The fine folks at Think Geek have announced their spring line. While I know I should be buying several wireless extension cords for use in my over-electrified home, the prospect of a caffeine inhaler is too good to pass up. Some of you, however, could probably use the USB-powered desktop tanning station. You should act [...]
As a follow-up to the voting machine questions on the previous post, Florida’s Attorney General has issued subpoenas to the three companies certified to provide election equipment to the state. I am cautiously optimistic; let’s see where this goes. Share/Bookmark
There’s a fellow in Tallahassee named Ion Sancho, the elections supervisor for Leon County, Florida. He pissed off a lot of powerful people last December when he allowed independent testing of the electronic voting machines certified for use in Florida. There wouldn’t have been a problem, except that the tests showed that it was almost [...]
When I went in to the office on Saturday the street outside my building was blocked by the police. After a moment’s concern — we’ve had a fire and a bomb threat both in the last few weeks — I remembered that it was the Downtown Miami Classic Car Show. When I arrived they were [...]
Yes, I am alive, and thank you for the inquiries as to my status. I have a major work project which will be over Wednesday night, so I’ve been spending 14-16 hours a day in the office or continuing work at home. I hadn’t expected it to get this far out of line, but when [...]
While I’ve not yet seen the film, I am a fan of Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s graphic novel V For Vendetta. I first read it back when it was serialized in Britain’s Warrior magazine back in the 1980s, and then again when DC Comics re-released it. It’s an interesting story, deeply layered, and which [...]
Perhaps my way back to the movie theater will be eased in the future. The National Association of Theater Owners is considering petitioning the FCC to allow cell phone jammers in movie theaters. Currently the FCC prohibits any use of cell phone jamming devices, ostensibly to prevent evil-doers from screwing with emergency calls. Normally I [...]
Do you ever listen to music? Listening while doing something else doesn’t count; I’m talking about sitting down in a quiet room, and having your primary focus be on the sounds entering your ears. For most people music is just a pleasant background, something to keep the stress of traffic or work at a minimum, [...]
Back in 1992 Umberto Eco pointed out the religious nature of computer operating systems. In the short essay he contrasts the Catholic central authority of Apple with the “here’s a basic outline, come up with your own solution” of DOS/Windows. I’ve always thought this was a particularly apt description, and apaprantly the Vatican agrees. The [...]
Mustang Bobby poses an interesting question. If you could pick any director, living or dead, who would direct the film version of your life? My answer is in his comments. Share/Bookmark
It was another mediocre year at the Oscars. Jon Stewart, I’m afraid, is too smart for the show. The audience expects broad humor, and he gave wit. Well, half the time, anyway. There were some very funny bits with “attack ads” between the nominees, and his (perhaps ad libbed?) remark that “If we pull [the [...]
Usually I post a list of all the films nominated for Academy Awards some time prior to the event. This year it just didn’t seem to be worth the effort. Not that there aren’t worthy films in the list, as there are. I just have a harder time each year mustering enthusiasm for watching a [...]
Or as Mustang Bobby might say, “Look! Look at the kitty!” Nicolette is an extraordinarily sweet-tempered cat who has taken up residence on my porch since I rescued her during Hurricane Wilma. I guess she feels safe, since last night around midnight she decided to have her four kittens there. So as soon as they [...]