Geek Factor : This One Goes To 11

Although I try and curtail an over abundance of ‘pure geek fodder‘ on this website, this interview between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates is not only a wonderful look back at the evolution of the industry, but it’s frickin’ hilarious. Seriously, these guys are having a great time talking about their history, competition, marketing and more. If you’re even the slightest bit of a geek, this will be worth watching. And if you’re heavily tapped into the industry and, like myself and many of my friends, you’ve actually lived through much of this, it’s priceless.

A great quote from Gates about Job’s return to power at Apple:

I was calling Gil Amelio on weekends and trying to get things moving. And then one day, Steve called me and said, ‘Don’t worry about those Amelio negotiations anymore.’

VIDEO: Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Together

Bidders Remorse

I really have only myself to blame, at least initially, for getting into this situation. But I do have the seller to blame, heavily, for a pretty galling lack of integritiy and honor. Now, due to the combination of my own folly and, sadly, my trust in my fellow man combined with somebody who’s ethics are not quite fully developed, I’m stuck with the unsavory experience of being put into a losing situation.

And I’m extremely bothered by it.

Rocky Balboa (2 stars)

“Though long retired from boxing, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) returns to the ring for one last hurrah in this drama featuring the iconic action star. Now widowed, Rocky’s settled into middle age running a restaurant. But the former champ misses the sparring life, and he’s drawn back into the ring after suffering a personal tragedy. When he’s offered a shot at the title, he’ll have to go all out to prove he’s still got what it takes.”

Geoff’s Comments: OK, as a disclaimer, let me just state up front that some of the movies I watch are not ‘rented’ per se, but are borrowed from co-workers. So when you see a movie reviewed here, it’s not like I sought it out at the Blockbuster or paid full price for it. This is a great case study in that: I’d have not paid to see this, but got to watch it anyway, and it was more for nostalgia then anything else. Although I was a kid when the first Rocky came out, I was swept up in Rocky fever and can name that tune in 2 notes, Bob. This was a pleasant enough film and definitely ‘cleaned up’ the mess left by the other less successful sequels. Great story? Eh. Plausible? Eh. Acting? Eh. But it was entertaining enough to merit 2 stars.

[ rent Rocky Balboa via netflix.com]

This or That?

Something tickled loose a piece of mental lint recently, and I started thinking about the numerous “X” or “Y” questions that occasionally come up in casual conversations. Coke or Pepsi. Mac or Windows. Boxers or Briefs. You know the drill. So for grins and giggles I thought I’d capture those I can remember and have an opinion on. Let me know if I missed any classics.

Coke	Pepsi
Windows	Mac
Ginger	Mary Anne
Boxers	Briefs
Family Guy	The Simpsons
Beer	Wine
The Beatles	The Rolling Stones

Passing Thought: Fake Walls and Visible Booms

There’s something fun about catching a glimpse of the boom mike in a sitcom or TV show. It always makes me feel like I found a hidden easter egg. But more so, I find it oddly entertaining to watch an exit or entrance through a door way, and catching the wobbling of the fake wall/set when it closes.

It’s the little things.

Rocky Balboa (2 stars)

“Though long retired from boxing, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) returns to the ring for one last hurrah in this drama featuring the iconic action star. Now widowed, Rocky’s settled into middle age running a restaurant. But the former champ misses the sparring life, and he’s drawn back into the ring after suffering a personal tragedy. When he’s offered a shot at the title, he’ll have to go all out to prove he’s still got what it takes.”

Geoff’s Comments: OK, as a disclaimer, let me just state up front that some of the movies I watch are not ‘rented’ per se, but are borrowed from co-workers. So when you see a movie reviewed here, it’s not like I sought it out at the Blockbuster or paid full price for it. This is a great case study in that: I’d have not paid to see this, but got to watch it anyway, and it was more for nostalgia then anything else. Although I was a kid when the first Rocky came out, I was swept up in Rocky fever and can name that tune in 2 notes, Bob. This was a pleasant enough film and definitely ‘cleaned up’ the mess left by the other less successful sequels. Great story? Eh. Plausible? Eh. Acting? Eh. But it was entertaining enough to merit 2 stars.

[ rent Rocky Balboa via netflix.com]

Turkey On A Full Plate

Until this morning, the only things I’ve thought I share with Tony Soprano have been my waistline and my temperament. That may be an exaggeration on one or both points, but this long weekend has been an active one and I’m in serious need of a break. Much of my weekend was spent unsuccessfully trying to tackle home projects of one kind or another, with new ‘to do tasks’ creeping up throughout the efforts, and the demands of the kids every 5 minutes to boot. I’ve felt moderately stressed. Enough so that, when I heard a rustling and odd sound outside our bedroom window this morning, I was less then interested in checking out what was going on.

When I saw a large turkey right outside our window, I was stunned, but less excited and more concerned about ‘yet another thing to tend to’. I could not help but be reminded of the premier episode of the Sopranos, where Tony finds geese or ducks in his swimming pool, and reflects on the serenity and simplicity of the moment.

I didn’t have time to grab the ‘real’ camera so I used my Treo 650 to snap this image as he sauntered away and towards the other side of the lawn.

How the hell he got in our yard is beyond me. I don’t know jack about turkey’s beyond the fact that eating them makes me sleepy. But after I’d laid back down and tried to comprehend how and why this was happening, a couple of minutes later my son came in, eager to start his day.

I typically love to immerse the kids into experiences. I’ve done things at every opportunity to give them a sense of delight and wonder. So when he came in I said “Guess what was just in our backyard? A real, real Turkey!”.

“Can we see it?” he asked, as one would expect.

“Let’s go try” I replied, not knowing if it would still be there or not.

We went into the backyard, and there was no turkey in sight. As we were talking about it, I glanced up onto the roof of the neighbor’s house and there was a turkey standing right at the apex of the roof, walking along it like a tight rope walker between two buildings.

“Look!” I said to my son, and his face beamed with delight and curiosity. No sooner had I said that, though, then a rustling sound above us gave us cause to look up, and see, atop our own roof, a second turkey, less then 10ft away. He walked to the edge, took flight and landed with the other on the neighbors roof, where they disappeared over the edge.

This might be nothing unique to some folks living in areas where this is more common, but we’re on the outskirts of Silicon Valley. We’re not used to such occurrences, so it’s something to write about and capture.

Inside Man (2 stars)

” Dispatched to a crime scene where a bank robbery is in progress, police detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) hopes to apprehend the cunning thief (Clive Owen) so he can make his case for a promotion. But when a savvy negotiator (Jodie Foster) with questionable motives arrives on the scene, an already unstable situation threatens to implode. Spike Lee directs this tense action-drama co-starring Willem Dafoe and Christopher Plummer.”

Geoff’s Comments: Watch-able but not memorable.

[ rent Inside Man via netflix.com]

Inside Man (2 stars)

” Dispatched to a crime scene where a bank robbery is in progress, police detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) hopes to apprehend the cunning thief (Clive Owen) so he can make his case for a promotion. But when a savvy negotiator (Jodie Foster) with questionable motives arrives on the scene, an already unstable situation threatens to implode. Spike Lee directs this tense action-drama co-starring Willem Dafoe and Christopher Plummer.”

Geoff’s Comments: Watch-able but not memorable.

[ rent Inside Man via netflix.com]

This Prank’s Humor Would Have Been Lost

My wife’s fantastic about my sense of humor. She laughs at my lame jokes and puns and even recovers well from the occasional “Psych!” moments in our lives. But having just recovered from a possible crash and burn, this one would have not gone over too well. It’s a good thing I was proactive in testing my assumptions before trying to pull it without time to recover.

I know, for her, there are valley’s and peaks throughout her week. The times she has to herself, away from the demands of the house and responsibilities is one of those peaks, and that’s where she is right now. Watching the show “Lost” is another of those peaks, and tonight’s 2 hour season finalie is one she’s been pacing back and forth over, in dire anticipation. This is a big night.

But it’s also her TNL [see prior post] and as such, she’s out and about, and it’s my responsibility to ensure the show records on our TiVo so when she gets home mid-way through the broadcast we can start watching it and enjoy it without commercial delays.

The prankster in me thought it’d be hilarious to wait for the show to start recording and mess with the cable connection just enough to make it appear that the show was not coming in. It’d just be snow and scattered images. Funny, right? Well, I know they always start with a recap of the prior weeks so I’d just have to time things to reconnect the cable in time for the real show’s start. I’d have a minute or two, easily, and when we started to watch it and found it was garbled and un-watchable, it’d be incredible for a moment to see her jaw drop. Yeah, I’m a prick sometimes.

FORTUNATELY for me the idea came to me at 8.40, 20 minutes before the show started. I carefully shifted the TiVo unit about on the top shelf, located the cables going into the back, and pulled one out.

Nothing happened. The show continued to broadcast. I determined that it must be the passthrough to the TV through which we can watch without going through the device.

I put it back in and started to uncouple the second cable. This one was a tougher one to decouple, as it was not the easier ‘press in’ type, but the older twist on style.

I got it out and started to tinker with the connection. It was great. Hilarious. The signal was easily tweaked and it really would have been pretty simple to make it appear to go out. But what ended up not being simple was reconnecting it. I started to try and reconnect the cable and it was not going in too easily. It felt like it was resisting the effort to screw it in. And I started to panic. I started to realize that, if I screwed the pooch trying to play some lame practical joke, and subsequently was unable to capture the broadcast for her to watch. I’d be the one living on an island tomorrow.

For whatever reason, the cable was taunt and not giving any leeway. Sure, it decoupled with great ease, but trying to get it back into place was not as effortless… and the one or two minutes I’d have had, were this to have been the real broadcast and not a trial run, quickly passed by, without any success on my part.

I also remembered, suddenly and with even greater fear of retribution, that our second TiVo unit died no less than about 3 days ago. Yes, we’ve been a two TiVo family for some time and that came to an end recently. Ironically recently. And there was no way in hell I’d be able to scramble and setup the boxed up VCR that, itself, was “Lost” in the overwhelming pile of boxes stacked floor to ceiling in our garage.

“Tick tick tick” loudly went the timer in my head….

I traced the cable back behind the cabinet and found it was pinched between the cabinets, and with a modest wiggle and tug I was able to loosen it enough to get the necessary slack and start trying to reattach it. Although there was a moment or two as I was trying to awkwardly twist the cable’s attachment piece back onto the unit during which I felt resistance and wondered if there were more issues yet to be resolved, it finally did start to settle into place, the images returned, and my sphincter subconsciously unclenched.

Lesson learned.

Perhaps. :-)

This Prank’s Humor Would Have Been Lost

My wife’s fantastic about my sense of humor. She laughs at my lame jokes and puns and even recovers well from the occasional “Psych!” moments in our lives. But having just recovered from a possible crash and burn, this one would have not gone over too well. It’s a good thing I was proactive in testing my assumptions before trying to pull it without time to recover.

I know, for her, there are valley’s and peaks throughout her week. The times she has to herself, away from the demands of the house and responsibilities is one of those peaks, and that’s where she is right now. Watching the show “Lost” is another of those peaks, and tonight’s 2 hour season finalie is one she’s been pacing back and forth over, in dire anticipation. This is a big night.

But it’s also her TNL [see prior post] and as such, she’s out and about, and it’s my responsibility to ensure the show records on our TiVo so when she gets home mid-way through the broadcast we can start watching it and enjoy it without commercial delays.

The prankster in me thought it’d be hilarious to wait for the show to start recording and mess with the cable connection just enough to make it appear that the show was not coming in. It’d just be snow and scattered images. Funny, right? Well, I know they always start with a recap of the prior weeks so I’d just have to time things to reconnect the cable in time for the real show’s start. I’d have a minute or two, easily, and when we started to watch it and found it was garbled and un-watchable, it’d be incredible for a moment to see her jaw drop. Yeah, I’m a prick sometimes.

FORTUNATELY for me the idea came to me at 8.40, 20 minutes before the show started. I carefully shifted the TiVo unit about on the top shelf, located the cables going into the back, and pulled one out.

Nothing happened. The show continued to broadcast. I determined that it must be the passthrough to the TV through which we can watch without going through the device.

I put it back in and started to uncouple the second cable. This one was a tougher one to decouple, as it was not the easier ‘press in’ type, but the older twist on style.

I got it out and started to tinker with the connection. It was great. Hilarious. The signal was easily tweaked and it really would have been pretty simple to make it appear to go out. But what ended up not being simple was reconnecting it. I started to try and reconnect the cable and it was not going in too easily. It felt like it was resisting the effort to screw it in. And I started to panic. I started to realize that, if I screwed the pooch trying to play some lame practical joke, and subsequently was unable to capture the broadcast for her to watch. I’d be the one living on an island tomorrow.

For whatever reason, the cable was taunt and not giving any leeway. Sure, it decoupled with great ease, but trying to get it back into place was not as effortless… and the one or two minutes I’d have had, were this to have been the real broadcast and not a trial run, quickly passed by, without any success on my part.

I also remembered, suddenly and with even greater fear of retribution, that our second TiVo unit died no less than about 3 days ago. Yes, we’ve been a two TiVo family for some time and that came to an end recently. Ironically recently. And there was no way in hell I’d be able to scramble and setup the boxed up VCR that, itself, was “Lost” in the overwhelming pile of boxes stacked floor to ceiling in our garage.

“Tick tick tick” loudly went the timer in my head….

I traced the cable back behind the cabinet and found it was pinched between the cabinets, and with a modest wiggle and tug I was able to loosen it enough to get the necessary slack and start trying to reattach it. Although there was a moment or two as I was trying to awkwardly twist the cable’s attachment piece back onto the unit during which I felt resistance and wondered if there were more issues yet to be resolved, it finally did start to settle into place, the images returned, and my sphincter subconsciously unclenched.

Lesson learned.

Perhaps. :-)

TNL. Now Playing Twice Weekly

My long time readers, both of you, know that TNL has exclusively stood for “Thursday Night Life”. It’s been a time I’ve arranged to have allocated each week so I have a chance to sit and write, drink beers with friends, shop and run errands…. whatever little thing that pleases me. A brief window of weekly time or me to have “A Life”. With twins, it took us a few years to get them to a point that either of us could do something like this, leaving the other to manage the kids solo.

What’s been interesting has been the reaction of other friends that are parents. Many have taken the idea to heart and started arranging the same for themselves. Date nights are equally important, but solo sanity is essential.

My wife’s has the same opportunity in return and recently decided that she’d use the same concept and adopt TNL for her own use. Tuesdays. The acronym is the same. Only the lower case letters have changed.

Passing Thought : A Lazy Peak

You know you’ve become a lazy slug when having to walk across the street between work buildings on a beautiful, warm, sunny day is greeted with an interest in having some sort of accelerated underground short cut. Complete with electric carts or a people mover.

Sad. Sad, sad, sad.

There’s No Honor In Killing For Gods Sake

I don’t typically follow headline news stories. I know, on many levels, it’s worth doing so to stay on top of current affairs. But I also know from experience that, all too frequently, I end up disgusted and appalled at what I find going on in the world. In addition, when horrible things are done in the name of a religion, I just can’t stop shaking my head in disgust. But today, when I stumbled across the story of a the stoning to death of a 17 year old girl, I had to push back the tears.

There’s No Honor In Killing For Gods Sake

I don’t typically follow headline news stories. I know, on many levels, it’s worth doing so to stay on top of current affairs. But I also know from experience that, all too frequently, I end up disgusted and appalled at what I find going on in the world. In addition, when horrible things are done in the name of a religion, I just can’t stop shaking my head in disgust. But today, when I stumbled across the story of a the stoning to death of a 17 year old girl, I had to push back the tears.

Volver (4 stars)

“Written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, this humorous fantasy stars Carmen Maura as Abuela Irene, who revisits her hometown in the La Mancha region — in spectral form — to resolve problems she couldn’t settle during her life. Abuela’s spirit gradually becomes a reassuring presence to her daughters (Penélope Cruz, in an Oscar-nominated performance, and Lola Dueñas) and granddaughter (Yohana Cobo).”

Geoff’s Comments: A very engaging film and story line with a good balance of drama, comedy and sentimentality.

[ rent Volver via netflix.com]

Volver (4 stars)

“Written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, this humorous fantasy stars Carmen Maura as Abuela Irene, who revisits her hometown in the La Mancha region — in spectral form — to resolve problems she couldn’t settle during her life. Abuela’s spirit gradually becomes a reassuring presence to her daughters (Penélope Cruz, in an Oscar-nominated performance, and Lola Dueñas) and granddaughter (Yohana Cobo).”

Geoff’s Comments: A very engaging film and story line with a good balance of drama, comedy and sentimentality.

[ rent Volver via netflix.com]

I Get Up, And Nothing Gets Me Down

Oh can’t you see me standing here, I’ve got my back against the record machine. I ain’t the worst that you’ve seen. Oh can’t you see what I mean?

Casting a Foreshadow

I went to dig up an old family photo and stumbled across something the elicited a double-take, and tickled a fond and lingering memory of childhood. I recall, as a very young boy, having a huge crush on a little girl from school. I remember being infatuated with her and seeking her out during recesses. You see, while the other little boys were pushing and shoving each other about the sand box, in desperate attempts to assert their dominance and masculinity, thereby fulfilling the inherently instinctual need to prove ones self to each other and to the fairer sex…. I was just going over and talking directly to the girl, avoiding the brew-ha-ha, and instead, swinging on the monkey bars with the object of my affection.

Somehow, I managed to secure her attendance at my birthday party. I distinctly remember being flustered and distracted by her as we were tied leg-to-leg for a three legged race. This photo was taken on that day, at that event. You’ll see her to the far left of the photo, the one and only girl at the party, amongst a sea of other little boys. And that is me, standing directly at her side. She was my “date” for the day, and the first of my life.

What’s amazing is that, not only does that cute little blonde girl share the same name as my cute little blonde wife, but this image bears an strong resemblance of my own son and daughter today. Hence the double take when I found it.

We’ve talked about it. Her family never lived in Woodland Hills, CA, where this image was taken. Still…. one has to marvel at the coincidence.

Now Playing : “Working Class Hero” by Green Day

I’ve managed to get my hands on the song “Working Class Hero” by Green Day, from a forthcoming 2CD set of Lennon covers. This particular song is quite well covered by Green Day. I’m eagerly awaiting the release of that set so I can hear other tracks as well. Compilations like this typically have a hit or miss outcome, but the lineup looks strong enough to expect a handful of tracks to be worth the money.

Now Playing : “Working Class Hero” by Green Day

I’ve managed to get my hands on the song “Working Class Hero” by Green Day, from a forthcoming 2CD set of Lennon covers. This particular song is quite well covered by Green Day. I’m eagerly awaiting the release of that set so I can hear other tracks as well. Compilations like this typically have a hit or miss outcome, but the lineup looks strong enough to expect a handful of tracks to be worth the money.

No Bagel For You

I know, I’m in a whinny mood, but damn it, why is it, when I get to work early enough to be excited about the possible bagel choices one finds in the cafe before 9am, I’m prevented from getting there in time? Being conscious about reducing my use of paper products, I opted to stop at my office and get my big plastic Peets coffee cup. Of course I also setup my MacBook Pro, only to notice that our departmental server was non-responsive. So I went to the server, started the process of trying to fix it and almost 2 hours later… I’m still doing so. Meanwhile, all the good, yummy bagels are gone, the work I had planned to accomplish has been completely sidelined, and if I do get to have some breakfast, I’ll be stuck trying to gag down a dry piece of wheat bread.

The End Is Far

I’ve come to the distinct conclusion that the end of the world, the end of days, the end of times…. “The End”, will be foretold not by plague, famine, pestilence, flood and swarms of locust. No, no, it’ll be something far more distinct and dramatically indisputable. The sign of the end will be the day I make a trip to the hardware store without finding, upon arrival home, that one or more of the things I bought is the wrong size, thread, caliber, fit or function. Yes, my brothers and sisters, the sign will be clear and indisputable. I’ll not have to make a return trip to Home Depot or ACE to exchange a purchase.

And based on my experiences of late, humanity is safe and will be for the foreseeable future.

New Photos Added to Family Photos section

There’s new photos of the kids posted in my “family photos” section. This time, it’s just a handful taken while visiting a local horse stable and riding farm. It’s always big fun for the little kids. As usual, username and password are required to access them, and if you don’t know it, drop me an email.
Click Here to View the New Photos

A Greener Apple

I was pleasantly surprised last week when I stopped at the on campus café for a soda, and found new plastic cups in place of the old ones. New cups that are made from corn, and are 100% compost-able! according to the blurb on www.biodegradablestore.com…

These clear corn plastic cups are 100% Compostable. With the same look and feel as clear plastic cups, our PLA cups will completely compost under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days.

In addition, the plastic & styrofoam food containers have also been supplemented with eco-friendly “bagasse” a “Tree-Free alternative for making paper” that comes from sugarcane stalks and is also biodegradable.

A week or two back, Steve Jobs issued a press release detailing the environmental practices and goals of the company, and it’s refreshing to find that along with ‘the big things’ being done at the manufacturing level, we’re also looking at the little things as well. It all adds up to making me feel a hell of good deal better about working here when it comes to environmental practices.