2007 October | BoWilliams.com

HDTV notes, two months in

Consumption, Leisure, Popular Culture No Responses »

Oct 272007

My jury’s been out on HD DVDs made from source predating the HD era. Presumably there would be a large improvement given the resolution of film, but I’d just not seen anything that had been done well, apparently. 2001: A Space Odyssey in HD is a masterpiece. I haven’t watched the entire thing yet, but popped it in this morning to take a look and was blown away. I can’t believe it was made almost four decades ago. This buries the supposed remaster of a few years ago.
The other new Kubrick HD DVDs: The Shining sparkles; obviously a superior viewing experience even at a glance. Eyes Wide Shut is pretty, though I haven’t yet back-to-backed it with the SD version. I was not terribly impressed with Full Metal Jacket. I’d call it incremental improvement. I haven’t looked at A Clockwork Orange yet.
The HD college football experience has been largely what I wanted, but CBS uses too much compression in their video feed, leading to a noticeable “pixelly” look during pans and zooms. (Pinch your pennies somewhere else, folks. It occurs to me you’re spending huge piles of money on an evening news anchor who promptly and sustainedly put your show in the ocean, for example.) ESPN and ABC are the best. NBC is acceptable, though I haven’t spent much time there. They show Notre Dame, and though I suppose there’s some novelty in watching a sustained train wreck, it does eventually get old.
The HD version of Discovery Channel is a blast. So has been the BBC Planet Earth series on HD DVD.
The Xbox 360 has been a lot of fun, but it’s obnoxiously loud. I finally got bothered enough last night to move it from the upper slot (open) to the lower slot (behind a glass door) in the entertainment center. It’s not such a big deal when I’m here by myself, because I turn the sound up really loud anyway, but it effectively torpedoes the prospect of trying to watch or play anything after everyone else is in bed. The new location is a 95% noise improvement. I’ll have to watch the heat closely. It’s got a fair amount of space around it, and there are two large holes to pass cables in the rear, but it’s enclosed otherwise.
The first film I watched with the new and improved quiet location (while Aaron napped) was Planet Terror, the second half of Grindhouse. It was well done and fun, but I suspect Death Proof (the first half) will get more repeat viewings. (Speaking of, you need the Death Proof soundtrack.)

Got ghosts? I’m here to help

Annoyances, Current Events 6 Responses »

Oct 262007

No worries, though. Whether your house is haunted, you’re possessed by a demon, or whatever, I have the ability to permanently end any spiritual manifestation. Send me $99.95 and I’ll zap that sumbitch from wherever I sit, such is the strength of my power.

Optionally, I can bestow lifetime protection from ghosts on you for only $999.95.

Isn’t it worth a thousand bucks to be protected from ghosts forever?

The greatest American rock band

Popular Culture 30 Responses »

Oct 252007

I heard a ridiculous (at first blush) assertion on the radio yesterday morning. A commercial claimed The Eagles were “the greatest American rock ‘n’ roll band of all time.”

Talented players and writers all, no doubt. But the greatest? I chewed on it a bit. I’m pretty sure the answer isn’t The Eagles, but it’s a harder question than you may think.

Move out for a moment and say the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band, period. In my view, that’s a slam-dunk for The Beatles. Some other first-tier candidates would be The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, or The Who. Some credible longshots might be The Yardbirds, Cream, or The Kinks.

English, English, English, English, English, English, English, and English.

Wow.

Rock ‘n’ roll may have been born in post-World War II America, but it’s pretty clear that our motherland has pasted us handily since at least the mid-’60s.

So who’s our best rock band, Yanks?

A lot depends on your criteria, of course. I don’t have a formula worked up, but it seems to me that competence, innovation, and cultural impact should be major factors to consider, while longevity might be somewhat less important, but still part of the thinking.

Think on it a bit. You’ll probably find that when you think of truly excellent rock ‘n’ roll, you land in England an awful lot. Try to shake that off and think stateside.

If you have thoughts, share them. I have a nominee in mind that I’ll drop into the discussion, if one develops.

45 miscellaneous things

Questionnaires 1 Response »

Oct 242007

From Saintseester:

What’s your name spelled backwards?
How about my preferred handle backwards: Epoigra

What did you do last night?
Looked through the mail, blogged, ate, bathed the boys. Usual stuff.

The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
A Glen Campbell B-side that I was delighted to discover was available on iTunes.

Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?
Well, it’s more like touching one’s tongue to it than licking, but yes.

Last time you swam in a pool?
Independence Day.

What are you wearing?
Gray gym shorts and a greenish-blue Tennessee Aquarium T-shirt.

How many cars have you owned?
My current daily driver is number seven.

Type of music you dislike most?
Really twangy country.

Are you registered to vote?
Yes.

Do you have cable?
Yes.

What kind of computer do you use?
Gateway desktop, Dell laptop, and Palm PDA.

Ever made a prank phone call?
Of course.

You like anyone right now?
Like, in an eighth-grade note-passing sense? Sure. Her name is Lea.

Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
I would probably do both, though I have little drive to do either.

Furthest place you ever traveled?
San Francisco.

What’s your favorite comic strip?
I can’t remember the last time I looked at the funny pages. The last ones I read regularly were Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side, neither of which has been drawn for several years. The latter is probably my all-time favorite.

Do you know all the words to the national anthem?
No. I know all of the words to the first verse, though.

Shower, morning or night?
Morning.

Best movie you’ve seen in the past month?
Death Proof—the first half of Grindhouse—and Eyes Wide Shut (in HD).

Favorite pizza toppings?
God’s pizza has, in addition to the base sauce and cheese: sausage, onions, and mushrooms.

Chips or popcorn?
I like Tostitos Scoops with picante sauce. I love popcorn.

Which cell phone provider do you have?
AT&T.

Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
No.

Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?
No.

Orange juice or apple?
Orange. Rather have V8 than either of them, though.

Who were the last people you sat at lunch with?
Melanie.

Favorite chocolate bar?
3 Musketeers.

Who is your longest friend and how long?
My dad. 36 years and change. Outside the family, it’d be a tie between Charles and Heather. 20 years.

Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
Maybe a month ago. The difference between homegrown and store-bought is staggering. Store-bought tomatoes don’t taste like anything anymore.

Have you ever won a trophy?
Yes. I owned northern Alabama at Scholars’ Bowl. If you were a player and graduated high school around here between 1986 and 1990, chances are I was on a team that absolutely whipped your ass at least once.

Favorite arcade game?
Bosconian. I also liked Tron, Time Pilot, Moon Cresta/Eagle, Spy Hunter, Tac/Scan, and Tempest, more or less in that order.

Ever ordered from an infomercial?
Not that I can recall, but I wouldn’t swear I never have.

Sprite or 7-UP?
Sprite, though these drinks are both sugar-containing and caffeine-free, and I prefer the opposite on both.

Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?
Yup. Catholic school and Taco Bell.

Last thing you bought at Walgreens?
A pillbox.

Ever thrown up in public?
Yes. I threw up all over my brand new Sebagos at Spring City Cafe, a year or two out of college. Alcohol was, uh, a factor.

Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?
Absolutely the latter, but I’ve got it. Working on the former.

Do you believe in love at first sight?
Not a lick. The idea of love at (literally) first sight is ludicrous.

Spongebob or Jimmy Neutron?
No opinion. I barely know who the former is, and have no idea who the latter is.

Did you have long hair as a young kid?
Not as a young kid, but it was halfway down my back in college.

What message is on your voicemail machine?
“Hi, this is Bo. I can’t answer the telephone right now, but please leave your name and number and I’ll return your call as soon as possible.” Yeah, that’s really it. I’ll go have my saltines and tap water now.

Where would you like to go right now?
I would like to hike as much of the Amazon as I could in six months.

Whats the name of your pet?
The dogs are Brenna and Bailey. The cat is Oliver.

What kind of backpack do you have, and what’s in it?
I don’t have a backpack. I have a black leather fanny pack that I take on trips, though. It usually has a camera in it.

What do you think about most?
That’d be the butt, Bob.

By the way, you have a big ass too

Annoyances, Language 4 Responses »

Oct 232007

When I was in the fifth grade, the first of my illustrious three-year-long career as a Catholic school pupil, Sister Anita used to quiet a classroom talker of indeterminate identity with “Who has diarrhea of the mouth?” Then, if anyone reacted to this lovely expression in a way that she considered excessive, we’d all get in trouble. She was a witch that way.

Even so, I thought of her question on the way home, because evidently I had the adult version of that affliction today.

I visited with a coworker for a few minutes this morning. She told me what was going on in her life. Her older daughter is doing well in college, her younger daughter is flying right after a hiatus from same, things are going fine at work, and the like. To this, did I respond “glad to hear it” or “I’m pleased things are going well”? Of course not. I said “hang onto this vibe, because you know, you get your feelings hurt too easily.”

She laughed, and I think it really was okay, but I still wished I hadn’t said it. ‘Cause, you know, bluntness is what someone with that characteristic most appreciates. Taste that? It’s irony.

Then I had an almost impromptu lunch with Melanie, my colleague, friend, and confidante of 13 years. She was discussing the possibility of inserting my name into a conversation about an opportunity that may develop. Did I say “sure; thanks” or “I appreciate the confidence”? Nope. How about: “Nah, don’t do that. You suck at ‘subtle.’”

Um. Yeah.

That generated a chuckle and was fine too. We are members of each other’s inner circle, and one of the cornerstones of our relationship is lack of pretense. I’d have probably even conveyed to her the spirit of the comment. But sheesh, not like that.

God bless tomorrow.