It feels warm. It’s 55 degrees or more outside. I can feel Spring coming!
On 02.22.10, In Uncategorized, By Adam
HP has developed an accelerometer that can detect a change in movement equivilent to less than one-billionth the width of a human hair. The iPhone has accelerometers and so does my watch. The accelerometer in my watch tells me how far I run. It’s a great solution despite any imprecision. Using GPS or a foot pod to track your mileage adds quite a bit to the price of an already pricey running watch and obviously some extra weight.
From Wikipedia:
An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration, the acceleration experienced relative to freefall.
Single- and multi-axis models are available to detect magnitude and direction of the acceleration as a vector quantity, and can be used to sense orientation, vibration and shock. Micromachined accelerometers are increasingly present in portable electronic devices and video game controllers, to detect the orientation of the device or provide for game input.
On 02.17.10, In TV, By Adam
Two shows that I am currently watching…
Hannay (series 1 & 2) 1989
An adventure series. The protagonist is a soft spoken assertive gentleman who has spent most of his life mining in Rhodesia. He finds himself back in Great Britain having escaped death at the hands of the Fellowship of the Black Stone…
Poldark (series 1) 1975
A young British soldier returns from the colonies to his home. Reports of his death supercede his return. Anything more than this ruins the first episode, as it did for me.
All Creatures Great and Small (1975) (movie)
Anthony Hopkins plays Siegfried. The movie is slower than the contemporary version that my parents have.
I am convinced 1975 was a great year for quality television.
On 02.15.10, In Uncategorized, By Adam
Based off their successful podcasts, the trio is now coming to HBO for an animated version of their radio show.
http://www.rickygervais.com/hboanimation.php
On 02.05.10, In Uncategorized, By Adam
On 02.05.10, In Uncategorized, By Adam
On 01.28.10, In Uncategorized, By Adam
I met two of my students yesterday and their brother! It was the youngest brother’s birthday and they brought cake, two pizzas, coke, and orange juice. After sitting in front of a computer for so long it’s exciting to meet with students.
If you’re going to have an online teaching program it makes sense to have the students meet the teacher before the program starts. It might make the students more attentive in class.
On 01.27.10, In Uncategorized, By Adam
The iPad costs $499 and Google’s Nexus One costs well over $500. I was considering buying a Nexus One but now I will have to reconsider.
On 01.22.10, In Uncategorized, By Adam
This is a really cool site. Even if you aren’t looking for a job it’s a great way to check out upcoming tech startups.
On 01.22.10, In Uncategorized, By Adam
I hear from friends in the states about Avatar. I hear about Avatar from the people in Korea. It’s overload. I won’t see it. I don’t trust the general public’s taste.
I think maybe it has something to do with Avatar the Last Air Bender, a cartoon on cable and a video game. I’m fine with never knowing. There’s 3D glasses involved. Even as a child I knew those were gimmicky. A friend told me that the graphics were good but the storyline was horrible.
The best Christmas present for three years in a row when I was younger was the release of the latest LOTR film. Now I find myself avoiding movies. It’s more enjoyable to listen to a radio program or watch a mystery at home. Or even documentaries. Cocaine Cowboys I and II proved that a documentary can be born in the image of an action film. The BBC also has quite a few unique programs that focus on property and leisure.
The point I’m making is that quality media has been produced somewhere between mid-70’s and onward. There’s really no reason to find out what’s playing at the cinema when you have so much uncovered ground.
- Survivors
- Avengers
- Saxondale
- Poirot
- Miss Marple
- The Mighty Boosh
- The IT Crowd
- Taggart
- Midsomer Murders
- Murder City
- Hairy Bikers/Bakers
- It’s Not Easy Being Green
- Monarch of the Glen
- Ever Decreasing Circles
- Ricky Gervais Guide To…
- Sweet Baby James
- Parents of the Band
- George Gently
Now when you go to a movie theater you’re guaranteed to hear at least one cell phone ring and light pollution from said cellphone. It’s time to either turn the movie theater into a Faraday cage or use a jammer to stop cell phone usage in the theater. Put a button on the wall that can be pushed to disable it for emergencies.
Watching a movie shouldn’t be a social experience. It’s a shared experience by nature but the viewers should focus their attention on the screen and what the director and actors have produced. Do people go to the the theater because they don’t have a large enough TV and sound system at home?
That seems like far too simple of an explanation. Perhaps a better explanation is that it’s a forced venue. The movie companies don’t say: (A) you can see it in the theatre or (B) You can buy it on iTunes . They have a monopoly on the venue.
Another thing that could better the movie experience is two intermissions. As a kid I remember buying a large popcorn and a large coke. At the beginning of the film your bladder was empty but the fear of having to go to the bathroom mid-movie was in full force. Add an intermission in the middle and close to the end and everyone can allay their fears of missing a key part. I don’t drink pop now so I guess it isn’t much of concern for me.
The general public shouldn’t have to put up with previews of teen flicks either.
There’s too much grief involved in the movie experience of today.
Welcome to all things that I think are great.
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