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Monday - April 30, 2007
We are Morons
OK, I know it's not anything new. Over three years ago, a large chunk of the source code for Windows 2000 was leaked onto the internet. I came across this article that highlights some of the amusing comments and such inside the source code. If you've never done any programming, you'll probably care less. But if you're a geek, it may amuse you.
We Are Morons: a quick look at the Win2k source || kuro5hin.org
Posted by jcraven at 11:36 AM | Tech
Movie Mania
So over the past week, I've watched quite a few flicks. While none of them were terrible, some were definitely better than others. Here they are in no particular order.
Blood Diamond: Very good, Djimon Hounsou definitely should have gotten the Oscar instead of Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine. I'm starting to like Leo, despite some of his earlier acting choices.
Last King of Scotland: Probably the best out of the group. Forest Whitaker's portrayal of General Idi Amin was amazing... no wonder he won the Best Actor Oscar. It tells the story of a fictional doctor interwoven the historical backdrop of Amin's regime. The DVD contains some nice extras, including a documentary that highlights some of the changes they made to insert fiction into fact.
Shut Up & Sing: I admit that I have a fascination with documentaries, and this one was no different. It follows the Dixie Chicks and the aftermath of 'the incident'. Most people don't even remember the quote "Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.". Now I'll freely admit, that I'm not exactly a fan of Dubya, and wasn't really outraged with the original statement. If you are a strong supporter of the President, you will probably not like the film. Anybody else will be amazed by the story. Only downside is that occasionally the lead singer Natalie did get on my nerves. It also provides some insight into some of the music on their most recent album. It gives me chills when I hear the verse from Not Ready to Make Nice.
I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over
And finally since Lara was out of town this weekend, I picked up a couple thrillers that I know she would never watch with me.
Pulse: Although this flick was panned by most critics, I actually enjoyed it. Yes, some of the acting was quite bad (I'm looking at you Christina Milian). Most people complained about the 'look' of the film, but I thought it added to the gloom. It was supposed to be set in Ohio, but was filmed in Bucharest, Romania. As long as you can overlook that fact, it shouldn't be a huge stumbling block. I will admit that I really enjoy zombie/post-appocolype type movies, and while this doesn't exactly fall into either, it does have some related themes.
Sublime: I picked this one up on Xbox Live, which has the added benefit of being in HD. Sadly, this is probably the worst of the group. The preview seems very promising, and the first half of the movie is actually pretty decent. Unfortunately the surprise ending can be seen from a mile away. Also, the timeline jumps too much from past to present. It's not hard to follow, just annoying. Thomas Cavanagh (from TV's Ed) and the stunning Katherine Cunningham-Eves actually both do a good job of acting, but even they can't save the sinking ship. I didn't hate it, but I just wish it was better.
Posted by jcraven at 11:17 AM | Movies & Music
Tuesday - April 24, 2007
First sign up the Apocalypse
Most people have probably seen the Kitty Cat Dance. It's nothing new, but still fairly popular due to it's mix of cuteness and just plain weirdness. But why exactly does the cat have a MySpace page? And better yet, why does the cat have almost 3000 friends, and is in my extended network?
Posted by jcraven at 10:39 AM | Tech
Wednesday - April 18, 2007
Planet Earth
If you haven't heard about it, you need to check out the Discovery Channel's Planet Earth mini-series. If you have an HDTV and DiscoveryHD, you'll be absolutely amazed. I'd even watch it in non-HD though. The series is narrated by Sigourney Weaver, and has some of the most breathtaking nature shots I've ever seen. It's amazing that some of the wildlife have never been captured on film before this series. If you don't have DiscoveryHD, you can also get the HD DVD from Amazon (BD and regular DVD also available).
Go watch it now, I promise you won't be disappointed. These 11 parts took over 5 years to film, I just hope we don't have to wait another 5 years for a follow-up.
Posted by jcraven at 10:49 AM | Television
Tuesday - April 10, 2007
All good things come to an end
Back in January 2006, I started playing World of Warcraft. Finally yesterday, I let my account expire. I'm sure Lara is elated, but at the same time it's a little sad. I made some friends over the past year, and have put in many (too many?) hours building my characters. I uninstalled the game today, and will probably get rid of the account to rid me of the temptation to sign back up. Why did I quit? Basically comes down to the fact that I wasn't having much fun anymore. After the expansion came out, it was great. Lots of new stuff to do. Now, I've pretty much seen all the single-player content in the game at least once, and I've become tired of having to find a group to do anything else to progress. Additionally, I was really annoyed by some of the newer faces in the guild, and I just got fed up. I guess Blizzard did a decent enough job though, as this is by far the most I've ever played a single game.
Posted by jcraven at 2:40 PM | Comments (1) | Video Games
Thursday - April 5, 2007
For those about to rock.... we salute you
So yesterday, I picked up Guitar Hero II from Best Buy, since I had a $10 off coupon. This game is too awesome for words. If you want to check out several reviews of the game check here (all were 9+ out of 10). The soundtrack is fantastic, and is perfect for cranking the stereo up. Lara actually heard me playing outside the house. The easy mode of the game is accessible to new players, Lara beat a handful of songs after a little practice. But if that's not challenging enough, the Hard and Expert levels are absolutely insane.
My only minor complaints are:
1) Most of the songs aren't performed by the original artists.... finding somebody to sound like Eddie Vedder, Kurt Cobain, or Glen Danzig is pretty tough.
2) The guitar is a wired controller. Not a huge deal, and they have said a future version would be wireless. Actually maybe this is the problem, check out this comic strip. I bought a 6 foot USB extension cable from eBay for under $4 shipped.
Posted by jcraven at 12:25 PM | Comments (1) | Video Games
Tuesday - April 3, 2007
Almost forgot....
One thing I forgot to mention about Wilmington..... If you want some good pizza, check out Slice of Life. It was so good we actually went back a second time. It's a small pub atmosphere, complete with full bar and flat screen TVs. It's also right down the street from Kilwin's if you have the urge for dessert.
Slice of Life Pizzeria & Pub Wilmington North Carolina
Kilwin's Handmade Chocolates, Confections, Handmade Fudge, Truffles, Assorted Gift Chocolates
Posted by jcraven at 5:21 PM | Food
Monday - April 2, 2007
Wilmington Pictures
The pictures from our trip have been posted here. The first couple pictures are from our hotel room, and the last couple are from Wrightsville Beach. The rest are from in or around the wedding. Yes I realize that there are more pictures of my niece than the wedding party, but Lara took all the pictures. :)