indeed, 24 has even been used by some GOP candidates as a talking point to illustrate how America should deal with terrorists.

So when a staunch conservative like Surnow can set aside his partisan beliefs and see climate change for what it is – a global issue that threatens all of us, I feel hope. We must look beyond party loyalties, face scientific facts and get to work. The Cool Change initiative at Fox, and 24′s efforts specifically, speak to a mind set that is spreading. Unfortunately, as is often the case on 24, the clock is ticking. Now is the time when we, not Jack Bauer, swing into action and make a difference. Let’s just hope we’re in time.

Filed Under: Science, TV

Webb > Congdon

August 3, 2007 By 4 Comments

Yesterday marked the launch of Internet maven and G4 host, Morgan Webb’s new video blog, aptly named WebbAlert. Webb intends the show to be a short 5 minute breakdown of the Internet’s top stories of the day, parceled in bite size chunks that are both informative and geek-worthy. The format was popularized a few years back by Amanda Congdon on one of the web’s original video blogs, Rocketboom. Congdon recently left Rocketboom in a minor broo-ha-ha with her producer. After a short stint of dancing across the country, she settled into a new video blogging job with ABC. The difference between these two ladies of the net however, is quite striking. Webb has talent, street cred and a genuine interest in geek culture. Congdon on the other hand has smugness, a penchant for seeming annoyed while reporting, and of course, her boobs.

Ask anyone who watched Rocketboom in the early days and they’ll tell you the only reason why the show became successful, and Congdon gained mild Internet popularity, was because of her seemingly endless wardrobe of tight t-shirts, blouses and sweaters that she paraded in front of the camera on almost every single episode. Now, I’m all for using one’s God given talents, but thanks in part to these blatant attempts at sex appeal, IMHO Congdon jumped her shark years ago. I thought that when she moved to ABC she might actually pay her audience some respect and let us watch the news instead of her chest, but it didn’t happen.

Of course I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t mention that Webb has done her share of, shall we say, “self promotion”. She’s starred in spreads for Maxim magazine and has spawned thousands of geek-based crushes all across the Internet with nothing more than a wink and a few PSP cheat codes. The difference between Webb and Congdon however, is that when Webb is doing her job of video blogging, or hosting G4′s X-Play, she’s actually reporting without pandering. She knows her shit and could take down a hard core gamer any day of the week. Congdon can barely string two sentences together without batting her eyes at the camera like some lost puppy pleading for attention. Webb also knows that smart and informative ultimately wins the day. Her video blog is short on cleavage and long on personality, immediacy and wit.

Webb may stroll into the red light district late at night, but she’s figured out that it’s her day job that pays the bills and gives her credibility. Very rarely do the two worlds meet. So while Morgan Webb walks a fine line to win the hearts and minds of geeks everywhere, Amanda Congdon gets ready to board her rocket powered sled and make the weekly jump over Buxom Canyon. I just wonder when she’ll stop crashing and burning.

Filed Under: Geek

Freaky-deeky

August 2, 2007 By 1 Comment

Mindy turned me onto this cool page of mutant, animal Photoshop mash-ups. Sometimes these things can be overblown and just plain cheeky, but I have to say the folks behind these elaborate and fictional beasts did a pretty good job. My favorite has to be the Griffindog with the Batguincat coming in a close second. He kind of reminds me of Batboy, may he rest in peace. Forget lame attempts at merging Yoda and Mr. T, and give me more of this kind of stuff. God, I love the Internet.

Filed Under: Geek

“Welcome BACK to the world of tomorrow!”

August 2, 2007 By 3 Comments

For those of you who are not die-hard Futurama fans, this may come as news to you, and for the rest of us, it’s just another chance to dwell on one of our favorite animated shows of all time. Ever since Fox cancelled Futurama back in 2003, I’ve held out hope that fans would petition to bring the show back. We learned a little over a year ago that Matt Groening and David X. Cohen had somehow managed to wrangle all of the writers, animators and voice talent for the show back together for a limited stint of 4 direct to DVD movies. Come this November, Comedy Central will split the movies into half hour episodes and air them far away from those numb-nuts at Fox.

This past week at ComicCon 2007, fans got a sneak peek at a trailer for the new 5th season, and even though the quality is low, it’s got my sci-fi juices flowing. A hat tip to Cabel for turning me onto it, I really hope a high-quality version makes the rounds soon. You can head on over to YouTube to check it out along with a new promotional spot that Comedy Central is airing starring a 3D Bender.

Thanks to the Futurama forums I frequent, yours truly has been planning a 5th volume of freeware icons to mark the upcoming release, along with some really fun desktop pictures. I’ve received a great deal of positive feedback on my Futurama sets over the years, and so it’s been a pleasure to revisit New New York again. The upcoming season is sure to provide both original characters and fan favorites to iconize, so rest assured I’m on the case. Between Futurama and the Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, November should be a great month for movie watching. Stay tuned!

Filed Under: TV

Imagine That

August 1, 2007 By 5 Comments

Fast on the heels of reports that electronic voting machines in California are about as secure as Britney’s financial future, comes this unsurprising bit from the Buckeye state:

“In 56 of Ohio’s 88 counties, ballots and election records from 2004 have been “accidentally” destroyed, despite a federal order to preserve them — it was crucial evidence which would have revealed whether the election was stolen.”

Call me paranoid but election records just don’t go missing without someone ordering it. Anyone in a position to order the destruction of records in 56 counties is in the position to know better. Heads should roll for this, but of course, they probably won’t.

Filed Under: Politics
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