Blog

With the release of The Dark Knight and my complete nerdiness over the movie, I purchased the 2-Disc edition when it was released yesterday. To my surprise, it included a free digital copy (ala iTunes) along with the DVD version. This is my first digital movie as, frankly, I didn’t see the point in buying digital-only movies. I hate watching movies on my computer, I don’t have a personal laptop that can play them, and I can’t watch them on my television (at least not if I buy from Apple). Yes, I lose geek points for not having that ability, but I’m not going to buy a movie through Microsoft that I can’t play on any other device, or substitute iTunes for Microsoft and have the same problem. (DRM is stupid.)

But, with The Dark Knight, I plopped in the disc, iTunes saw it and prompted me for the included code and, a couple minutes later, I happily have 1.7 GB of movie to transfer to my iTunes compatible devices. I wouldn’t have purchased the digital-only version, but it’s a cool incentive to get a up-sale version of a DVD I was going to buy anyway. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for stuff like this in the future.

I fell out of Metallica’s sway a while ago, giving up around Garage, Inc. But, as I09 said in their post today, “I am officially in love with Metallica again.” Well, at least for today.

This video is fantastic. Listening to the song without the video, it’s still a pretty decent song, but the video brings it to a entirely different, and better, level. It’s an alternate history, zombie, Cold War, sci-fi tour de force.

As with most Metallica, crank it up.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7wV4VQ1_iQ&w=425&h=344]

Official Metallica site for the video

*Facepalm* Apparently, they didn’t learn nearly as much as they could have last time.

The fact that Wagoner didn’t drive one from Detroit, but apparently had it shipped to Washington in order to drive the last few miles, may be an indication that the Volt program has a long was to go to keep its promises. [emphasis mine]

I understand it can’t make the trip, but isn’t that sort of the point as to why the US auto makers can’t compete? Seriously, GM (and Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler), how many times can you miss the point?

GM CEO Drives a Chevy Volt to Washington…Sort Of – U.S. News Rankings and Reviews.

Yes, I’m years behind the curve, but I finally got an iPhone. I am, of course, completely geeking out, transferring apps and music like mad. Surprisingly, we bought our new phones at Best Buy and had an excellent experience. The sales person there (sorry man, forgot your name) was great: friendly, tolerated a lot of stupid questions and us churning through all of our options on Verizon before deciding to go with AT&T.

J– got a new Blackberry Pearl (in red) and is grooving on that, too. Note to Verizon: we had no issues with your service, no issues with billing. Your customer service, however, from the beginning of our experience (since resolved) left a bad taste in our mouth. So much so that you lost two customers today who went from basic voice services to (at least one) voice + data plan. And you Blackberry policy is stupid. J– wasn’t sure she wanted a data plan, but we couldn’t buy or upgrade to a Blackberry without one. But AT&T was happy to let us purchase one with only a texting plan.

But, enough of that. I actually went in intially to get a Blackberry Storm. I’m a sucker for the full touch screens, what can I say? But, when I got to use an activated phone, I just couldn’t get over the screen moving as I typed. Bias in the open, I had a huge start on using an iPhone’s keyboard from having had an iPod Touch already. But the odd feel and sluggish accelerometer drifted me back to an Pearl. When we found we couldn’t get a Pearl without data for one of us, the deal was sealed and to AT&T we went a’porting.

So, I’m in geek nirvana for a while, until the first bill arrives anyway (*shakes fist at activation fees*). Fingers crossed on the service.

I think we often discount the effect of the Poached-Egg Conservative. When will someone cater to this forgotten line of voters?

Click to enlarge

Wonder how much Paul Simon/Paul Simon confusion led to Graceland showing up here as well?

Ain’t data mining entertaining?

Inspired by the Turbaconducken, my first attempt at a bacon-wrapped turkey.

Ready to bake

The cooked bird

Another hero shot

Lessons learned: thicker bacon, lower temp (baked this at 325), better covering of the bird to preserve moisture (or add liquid to oven). Overall, not a bad first attempt; even J– liked it (or so she says).