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The trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been posted at Yahoo. You can find it better somewhere else, but boy, oh boy am I psyched!

I wonder how much the movie is going to hew closely to the book? Hopefully, not as disappointing as the last movie. Considering it's two parts, maybe, just maybe it will be very close to the book. Nothing left out. Everything from leaving the Durseleys to taking the kids to the station. Well, hopefully not that part, but I want it all.

Labels: anticipation

I was confused about what the "multi-tasking" in the iPhone OS was all about. Are these apps terminated? Are they suspended? If they don't ever terminate, how do you truly quit the app? The hold "home-power" quit?

Here's a link, via Daring Fireball, that covers some of the basics of this new feature. Now I understand.

http://db.tidbits.com/article/11378

Labels: Apple, iPhone, lotd, software development

It's 1 AM and here I am writing up my thoughts on Knight and Day. This way, when you read my review/thoughts, it'll keep you away from a very muddled flick. Unless, of course, you like messes.

The commercials don't convey how messed up this movie is. It looks like a fun ride with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, except it was a movie saddled with a random script and little chemistry between the two protagonists. I was hoping for a fun ride, but got sick as the movie winded its way to its happy ending.

I thought the film was written and produced by Tom Cruise, because of his prominent mugging in the camera. I wanted to see that though. I wanted the jumping on Oprah's couch Tom Cruise promised by the trailers. I got it but in too high a volume. But he was certainly the best thing going in the movie. "With me. Without me." Hee hee.

Cameron Diaz has the Cameron Diaz problem: beautiful in one light, ugly in another. She was ugly for most of the time in this one.

There were some good parts -- kicking the waiter, a dangling Tom Cruise, but they were parts of the muddled mess.

I think you may want to watch it, but don't forget I told you its a head scratcher.

2 of 5 stars.

Labels: movies, thoughts

Labels: K-ON, screenshot, so kawaii

I got the Nolan Riemold bobble head. I had to get the next one, Adam Jones. I find myself down at Camden Yards trading in an unused season ticket for a $1 seat in upper reserve, section 384. I was hoping for a win.

Kevin Millwood on the mound look lost from the get go. Several straight hits in the first and the Marlins were up 2-0. The second inning was more of the same leaving the Marlins ahead 3-0. I was ragging Millwood as he left the mound at the end of the inning. He looked defeated already, and it was still only the second inning. I thought it was going to be a long night of Marlins hits and runs and Orioles futility.

Then the bottom of the third started off with a Craig Tatum double. Then another hit, and another, and another. Finally, the Orioles were up 5-3 and the night felt better. But these are the Orioles and no lead was safe. Will Millwood cough up the lead in the next inning? He didn't. He came back and pitched respectable going 5 innings and only allowing 4 runs.

Jason Berken continuing with his great relief pitching pitches a nice couple of innings of shutdown ball. David Hernandez finishes up the eighth. Matt Albers comes on for the junk ninth, gives up a run but closes out the win. Why was Albers even pitching? Or even Hernandez? Silly Orioles wasting their guys.

The offense came alive tonight. Jones had a screaming line drive homer, and Miggy came through to seal it with a 3 run homer. Woot!

As the game started I was stewing in my misery in upper reserve 384, drinking a few drinks. Then these guys showed up. They were hilarious. They started cheering. I started cheering. We got on the jumbotron three times! They should've been the Fan of the Game, but they had disappeared before then. Dancing and cheering was their forté, and after every score, high fives all around. We cheered. We cheered! We won!

Baseball is so much more fun when you win.

Labels: Baltimore Orioles, baseball, the wackness, winners

In a previous post, I espoused my affection for Beck's Deadweight. The nostalgia it filled me with led me to purchase it on iTunes. From the music video, the song is about 4.5 minutes long, but iTunes' only version is 6+ minutes long from extra material in the re-release of Odelay. Oooo, more song for my listening pleasure. Sadly no, the extra minutes is the song trailing off in bloops and bleeps ruining a wonderful experience.

I find this aspect of the digital age depressing. When we were analog and copying our music onto cassette tapes, we had control of the process. A song too long can be shortened with the simple press of the button or a fade to silence. Fade ins and cross fades were done easily. The addition of snippets of other audio materials was easy as well.

Yet, with digital music all that is gone or at least suppressed in a process that takes some time to set up, understand, and learn. We are stuck with hard boundaries in our music -- a track.

In other songs I've purchased, there are extraneous bits that I would not like to hear. This is prevalent with rap music and the skits between songs. Somehow the music distributors mash one track with the skits. This sucks as I just want the music, and I am forced to hit next to avoid listening to the crappy skit. I don't need no crappy skits. If I had wanted it, I would've kept the cassette running.

Anyone hate this too?

Labels: no shit

"And Baltimore (13-8) is the worst team in baseball in part because of a deadly combination - the Orioles don't score five runs often enough AND they lose too much when they do."

Joe Posnanski, "The Five Run System"

http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2010/06/21/the-five-run-system/

Labels: Baltimore Orioles, lotd, qotd

A Life Less Ordinary was on FMC last night.

The first few bars of this song instantly transported me to 1998.

Man. I was sad. So long ago and another lifetime. Was that really me? I don't think I can ever get back there to that person.

Labels: music break, nostalgia

Why do I keep labeling these posts with thoughts on the film I watched as reviews? I don't think I review them well, but I do do some snarky commentary. On occasion, I do write something resembling a review, but it's few and far between.

That said, then let's see what I have to say about The A-Team.

I wasn't a fan of the original show. Never really watched it religiously because I couldn't get over the fact that they shot at the bad guys, but never killed anyone. So my expectations are low already. I can't compare it to some beloved show from my youth, because it isn't beloved.

It was fun, pure summer movie fun. Lot's of things blowing up. People dying! People shot. Face macking on some girl. Hannibal scheming. Murdoch crazy, actually lunatic insane crazy. BA being a badass. What more do you need from mindless summer entertainment? Popcorn, too. Then there is the Jessica Biel. Hot. Beautiful legs. Except, she wasn't needed. A little bit of the love-romantic interest? Not needed. All we need is the plan so that it comes together.

Yup. It does.

3 of 5 stars.

Labels: movies, review, thoughts

This damn thing will cost as much as the original iPhone!

Been trying all morning to pre-order it. I was slightly successful the first time around. The time being about 8:00 AM. It was in my shopping cart. I stared at it for a few minutes and decided to change my plan. I clicked edit, and, tada, Apple store down screen shot.

Here at work IE7 seems to not like displaying the purchase page correctly. I don't know if that is affecting submission of form.

I downloaded the new Apple Store App. Tried to purchase. App crashes out to main screen.

Hilarity!

I wonder if it is all worth it considering I feel like white this time. When's that white coming out? "End of summer." FRACK!

Labels: Apple, commerce, drool

Labels: comics, ha ha

Who knew Filipinas can be so cute?

Of course, I already know. Gotta love the girls of the Philippines.

Start to grousing and heckling in comments.

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/25650/Alodia+on+Culture+Japan.html

Labels: lotd, she's hot, so kawaii

Labels: "la familia", picture

I just caught sight of the date while writing a Link of the Day post.

Ten years ago June 9 was a Friday night. Lakers were also in the finals. I was only a few months into my job at IniTech. My father was in the hospital. And so was I.

My mother had gone home for some rest, and I guess it was my turn to stay. Although, I was already with him for so long while he struggled with the cancer that would eventually take his life. The prior year I had quit my job at Shore Studios to concentrate on getting my second degree in computer science, so my days were somewhat free, and by default I would be helping Dad.

Dad was diabetic, which didn't contribute to his health. I often had to administer his insulin shot, and I would sometimes be his driver to take him to the dialysis center. Also, I was called upon to bring him to the hospital for any of his doctor's appointments. I was there for him.

All through the night ten years ago, I sat by his bedside. It was difficult to sleep in the chair, and with the nurse coming in every hour, sleeping would be hard to manage. Sometime in the middle of the night, Dad made me cry. Between his labored breathing, we talk to each other other. He whispers encouragement to me, love for my brothers, and love for Mom. We cry together, and make it through the night.

The morning came and Mom, too.

On that bright, beautiful summer day, a month shy of his 60th birthday, Dad died. Ten years from tomorrow.

I miss him. What would these ten years have been with him around? Playing with his grandkids. Going to ball games. Laughing and enjoying time with his sons. Loving and enjoying time with Mom. Traveling. Conversing. Gallivanting. Smiling. Joking. Surprising. These are the things I know he would have loved doing. These are the things I wish he could have done.

The ten years since his death have come and gone. They at times passed all too quick, and yet, it is quite a long while from that day. The memory of Dad comes and goes. I know him, I remember him, I love him, still, but Dad, my father, is gone.

I miss him. I miss his laugh.

Labels: "la familia", dad, grief

Labels: K-ON, screenshot, spooky

These Orioles will drive you to drink, but as drunk as you get, the nightmare is still with us. It's another three months until we're out of this.

Labels: Baltimore Orioles, baseball, picture

Why so serious, Azu-nyan?

Labels: K-ON, so kawaii

I wish I could post this one as a normal video but IniTech blocks "social networking" sites so that blogger is bloggered from work.

With all the hoo-ha in baseball over the blown call in Detroit, the retirement of Ken Griffey, Jr. aka The Kid, was overshadowed. Twenty-two years in the majors, no World Series rings, over six hundred homers, and a love and joy for the game of baseball expressed in his smiling face that you can never forget. Dude hit the warehouse in Camden Yards!

Today, I give you a video showcasing two good things: The Kid and beating the Yankees. It's from the 1995 ALDS when Seattle beat the Yankees after being down 2 games. This was the deciding fifth game. I think it's in the bottom of the tenth, extra innings. I remember this game, and it has always made me like Seattle.

Sayonara, Junior! You're sweet swing and smile will be missed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOWnLqjF40g

Labels: baseball, fare thee well, lotd, winners

Summer time!

I can't believe it's June, and I can't believe I haven't ridden my bike yet. Will this mean cycling into November?

Anywhoo, I'm posting this pic (again?) because it was done with a Polaroid camera. Digital, instant gratification before there was digital, instant gratification. I want to revive it, but they don't make the film anymore. Except of course, the IMPOSSIBLE project has revived the film. I'm just wondering which camera I have to be able to purchase some film.

Labels: beach, picture, Polaroid