* Maria watched Juno on DVD and enjoyed it more than she thought she was going to. I liked it a lot when I saw it in the theater, but then recently I've run across some things on the web that take it to task for being too cute, for the characters being too clever or witty or hip, and basically just being unrealistic.
Then a thought occurred to me (yeah, honestly, a thought).
People rarely criticize action movies for being too unrealistic. Granted, there's a line, but you go see a good action movie for good action. You want Spider-man (or for 2008, Iron Man) to be larger-than-life and be awesome and take down all the bad guys.
Movies like Juno are action movies but with words instead of super-powers. You'd love to be that clever and hip and funny. Juno is a superhero, basically.
Hm, I was starting out defending the movie but I'm not sure I did such a good job of it ultimately.
* I watched Lost Highway finally. A now-ten-year-old movie by David Lynch that echoes (reworks? recycles? overuses?) lots of his other work. I mean... dead blonde? Strange short guy? Red curtains? Backwards filming? It's Twin Peaks all over again! I liked it, but not as much as Mulholland Drive, which again had lots of the same themes and devices, but just seemed to work better.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Ubuntu Upgrade Update
Did the online upgrade and it worked great this time. The only snags I hit were that it removed Parallels (that's OK, it didn't really work like I wanted it to work--namely letting me use the Windows install/partition already on the computer) and Skype (less OK but not the end of the world).
Ultimately it's pretty impressive that the Ubuntu project stays on its mark and meets its deadlines for new releases, then allows you to upgrade to the newest version of the OS via an online download. That's something Microsoft or Apple have never done.
Ultimately it's pretty impressive that the Ubuntu project stays on its mark and meets its deadlines for new releases, then allows you to upgrade to the newest version of the OS via an online download. That's something Microsoft or Apple have never done.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
To paraphrase The Jerk...
The new Ubuntu is here! The new Ubuntu is here!
Engadget: Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 available for download
I sure hope the online upgrade procedure goes better than last time. This time I'll back up...
Engadget: Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 available for download
I sure hope the online upgrade procedure goes better than last time. This time I'll back up...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
MythTV epic battle
Since no one reads this thing anyway I can confess that I'm on the beta testing list for my MythTV distribution of choice, KnoppMyth. I did some graphic work for the developer and got on the testing list.
Recently I decided to upgrade my main KnoppMyth server. It was underpowered since it's about 3 or 4 years old, so I decided to gut it, get a CPU that could play back HDTV without XvMC support, and get some energy-efficient components in there too since it's on 24/7.
The upgrade consisted of a Biostar TForce TF7025-M2 motherboard with onboard Nvidia 7025 graphics, a low-wattage AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core BE-2350, an 80 PLUS certified Antec EA380 power supply, a Western Digital "green" 500GB SATA drive, and some dumb Sony DVD burner.
The good news was the energy-efficient components definitely paid off. I got a Kill-A-Watt device to check things around the house, and checked the system before and after. Before it idled at about 120 watts, and after it idles under 60 watts! Yahoo!
That's it for the good news. The bad news was that the current release version of KnoppMyth wouldn't install on the system; there was a "c7 respawning" error that had been reported on the forum and that I couldn't get to go away. So I thought I'd take advantage of my tester status and download the next release version, which also included the current MythTV, 0.21. Install on the main server went OK other than a few snags, the main one of which (one of my encoders will occasionally disappear after reboot) doesn't happen often enough to matter much.
Installing the same version on my remote frontend (by the treadmill, see my Dancing with the Stars post), however, just refused to work. Wouldn't connect to the backend. I'd done all the things I needed to do, I thought, but still wouldn't connect. I finally did a few MySQL command lines recommended for two-year-old versions of KnoppMyth, and my remote frontend FINALLY connected.
Then I had to fight with the new way you enable XvMC on slower machines like my remote frontend. Finally got the xorg.conf file configured with the proper magic commands (found on the XvMC wiki page of the main MythTV wiki) and now that seems to work.
Anyhow, I was tearing my hair out but things now seem to be working OK. Of course, now that I've typed this, both systems are probably in flames at my house right now.
Recently I decided to upgrade my main KnoppMyth server. It was underpowered since it's about 3 or 4 years old, so I decided to gut it, get a CPU that could play back HDTV without XvMC support, and get some energy-efficient components in there too since it's on 24/7.
The upgrade consisted of a Biostar TForce TF7025-M2 motherboard with onboard Nvidia 7025 graphics, a low-wattage AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core BE-2350, an 80 PLUS certified Antec EA380 power supply, a Western Digital "green" 500GB SATA drive, and some dumb Sony DVD burner.
The good news was the energy-efficient components definitely paid off. I got a Kill-A-Watt device to check things around the house, and checked the system before and after. Before it idled at about 120 watts, and after it idles under 60 watts! Yahoo!
That's it for the good news. The bad news was that the current release version of KnoppMyth wouldn't install on the system; there was a "c7 respawning" error that had been reported on the forum and that I couldn't get to go away. So I thought I'd take advantage of my tester status and download the next release version, which also included the current MythTV, 0.21. Install on the main server went OK other than a few snags, the main one of which (one of my encoders will occasionally disappear after reboot) doesn't happen often enough to matter much.
Installing the same version on my remote frontend (by the treadmill, see my Dancing with the Stars post), however, just refused to work. Wouldn't connect to the backend. I'd done all the things I needed to do, I thought, but still wouldn't connect. I finally did a few MySQL command lines recommended for two-year-old versions of KnoppMyth, and my remote frontend FINALLY connected.
Then I had to fight with the new way you enable XvMC on slower machines like my remote frontend. Finally got the xorg.conf file configured with the proper magic commands (found on the XvMC wiki page of the main MythTV wiki) and now that seems to work.
Anyhow, I was tearing my hair out but things now seem to be working OK. Of course, now that I've typed this, both systems are probably in flames at my house right now.
Dancing with the Stars recap
I finally got MythTV back up and running (a post in itself, maybe I'll do that next to hide this post) so I was finally able to watch Dancing with the Stars the best way to do so: with massive filler-skipping and commercial-skipping. I watched the 90 minute Monday show and the 60 minute Tuesday show in a single hour of treadmill running. Now that's efficiency.
Looks like Kristi Yamaguchi has this one in the bag, but then again, everyone thought Cheetah Girl whose name I can't recall had it sewn up. It's kinda unfair since Kristi has at least some kind of dance background (I'm sure all figure skaters take some ballet), but a woman hasn't won since Season 1 I think, so hey, let it be Kristi.
I loved the whole Shannon Elizabeth/Derek Hough thing. I don't like the "showmance" junk; couldn't care less about the "are they or aren't they" thing (although if I were Derek, I mean, c'mon, it's Shannon Elizabeth for crying out loud!), but oooh, the footage of her just falling apart and Derek complaining about all the other couples' faults? Love it. Heh heh heh.
I thought Cristian's foxtrot was overrated: I was unimpressed and didn't think he held his intensity enough to warrant his score. Jason Taylor is getting better, not sure if he's good enough to stay on. Frankly, I thought Mario pulled it off best of all... he got criticized but I thought he had the hip action and the arm lines down pat.
Although I'm not a fan I thought Tony Winner Girl's reaction to her 9s was priceless. And I was sorry to see Marlee Matlin go: I always thought she was smokin'. It was just too difficult to pull off I guess.
Looks like Kristi Yamaguchi has this one in the bag, but then again, everyone thought Cheetah Girl whose name I can't recall had it sewn up. It's kinda unfair since Kristi has at least some kind of dance background (I'm sure all figure skaters take some ballet), but a woman hasn't won since Season 1 I think, so hey, let it be Kristi.
I loved the whole Shannon Elizabeth/Derek Hough thing. I don't like the "showmance" junk; couldn't care less about the "are they or aren't they" thing (although if I were Derek, I mean, c'mon, it's Shannon Elizabeth for crying out loud!), but oooh, the footage of her just falling apart and Derek complaining about all the other couples' faults? Love it. Heh heh heh.
I thought Cristian's foxtrot was overrated: I was unimpressed and didn't think he held his intensity enough to warrant his score. Jason Taylor is getting better, not sure if he's good enough to stay on. Frankly, I thought Mario pulled it off best of all... he got criticized but I thought he had the hip action and the arm lines down pat.
Although I'm not a fan I thought Tony Winner Girl's reaction to her 9s was priceless. And I was sorry to see Marlee Matlin go: I always thought she was smokin'. It was just too difficult to pull off I guess.
Monday, April 21, 2008
News flash: Wii owners don't buy games
In news that's news only to the non-gamer, Kotaku mentions a NY Times article that discusses the abysmal sales of software for the Wii. I know of at least one Wii owner who only plays the bundled Wii Sports and may never get another game for it... I'll bet there's tons of people out there like that. So although Nintendo touts bringing non-gamers into the market, those same non-gamers may have bought the Wii on a whim or because "everyone's buying one," and then never buy new games for it.
Kotaku: Wii Owners Don't Buy Games
Kotaku: Wii Owners Don't Buy Games
Monday, April 07, 2008
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
I watched Sweeney Todd this weekend with my mom. I'd seen it in the theaters over Christmas but wanted a chance at seeing it again, so Maria bundled the kids out of the house to go see Nim's Island (Anna: thumbs up. Theo: thumbs down) while my mom and I watched the blood.
I think my initial review of the movie was confirmed by watching the DVD: I would rather see this on the stage. Musicals like this on the big screen always have to have big-name stars, who can't always be Tony-award-winning singers. Even with all the help that a copy of ProTools could muster, Johnny Depp's singing was only bordering on good, and Helena Bonham-Carter-Burton's singing was bordering on really bad. The songs themselves were impressive (sorry, not a theater-head, so never saw Todd on stage and am not that familiar with Sondheim) and would have been even more so with better singing talent involved.
The movie itself? Just OK, nothing really I can single out as being particularly noteworthy. The blood was quite bloody, which is perfect for blood. But ultimately the songs made it worthwhile.
Oh, one annoyance to note. Must all Tim Burton films now begin with some kind of montage of things being manufactured? I know both Willy Wonka and Sweeney Todd start like this, and I imagine I could come up with some others if I tried. Quite the other end of the spectrum from Pee Wee's Big Adventure and its opening title.
I think my initial review of the movie was confirmed by watching the DVD: I would rather see this on the stage. Musicals like this on the big screen always have to have big-name stars, who can't always be Tony-award-winning singers. Even with all the help that a copy of ProTools could muster, Johnny Depp's singing was only bordering on good, and Helena Bonham-Carter-Burton's singing was bordering on really bad. The songs themselves were impressive (sorry, not a theater-head, so never saw Todd on stage and am not that familiar with Sondheim) and would have been even more so with better singing talent involved.
The movie itself? Just OK, nothing really I can single out as being particularly noteworthy. The blood was quite bloody, which is perfect for blood. But ultimately the songs made it worthwhile.
Oh, one annoyance to note. Must all Tim Burton films now begin with some kind of montage of things being manufactured? I know both Willy Wonka and Sweeney Todd start like this, and I imagine I could come up with some others if I tried. Quite the other end of the spectrum from Pee Wee's Big Adventure and its opening title.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Rock Band progress
As if anyone cared, but here it is anyway:
* The kids and I did indeed enjoy playing "Still Alive." Theo was on drums, and Anna and I traded off on vocals and guitar. Anna got a 99% on vocals the first time out! (Sure, that's on Easy, but hey, she's a kid!)
* We're also still working on "Highway Star," and looking around for another good song to do.
* I have been trying to get through Solo Tour, medium difficulty, drums. For the first time I failed a song repeatedly; namely, "Green Grass and High Tides," a.k.a. the never-ending song. I did great until it gets going REALLY fast at the end, and I could never kick drum correctly... it might be switching it up on me, on-beat and then off-beat. Or I might just suck at it. Nevertheless, I discovered if I just concentrated on snare and cymbal, and ignored kick altogether, I could (just barely) stay in the yellow, instead of veering into the red. So I finished it, but it certainly doesn't bode well for me getting through Solo Tour set to Hard, let alone Expert.
* The kids and I did indeed enjoy playing "Still Alive." Theo was on drums, and Anna and I traded off on vocals and guitar. Anna got a 99% on vocals the first time out! (Sure, that's on Easy, but hey, she's a kid!)
* We're also still working on "Highway Star," and looking around for another good song to do.
* I have been trying to get through Solo Tour, medium difficulty, drums. For the first time I failed a song repeatedly; namely, "Green Grass and High Tides," a.k.a. the never-ending song. I did great until it gets going REALLY fast at the end, and I could never kick drum correctly... it might be switching it up on me, on-beat and then off-beat. Or I might just suck at it. Nevertheless, I discovered if I just concentrated on snare and cymbal, and ignored kick altogether, I could (just barely) stay in the yellow, instead of veering into the red. So I finished it, but it certainly doesn't bode well for me getting through Solo Tour set to Hard, let alone Expert.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
No Dancing with the Stars posts? Let's rectify that!
I got started late with this season's shows due to travel schedules, but I'm back on track now. Some random comments:
* I think the women have a good shot at getting a winner this year. Some of the men show some promise but none look good right out of the gate like Helio did last year.
* Priscilla Presley is painful to look at but she's been doing well. Shannon Elizabeth is just fine to look at, on the other hand. I also have always liked Marlee Matlin and her appearance here is doing nothing to change that.
* For the men, Tall Football Guy just seems too tall, Spanish Actor Dude seems clumsy in spots, and Rap Guy has promise but better get better quickly.
* This week, Julianne Hough looked, um, quite, um, fetching in her short bob of a wig and maroon lipstick. I literally didn't remember she was Adam Carolla's partner.
* I think the women have a good shot at getting a winner this year. Some of the men show some promise but none look good right out of the gate like Helio did last year.
* Priscilla Presley is painful to look at but she's been doing well. Shannon Elizabeth is just fine to look at, on the other hand. I also have always liked Marlee Matlin and her appearance here is doing nothing to change that.
* For the men, Tall Football Guy just seems too tall, Spanish Actor Dude seems clumsy in spots, and Rap Guy has promise but better get better quickly.
* This week, Julianne Hough looked, um, quite, um, fetching in her short bob of a wig and maroon lipstick. I literally didn't remember she was Adam Carolla's partner.
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