September 2004 Archives



September 2, 2004

CensorZilla

When the developers at Mosaic Communications set out to create Mozilla, their lawyers requested that they clean the source code-literally. Developers text containing vulgar words or expressions. Here is the unedited version of the original code. Thanks goes out to my bro Max for the link.

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 2, 2004 11:01 PM | | Comments (0)

Top 11 Ways to Reduce IT Spending

11. Outsource your web hosting to GoDaddy.com 10. Start a “Network Admin” college extension course and let the student pay you to run the network 9. Set all the desktops to auto-logon and voila! No more wasted time resetting passwords 8. Change disaster-recovery plan from remote hot site to “focused prayer” 7. Adopt coin-operated meters for desks, chairs and monitors—throw in the computer for free as an inducement 6. Save paper—tell everyone the company’s standard font size is now 6 points 5. Declare your network “secure enough,” and stop all patch-management practices 4. Lower your service level from five nines to five eights 3. Employ new desktop—sharing plan: one pair of monitors, keyboards, and mice per PC 2. Redefine the “P” in PC to mean “personally maintained” 1. “You may have noticed that your titles have all changed to Intern…” Thanks to Max for this funny list!

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 2, 2004 11:05 PM | | Comments (0)

South Park Republicans

Picture a typical Republican. Perhaps you see images of George Bush, John Ashcroft, Ronald Reagan, or maybe even Alex P. Keaton. Basically, many people think Republicans are a bunch of stodgy white guys with money. Times are changing... Source: Tech Central Station Thanks to Natalie for the link, it was indeed a very interesting column.

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 2, 2004 11:16 PM | | Comments (0)

The Passion of the Christ DVD Review

Why is it that two of the highest grossing films of all time are based on stories that everyone already knows? "Titanic" brought audiences in by the droves, yet no one could possibly go in thinking the boat would end up floating on the water. The same goes for Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." This is a brutal, unrelenting film and at times hard to watch, yet audiences embraced it, quickly sending it to the list of the highest grossing movies of all time. Every single moment is shown in full detail, whether it is the pieces of flesh being whipped from Jesus' body or the crown of thorns burrowing into his head. Blood flows in practically every scene once past the half hour mark and never lets up until the screen finally goes black. Whether or not showing this agonizing torture is more effective than letting the actor (James Caviezel, whom in this case is spectacular) bring it out through his performance is debatable, but you will not walk away from this film unaffected. Moments will remain in your mind forever and brining yourself to watch it again will not be easy. This films brutality will not be surpassed anytime soon. This is not a film to sit your family down with on Easter morning. Past the blood and gore, Mel Gibson does a fine job behind the camera, but this is far from a perfect film. The extreme overuse of slow motion is aggravating. Certain scenes do, of course, benefit from the technique, but when every scene uses it in some form, stretching the movies running time in the process, it's distracting. Certain sequences, especially the films forest locale in the opening, are obviously shot on a sound stage with fog machines being overworked. You also have to look at just how much punishment Jesus endures. By the time he is lifted on the cross, there is no white flesh left on his body. The makeup departments obviously had a field day with this one, but how much blood can be used and still make it seem realistic? The way his beatings are portrayed, he never would have lived past the whipping. Also, if by some chance you have never read the Bible and are not familiar with this sequence of events, you would likely be lost through most of the film. Regardless of a few lapses in logic, the exceptional performances and use of the proper languages adds an air of authenticity to the proceedings. American audiences generally shy away from subtitles, making this a brave move. The entire experience just 'feels' real. If you were brought up with this story, this is almost exactly how you it was told to you, just with a monumental amount of gore. This is an epic, yet slightly flawed film, which should be viewed by anyone with even the slightest interest. (**** out of *****) Available in both widescreen (2.40:1) and pan and scan formats, "The Passion" is uneven in the video department. Opening scenes are littered with a distracting amount of grain mostly due to the overuse of fog. Darker scenes lighted by fire also suffer from the same problem. A few brief sequences also have noticeable compression artifacts, but these will only be noticeable if you're looking for them. The films key moments, especially scenes of Jesus carrying the cross, are crystal clear, showcasing the fine detail lost in the early moments. The diluted color scheme used in the film is generally a DVD nightmare, but this transfer does a decent job of holding it together. (***) Thankfully, Fox has NOT including any English dubbing, something that would have diluted the film. Two sound formats, 5.1 and DTS, have been included. Both tracks are on equal ground for most of the film. This is a movie almost entirely dialogue driven for the entire running time. A few of the scenes involving large crowds use the rears, but not extensively. Brief moments also feature excellent directional sound from the front. The only moments where the DTS track proves its worth are the final scenes involving the temple destruction. Otherwise, you'll do just fine with the standard 5.1 track if DTS is not an option. (****) An obvious special edition of this film will be on the way, but no announcements have been made. Likewise, this disc is completely barren, failing to include the standard theatrical trailer. Inside the case, you'll find some shameless marketing for T-shirts, books, and soundtracks. (No stars) Making the decision to view this movie should be one made with proper knowledge. Be fully aware that this is a film that is unforgiving in showing one man being beaten, punched, kicked, and whipped for well over an hour. This is far from other films that show the same sequence of events, and no matter how uplifting some people may find the ending to be, you cannot leave this film anything but depressed.

Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 2, 2004 11:37 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (5)

September 3, 2004

Virtual PC 7 released to manufacturing

Microsoft Corp.'s Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) has announced the release of Virtual PC for Mac Version 7 to manufacturing. As has been previously noted, the company plans for Virtual PC 7 to reach store shelves in October. Additionally, the company has released Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Professional Edition to manufacturing -- it bundles Virtual PC 7 as well. Source: MacCentral Yay! I cannot wait to emulate Windows XP on my G5 and see just how slow it performs!

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 3, 2004 11:14 PM | | Comments (0)

You Control: iTunes puts control in OS X menu bar

You Software Inc. announced on Tuesday the availability of You Control: iTunes, a free download that places iTunes controls in the Mac OS X menu bar. Without leaving the current application, you can pause, play, rewind or skip songs, as well as control iTunes' volume and even browse your entire music library by album, artist or genre. Each time a new song plays, You Control: iTunes also pops up a window that displays the artist and song name and the album artwork, if it's in the library. Source: MacCentral. Rob tells me that Butler does this, but not as nice that is for sure. I highly recommend this little iTunes gizmo. And not just because it is free, but because it is very well done. Of course now I need to go add album art to my music library :)

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 3, 2004 11:22 PM | | Comments (2)

iMac: The Missing Memory

By Dan Frakes ...Adding 256MB of RAM to an iMac G5 -- resulting in a total of 512MB -- would cost you or me $40-$50 at today's retail prices, which means Apple would most likely pay $30-$40 (or less?) for the same upgrade. That's a small investment that would result in significant gains for the consumer. Even if Apple couldn't afford to reduce their per-unit profit by $30 and had to raise the price of the iMac $30, I think such a move would be worth it. How many iMac buyers would balk at an extra $30? And any competent reviewer would praise Apple for not taking the low-RAM route. A few price-obsessed "analysts" might object, but I think most would see the value in such a move... Source: Editors' Notes Weblog I don't get the 256 MB of RAM in the new iMac G5 either. Especially the top of the line iMac G5, it too comes with 256 MB of RAM as the stock config. Not only that, but Apple asks $75 to double the RAM to 512 MB! Crucial sells 256 MB for $46.99 and as low as $26.97 found on Pricewatch.com. I think Apple could have done better on the RAM front on this new amazing iMac G5. People who are not Mac geeks do not know OS X really needs 512 MB or more RAM to really shine. The same thing is true about Windows XP, by the way. I must say the best feature of this new iMac G5 is the user installable parts that this iMac G5 puts at the end users fingertips. If you have ever ripped the cover off of a Rev. A iMac to replace anything in it knows how nice these user installable parts in the iMac G5 are. Even installing RAM in the Rev. A iMac was hell.

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 3, 2004 11:46 PM | | Comments (0)

September 4, 2004

6 More GMail Invites to give away

First come, first served. Post a comment. The first 6 will get accounts. Good luck! Just put your email in the email field. Don't put it in the comment body as MT only spam protects emails in the email field.

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 4, 2004 12:14 AM | | Comments (6)

September 5, 2004

ESPN NHL 2K5 XBox Review

This years round of Sega published ESPN games began with a whimper. Their baseball franchise is quickly falling behind EA's revamped and improved MVP Baseball. Then, with the release of the spectacular ESPN NFL 2K5, things began to take shape. With a slightly tweaked engine and stronger franchise mode, NHL 2K5 is easily one of the most fun and (nearly) flawless digital simulations of a real sport ever produced. With amazing fluidity, NHL 2K5 stuns players upon entering into gameplay. The on-ice action is by far some of the most incredible ever put into a hockey video game. The physics engine literally makes the person behind the controller feel like they are sliding across the ice. The feeling is almost impossible to describe. The puck skids around the ice with realistic results and banging one off the post is just as frustrating here as it is in the real game. Computer AI remains strong, though maybe a bit too aggressive. Attempting to set up an offense inside the zone (which is great thanks to the ability to stop on a dime with a flick of the analog stick) is all but impossible, save for those rare situations. Within a second of securing the puck, opposing players swarm in to try for a steal or body check. Only on the lower difficulty levels does the AI calm down, but it also doesn't produce very much offense leading to lopsided shot statistics. Scoring feels proper (again, thanks to the puck physics) and getting one past the best goalkeepers requires complete skill when the sliders have been properly calibrated. Fighting is greatly improved, though it still feels a little bit floaty and hit detection never seems to be consistent. Like all sports games of the past few years, the right analog stick plays a role on both sides of the puck. On defense, you can execute various hooks, slashes, and trips. Pressing in on the stick and attempt one of these maneuvers results in a viscous shot not only to their ego, but the body as well. Penalties are common with hits like these, so using them with consistency will result in numerous penalty-killing situations. On the offensive end, a wide array of dekes can be performed with a flick of the stick and making opponents bite is a great feeling. Still, moving your thumb off of the buttons (if only for a second) can cause problems. If you've played NFL 2K5 (or even 2K4) with any frequency, the presentation here is a bit disappointing, but this is still the best in the market. The ESPN license is used everywhere, including the excellent commentary from Bill Clement and Gary Thorne. It's hard to explain, but they really sound like they are in a broadcast booth calling the game. Fans in the stadium get a few moments of fame, though compared to the football franchise, their participation is slim and repetitive. Excellent as it was last year, the franchise mode has been upgraded, though not with a major overhaul. The minor leagues now play a large role (you'll hire a coach to deal with them), and you have full control over their lineups allowing you to give more playtime to a potential prospect. Completely new this year are wild mini-games that can eat up a lot of playtime when you have the proper number of players available. One of these also features an analog shot system that will likely become the standard in a few years time. All of this can of course be taken online thanks to the excellent XBox Live support. Minor graphical tweaks have been added, including superb texturing on the jerseys. Player's faces are startling and the fully polygonal crowd is a step-up from the lifeless blobs of most sports games. Slowly throughout the period, the ice will slowly show signs of wear, losing the reflective luster it once had. Animation routines are spectacular, rarely (if ever) looking disjointed. The close-ups of the stadium crowd during cinematics are excellent, sporting a wonderful amount of detail that was missing from the NFL franchise. The sound package has been revamped to include full crowd chants, even for specific players. The echo effect when playing the game with "ESPN Game Sound" on a proper sound system is spectacular, adding to the immersion level of being in the stadium. Customizing stadium music for a ridiculous amount of events is also possible, though the organ music included is pretty strong by itself. The crowd does occasionally drown out the commentators no matter how much you tweak the sliders in the options menu, but this minor problem is hardly an issue considering how strong the rest of this package is. A few minor issues do drop the package down a few notches. Puck physics, as incredible as they may be, do suffer from some glitches. You'll watch in stunned silence as the puck magically swirls in the air after an opponents shot and your helpless goalie smacks it into his net. Players also can have a hard time grabbing the puck from the ice. This leads to some confusion as you assume to have possession, but an opposing player trailing behind you will skate by untouched with the puck leading to a breakaway. Those minor issues are hardly enough to destroy the experience. With a meager $20 price tag, a NHL fan that will likely be denied a season this year has no reason not to pick this title up and simulate this season without collective bargaining. Even if it's not a major improvement over last year, the already solid engine was enough to make this one worthy for any hockey fans collection.

Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 5, 2004 9:08 PM | | Comments (0)

Empire of the Ants/Tentacles Double Feature DVD Review

H.G. Wells was an excellent storyteller who also made many bold predictions about the future. This is a man who predicted space travel pretty accurately. What he never could have predicted was how bad his story "Empire of the Ants" would turn out once it made it to film. Now bundled on DVD with the Italian film "Tentacles," these two schlock fests are well known for breaking new ground when it comes to boring their audiences. Radioactive waste is spilled onto a small island, soon to be developed as a resort. A few ants manage to get themselves covered in the goo, rapidly growing into human-terrorizing beasts. When a group of tourists take the trip to visit the area, the ants begin their picnic, munching down on everyone who comes too close. When it's discovered that the ants actually control a local town, it's up to the small group of survivors, including Marylin Fryser (Joan Collins), to stop the insects horrific plan before they take over the world. Bert I. Gordon gives us this "classic," using the same effects he pioneered in another schlocker, "Beginning of the End." Most of the ants are real, hilariously magnified and superimposed onto the screen. The backgrounds between the humans and insect hardly ever match. Close-ups use full-size mock ups which were done so much better 20-years before in the undeniable classic "Them!" The plot rolls along at a snails pace, including an 18-minute scene in which some of the survivors simply row a boat across a river, occasionally spotting a swarm of the mutated nasties. It never really has a point, nor does any other segment in the movie. This is easily one of the most well remembered bad-movies of the 70's. (* out of *****) An underwater tunnel experiment annoys a rather large ocean beast that immediately begins snacking on local residents. Reporter Ned Turner (John Huston) immediately picks up on the story, quickly pointing the finger at the president of Trojan Construction (Henry Fonda). The beast continues to feed ravenously until Will Gleason (Bo Hopkins) devises a plan that can finally put an end to the monster that took out and entire group of sailboat racers. "Tentacles" has been so horribly criticized over the years, it's amazing anyone would dare put it on DVD. Released in Italy as "Tentacoli" and starring a wealth of actors, there is hardly any reason why this movie fares so poorly. Maybe it's because the giant octopus is only on screen for about 15-minutes total in a nearly two-hour film. Maybe it's because Henry Fonda gives one of the most abominable performances of all time. Then again, maybe it's simply because this movie is far too long, the effects are never convincing (particularly the finale), and no one ever really cares about the characters while they continue to converse in scene after scene with no effect on the movies plot line. Yeah, that has to be it. (* out of *****) Both of these films are presented in their original aspect ratios. "Empire of the Ants" gets a surprisingly nice 1.85:1 transfer, the same used for a previous DVD release from MGM. The scratches and specks that appear on screen can be annoying from time to time, but this is a nice restoration considering the age and quality of the movie. Light grain is noticeable throughout, but it never is a major problem. Flesh tones are accurate, but not amazing. The overall transfer is soft and occasionally seems a little too blurry, but this is a more than acceptable transfer for a film that really doesn't deserve it. (****) Speaking of films that don't deserve nice transfers, there's no need to go anywhere else than "Tentacles." This is a transfer just shy of absolute perfection. The only real issues are the skin tones, which are flat and always seem to be one shade off, but this seems to be the norm for this era of film. This is otherwise an unbelievable transfer featuring sharp detail, fine color, and absolutely no grain or compression problems. Every speck and spot has been cleaned up from the print. I'm not sure where they found this 2.35:1 print, but this is just stunning. (*****) "Empire" doesn't fare as well in the sound department. Anytime anything is going on in the background the actors dialogue is lost. Even when no background noise is present, the sound is scratchy and sounds like it's coming from a tinny radio speaker. This is mono 2.0 soundtrack that needs some immediate attention. (*) A remixed soundtrack has been produced for "Tentacles," and just like the video, this is a pretty nice effort. Dolby Surround powers this occasionally immersive soundtrack and the only real problems are the expected scratchy voices. The film's annoying soundtrack gets pumped through the speakers and the front speakers get a nice left to right workout. Bass is of course non-existent, but work was obviously done in this department. (****) Extras include the trailers for both films. There is some footage in both trailers that is not in the films so they are worth a watch. Otherwise, this is a barren 2-sided disc. (*) This disc, along with the majority of MGM's "Midnite Movie" line, are exclusive to Best Buy stores. It's hard to pay $10 for one awful movie, so it's a nice gesture to give us two. Then again, if you purchased "Empire of the Ants" separately when it was available, then you're probably not happy right now. Still, even though most of these movies are absolute bombs, the Tentacles transfer is a must for videophiles.

Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 5, 2004 9:20 PM | | Comments (0)

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles DVD Review

Nearly everyone has been through some form of terror around the holidays. Whether it is not being able to catch a flight on time, realizing you've bought the wrong thing on Christmas Eve, or just dealing with the in-laws, it's a natural extension of what the season has become. Hardly any other holiday movie is easier to relate to than "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles," directed by John Hughes. This brilliant comedy is a movie that should be viewed every holiday season, and maybe a few more times during the year as well. Neal Page (Steve Martin) is stuck in a board meeting, soon to be late for a flight that will get him home in time for Thanksgiving. When things don't go as planned at the airport, he meets Del Griffith (John Candy), a lovable yet infinitely annoying shower curtain ring salesman. Together, they become the flawless odd couple and their adventure becomes one that deserves a high-ranking spot in film history. Once you've experienced this film, you simply have to come back to it. The two lead actors pull viewers into every situation, no matter how absurd it may be, playing nearly every scene to perfection. Countless cameos, including Kevin Bacon and Martin Ferraro, add to the proceedings. Director John Hughes flawlessly evokes every bit of comedy from every scene, having experience with other films in the genre like "Uncle Buck" and "Ferris Bueller." The films only mishap is the ending. Though necessary to give some depth to Del Griffith, after crying through every scene due to laughter, the depressing finale has viewers leaving the film on a sour note. Regardless, this is a film that should be viewed everytime Thanksgiving rolls around in your home without question. (**** out of *****) Paramount presents the film in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. No pan and scan version is available. This is an uneven transfer, one that suffers from a ridiculous amount of grain one minute and flawlessly cleans itself up in the next. The black levels have been set a bit too high resulting in some hard-to-see sequences. Compression problems are evident, especially in the bright reds. The soft tone of the transfer eliminates any fine detail, but the print itself is almost free from any scratches or flaws. (***) Remixed into Dolby 5.1 for this release, the sound field is surprisingly active when it needs to be (the opening scenes in New York are quite immersive). The soundtrack also does a wonderful job of filling up the sound field, using every speaker. Otherwise, a few moments in the dialogue are a little scratchy, but this is a nice sound presentation for an older film. (****) Sadly, viewers get nothing in the extras department. A commentary would have been a wonderful touch since it's obvious everyone had a blast working on this film. This is a disc crying out for a special edition. (No stars) It's a shame we lost John Candy. He added so much to every film he was in, creating lovable and enjoyable characters no matter the situation. "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" is a perfect way to relive his unfortunately short career and also one of Steve Martin's best. It should be noted that the film is only rated "R" because of a tirade by Steve Martin in one scene when he walks into the car rental office. Skipping this sequence (even though it is one of the funniest in the film) makes this one perfect for family viewing.

Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 5, 2004 9:24 PM | | Comments (0)

The Land/People that Time Forgot DVD Review

Once a movie has raised the bar for special effects, going back and reliving some of those childhood favorites can be painful. Case in point, "The Land that Time Forgot." Mesmerizing at age 5, it doesn't quite hold up after repeated viewings of "Jurassic Park," but it's still enjoyable if you can get past the effects. This is not true for the second movie on this disc however, "The People that Time Forgot." After a German submarine destroyed their boat, the small band of survivors, including Bowen Taylor (Doug McClure) and Lisa Clayton (Susan Penhaligon) manage to hijack the war machine. After numerous changes in command, the group ends up on an uncharted island surrounded by an iceberg, "The Land that Time Forgot." Inside they find dinosaurs, caveman, and one very active volcano. Everyone bands together in an attempt to survive, forgetting that they are actually enemies. The effects are far from great in "Land," (especially the pterodactyl late in the film; you can obviously see the strings suspending it), but the sense of adventure is unmistakable. Things do start off a bit slow (40-minutes before the first dinosaur makes an appearance), but all of the actors do a fine job and the younger set, just like me many years ago, will be enthralled. If you can past the effects and just use your imagination a bit, you'll have fun for the majority of the running time. (*** out of *****) "The People that Time Forgot" picks up a few years after "Land." Having found the note that Taylor through into the ocean at the end of the previous film, Major Ben McBride (Patrick Wayne) gets the sponsorship of a newspaper to find the hidden land and to see if his friend Bowen is still alive. Soon after reaching the island, they meet up with a cavewoman named Ajor (Dana Gillespie in the most revealing cavewoman suit of all time) who tells the group that Bowen is still alive. Their search, now having purpose, is just beginning. "People" suffers from a wealth of flaws. First and foremost, the effects are even worse this time around, and this was made two years after the original. The film has absolutely no momentum behind it all, lacks tension, and just never seems to pick up steam. The finale, which should be a major spectacle, is just laughable. It's obvious that all of the explosions have been pre-set. It feels like you're right there on the set watching it all happen instead on some lost prehistoric island. The only reason to watch this one is for Gillespie and her costume. Otherwise, stick with the original. (* out of *****) Both films are presented in 1.85:1 widescreen on opposite sides of the disc. "Land" looks excellent on the format. A few occasional scenes of heavy grain barely mar the outstanding color that brings this film to life. Any scratches or specks on the print have been fixed to perfection. The black levels are never compensated and the transfer even holds together when brighter shades of red are thrown at it. This is outstanding work considering the age of the film. (****) Sadly, "People" doesn't fare as well. The color is toned down quite a bit here. The black levels are wildly uneven and a few sequences not only display a distracting amount of grain, but lose most of their color as well. The few scenes of clarity are far too soft and it looks like the camera is out of focus. You can certainly do worse, but it's obvious that equal time was not given to the restoration of both films. (**) Both movies are presented in 2.0 mono. These movies are mixed extremely low, so prepare to fight with the volume level throughout them. Some minor hiss and distortion is evident at many points in each film, but this is to be expected. These are tracks that just do what they need to do and nothing else. (***) Extras include, well, nothing. These films get the original trailers attached to them and that's it. Oddly, "Land" has English subtitles while "People" does not. (*) These films are part of the ever-growing "Midnite Movie" line produced by MGM. These discs are exclusive to Best Buy stores. For only $9.99, these discs are a great deal, but the exclusivity doesn't make much sense. Also, "People" was available separately on DVD not long ago. Those people who bought it separately have every right to be angry. Regardless, if you have fond memories of watching these films when you were a child, you won't find a better way to watch them than this disc.

Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 5, 2004 10:18 PM | | Comments (0)

Canada-Michigan 2004 Photos

When my Dad goes on a trip he usually takes his camera. Be sure to check out these photos from his latest trip up through Michigan and to Canada. If you have Webshots you can put them on your desktop easy. (You can download the images if you do not have Webshots) If you are a Mac using Webshots user, I strongly suggest using SwapTop, and not the official Webshots Mac client. Thanks Dad for the great desktop pictures. They look great on my 23" Cinema Display :)

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 5, 2004 10:28 PM | | Comments (0)

September 6, 2004

Adobe's InDesign and XML

The process of formatting and typesetting documents has come a long way in the relatively short span of time that modern computers have been around; the process has typically revolved around formatting scientific or technical documents using a variety of command-line tools. However, the latest version of Adobe's page-layout application, InDesign, integrates XML files into its visually oriented publishing workflow. Source: XML.com

Posted by Ken Edwards on September 6, 2004 7:45 PM | | Comments (0)

Bush's Resume

I found this on Jake's blog and just had to post.
  • I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.
  • I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history.
  • I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States government.
  • I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history.
  • I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission.
  • I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law.
  • I refused to allow inspector's access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention.
  • I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. election).
  • I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television.
  • I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history.
  • I garnered the most sympathy ever for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.
  • I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.
  • I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world community.
  • I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families in wartime.
  • In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.
  • I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security.
  • I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD.
  • I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.

    RECORDS AND REFERENCES:

    • All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view.
    • All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
    • All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.

    • Posted by Ken Edwards on September 6, 2004 8:23 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 7, 2004

    9 steps to a quicker MT3.1x installation

    Neil has put together a pretty good check list of things to help with the new MT 3.1x install:

    So now that I’ve upgraded I can fill you in on what you should do to make MT 3.1x work fast. I’ve covered some aspects in other entries but I’m repeating them here for the sake of completeness.

    On a related note, MT is now using Smarty for both dynamic publishing and caching. Pretty cool. I am glad I did not bail for WordPress when MT 3.0 was released. Reason being I have been using Smarty for bgnews.com for years now as a Digital Partners member. I am very interested how the integration of Smarty into MT will work.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 12:19 AM | | Comments (1)

    A Faster, Better Behaved Windows XP

    If you've been hunting around for stuff on Windows XP lately, you've surely noticed that there are about 500,000,000 web pages with material on the subject. maybe 500,000,000 and 1... but that might be stretching it.  Why then am I adding to that number?  I'm not in this just for the cheap thrill of building a new web page; I have a suspicion (now confirmed by some emails I've gotten) that the effort will turn into something worth the while of someone other than the author.  Then too, I like to gab about computers, Windows in particular, and I don't get to do a lot of it in real life.  So here is where I will talk about Windows XP and imagine that someone is listening.  And you are (you're here after all, right?:)), so thanks for dropping in... Source: Gord Braun

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 7:08 PM | | Comments (0)

    Joswiak: 'True to What an iMac Has Always Been About'

    After Apple unveiled the iMac G5 in Paris this week, Vice President of Hardware Product Marketing Greg Joswiak gave Macworld editors a guided tour of the desktop's new design. Among the topics of conversation: the iMac's cooling system, why FireWire 800 was left out, and how this new model fits in with Apple's objectives... Source: MacCentral What a great Q and A!

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 7:46 PM | | Comments (0)

    Ten CSS tricks you may not know

    8. Vertically aligning with CSS Vertically aligning with tables was a doddle. To make cell content line up in the middle of a cell you would use vertical-align: middle. This doesn't really work with a CSS layout. Say you have a navigation menu item whose height is assigned 2em and you insert this vertical align command into the CSS rule. It basically won't make a difference and the text will be pushed to the top of the box. Hmmm... not the desired effect. The solution? Specify the line height to be the same as the height of the box itself in the CSS. In this instance, the box is 2em high, so we would insert line-height: 2em into the CSS rule and the text now floats in the middle of the box - perfect! and other great tips... Source: evolt.org

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 8:42 PM | | Comments (0)

    Color schemes generator 2

    Another great hex color picker. This one allows you to choose a color scheme and then display pastel and pale variations.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 8:53 PM | | Comments (0)

    The Top 25 Censored Media Stories of 2003-2004

    #1: Wealth Inequality in 21st Century Threatens Economy and Democracy #2: Ashcroft vs. the Human Rights Law that Hold Corporations Accountable #3: Bush Administration Censors Science #4: High Levels of Uranium Found in Troops and Civilians #5: The Wholesale Giveaway of Our Natural Resources #6: The Sale of Electoral Politics #7: Conservative Organization Drives Judicial Appointments #8: Cheney's Energy Task Force and The Energy Policy #9: Widow Brings RICO Case Against U.S. government for 9/11 #10: New Nuke Plants: Taxpayers Support, Industry Profits #11: The Media Can Legally Lie #12: The Destabilization of Haiti #13: Schwarzenegger Met with Enron's Ken Lay Years Before the California Recall #14: New Bill Threatens Intellectual Freedom in Area Studies #15: U.S. Develops Lethal New Viruses #16: Law Enforcement Agencies Spy on Innocent Citizens #17: U.S. Government Represses Labor Unions in Iraq in Quest for Business Privatization #18: Media and Government Ignore Dwindling Oil Supplies #19: Global Food Cartel Fast Becoming hte World's Supermarket #20: Extreme Weather Prompts New Warning from UN #21: Forcing a World Market for GMOs #22: Censoring Iraq #23: Brazil Holds Back in FTAA Talks, But Provides Little Comfort for the Poor of South America #24: Reinstating the Draft #25: Wal-Mart Brings Inequality and Low Prices to the World Source: Project Censored.org

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 8:56 PM | | Comments (0)

    Mac OS X Hidden Files & Directories

    Mac OS X volumes contain quite a few files and directories (aka folders) that are invisible from the Finder (and many other interfaces). For the most part, they're hidden for good reason -- you generally don't need to worry about them, and in fact, probably shouldn't muck with them unless you know what you're doing. But just in case you find yourself needing to deal with them, here's a quick summary of what they're for... Source: Westwind Computing What a great list! People always ask me questions about hidden files/folders in OS X, and now I can say something other then "so you cannot see them."

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 9:02 PM | | Comments (0)

    CBS stations fined for Superbowl exposure

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Pop singer Janet Jackson's bare breast flash earlier this year will result in a record $550,000 fine for 20 CBS television stations, U.S. Federal Communications Commission officials said Tuesday... Source: CNN

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 9:44 PM | | Comments (0)

    OS X's Windows compatibility opens new avenues

    A Computer Reseller News article makes the case that Mac OS X's improved Windows compatibility opens new avenues -- for both users and resellers -- but that Apple isn't doing enough to push it in those new markets: "'The OSX has a strong argument for organizations that are heavily vested in Microsoft workflow because it can complement those environments well. It is a great opportunity for Apple to jump in and play with those organizations, but are people selling it that way? Probably not,' said Tekserve's Cohen, noting Apple doesn't charge for client access licenses." Source: CRN.com

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 7, 2004 10:38 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 8, 2004

    Jurassic Park DVD Review

    Everyone has his or her favorite movies. These are the films we almost live by, memorizing the script and repeating famous quotes in our daily lives. These are the films that impact us and specific moments are forever cemented in our minds. Welcome to "Jurassic Park."

    John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), leasing an island off the coast of Costa Rica, has cloned dinosaurs from ancient DNA and produced a theme park unlike anything else in the world. After a tragic incident involving a worker and one of the re-created inhabitants, a lawyer (Martin Ferrero), two paleontologists (Laura Dern, Sam Neil), and a chaotician (Jeff Goldblum), are brought to the island so they can take the grand tour, proving that the park is safe to wary investors. After a disgruntled employee (Wayne Night) shuts down the park security systems for his own purposes, the tourists are unexpectedly thrust into a battle for survival against creatures no man has ever seen alive.

    Continue reading "Jurassic Park DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 8, 2004 5:11 AM | | Comments (0)

    September 9, 2004

    The Lost World: Jurassic Park DVD Review

    What can you do when the magic is gone? Hopefully nothing. But when a studio puts out a movie that becomes the highest-grossing film of all time, you just know the sequel is coming at some point. It's just the way the industry works. Steven Spielberg steps behind the camera for the second time in the "Jurassic Park" series, wildly shying away from the book by Michael Crichton, but comes out with an uneven film that fails to recreate the experience of it's predecessor.

    After the financial disaster that was Jurassic Park, John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) sends a crew to document the second island of the project, Site B, which has flourished without human contact. Ian Malcom (Jeff Goldblum) is again brought into the mix after his girlfriend Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) leaves early on the expedition. Problems arise when InGen, now out of Hammonds control, decide to bring the thrill of the original park back to San Diego for public viewing. The two groups clash, but soon realize they both have the same objective: Survive.

    Continue reading "The Lost World: Jurassic Park DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 9, 2004 12:20 AM | | Comments (0)

    Welcome to the new Breaking Windows

    Yes, I know, 2.0 is so very original. But then so is this template. I was getting tired with a lot of things about my old site template, but I will be bringing parts of it back, don't you worry. I updated to MT 3.11 on my 5 blogs and did not have a hiccup on any of them but the one I have customized the most - Breaking Windows.

    Can't call method "id" on an undefined value at lib/MT.pm line 770.

    That is the error I get when trying to rebuild. I spend a day trying to figure it out, and MT support, although very responsive, have not been able to give me an answer.

    The easiest way is to start over. After all I now have TypeKey on my templates, and I didn't have to do a thing!

    I will make small changes here and there, until then the site will be in a little bit of disarray. It is still readable, and everything is here. I imported everything.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 9, 2004 3:00 AM | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)

    September 10, 2004

    iTunes Japan hits 'inadequate DRM' hurdle

    Apple's plan to open a Japanese version of its iTunes Music Store could be scuppered on local music companies' fears that its DRM technology, FairPlay, simply isn't restrictive enough...

    Existing Japanese digital music services do not support CD burning. They also charge from ¥200 ($1.83) a song - rather more than the Yen equivalent of the US store's $0.99 (¥108) download fee...

    Source: The Register

    It sounds to me like it sucks being a Japanese digital music lover!

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 10, 2004 1:11 AM | | Comments (1)

    Ten CSS tricks — corrected and improved

    Recent Evolt article Ten CSS tricks you may not know, is seeing plenty of discussion, so it deserves a bit of a critique.

    I posted this link the other day, and it sure has seen its fair share of linkage. It is also nice to see this appendix to the original article.

    Source: Tantek's Thoughts

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 10, 2004 1:27 AM | | Comments (0)

    POPFile v0.22.0 released, major improvements abound

    POPFile rocks! Now all I have to do is install this upgrade! I am not quite sure if I have all the needed perl modules for 0.22.0 but if not, its a quick download, Makefile.PL and install. I am excited in seeing the speed improvements, cleaner UI, and the support for NNTP! Once I have it installed I will have a full report on upgrading to 0.22.0 on OS X, as I have done in the past.
    This version consists of a major update to v0.21.0 with many improvements and bug fixes:

    1. History in database

    We've finally done away with the old method of keeping the message history in a single directory full of files (which was frankly flaky and hard to maintain). Messages are now placed in subdirectories with no more than 256 per directory. History is now moved it into the database along with all the other information that POPFile uses.

    This change brings two benefits: firstly it's a lot faster than previous versions because we can rely on the SQL database to do searching and sorting for us; secondly, it brings extra flexibility and we now have additional columns available in the history (we now have two time values (the date/time the message was received by POPFile and the date/time in the message header), the From, To, Cc and Subject headers and message size).

    2. Switch UI to HTML templates

    Back in the mists of POPFile time I grafted an HTML interface onto my little Perl script and POPFile was born. Unfortunately that HTML interface had grown into thousands of lines of ugly Perl and HTML interwined. This release completely separates out the HTML from the Perl.

    This has a number of advantages: firstly, POPFile's code is easier to maintain because it's simpler; secondly, skinning POPFile can now take advantage of the full power of HTML and not just a limited set of classes and lastly it's made it easy to expand the UI, which brings us to...

    Continue reading "POPFile v0.22.0 released, major improvements abound" »

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 10, 2004 2:20 AM | | Comments (0)

    Disney CEO Eisner to step down in 2006

    Michael Eisner said he plans to step down as Walt Disney chief executive when his contract expires in September 2006. Former Disney board members Stanley Gold and Roy Disney, who tried to oust Eisner earlier this year, went on the record in February saying that Apple and Pixar CEO Steve Jobs would make a great choice to run Disney after Eisner. Both Gold and Disney resigned last year in a dispute with Eisner, who has been criticized for numerous company missteps, most recently for not reaching an agreement to extend its partnership with Pixar.

    Source: MacMinute

    Bye bye Eisner, hello Jobs? I doubt that. I am glad to see Eisner go. Go read SaveDisney.org some time.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 10, 2004 11:01 PM | | Comments (0)

    Tribune Co. paid $301,000 to the wrong Mark Guthrie

    MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) -- A messy legal dispute has developed between a former newspaper carrier and Chicago Cubs owner, the Tribune Co., which mistakenly put $301,000 of a former pro baseball player's salary into the carrier's bank account last year.

    Source: SI.com

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 10, 2004 11:18 PM | | Comments (0)

    MyDoom worm creators ask for job in anti-virus industry, Sophos reports

    The creators of the latest versions of the MyDoom email worm have embedded a secret message inside their code, asking for a job in the anti-virus industry, researchers at Sophos have discovered...

    Source: Sophos.com

    Times must be getting tough for computer virus writers, heh.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 10, 2004 11:23 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 11, 2004

    Pup shoots man, saves litter mates

    PENSACOLA, Florida (AP) -- Nice shootin', Rex!

    A man who tried to shoot seven puppies was shot himself when one of the dogs put its paw on the revolver's trigger...

    Source: CNN

    Now that is something I have never heard of. Thanks for the link Brandon.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 11, 2004 12:58 AM | | Comments (0)

    Jurassic Park III DVD Review

    Michael Crichton is gone. Spielberg dropped down to executive producer. Jeff Goldblum suffered an injury before filming began and dropped out. The script is unfinished when filming starts. "Jurassic Park III" set itself up to be a disaster, but perseverance paid off to create an enjoyable, if lacking, survival movie filled with (yet again) brilliantly designed dinosaurs.... even if they don't fit in with the previous films in the series.

    Amanda and Paul Kirby (Tea Leoni and William H. Macy respectively) have lost their child on Isla Sorna, otherwise known as Site B in the Jurassic Park project, after a parasailing incident. Lying to get Alan Grant (Sam Neil) onto a plane for a fly-over in order to search for their son, the group faces a small problem when the pilot botches a take off, leaving them stranded on an island full of the most lethal predators the world has ever seen.

    Continue reading "Jurassic Park III DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 11, 2004 1:09 AM | | Comments (0)

    MT-Medic to the rescue

    What is MT-Medic you ask? It is a CGI for performing useful MT tasks, such as listing and verifying plugins, resetting passwords and granting blog creation permissions. It also just saved me a lot of grief. I did a stupid thing and nixed permissions to one of my blogs for my login. Bad idea! Thanks to 6A tech support for pointing this gem out. I got the permissions fixed in no time. Great little app to have installed!

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 11, 2004 2:32 AM | | Comments (0)

    TiVo, ReplayTV agree to limits

    The makers of TiVo and ReplayTV digital video recorders have agreed to limit how long consumers can keep pay-for-view movies stored on future versions of the VCR-like devices.

    The new technology also will allow Hollywood movie studios and broadcasters to regulate how often movies purchased through pay-for-view services can be watched. Digital video recorders that recognize these new copy restrictions will begin appearing in the spring of 2005. But it could be years before entertainment companies begin to take advantage of the technology, according to ReplayTV President Bernie Sepaniak...

    Source MercuryNews.com Via: /.

    Is this fair, or erosion of more fair-use rights?

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 11, 2004 1:32 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 12, 2004

    Remembering September 11, 2001

    (CNN) -- Three years after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, people across the United States and the world paused to remember the 2,973 people who were killed that day...

    Source: CNN

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 12, 2004 1:05 AM | | Comments (0)

    Developing Cross-Platform UNIX Applications with Mac OS X

    The ability to do cross-platform development is a strength of Mac OS X, as the UNIX underpinnings make it easy to develop applications on your Mac and port them to other flavors of UNIX for deployment. This article enumerates some of the tools that you can use to develop code on Mac OS X so that you can deploy that code on other UNIX-based platforms, and some things that you'll want to make sure to note before you get started...

    Source: Apple Developer Connection

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 12, 2004 1:10 AM | | Comments (0)

    Myst IV Revelation hits stores Sept. 28

    Ubisoft has announced that its new game Myst IV Revelation has gone gold master, the final step before a game enters duplication. The company expects Myst IV to hit store shelves on September 28, 2004. It will be released in hybrid format for Windows and Mac OS X on DVD-ROM for US$39.99 and has been rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB...

    Source: MacCentral

    It is great to see a new Myst so soon, especially since Uru never made it to the Mac.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 12, 2004 1:12 AM | | Comments (0)

    MT 3.1 Tutorial - Dynamic Pages with IIS 5.1

    Having had some issues to get the dynamic pages up n' running on my WindowsXP/IIS server, I decided to put down the main steps as a short tutorial for you. So, setup your new blog or take your old, upgraded one - I recommend going to MT 3.11, the currently latest version to ensure everything is running perfect.

    Source: Lutz-R. Frank

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 12, 2004 1:15 AM | | Comments (0)

    MT's completely search-friendly dynamic URLs

    The first few times I saw people worrying that the new dynamic PHP-based publishing in Movable Type 3.1x would mess up their permalinks, and make Google stop loving them, I didn't worry too much about it...

    Source: phil ringnalda dot com

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 12, 2004 1:16 AM | | Comments (0)

    First Blood DVD Review

    It's a shame that the "Rambo" series de-evolved into a cheap knock-off of other countless action movies. Most people write off the first film like they do the sequels. The original is a brutal, vicious, fight for survival against a small town that rejected the Vietnam War hero, based off an even more violent book. "First Blood" is not for the squeamish, but a great way to spend an evening if you don't mind some pretty grim scenes.

    John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) visits the small town of Hope, trying to find a friend he met in Vietnam. Upon his arrival, he finds his friend is dead (from cancer caused by the war) and is ushered out of town by the local sheriff (Brian Dennehy). Refusing to leave, he is taken in and abused by the authorities. After lashing out, he heads for a forest just outside of town where the battle between the Green Beret and local police force begins.

    Continue reading "First Blood DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 12, 2004 8:40 PM | | Comments (0)

    Rambo: First Blood Part II DVD Review

    The "popcorn movie" is a tradition in Hollywood. These are the movies that lack any sort of logic, plot, or believable acting, but are so much fun, you find yourself enjoying them in the anyway. It could be argued that "Rambo II: First Blood" is the original. You'll never see another movie with such a low level of logic produced again anytime soon. But, who cares? It's fun.

    John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is serving a rather short prison sentence for his crimes in the first film. Recruited by Colonel Samuel Trautman (Richard Crenna reprising his role), the man who trained him, Rambo is sent back in to Vietnam to see if any P.O.W.s remain. Though told only to photograph, Rambo takes things into his own hands along with Co Bao (Julia Nickson-Soul), learning the truth behind the camp in the process.

    Continue reading "Rambo: First Blood Part II DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 12, 2004 8:44 PM | | Comments (0)

    6 More GMail Invites to give away (again)

    First come, first served. Post a comment. The first 6 will get accounts. Good luck!

    Just put your email in the email field. Don’t put it in the comment body as MT only spam protects emails in the email field.

    I will close comments after I have 6 requests.

    Only 4 more left!

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 12, 2004 8:50 PM | | Comments (8)

    OmniWeb 5: Show Updated Bookmarks In Dock Icon

    I do not want to see how many bookmarks in OW 5 are updated. I have quite a large number of RSS feeds setup in OW 5 now, and that number on the Dock Icon can get pretty big. I also do not right-click the OW 5 Dock Icon to view the RSS feeds I have setup. I sent an email to the OW list and got the answer to my question from Brendan Sweeney. So thanks Brendan.

    Now I think to turn the Dock Icon feature on and off, there should be a check box in the Bookmarks section of the OW 5 preferences, but alas all we can do is open up the Terminal and type (or paste):

    defaults write com.omnigroup.OmniWeb5 ShowUpdatedBookmarksInDockIcon -bool false

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 12, 2004 11:11 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 13, 2004

    Beatles settlement could be 'biggest in legal history'

    According to Variety, the trademark dispute between Apple Computer and Apple Corps (which is owned by the Beatles) could end up costing the Mac maker a pretty penny. The publication said that an out of court settlement could be imminent and that it will "massively dwarf" the US$26.5 million Apple paid to the Beatles in 1991 over trademark use. One lawyer told Daily Variety, "People are expecting this to be the biggest settlement anywhere in legal history, outside of a class action suit. The numbers could be mind boggling."

    Source: MacMinute

    What the hell is the point? Why wasn't the US$26.5 million enough? Because lawyers are a** holes. And everyone is this world is sue-happy.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 13, 2004 7:48 PM | | Comments (6)

    'What's Apple been up to while Steve's away?'

    Ahh, The Joy of Tech is always a good laugh.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 13, 2004 7:51 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 14, 2004

    It's not the graphics, It's all about the limitations

    I consider myself a classic gamer. I wasn't really old enough when the first big boom hit back in the early 80's, but once the NES was available, it was over for me. Now, even today, I'm still playing the consoles of that era. Whenever people ask the simple question of "Why?" the answer is simple: Limitations.

    Let us use the example of my all-time favorite game for this experiment, "Samurai Shodown II" on the Neo Geo. For those who don't know, this is a one-on-one fighting game much like Capcom's famous "Street Fighter" series. The difference? It's actually more limited.

    Unlike the combo system of "Street Fighter," this is a game that restricts what the player can do, but it's all for the sake of a better game. Landing a hit on a skilled opponent, particularly the slower and hence more powerful ones, is a true accomplishment. You feel it. The game actually slows down for a brief second so a player knows his accomplishment. In "Street Fighter," you can land a hit and then follow it with many more in rapid fashion. "Samurai Shodown II" doesn't allow this, with each player battling for that one move that can end the bout, significantly enhancing the skill involved.

    Continue reading "It's not the graphics, It's all about the limitations" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 14, 2004 1:10 AM | | Comments (0)

    Rambo III DVD Review

    Believe it or not, Rambo is named after a brand of apples. Yes, one of the single greatest Green Berets in movie history is named after a fruit. I can't say for certain if the apple company still exists, but the movies are still revered by many as the greatest action films of all time. The series ended here with "Rambo III," a disappointment at the box office when it failed to make back one of the largest budgets in movie history at the time. This couldn't possibly be a surprise to anyone viewing it.

    Working at a monastery and stick fighting on the side for extra cash, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) now lives the solitary life. He is once again approached by his former commander, Colonel Samuel Trautman (Richard Crenna) to head into Afghanistan to help rebel forces fend off a Russian invasion. Refusing the offer, Trautman goes in with planned group but is captured. Unable to accept his commander and friends are held behind enemy lines, Rambo agrees to go in with minimal help to rescue the hostages.

    Continue reading "Rambo III DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 14, 2004 1:23 AM | | Comments (0)

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles DVD review

    Pop quiz: Name the most successful independently produced film in Hollywood history. Stumped? You're reading a review of the DVD right now. Hotter than Pokemon at their peak, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were a merchandising machine, and their current comeback is pretty strong as well. It didn't get much bigger than this however, the first feature film.

    Four mutated, talking, teenage turtles and their master, a giant, mutant, talking rat name Splinter, begin to defend New York against a major crime wave. At the heart of this big news story is the Foot Clan, led by Splinter's old nemesis Iroku Sakai, otherwise known as Shredder. With their master kidnapped by this group of thugs, the turtles join together with news reporter April O'Neal (Judith Hoag) and Casey Jones (Elisas Koteas) to rescue Splinter and save the city from the menace.

    Continue reading "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles DVD review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 14, 2004 3:09 PM | | Comments (0)

    Gefen offers Apple HD Cinema Display Extension Kits

    Gefen Inc. on Tuesday introduced new Apple HD Cinema Display Extension Kits. With distances ranging from 10 to 330 feet, the kits enable users to separate their computers from their Apple HD Cinema Displays while retaining high-definition resolutions up to 1920 x 1200 pixels. Depending on the length required, the kits contain just cables, or a Gefen DVI Repeater, a signal regenerating box that sits between two DVI cables, or a Gefen DVI-1000 HD Extender, which uses sender and receiver boxes to manage the length. Prices range from US$217 to $4,065.

    Source: MacCentral

    Just what I need to put my G5 on the floor, but not for $217!

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 14, 2004 3:11 PM | | Comments (0)

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II DVD Review

    You'll find a lot of people who consider the original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" to be a classic. I'm one of them. However, I'm in the minority of people who considers the sequel to be a classic as well, just on an entirely different level. Though it doesn't follow the comic book, lightening the mood and upping the humor level gives the film the tone of the cartoon that more people are familiar with.

    The Shredder, surviving the fall into the garbage truck at the end of the first film, kidnaps Professor Jordan Perry, head of TGRI, the company responsible for mutating the turtles. Creating two monstrosities of his own named Tokka and Rahzar with the scientists help, Shredder takes the advantage and even has the final canister of ooze that could mutate the heroes back into normal amphibians. With the deck stacked against them, the Turtles head into action with their new partner Keno (Ernie Reyes Jr.) to stop the Foot Clan from a complete take over of New York.

    Continue reading "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 14, 2004 10:53 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III DVD Review

    It has to be hard to keep a movie series going for three installments. "Jaws 3" failed miserably, "Robocop 3" was abominable, "Alien 3" didn't do so well, and it's better to forget "Critters 3." Yet another failure was "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III" which premiered a bit late into the merchandising phenomenon. The "Power Rangers" had settled in for their invasion and it doesn't take much thought to figure out that a distinct lack of care presides over this final film in the series.

    April O'Neal (Paige Turco, reprising her role from the second film) finds an ancient Japanese scepter at a pawnshop. Preparing to present the gift to Splinter, it suddenly sucks her into a time warp, sending her back Japan in the year 1603. The Turtles figure out the scepter and send themselves back in order to rescue April. Stuck in Japan, the four shelled heroes now must also defend a small clan from an overbearing warlord and his English counterpart.

    Continue reading "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 14, 2004 11:01 PM | | Comments (0)

    An ESPN programming snafu?

    Tonight I watched from 8-9 the World Series of Poker (WSOP) what I thought was going to be a 2 hr. special but at 9 they re-ran the 8 PM show. If you look at the schedule, tonight was supposed to be the finale. On the 11 PM SportsCenter they interviewed the winner, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer. How anticlimactic is that? I know you could go to the web site and find out if you wanted to, WSOP has been over since May, but for those of us who were watching the series on ESPN, we got short changed.

    Minor details, I know. But still.

    BTW, did you notice that 3rd place this year won as much as 1st won last year? Hell I would have gone for 57th place in this year's WSOP ($35,000).

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 14, 2004 11:47 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 15, 2004

    MT 3.1 Tutorial - Scheduled Posting on Windows/IIS 5.1

    Task Scheduler, which comes bundled with Windows attempts to make automation of tasks effortless. Unfortunately, it is not very configurable and basic in what it is capable of. On UNIX and Linux systems, Cron is what is used for task scheduling. This scheduler is very configurable, and is capable of well more then its Windows counterpart. Luckily, there is a little freeware tool available which simulates such a Cron-Job on Windows, PyrCron...

    Source: Lutz-R. Frank

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 15, 2004 10:58 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

    Now that's a piece of memorabilia...

    VERY RARE XBOX ALPHA II DEVELOPMENT KIT PROTOTYPE XDK

    Its not that expensive!

    Only for the insane collector, like Matt Paprocki himself, should bid on this. Thanks to Matt for the link.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 15, 2004 11:38 PM | | Comments (0)

    iTunes pricing unfair, says British consumer group

    British consumer watchdog group Consumers' Association, publishers of Which? magazines and books, on Wednesday announced that they've written to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) alleging that Apple may be unfairly pricing songs sold through the UK version of its iTunes Music Store. But they appear to be one of the few people who think so, if the comments of the organization's own head of policy is any indication.

    While Apple sells songs in Germany and France for €0.99, it sells songs in the UK for £0.79, or about €1.20...

    Source: MacCentral

    I would like to hear what Neil has to say on this (hint hint).

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 15, 2004 11:44 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

    September 16, 2004

    Dreamweaver MX 2004 FTP upload slow as molasses in January

    I have had it up to here with Dreamweaver's FTP upload. This was brought back to my attention today as I was updating the Print Materials page on the Robin For Congress Web site today.

    The FTP upload in Dreamweaver only has one saving grace. When I save a document, it will upload it to the server automagicly. Since I was in DW and did not feel like opening Fetch, I decided to upload the 3 PDF files. That was a bad idea. I forgot how bad DW's FTP upload was.

    So I uploaded these 3 PDF files in Fetch just to see the time difference. There is a big difference. I am not supprised. It took almost half the time to upload in Fetch.

    I have used DW since version 1.2. I have never been happy with the FTP upload feature in DW. You would think that at version 7.0.1 they would have made the FTP faster.

    Macromedia, are you listening? It is so slow I would go as far as saying unacceptable. The only reason I except it is because of convenience. And no I am not just talking about uploading PDF files. If I upload a folder full of HTML files in Fetch, it takes the fraction of the time that it does in DW.

    I am not impressed Macromedia.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 16, 2004 12:47 AM | | Comments (0)

    Digital Web Magazine Mena Trott Interview

    "We imagine a tool that everybody can use. We’re in the wireframe stage of a new way of blogging, and we’re extremely excited about that..."

    Source: Digital Web Magazine

    On a related note, wow did that site get a nice makeover!

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 16, 2004 2:34 AM | | Comments (1)

    FCC: Broadband Usage Has Tripled

    The number of broadband Internet subscribers in the U.S. has tripled since 2001, according to a new report from the Federal Communications Commission. Cable is the preferred broadband medium, with 75 percent of the market, compared to DSL with 15 percent...

    Source: News Factor

    You know what this means don't you? Now even more people can marvel and curse at your poor excuse for Flash programming skills as they fall asleep watching that pre-loader animation loop and loop and loop...

    This is very wonderful news for Web Monkeys everywhere. Having to create sites that are at least usable on a dial-up connection is no fun.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 16, 2004 3:30 AM | | Comments (1)

    Sun-Microsoft deal raises Open Office questions

    Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday said that it is looking for ways to work more closely with developers of the Open Office open source project, while at the same time, apparently reserving the right to sue them, according to a legal agreement between Microsoft and Open Office's major sponsor, Sun Microsystems Inc., made public this week.

    The agreement in question was signed in April of this year as part of Sun and Microsoft's landmark multibillion dollar settlement. It was released as part of Sun's annual U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings Monday...

    Source: MacCentral

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 16, 2004 6:52 PM | | Comments (0)

    A Tale of Two iPods: iPod vs hPod

    With the release of the new HP-branded version of the iPod, many consumers -- especially those using Windows-based PCs -- are wondering whether they should buy the original Apple-branded model or HP's version. We did some research to help you make the right decision; read on for all the details...

    Source: Playlist Magazine

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 16, 2004 6:57 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

    September 17, 2004

    iTunes is renaming my Artist Name field

    This is really annoying the _bleep_ out of me.

    I have decided since there is no separate fields for last name and first name that I am renaming all my music with Last Name, First Name in the Artist field. After all, this makes it easy to jockey the collection of music on my iPod.

    I recently did this to my entire Jimmy Buffett collection (my sincerest condolences to those who are not Buffett fans, but lets focus people). Now when I double click on a Buffett tune in iTunes, it magically changes it back to "Jimmy Buffett" and therefor it vanishes from the listing for the author listing I am looking at. Once more when I click that handy dandy arrow icon next to the Artist and Album names, it also rewrites the Artist field to "Jimmy Buffett."

    I renamed the Artist field to "Buffett, Jimmy" for a reason (as described above), and I have no clue why iTunes would be reverting the Artist field.

    Does anyone have a clue as to why? This is quite frustrating.

    UPDATE:
    It must have been a permissions error, my most favoritist and most common error and pain in the arese in OS X. I believe the permissions error came from when I copied my entire library from an external firewire drive to on of my internal drives in my G5. Firewire drives and permissions is one of those huge security problems with Mac OS X. So I am not that suprised here. My files had the user/group set to meancode/meancode, even though there is no "meancode" group. I set the group back to "admin" of which I am a part of, and now things work. Thanks to Bruce at Apple DIscussions for the suggestion.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 17, 2004 9:33 PM | | Comments (2)

    September 19, 2004

    StartupSound prefPane

    Thanks to a hint from Rob posted on the MacCentral web site, I now have a much quieter startup sound.

    Be sure to check out the StartupSound prefPane, which will allow you to control the volume of the startup sound. I have a nice set of speakers and a subwoofer and that startup chime sounds more like a "boom" with a fair amount of base. This is great until its 3 AM and I want to restart my computer.

    Sure you can use the mute button, but I am too lazy to remember to do that all the time. This prefPane is a gem.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 19, 2004 1:06 AM | | Comments (0)

    Terminator 2: Judgment Day DVD Review

    Time travel is such a tough subject for movies. No matter how much you think through it, there will always be a problem somewhere you couldn't possibly have considered and the film instantly loses credibility. "Terminator 2," even with some of the usual issues, remains strong with brilliantly designed action sequences and great continuity from the original film.

    Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), now in a mental institution due to her insistence that a cyborg from the future tried to kill her, is unable to care for her son, John Connor (Edward Furlong). In a foster home, the rebellious teen who will someday lead the humans against the machines is being tracked by a new version of the of the human/machine hybrids, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick). His only hope to survive is another T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger), sent into current times with sole purpose of protecting John.

    Continue reading "Terminator 2: Judgment Day DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 19, 2004 1:23 AM | | Comments (0)

    DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball XBox review

    You know what the hardest part of being a game reviewer is? Deciding whether or not you enjoy the game your playing. Not all the time of course, games like Halo make our lives that much easier. It's when a game like Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball come our way. It's not really a game, and it's not even what it claims to be on the box. So, am I actually enjoying myself....or am I being taken in by lots of glitz and glamour?

    Volleyball? Yeah, it's here, but it's more of a mini-game. You can gamble, buy gifts, buy swimsuits, and receive a bunch of items you will never (ever) need as far as gameplay is concerned. Actually, when you being to think about it, you don't even have to play volleyball to actually, well, "beat" the game. Then again, there really is no ending, nor is there any point to the proceedings either.

    Continue reading "DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball XBox review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 19, 2004 1:41 AM | | Comments (0)

    Synergy blew up

    Synergy, otherwise known as the QuickTime Streaming Server (QTSS) for the School of Art, blew up the other week. Every time you would reboot this 733 Mhz Quicksilver you would get a ugly looking Kernel Panic (KP). What is amazing is that I installed this QTSS a while ago, and it has had no problems up until now. Oh and by the way, this machine was running Mac OS X 10.0.3. That is why I am amazed it ran for so long. It has been running for years with no problems. Mac OS X 10.0.x, Server or Client, was not the most stable of Mac OS's.

    I am just very impressed that it ran for that long.

    Now it is running Mac OS X Server 10.2.8 as they had a copy of 10.2 Server and did not need to spend the $500 for 10.3 Server.

    No amount of fsck'ing helped. I just had to backup the data and install a clean OS. Of course considering the OS on the drive was so old, I wouldn't think of doing anything else.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 19, 2004 1:52 AM | | Comments (0)

    Vending machine outrage at BGSU

    I tell you, if I did not work for The BG News, I would have written a Letter to the Editor on this very subject already.

    At BGSU it used to cost $1.00 for a 20 oz. pop, water, Snapple, etc, etc. This summer they changed it to $1.25! Everything else got a healthy price bump. Chips that cost 50¢ now cost 75¢ or 80¢. Candy bars made the same jump in price that chips did.

    Granted this is not the most heathy food, but its convenient and its right around the corner of my office when I need some caffeine or some quick nourishment.

    But we are all slaves to the man, we pony up the extra 25¢  for a Dr. Pepper when we need it. Incedently if you walk your lazy but to any of the Dining Services mess halls you only pay $1.15, which is still an outrageous price if you ask me.

    You would think I would be smart and just put a 12 pack (of Dr. Pepper) in the fridge at work.

    I would really like to find out what the price hike is for, I am going to suggest this as a story idea to The News' staff.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 19, 2004 3:15 AM | | Comments (3)

    Die Hard DVD Review

    Bruce Willis was a virtual unknown at the time he secured the lead role of John McClane in "Die Hard." His biggest stint was on the TV series "Moonlighting," making this film just a slight change of pace. Add in a mix of Hollywood's best action writers, producer and director, and you've got an American classic.

    John Mclane (Willis) gets off his plane in New York, hoping to meet his estranged wife during a business party at Nakatomi Plaza on Christmas Eve. After finding her inside the 40-story building, a group of international terrorists led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) begins their plan to steal $640 million worth of bonds from a secured safe inside the building. Unbeknownst to them, the 11-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department beings to slowly dismantle their plans along with the help of a few friends.

    Continue reading "Die Hard DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 19, 2004 4:48 PM | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)

    Die Hard 2 DVD Review

    Vaulted into international superstardom with the release of the $80 million blockbuster "Die Hard," Bruce Willis became a household name practically overnight. Two years later, most of the cast and crew return for another round of action and comedy, but something went wrong. Missing the frantic pace of the original (or any respectable acting), "Die Hard 2" falls flat.

    John McClane (Willis) waits for his wife who is soon to land at Dulles Airport in Washington. Suspecting something is wrong, he is soon entangled in terrorist plot to rescue a drug lord from captivity. Leading the technically advanced group is Colonel Stuart (William Sadler) who soon discovers his plans going awry when McClane makes the first kill. Keeping his wife's plane in the air as a threat by cutting power to the landing strip, McClane has a short amount of time to help the numerous aircraft stranded in the air and make sure the escaping fugitive fails to make an exit.

    Continue reading "Die Hard 2 DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 19, 2004 4:58 PM | | Comments (0)

    Die Hard: With a Vengeance DVD Review

    For an action franchise to succeed, the series must continually up the ante, throwing characters in even more unbelievable situations. "Die hard: With a Vengeance" does just that. It's fast, it's funny, and light years ahead of the disappointing "Die hard 2."

    Once again, John McClane (Bruce Willis) finds himself on the wrong end of a bad day. A terrorist bomber named Simon (Jeremy Irons) is holding the entire city of New York hostage, requesting only McClane perform a wild series of tasks. Caught up in the mix is Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson), forced to tag along after inadvertently getting involved. With the police caught up in the situation, the terrorist group begins their plan of robbing the Federal Reserve Bank of $140 billion worth of gold.

    Continue reading "Die Hard: With a Vengeance DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 19, 2004 5:05 PM | | Comments (0)

    Pivot Stickfigure Animator

    This is cool. Look what some kid on Digital Press pulled off with it (clicky).

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 19, 2004 5:18 PM | | Comments (0)

    POPFile acting weird; SpamSieve installed

    I have been a long time supporter of POPFile, as it is a very good - free - software. Last week a problem began that I do not understand. All of a sudden I could not send mail when I had my incoming mail going through the POPFile proxy server. I do not understand it at all. When I switch my account settings to use my remote mail server it all works. I can send mail again. I have emailed for help, but have got no response. That is what you get for free, open source software.

    I could upgrade to v0.22.0 but that would be a lot of work. So why do it?

    I am evaluating SpamSieve and will pony up the $25 for this great software. I have had many of my clients buy SpamSieve for one reason: simplicity. Well that and it just works.

    Since POPFile has gone awry I need some kind of SPAM filtering. SpamSieve fits that bill very well.

    I am getting used to the SpamSieve interface. Right now I still prefer the web based UI of POPFile, but with time I am sure I will grow to like the SpamSieve UI. I can sure get used to classifying emails from within Entourage and not going to a web page to do that.

    So far there are no false positives, but 115 false negatives. I can live with the false negatives, but I grew very used to not having to classify those. No false positives is great, and in time I will be able to just delete my "Spam" folder without having to look through it.

    So after a couple days SpamSieve has performed as I figured it would. I am sure Michael Tsai would be happy. And he is someone that I know I can get ahold of if something goes awry. But that is what you get for paying for software.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 19, 2004 8:36 PM | | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (1)

    September 20, 2004

    Font Wars blog now online

    Everybody knows about Gutenberg, but how many people know about Stanley Morison, the legendary type designer who created Times New Roman.

    Explore kerning, baselines, character widths and all the other technical considerations of modern document fraud with some of the world's leading typography authorities on Jules Siegel's Font Wars blog.

    Although the reconstructed Bush Guard memos have been exposed, the search continues for the original documents that Marian Carr Knox, Killian's secretary, says she remembers typing. Today, Font Wars is looking at an authentic Pentagon memo written by George W. Bush and endorsed by Jerry B. Killian. Will the others look like this? If so, how was this document created?

    As you'll see, we have contributions from Adobe's Thomas Phinney and other folks with awesome expertise in the art, technique and history of digital typography.

    I'm hoping that this very specialized blog will evolve into a general gathering place for people who love type. This is all so exciting that my little heart is going pitter-pat. Kerning on the Evening News? I never thought I'd see that in my lifetime. I mean, it never even occurred to me. How could it?

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 20, 2004 1:45 AM | | Comments (0)

    ESPN makes Motion available for Mac sports fans

    ESPN.com has made its video player ESPN Motion available to Mac users, the Web site announced on Monday. Sports fans can add or subtract video clips to or from Motion's playlist and watch streaming sports highlights in any order they want. The video can be enlarged or paused during playback, with a control available for the audio level. You don't need to download and install any software to make Motion work, although ESPN.com does recommend viewing clips in Safari, Netscape, Mozille or Firefox -- Internet Explorer only offers limited compatibility. The Flash 6 plug-in is required, however.

    Source: MacCentral

    Ummm, yea. Its about friggin' time! And it works great in OmniWeb 5.0.1, by the way.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 20, 2004 6:21 PM | | Comments (0)

    Apple could quiet Beatles with iTMS spin off

    Forbes' Arik Hesseldahl says that Apple could put the legal dispute with the Beatles behind them if it would spin off the iTunes Music Store: "Apple could make this entire thing go away by spinning off the entire iTunes Music Store as a subsidiary and stop promoting it under the Apple name. This would harm its prospects not one bit. No one who's been awake during the last year hasn't heard of an iPod or seen it in one of those TV ads in heavy rotation....

    Source: MacMinute

    Well they spun of the iPod, why not iTunes? Will they do it? Will it be fragmented too much if they do? Why not spin off the PowerBook and the PowerMac, and then have OS X a spin off as well? Yes I am being silly here, but this has happened before. Apple spun off Claris, then brought it back in, then spun it off as a new name, FileMaker, then retained ClarisWorks under the Apple brand. Its all fun and games... Well it worked for FileMaker. We do not know if it is working for the iPod, we assume it is.

    To dodge a legal bullet with The Beatles and Apple Corps, whch seems like a really stupid lawsuit if you ask me, it might make sense. Of course then we can really see how much (or little) money that the iTMS makes. Apple would not be able to pad the iTMS financial data with sales of iPods. Oh no!

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 20, 2004 7:20 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

    Air Force Delta Storm XBox Review

    The Dreamcast had quite a few flight games in its time. Game such as Iron Aces, Aerowings, and it's sequel set a high standard for the console. A little known game called Air Force Delta popped up on the console soon after launch and was largely overlooked. (Honestly though: flight sim, Soul Calibur?) Had more people taken notice, the masses would've found a game strong enough to stand up to Namco's awesome Ace Combat games. Konami has taken the same basic foundation laid down by the first game, juiced up the graphics, added full 5.1 surround sound support, and has created one of the best arcade style flight games ever.

    Continue reading "Air Force Delta Storm XBox Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 20, 2004 8:11 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

    Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance XBox review

    I'm NOT an RPG fan. The occasional one may catch my interest, but they really are few and far between. I'm more of the hack/slash/kill repetitively type. Hence why I'm so infatuated with Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance here on the X-Box. There are a few instances where you'll be annoyed, but most of this 8-hour romp should be a highly enjoyable experience.

    Continue reading "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance XBox review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 20, 2004 8:16 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 21, 2004

    Firefox drawing fans away from Microsoft IE

    Open-source browsers Mozilla and Firefox have won over a significant number of defectors from Microsoft's Internet Explorer in the past nine months, Web site metrics suggest...

    Source: C|Net News.com

    Firefox rules and Internet Explorer drools!

    Sorry, couldn't resist.

    I am sure the statistics that are taken more accurately reflect the Windows using world (as I am pretty sure Safari outweighs that of Moz based browsers on the Mac). And quite frankly I am pleased with those percentages (read the linked article). I really hope more people start using Firefox over Internet Exploder.

    I have converted WinIE using people to Firefox, and you can too! Fight the good fight people, yea, or something like that.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 21, 2004 12:23 AM | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)

    Guess what doesn't belong

    Looks like shopping for your two-year old just got a little more difficult.

    (They fixed it today. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was for sale on this page for 2 yr. olds.)

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 21, 2004 9:57 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 22, 2004

    Star Wars: A New Hope DVD Review

    Every time someone watches "Star Wars" it becomes a part of them. These films affect people in a way almost no other movie could. They have created their own culture, one bound by rules someone outside of the nearly cult-like institution could never hope to comprehend. It's not just something the United States is caught in either. These films have taken over people's lives worldwide. It's pretty impressive considering this is a story that might have stayed inside one man's head forever.

    Continue reading "Star Wars: A New Hope DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 22, 2004 8:31 PM | | Comments (0)

    Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back DVD Review

    Ask twenty or so non-Star Wars fans who directed the first sequel in the popular franchise and 19 will likely get it wrong. Ask them what the major twist is at the end of the film and all of them will likely get it right. That's the effect this movie had on pop-culture. Darker and more powerful than the original, "Empire Strikes Back" doesn't rely on major special effects sequences (though it has those too), but on developing the characters created in the original.

    Continue reading "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 22, 2004 8:40 PM | | Comments (0)

    Star Wars: Return of the Jedi DVD Review

    You know something special is happening when people give a standing ovation to the opening of a movie. For those who have never experienced it, rabid fans of the "Star Wars" series tend to go crazy when the Lucasfilm logo appears on the theater screen, stop for a brief second, and then let loose a second time when the flawless John Williams' theme signals the beginning. It's an experience only matched by the films themselves.

    Continue reading "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 22, 2004 8:46 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

    Star Wars DVD Bonus Features Review

    The fourth disc of the Star Wars Trilogy box set contains just about everything you could possibly need to know about this franchise. It does become a bit too promotional at times, but with the almost flawless "Empire of Dreams" documentary, all is forgiven. A few other shot featurettes round off this disc.

    Continue reading "Star Wars DVD Bonus Features Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 22, 2004 8:54 PM | | Comments (0)

    6 More GMail Invites to give away (yet again)

    First come, first served. Post a comment. The first 6 will get accounts. Good luck!

    Just put your email in the email field. Don’t put it in the comment body as MT only spam protects emails in the email field.

    I will close comments after I have 6 requests.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 22, 2004 8:59 PM | | Comments (6)

    Solving PostScript errors

    Solving PostScript errors is never fun. But I have done my fair share at the newspapers I have worked for. Here is a great list of solutions to the problems. I wish I had found this earlier, it could have helped! There are some great explanations here.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 22, 2004 9:07 PM | | Comments (0)

    Sony to support MP3 music files

    Sony said today that is working to add native MP3 support to its portable music players. "The shift from reliance on its proprietary Atrac format will begin with flash memory-based players, but plans are still being finalized on how and when products will add MP3 support," reports CNET News.com. "Sony is revisiting its MP3 strategy at a time when competition in the digital music market is heating up--and threatening to leave the company behind. The surprise move could portend a major strategy reversal for the consumer electronics giant, with important ramifications for the fledgling online music market."

    Source: C|Net News.com via MacMinute

    Holy Toledo Batman! Sony is going to embrace a standard! This is unheard of.

    Call me when I can play a MP3 on that new 20 GB HD model, you know the NW-HD1 Such a catchy name isn't it?

    I am really floored though. I thought I would never see the day that Sony would use a standard format.

    They will never catch the iPod, but its fun to watch them try. Maybe Sony should pull a HP and just license the real deal.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 22, 2004 9:14 PM | | Comments (1)

    Study: Life without Net is unbearable

    Researchers investigating how people would react to not having Internet access got off to a rough start. "It was incredibly difficult to recruit participants as people weren't willing to be without the Internet for two weeks," said Wenda Harris Millard, chief sales officer of Yahoo, and a sponsor of the study. Half of the participants said they could not go without the Internet for more than two weeks, while others found it more difficult than expected, and in some cases impossible, the researchers reported.

    Source: CBS MarketWatch via MacMinute

    I don't think I would have a mail server left or a host that would like me if I went two weeks without checking my spam-mail!

    I think I would go insane with no Net access. Would you?

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 22, 2004 9:17 PM | | Comments (2)

    September 24, 2004

    First quiz in Art History 146

    Last week I took my first quiz in Art History 146. I did OK, I got a C with 18/25. There were two Dutch painters on the slide list that I did not study because we did not see their paintings in class. They were on the quiz. I would have got those right too, so I could have gotten a 21/25 as I would have known three more paintings. I mentioned this to the teacher, but it didn't seem to matter much.

    Considering I have failed this class in the past, I am pretty happy with a C on my first quiz. We are getting into the High Renaissance in Italy, and these are easy because I am very familiar with the art of that time period. There is another quiz on October 1, and our first big test on October 6. Wish me luck!

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 24, 2004 12:55 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

    There's No "I" in Golf


    Joel Hammond thinks today's golfers are too self-centered in their goals, as evidenced by the Tiger Woods / Phil Mickelson pairing for this year's Ryder Cup.

    Continue reading "There's No "I" in Golf" »

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 24, 2004 1:21 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

    September 26, 2004

    Digital Press Video Games Advance Guide Review

    Digital Press makes no sacrifices when it comes to classic gaming. Their seven gaming guides are some of the most thorough on the market while site creator Joe Santulli runs the Classic Gaming Expo every year. But something was missing, namely a lack of attention to those consoles us late-bloomers remember so fondly like the Sega Genesis and 3DO. Services rendered.

    Continue reading "Digital Press Video Games Advance Guide Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 26, 2004 5:07 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (4)

    Burnout 3: Takedown XBox Review

    Never before in the history of video games has a series improved like Criterion's "Burnout." The original was a nice but unremarkable arcade style racer, while the sequel added in addictive qualities with the spectacular crash junctions. Now published by EA but developed by the same team, "Burnout 3" is the best racer this week, this month, this year, this decade, and possibly of all time.

    Continue reading "Burnout 3: Takedown XBox Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 26, 2004 5:26 PM | | Comments (0)

    September 29, 2004

    .Mac bumps up storage capacity, improves mail

    Apple has improved the services offered to subscribers of .Mac. Previously, the amount of storage for a basic .Mac account was 100MB, with a maximum of 15MB for e-mail. The service's base online storage has been increased to 250MB, e-mail service has been enhanced, and the cost of upgrading has been reduced. .Mac's basic subscription price remains the same -- US$99.95 per year...

    Source: MacCentral

    What a sweet deal! And I just renewed my .Mac earlier this month. It is also a nice touch that you can change the allocation between iDisk and Mail storage. Now I am not so worried about publishing more photos to my HomePage on .Mac.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 29, 2004 6:01 PM | | Comments (0)

    My Dream PowerBook

    I just bought my dream PowerBook. Here are the specs:

    • 1.5GHz PowerPC G4 with 128MB Graphics Memory (ATI Mobility Radeon 9700)
    • 512MB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 SO-DIMM (another 512 MB stick can be had cheaper elsewhere)
    • 80GB Ultra ATA drive @ 5400 rpm
    • SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
    • Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
    • AirPort Extreme Card
    • APP for PowerBook (w/ or w/o display) - Enrollment Kit
    • 15.2-inch TFT Display

    So now it is perfectly fine for Apple to release their new PowerBooks tomorrow at the same price, with either dual G4 processors or a low heat (ha ha) G5 chip in them.

    Now I know some of you are shaking your heads. "Ken, you just bought a PowerMac G5, and you have a PowerBook G4, what in the world do you need with another PowerBook?" Ahh, but Simon didn't say. This baby is not for me. This is for our Student Publications Graduate Student Stephanie. She is a first time Mac buyer, and she is fed up with her Pentium III-powered Dell at home. Not wanting to buy another PC, she decided it was time to get a Mac. Viruses in her email were enough to bring her back from the Dark Side, but she also really enjoys using the Macs we have at work.

    I am as exited to see this new PowerBook as she is, I cannot wait to see the speed difference between my 1 Ghz and the new 1.5 Ghz, with the 128 MB of graphics memory.

    Fun fun fun, it should be here within a week.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 29, 2004 6:33 PM | | Comments (0)

    Instant video game collection

    SUPER-HUGE VIDEO GAME SYSTEM & ACCESSORIES LOT! 1355 ITEMS W/ OVER 290 WORKING SYSTEMS!!!

    Holy bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, hell! THAT is an auction.

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 29, 2004 7:52 PM | | Comments (0)

    Careers at EB Games

    Web Production Assistant
    Responsible for compiling and maintaining content for EBgames.com products. Research and merchandise related add-on products in addition to maintaining the product database with accurate ESRB ratings, specifications and descriptions...

    Sounds pretty dull to me! But thanks for the link Matt.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 29, 2004 8:33 PM | | Comments (0)

    Free computer magazines

    These are mainly trade magazines, but some I have found are not bad at all. (Computer Shopper, Dr. Dobb's, and an assortment of others.)

    Thanks to Matt for the links.

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 29, 2004 8:37 PM | | Comments (1)

    Review: Fable

    Peter Molyneux and Lionhead satellite Big Blue Box have finally after more then three years released an amazing action-RPG that deserves your hard earned simolians. If you like your hack and slash with a bit of role playing mixed into the fold, you can't go wrong here.

    Fable has been one of the most anticipated games for the XBox. Forget Halo or Halo 2. Fable has (publicly) been around under one name or another since 2001 when it was introduced at E3.

    Continue reading "Review: Fable" »

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 29, 2004 10:46 PM | | Comments (4)

    September 30, 2004

    200 Answers


    This is one heck of a meme, commandeered from Neil who got it from Daisy. The following are 200 statements, the ones that apply to me at the moment are in bold. A lot of these are due to the fact that I was a Cub Scount/Boy Scout since the time I was in grade school, and I am sure some of this you did not want to know, but, touch luck! And yes this is the truth, Scout's Honor.

    Continue reading "200 Answers" »

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 30, 2004 2:16 AM | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

    Top 10 Secrets They Don't Want You to Know About the Debates

    (10.) They aren't debates!

    "A debate is a head-to-head, spontaneous, structured argument over the merits of an issue," Rice says. "Under the ridiculous 32-page contract that reads like the rules for the Miss America Pageant, there will be no candidate-to-candidate questions, no rebuttal to your opponent's points, no cross questions or cross answers, no rebuttals, no follow-up questions -- that's not a debate, that's a news conference."

    Source: NPR Via: Waxy Links

    Will you be tuning in?

    Posted by Ken Edwards on September 30, 2004 4:45 PM | | Comments (0)

    South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut DVD Review

    How could a group of four grade school children begin the apocalypse? Does it matter when that group consists of Kyle, Stan, Kenny, and Eric? Released from the constraints of cable TV, "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone let loose in an attempt to offend every single person in the modern world.... and come out with one of the funniest movies of all time.

    Continue reading "South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 30, 2004 7:07 PM | | Comments (0)

    Godzilla (1998) DVD Review

    It obviously wasn't enough for Hollywood to ruin on of its own. After the mid-70's slaughter of "King Kong," eyes turned to Japan and the "Godzilla" series. Numerous scripts, directors, and writers tackled the subject throughout the 80's and early 90's, but it ended up in the hands of Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich. Coming off the wildly successful "Independence Day," these two took it upon themselves to destroy everything Toho had created.

    Continue reading "Godzilla (1998) DVD Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 30, 2004 7:13 PM | | Comments (0)

    Dead or Alive 3 XBox Review

    I'll get it out of the way right now.... This game is gorgeous. In fact, it's quite possibly the best looking game I've ever seen. Of course, as die-hard gamers, we know that graphics don't make a game. "Dead or Alive 3" stays pretty close to its predecessor's roots and very little has changed in the area of gameplay.

    Continue reading "Dead or Alive 3 XBox Review" »

    Posted by Matt Paprocki on September 30, 2004 7:20 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)



    Blog Hosting by Meancode Media



    Breaking Windows is © 2003
    by Ken Edwards and Matt Paprocki. Some Rights Reserved.
    Contact Ken: ken [at] meancode [dot] com
    Contact Matt: videogamer [at] bex [dot] net

    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of any corporation, business entity, group or club the author has ever been associated with. Feel free to quote anything I say but do me the courtesy of a link back (see Creative Commons license).