This Day in History: The Magna Carta

As some of you may remember from your middle school world history lessons, the Magna Carta is always touted as a pretty big deal. Well, according to the History Channel website, King John sealed the deal on this date.

Interesting to note, however, that the actual execution of the document is not all it's cracked up to be:

The Magna Carta has been subject to a great deal of historical exaggeration; it did not establish Parliament, as some have claimed, nor more than vaguely allude to the liberal democratic ideals of later centuries. However, as a symbol of the sovereignty of the rule of law, it was of fundamental importance to the constitutional development of England.

Wonder how many other significant milestones we've learned by rote that aren't what we think they are?

The Declaration of Independence comes to mind... July 4th is great and all, but we still had to fight a big, bloody war after that.

Review: We the Media

Because I spend a lot of time monitoring blogs for my current assignment, I became aware of Dan Gillmor and his contributions to the online community. Based on what I had read by him and about him, I thought I would check out his book, We the Media, about the changing role of blogs and the potential they have to be the news delivery system.

An interesting premise, and he develops his case thoroughly using specific examples of where blogs have affected events and outcomes, as well as providing the background and definitions for those who might not be conversant in the exact terminology. One chapter I was glad to see was specifically related to RSS and its uses, which I have had some trouble explaining to my family members who are not involved in technology.

I was also surprised to find how big of a role the online community has played in certain events, as it continues to do with coverage of the Iraq war and the response to the Thai tsunami in late 2004. I wonder though if there will not be the inevitable backlash against online sources as their credibility and legitimacy are challenged both online and in the courts. Allegations even surfaced today that a prominent news organization had become so desperate for online traffic that they enlisted a shady organization to raise their page rank -- if they are also sucked down, what will be left?

Mostly what the book did for me is underscore the point that the journalism profession is reliant upon a stringent code of ethics that sometimes seems to be enforced on a strictly "honor policy" basis. It makes it difficult to know whom to trust, much less believe. I don't like being a cynic, but it's difficult to feel that all news reporting now is not just spin based on the political agenda of the transmitting organization. It makes a sad statement that the only "news" program that I watch is "The Daily Show". But at least I am also well-informed enough to know when they get something wrong.

Overall, I would recommend this book as reading for those who are just becoming familiar with the "blogosphere" and what it can do.

Episode III: Take Two

SigO and I went to see Episode III last week in digital. It was great
-- crystal clear, astounding visuals... and still clunky dialogue. But
we knew that.

I was still able to feel compassion for Anakin; be bewildered by his
sudden decision to bow to Sidious; and feel sorry for Hayden
Christensen for being saddled with the thankless task of delivering an
emotional performance for a director that wouldn't know one if it
walked up and bit him. Banter, he can do up to a point, as demonstrated by the interplay between Anakin and Obi-Wan in the first act. Sigh.

SigO has just completed his Phantom Edit and is already planning the
same for Clones and ROTS. I have many suggestions for him, but I'm
sure he's got them covered.

Note: adding links has started to bug me, so I'm posting this without
them for now.

Magic Number to Find Job?

Your Birthdate: April 8

Born on the 8th day of the month, you have a special gift for business, as you can conceive and plan on a grand scale. You have good executive skills and you're a good judge of values. You should try to own your own business, because you have such a strong desire to be in control. You are generally reliable when it comes to handling money; you can be trusted in this regard. Idealistic by nature, you are never too busy to spend some time on worthwhile causes, especially if managerial support are needed. There is much potential for material success associated with this number.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Too bad I can't use this as a reference for finding a full time job. Somehow it's difficult to get this across on a resume.

If I could throw this into the ring, I could then use my horoscope and my numerology profile to back it up.

PXNA05 - Warfield

The Pixies,
originally uploaded by fannymcgee.

We had a great Memorial Day weekend, capped off by seeing the Pixies at the Warfield on Monday night. It was a bizarre set up where they played two shows in one night, the first starting at 7:00 and the second at 11:30. SigO was braver than I and stayed through both.

Here's the set list from the show I went to:

Show #1: Lady In The Radiator Song, Wave of Mutilation (UK surf), Where is My Mind, La La Love You, Here Comes Your Man, Nimrod's Son, Vamos, Mr. Grieves, Blown Away, Winterlong, Into the White, Bone Machine, Gigantic, Caribou, Monkey Gone to Heaven, The Sad Punk, Stormy Weather, Hey, Dead, Tame, River Euphrates, Ed is Dead, Alec Eiffel, Planet of Sound. Encore: Gouge Away, Debaser.

Courtesy of T. Malone, who was also there. We were standing on the floor right near the front, great view all around & rocked out as much as our old bones could stand. SigO finally got to see "River Euphrates" live, and I got to hear "Winterlong", which is one of my favorites to sing along to. We went to see them last year at the Greek Ampitheatre over in Berkeley and up at UC Davis, and they really have it all together now.

Unfortunately there was a guy on Monday behind us doing his best imitation of a smoke machine of the wacky kind so it was very pungent -- but easily ignored.

If you give a damn and you can get out to see 'em, I recommend it.

Episode III: Sigh.

From Starlog.com

I actually saw Episode III: ROTS the day after it came out, but I've been busy with other things. I think it did a good job overall because it made me really, really sad in spite of the fact that most of the dialogue was excruciating and some of the acting was terrible. I kinda knew what to expect in that regard because "I've got a bad feeling about this", while a Lucas catch phrase that I myself use fairly often, is not stellar writing.

I ended up seeing it with my family while in VA, and I told SigO later as we compared notes that I felt like LilBud in the second half of the movie saying "Noo." in the whiny little voice of a two-year-old being asked to do something they don't want to do. I knew how it was going to end, but I didn't want him to go out like that. It was not a satisfying turn to the dark side in my mind. Even though they were building to it effectively, in the end it was more of a squeak than even a whimper when Anakin succumbs to Sidious.

And then there was poor Natalie Portman. It makes me wonder how much better I would have felt about the part of Padme if I didn't know her as a great actress -- I felt like she was wasted here. More unknowns in other parts might have helped, too, to eliminate some of the feelings of stunt casting that have been haunting the prequels.

SigO says that it improves upon second viewing, but you know it's bad when my Dad, Mr. Blow-'em-up-flick-fan, thinks that the light saber battles are too long. But even given all of that, I know that we will have to get the DVD, and I can't wait to see the special features.

This is why George Lucas is worth approximately a gazillion dollars.

Oo! Oo! Wal-Mart is Out!!

Well I'll be darned. Looks like someone realizes that Netflix has a great thing going:

Under the agreement, Wal-Mart will offer its online customers the opportunity to sign up with Netflix at their current monthly subscription price of $12.97 for a year, and Netflix will promote Wal-Mart DVD sales to its 3 million subscribers.

Blockbuster is still in it; Amazon is still a darkhorse, but this can only be good for Netflix.

Cruise/Holmes = Huh?

Many props to the Manolo for this series of pictures, which somehow captures my feeling about the whole thing.

Kind of happy for them, I guess, but in some respects it just seems creepy. The main difference between this relationship and that of Ms. Moore and Mr. Kutcher is that Mr. Kutcher did not profess a desire to be married to Ms. Moore before he met her.

I want to believe that this is on the up and up, but somehow I just can't. That being said, they are a phenomenally attractive couple.

English Premier League Map - Circa ??

Source: Educational Services

My older brother sent this out to the fam today and I just had to share. They used to have this great satellite zoom before each of the EPL games on Fox Sports World (now Fox Soccer Channel), which I liked because it would show you specifically where the matches were taking place, even down to what the stadium looked like from the air. It was way cool.

Teams on this list that are currently not in the EPL: Sunderland (they were up two seasons ago!); Bradford City; Leeds United (they were up last season!); Derby County; Leicester City (they were up last season!); Coventry City (butt of a Monty Python joke!); Ipswich Town; West Ham United (they were up two seasons ago!); and, as of this past Sunday, Southampton.

It's Funny because it's True...

Spencer the Katt from eWeek

Saw this cartoon mentioned on Scobleizer and just had to share because a large part of my job involves tracking blogs and trying to get my company covered on them.

The cynicism is well-earned.

Bay to Breakers 2005

IMG_4501,
originally uploaded by davelu37.

Just a sample of the wackiness that went on yesterday at the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco. We actually saw this guy leaving the hotel, he was staying on our floor!

SigO and I walked the 7+ miles due to our gimpiness, but it was very entertaining. Many travelling alcohol dispensaries, sexual organs real and simulated, and a swarm of salmon running upstream to spawn. That one was my favorite.

Check out Flickr for more pics!

"Time keeps on tickin tickin tickin...

...into the future..."

Ah, that was one of my favorite songs growing up. Has some great electronic special effects in it, especially if you're six years old.

As things pick up at work and as I get ready to go on a jaunt back home to see my family, I've found it hard to get around to posting to this site. Add in the fact that the home Internet connection is wonky (grumble grumble Comcast sux grumble grumble), and you've got a recipe for "eh".

So I'm going to copy Jeremy Zawodny (without quite as much seriousness in the content) and put in a list of things rather than separate posts.

1. FEPL Update: We're nearing the end of the season, and it looks like my older brother has run away with the title, much in the spirit of Chelsea. Which actually had a lot to do with it since he consistently made Frank Lampard the captain of his fantasy team, and Lampard had a dream season. At least I'm not coming in last...but that's really an itty bitty consolation. Note to self: whenever SigO picks someone for his team, and particularly if he makes that player his captain, drop him like a hot rock. He's either about to get hurt or not play that week.
   
2. ManU & Glazer: Can't believe that this guy is getting his foot in the door, especially with a bid that includes so much debt. I'm with Sir Alex. It's also worrisome given that the team's quality seems to have fallen off this season. SigO and I have debated their seeming inability to finish and the lack of consistency (except for Rio Ferdinand) on the back line. If Mr. Glazer were intending to revitalize the team the way that Abramovich has Chelsea, it might be a different thing. At the moment, I'll have to use a Lucasism: "I've got a bad feeling about this."
3. Disney + Muppets: In the same vein, I have to agree with this article about the takeover of the Muppets by Disney and what it could possibly mean for the future of the characters. I grew up with the Muppet movies and The Muppet Show because it happened in the era between The Rescuers and The Little Mermaid when Disney animation just wasn't all that great (The Black Cauldron, anyone? And I loved the Lloyd Alexander series). I'm going to be watching "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz", don't get me wrong, I'm just not expecting to like it very much.
   
4. Fanzone: Fox Soccer Channel sometimes shows the Sky Sports coverage of EPL games called Fanzone, which involves a fan for each team on the pitch and a mediator, covering the game. There's no play-by-play, it's all color. There's plenty of screaming and smack-talking involved, and it's absolutely hilarious. Particularly the reaction to Rooney's spectacular goal against Newcastle United, where the ManU fan just ended up screaming for about 15 seconds.
   
5. Aussie Rules: One of my summertime treats is Australian Rules Football on Fox Soccer Channel. I just caught it randomly one night when FSC was still called Fox Sports World, and I got hooked. Mostly because I had to figure out what the heck was going on, but it's great! These guys make American football players look like pansies because Americans wear pads. Some similarities to rugby, but it's really a wide open game. The commentators are great, too. My favorite quotes from last week: "He chose the third of two options." and "He's got delusions of adequacy." Then there's also just the general screaming and carrying on that they do when they're excited.
   
6. Getting Things Done: I had been reading about this book in several blogs so I decided to check it out. It does have some interesting ideas, but my psychological makeup may be such that I don't get as much benefit from it as some others might. I'm always thinking of tiny detail things that need to be done just when I have no way to capture them, such as when I'm in the shower or driving. I also don't seem to find some of the open loops floating around in my brain to be important enough to merit writing down... which of course is a good way to undermine the entire system. I also found that I have a lot of the recommended habits already (do it if it's under 2 min, write things down, etc.). One good thing that did come out of it is that I picked up a wireless keyboard for my Tungsten E that is fantastic. It's also given me a bit more confidence that I'm getting things under control, and led me to try some interesting new online services such as Ta-Da lists, Backpack and AirSet. I'm a part-time marketing consultant using my client's PC as my base computer, and having the online sync capacities means that I don't have to clutter my Palm with the crap I don't want on there. Still working out the kinks in the system, but it has so far inspired me to take a more active role in running my rec league soccer team.
7. CWRISP!: This is an ongoing lament that SigO and I have with respect to the Oakland A's. Their record is terrible at the moment, and it's very discouraging to watch them. Mostly it has to do with how horribly they've been doing with Runners In Scoring Position, hence the acronym "Crappy With Runners In Scoring Position". I've taken to shouting that whenever they've got someone on 2nd or 3rd because generally that person is never moving any closer to home base. It does however mean that they are willing to try new things, which has resulted in such novel developments as a lead-off bunt single. But it's still not enough. Also Gold Glover winner Eric Chavez is having a slower start than he usually does -- personally I blame EA Sports MLB 2005. At least local boy Eric Byrnes is as nutty as ever.

I've got many more, but I've already been working on this for too long. SigO will be wondering where I am... hasta.

Google Logo: National Teacher's Day

Couldn't let this one slide by as my older brother is one of the few, the proud, the high school calculus teachers.



Give a teacher you know an attaboy! Or girl!

Review: Suspense and Sensibility

Whipped through this one in a little over a day, much as I knew that I would. Suspense and Sensibility is the second book in the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mystery series by Carrie Bebris, and it picks up a few weeks after the first book, Pride and Prescience (see previous review) leaves off.

This time we are introduced to the characters from Sense and Sensibility some 15 years after we meet them in the original novel. Again there is the supernatural element that of course Darcy scoffs at, obviously making him the Scully to Elizabeth Bennet Darcy's Mulder in this relationship.

As I was describing this book to a friend of mine, she raised a very good question -- how is it that someone can take these characters and create a completely different story? I can only imagine that it has something to do with public domain as I could not find any acknowledgement of copyright or reference to permission from the Austen estate.

In any case, it is a mildly diverting addition to the Austenite pantheon; once again, perfect for a long flight. Some elements are not that well disguised, particularly for anyone who has read The Picture of Dorian Gray, but it is still very creative in its use of the characters.

Simpler IS better! Amazon's New Look

Whoa! Clean version of amazon,
originally uploaded by mathowie.

I like the look of this, particularly since I'm on the site a couple of times a week, if only researching books or ordering gifts.

Now if they could only stay in business...

Amazon's Earnings Dilemma

Amazon announced earnings yesterday, and it's interesting to note that the full swing away from the dotcom era seems to be complete. Now if you aren't making enough profit you're in trouble.

Interesting to note that part of the problem seems to be the Amazon Prime program that I wrote about earlier, with the annual fee for 2-day shipping. They've been through the hard part, though, they've gotten their physical infrastructure in place.

Now if they would just buy Netflix, my worries would be over! Maybe.

RSS: The New Crack

I've recently been introduced to the wide wonderful world of RSS -- I'm not an early adopter (see blog start date) -- and I'm finding that it's more addicting than email or the web.

What's new?! What headlines have been published in the past five minutes on the websites that I track?! MUST KNOW NOW.

I use RSS Bandit, an aggregator endorsed by some other bloggers, and I like it because it's straightforward. I can use it in addition to my tracking software to keep tabs on competitors, industry news, you name it.

And I'm even vain enough to subscribe to my own Atom feed.

Review: Metropolis

HOLY COW! FIREFOX JUST EXPLODED SO I LOST THIS WHOLE POST! That can't be good. And all of my cleverness and wit was poured into the review I just lost. Crap.

/Saving as Draft
As they say in the Monty Python skits , "Start again".

Metropolis was one of those books that I found having praise lavished all over it by several different magazines. I put in a request for it at my local library -- see my previous post about already owning too many books -- and patiently waited my turn. As often happens, when I finally did get it, it was trapped in a flood of other books that I had requested that I also wanted to read. Unfortunately I was not as interested in it as I had been when I requested it, a problem that I also often have with Netflix.

Long story short, I ended up have to blaze through the book in order to finish it before it was due at the library. I couldn't renew it because someone else had requested it after me, and I refuse to be someone who thinks that paying fines for overdue library books is OK. Call it a thing.

In its defense, I did find myself getting sucked in. I started it in order to decide whether or not I really wanted to try to read it in two days, and I figured, "Why not?" (Some who read the book might think that's a pun but it's not.)

Some of the characters were interesting, but the central love story between Beatrice O'Gahmna and Frank Harris was just annoying. So annoying in fact that I ascribed it to the fact that the author was a woman and had to include some overweening passion to motivate her characters and keep readers interested. And I'm a woman! At least there weren't the gratuitous sex scenes that I had to sit through in Rise of Endymion. Ugh.

I did enjoy the picture it painted of life in New York City in the late 1860s, particularly the descriptions of the open spaces that had not yet been filled to overflowing on Manhattan Island and the surrounding boroughs. The author also had some playful spots where she injected herself into the story -- "Shall I end it here?" -- and talked about the nature of fate. She also succeeded in building a sense of dread because you knew that Frank's luck was such that he was going to end up a sucker for Undertoe again.

Would I recommend it? Eh. It was well researched, fairly well written, but I won't be running out to buy it.

Three Weeks + 2 Days...

to Episode III!

I'm half expecting to be disappointed when I finally see it, but I know it's going to be a hell of a ride on the big screen. Another clue in the D.O. chronology: I saw each film in the original Star Wars trilogy during their original theatrical releases.

And no sir, I don't really appreciate some of the changes that were incorporated into the "Special" editions. Even though I saw all of those in the theater, too. I'm sorry, Greedo didn't shoot first and Han didn't duck. Doesn't work for me.


Awesome.
Source: BBC News

Mr. McGregor is just tops -- he makes the '60s sex comedy satire Down With Love extremely watchable. Any DVD you can find of his films, be sure to watch the behind the scenes doc if they have one. High-larious.

Beauteous Spring in CA

Rancho San Antonio, April 2005,
originally uploaded by domnivore.

This photo was taken at the top of the Wildcat Loop Trail at Rancho San Antonio in Cupertino.

It's a great open space preserve, and SigO and I have taken to hiking there while training for the Bay to Breakers.

The view is good motivation, no?

For the record, we will not be wearing silly costumes or our birthday suits for the race. We are quite boring that way.