My Fingers Are Crossed
Speculation that the A's will sign Barry Bonds.
What a perfect signing. All his legal troubles will make him cheaper. The A's are a great fit because they always have good chemistry that won't screw with Bonds. The A's players will simply be happy to play a season with the greatest player of their generation. He is still a fearsome hitter.
I pledge to buy MLB radio broadcasts so I can listen to the A's should Bonds sign...
Friday, December 07, 2007
Facebook Ripped
It's been a bad week.
“As more users flock to it, the chances that the person who precipitates your exodus will find you increases. Once that happens, poof, away you go — and Facebook joins SixDegrees, Friendster and their pals on the scrapheap of net.history.”
It's been a bad week.
“As more users flock to it, the chances that the person who precipitates your exodus will find you increases. Once that happens, poof, away you go — and Facebook joins SixDegrees, Friendster and their pals on the scrapheap of net.history.”
Have a Free Hour?
Scroll around through Time's Top 100 TV Shows of all time. Some interesting sounding stuff.
Scroll around through Time's Top 100 TV Shows of all time. Some interesting sounding stuff.
Call Me A War Criminal
I'm reading a WWII book right now and just reminded me about why the Geneva Convention was signed: as a way to protect soldiers from torture and other terrible treatment by captors. It was not a humanitarian document, but had that effect. It was a contract. You treat ours okay and we'll treat yours okay. It was a simple deal.
Today, it is assumed the Geneva Convention applies irrespective of the situation and specifically comes up with respect to terrorists who not only haven't signed the Geneva Convention, but don't abide by the terms of the deal.
This isn't an argument for torture, but how in any way can one side of a contract be expected to honor it when the other side doesn't agree to it.
It's like a writer demanding he get paid for a script that he refuses to write. Does that make any sense?
UPDATE: Or, is the Geneva Convention more appropriately regarded as a self-restraint document...essentially an internal memorandum which identifies what we as a nation deem to be a moral and just way of behaving in times of war.
I'm reading a WWII book right now and just reminded me about why the Geneva Convention was signed: as a way to protect soldiers from torture and other terrible treatment by captors. It was not a humanitarian document, but had that effect. It was a contract. You treat ours okay and we'll treat yours okay. It was a simple deal.
Today, it is assumed the Geneva Convention applies irrespective of the situation and specifically comes up with respect to terrorists who not only haven't signed the Geneva Convention, but don't abide by the terms of the deal.
This isn't an argument for torture, but how in any way can one side of a contract be expected to honor it when the other side doesn't agree to it.
It's like a writer demanding he get paid for a script that he refuses to write. Does that make any sense?
UPDATE: Or, is the Geneva Convention more appropriately regarded as a self-restraint document...essentially an internal memorandum which identifies what we as a nation deem to be a moral and just way of behaving in times of war.
Hollywood Implosion
Yesterday I started theorizing about a Hollywood implosion that comes about from a variety of interrelated factors. My theory was the writers strike lasts longer than anyone expects, reality tv shows gain even more popularity, and a webisode as strong as Curb Your Enthusiasm or Always Sunny in Philadelphia starts to steam via Apple or Google or some other computer-based company. Ad dollars hit a tipping point and flow to the internet and combined with the rise of cable channels, Network TV is suddenly in a huge lurch. This puts a lot of LA people out of work, people who can retire, retire. Talent moves to other jobs and Hollywood abruptly shirks, simply because the money fades away.
I didn't even factor China or piracy into the equation. Countries like China who are able to throw around economic weight by not releasing Hollywood movies (hurting overseas box office) and by tacitly allow piracy can do a lot to cripple Hollywood, should they have reason to do so...ie angry about Taiwan, want to promote their own domestic film industry, or sense weakness in Hollywood's hand. I mean, is this coincidentally happening at the same time as the writers strike?
Economics, technology, piracy, human personalities, all these factors - which sometimes line up in Hollywood's favor - are lining up against Hollywood at the moment.
Yesterday I started theorizing about a Hollywood implosion that comes about from a variety of interrelated factors. My theory was the writers strike lasts longer than anyone expects, reality tv shows gain even more popularity, and a webisode as strong as Curb Your Enthusiasm or Always Sunny in Philadelphia starts to steam via Apple or Google or some other computer-based company. Ad dollars hit a tipping point and flow to the internet and combined with the rise of cable channels, Network TV is suddenly in a huge lurch. This puts a lot of LA people out of work, people who can retire, retire. Talent moves to other jobs and Hollywood abruptly shirks, simply because the money fades away.
I didn't even factor China or piracy into the equation. Countries like China who are able to throw around economic weight by not releasing Hollywood movies (hurting overseas box office) and by tacitly allow piracy can do a lot to cripple Hollywood, should they have reason to do so...ie angry about Taiwan, want to promote their own domestic film industry, or sense weakness in Hollywood's hand. I mean, is this coincidentally happening at the same time as the writers strike?
Economics, technology, piracy, human personalities, all these factors - which sometimes line up in Hollywood's favor - are lining up against Hollywood at the moment.
Panera Problems?
Something is amiss at the Panera across the street where I go to get bagels. Yesterday, the line was out the door because they only had one person working the register. In hindsight, I can't believe I stayed. Today, I went and they were out of bagels. Out of bagels? At 9:30am in the morning. WTF? How is that possible at a bagel shop?
Something is amiss at the Panera across the street where I go to get bagels. Yesterday, the line was out the door because they only had one person working the register. In hindsight, I can't believe I stayed. Today, I went and they were out of bagels. Out of bagels? At 9:30am in the morning. WTF? How is that possible at a bagel shop?
More Blockbuster Complaints
For some reason, Blockbuster Online forces me to rent an entire season of The Wire. I've seen the first three or four episodes of season 3 and want to exclude getting those disks. But whoever designed the system is so incredibly dumb, I guess they can't fathom wanting to divide your rental into one disk at a time.
I hate Blockbuster. Yet I have it.
For some reason, Blockbuster Online forces me to rent an entire season of The Wire. I've seen the first three or four episodes of season 3 and want to exclude getting those disks. But whoever designed the system is so incredibly dumb, I guess they can't fathom wanting to divide your rental into one disk at a time.
I hate Blockbuster. Yet I have it.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
The Last Time I Bought Gas
Was November 20th. Granted, it's a bit of a cheat because of the Thanksgiving Holiday and being out of town, but isn't that kinda of a cool fact. 16 days thus far. I think I can make it through the weekend possibly as well. If I could make it to the 12th, that would be 22 days on one tank of gas. Not bad. We'll see. That's my goal.
And I haven't even been purposefully driving less, it's just the benefits of the Monica.
Was November 20th. Granted, it's a bit of a cheat because of the Thanksgiving Holiday and being out of town, but isn't that kinda of a cool fact. 16 days thus far. I think I can make it through the weekend possibly as well. If I could make it to the 12th, that would be 22 days on one tank of gas. Not bad. We'll see. That's my goal.
And I haven't even been purposefully driving less, it's just the benefits of the Monica.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
I Now Hate The Environment
Over the past three months one of my biggest work nightmares has been dealing with Santa Monica recycling. It began with a simple thought, not terribly environmentally conscious, just a thing of habit having grown up in California: we ought to recycle our paper.
I call Santa Monica to get a recycling bin in our alley. Sure, they say. We provide recycling bins, since we are, after all, Santa Monica.
In a couple of days, a big blue recycling bin shows up outside. Good! I dump our paper into it.
The next day I go out to throw more paper away and the big blue bin is completely full. Jesus, I thought. A lot of people want to recycle. Guess I'll have to wait until they pick it up.
A week goes by. Recycling piles up. No one empties the bin. I decide to call Santa Monica the city. Uh...can someone pick up the recycling? Sure, they say, it probably just got forgotten because it's a new bin.
Another week goes by. People dump food in the recycle bin. I call Santa Monica back. They say they'll rush someone over to pick it up.
Meanwhile, we're moving offices, so we have tons of recycling. No picks up the recycling. I have the intern call. Again, they will rush. And again they do not pick up.
Finally, I call and ask for a supervisor. Surprise! He's not around and I leave a message. He calls back Friday evening and says there's been a mistake, we have a residential recycling bin and not a business bin. He will have the bin picked up and replaced with a big, huge business bin.
Good, I think. A big bin would solve all the problems.
Next day, the little bin is gone and replaced with...a big, garbage bin.
I give up. What more can I do other than drive all the paper to some recycling place myself? So fuck the environment.
Over the past three months one of my biggest work nightmares has been dealing with Santa Monica recycling. It began with a simple thought, not terribly environmentally conscious, just a thing of habit having grown up in California: we ought to recycle our paper.
I call Santa Monica to get a recycling bin in our alley. Sure, they say. We provide recycling bins, since we are, after all, Santa Monica.
In a couple of days, a big blue recycling bin shows up outside. Good! I dump our paper into it.
The next day I go out to throw more paper away and the big blue bin is completely full. Jesus, I thought. A lot of people want to recycle. Guess I'll have to wait until they pick it up.
A week goes by. Recycling piles up. No one empties the bin. I decide to call Santa Monica the city. Uh...can someone pick up the recycling? Sure, they say, it probably just got forgotten because it's a new bin.
Another week goes by. People dump food in the recycle bin. I call Santa Monica back. They say they'll rush someone over to pick it up.
Meanwhile, we're moving offices, so we have tons of recycling. No picks up the recycling. I have the intern call. Again, they will rush. And again they do not pick up.
Finally, I call and ask for a supervisor. Surprise! He's not around and I leave a message. He calls back Friday evening and says there's been a mistake, we have a residential recycling bin and not a business bin. He will have the bin picked up and replaced with a big, huge business bin.
Good, I think. A big bin would solve all the problems.
Next day, the little bin is gone and replaced with...a big, garbage bin.
I give up. What more can I do other than drive all the paper to some recycling place myself? So fuck the environment.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Grandma's Boy
Did Judd Apatow direct a movie under a pseudonym for practice?
I don't see how anyone could watch this movie and not think so.
Did Judd Apatow direct a movie under a pseudonym for practice?
I don't see how anyone could watch this movie and not think so.
Maybe Not What I Need
Online Settlers. Kinda cool idea and I'll probably try it, but I think the main appeal of board games is physically playing with one another.
Then again, this probably encourages practice and people will get better. See online poker.
Online Settlers. Kinda cool idea and I'll probably try it, but I think the main appeal of board games is physically playing with one another.
Then again, this probably encourages practice and people will get better. See online poker.
BCS
I was never in favor of the BSC because I liked all the stupid debating about the best college football team. I like the chaos of it all, it added to the entertainment. BCS advocates were, in my opinion, overly obsessed with naming a single team the college football champion. Sort of reminded me of the kids in school who just wanted to know the correct answer to homework without a care for how to figure it out.
This year, I am vindicated because the BCS is total chaos. It will not provide a a consensus national champion because there is no consensus about who should be playing the championship game. They thought a mathematical system would be unbiased, but this season so many teams have lost games, any number of teams could arguably be playing the game.
Now the same type of person who argued for BCS years ago now argues for a college football playoff system.
With many of these teams already playing 12-13 games a season, if they added any sort of meaningful playoff, we're talking minimum 2, if not 3 extra games. Is this right? Should some college football teams be playing 16 games a season?
Think it through folks...
Also, is it just me, or shouldn't Hawaii be in the national championship game? How can a team that was preseason ranked 23 and didn't lose a game all season can passed over for a team with 2 losses? Wasn't this the exact situation the BCS was designed to ameliorate?
The argument against Hawaii is that they don't play in a tough conference...well, okay, so then shouldn't they get a chance to prove themselves against a top-tier team? Remember Boise State? Isn't that the game college football fans deserve?
I was never in favor of the BSC because I liked all the stupid debating about the best college football team. I like the chaos of it all, it added to the entertainment. BCS advocates were, in my opinion, overly obsessed with naming a single team the college football champion. Sort of reminded me of the kids in school who just wanted to know the correct answer to homework without a care for how to figure it out.
This year, I am vindicated because the BCS is total chaos. It will not provide a a consensus national champion because there is no consensus about who should be playing the championship game. They thought a mathematical system would be unbiased, but this season so many teams have lost games, any number of teams could arguably be playing the game.
Now the same type of person who argued for BCS years ago now argues for a college football playoff system.
With many of these teams already playing 12-13 games a season, if they added any sort of meaningful playoff, we're talking minimum 2, if not 3 extra games. Is this right? Should some college football teams be playing 16 games a season?
Think it through folks...
Also, is it just me, or shouldn't Hawaii be in the national championship game? How can a team that was preseason ranked 23 and didn't lose a game all season can passed over for a team with 2 losses? Wasn't this the exact situation the BCS was designed to ameliorate?
The argument against Hawaii is that they don't play in a tough conference...well, okay, so then shouldn't they get a chance to prove themselves against a top-tier team? Remember Boise State? Isn't that the game college football fans deserve?
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Packers-Cowboys
It sure was an entertaining game the other night. The wide receiver, Jennings, on the Packers is a star. It reminded me of the first time I saw Isaac Bruce play against the 49ers and realized Jerry Rice was over the hill. Jennings is the real deal.
But almost more interestingly is the background battle between the NFL and Time Warner over how the game can be seen.
This it, a preview of the the NFL playoffs, but also the battle between content providers and content distributors. It's the core issue of the writer's strike, it's affected music already, it's hitting sports, tv, movies, nearly all forms of entertainment.
Austin Bay sees it all converging on the computer.
It sure was an entertaining game the other night. The wide receiver, Jennings, on the Packers is a star. It reminded me of the first time I saw Isaac Bruce play against the 49ers and realized Jerry Rice was over the hill. Jennings is the real deal.
But almost more interestingly is the background battle between the NFL and Time Warner over how the game can be seen.
This it, a preview of the the NFL playoffs, but also the battle between content providers and content distributors. It's the core issue of the writer's strike, it's affected music already, it's hitting sports, tv, movies, nearly all forms of entertainment.
Austin Bay sees it all converging on the computer.
Topics on 30 Rock
In this week's episode alone the following topics were brought up:
1. Age and dating
2. Race
3. Iraq War
4. Gayness
This is a sitcom for chrissake and they're taking on a series of hot button issues that are generally very hard to talk about. Shows what you can do when you have great characters.
In this week's episode alone the following topics were brought up:
1. Age and dating
2. Race
3. Iraq War
4. Gayness
This is a sitcom for chrissake and they're taking on a series of hot button issues that are generally very hard to talk about. Shows what you can do when you have great characters.
More Gushing
30 Rock - another unbelievable episode. 1st half and the idea of it was better than the 2nd half execution...but 3 great plot lines and 1 okay plot lines is an improvement. A lot of the old shows had 1 or 2 good plot lines and great moments.
Opening bit - check Baldwin's delivery. Awesome. Also, they've used this little musical riff in some of this season's episodes which has the perfect tone for the show. I know it comes in during this episode when Judah F is wearing the tight tank top.
30 Rock - another unbelievable episode. 1st half and the idea of it was better than the 2nd half execution...but 3 great plot lines and 1 okay plot lines is an improvement. A lot of the old shows had 1 or 2 good plot lines and great moments.
Opening bit - check Baldwin's delivery. Awesome. Also, they've used this little musical riff in some of this season's episodes which has the perfect tone for the show. I know it comes in during this episode when Judah F is wearing the tight tank top.
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