BillSaysThis

Peter Yared, a former co-worker at NetDynamics and Sun, posted a few interesting essays on corporate computing centered around web services. When I mentioned agreeing with him, since he’s laid out a fairly commonsense approach, he said “Well it all seems pretty simply and obvious to some, but you would be surprised by how the vast majority of folks in the industry violently disagree with these articles!!!” Then again, Peter, not all of us were smart enough to turn our Sun stock into a nice black Ferrari like you did.

DodgeIt – very interesting, combines throwaway, receive-only email address with RSS feed for reading… free. [via jennet.radio]

Music reviews from the Maoist International Movement, including Led Zeppelin IV and 50 Cent. You’d think they’d given Aussie rockers Midnight Oil a break but apparently Peter Garrett’s politics aren’t far left enough.

Too cute: Origami motorcycles from Yamaha

Had an amazing time last night with LordB and LadyA plus TS1, featuring my brisket and LadyA’s low carb cheesecake. Then we were off to see the Wizard (Gandalf, of course) and 220 minutes of terrific film. However, I’m planning on a second viewing next week and will hold off any real write up until after that. Word of warning: Watch what you drink before and during the movie, or else. Still, run, don’t walk, to see this film!

Bret Easton Ellis writes novels that focus on the charismatic sociopath searching for an emotional connection. His first book, Less Than Zero, was a blast when I read it, like a much more real version of the movie crap Hollywood was putting out in the mid-’80s. But his stories work much better on the page than on the screen and The Rules of Attraction is no exception.

Roger Avary (Killing Zoe) writes and directs, trying to make something artful and eclectic out of something that doesn’t really have a plot; in fact, he’s going to have an even more difficult time with Ellis’ recent novel Glamorama, which he’s making now. Avary tries to use non-traditional techniques like running film backwards to connect the three main characters to each other, as well as quite a bit of voiceover, and wrapping the film in a flashback without letting the audience know what they’ve seen is the denoument. So I watched the whole film thinking that the first few minutes were actually the story’s beginning.

James Van Der Beek plays the semi-lead character, Sean, who tells us at the beginning that he’s an emotional vampire. Shannyn Sossamon is a fellow student, Lauren, who’s caught Sean’s eye but is only interested in the missing Victor. Ian Somerhalder plays a student named Paul just coming into his own homosexuality who also wants Sean in his bed. Sean thinks Lauren has been sending him unsigned love letters–though she hasn’t, the letters come from another–and Sean somehow sees her as an innocent, uncorrupted spirit, something he’s apparently never been. The truth, as with the letters, is quite different as we see Lauren submit to drunken sex, smoke pot and go down on a TA to help her grade and snort coke with her roommate.

In fact, in place of a plot Avary mainly shows us scenes of drug and alcohol consumption, foreplay and sex (though nothing more explicit than bare breasts get onscreen) and a bit of rudeness and violence. The result is a pretty but empty mishmash.

Sadly, not recommended

But does it come in a low carb version?

Interesting that Microsoft seems ready to deliver a real firewall product as part of the OS just as CheckPoint acquires ZoneLabs, one of the leading makers of such software for home and small business users. LOL

Tommy Chong’s Next Movie: Lengthy interview and article on the Busted Bongman. Still hard to accept that he’s 65 already, not to mention serving nine months in jail.

Scientists need to be careful.

Some other opinions to get you over the top until you see the actual movie. We’re going tomorrow night!!!

• NY Times
• Washington Post
• SJ Mercury News
• SF Chronicle
• Ain’t It Cool News: can’t forget Harry!

Great achievement for the 100th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur: SpaceShipOne Rockets To 68,000 Feet

I’m cooking a brisket–are you???

Them French intellectuals have gone and done it again. While the new law may fight against certain visible symbols of religion-oriented politics, what about all the other symbols that will be outlawed as well? I can only imagine the reaction of a yarmulke-wearing Jew or cross-wearing Christian when they’re told to take them off or else don’t bother attending school or coming to a government office. Yeah, that’ll work real well.

Fuck you and your H2

Another absurd column by the Mercury News‘ voice of the illegal aliens prompted this response from me. Haven’t heard from them so I’m guessing it won’t get printed. I copied the author but not even a private email from him. Here we go:

Joe Rodriguez, giving his usual support for illegal immigrants, speculates with no basis that “the popular backlash against illegal immigration is less about… cost.. and more about fear…” Unlike Mr. Rodriguez I won’t attempt to speak for many but for myself I will say I’m not afraid of these people–American culture has proved itself strong and adaptable all over the world–but I am convinced the problem lies in fundamental fairness.

America, people say over and over, is a nation of laws, its one of our fundamental strengths, yet Rodriguez and others would have us ignore massive lawbreaking for this group of people yet still hold ourselves to legal standards. So what does it say to the rest of the people, the ones legally in this country, that we have eight or ten million criminals all around us yet instead of enforcing the law we should educate, medicate and license them to drive and even give them the vote?

The fact, constantly touted, that many illegal immigrants take jobs that citizens would never do is simply a non-issue. As with any other need, the market would find a way to fill the void. If these people want to come here, let them do so legally and in that case, regardless of their country of origin, I’ll give them my full and unqualified support.

So next time Joe, do a little homework with the people before tarring us with the old brush of racism.

Though the manufacturer claims it will only be sold to governments, New Gun Shoots Around Corners will turn into another case which gun owners and the NRA will push and push for their rights to bear one. As if we didn’t have enough problems, now people will literally be able to shoot other people without even the tiny bit of visibility even a sniper has to show. How thrilling!

Or at least blogs and blog-derived technology. Two new examples: Sony Studios has produced Blogger and LiveJournal templates based on the SpiderMan 2 graphics (seen in action, at least temporarily at Jason Shellen’s site) and Nokia, the Finnish phone phenom, is providing RSS feeds of their developer documentation, toolkits, and videos.

1. Salisbury Steak or Chopped Beef?
2. Half and Half or Skim Milk?
3. Screaming Eagles or Golden Eagles?
4. Broken Leg or Broken Shoulder?
5. Neck or Ear?
6. Southside Johnny or Miami Steve?
7. Britney Spears or Christina Agilera?
8. Uncle Junior or Heshy?
9. Omen or Exorcist?
10. The Shield or The Wire?

Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. Romantic Comedy. Above average script, some good laughs and sweetness. 2002’s Two Weeks Notice. Marc Lawrence seems to be Bullock’s personal writer these days and gets his first directorial opportunity here too. A little incongruity the way Bullock’s activist lawyer just agrees to be chief counsel to Grant’s real estate developer or that he’d hire her even with a Harvard Law School degree but otherwise fine.

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