Yes, folks, it has finally happened: I’ve been pushed from slightly annoyed to aghast to Pissed Off. And in the classic form, that I know makes Jolene laugh:
WHY ARE YOU MAKING IT SO HARD FOR ME TO GIVE YOU MONEY?!
Continue reading AT&T Can Suck My Right …Nut
Having been to the gym more often these days, this is no idle thread.
I did not pre-order an iPhone today. I planned to. I wanted to. In fact, there’s nothing more irritating than trying to give someone money for a product and you have to jump through hoops before they let you. As you can guess, AT&T got involved in the transaction. It’s easy to be pissed at AT&T but I’m even more enraged that Apple continues to stick with the most inefficient wireless carrier in the states. They are to the wireless industry what the New York Knicks are [currently] to the NBA. About as useful as teets on a bull.
Here’s how today went.
Continue reading Apple Can Suck My Left …Toe
Right now I’m caught in the middle of the announcement of iOS 4 and the coming E3 conference. Yes, I’m currently living two of the busier times of my work-year. The build-up to E3 is only matched by the build-up to the holiday season every year. The iOS stuff comes at a time when I’m jonesing for new hardware while still debating picking up and iPad; that bit will last most of the summer. Along side all of that, Office 2010 pops onto shelves this month next to about four different games that have raised at least one of my eyebrows, if not both. And running parallel to all of that, the patriarch of my Mom’s side of my family has been laid to rest in CT, while I’m in WA. Long life, lots of family and friends, and has been popping all over the world over the last decade or two. A good run, I’d say, but since we lost my maternal grandparents so early on, he’s been the root of our family tree for as long as I can remember. Ask any family member about something that happened in the past – last century or last week – and they all start with “Well, let’s see. Junior was born in 31…” Yes, 1931. Yes, he was called Uncle Junior. And yes, he was my godfather. Any references to The Sopranos is strictly coincidental.
Perspective is sometimes… harder than it needs to be.
Download Squad: But… I wonder if Google spoke to Microsoft before publicly decrying and defaming the state of Windows security — this is libel. This is yet another example of Microsoft unduly paying the price for old installations of Windows and Internet Explorer 6 — something the CIO at Google should be held accountable for, not Microsoft. […] And finally, what if Microsoft turned the tables on Google and simply banned you from searching it on Windows computers? What if ‘google.com’ was redirected to ‘bing.com’?
The same reason why Apple can ship OSX to Europe with a Mail, Chat, Browser, and Media Player right out of the box: there’s a set of rules for one company that doesn’t apply to all.
It hasn’t been a two way street for more years than I can remember.
Almost a note to self, but other people may find this useful: how to get Front Row to see videos that are hosted on a PC.
Use Aliases for SMB shares.
Continue reading OSX: How To Get PC Host Video Into Front Row
Does it make anyone else wonder how many times a prediction has to be made before it becomes perceived as reality?
Let me give you a hint: if you continuously tell someone it’s 1:00pm, you’ll eventually be correct once a day. Even if you don’t have a clock.
Continue reading Oi. Market Capitalization Edition
MSN: Starting June 1, you’ll have to pay sales tax if you buy candy or gum in Washington state. Local taxes vary, but in Seattle, for example, that’s 9.5 cents more on a $1 candy bar.
It’s only 9.5 cents right now – there’s another effort to raise the sales tax to 9.7%.
What stands out here is the comment from the guy in eastern WA: he points out that the majority of the tax money goes to Olympia and Seattle – in all honesty, that’s also where the majority of the taxes come from – but he asks “Why don’t our government leaders take a pay cut to help out?” It’s a valid question but does cutting back on the spending (and salary) of one government match the same amount of money that will come from 6,664,195 taking more money out of their pockets in taxes? Salary won’t but it would be nice to see; spending is absolutely the thing that needs to get cut, but it won’t… at least not in WA state. We’ll be at 10% before the end of 2011 and still wondering where all the money went. We won’t have a solution for the Alaskan Way Viaduct or a solution for SR520. No progress on light rail to the Eastside. Bunch of new parks and at least four new ways to increase recycling, I’m sure, but even that won’t be tangible…
Makes me think I should have bookmarked the “our government is losing touch with the populous a little more each day” article I saw flitter by this morning…
MSN: In a recent interview held on New Zealand TV, the teen heartthrob fumbled over the word “German” saying, “We don’t say that in America.”
OK, so he claims he misheard the guy. I can understand that. Via Twitter, he’s been “defending himself”: Bieber even linked to another clip — one, which he said, proved his familiarity with Germany and its native tongue. “Old interview where I count in GERMAN and translate my own name. Guess I know what German is,” he tweeted.
Guess he’s learning that if you’re going to be “that” popular that anything you say can be rehashed via the media. Same thing is true for politicians. At least he can get his own voice out there to prove his own points right?
“Guess home schooling is working out. Do your research next time b4 making a lame attempt at hating on a 16 year old.”
And just like that, you have the reason why I’ll call him a bimbo: if you are going to defend how smart you are, maybe you should learn to use the language you claim is your own native tongue. This is akin to the one person telling another “no, you shouldn’t use white out on a computer screen to fix mistakes – use black out instead!”
If you chide someone for “hating on something” while making a case for your own intelligence, you’ve already lost the argument.
NYT: A Lost iPhone Shows Apple’s Churlish Side […] Apple executives have often behaved as though the ultimate custody and control of information lies with them, and the company has gone to extraordinary lengths to protect its interests. […] As a consumer and admirer of Apple’s chronic innovation, it makes me queasy. […] Then again, it will take you anywhere on the Web, unless it involves the use of Adobe’s Flash software, which Mr. Jobs has found wanting. The churlishness about Flash again goes to the issue of control, of wanting to have dominion over all aspects of the customer experience.
About freakin’ time someone with a blog that’s bigger than mine said something about it.
And they don’t even get into the compiler lock down that recently got tucked into the SDK EULA…
Lot of crap swirling around the tech world the last couple off weeks… most of it leaves me with a bit of a headache and a combination of “what now?” and “what’s next?” feeling.
Let’s review.
Continue reading Strange Tidings
MSNBC: King County Executive Dow Constantine will propose a public vote on a possible sales-tax increase to avoid sharp cutbacks in county services. […] Constantine and other officials have been involved in intense discussions in the past week on whether to propose such an increase and how large that increase should be.
How about an increase of 0%?
Continue reading Uh, How About 0%?
MSNBC: A U.S. Muslim group has issued a dire Internet “warning” to creators of the satirical animated TV show “South Park” over a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in a bear outfit.
For those of you that missed the 200th episode, there two major themes: Tom Cruise deciding to sue the town of South Park for being called a fudgepacker while working at a packing facility that was shipping fudge to people and the fact that the boys couldn’t show the Prophet Muhammad to anyone without getting the town blown up by Islamic militants, even though Kyle and Stan point out that the prophet was depicted in a past episode… but that past episode was before Theo Van Gogh was killed in 2004 for including Muhammad in a bit of film… obviously the 200th pretty classic episode because they took a bunch of old bits from the last 199 episodes and rehashed them into one funny 30 minute gig yet still managed to get a blurb of “warning” and push back about it.
Of course, Revolution Muslim misses the point and proves yet again that South Park is more than a collection of low brow humor: they continue to pump out satire and social commentary on a regular basis in a way that is entertaining and uncomfortably pointed.
NeoWin: Flash developer to Apple: “Go screw yourself”
Nothing like a solid nerd fight for pride and power… especially when you don’t have any skin in the game. Well, almost no skin. I’ll support whoever can get me Hulu on an iPhone or iPad quicker.
In the meantime, I need to go fetch me some popcorn.
The Escapist: Microsoft’s addition of USB drive support to the Xbox 360 is evidently another way for the giant to make a couple more bucks.
Will someone tell these people that Microsoft isn’t making the USB drive that people are complaining about here? SanDisk is making it. And while you’re at it, can you tell the people in the comments, that are overreacting to pricing, that SanDisk also makes an “SD Card for the Wii,” which is also inflated in price? That there’s no grand 360 conspiracy here?
My guess is that SanDisk will take the time to brand, configure, and test their products with the consoles they are selling them for. Last I looked, Major Nelson said you can plug in “a USB stick up to 16GB” – meaning one branded or not – the same way you have the option of using SD with the Wii. Of course, as with all things storage – be it USB, SDD, or HDD – there’s always quirks with these devices that could involve quality, speed or even reported size… the branded products should take away any of doubt that you are getting what you paid for.
I would say the same is true of PS3 and USB sticks, but I haven’t had a reason to use removable storage from mine – still looking for a game that forces me to pop out the Blu-ray disc that’s in it.
TUAW: Apple boycotts Fox News because of Glenn Beck
Jolene mentioned this weekend that I only blog when I’m pissed off about something. I said no way that’s true! I sometimes blog when I’m just mildly bothered by something. Pissed off isn’t always a requirement. I could write about raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that’s not going to get me ad-clicks. Besides, I also think that posting here about the things that do bother me help me get it out of my system… so I’m not some blathering, drooling vegetable at home at nights. This way, I’m just a blathering vegatable and just drool while sleeping.
The link above? I’m just mildly bothered by this, rather than pissed off.
Continue reading Oh For Fuck’s Sake: Apple Edition