Thursday, June 27, 2002

June 27, 2002

...AND KEEPS ON TICKING (ME OFF): The Joy of Tech web comic is always a hoot, but this one skewering a particularly annoying commercial had me actually guffawing.

NORTHERN RITES: The launch of Amazon.ca points up just how divided we are from our neighbors to the north. For example, they can order the DVD of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as God and J.K. Rowling intended it. Down here, we can't. Both are Region 1 discs, though, so I suppose if I wanted to pony up for the extra shipping charges, I could get the proper version.

MEANWHILE, IN THE ALPHA QUADRANT: The trailer for Star Trek X (aka Star Trek: Nemesis) is now available for download in QuickTime from Apple.com. Also, there is a fairly comprehensive Flash preview site on StarTrek.com. (No official word there about the return of TV'S WIL WHEATON as Wesley Crusher, although apparently Ashley Judd will be making an appearance as his one-time love Ensign -- now Lieutenant -- Robin Lefler. Maybe we'll get to learn more of Lefler's Laws. Lefler also shows up in the Simon & Schuster New Frontier novels. Yup, I'm a big geek.)

Monday, June 25, 2001

June 25, 2001

Var'aq is an open-source Klingon programming language. Today is a good day to code.

It's really something of a Klingon Basic, a simple, loosely-typed programming language designed mostly just to be used for programming things like command displays and high-level control systems. In its eventual final incarnation, we're looking at concurrency, advanced mathematics, and even native support for distributed programs (try finding that in the C++ standard library).

Unhip: The Socks-Shorts Combo: Ugly at Any Speed. Hey, I just spent a weekend in the park with several thousand homosexuals. You won't get any argument here from me.

The Official Rube Goldberg Website.

(WEB)LOG-ROLLING: I've really been groovin' on Wood s lot — a lot — these past couple of months. Go there. It'll grow on ya.

I'M SO GLAD WE HAD THIS TIME TOGETHER: A brief history of The Carol Burnett Show(s) — now available on video from Columbia House — at TV Party.

JUST MY "TYPE": OK, so maybe the Big Trouble trailer wasn't the only good thing about seeing Swordfish. After all, Hugh Jackman spent at least 10 minutes in the movie with his shirt off, so I suppose that's gotta count for something. Not nearly so naughty is Hugh Jackman in ASCII. (More at ASCII Babes.)

Saturday, June 24, 2000

It’s raining hen!

MALLED: At the Clinique counter at Famous-Barr today, a woman turned to her friend and said, "I've been thinking of going over to the Lancôme system." Her inflection implied it was an actual place she intended to visit. I immediately pictured a scene from Star Trek, with Captain Picard ordering, "Mr. Crusher, plot a course to the Lancôme system, warp factor three. Take us through the Chanel Nebula. Engage."

MUST-SEE POULTRY: The Twins accompanied me to see Chicken Run last night — my second viewing and their first. I wanted to be sure I saw the movie on its opening weekend to do what little I could to contribute to the opening gross receipts and thereby encourage the further production of fine animated entertainment. The guys were dubious about enjoying a "kid flick," as was the crowd of twenty-somethings shut out of an oversold Boys and Girls, but they were game to try.

There was some sniggering during the trailers for coming attractions, including Pokémon 2000 and Thomas the Tank Engine (Alex Baldwin as Mr. Conductor (!) did give them pause). But in the end, everyone enjoyed the show, filling the auditorium with laughs again and again. The disappointed Boys and Girls group even led the standing ovation at the end, and when was the last time you saw someone applaud a movie, much less rise to their feet?

In short: See this movie. I noticed several clever touches I'd missed on the first viewing, including my favorite throw-away line: During the chickens' flight training, the scheming rats who provision to coop are pelted with pullets and one exclaims, "It's raining hen!" The Weathergirls must be so proud. (Warning: If you're at all interested in being thoroughly delighted and surprised by the movie, avoid watching either the commercials now airing for it or any of the "making of..." specials being shown. Both give away some significant plot points.)

Friday, May 21, 1999

Molest not the geek

ADDED TO THE BIO: Ten Random Facts About Brad. Occasionally updated.

FANDOM MENACE: Trekkies, a documentary examining (although not very closely) the phenomenon of Star Trek fan-aticism, is open in St. Louis. Denise Crosby ("Tasha Yar," "Sela") hosts.

MOLEST NOT THE GEEK: Dan Savage wonders if the tragic events at Columbine High School and elsewhere in the land might not have a "silver lining," making bullies and clique-queens think twice before maligning the outsiders.

"The power cliques that rule American high schools are every bit as murderous as Harris and Klebold, only their damage is done in slow motion, over a period of many years, and fails to draw the attention of parents or teachers — let alone news anchors, SWAT teams, and presidents."

EDGE OF SEVENTEEN: This film will probably be a hit at gay and lesbian film festivals this year. I know I can't wait to see what is probably a little scoop of my life on the big screen, gay boys coming of age in the early 80s.

AUSTIN, YODA. YODA, AUSTIN: The shaggariffic secret agent has a chat with the sage of Dagobah. Oh, behave!

UGH!: Yesterday was a simply awful day, filled to the brim with interactions with rude customer service, alarmingly misnamed "free technical support," drivers clueless about the possible purpose of turning signals and just general idiocy all around.

WEBLOG-ROLLING: After a bit of DNS snafu, PeterMe seems to be back.