Thursday, March 27, 2008

Alternative commuting

I realized this morning (as my carpool pulled into the snowy parking lot filled with chaotically parked vehicles) that I stopped driving myself to work over a year and a half ago. And I can't really think of any disadvantages:

* I can tell my management that I can't stay late, my ride is already scheduled
* If I need to come in early, I can carpool with a team-mate who lives in the area -- then I get to go home when he does, instead of doing the "in early, out late" thing
* I can't up and drive to the grocery store when I've got a craving :D
* I get to walk through the park if I take the bus, though I've been doing that a lot less since I started carpooling with the high school students

I'll have to ask Mr. E how much gas money we've saved.

Monday, March 17, 2008

*expletive deleted*

feels like I'm anemic again. le sigh.

Friday, March 14, 2008

*squee* USB edition

I don't know how many of you have seen Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex; Mr. E and I are watching it (courtesy of Netflix) and what do I run across today but this:

Tachikoma spider bot

Monday, March 10, 2008

Movie Review: In Bruges

Not exactly the fish-out-of-water/buddy-hitmen movie the ads led me to expect. Recommended nonetheless, with the caveat that the prosthetics effects house did a very good job (spelled "ewwww" by Mr E. I wasn't looking). Thinking back, there was some tasty foreshadowing.

Gave myself +2 nerd points for figuring out that Carter Burwell did the soundtrack by a third of the way in.

Since AMC is showing this one as part of their indie-film series, the previews were not what I expected. Ordinarily in front of an action film you get guy movie preview, chick movie preview, date movie preview, horror movie preview. This time we got quirky indie preview, quirky indie preview, quirky indie preview, and Will Smith as homeless and feckless superhero preview. Almost threw me off my stride, it did.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

In Memoriam

I started playing D&D in 1978. Yikes.

Gary Gygax Memorial Cat
Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Even more want

Another neural interface device:

The commands are easily assigned with the NIA’s user-friendly software and are calibrated based on the individual’s physiology and personal preferences. Each of the Actuator’s signals can be assigned to a specific keystroke on the keyboard or a mouse button; consequentially, gamers can run, jump, and fire faster all without “lifting a finger.” Because the NIA converts EEG (electroencephalograph) signals into specified keystrokes, the device can be used with any software. Upon proper configuration, the NIA will allow users to control PC games without the use of a keyboard and minimal use of a mouse.