I gave into the evil known as Verizon for the EVDO. They dropped the all-you-can eat another $20 (so still $60 USD) and finally let a few handsets be used tethered. Still, all of their other bullshit applies with even one other twist, being you can't browse from the handset directly on your data plan unless you get their cheesy Vcast video crap. It is pretty damned cheesy too. It works okay from a tech stand-point but they're making little one to three minute clips from our already existing plethora of useless crap content. Why, oh why couldn't they have setup some plain old audio streaming too, like a nice little mini-shoutcast. There's no way in hell they'd ever just allow one to just punch in any old URL and stream so at least the previously mentioned but I digress
Back to my point. HP rx3715 + bluetooth DUN (yeah, DUN over BT actually works but not out of the box. Still had to google up some stupid "5up3r 53cr3t h4x0r c0d3" in order to enable it. Motorola is VZW's bitch...) and I'm streaming all the video and [mostly] music I want. Skype works damn nice too, but shhhh, don't tell my new VZW overlords. So yeah, it's still the goddamned multi gadget-juggling side-show act which should have been eliminated at least three years and I'm stuck in a contract with the demagogue of greedy, overbearing carriers but this klude will do for now and it's going to take about the length of my contract for Cingular to get UMTS widespread enough and to get a nice handset to market.
I did omit the part about the horrible marketing, didn't I? Thanks.
It'll probably be safe to assume that the CE industry will not skimp on marketing with this one, considering everything they've done towards getting a product to market.
So what will be the general reactions then of the consumer who gets the raw deal then? Grumblings that soon parlay into "Oh well, time to abandon my perfectly good 2-5 year old set for the bigger, shiny-er box that WILL play nice with that HD-DVD player i NEED. <slackjaw>DRM? Whuuuu...? </slackjaw>"
So ah, would it be correct to call it ironic that here in the US we have this asinine FCC HDTV/digital TV debacle going on but this DRM driven issue (like many others) is slipping right under the radar? Don't people get that left unchecked that a DRM mentality can, and IMHO will, lead to a day where the individual can no longer own a personal copy of any content? Doesn't the idea of paying a leasing fee every time one wants to view/read/hear something get anyones attention? I often wonder how far things could go? If that sort of DRM were in place with laws to back it then what's to say the various industries won't move on to get independent publishers outlawed? That's an outcome I believe will come to pass. Look at the telcos vs. municipal wifi efforts. I don't think for one minute that the RIAA/MPAA aren't already rubbing their greedy hands together in anticipation for all the pieces (meaning greased congressmen and laws they promote) to fall into place and enable such legislation to be easily, silently conjured into reality. It really makes my skin crawl.
Better yet, just no one buy this crap. It worked to kill off that Divix self destructive DVD-like disk horseshit so why not here? JUST DO NOT BUY IT! Cut and dry.
My dad and I shared it. We started out with just the console, a tape recorder and an RF modulator hooked up to an old 13" B&W TV set. We eventually ended up with the expansion chassis, twin 5.25 drives and a GARGANTUAN 32K memory expansion card. 32K. In a steel clad case the size of a paper back and you had to pop it into a box the size of two bread boxes. I remember mowing a hell of a lot of lawns to get that silly card.
Indeed. I don't know about you but what makes that goddamned ringer truly annoying to me is it is nothing more than a harbinger of the doom which is to follow. That would be the LOUD, often pointless yapping of the human slave of the evil little bits of plastic and metal. I mean c'mon people, why in the hell do you need to imitate someone making a transatlantic call in the 1940's?
How many of you have been captors on a commuter train with about ten conversations like that going on? Let me tell you, it's just rich because not only must they try to implode the eardrum of the other participant on the far end of the call (who is most likely also loudly yapping away on their cell in a restaurant/theater/church/train near you) but absolutely MUST drown out the sounds of all surrounding mobile yapping competitors. As for the folks who are trying to have a normal conversation with their fellow passengers they rarely stand a chance. I've personally asked quite a few mouthy mobilenauts to keep it down. I mean, if I can hear them despite the fact I'm wearing IEM earphones and the volume around 40-50% on my stereo and they're two seats back, well then, it's definitely time to STFU! God I am glad I almost never fly. It's going to be ugly when VZW et al gets the FCC and FAA to allow for in flight usage.
Oh, and pretty much every one of the afore-mentioned features are already here for series 60 smart phone users, i.e. many Nokias, Siemens, and those Sony Ericsson PDA things. They are third party apps but they exist and work. One would triangulate your location from tower information and you could assign profiles to locations. It was pretty slick... when it wasn't crashing my old 3650:-D
You have got me there friend, a very fine point indeed. Sharing is a great reason to own one and from what I have read and even seen the video ipod works well for that. Too bad the current market trend is towards every individual buying a copy for personal use only. It really irritates me that someday DRM will be pervasive enough to make certain one can't even plug their portable device into someone Else's TV and share. Ahhhh memories... Reminds me of a time years ago when I had a friend who lived in the local mountains. There's an entire community up there but they have no over-the-air TV and at the time DVS was in it's infancy and cable there was non-exitant. I used to tape shows for her and family and when me and my wife visited every week or two we would bring them a box of stuff to watch. It sounds arcane, I know. Truth is they were only a twenty minute drive from such stuff but the social implications were grand and it was neat to experience such a thing within 50 miles of LA, CA, USA. For the record, that was about 1993 and my friends I speak of resided (and still do now with good DSL AND DVS) in Wrightwood, CA, USA. I kinda miss our weekend treks up there wit a box of videos and the times we spent just talking and watching shows, even though my wife and I already viewed. We hardly see them anymore. I wonder what that says to the social implications...
As for the mock-up, yup, very nice. I'm a Apple customer (3 computers, various iPods) and I doubt it will, if it even surfaces, be anything like that. And even if it does to be honest I'll be quite happy with my little nano and if I want video on the road the PSP is fine. Now, if I want to share some video then what I really want is form my damn Tivo to not be so damned hobbled and just let me allow a few selected folks to stream from me from their homes. We all have fat enough pipes into and out of our houses. I don't want to thwart the studios from producing content or from selling seasons on DVD. Hell, I've bought some TV shows on DVD and I have got to say it's nice. But for the sharing of a few shows in the lower quality and with commercials (that we can skip, admittedly) with a few family and friends I honestly don't believe we pose much of a threat to the present arcane business models for TV. Live and let watch. It gives us all something to talk about and keep coming back. Well, as long as the producers can come up with some half-way watchable content that is;-)
Eh, quite the contrary for me. I hung onto my 1st gen old 5GB clicky wheel thing until I was little more than a 386 user in a Pentium world. Hell, it still works all but for an overbaked battery. I did have a mini for awhile and was perfectly happy with it until I bought my wife a nano and realized how crappy the sound quality was but if it wasn't for that I'd still have said mini. But needless to say I now have a nano of my own, my son has my old mini and I pro'lly won't give up the nano until, I dunno, the fucking iPod neural implant comes about?
<curdmudgery>Now follows some of my experiences with and thoughts on gadgets on the go, video included - and why I won't be buying a video iPod anytime soon. Meh. Too many toys and too damned often. Find one that just does the job well and use it until it dies. Chances are there will be something shiny and 10 times better to replace it when your beloved device gives up the ghost and you won't be a pennyless gadget whore after waiting it out. Let the the other gadget whores support the constant onslaught for you. I mean c'mon, video on the go? I commute by train and see many folks squinting at their ipods and Archoses, er Archi, et al and it seems more a pain in the ass than anything. I even tried the whole video snarfing thing to my PSP - even had it scripted out so that other than the time consuming part of it I had to do little more than pick a show or two to suck off the Tivo, plug in the PSP to charge and download and then just dismount it grab and go in the morning. That lasted about 3 months at best. I went back to playing games on it or just reading and left the TV viewing for home. IMHO, Video-on-the-go is novel but unless you're on a long trip nothing replaces sitting down at the end of the day to a nice show or two. Why the hell do you want to spend your commute times or lunch in your cube watching more toob when you can read, (not for you drivers) have conversations, mess with your computer or go take a walk to lunch with friends? Enough with the video, put down the cellphone and socialize. As for the PSPs (and Nintendo DSes) You can make many friends on a bus/train/carpool with network gaming. Good times and much more entertaining than hunkering down over a TV show, movie or two. The video part is just a sales gimmic, play with your friends. Play with yourself! Um, wait...
This last bit is even further off topic but this reminds me of something along similar lines of thought. Like I said before, I commute almost two hours each way daily by train and I am absolutely amazed at how many people, sitting next to one another will gab the entire trip on their mobiles and yet never even strike up conversation with those around them on the train, day in and day out. We see each other every damn day and at least a forth (or so it seems) manage more than a cursory good morning/evening to our fellow, consistent traveling companions. Weird.</curdmugery>
Oh yeah, visions of late 70's early 80's TV shows proclaiming pot roast ala plenum chamber did come rushing to mind. (And yes, I do realize the plenum is no place to heat your grub, it just sounded good. So there. Meh.)
-C
But my friend, this is AMERICA! Can't I just take out a 3rd/4th/5th mortgage on the house I don't actually own and just buy myself some hygiene and a boob job (wait I'm a guy, do I need boobs?) and another SUV? Lord GWB sez I should. Hmmmm...;-)
My prayer
--Oh dear Jesus, just give me a decent bicycle equipped with an EMP device so I can ride from point A to point B without getting ran over by some ditz in a Hummer who's yapping away on their mobile going 80mph and I'll call myself whatever religion you desire and brand "I'm Jesus' BITCH!" on my ass and moon the world. That's all I ask even if I'm not worthy and have absolutely nothing to offer you.
Doh! Sorry my friend, I forgot the tags. Um, aren't they taken for granted now? J/K:-D Have a good one. No, really, mean that no (puns) or tags implied....
Oh, damn, it's late, let me clarify. NOT THE KID IN THAT FRIGGIN' MOVIE FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!! The goddamned robot girl at the beginning of the movie! Her! I want her! More 'Nuff said...
Grumble.. curmudgeon grumbling ensues...
Yeah, that's right. I want a little cutie like that one in that goddamned robot chik-flick flick my wife made me watch with the little robot kid,er, AI or Erore does pooh-bear or fried green tomatoes or whatever the hell. I want one with multiple meat ports I can interface. And that's not all, damnit! I want an SLA that states I can send her dirty little rump to the crusher with my choice of "transference" of the best moments and get a tight, nubile and fresh little replacement. It's the least bit all these goddamned machines owe me after so many years of catering to their pithy needs. A gourmet meal, some fine drinks, and never hear "I'm tired, I have headache" after a long one at the data center making certain all that pr0n gets to where it has to go is all I ask for whatever ridiculous third mortgage I'll need to take out to get it. This is America damnit! Where's my screw-bot?!? 'Nuff said.
Wow, Apollo. I'm old enough to remember news coverage of some of the missions. Do you perhaps have any linkage to online renditions or mentions of said articles?
On a sadder note, my Dad and I started studying for our HAM licenses way back when and as my typical luck would have it something monitarily bad happened about the time I was ready to go and that was the end of that. Then along came these blasted computers and we both forgot all about HAMery and such... I still have (and in semi-working order) the old 1941 Halicrafter receiver that got us started down that path. Consider the rare and coveted Tube 80, godforsaken valve what that it was.
Pardon me but that is an Eludium PQ-38 Explosive Space Modulator. That, my bipodal friend, is what I will use to get that pesky Earth out of my view of Venus. There will be such an earth-shattering kaboom and then I will have a clear view to study my beloved Venus. Now just where did I put my PQ-38 Space modulator...
Why yes, I do see a different story. Here's my rendition of the headlines:
Wireless Execs Hold Hands, Sing Songs of Praise and Feast On Fresh Babies Over New Text & Picture Messaging Protocol!
So in other words expect something like this to start showing up in your mobile plan details. New and exciting value butt-fuck messaging pack: 300 text messages / mo. $9.99 + $0.25 per message you want to retain beyond 40 sec. timeout. Unlimited messaging + retention for $21.99 a month. Void where prohibited, 1 or 2 year contract required. Screw Wireless, we never stop trying. To rob you blind...
Honestly, I didn't read the entire article but the skimming I did do made him out to be a rectaly interfaced marionette in my view.
Still, my overal point was WTF are we doing, still having these sorts of conversations when we should be collaborating on the creation of the labels to replace the RIAA. GET RID OF THESE DOUCHE-BAGS! I don't want to buy what they're selling and I want the artists to start getting what they're worth for a change.
"Well, okay, I know why the RIAA is trying; what's this guy's excuse?"
He's pro'lly an RIAA butt-pupet? He sounds like on at least.
The RIAA will never let this go. It breaks their age-old business model that enables them 100% control of the music market. I've ranted this before so here's my condensed version. People, it's time to turn our collective back on the RIAA and to create a new system of distribution. There's plenty of oportunity in that idea for many people to make a good living. Well, that is until whatever system that gets created gets corrupted.
Ian Callens, Icomm Technologies, explains: "This is a very difficult issue to manage and a real threat to business continuity and data security. If someone is seen in the workplace using an iPod it's more than likely that it's for the wrong reasons - either podslurping or downloading music without permission. This is relatively easier to police."
In the words of one of my favorite episodes: "Hey screw you clown!" Hmmm, Yes it is their network and their hardware. I asked if they minded me installing a podcasting client and hooking up my ipod occasionally to sync new shows and to charge it.
Here's a few thoughts to chew on: We as employees can assume no rights. Just ask permission. As employers, you guys have a responsibility to a)stop treating employees like criminals and possibly breeding the sort of feelings that would push one to steal in the first place. b)Do better research, spend a little more on background checks and an extra interview if you're hiring someone to work on such sensitive stuff. c)Pay more money to and take your time to hire and retain the higher quality people and ony allow them access to said data.
Yeah, yeah, call me off-topic but that little paragraph set me to rant mode. But my rant covers the overal issue of people possibly schleping sensitive data out of the workplace on customer electronics stuff. If you take away the cameras, PDAs, cellphones, ipods, laptops, etc, and mind you we now rely on many of those devices as tools of our trades, a determined theif will find other ways to mule it out. Use your fucking (lack of?) common sense, don't hire flakes and theives and treat your good people right so as to retain them. Any good manager will tell you that preventing employee turn-over is one of the more effective ways to keep costs down.
Translation:
Today EMI Group boss Alain Levy said at press conference today that once we have leaned on El Steve long enough and have sucessfully stamped out the Indie scourge as well then Mr. Jobs will consider selling at multiple pricepoints. We have nearly recruited all of the hit men we need for our militia to take care of those Indie hippies and are continuing our efforts to help Mr. Jobs come to grip with the errors of his ways. We estimate completion of phase one of operation:Bleeding A Turnip in twelve months. Completion of phase two should follow within six more months when we will own all rights to the iPod hardware [as we should], have enabled it with wireless technology to facilitate our "Pay Per Play" Digital Rights Management and Customer fleece... erm, excuse me, "Protection" system. Furthermore, after phase two we will graciously license the iPod hardware and it's venerable name to Apple at price points for each size of device at exactly $0.99 below today's current retail pricing of iPods."
</sarcasm>
Yes, thanks, I saw that Consumer Reports bit. There's some Honda and Toyota gas models with near equal milage too. Add in the need to replace the battery pack every 2-3 years at >$2K and the savings don't seem so great. As for the importation of the TDI Volkswagon, or any non CA emmissions approved vehicle, the DMV here charges hefty fees to obtain the exemption status and you must maintin the vehicle at an out of state residencial address for I belive at least 6 months to even qualify.
For the last couple months I've been thinking more of just keeping the truck and getting a motorcycle. I commute via train to work anyway so I'm only driving around town for errands, visits, or out of town trips. I can just about squeaze a month out of one tank if I stay in town and being that I'm close to some stores and such the mighty mountain bike makes for good transportation too. But still, I want that damn TDI VW because, well, ecentricity factor? Who knows, I'm blowing smoke from my orfi.
I'm hoping to see some near future development in diesel-hybrid tech, now that would be interesting. And biodiesel. I understand that it's actually sold at the pump in numerous midwestern locals but I only read that in a news blurb and on some blogs. Hell, with all of the fast food getting pounded down by the SUV pilots out (whilst piloting said behemouths. Christ, they seem to often live in there. I bet some have EVDO, EDGE or UMTS cellular and tellecommute from their living rooms on wheels;-) )here we have a surplus of one source of biodiesel. Those folks could have their cake (and fries) and eat it to, well to some extent;-)
I think not. I think hybrid tech needs to have much more work done on it and then combine it with biodiesel. I think it was here on/. within the last 2 - 3 weeks that there was an article linked about a company modding Toyota Priuses (Prii?) to get 100 MPG. So imagine a nice little 2 or 3 cylinder diesel running on biodiesel combined with electrics what sort of milage one could get. For that matter why not diesel-electric hybrid technology similar to locomotives but for use in light duty trucks and tractor trailers and/or construction and farmng equipment?
And somewhat off-topic but can someone tell me why in the hell CA won't allow the selling of small diesel engine powered cars here? I was all set to get a brand new TDI Golf VW two years ago and I was told the year previous that they had been band for sale in California. WTF? EPA? Therre seems to be no shortage of sales (and power modding) of those goddamned useless Ford and Hummer diesel SUV tanks here. Why can't I have my little veedub getting ~50 MPG? Oh, and to date, VW's site still states no diesel sales in CA. Bastards!
Yeah, serious guys! She looks so damned good, her little ass-end all slinky and what-not in them jeans... And then we get to doin' the do coz, well, she looks oh temptatious and then damn! Imade a discovery o' my own up in dem jeans and next thing y'all know I get a couple of lil' Chuq 2.0's running around. Oh, my bad, you wrote genes...
Now lemme stipulate da real to y'all. Um, as to start of live, if that lil' zygote test tube baby can't toast me up some garlic bread and fetch me some chiante, hang out and ride a bike, play some Nintendo wit daddy, sit all up on my lap and listen to my lame ass stories or simply crappy up a nappy then they ain't wit da livin' dig? Until dat lil' science experiment pops out da oven and is all cooing/sleeping/cryin' in ya arms and growin' up ta be a general pains in da behinds and yo main reasonification fo gons to work fo da man ( face it you quacks, you all slave to "da man") den dat lil' bastad ain't but a meat byproduct. Or at least that be my twisted take. But then, you ever seen some dumb bastad tryin' to talk football stats to da hopeful son in mama's belly? PU-THET-NICS Y'ALL. Ait not no person till dat lil' bundle O' joy is all up in yo arms and just a wreckin' yo life. Now STFU! Ahem!
--The secret to walkin' on da water is knowin' where da rocks is! Aqua-boogey baby! [Bootsy Collins]
I say fuckiit, let's bring back the inquisition. I'll go scream it from the tallest peak once I finish my chantings and take this toad out of my mouth...
Slashdot Mirror
My bad, couldn't resist
Back to my point. HP rx3715 + bluetooth DUN (yeah, DUN over BT actually works but not out of the box. Still had to google up some stupid "5up3r 53cr3t h4x0r c0d3" in order to enable it. Motorola is VZW's bitch...) and I'm streaming all the video and [mostly] music I want. Skype works damn nice too, but shhhh, don't tell my new VZW overlords. So yeah, it's still the goddamned multi gadget-juggling side-show act which should have been eliminated at least three years and I'm stuck in a contract with the demagogue of greedy, overbearing carriers but this klude will do for now and it's going to take about the length of my contract for Cingular to get UMTS widespread enough and to get a nice handset to market.
It'll probably be safe to assume that the CE industry will not skimp on marketing with this one, considering everything they've done towards getting a product to market.
So what will be the general reactions then of the consumer who gets the raw deal then? Grumblings that soon parlay into "Oh well, time to abandon my perfectly good 2-5 year old set for the bigger, shiny-er box that WILL play nice with that HD-DVD player i NEED. <slackjaw>DRM? Whuuuu...? </slackjaw>"
So ah, would it be correct to call it ironic that here in the US we have this asinine FCC HDTV/digital TV debacle going on but this DRM driven issue (like many others) is slipping right under the radar? Don't people get that left unchecked that a DRM mentality can, and IMHO will, lead to a day where the individual can no longer own a personal copy of any content? Doesn't the idea of paying a leasing fee every time one wants to view/read/hear something get anyones attention? I often wonder how far things could go? If that sort of DRM were in place with laws to back it then what's to say the various industries won't move on to get independent publishers outlawed? That's an outcome I believe will come to pass. Look at the telcos vs. municipal wifi efforts. I don't think for one minute that the RIAA/MPAA aren't already rubbing their greedy hands together in anticipation for all the pieces (meaning greased congressmen and laws they promote) to fall into place and enable such legislation to be easily, silently conjured into reality. It really makes my skin crawl.
Better yet, just no one buy this crap. It worked to kill off that Divix self destructive DVD-like disk horseshit so why not here? JUST DO NOT BUY IT! Cut and dry.
My dad and I shared it. We started out with just the console, a tape recorder and an RF modulator hooked up to an old 13" B&W TV set. We eventually ended up with the expansion chassis, twin 5.25 drives and a GARGANTUAN 32K memory expansion card. 32K. In a steel clad case the size of a paper back and you had to pop it into a box the size of two bread boxes. I remember mowing a hell of a lot of lawns to get that silly card.
How many of you have been captors on a commuter train with about ten conversations like that going on? Let me tell you, it's just rich because not only must they try to implode the eardrum of the other participant on the far end of the call (who is most likely also loudly yapping away on their cell in a restaurant/theater/church/train near you) but absolutely MUST drown out the sounds of all surrounding mobile yapping competitors. As for the folks who are trying to have a normal conversation with their fellow passengers they rarely stand a chance. I've personally asked quite a few mouthy mobilenauts to keep it down. I mean, if I can hear them despite the fact I'm wearing IEM earphones and the volume around 40-50% on my stereo and they're two seats back, well then, it's definitely time to STFU! God I am glad I almost never fly. It's going to be ugly when VZW et al gets the FCC and FAA to allow for in flight usage.
Oh, and pretty much every one of the afore-mentioned features are already here for series 60 smart phone users, i.e. many Nokias, Siemens, and those Sony Ericsson PDA things. They are third party apps but they exist and work. One would triangulate your location from tower information and you could assign profiles to locations. It was pretty slick... when it wasn't crashing my old 3650 :-D
As for the mock-up, yup, very nice. I'm a Apple customer (3 computers, various iPods) and I doubt it will, if it even surfaces, be anything like that. And even if it does to be honest I'll be quite happy with my little nano and if I want video on the road the PSP is fine. Now, if I want to share some video then what I really want is form my damn Tivo to not be so damned hobbled and just let me allow a few selected folks to stream from me from their homes. We all have fat enough pipes into and out of our houses. I don't want to thwart the studios from producing content or from selling seasons on DVD. Hell, I've bought some TV shows on DVD and I have got to say it's nice. But for the sharing of a few shows in the lower quality and with commercials (that we can skip, admittedly) with a few family and friends I honestly don't believe we pose much of a threat to the present arcane business models for TV. Live and let watch. It gives us all something to talk about and keep coming back. Well, as long as the producers can come up with some half-way watchable content that is ;-)
Peace!
-C
<curdmudgery>Now follows some of my experiences with and thoughts on gadgets on the go, video included - and why I won't be buying a video iPod anytime soon. Meh. Too many toys and too damned often. Find one that just does the job well and use it until it dies. Chances are there will be something shiny and 10 times better to replace it when your beloved device gives up the ghost and you won't be a pennyless gadget whore after waiting it out. Let the the other gadget whores support the constant onslaught for you. I mean c'mon, video on the go? I commute by train and see many folks squinting at their ipods and Archoses, er Archi, et al and it seems more a pain in the ass than anything. I even tried the whole video snarfing thing to my PSP - even had it scripted out so that other than the time consuming part of it I had to do little more than pick a show or two to suck off the Tivo, plug in the PSP to charge and download and then just dismount it grab and go in the morning. That lasted about 3 months at best. I went back to playing games on it or just reading and left the TV viewing for home. IMHO, Video-on-the-go is novel but unless you're on a long trip nothing replaces sitting down at the end of the day to a nice show or two. Why the hell do you want to spend your commute times or lunch in your cube watching more toob when you can read, (not for you drivers) have conversations, mess with your computer or go take a walk to lunch with friends? Enough with the video, put down the cellphone and socialize. As for the PSPs (and Nintendo DSes) You can make many friends on a bus/train/carpool with network gaming. Good times and much more entertaining than hunkering down over a TV show, movie or two. The video part is just a sales gimmic, play with your friends. Play with yourself! Um, wait...
This last bit is even further off topic but this reminds me of something along similar lines of thought. Like I said before, I commute almost two hours each way daily by train and I am absolutely amazed at how many people, sitting next to one another will gab the entire trip on their mobiles and yet never even strike up conversation with those around them on the train, day in and day out. We see each other every damn day and at least a forth (or so it seems) manage more than a cursory good morning/evening to our fellow, consistent traveling companions. Weird.</curdmugery>
Oh yeah, visions of late 70's early 80's TV shows proclaiming pot roast ala plenum chamber did come rushing to mind. (And yes, I do realize the plenum is no place to heat your grub, it just sounded good. So there. Meh.) -C
My prayer
--Oh dear Jesus, just give me a decent bicycle equipped with an EMP device so I can ride from point A to point B without getting ran over by some ditz in a Hummer who's yapping away on their mobile going 80mph and I'll call myself whatever religion you desire and brand "I'm Jesus' BITCH!" on my ass and moon the world. That's all I ask even if I'm not worthy and have absolutely nothing to offer you.
Amen
PEACE!
-C
Oh, damn, it's late, let me clarify. NOT THE KID IN THAT FRIGGIN' MOVIE FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!! The goddamned robot girl at the beginning of the movie! Her! I want her! More 'Nuff said... Grumble.. curmudgeon grumbling ensues...
Yeah, that's right. I want a little cutie like that one in that goddamned robot chik-flick flick my wife made me watch with the little robot kid,er, AI or Erore does pooh-bear or fried green tomatoes or whatever the hell. I want one with multiple meat ports I can interface. And that's not all, damnit! I want an SLA that states I can send her dirty little rump to the crusher with my choice of "transference" of the best moments and get a tight, nubile and fresh little replacement. It's the least bit all these goddamned machines owe me after so many years of catering to their pithy needs. A gourmet meal, some fine drinks, and never hear "I'm tired, I have headache" after a long one at the data center making certain all that pr0n gets to where it has to go is all I ask for whatever ridiculous third mortgage I'll need to take out to get it. This is America damnit! Where's my screw-bot?!? 'Nuff said.
On a sadder note, my Dad and I started studying for our HAM licenses way back when and as my typical luck would have it something monitarily bad happened about the time I was ready to go and that was the end of that. Then along came these blasted computers and we both forgot all about HAMery and such... I still have (and in semi-working order) the old 1941 Halicrafter receiver that got us started down that path. Consider the rare and coveted Tube 80, godforsaken valve what that it was.
Pardon me but that is an Eludium PQ-38 Explosive Space Modulator. That, my bipodal friend, is what I will use to get that pesky Earth out of my view of Venus. There will be such an earth-shattering kaboom and then I will have a clear view to study my beloved Venus. Now just where did I put my PQ-38 Space modulator...
Wireless Execs Hold Hands, Sing Songs of Praise and Feast On Fresh Babies Over New Text & Picture Messaging Protocol!
So in other words expect something like this to start showing up in your mobile plan details. New and exciting value butt-fuck messaging pack: 300 text messages / mo. $9.99 + $0.25 per message you want to retain beyond 40 sec. timeout. Unlimited messaging + retention for $21.99 a month. Void where prohibited, 1 or 2 year contract required. Screw Wireless, we never stop trying. To rob you blind...
Bastards.
Still, my overal point was WTF are we doing, still having these sorts of conversations when we should be collaborating on the creation of the labels to replace the RIAA. GET RID OF THESE DOUCHE-BAGS! I don't want to buy what they're selling and I want the artists to start getting what they're worth for a change.
He's pro'lly an RIAA butt-pupet? He sounds like on at least.
The RIAA will never let this go. It breaks their age-old business model that enables them 100% control of the music market. I've ranted this before so here's my condensed version. People, it's time to turn our collective back on the RIAA and to create a new system of distribution. There's plenty of oportunity in that idea for many people to make a good living. Well, that is until whatever system that gets created gets corrupted.
Indeed. Is it just history repeating or the kids didn't pay attention to the last couple of decades?
Ian Callens, Icomm Technologies, explains: "This is a very difficult issue to manage and a real threat to business continuity and data security. If someone is seen in the workplace using an iPod it's more than likely that it's for the wrong reasons - either podslurping or downloading music without permission. This is relatively easier to police."
In the words of one of my favorite episodes: "Hey screw you clown!" Hmmm, Yes it is their network and their hardware. I asked if they minded me installing a podcasting client and hooking up my ipod occasionally to sync new shows and to charge it.
Here's a few thoughts to chew on: We as employees can assume no rights. Just ask permission. As employers, you guys have a responsibility to a)stop treating employees like criminals and possibly breeding the sort of feelings that would push one to steal in the first place. b)Do better research, spend a little more on background checks and an extra interview if you're hiring someone to work on such sensitive stuff. c)Pay more money to and take your time to hire and retain the higher quality people and ony allow them access to said data.
Yeah, yeah, call me off-topic but that little paragraph set me to rant mode. But my rant covers the overal issue of people possibly schleping sensitive data out of the workplace on customer electronics stuff. If you take away the cameras, PDAs, cellphones, ipods, laptops, etc, and mind you we now rely on many of those devices as tools of our trades, a determined theif will find other ways to mule it out. Use your fucking (lack of?) common sense, don't hire flakes and theives and treat your good people right so as to retain them. Any good manager will tell you that preventing employee turn-over is one of the more effective ways to keep costs down.
Translation:
Today EMI Group boss Alain Levy said at press conference today that once we have leaned on El Steve long enough and have sucessfully stamped out the Indie scourge as well then Mr. Jobs will consider selling at multiple pricepoints. We have nearly recruited all of the hit men we need for our militia to take care of those Indie hippies and are continuing our efforts to help Mr. Jobs come to grip with the errors of his ways. We estimate completion of phase one of operation:Bleeding A Turnip in twelve months. Completion of phase two should follow within six more months when we will own all rights to the iPod hardware [as we should], have enabled it with wireless technology to facilitate our "Pay Per Play" Digital Rights Management and Customer fleece... erm, excuse me, "Protection" system. Furthermore, after phase two we will graciously license the iPod hardware and it's venerable name to Apple at price points for each size of device at exactly $0.99 below today's current retail pricing of iPods."
</sarcasm>
For the last couple months I've been thinking more of just keeping the truck and getting a motorcycle. I commute via train to work anyway so I'm only driving around town for errands, visits, or out of town trips. I can just about squeaze a month out of one tank if I stay in town and being that I'm close to some stores and such the mighty mountain bike makes for good transportation too. But still, I want that damn TDI VW because, well, ecentricity factor? Who knows, I'm blowing smoke from my orfi.
I'm hoping to see some near future development in diesel-hybrid tech, now that would be interesting. And biodiesel. I understand that it's actually sold at the pump in numerous midwestern locals but I only read that in a news blurb and on some blogs. Hell, with all of the fast food getting pounded down by the SUV pilots out (whilst piloting said behemouths. Christ, they seem to often live in there. I bet some have EVDO, EDGE or UMTS cellular and tellecommute from their living rooms on wheels ;-) )here we have a surplus of one source of biodiesel. Those folks could have their cake (and fries) and eat it to, well to some extent ;-)
And somewhat off-topic but can someone tell me why in the hell CA won't allow the selling of small diesel engine powered cars here? I was all set to get a brand new TDI Golf VW two years ago and I was told the year previous that they had been band for sale in California. WTF? EPA? Therre seems to be no shortage of sales (and power modding) of those goddamned useless Ford and Hummer diesel SUV tanks here. Why can't I have my little veedub getting ~50 MPG? Oh, and to date, VW's site still states no diesel sales in CA. Bastards!
Now lemme stipulate da real to y'all. Um, as to start of live, if that lil' zygote test tube baby can't toast me up some garlic bread and fetch me some chiante, hang out and ride a bike, play some Nintendo wit daddy, sit all up on my lap and listen to my lame ass stories or simply crappy up a nappy then they ain't wit da livin' dig? Until dat lil' science experiment pops out da oven and is all cooing/sleeping/cryin' in ya arms and growin' up ta be a general pains in da behinds and yo main reasonification fo gons to work fo da man ( face it you quacks, you all slave to "da man") den dat lil' bastad ain't but a meat byproduct. Or at least that be my twisted take. But then, you ever seen some dumb bastad tryin' to talk football stats to da hopeful son in mama's belly? PU-THET-NICS Y'ALL. Ait not no person till dat lil' bundle O' joy is all up in yo arms and just a wreckin' yo life. Now STFU! Ahem!
--The secret to walkin' on da water is knowin' where da rocks is! Aqua-boogey baby! [Bootsy Collins]
I say fuckiit, let's bring back the inquisition. I'll go scream it from the tallest peak once I finish my chantings and take this toad out of my mouth...