Eras End

Stop SOPA and PIPA

2012-01-18T02:50:00.008-05:00

Normally I try to keep political stuff off this website but sometimes exceptions must be made. This is one of them. Congress, with the support of members of both parties, is currently in the process of trying to pass two laws called SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect Act). The laws were essentially written by lobbyist to give corporations the power to protect their copyrights. Sounds good right?

Here is the problem. The laws as written gives corporations the power to legally censor the internet without due process by blocking any website they feel might have copyrighted or pirated content. Proof is not necessary nor required.

In a day and age when most people agree they want smaller government this is the single greatest expansion of power we have had in nearly a decade and it turns it all over to corporations on the assumption they will not abuse it. Do you trust corporations and the government to make the right decisions on what websites can live and die? I don't and nor should you.

They don't have to prove a thing in the process of taking down infringing websites. So this may mean sites like The Pirate Bay might get blocked in the United States but it also gives corporations the power to block any website they choose as long as they put it in terms of copyright infringement or piracy.
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Linkfest - Candidate Romney, Economy

2012-01-06T20:01:00.004-05:00

Lego Starcraft BattlecruiserHit the link for a sweet Lego gallery based on the Starcraft II Battlecruiser Hyperion. The creation is made up of around 15000 Legos.

GOP Presidential Candidate Decided
Despite what the press may have you believe, the contest for the Republican candidate for President is decided with Mitt Romney. More than likely by the end of the month (probably after South Carolina) it will become official. While Iowa tends to not count for much since Republicans there are very extreme in their views (while ironically frequently benefiting from the government dole), the simple fact he managed to win the state proves what the polls have been showing for a while now. While his victory by only 8 votes is unimpressive, the simple fact he won at all there proves it is locked in. After all he has been the only candidate that has remained steady or slightly grown in the poles for the last year.
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Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas to all
With the many Lego related links used in the last year, seems a Lego Christmas tree is appropriate. Hope all is well for you and yours.

Linkfest - SOPA

2011-12-22T19:27:00.005-05:00

All Companies That Support SOPA
Hit the link to see all the companies supporting SOPA which will likely pass Congress next year unless stopped. The claim is the law will stop piracy but in reality it gives corporations to power to block any website they claim has pirated content, no actual evidence required. It will cripple the Internet. They can choose at any time what site lives or dies in the US and to get it restored the site has to take the accuser to court which can take months or even years. On the surface that may sound fine but keep in mind the RIAA and MPAA have tried to sue and shut down sites just for playing a clip from a movie, for showing a home video of goofing dancing to "protected" music and even just for sites that are critical of them. Don't believe they will abuse this power, see next story. In short, any company that supports SOPA has essentially made a statement that they do not value free speech. An example is web host provider Go Daddy. Their support of the bill means that they will happily shut down any website they receive a notice from no questions asked. If you know anyone that uses them, it is advised they be ditched asap.
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Linkfest - Rescue Me

2011-12-02T02:14:00.007-05:00

Lego Daily Planet
Hit the link for a gallery of images on details on how this cool Lego creation was made that pits Superman & Young Justice against Brainiac. The creation has lots of cool details like street side kiosks selling comics, labeled sewer covers, street signs, and whole lot more. (via ComicAlliance)

RIP GamePro
GamePro magazine which started in 1988 as the NES age reached its apex, is ending publication with its current issue with the website is being absorbed by the mothership of PC World and likely most of its staff laid off. I remember reading and subscribing to the magazine way back when before time meant I no longer could focus much less play video games with the frequency that made a subscription worthwhile. Shame to see yet another gamer magazine go away.
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Links of the Week - Lego & Politics

2011-11-09T02:02:00.007-05:00

Lego Victorian House
That image to the left looks like a decayed Victorian House created by Mike Doyle. Very beautiful in its black & white decay. It also turns out it’s made up completely of Lego. Nearly 130,000 of them. Even more amazing is this is pure Lego, no wood, glue, or alterations. Just someone at the top of their building game. Hit the link for more images and details about its construction and click here for Mike's website.

10 Stubborn Food Myths
Hit the link to read about 10 myths that continue to thrive despite the science against them. For example "starvation mode" which takes weeks of low intake or 24 of no intake instead of the myth of one skipped meal. Another is salt is just bad for you. Your body needs it but like everything else, too much is a bad thing. The big one is turkey makes you sleepy. Turns out that while turkey plays a part, it really the cause is more about the volume of food being eaten rather than the amount of turkey that makes you sleepy after that Thanksgiving dinner.
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Nook Tablet vs Kindle Fire vs iPad 2

2011-11-08T02:41:00.005-05:00

Today Barnes & Noble officially introduced the Nook Tablet, successor to their Nook Color. Running Gingerbread (Android 2.3), the 7 inch tablet has 1 GIG of RAM and 16GB of storage with microSD slot to add more for a $250 price. All this sounds promising but really for most people, especially with Christmas around the corner, is what is the best tablet to buy - Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet or Apple iPad (or any tablet really like Xoom, Galaxy Tab 2, etc.)?
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Lessons from the Tax Income Gap Chart

2011-10-27T19:38:00.004-04:00

Take a moment and study that graph to the left. That graph provides a lot of information with two very simple lines. It tells you why the Occupy Wall Street movement exists. It tells you why the GOP has focused on an agenda of doing everything possible to cut taxes for the rich at the expense of everyone else and probably more than that if want to get into the details of history.

The graph tells the story of how income has grown since post-World War II from 1947 to 2007, just as the economy was on the verge of imploding yet again. The blue line represents the median income of 99% of Americans. The orange line is the income of the remaining 1%, the millionaires and billionaires of this country. Most of who work on Wall Street. Now noticed how from 1947 to 1985ish, the income increase was more or less steady. Statistically they were right on top of each other, with a difference of .5% here and there. In effect the country rose together. Then in the 80s that orange line changed dramatically as it started to climb. This corresponded with the rise of "Reaganomics".

Reaganomics aka trickle-down theory basically says the more money you give the rich, the more it will help everyone else. The problem with the theory is it doesn't account for what happens if the rich do not actually spend their money but just sit on it. The easiest way to give rich people more money is to tax them less. Which the US has been doing for the last thirty years. There was one exception, during the Clinton years when their tax where increased. The result wasn't a hit to the economy but a period of huge growth, in part by the internet boom. That is why the line just sky rockets. Basically increasing the rich's taxes didn't harm them at all and had a positive impact on the economy (the opposite of what the GOP sells every day). During this same period the blue line enjoyed a modest increase too so everyone benefited, just the 1% more than the rest. A dip then occurs because the tech bubble burst of 2000.
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Linkfest - Jokers

2011-10-21T20:38:00.007-04:00

Cain's 9-9-9 Plan is Much Love for the Rich
If you just hear the plan without thinking about it, the 9-9-9 plan sounds good. The 9 numbers sounds so good with 9% corporate tax, 9% income tax, and 9% sales tax. It’s already a fact that for whatever reason, people believe prices that end in 9 are a better deal than those that don't so there is that reason he picked the number. However, once you look deeper it’s not so hot. For one, most businesses will not have to pay that 9% due to various tax shelters and the like that exist. Cain does nothing to address that. As for the income tax, that means that not only will 9% of every dollar you earn be taken away, it also means that another 9% will be taken away for every dollar you spend. On top of the state, county and city taxes you already pay. This also means that deductions go out the door so benefits of being married or having kids cease to matter. But still, seems like a good idea, and it could be as far as simplicity of paying taxes. However, as the chart shows, it really is just a boom for the rich. The bottom 80% will pay more in taxes under the plan. The next 19% will pay a decent amount less, the top 1% a 10x less than that with the top .1% experiencing around a 100x less boom to the bottom line. It hard to picture in text, but the picture makes it painfully clear. Once again, the GOP proves their only priority is the top 1%.

15 Facts About Wealth Inequality in America
For years now the GOP are selling a pretty simple story - for the country to succeed all of us must sacrifice to keep the top 1% rich happy. Happy rich people means one day they might create jobs and give us raises instead of doing the layoffs that have become the norm. For some reason, this argument has worked on 50% of American's even though this flies in the face of the human condition and all of history. For those with brains, hit the link for 15 facts, supported by data (not party specific data) that supports the notion that while everything is getting better for the top 1%, the other 99% continue to get screwed. Sad facts include the reality that top 1% has 33.8% of our nation’s wealth, own 50.9% of our stocks & bonds, and have had their wealth grow year after year while other bottom 80% has dropped year after year. In addition, average earning have hovered around $18.50 an hour for 50 years while in same period the rich's portion of USA's income has grown while everyone else's has shrunk. This is why the Occupy Wall Street exists.

Muammar Gaddafi is Dead
After 42 years of a crazy and ruthless dictatorship, the ex-leader of Libya is finally dead. He has been hiding for weeks now as his government was overthrown in favor of Democracy but he was continuing the fight in pockets throughout the country. That fight essentially came to an end when he was found in his hometown of Sirte. It will be interesting to see how Libya develops from here. I suspect it will continue to be a problem for western countries for quite a while. Regardless, the people of Libya should be applauded. They chose their own destiny and sacrificed their lives to achieve it. That is something any lover of democracy should stand behind, regardless of where it occurs.

Mark Hamill Retires the Joker
After 19 years of performing the voice of The Joker, Mark Hamill has officially retired the role with the release of Batman: Arkham City video game. He had previously the decision earlier this year but in a tweet verified the decision. For me he is the definitive version of the character, providing just the right amount of crazy menace in his voice.

Iraq War Ending Before ChristmasPresident Obama confirmed today that American troops are leaving Iraq by the end of the year. The decision was actually part of a 2008 agreement signed by President Bush but the press conference today reiterated the intention to uphold that promise. Like many, I was concerned that we would delay ending the war as it has proven very lucrative to military based companies that pay a lot of money to Congress to keep the money flowing. I am sure the GOP will lambast the decision as being premature as they tend to get the most money from those corporations.

The Avengers Trailer #1

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

2011-10-05T21:01:00.002-04:00

Today Apple announced the death of Steve Jobs. He died today after a multi-year fight with pancreatic cancer at the age of 56. His influence on the technology we take for granted cannot be underestimated. The personal computer (Windows or Apple) all have his stamp on it from his efforts in the early 80s with the world's first personal computer, the Apple II. Simple innovations like the ubiquitous use of the mouse are in part due to his influence. He made not have invented the technology, but he helped make it part of our daily lives.

That influence spread to all desktops, all laptops and moved into the music market with the iPod and its knockoffs, the tablet market with the iPad where all competitors’ are still trying to catch up. He changed how music and movies are brought to us over the internet thanks to iTunes. The movie industry and animation we all have fond childhood memories were forever changed with the founding of Pixar Animation Studios that have made some of the best animation movies in history with films such as Toy Story, Wall-E, and Up.

The technology he helped develop is often the foundation of every movie we watch, every special effect we enjoy, every piece of music we hear, every graphic design we see and every video game we play. You name a modern piece of computer technology and Steve Jobs probably directly or indirectly influenced it in some form or fashion.

Not many people can claim to have truly influenced and changed the world regardless of race, religion, age or country. But Steve Jobs could. The world lost a giant today.

Tribute from Gizmodo:

Steve Jobs Commencement Speech on June 15th, 2005 (transcript)

Linkfest - iPhone 4S

2011-10-04T22:22:00.006-04:00

iPhone 4S RevealedToday Apple held its press conference, minus Steve Jobs, to announce the next iteration of their iPhone and iPod lines. Unlike the hype from the blogosphere, the result is just an incremental improvement to the existing devices. Almost all the improvements are software related, in part due to the iOS 5 getting released on October 12th. For the iPod line, the Nano is getting around a $30 price drop and a minor software update. The iTouch will get the new iOS 5 update.

As for the main event, the result is same looking phone with faster dual-core chip (so better gaming experience), same RAM (so unlikely to feel that much faster even if technically it is), slightly improved internet download speeds (but only if on AT&T), new camera (8 megapixels with 1080p video camera) and about the same battery life.
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Next Generation of Amazon Kindles

2011-09-28T21:49:00.005-04:00

Amazon held an Apple-like press conference to announce their next generation of Kindles resulting in the cheapest and possibly best e-book readers to date. There will be three models (or more with alt configurations) with various degrees of features and release dates but all are available for pre-order now.

Kindle Fire ($199); out November 15th; 8 hours per charge
This is the tablet version of the Kindle comes with a 7'' color touch screen, 1Ghz dual core processor, 512MB of RAM and 8 GB of storage for 14.6 ounces. The reason for the lack of space is because this customized Android devise will be mostly cloud based using the Amazon Whispernet in conjunction with Amazon Cloud Storage to hold your books, movies, TV shows and music. Instead of having to store everything locally on the device (like with the iPad), you can just makes your purposes online at Amazon and download as needed. The device also comes with their new web browser called Amazon Silk which takes advantage of the 3G to Amazon's cloud to pre-render websites for faster load times. The device is not designed to be an iPad replacement. If you are someone that isn't particularly into using a bunch of apps (which is most people once the "new" of tablets wear off), but see using tablets for reading (web or books), listening to music, and watching the web, this just might be the perfect (and cheap) solution.
- Impressions and Video
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10th Anniversary of 9/11

2011-09-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

Today is the 10 year anniversary of a terrorist attack that quite literally changed America and the world. Every year the media makes us relive the day and it still hurts. It still makes my cry. But not so much for those that died that day but for what was lost since then. America lost its hope and lost its way.

The attack claimed more than 3000 and more lives and did change a city. A city that is finally working towards reclaiming the site, complete with memorial using the footprints of what fell. America is now much more aggressive, angry and quick to lash out blindly. America is no longer the land of the brave but the land of the scared. The airwaves are now ruled by fear mongering and finger pointing as others desperately blame others for situations while doing little to offer solutions. That day the terrorists did win. When they change the character of a person, or a country for the worse, there is no other term for that but victory.

To find that hope I continue to look back at the days that followed and see the moments of greatness. I remember moments of solidarity such as Great Britain's Changing of the Guard. Or Jon Stewart extraordinary episode of The Daily Show a week after the attack.

The rebuilding continues. There is still hope. There is always hope. That "victory" can be taken away as easily as it was given up. America has the ability to change like no other country on the planet. Once day, the fear mongers will cease to penetrate. One day the cowards will quit being the vocal minority constantly seeking blood. A few days after 9/11 the world was probably the closest to peace it has ever been as everyone gathered around, mourned with us, claimed hardship with us, and offered the hand of help and friendship. If the world can do it once, it can do it again. The leadership to reach that day isn't here today, but one day it will be. Hopefully with the next generation that has seen how easily the older generation has been manipulated by the media and political leaders and chooses not to follow the same path.

9/11 was a day of tragedy and new darker beginnings. Osama bin Laden is finally dead. It’s time we start moving past the specter of 9/11. America changed once, it will change again. We will once again be the beacon of democracy and wiliness to hold our hands out in a gesture of friendship rather than fear. Our future will be bright even if it doesn't seem like it today.

"The reason I don't despair is because. This attack happened. Its not a dream. But the aftermath of it. The recovery is a dream realized. That is Martin Luther King's dream. Whatever barriers we put up are gone. Even if just momentary. We are judging people not by the color of their skin but the content of their character. ...any fool can blow something up, any fool can destroy, but to to see these guys, these firefighters, these policeman, people from all over the country, literally with buckets, rebuilding, that that thats extraordinary. Thats why we already won. Its light, its democracy, we already won, they can't shut that down."
- Jon Stewart 9/20/01

Links of the Week - Politics

2011-09-08T21:21:00.004-04:00

GOP Explained by an Ex-GOPer
Hit the link for an effective explanation of just how far gone the Republican Party is now. Despite their frequent claimed love of Ronald Reagan, not even he could get a vote in today's GOP. For example he committed the horror of raising taxes 11 times. This change of party first, business second, America last and what is motivating it was brilliantly broke down by Mike Lofgren, who was a Republican Congressional staffer for 16 years. He pretty much hits the nail on the head on not only how corrupt the GOP has become but why the weak Democrats are ineffective at countering them.

25 CEOs Who Made More Than Companies Paid in Taxes
One of the great cons (of many) that the GOP has pulled over the last year is successfully lying that taxes influence business more than any other factor. That because of taxes, business choose not invest in themselves, to grow, to try to perform better. The logic makes no sense but people follow it anyway. Even though 11 years of tax cuts have proven it doesn't work. It’s not even hypothetical anyone. Eleven years of tax cuts sold to create jobs and all that has occurred is 2 recessions, minimal job growth, smaller middle class, and the rich being richer for doing nothing. Yet the idiots still believe. Between the tax cuts and loops holes it has now reached the point where most CEOs now make more money than their companies pay in taxes (most pay $0). It is now past pathetic. Yet if anyone is experts at being pathetic, it is teabaggers and their ilk. Anyway hit the link for details.
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Linkfest - Endings

2011-08-26T20:41:00.000-04:00

The last week has been a series of ending it seems both big and small. Libya might just experience democracy for the first in generations as Gaddafi has seemingly been overthrown, Steve Jobs steps down as CEO of Apple, a memorial finishes and a legendary hacker joins the team he often defeated.

The End of the Gaddafi in Libya
Hit the link for an interesting explanation on how Libya uprising succeeding in potentially toppling the current dictatorship. The story is how a determined people, with solid planning, ingenuity and sacrifice can overcome impossible odds. It is also a story of how true democracy must succeed. Not handed to the people as a "gift" like it was done by the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan but an organic hard fought decision by the people themselves, sadly earned with the literal blood of family and friends.

Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple
One of the most successful CEO's in history has officially resigned his position, many believe due to his continued fight with cancer. It is no small exaggeration to say that Steve Jobs is one of the most important people in the history of computers, an invention that literally changed how society operates in just a few short decades. His achievements in technology development changes how we perceive information, enjoy entertainment, learn and so much more. While I may not like how Apple operates, there is no doubting that the things Jobs spearheads has literally changed the world for the better. Few people can make such a claim.
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Linkfest

2011-08-17T22:03:00.000-04:00

Lego Princess Ceinwyn
Hit the link for a gallery of images of the Princess Ceinwyn created by Luke Hutchinson out of Lego. Very pretty with cloth sails and a nice Lego ocean base to complete the look. (via Brothers Brick)

Warren Buffet - Stop Coddling the Rich
In an article in the NY Times, super rich Warren Buffett makes the rather obvious argument that it is time to tax the rich. The 10 year experiment of constantly cutting taxes on the "job creators" that the GOP has been advocating has simply not worked. Two recessions and negative economic growth for the poor and middle classes have proven this. The only people that have seen growth in these last years from the GOP policies? The super rich of course. Thanks to the multitude of tax loopholes that the GOP refuse to close, the rich actually pay less a percentage of taxes than any other group. Buffett points out he paid 17.4% while other people in his office averaged 36%. I am lower middle class and my burden came out to about 27%. I think the national average is something like 24%. Net result is all this crap about "being fair" that the GOP advocates fails to point out that the rich actually are paying less than everyone else. The article is worth reading and it sums succulently as tax cuts for the rich ("job creators") does not equal job creation as the rich do not allow tax policy to interfere with their efforts to invest and make more money.

Meet Comex, iOS Hacker Supreme
Forbes has posted a great article that covers hacking genius of 19 year old Nicholas Allegra who has 3 times now hacked the Apple's iOS used in iPhone and iPad to create incredibly easy jailbreaks for those devices. A jailbreak allows you to use your paid for device in whatever way you see fit on whatever carrier you choose without big brother (Apple) having to approve it first. Hats off to Comex for his outstanding efforts, may he continue to be successful in thwarting Apple's iron fist of control.

US Patent System is Killing Innovation
An interesting op-ed piece on Gizmodo that points out how the new era of "Civil War" between tech companies will likely stifle innovation. What is currently happening is in the billion dollar markets of smart phones and tablets various companies is trying to use patents to squash the competition and become the only real provider of a certain type of product. The main culprit is Apple who is attempting to use courts to block the sale of any tablet device that isn't an iPad. This leads to other companies going over their lists of patents and using Apple in return saying their iPad violates patents and shouldn't be sold either. This goes back and forth until an agreement is reach. The problem though is this kind of fierce legal fighting (besides being the opposite of capitalism), means that some bright guy in his garage will likely be sued into oblivion or just bought up before some new product that might be better than the iPad could ever reach the public much less the market. When that happens, innovation ceases to occur.

Top 100 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books
NPR compiled a list of the top 100 books of all time based on the votes of their readers (apparently a paltry 60k). The list isn't definitive nor is the number order that important but as a list of fantastic books to read it works as a great resource.

San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) 2011 Panels Links

2011-08-08T00:05:00.000-04:00

Below are links to as many of the San Diego Comic Con Panels I could find that were posted on YouTube by people that attended the con. The panels cover topics like television shows, movies, comics, specific actors and creators and a wide variety of other topics. A panel could have actors, creators, and so forth appear from 30 minutes to an hour on stage to promote their current project often ending with fan Q&As. Usually the best panels are the ones where the participants seem to genuinely enjoy being there and interfacing with fans. Some of the many links before may seem incomplete for various reasons. They may include a necessary cut to remove copyrighted footage like trailers, gag reels and other fun stuff that if left in might result in the entire panel video being removed. Also in some cases the editing is just odd but most of the panel was there or it was the best I could find. The panels I recommend most is Castle, Eureka, Amazing Spider-Man, Game of Thrones (cause Emilia Clark is stunning), Joss Whedon (always entertaining), Kevin Smith (equally NSFW entertaining), and Torchwood: Miracle Day. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments along with links to any panels (or better copies) that I may not have found.
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Links of the Week - Lots of Videos Edition

2011-08-05T21:21:00.007-04:00

US Credit Ratings Downgraded for 1st Time Ever
For the first time in the nation’s history, the US lost its AAA credit rating which was awarded back in 1941. Yet further sign of the problems the GOP manufactured crisis on the debt ceiling has caused. Their willingness to commit literal economic suicide for the entire country demonstrated just how little confidence even investors now have in our country. Ironic, considering most of what the GOP does is to benefit Wall Street. As if often the case, too much greed has resulted in far reaching consequences. Sadly, this will be yet another way for the GOP to spin things in their favor as most people don't have the brains or understanding to recognize how easy all of this could have been avoided. Instead they have proven beyond doubt just how far gone the GOP but with a significant amount of power to back the crazy up with due to complete lack of leadership from Obama who doesn't see a position he isn't willing to cave too. The GOP spin will be the high debt caused the downgrade and thus their approach is the only way is directly contradicted by S&P's own statements on the cause.

S&P also changed its assumption that the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts would expire by the end of 2012 “because the majority of Republicans in Congress continue to resist any measure that would raise revenues. More broadly, the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating,” S&P said.

Lego London Tower Bridge
The pic is an upcoming piece from Lego that when completed has 80 windows, 40'' long, 17'' high with mini Lego vehicles, working drawbridge, tan bricks, arches, and more. The 4,287 piece structure should be hitting Lego online and Lego stores soon. No details on costs but guessing a few hundred.

Weird Science vs. Real Genius Geek-Off
It has been 25 years since these two classics came out and Moviefone decided to determine which is the superior movie based on the good guys, bad guys, "future stars", the ladies, science, geek factor and quotability. Hit the link to see if you agree with their analysis that Real Genius is the better geek film.

Republicans for Rich Only
In one of the things that baffles me, the GOP continues to get support from the middle class and the poor despite the fact that the party policy comes down to a collective "f%^k you". The party talks to them a lot but if every really look at their record they have done nothing for a majority of Americans in decades now. Sure they talk a good game about tax cuts but the only ones that have ever seen any real tax cuts is the rich. If you make over $250k a year, the GOP is your best friend. If you don't, you really have no reason to support them from a financial and economic standpoint. Another example of this is going on now. The states are essentially going bankrupt. All 50 of them. Police officers, firefighters, teachers and more are getting laid off (which is bad for the economy). Odd little cuts are being made like unpaving roads, cutting off lampposts, and more in a bid to shave money off the budget. This isn't "wasteful" spending being cut now but essentials that are needed for safety. So what does the GOP do? They say no. Their "solution" yet again. Make permanent the Bush tax cuts despite the fact they will ADD $700 billion to the deficit and did NOT help the economy in the previous 10 years. Basically their solution is "hey it didn't work for 10 years, let’s try it for another 10 just to make sure!" and people are buying it. It truly boggles my mind that people just cannot see something that simple and reject it as stupid and not working.

California Gay Marriage Ban Lifted
The Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker has ruled earlier this week that the California law banning marriage was un-Constitutional and has now ruled that marriage can resume on August 15th. It is a major victory for gay rights movement and a major defeat for the mostly conservative contingent that has been working hard for years to codify a country wide ban. Ironic considering the conservative "movement" has been making talking about how the Constitution has been circumvented by Obama (while unable to provide specific examples and supporting the Bush's patriot act), that the country is going fascist (while supporting an actual fascist immigration "show your papers" law) and claiming love for the Constitution (while trying to overturn the 14 and 17th amendments. Its real simple, if you love the Constitution, you have to support equal rights. If you support equal rights you have to support gay marriage. You can't really have it both ways regardless of the mental gymnastics used to attempt to justify it. But if there is a real constant in politics, it’s that a conservative is by definition a hypocrite.

Harry Potter 7 Split Revealed
The final story of Harry Potter is being split into two films. Part 1 this Christmas and Part 2 next Summer. The point the movies will break has finally been revealed by Entertainment Weekly in this week's magazine article about the movie. It seems it will occur around Chapter 24 (out of 36) when Voldemort captures the Elder Wand. This leaves the Gringotts break-in and Battle of Hogwarts as the main pieces of Part 2.

He Who Yells Loudest Is Still Stupid
Knowing they have no plans beyond stop taxing the rich, the GOP keeps bouncing from scare tactic to tactic to get the ignorant to vote for them. Their entire 2010 campaign comes down to "be scared of stuff, vote for me and I will cut rich people's taxes to protect you!" The new meme is "terror babies" or "anchor babies". The idea is people are having babies here so that 20 years from now they will attack the United States. In a bizarre interview with Rep. Louie Gohmert basically yells his way through the interview on the idea that yelling really loud means he is right. Asked for evidence of his assertion he can provide none yet mentions it must be true cause of an airplane conversation. It is the usual GOP nonsense of lying but making it seem true with repetition and yelling a lot. After 10 years of this you would think people would stop falling for it. Sadly no. Hit the link to watch the rather insane exchange. The GOP, "we hate everyone but the rich...vote for us."

2010-03-23T20:07:00.004-04:00

Health Care Bill Signed into Law - Like it or not, a historic day occurred as President Obama signed into law (with 20 pins no less) the hard fought for Health Care bill, like most major legislation of the last two years includes a lot of Republican demands yet doesn't get a single vote of support. The GOP's continued ability to show a unified front of party first, corporate second and America's somewhere in the top 10 continues. The major portions of the bill do not even go into effect until 2014 so the current talking point of doom and gloom is amusing considering "the end" of the US is postponed by four years.

How I Ran an Ad on Fox News - With the help of Google TV ads, some money, a little creativity, and no concern on when it airs, you can have your own commercial for whatever you want air for as little as $100. As the video at the link shows, it is actually a simple process, probably the most difficult being creating the commercial. If the stats on the video are any indication, it doesn't seem the cost was worth the return but still amusing to know that now any bored person with money to burn can air their own message.

Nintendo 3DS Announced - Nintendo plans on releasing yet another version of the Nintendo DS, only this time with 3D effects that do not require glasses. It is expected the new system will be unveiled during E3 this June. The device is reported to have a thumb stick, built in rumble, greater battery life, and smaller screen size. If Nintendo holds to pattern, the system is likely to be released in Japan in mid December with a role out elsewhere in early 2011.

Special Comment on Health Care Hate - Keith Olbermann returned to Countdown after the death of his father and air a comment on the hate that has taken over the right's dislike of any health care reform. The GOP, working for insurance companies, has made every effort possible to kill reform. Not modulate it, not add good effective ideas, but flat out kill it. As part of doing that, they tapped on that very deep well of hate and fear that is a hallmark of the far right. To do this they equated reform as a sign that evil is taking over America with Communism...oops Socialism but treated the same. Once it takes over, Democracy will collapse, the world will end and bad stuff will happen to all those good people that are filled with all that hate and cowardice. The problem with tapping into fear to create though is it leads to loss of control and it begins to feed on itself. Once that cycle begins, it rarely ends well. I miss the GOP of old, the one that helped create moderate, non extreme ideas. That party doesn't seem to exist anymore, having died under the rule of Rove and Cheney and further fueled by the defeated and angry GOP that remain.

Links of the Week

2010-03-19T18:24:00.004-04:00

Really have not come across much that I felt compelled to post about. I guess could have posted about the healthcare bill but it hasn't passed so what is the point. Here are a few things note however.

A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever
A tongue in cheek trailer (with a some very attractive woman, wonder who they are?) that makes fun of the typical academy award willing film (but forgetting about war movies). Its mimics a recent meme of calling attention to the typical style of reporting and the like that occurs by actually naming what is occurring. Hard to describe but still amusing.

11th Circuit Eliminates Protection of E-Mail
This is an example of why it is a problem that old people who have less than basic knowledge of technology are the ones deciding the future of tech and its privacy implications. The 11th Circuit judges decided that e-mail isn't protected. E-mail used to be treated like postal mail, basically no one has a right to it without good legal reasons. Now the government can get a copy as soon as the email is delivered (which takes seconds from sending) because something about how email is stored, "disappears" and other nonsense that makes no sense. Long story short...if the government wants your email, they can now have it by simply demanding a copy.

Jon Stewarts Tears Glenn Beck Up
It is fun when Jon Stewart really gets angry about someone or a particular issue. When that occurs, you get gems like the video below where he tears apart the crazy that is Glenn Beck who is advocating that essentially any change from the status quo is evil. Not wrong, but evil as in Nazis, communism and killing people evil. His explanation has something to do with...well it just doesn't make sense but the gist is he is telling other very stupid people that it is evil and something should be done about it. Telling stupid people stupid things while demandng they take action usually doesn't go well. I think this spreading of stupid and dangerous ticked Stewart off so he spent 15 minutes (without a commercial break, almost unprecedented) making fun of the man and his nonsense. The result is hilarious and shows just how sad the Beck followers are.

Links of the Day

2010-03-08T21:06:00.003-05:00

Tron Legacy Teaser Trailer - Click the link to view the trailer or download it in various HD quality sizes. It look is looking sweet with great mix of the old Tron design with new.

ABC News Fakes Toyota Acceleration Report? - Gawker media seems to have confirmed that Brian Ross of ABC News may have faked a recent report on Toyota acceleration. It appears the network used creative editing to indicate an on camera occurrence of the unintended acceleration that has plagued Toyota. So far, the reports have not actually been verified, relying almost exclusively on customer reports of events. In addition, the network relied on a study of Professor David Gilbert for their network. It turns out he is being paid by lawyers in a class action lawsuit against Toyota, so not exactly an impartial source for information which wasn't revealed in the news report. But then the press and transparency are foreign concepts nowadays. It turns seems that the car ABC used for the video was rigged with an electronic throttle that "was modified in a way unlikely to ever occur in the real world." That modification would then cause the exact same "unintended acceleration" to occur on multiple makes and models of cars including those from GM, Honda, Ford and more. Long story short, all indications are that ABC News falsified a story in an ongoing quest to scare their viewers into watching their news program. Click the link above for more information and video of how ABC's test may have been falsified.

OK Go's "This Too Shall Pass Video" - A fantastic Rube Goldberg machine that goes with the song. It seems to be one continues shot of a whole bunch of different and unique triggers go off to the song. Worth a watch.

Presidential Reunion - In a call for financial reform, a bunch of SNLers and Ron Howard created the below video as they reprised their various Presidential roles from their SNL years. This includes Dana Carvey (George Bush Sr), May Rudolph (Michelle Obama), Dan Aykroyd (Jimmy Carter), Jim Carrey (Ronald Reagan), Chevy Chase (Gerald Ford) and more. I doubt it will make a difference as reform is essentially dead with Republicans unwilling to accept any type of regulation for any reason and Democrats unwilling to fight Wall Street considering it has demonstrated a wiliness to make the argument that election choices may adversely effect stocks, something the public is susceptible to due to the recession. I do applaud the effort.

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

2010 Oscar Winners - The award season has finally drawn to a close after what seems like many months of Hollywood breaking its own arms to pat itself on the back. The finally tally is the Hurt Locker is apparently the best film of the year with six wins to Avatar's three. For reasons I don't really understand, Avatar didn't sweep the technical categories as expected. My best guess is actors, who are the largest voting bloc, reacted to genuine fear that the movie represented the next step in movie making where actors (and really the huge paychecks they like to get) will become obsolete. This was indicated with more than a few snarky comments during the program. As for the show, if you missed it, be glad as the opening number from the host extraordinaraire (but not Oscar host) Neil Patrick Harris was about the only thing worth watching.

Special Comment: A Cry for Help

2010-02-25T03:35:00.002-05:00

Keith Olbermann gave a "Special Comment" today on healthcare and Sarah Palin's so called "death panels" that comes from the heart as it is based on the experiences of his father who has spent the last six months fighting for his life. A battle he may have now begun to lose.

The comment is about how Republicans, Tea Partiers and what he called "ghouls" are attempting to block at every turn any attempt to reform a system that simple doesn't work. Their goal is profit and the human aspect doesn't seem to matter. Ghoul is the right term for those that think that way for you can only be soulless and inhuman.

For me the whole healthcare thing has been an easy decision. I didn't need facts and figures, false claims of "socialism" or other nonsense. I just had to imagine what if it was me that couldn't afford care. Or my mom, my dad or other loved ones. What if, thanks to the behavior of insurance companies, I have to make a tough decision about their care and I have to factor in whether they can afford the treatment or not. Not will it improve their life, is it worth it for quality of life or myriad of other considerations but will it be covered by insurance and if not how to pay for it. That is the system we have now. That is the true death panels. That is the system the Republicans are fighting with everything they have to keep in place and nearly 50% of the country is fighting with them, may never having taken that step to imagine "what if it were me?". My god, how inhuman. How evil.

Tomorrow is a so-called Healthcare summit as the President, Democrats and Republicans try to come to a compromise on healthcare. It will fail because instead of a room full of people thinking "what is best for Americans", they instead will think "what is best for my corporate sponsors." It isn't an issue of how this summit will be sabotaged, just an issue of how the Republicans will claim to have been victimized during it resulting in their continued and determined desire to say no to anything that is corporate first.

It is time that Americans, both on the right and the left, stop accepting that from them. The Democrats need to grow a pair and act instead of cowering at every Republican stalling tactic and it’s time for Republicans to actually engage in true compromise instead of demanding but never giving. Change is scary but once again I beg of you...imagine if someone you loved needed life saving healthcare but couldn't afford it because their insurance company either dropped them or refused it. What would you expect to occur then? What would you demand? And why isn't that good enough for everyone?

Links of the Day

2010-02-23T21:07:00.003-05:00

Lord of the Rings: Born of Hope Film - The power of united fandom results in this well made film complete with special effects, music and more that is based on two paragraphs from Tolkien's Appendix. The movie is essentially the origin story of Aragorn. It was filmed around the United Kingdom at the cost of 25,000 pounds and directed by Kate Madison. It is worth seeing, if only to marvel at what a determined group can do to pay homage to something they love.

Top 1% Taxpayers, Income Doubles, Tax Rates Halved - As a sign that the Republican Party truly exists for one goal - to help the rich. "Between 2001 and 2007, the 400 richest taxpayers doubled their annual incomes to an average of $345 million, while their effective tax rate plummeted to only 16.6% from 29.4% in 1993." The chart to the left shows how over the last 100 years there has been this movement, mostly driven by Republicans, to shift the tax burden from the rich to the poor and middle class with the most dramatic changes occurring during the Bush years when the Republican congress was rubberstamping everything. It actually gets worse. "the 2003 Bush dividend and capital gains tax cuts offered almost nothing to taxpayers earning below $100,000 a year. Instead, those windfalls reduced taxes "on incomes of more than $10 million by an average of about $500,000." As the Times revealed in a jaw-dropping chart, "the top 2 percent of taxpayers, those making more than $200,000, received more than 70% of the increased tax savings from those cuts in investment income." These are the same cuts that Republicans are currently trying to make permanent. They don't benefit most of the constituents nor most Americans but they go on TV frequently and lie about how they do. However, the cuts are estimated to cost the government around $7 trillion in revenue by 2019...which sure would be useful in eliminating the deficit that many, especially GOP Tea Partier's, claim they want.

Action Comics #1 Sells for $1 Million - Someone really wanted the issue which sold for $1 million within moments of being put online at ComicConnect.com. Before Monday, the issue's top value was $317,200 but I guess not anymore. The reason for the high value to the buyer is likely because while around 100 copies still exist, only two are in decent shape. If only our great grandparents kept their stuff the same way we do now right? But then again, all that stuff would have the same value most of our kept stuff has now...which is none if don't count sentimental value.

A Nightmare on Elm Street Poster and Review - The remake is hitting theatres soon and so far the visual teases here and there seem exciting. However, as the spoiler rich review indicates, the teases just may be the only good parts of the film as I have yet to read anything kind about the movie. Apparently it falls in the same ballpark of all the recent horror remakes, which is barely a step above direct to DVD or SyFy Saturday night crap.

Special Comment: Tea Parties and Race

2010-02-23T20:53:00.003-05:00

A bit late for me but last week Keith Olbermann gave a solid Special Comment on the "Tea Party" movement and its undercurrent of racial hatred that seems to be driving it. I personally just can't take the tea party movement seriously. The ideas are sound and very much not new by any stretch of the imagination.

Who doesn't want to pay fewer taxes? What bothers me though is no one can explain why the anger now. Where does it come from? They claim it’s because of Obama, but really what exactly has he done recently? Health care? That hasn't passed. The bank bailouts? That was Bush's plan. Taking away their guns? There is no law in Congress nor any plans to do that. It seems they are angry at Obama for simply not being a Republican or more likely for being black.

After all the things they claim to hate - big government, wasteful spending are all complains a Republican President with the rubberstamping of a Republican Congress brought to new heights - to the tune of a $9 trillion deficit. That was Republican action causing that. However, since most Tea Partiers are die hard Republicans and members of the Republican "base" they can't exactly point the finger at themselves now can they? So that leaves Obama. This leaves the question of timing. Would this same "movement" have occurred if a Democratic white man had been elected? I don't think so.

If they were true to their conventions, rather than closet racists, they would stop acting like an arm of the GOP and act like a separate party. After all, in the last 60 years the Republican nor Democrat parties have never been fiscally responsible (government debt jumps when they are in control) nor created smaller government (it has always grown every term, never shrunk). That is historical fact. If they claim that these things matter, it’s time to finally act on it rather than just making a lot of noise about it.
The GOP has been making those same promises for 60 years, instead of being the fool and going “this time will be different” how about doing something different. Oh wait, that involves the dreaded “change” word that conservatives hate so much. Never mind, no wonder the tea party is really just promising more of the same, with just an extra dose of hatred.

Links of the Day

2010-02-16T22:21:00.002-05:00

2010-01-21T23:11:00.004-05:00

Tonight Show Deal Announced - NBC has officially announced the exit of Conan and the return of Leno to The Tonight Show. Conan is going to get around $32 million for leaving early, his staff gets $12 million. His last show is tomorrow and he cannot start a new show until September 1st. He also is not allowed to use any concepts created for NBC such as "In the Year 2000", Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, and more (most retired skits anyway). Leno gets to take over the reins starting March 1st after the Olympics. This means NBC will be beating us to death about Leno during commercial breaks, during the ceremonies, etc. Suffice it say I will never watch Leno ever again (admittedly easy since he was never funny). One last day of NBC getting slammed by the talk show hosts with even The Daily Show and Colbert Report getting in on it. Click here for Tuesday videos and here for Wednesday.

The Walking Dead TV Series Greenlit - The comic book series that takes a realistic look at an invasion of zombies with all the death, destruction, loss, and drama gets its own TV series. It’s a great comic worth reading and with Frank Drabont (The Shawshank Redemption) involved it might make for great TV. Right now there is no script, no cast and no schedule so might be a while before the details come out.

Justices Strike Down Campaign Reform Bills - In the usual 5-4 decision along party lines, the Court has struck down various laws that restricted the amount of money corporations can spend on elections. In effect, corporations can spend as much as they want on whomever they want which is likely to have dramatic effects on campaigns as they will know have essentially unlimited budgets to say and do whatever they want. Note that humans still have limits placed on how much they can donate to a candidate. The side effect is it also codifies a notion that the GOP has supported for decades - which corporations should be treated as human but have more rights as humans. Something we already know that exists but this is probably the first time the Supreme Court has made a precedent supporting it.

"Ultimate" Spider-Man Gets Director, Budget - Sony has announced that Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) has been tapped to reboot Spider-Man with an $80 million budget. The story will chronicles Spider-Man in high school much like the Ultimate series did from Marvel. This seems like an attempt to tap into the same money and demographics the Twilight movies hit while saving a boatload of money on salaries and back end deals that Raimi, Maguire, etc would have required.

Links of the Day

2010-01-19T22:16:00.003-05:00

GOP Wins Kennedy's Senate Seat - GOP/Tea Bagger Scott Brown has one Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in short but brutal fight that continued to show that the GOP knows how to fight while the Dems just know how to cower. His opponent, Martha Coakley, had a huge lead a few weeks ago but it was whittled down under a barrage of attacks, waffling on issues by her, and multiple gaffes around baseball (which apparently is a big deal in Massachusetts. The net result is the Democrats have lost their super majority in the Senate and considering how they operated with a majority (barely getting anything done while conceding to whatever the GOP wanted), without it I expect Congress to grind to a halt as Scott Brown has made it clear his agenda is to block whatever President Obama supports. The pundits are going to declare this a referendum on Obama and thus proving he is a lame duck President. Way too early for that but considering how the Democrats have been completely unable to lead on any issue for the last year, this will lead to a resurgence of the GOP's will and a growth in the Tea Party movement (which isn't good news for the GOP in the long term). In the short term, the election is likely to lead to the defeat of the healthcare bill which has reached the point of becoming irrelevant anyway due to reform of any kind being ripped out by the GOP and Dem "Blue Dogs". To me the main lesson is the Democrats do not know how to field viable candidates, still do not know how to run election and that Obama is being entirely too weak on using his political power effectively and leading the party like he is supposed to. As long as the GOP continues to win press cycles, they will continue to win votes. Speaking of Brown, wow his wife and daughter are gorgeous.

Taco Bell Founder Dead at 86 - Glen Bell Jr, who created the Taco Bell chain, died yesterday. He launched the first restaurant in 1948 with Bell's Drive-In which served hamburgers and hot dogs through drive-in windows. In 1962 in Downey, CA, he launched the first Taco Bell restaurant. By 1978, he sold is 868 restaurants to PepsiCo for $125 million. Now the company is owned by Yum Brands with 5600 US locations. A tip to the Taco King and the food I have enjoyed these many years. Condolences to his family.

US Torchwood Planned - Fox is considering bringing Torchwood to the US. The name is an anagram of Doctor Who, the show it was spun off of. The UK version has a lead hero who sexually went both ways, morally not all there and often dark in tone. Something US audiences tend to dislike. Exactly how the reboot will work is unspecified but the John Barrowman, who played immortal Captain Jack Harkness may star in the pilot. The script will be written by original series creator Russell Davies. If this was on FX, I would consider this good news. Since it is not, the result will probably be a watered down mess that emulates Fringe only with aliens and more humor.

MacGruber Trailer (NSFW) - The first trailer for the upcoming movie from the SNL skit which was a goofy take of the MacGyver television series. To me it looks like all the other SNL movies...a skit that wore out its welcome.

Late Night Wars Continue - Click the link to view the latest round of jokes and jabs about the NBC/Jay Leno fiasco. The current news is Leno is officially getting the Tonight Show again after the Olympics and Conan's last day is this Friday but he will get around $30 million with ability to start his own show. Overall an epic disaster fueled purely by ego. Also a mistake that will cost NBC as Leno's viewers will only get older while Conan's will skew younger, something that matters to advertisers that keep NBC profitable.