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Even cooler plane!

This was taken at the air force museum in Ohio. Dont pay attention to this boring text, I am testing Shozu.

Cool plane!

Fall 2006 TV Season – Early Thoughts

New Shows:

I like to give new TV shows a chance, generally I’ll try to catch the premieres and a couple more episodes to see if they can draw me in. Generally I’ll go for anything that has a cast I like, or a concept that seems fresh or interesting. Hopefully they’ll have both but often this is not the case.

Thus far, I’ve tried Vanished, Standoff, Justice, The Class, Studio 60 and Smith. I’m definitely enjoying Vanished, there seems to be a nice plot developing with a complex backstory. I wonder what the longterm prospects are like, though, since I can’t imagine they will keep the same character kidnapped for multiple seasons. I just don’t think it will work for most audiences. Standoff is just OK, the chemistry between the leads is passable but nothing special, and the plotlines feel a bit contrived. A new hostage situation every week? And Berger (sorry I can’t remember his name at the moment) is not looking as hot as he used to, especially in HD. Justice is decent, the gimmick of showing what actually happened is both good and bad. Good in that you don’t get hung up on true innocent/guilty the way The Practice often did. But bad in that it kind of shuts off the longer running stories of clients coming back and keeping you guessing. The Class (aka Friends 2006) premiere was a bit shaky, introducing 8 main characters and a few more side characters in a half hour sitcom is probably a bit too much. The premise was kind of a throwaway, what’s important is whether we liked the characters and want to continue to see them week after week. I’m not sure at the moment but I’ll give it a chance since Friends’ first season was not the best either.

Studio 60 was the first “big” show premiere of the season that I’ve seen. By big I mean the hype has been huge; I’ve seen articles saying this is the show that will save NBC. Sadly, I was not that impressed, and apparently neither were viewers, who apparently showed up in limited numbers and many changed channels midway through. I don’t think anyone can blame the pedigree, the cast, script, production values, etc all looked top notch. It’s great to see Matthew Perry on TV again and I’ve always liked Amanda Peet; Felicity Huffman in a guest appearance was a great touch. But conceptually I have to wonder about a show that’s based around behind-the-scenes action of a show that lost it’s relevancy many years ago. And this is coming from someone who still actually watches SNL!!

Smith likewise has a great cast and clearly spent a lot in production values for a big bang Ocean’s 11-esque premiere. The story/writing was a bit weak and predictable though. The bigger problem? I don’t know if I want to see a weekly show about a bunch of thieves. Are they going to steal something different every week? I love Virginia Madsen, though, plus I enjoy Amy Smart, Jonny Lee Miller and Simon Baker as well. But week after week I just don’t get the sense it will hold my interest.

Returning Shows:

Thus far Prison Break has come back with a nice bang, totally reinventing itself with the prisoners on the run. Love it so far, though I’m hoping they can bring some of the characters back together soon and get back into the intriguing conspiracy plotline that has been put somewhat on the backburner. I’ve watched a couple episodes of Bones this season, it seems to be hitting its stride better than last season. In general it’s not my type of show, though, even though I love Angel. Bones herself is good but I wish they had cast a stronger female lead (like Gillian Anderson). I do like the addition of Tamara Taylor, I hope she stays on. Survivor looks like a lot of fun this season. I love the racial stuff, it makes me laugh. Hopefully they can keep things fresh and interesting throughout the season (apparently ratings are going downhill so they may have just run their course).

That’s about it thus far. Coming tomorrow we’ve got the big Grey’s Anatomy premiere, I’m very excited!

Downloadable Movies For Sale: Who Cares?

So it looks like this week Amazon and Apple have both entered a new market of selling movies for download. With Microsoft announcing their new “Zune” product (aka iPod ripoff), it looks like the portable player and downloadable content race is really starting to heat up. Both websites seem to have similar pricing structures, somewhere around $10-15 to download a near DVD-quality movie onto your computer. The catch? You can’t burn the movie to a DVD so basically you can only watch the movies on your portable device or your computer.

So my question is whether or not this really fills a legitimate market space. I can purchase a “real” DVD with all the bells and whistles to watch on my big screen TV for roughly the same price (particularly if I catch the sales or find pre-owned movies, which can actually be cheaper). This is not the same as the original $0.99 download for a song concept – the price differential is too high in my opinion, not to mention portable music is much more desirable than portable movie viewing. You aren’t going to watch a movie while jogging, and I’d much rather experience Pirates or Incredibles on a large screen than on my computer or a 3.5″ iPod screen. Well, that’s my thought anyway, maybe the younger generation has a different opinion.

My gut says they are being too greedy. I’d say for this to be a stronger candidate, the price structure would have had to be much more appealing (maybe $8 for new releases, $5 for older films). A one hour TV episode is $2, but a 1.5 hour movie costs 6-7 times that much. I don’t like it. (Then again I didn’t like that 5 minute videos also cost $2). Even though I think $0.99 was too high for a per song price, it was still low enough to have that impulse buying appeal. It’s not even a dollar, I can afford one more!! But now we’re talking $10+ so it’s a much bigger investment. Not to mention with songs I could burn them onto a CD and move the media into other places with less restriction.

So then there’s the rumored upcoming Apple “iTV” that will somehow bring the iTunes/movie content onto your big screen TV (presumably Microsoft will do something similar, maybe with the Xbox 360?). First off I’m not sure exactly how this will be accomplished – maybe some type of DVR-esque hard drive with a system capable of running iTunes? Or will it be wirelessly connected to your computer, in which case you have to leave your computer on? In any case, this would make the idea more palatable – my entire library digitally held in one place, I don’t even have to get up to insert a DVD to watch the movie I want to. However, if quality suffers, I’m thinking this wouldn’t be that great an option. Not to mention all those fun bonus features! And of course there’s still the cable companies and their newer/better “on demand” content to contend with.

So color me guarded. I’m a gadget whore, and Apple pretty much knows how to push all my buttons, so more than likely I’ll end up purchasing an “iTV” at release. But right now, I don’t see the vision yet.

[Music] Under the Influence of Giants

Last week while watching some lame reality show on MTV, at the end of the show I caught a minute of a video/tune that just sucked me right in. It was kind of weird, kind of funky, kind of fun, just very hard to describe. My very first impression was something of a modern hybrid cross between the Bee Gee’s and B-52’s. I saw the name of the song was “Mama’s Room”. So I ran to my iTunes store and looked it up. Turns out the band was called Under the Influence of Giants. In moments I was sampling the entire album and pretty much every sample I found engaging, in different ways. The price for all 12 tracks was $7.99 so I figured at $0.67 a song I couldn’t go too far wrong. I also bought one of the remixes of Mama’s Room which I also recommend.

I burned the album onto a CD and listened to it the next day. And then promptly fell in love with every track. This hasn’t happened to me in a long, long time. It just felt so fresh and interesting, the sounds often reminiscent of different (much older) styles and bands, yet distinctly new and fun. It went from weirder, high energy material, to slower pop songs, to fun mid-tempo tunes. I ate it all up and have since listened to the full CD around 10 times. Give it a sample if you get a chance!

Gays in Games (Enchanted Arms Xbox 360)

Yesterday I picked up Enchanted Arms for the Xbox 360. I had read a little pre-release hype about one of the main characters being flamboyantly gay, but I assumed the role was minor and all the talk was exaggerated. Boy was I wrong. A number of forum posters mentioned they wouldn’t buy the game because of this, while others were quick to defend the game and the characters. So I had to see it for myself. Now I’ve been a fan of various Japanese console RPGs for many many years, so this wasn’t a stretch for me to buy regardless, but I must admit I was very curious about the “Makoto” character.

(Side note: the game itself is pretty decent, my impressions are posted over on octopusoverlords. It looks like a fairly standard, conventional console RPG with a few bells and whistles. Not the “next generation” adventure touted on the box, but certainly a nice first effort for the 360.)

So anyway, the producers chose to go with a hideously over the top style for the voiceover on Makoto. This after they dress him up in a bizarre effeminate outfit, complete with bare midriff and lots of eyeshadow. It’s rather jarring and uncomfortable to watch and listen to, but after a while you kind of get used to it. (Note the manual describes him as a transvestite, which I found rather laughable.) They further insist on every other comment he makes (at the outset) being something about how much he loves and worships one of the other male characters. Apparently he makes a deluxe lunch for his buddy every day, and calls himself his “disciple of love.” The whole thing left me rather mystified as to what exactly the writers were aiming for. Is it supposed to simply be funny? Mean spirited? Pathetic? It’s rather confusing. I don’t know whether to cheer because there’s a gay character featured prominently in a mainstream game, or be offended that the portrayal is so stereotypical. As I reflect upon some older RPGs I’ve played, I’m thinking he fills the role of “obnoxious comic relief” often reserved for some bizarre talking animal/monster or sometimes for a young snooty female who later gets put in her place.

Anyway, I’m very curious to see where they take his storyline, and I’ll reserve final judgment until I see more. It just gets you thinking about our society, and how every time you think gay people have become that much more integrated into the culture (particularly watching TV and movies), something like this comes along to make you realize how much further we have to go.

The Zen of Zuma

There’s a little game from Popcap Games called Zuma. In it, you shoot balls from the mouth of a little frog, and if that becomes 3 or more same-colored balls, they are destroyed. The goal is to eliminate all the balls. There are some “specials” like an exploder ball and one that pushes things backwards, as well as assorted bonuses for little coins that appear on the screen or for shooting through a gap in the snake-like ball progression. It may sound kind of lame, but trust me, it’s highly addictive. Kind of like “The Game” from that old ST:TNG episode featuring Wesley.

Anyway, sometimes as I play I realize I spout out words to live by that go beyond the simple arcade gameplay. So I thought I’d jot down a list of rules to live by inspired by playing Zuma.

1. Don’t Panic. Just like in life, losing your cool never does you any good. Stay calm, stay focused, let the game come to you. Ugh, that sounded so cliche it made me a little sick.

2. Never Give Up. A corollary to number 1, Zuma almost always offers a chance to survive. But you have to be persistent. A defeatist attitude is generally a quick loss.

3. You Need A Little Luck. It may be hard to swallow, but no matter how smart or good you (think you) are, you still need a little luck to succeed.

4. Sometimes You Gotta Take Risks. There’s always a risk/reward ratio in everything you do. Zuma is no exception. There are times you just have to go for that between the balls shot to hit the exploder behind them because it’s your only chance. If it doesn’t work out, at least you took a chance.

5. Never Gloat. Gloating and over-confidence looks bad on anyone. And trust me, just when you make it to level 12 and even think about gloating about it, you will regret it big time.

6. Sometimes, Greed is Good. Kind of hand and hand with 4 and 5, there are times when it’s better to be greedy and go for extra points from a coin or a trick shot. The reward over the longer haul is the chance at an extra frog which you may need. Just don’t let greed control your every action, because that too can become your downfall.

7. Think Fast, but Think Strategically. Zuma teaches you to plan ahead – at least a couple of steps if possible. Set things up so that you can get a special or a secondary blow up.

8. Make Good Decisions. That sounds prety stupid and obvious, but this game demands you make the right choices, and make them fast. Anything less and it’s game over.

9. Know When to Discard. Corollary to 8, there are times when the timing just isn’t right, so dump that ball and wait for something you really need/want.

10. Be Alert and Be Flexible. You have to pay attention at all times, there are opportunities all around you, if you can just follow all the other rules and find a way to get to them. But you also have to be willing to change your rigid gameplan and adjust to what’s presented to you.

Celebrity Duets Premiere Review

So by now it’s probably obvious I watch a lot of TV. I try to be discerning but in the end I watch a ton of everything. I resisted the first couple of seasons, but eventually gave in to Idol the last 2 seasons, so now I’m kind of into these singing competitions. I was even one of the 17 people who watched The One. I’ve also seen a number of other reality shows and competitions; in fact I was a big fan of the “original” – MTV’s Real World.

But I digress, last night’s premiere of Celeb Duets added a slight new twist on the AI+Dancing with the Stars format. The twist being that the duet partners were arguably much bigger stars than the so-called “celebrities” (mostly B-listers and has beens). This made for an interesting dynamic throughout the evening and kind of makes you wonder how it’s all going to turn out (not so much the competition, but ratings and popularity-wise). Chris Jericho was horrible, but he looked good so I guess that counts for something. I felt bad for the people who had to sing with him, it was painful to listen to.

If I had to lay odds right now, I’d say it will be a showdown between Xena and Jai from Queer Eye. Xena was head and shoulders above the other 2 women (both literally and vocally), and Jai was clearly the best of the men. That would certainly make an interesting finale for the gay and lesbian fans. As for me, I’m still rooting for Hal Sparks, but I think at best he can get to maybe the final 4 (since I’m guessing I’ll say… Alfonso, Hal, Jai and Xena).

The judges are interesting. Little Richard was clearly brought in for the Paula Effect (i.e. saying drunken non-sensical things and throwing off the timing of the otherwise clockwork pace); my friends reminded me he is even sitting in Paula’s middle spot. David Foster had some useful comments but mostly got overshadowed by Little Richard’s antics. Marie Osmond was actually very good and I agreed with most of her opinions, and I liked that she balanced her praise with some critical suggestions. Still I think I’d prefer to see her duet/sing; I think she’d at least do a much better job than the Destiny’s Child chick.

Speaking of which, it did seem a little odd to go from a legendary vocalist like Gladys Knight to “that third Destiny’s Child girl.” I mean, come on, give us some Beyonce if you’re going to go that route! The other “legends” were a bit hit or miss. I liked Smokey and James Ingram, but Townsend, Travis and Womack did nothing for me. Michael Bolton seemed off. A nice blend of people they found but I think it would be more interesting to have more singers famous for their duets. I wonder if it will be the same people throughout the series, or if they will bring in others. Doesn’t Whitney need some exposure? Ooh, how abotu Dolly Parton or that raspy “Love Lift Us Up Where we Belong” guy? What’s Kenny Rogers doing? Donna Summer?

Anyway, I had a good time watching the show, some decent performances mixed in with some cringe-inducing nausea. Thank goodness for DVRs, though, as I don’t think I could have stomached a full 2 hours of it.

Samsung Q1 Review/Impressions

I posted this on origamiportal a while back, here’s my Q1 review.

I recently took it on a short trip and it was the perfect little companion. Lightweight and unobtrusive. Watched a couple of videos while resting, and also the first ep of Kyle XY off of iTunes. Very nice.

Other random update: I installed Zuma on this the other day and surprisingly it played extremely well with a pen/tablet. It’s a totally different feel from the mouse but very responsive, much more so than trying it on an Xbox 360!