A while ago I saw a post about Picopad on the Lifehacker site. I often run into situations where I want to write something down and don’t have anything to use. Sometimes at lunch I end up writing notes on scraps of magazines and any other paper I can find.
The Picopad promised to give me a pen and a pad that fit in my wallet. I had to give it a try.
On my way to work, I recently noticed that McDonald’s was advertising that they had a full coffee bar going. I’m not a coffee snob, so I decided to check it out one morning.
We had a little Halloween get-together at Cruft Manor tonight. Besides the normal events, I tried a few new things.
Exactly one year ago, I bet Phil Torrone, one of the Make guys, that the term ‘podcast’ woudl be gone in a year.
This morning I opened the local paper and this is what I saw.
At work, I’ve been describing the recent Apple/Disney deal on providing TV content for the iPod as “crossing the Rubicon” because of how I feel that it changes everything to television not just for Disney, but for the entire industry.
Most bloggers about the deal say ‘meh’ about the Apple/Disney combo deriding the fact that it doesn’t address every single concern about downloadable media.
However, Mark Cuban gets it. In a clear way, he describes how this is truly a turning point in the business of entertainment.
My job just got a lot more interesting.
Today at lunch we had a big crowd, nine of us, so the discussion topics were broad and we ended up talking about spoilers. A spoiler is a key bit of plot information that can ruin a movie or book if it is learned in advance.
The discussion was about how long should someone expect others to avoid mentioning spoilers around them. Several of us had seen Serenity and were being careful not to reveal the spoiler. (BTW, you shoudl go and see Serenity. It’s a great movie and you won’t be disappointed.)
None of us could find the heart to support spoiler queens, but a variety of opinions abound.
Several different viewpoints were mentioned:
No Spoiler Freedom – This silly notion was only supported by one truly strange lunch participant. He believes that spoilers shoudl flow freely and makes no effort to conceal spoilers form others. Obviously a fringe belief.
Once a film is out of theaters – Also mentioned as a ‘three month rule’. The concept that people be given a chance to see the movie without worry of spoilers. Once it’s no longer in theaters, it’s open game for discussion. ” I mean, you had your chance, right?” Two people held this as correct.
One month after DVD release – A variation on the out of theater viewpoint. The idea here is that it s understandable to miss a film in the theater, but once it’s on DVD, you have a month to buy/rent it before the spoilers rain down upon you. Two people thought this true.
No blanket policy – The idea here is that each situation warrants it own spoiler rules. An action film and a who-done-it need different spoiler policies. Three people (including me) felt this to be most reasonable.
That left one person undecided. Our co-worker Jasmin is from Germany and many of our idioms (like spoilers) don’t make sense to her. I tried to explain. Here is the rough transcript.
Jasmin: What is the spoiler?
Michael: Well, it’s like revealing the secret of a movie before it’s time.
Jasmin: Huh?
Michael: It’s like finding out that Darth Vader is Luke’s father before seeing Empire Strikes back…
Jasmin: Darth Vader is Luke’s father?
Michael: You didn’t know that?
Jasmin: No…
Others at the table: *gasp*
Michael: But, umm, err. See I just spoiled that for you.
As you can tell, spoilers are a tough thing to deal with in groups. Jasmin’s lucky I didn’t reveal something important like the fact that soylent green is people…
So loyal Cruft readers, what are the proper spoiler rules in your humble opinon?
iPod covers are tired. It’s all about the Puffapouch! Inhaler streetwear is the new style.
Yes, now me and asthma sufferers everywhere can travel in style with this special cover for my abuterol inhaler.
It’s a tough choice between The Camo and The New Black. I may need to order both.
(via Milliondollarhomepage)
Just another sign that Apple puts some sort of addictive, reason-sapping chemical into their products.
People are actually buying iPod Nanos, which evidently scratch when exposed to a summer breeze, and then dunking them in soapy water to slide a protective case over them.
Why are people accepting Apple’s selling of such an obviously defective product?
Apple’s iPods appear to be so fragile that an entire industry has developed to protect them.
Top it off with the fact that if you lose the files you bought from iTunes, Apple won’t replace them, because… Well, there’s no good reason for them not to replace them since it’s bits not atoms, but people accept Apple’s answer anyways.
If Microsoft pulled half the crap that Apple did, such as suing bloggers and trying to shutdown sites, the blogosphere would be outraged.
By some nefarious means, Apple has convinced their cultists in the Wisdom of Steve in which they obediently type in their credit card number for whatever new item or upgrade that is foisted upon them.