I’d like to share a recent XKCD comic:
That, in turn linked to a brilliant app at xkcd.com/geohashing, along with a link about geohashing. I’m up on geoCACHing, but this was new. My favorite part is that there’s this formula that produces these results, but I’m still unsure of what exactly to do with it! My first thought is to use it as a basis to hide a real geocache locally (seeded with my birthday or something? our wedding date?).
Tags: xkcd
Well, after a handfull of episodes since the writer’s strike, most of the TV shows have been wrapping things up lately. Some of my thoughts on the endings:
- The Office – wow, this is what it’s all about. When it’s running on all cylinders, The Office is the best show on television, hands down. There must be a law that if there is a Jim-Dwight prank involved, an episode will be great. So many things happened in here, I think it ranks with the top episodes of the previous seasons. A great finale, and I’m gonna go download some N3Ps from Amazon now…
- Scrubs - more on this below, but at face value I thought this final sucked. After looking more into it, I understand what’s going on better, and it’s disappointing about the whole mess that has happened to this show. Here’s hoping that they regroup and get things straightened out for next year….otherwise, at least we have reruns on Comedy Central.
- CSI - wow, what an ending! Even though almost every other crime drama on TV this year ended with a main character dying or getting shot or something, CSI still brought it strong. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
- Criminal Minds – we started watching this lately, and it’s actually pretty good. The final episode had a great premise, and ended with a bang. Will definitely be looking forward to next season, and we’ll have to check out the earlier seasons on Netflix.
Now, for the stuff about Scrubs. I came across this mammoth interview of Bill Lawrence on TV Squad, and it is packed with things about this season, about next season, about the season-after-next (?!), about the final episode, about NBC vs ABC, about everything. It’s long, but if you’re a fan take the time to read it all. Essentially, thanks to NBC for screwing everything up, and the writers strike for being the catalyst. Good job!
Tags: television
I found the following video review of Super Smash Bros. Brawl by The Escapist: Zero Punctuation to be highly entertaining. Especially the follow up response to his critics! (Probably not safe for work, or wear with headphones!)
This weekend we were coming back from a wedding in Southwest Michigan. Our travels led us to I-94, by way of US-131, coming from the South. This is the path I would normally take:
However, Michigan (Kalamazoo?) has decided to screw the pooch and completely hose things up. This is the new path, to get from Northbound 131 to Eastbound 94:
What. The. F-. Not only was the ramp to East 94 from 131 CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION TWO YEARS AGO, but we had to completely make a large loop just to go the right direction. Bah!
So I’ve decided that traveling for work…in a word sucks. I’m tired of eating out for every meal. The flight out here (the long one, from Chicago to LA) was awful (thank you, airline industry for sucking even worse than you used to)…I think we need a corporate jet. And my body is out of whack, too. I’ve actively been up since 5:45am, and can’t go back to sleep. Of course, I went to bed at 8pm local time, too. :-/ The first night, there was no free wireless Internet in the hotel. Ten bucks for a day’s worth of connection time, when all I need is less than an hour? At least now at the next hotel it’s free, but it’s 1) a very weak signal, and 2) the slow 11mps wireless Internet. Who the heck doesn’t have wireless-g anymore?
And don’t even get me started on the reasons I’m out here…I’m not even sure where to begin with that. I might address some of those concerns in a later posting, but I guess we’ll see. I’ll just say that it looks like I’m on the brink of a possible IT nightmare, one of those stories you read about in tech journals and say “whew, glad that wasn’t me!”. Yay?
Wow, there may be a new low in this year’s Presidential election season…here’s Jon Stewart telling it like it is:
Nothing like pandering to your heavy political demographic of 14-year-old boys, right? Here’s the full segment. I have to say it’s like watching a trainwreck, horrible yet magnificent at the same time. I think McCain’s is the most awkward, although “Hill-Rod” is quite possibly the lamest nickname ever.
Let’s celebrate! Here’s what I think would be fun….
- Having a giant tire fire in the back yard
- Drive fast to work
- At any stop sign or light, rev the engine to spend more gas
- Go the store and buy as many aerosol cans as possible, and use them all in the parking lot. Ask the clerk for the ones with the most CFCs.
- Visit nearby Michigan State’s campus, and hold a rally. Have signs and shirts saying “Down with Ozone!” and spray the aerosol cans around. Preferably near an Earth Day celebration rally.
- Fill up any number of gas powered small engines, mowers, chainsaws, weed whackers, etc., and just let them run.
Any other suggestions? 
I’ve got it!
1. Read about a drunken gathering of idiots on popular public social networking sites, as well as the local media hyping up such an event.
2. Attend event, on the sidelines, and record video of it. Be sure to zoom in on lots of faces.
3. Sell video to the authorities and news media. (So that’s what takes the place of “???”)
4. Profit!
Tags: idiots
So the other day I was thinking about what it would take to go to the Final Four in Detroit next year. One, it’s relatively close to home, and two, think about the possibilities of Michigan State playing in the Final Four, in Detroit. That would be most excellent. My search lead my to the NCAA Online store, where there were details on how one might actually purchase tickets to such an event.
The basics are that you have until May 31 to enter a lottery for the chance for tickets. You can opt for one or two “books”, each containing tickets to the games in Detroit. The books are $150 or $170 each. You can enter up to 10 times for the random drawing. You have to front the money first, and if you don’t get selected you get a refund (minus $6 per entry for fees). Soooooo…..for two ticket books, entered once, I’d have to put up $346 for the chance to get seats somewhere in Ford Field. I could put in more entries, but that’s another $346 for each entry! Buuuut, how much is the chance to see the Spartans (if they make it) almost at home in the Final Four!
Luckily, one reporter tells his experience of watching this year’s Sweet Sixteen at Ford Field, and how it essentially was crap. Which makes sense, if I think about it. I remember watching the Basketbowl at Ford Field, and really I think I watched most of it on the jumbotron. So maybe I should just save my money and watch things in the comfort of my own home? The beer’s cheapers, no line for the bathrooms, and the couch is comfortable. Heck, we could always go to a bar in E.L., too.
It also makes me wonder…is there any way to petition the NCAA to bring tournament games back to actual basketball arenas? You know, for the better experience for the fans and all?
Tags: basketball, michiganstate