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Journal Sep 2006

28 Sep 2006

The Senate just passed the detainee bill that allows the president to reinterpret the Geneva conventions and declare anyone an enemy combatant. Why would anyone give any president this much power? Al Franken poses a good question to Republicans: if you trust this president with this power, what happens when you get a president you can't trust?

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Other news and opinion from the day:

Other news and opinion from the past:

27 Sep 2006

One of the most creative TV shows I've seen has to be Quantum Leap. It's science fiction only in the sense of the mechanism of explaining the technology behind Sam's leaps. The characters are likable and believable, and the situations Sam tries to correct are ones the audience would mostly agree are in need of fixing. It's like Groundhog Day in the sense that whoever or whatever is controlling the supernatural time-shifting (destinations) is not fully explained but isn't really that important anyway, or at least not as important as the situation to fix. Like Star Trek, there is a bit of social commentary, but instead of putting it in a future setting, Quantum Leap aims to fix it while it is happening during the main character's lifetime.

The Wikipedia article goes into a bunch of detail that I never encountered or even thought about and reveals other leapers I never saw because I only caught some of the episodes while I was in high school. I guess I was too busy with homework. Or not. Well, now that some of the seasons are already on DVD with the rest coming soon, I can catch up. As soon as I clear my TiVo backlog.

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

26 Sep 2006

Maureen's been afraid that having the TiVo just becomes another job to do around the house, and with two kids to raise, it is something else that gets a backlog and becomes something to clear. It is, however, an enabler that allows the casual TV viewer to have everything (that doesn't conflict in time) to get recorded to watch anytime after (or even during). What's on our current To Do list? Why, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, of course, along with The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (which unfortunately has become harder and harder to find time to watch, since having the best TV reporting comes with less entertainment value). Weekly we try to watch CBS Sunday Morning, Dancing with the Stars, and Grey's Anatomy, and hopefully Scrubs if they start the new season already. Occasionally we'll get new PBS Frontline or Mythbusters episodes too. (No, I do not get a bag of money for every mention of TiVo.)

Is anyone having problems with Galleon for TiVo recently? Since the last TiVo software update (Series2 boxes), the ToGo list hasn't updated itself with the new programs. This list is reached by opening the GUI on the server (Linux for me) and selecting ToGo from the File Menu, then selecting the Recordings tab. The Upload app on the TiVo has the same out-of-date list. If anyone has a fix for this, please let me know, 'cause I can't find anything on any forums or blogs.

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Other news and opinion from the day:

25 Sep 2006

It's funny how headlines shorten sentences like, say, Clinton, Fox anchor battle in interview, since without punctuation or clearer rearraangement of the words, the headline can sound like something it's not. One may read that headline as expanding to "Former US President Clinton and Mexican President Fox anchor a battle in an interview" instead of its actual meaning that Clinton and an unnamed anchor on the Fox News Channel (Chris Wallace) battle in an interview. Maybe this is a poor example of a confusing headline, but it's a current one. I'll have to see the video on this one, but I'll bet the MSM will depict Clinton in a poor light even though he has the spoken facts on his side, according to the 9/11 Commission.

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

22 Sep 2006

I forgot how, because the page has been up on my home server for a while (on screen, since I also use it as a workstation), but I discovered Michael Land's collection of soundtrack songs for LucasArts games, available as free downloads! He did the music for the Monkey Island series, Sam & Max, and many others. Some games only have a few tracks available for download, and some games (such as the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series) have only instructions on how game owners can extract the audio from game files, but hey, free music! I thought the Monkey Island and Loom music was especially well done. Of course, I highly recommend all the actual games too.

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

21 Sep 2006

Even though I don't regularly listen to Rachel Maddow's show on Air America, Now that she's on after Randi, even on the San Diego affiliate KLSD, it's easier to listen to her casually. She has a sharp wit (Rhodes scholar!) and pleasant voice and a great and funny sidekick, Kent Jones, who does some of her news items.

Today, one of Kent's stories was on Fox trying to subvert TiVo users fast-forwarding through commercials by using a still image viewed only (or most visibly) by actually fast-forwarding through it. They did a test with a still image for Fox's new fall lineup. Kent jokes that viewers preferred the static image to the actual shows and that NBC will compete by offering more sponsor-friendly shows like CSI: Pizza Hut, The Office...Depot, and Crossing Michael Jordan. And you get to hear Rachel laughing in the background (as she's hearing it for the first time, as Randi does with the bits her staff produces).

Rachel then does her story (with Kent still in studio) about the Kindergarten pamphlet (written by someone in Rachel's hometown of Castro Valley (in the Bay Area!)) that contained some classic schoolyard rhyme favorites. The pamphlet caused some controversy with social conservatives because of the crudeness of the humor in the rhymes.

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

20 Sep 2006

Samsung may have pioneered a shift from magnetic hard drives to flash in portable applications. My concern is always going to be the life of the flash bits (currently about 1 million writes), but it may still be longer than the average hard drive, especially with advances in flash technology. Plus, the firmware and/or operating system can guide the writing of bits over the whole available space.

Also, last night I finally finished Guitar Hero in expert. Boo ya! At that level, it's all about survival, especially for the songs at the bottom of the list (not including the songs to unlock, which I haven't yet). My wrist hurts now, but I guess I can't really complain since it's not real guitar playing, but I think it comes close given my sporadic guitar practice for the last 12 years.

Anyway, I may have said it before, but the game is really fun and teaches rhythm (or reinforces it in those who have it). So far, anyone I've had try the game can pass at least "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" on easy mode. While there aren't strings to worry about for either hand, the fret-fingering and picking mimics what one would do on a real guitar. The game certainly gives the player an appreciation for talented lead guitarists.

Now on to the bonus songs...

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

19 Sep 2006

Wikipedia has more than you ever needed to know about Band Aid, the musical supergroup (not the bandage brand). I always felt a little funny about the song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" What are they trying to do, convert them all to Christianity? Well, there are missionaries, and there are some great active religious figures there, but that's beside the point =). It's funny that this was a (satirical) theory on VH1's I Love the 80s (I think by Mo Rocca).

Well, Christmas is coming around the corner again, so I expect to hear the seasonal favorites soon!

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

18 Sep 2006

My life will be about 40 minutes easier every day. Randi Rhodes will be on for three hours now, with the funny and witty Rachel Maddow following her. I try to hear as much of Randi as I can, and now there's less for me to catch up when that need arises. Randi just makes sense, uses logical arguments, and injects humor (usually pop culture or rock references) when she can. Plus, she's really fair, even though she doesn't always seem so, especially when she has to treat each caller as a special case. She's definitely more fair than the pundits posing as journalists at the F- News Channel. (Of course, that's a low bar.)

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Other news and opinion from the past:

14 Sep 2006

Random music stuff today.

During breaks at work, I looked for songs in commercials (I specifically wanted car commercial songs, but this is a start), and I wanted to see voice credits for "The Simpsons." Both of these led to looking for songs featured in The Simpsons. It's amazing (and helpful) that people actually keep track of these things. I've found lots of other helpful lists in Wikipedia.

I did a bit of research on the vocoder, the voice-changer, developed from an electronic voice generator, used in electronic and funk/soul music to make a voice appear robotic. Zapp & Roger use it extensively (maybe exclusively) in their hits, and their singing style appears to be the basis for singing part of 2Pac's California Love. Faith Hill used one for The Way You Love Me, and the robotic voice in the song for Disney's Main Street Electrical Parade uses it too. Pretty simple yet effective device to make music sound interesting.

If you've seen SNL, especially in the early '90s, you may have seen a Wayne's World sketch with Tom Hanks and Aerosmith where Hanks plays a roadie checking the mics and ensuring Steven Tyler's mic stand has a scarf. His mic-check includes the word "sibilance" in addition to the usual "check," and counting. This is also the possible reference for the similar mic check in Keeping the Faith ("test" instead of "check"). I thought they were just trying to be funny, but I guess it's a real word, and relevant for mic-checking.

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

13 Sep 2006

I have to admit, I saw Dancing with the Stars last night. I watched the first two seasons, and those were interesting enough to watch. So far, other than the various voting controversies, the only problem was (and still is) a bit of filler in between the actual dancing, kind of like American Idol. I think the filler for Dancing with the Stars is more entertaining, though.

This season is especially interesting because of the political contestants. Tucker Carlson may be the most obvious one, the libertarian pundit (referred to as "journalist" on the show (he may have been before being a pundit)). Jerry Springer is best known to the current youth as the trash TV host, but older Americans may remember him as the popular mayor of Cincinnati, a former journalist and news anchor, and fewer still may know he is now a pundit with his own show on Air America Radio. Sara Evans is reported in dKos to be affiliated with the ethically-challenged Tom DeLay. I don't agree, however, with the dKos poster that this should be a reason to vote against her (not that you can, there are only votes FOR a contestant). I was ready to root for contestants based on their actual performances.

Interestingly enough (and understandably from their performances), these three candidates appeared in the bottom three of judges' scores. I figured Tucker would be in the bottom because he only danced for a little more than half the dance, and when he did dance, he seemed to show slightly more effort than P. Miller did last season. (To be fair, Miller replaced his son at the last minute, so he came in with much less rehearsal experience. But he didn't seem very serious about it, most apparent by his refusal to wear proper dance shoes. He also improve a little over the weeks, but not enough.) Sara had a problem with stiffness, and Jerry had a few problems with the steps, but show more room for improvement.

We'll see how the rest of the season goes. It's bound to be interesting. My guess is that the rest of the (even slightly) political contestants will leave as the stronger ones stay strong, but if they did well, I hope that the politics don't come into play and that the performances and sportsmanship solely decide the outcome.

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

12 Sep 2006

In the Quintessential Phase of the Hitchhiker's radio series, the government workers of NowWhat are given a commerce slogan to use at the end of each major bit of dialogue, "Eat and buy." I thought that's what they were saying, but because of the British accent most of the characters have, I wasn't sure, so (among other reasons) I got the radio scripts for all five series in two books, which unfortunately is only available in the UK. But I heard it right. And the radio scripts are a great companion to the series, especially if you're having trouble with the accents. My favorite accent and yet least understood by Americans is probably the Scottish one (i.e. Bill Patterson, who plays a megafreighter first officer and Rob McKenna). Incidentally, my next favorite is the smooth Britsh one (i.e. Jonathan Pryce, who plays Zarniwoop/Van Harl).

The first volume has the scripts for the original radio series, the Primary and Secondary Phases, and is a reissue of the original scripts book for the 25th anniversary. The second volume has the new (2004-2005) radio series, featuring most of the original radio series cast (plus some from the TV show), the Tertiary, Quandary, and Quintessential Phases. Again, I highly recommend this series as the definitive version of the Hitchhiker's story (plus you get to hear how names are pronounced). Arguably, of course, the last three books could be the definitive versions of that part of the narrative, but I think the series is the way Douglas Adams would have wanted it to end, given his involvement in the new radio series project (as well as the film) before his untimely death and his comments about his personal life contributing to the bleakness of the last book. The most detailed version, of course, is the book series, and it explains everything without having to make the characters speak them (as of course they would have to in radio so as not to rely too much on the narrator).

I would put the incarnations of the story in this order, from most definitive to least: radio series, novels, audio LP version of the radio series, TV show, film, and text-based computer game. All of them have their merits and intended audiences, and all of them have Adams' blessing (though obviously not the finished products for posthumously completed works).

I got a couple of other Adams-related works recently, but I'll discuss those later; this entry is long enough.

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Selected notes from The Al Franken Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):

Selected notes from The Randi Rhodes Show and related stories (indicated times are Pacific) (why this is here):