InkBlot's Inkernet

I need to keep up my XKCD quotient (see last entry).  Anyhoo, it occurred to me I ought to let anyone still following me know I’ve survived another year.  It’s January, and this bear would very much like to go back to hibernating, thank you.  I often have a dribble of vacation time left at the end of each year (which I must use, per my company’s particular vacation policy), and 2009 was no different.  Without deliberately planning it out, I managed two full weeks off around Christmas and New Year’s.

This week finds me back at work, settling into my old routine.  I won’t deny, like many I succumb to New Year’s reflections, although it’s been some time since I actually tried making a resolution.  I deeply resent the guilt I feel as December turns to January, and I think of everything I didn’t do over the last year.  I feel bad enough about this stuff on a regular basis, I’ll be damned if I’m going to feel extra guilt just because the last digits on my calendar changed too.

But then, I suppose that’s what we’re doing with our calendars…marking time as our lives go along, noting where we are and want to be.  If I take each day as it comes, and ignore the things in my life I desperately wish to change, maybe I need that extra jolt at New Year’s to make me focus.

So at the risk of being hypocritical (for I have little faith in myself, which is why I normally avoid this), I am actually looking at the new year and figuring out goals for myself.  Things I wish to do, things I wish to change, dare I say it: I’m looking for the resolve within myself to be better.

No, I probably shouldn’t say that, it sounds pretentious.  Still, it’s what I’m doing.  If I’m feeling really brave, I might even post some of it here and hold it out for the world to see.

Until then, take care of yourselves and be good to one another.  I’ll be here.

Over at XKCD, a recent comic describes me a bit too accurately.   Take a peek, and substitute Spanish for French, and either books or video games for dreams.

Oddly, I don’t discuss my own dreams that much.  Few stay with me beyond waking.  But I do love good stories, and in addition to a good book, I love a video game that tells a real story.

Which reminds me, I hope Assassin’s Creed II is out soon…

Been seeing a lot of conservatives poking at the recent Cash for Clunkers program. Our govt, of course, underestimated the appeal and $1 billion in funds expected to last four months only lasted a week. There is, understandably, much to poke fun at here.

What I don’t entirely get, however, is this chain of thought: I keep seeing pundits ask, “why did we pay people to buy cars? Why not…” washer/dryers, sofas, pizza, etc.

Call me dense here, but I figured we were going for stimulus, right? Maximum economic impact? So, I buy a new car, saving over $4 grand, I’m pretty happy. I’m going out to drive around my new little car, eating out more, seeing movies, generally being a good little consumer.

You pay me to buy a new washer/dryer? I’m…doing my laundry. Nice and all, especially if I don’t have a washer/dryer now, but the likelihood of it changing my spending habits is pretty low. Oh, I might buy detergent now. The makers of Tide are happy.

Cars are major purchases, and the Cash for Clunkers is a significant rebate…enough that, in my humble opinion, recipients are more likely to redirect that back into the economy than $150 off a washer/dryer or sofa.

Some hours after wrestling with the daemons of LiveJournal, I peek at my blog to discover my epic failure. In having to delete and recreate my LJ, I’ve inadvertently spammed anyone who had me on their friends page.

I honestly never expected reposting entries back dated to last year would show up in friends lists. I sincerely apologize to everyone affected by this, I hope I fall off your lists soon.

Yeah, real fancy on the titles there, I know.  Well, if you’ve been watching the craziness this afternoon, I’ve been blowing up my livejournal real good.  That’s because of two things:

• I actually host all content at my own site: inkernet.com and I’ve just updated said site to the newest Wordpress, and with that, changed to a new LiveJournal crossposting thingie, that also supports…
• Another mirror I’ve created at dreamwidth.org.  It’s a spinoff of LiveJournal, to which some of my friends are already moving.  So, I have a foot in both doors, so to speak.

So….after much loss of brain matter, I’ve merged old comments from LJ over to the “core” website, inkernet.com.  And, I’ve now set it where thats the only place to leave comments.  I hope this doesn’t scare away any LJ or DW people, there’s no registration needed!  Just click the link at the bottom of each post, and you’ll be at my site.  A name, e-mail (which stays hidden), and your comments are all you need. This is all to protect my sanity in the long run, but it may kill comments entirely…I tried this in the past, but had actual user registration running over at inkernet.com and no one posted.  I think it was just too much for anyone to take.  So, I turned that off and I’m relying on akismet to keep the spam off me. I will just have to try and post such witty, such incredible, such wonderful content you won’t have any choice but to come tell me how spiffy I am. Failing that, cute kittens:

Whether it’s me or the other guy, I’ll let you decide.

A side link on Digg led me to the article Seven (More) Reasons to Ditch Your iPhone.  I’ll point out now, for full disclosure.  I own a cat.  Oh, and an iPhone, too.

So far as I know, the cat is not impressed by my iPhone.

Anyhoo, the author of said article has lined up his reasons why we should be throwing the torches and pitchforks Apple’s way, and abandoning ship for a cheaper, more friendly cell phone & carrier.  Although, he’s directing his ire at Apple, not AT&T, but I digress.  I’ve read the article, and I have to call “crap!”

Let’s look at his points, shall we?

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I was talking this over with a coworker today, so I thought I’d put it out here for dicussion.  My rules of Superhero Movies aren’t necessarily proscriptive, but instead describe what Superhero Movies ought to do, if they wish to be successful.  Plenty of movies try to exceed these limitations all the time, and the results aren’t always pretty.

It’s a work in progress, so I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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So a little team builder at work recently ran me through the Myers-Briggs assessment.  I’ve taken it before, and I’m sure I’ll be subjected to it again, and I often get the same results each time.  For those of you wishing to get to know me better, maybe these results of my assessment will help.  Maybe not.

It feels an awful lot like reading your horoscope in the newspaper and going, “that is so MEEEEEE!”

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Apparently, a columnist over as MSNBC has gotten a bit offended that Dell has launched a new sub-site called Della, targeting her side of the demographic pool.  Well, except that they’re targeting women with interests in fashion, fitness, time-management and possibly mobile computing?  And it looks like that’s not quite her demographic after all. Continue Reading »

I’m quite a literary nut some days, as much as I geek out about technology and computers I also geek out about literature and, on occasion, literary theory.  Egads!  So, after seeing the new Star Trek movie last weekend¹, I came across two articles I thought I’d put forward.  The first is from John Rogers at Kung Fu Monkey, Star Trek and Breaking the Rules.  The second is from Eric Burns-White at Websnark, a site I follow on a regular basis.  And yes, when you look at my posting schedule, that last sentence works, darnit!  Anyway, Eric’s rebuttal: On Treks into Heroism and Reclaiming Ashes: Star Trek and the Heroic Journey.

So you know now, they both contain spoilers! Massive, earth shattering, why-bother-to-see-the-movie-now? kind of spoilers.  You have been warned.

Oh, and I personally prefer Eric’s analysis.  As overwrought as Campbell’s Hero’s Journey is in movies today, it’s always nice to see a really clever movie come along and sneak it in right under your nose.  If you read Eric’s essay and think, “huh, I didn’t even see that!” Then JJ Abrams can pat himself on the back.

That is, of course, if he or his script writers even planned it that way.  And if they didn’t?  Well, that’s even better.

1. and so you know: yes, it rocks! ↩