GENIUS!

Some people think that America is on the decline. They just haven't seen the kind of innovations that the average American is capable of. I give you Spider Mech!

To Much Free Time

Link may be NSFW!!

What happens when you grow up in a culture that doesn't allow their young men to drink or have extramarital sex? This is what happens, nice ride asshat.

Funny Stuff

Check out the hilarious Zero Punctuation reviews over at The Escapist. I recommend the Guitar Hero III review and the Halo 3 review, but they are all priceless.

This is some seriously funny stuff and it reminds me of Dennis Miller. That kind of very subtle cerebral comedy that some people just don't get.

Oh Yeah!

Death Race 2000 is one of my favorite car related movies. It's crazy, hilarious and totally campy. Now there is a remake coming starring Jason Stratham. I don't care if it's riddled with awful dialog...I'm stoked.

Here are some other movies with great car scenes, not just chase scenes either, not in any order.
Ronin
Dirty Mary Crazy Larry
The Italian Job (old and new)
Vanishing Point
Gone In 60 Seconds (old and new)
Grand Prix (1966, you've never seen it, rent it now!)
The Bourne Identity
The Blues Brothers
Bullitt
The Transporter 1 & 2
The Spy Who Loved Me
The Wraith (HELL YEAH!)
Smokey and the Bandit
Madmax
Cannonball
The Fast and the Furious (first one and the last one)

The Fickle World of Gadgets

So the new Asus Eee PC is the new gadget darling. Which is funny because a year ago Palm was developing a device with a nearly identical form factor called the Foleo. The Foleo was so poorly received in pre-release reviews that Palm scrapped the whole thing. Which is pretty amazing considering that they had made it all the way production hardware and THEN decided to kill it. So why is the Eee better than the Foleo?

Palm tried to build a PDA with a big screen. The cpu, ram and most of the other hardware was lifted out of smaller pocket sized PDAs. The modern PDA has come a long way over the years but they're still no where near the performance of a standard laptop. And the components are hugely expensive compared to laptop internals. So the the Foleo was hobbled by poor performance and was a high price.

Asus manufactures laptops, so they designed a device based on that technology. Smart move Asus.

Sweet

I love Monster Movies and don't get me started on Disaster Epics. So this better be as good as the trailer makes it look because it looks fantastic.

Et tu Nissan?

To hell with the new ZR1, Godzilla is nigh! But why does Nissan all the sudden give two shits about being "responsible"? If you don't fear this kind of GPS based speed management then you need to wake up. It's only a matter of time until this technology filters down and becomes cheap AND compulsory.

Florida

Every time I go to Florida I think about how nice it would be to live in that climate. I hate the winter and despise snow so it's really tempting to pick up and relocate. Then you see something like this to remind you that a sub-tropical climate has its caveats as well.

Wild Kingdom

No one likes to work on Christmas. I guess after years of being forced to work on Christmas Day this tiger finally lost it. Seriously, why is the zoo open on Christmas Day? I regret that both the animal and a person were killed. But you've gotta go somehow, being eaten by a tiger is a pretty tough act to follow.

Happier Jaguar News

If you don't watch Top Gear you are a loser. And don't give me that "it's not broadcast in my country" crap, find a way it's not that hard.

Anyway, when the XF was announced I was less than enthusiastic. I mean it may look all new but it's really evolutionary and not revolutionary. However the interior is awesome and the styling, apart from the "weak chin", is growing on me. I mean James May likes it, and he's famous.

I weep for the future

This news just makes me sad, I can't imagine how people in the U.K. feel about this situation.

I'm a proud Jaguar owner. Sometimes saying that is a bit like being in AA but my Ford-era Jag has never done me wrong and I love it. There's no doubt that Ford's money made a big impact in the quality and content produced by both Jag and Land Rover. I wish Ford would have stuck it out.

Jaguar and Land Rover bled the world's second largest Automaker dry, what chance does Tata have? I hope I'm wrong but I just don't think the outlook is very bright.

Busy days...

Been too busy to blog.

So the Corvette is the only true sportscar made in this country which is pretty sad. So there's a brand new big bad super 'Vette hitting the streets and I must say the numbers are really awe-inspiring. Kudos to Chevy for dragging the ZR-1 moniker back from the grave as well. But why did they have to make it look like something out a fucking cartoon. I mean a plexiglass window in the hood? What is this Corvette Summer 2? Are they going to hire Mark Hamill as a spokeman?

The bad old days.

Watch This.

Ah the joys of the old school chat room, before AOL and IRC. Anyone else remember The Coffee House or Tenelia's Web?

Sports Utility Coupe?

Whatever moniker gets applied to this new genre of vehicle, you have to admit the new BMW X6 pretty good looking. Personally, the only SUVs I've actually ever considered buying is the Infiniti FX35/45 and the BMW X5. I just don't like the whole box on wheels look of most SUVs, including the X5. So now BMW has created an SUV for me. Thanks guys! Can you give me a $30,000 discount so I can afford one?

Vive Le France!

A lot of people hate on the French, and sometimes they deserve it. But you have to admit that no one knows how to throw off oppression quite like the French.

An awakening

The most ingenious people I knew in high school and college were those involved in the production and sale of illegal substances. Love of drugs and money is the mother of innovation. That being said it comes as no surprise to me that Curtis James Jackson III, aka 50 Cent, is smarter than the RIAA. Having figured out that the majority of his young fans, mostly middle class white kids, are tech savvy gives him a gold star in my book.

He's figured out that artists make SHIT from the sales of their albums. And that every time someone downloads one of his songs that makes them more of a fan and thus more likely to spend money on what really matters, merchandise. The real money is in live performances, branded merchandise and selling your face to corporations.

The only interesting about Detroit

The Detroit Auto Show is nearing so the one reason to go to Detroit is coming soon. Pack your shit.

Busy Days

So I've actually had some busy days at work that cut in to my valuable blogging time. Normal service will resume after the holidays.

It's Electric!

If you've never seen Who Killed the Electric Car, then I recommend you check it out.

I grew up in a factory town surrounded by musclecar loving rednecks. While most of my friends were busy reading the latest copy of Hot Rod, I was hanging Ferrari and Lamborghini posters on my walls. However, even the car lover in me has to admit that the days of the Internal Combustion Engine are numbered.

The electric car is the future, the only question is where does the juice come from?

• Traditional lead-acid batteries have been used in EVs for decades with mixed results. They are reliable and work well but the trade-off of having to carry around all that weight just destroys effeciency.

• NiMH battery technology has made huge strides in recent years but is significantly more expensive than lead and still weighs a ton, no pun intended.

• Batteries based on Lithium technology have revolutionized the performance of portable electronics. The performance is great, especially relative to weight, but there are serious safety and enviroment concerns to deal with.

• Fuel cells, hydrogen or otherwise, have a long way to go. This would allow you to carry the power generation with you though, extending the range to that of comparable gasoline cars.

Even with inefficient batteries a "plug-in" electric vehicle with a 60-100 mile range would meet the daily commuting requirements of most Americans. I only need something with 40 miles of range to get me to and from work. Why does no one sell something like that?

Well if you've watched Who Killed the Electric Car, you know that GM sold a car called the EV1 that would have met those needs. The EV1 went on sale 10 years ago, think about that. It's sad that GM didn't have the guts to keep selling that car because it would have put them in an amazing position today. I actually got to ride in an EV1 once and I must say it was pretty cool. My home town is home to large Delphi facility that did some of the electronics work for the EV1. They had an EV1 at their annual "Plant Day" and I got a ride around the parking lot. That thing was surprisingly fast. So GM killed the EV1 and essentially gave up any potential lead they had in the area of electric powered cars. All they needed was to throw a small gasoline or diesel motor on board and GM would have invented the Series Hybrid 10 years ahead of the game. It would have made the Toyota Prius look like a fuel thirsty dinosaur.

So fast forward 10 years from the EV1 and GM is giving it another go with the Volt. The funny thing is that the Volt is getting huge amounts of publicity and public interest. Did GM screw up that bad with the marketing of the EV1 or does $3.00 a gallon gas have something to do with the interest? If GM hadn't been so hell bent on destroying anything to do with the EV1 they could have just started remanufacturing EV1s with new Volt bodies and electronics.

Please GM, get this one right.

Long live Napster

Time to spin a yarn about MP3s.

I remember the first MP3 I ever downloaded, it was my JFK moment. I also remember the day that I discovered Napster, that was the day that finding music online reached its zenith. Napster and my DSL connection partnered to expand my knowledge and love of music for two glorious years. Following the demise of Napster there was a handful of also-rans that tried to fill the void; gnutella, kazaa, morpheus, limewire and winMX to name a few. Nothing has ever come along to match blessed simplicity and amazing breadth like Napster.

I may have finally found what may be the next best thing, SeeqPod. Think of SeeqPod as an MP3 specific search engine that indexes millions of web pages looking for MP3s. It's really only intended for you to be able to find and play music via its very nice web interface. SeeqPod does not have native capability to let you download an save songs to your computer or device. Of course if you were to search for a program called JaSeek you may find that it adds more features to the standard SeekPod interface.

Remember, Music Piracy is illegal. However, buying CDs only helps to support retail chains and to delude the dreaded RIAA into thinking that they are still a viable entity in the music world.

If you want to support musicians, pay to see them live and in person.

Be more official

Came across this while looking for some more anti-RIAA propaganda. Make your lunatic ravings look more official.

The Official Seal Generator

RIAA, suck my balls.

This is what happens when a lobby group has too much money. Thanks congress, way to look out for your constituency.

Give me your clothes, your boots and your loan.

Monitors!

So, I'm still suffering with a 19" 4:3 LCD monitor at home. At work I've got a Samsung 22" widescreen and I love it. Going home to that 19" sucks and I've had enough. The problem is trying to decide between a cheap 28" and a nice 24".

Here are the contestants:

The Gateway FHD2400

The Hanns-G HG281D

No doubt the Gateway is the better monitor in nearly every way but wow is that Hanns-G is HUGE! I mean a 28" monitor for $560, thats a no-brainer right?

Decisions, decisions.

XBOX 360 Redux

Engadget's Review of the Fall 360 Update

What? Microsoft throws us a bone? Now I can't wait to get home and try out the DIVX support!

Product Plug

I've been looking at new cars, again. Anyone that knows me is that this is a biannual event and I really should work for a used car dealership. Anyway, I'm in love with the new BMW 335 Coupe. My knees get weak and my eyes cross when I get within 20 feet one. Last weekend I was at the dealership stroking one when I noticed the unusualness of its windscreen wipers. I know what you're thinking, what the hell could possibly be interesting about wipers? Take a look at this web page, Bosch ICON. See? They're all weird and flat, they can't possibly work.

Of course being German and associated with BMW they are also the most expensive wiper blades around. Your average PAIR of Anco wiper blades cost as much as ONE of the ICON blades, about $20. I stood staring at the display at my local Rice Boys. Forty dollars for wiper blades, is this what my life as come to, wiper envy? So after at least five seconds on consideration I snatched up the appropriate sizes and ran to the checkout. It was raining buckets so it was to be a baptism by fire.

Let me just say, these are worth every single penny of the $40 price tag. They are absolutely silent, they make no noise at all no matter how fast they are running. I have NEVER had a pair of wipers that make no noise at all while operating. No squeaking sounds, no slapping sounds and no dragging. Also, they leave no streaks or gaps anywhere along their entire length. They maintain 100% contact through their entire arc no matter what speed. I was on the highway in driving rain going about 85mph and they were absolutely glued to the windscreen. If these things work this well when it starts snowing then I'm going to marry them.

I give them 5/5 stars.

A case of the Mondays....

This pisses me off, link.

I've been an XM subscriber for a long time and I dont see how ANYONE (apart from stock holders) will benefit from this merger. Both customer bases are going to suffer from this deal. You're either going to loose content or a favorite "DJ", even though that's not really relevant on Sat Radio. If this merger gets green-lighted by the government then I'm really going to move to Canada this time.

What possible justification could their be? Does the DOJ actually think that Sat radio and FM are competitors? I listen to FM only when I'm forced to for local programming. I gladly pay my monthly fee so that I don't have to hear a wacky waving arm inflatable tube man ad every five minutes. Wouldn't FM have to play music to be considered a competitor?

Is Stumbleupon digital crack?

So I am fully addicted to Stumble. Its like an infomercial that I know I should hate but just cant stop watching. It is the perfect way to enhance the Internet for caffeine addicted, twitchy ADHD people like me.

Priceless.

The blessed mother of all USB flash drives.

Hail Mary full of MP3s?

Grrr....Microsoft.

Xbox 360 Fall Update

Where's my Divx support Microsoft? Seriously, give me more media formats before I start calling my 360 and Media UN-Extender.

Therapy.

I need therapy to cope with my childhood. There was no abuse or anything like that but growing up without the internet was not fair. For instance I was 12 years old when Knight Rider was cancelled, had the internet existed at that time I could have seen this video. The video's not so cool now but it sure as hell would have been then.

That would have been an unproductive year.

Interesting....

It looks like there are some lucky Comcast subscribers out there already using these. Finally the cable companies are figuring it out and just paying Tivo for their interface. My cable company is being absorbed into Comcast beginning January 1st. Maybe I'll get lucky.

Oh please let it be so....

First, read this.

Ok, do you understand what that means? It means that you no longer have to suffer with that wretched DVR that your cable company gave you. Throw of the shackles of poorly designed graphical interfaces and be free! Season passes for everyone!

If you have never actually used a Tivo then you don't know what you're missing, it really is that much better than everything else. In the past you could have a Tivo but it would be crippled by the logistics of providing it with signal. Cable subscribers could watch only those channels that don't require a cable box or you had to rely on the delicate infrared ballet of your cable box and the Tivo. That worked in a cute but annoying way and the majority of satellite subscribers were in the same boat.

There were a lucky few DirecTV subscribers that got Tivo-based DirecTV receivers, Perfection at last! The picture was great, it was all elegantly combined in one device and was a joy to use in nearly every respect. Of course being a great product it was doomed to die young and did not survive due to DirecTV and Tivo being greedy. Now you have to suffer with DirecTV designed DVRs which are better than the crap from the cable companies but still not up to the brilliance of Tivo.

Now If my damn cable company would just support cable card.

Oh EA.

Give EA a game franchise and they'll find a way to screw it up. Bad Guitars.

Podcasts

Let me start by saying that I have never and never intend to own an iPod. They are overpriced and are essentially a closed platform. Since I have a ten minute commute and spend 90% of my waking hours sitting at a computer stuffed with MP3s, I've never had the need for one. As a result, I was REALLY late to the podcast phenomenon and now I'm trying to make up for it.

Of course "podcast" is becoming a rapidly out of date term. Most devices are morphing from digital audio players to digital media players. The new found ability to play video is filtering down to the content originators and now some of my favorite podcasts are now video-based.

Revision3
My favorite of these new video podcasts(need a new term for these) can be found here: Revision3 Revision3 is a new animal, a television "network" made expressly for the internet but born from the ashes of the old TechTV. If you don't know the whole story of what happened to TechTV check out the Wiki entry. In a nushell Comcast & G4 took a fantastic group of talented people and ran them through a meat grinder. I mourned the loss of TechTV for a long time and until Revision3 came along I had to suffer with G4's craptastic vision of what's "cool" on the internet.

I'd say that TRS is my favorite followed by Diggnation and Systm. All of their shows are great but TRS is the shit.

TWiT
Most of the TWiT shows are rooted in traditional journalistic ideals while the Revision3 shows tend to cater to a 30ish and under crowd. Again, TWiT was started by TechTV refugees and is stuffed with great shows that tend to be more in depth and more technical but still very entertaining. My favorites are this WEEK in TECH and Security Now

Between those two "networks" alone you can occupy yourself for at least 12 hours a week.

My Favorite Places

So where do I spend my time? Here are my most frequented haunts. I'll post later on about why these are my favorites.

Tech & Gadget News
Gizmodo
Engadget
CNet
Anandtech
Tom's Hardware
The Inquirer

Automotive Stuff
Jalopnik
FinalGear

Game On!
Blue's News

Shopping
Newegg

Tumbler

I started using Tumblr to share some of the pictures and media I've found. Check it out.

Exposed Aggregates

Today I realized just how much of my time I waste daily browsing the Internets. I'm going to use this blog to dump all the things that I find interesting in my daily travels of this digital wonderland. This is mostly for my own benefit, you're just tagging along.