T-Minus 10

Posted on July 20 2004 by Mickey
    10 days to go till my computer is shipped. Now it really does feel like a countdown.
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“Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”

Posted on July 20 2004 by Mickey
    Tonight marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing (link to CNN story). You can relive that historic moment through the video and audio files at NASA’s 35th Anniversary site. Other material is still available at their 30th anniversary site (including this photo gallery). The pièce de résistance is at Panoramas.dk: Neil Armstrong’s 360° view the lunar surface. It’s almost hard to imagine now a time when American technology and rocket power united the globe, and were used “in peace for all mankind.”   [3:41 PM]
    Update: according to Science@NASA, one of Apollo 11’s lunar experiments is still in use today.

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Pod Love

Posted on July 18 2004 by Mickey
    Newsweek‘s cover story on the iPod phenomenon is now online, even before the magazine hits the newsstands. The issue’s cover features the first look of Apple’s latest, streamlined iPod, and Newsweek also describes it in a sidebar (slightly smaller than the 3G iPod, but still bigger than the iPod mini; and sporting the Mini’s click-wheel). The official announcement of this fourth generation iPod may be tomorrow. And the long-awaited, long-delayed shipments (especially in Europe) of iPod Minis begin at the end of the week.
Posted in Apple, Gadgets | 1 Comment

Countdown

Posted on July 16 2004 by Mickey
    Exactly two weeks to go. (But I have to remind myself that’s Apple’s estimated delivery date, not the arrival date.)
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Emmys 2004

Posted on July 15 2004 by Mickey
    Emmy nominations were announced today. I would assume Angels in America is going to dominate the miniseries categories. I doubt if the usually staid Emmy voters will be hip enough to vote for Arrested Development which takes the fun out of the comedy series category. I’m surprised Friends isn’t around for a sentimental vote, but such can still happen with Sex & the City. And while Curb Your Enthusiasm was amusing, Scrubs should really be listed in its place (even at the risk of voting for a network show over one from HBO. I guess the nominators really want to make the most out of their cable subscriptions).
    For drama, I would assume this is finally the year for The Sopranos. Edie Falco might win, probably for her work in the season before this. And why is Reiko Aylesworth’s name not mentioned at all? I’m torn between rooting for James Gandolfini and Kiefer Sutherland for best actor. Even better, they should decide the winner by having them box.
    Screw the on-location game show “Reality TV” category.
    I’m torn, too, between rooting for Jon Stewart and David Letterman. But at least I got a nice chuckle out of seeing Jay Leno and the Tonight show aren’t even nominated. Tee. And hee. (Actually I’d probably vote for Late Show as best show and Daily Show as best writing. The first ten minutes of TDS are uniformly excellent, but I really don’t care for Ed Helms or Rob Corddry.)
    By the way, the telecast of the awards is September 19, hosted by Garry Shandling.
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Gimme, Gimme, Gimme

Posted on July 14 2004 by Mickey
    I ordered my dual 2.5 G5 last Saturday, and now I cannot wait for it to show up. Estimated shipping date is 7/30/2004. But Mac Rumors is hinting the new dual-processor G5s might be shipping now! It seems too good to be true, and I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but it’s tough not to be get excited over this news. I need to get back to working on a desktop again, but the days are dragging so…slowly…
    I really doubt the news is true though. My Order Status has not changed, for one thing, and the forum posters at Mac Rumors are just as dubious.
    Thanks to The Unofficial Apple Blog however I at least now have a test G5 to help me prepare for the delivery date.

Not actual size
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Jalapeño Bytes

Posted on July 14 2004 by Mickey
    My quest for Arby’s Jalapeño Bites continues. Last weekend I discovered they still exist and are still attainable (here in Southeastern Michigan). It appears the culprit is something called Sybra: those franchises owned by Sybra no long offer Jalapeño Bites (as well as other items such as potato cakes and the Chicken Roast Club).
    My investigations have so far uncovered the following:

        SFG-Approved Arby’s Restaurants (those selling Jalapeño Bites):
              27074 Telegraph Rd, Flat Rock*
              3660 West Rd, Trenton*
              27277 Eureka Rd, Taylor*

        Unapproved Arby’s Restaurants (those in my area run by Sybra):
              10500 Telegraph Rd, Taylor*
              14864 Southfield Rd, Allen Park*
              2431 S Telegraph Rd, Dearborn
              18767 Northline Rd , Southgate
              30049 Ford Rd, Garden City
              44040 Ford Rd, Canton

    (Those locations which I have personally visited are marked with an asterisk.)
    A look at the Arby’s list of Detroit locations also gives a good indication of which locations are owned by Sybra or not, and therefore which ones might still offer Jalapeño Bites.
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Twofer Tuesday

Posted on July 13 2004 by Mickey
    Thanks to The Unofficial Apple Blog I now have a test G5 to help me prepare for the delivery date.

Not actual size

    I can’t even say I’m that interested in seeing the movie, but for the last couple days I’ve become obsessed with finding out the (requisite) twist ending of M Night Shyamalan’s The Village. The movie is presumably about a tribe whose elders have taught them not to go into the forest that surrounds them; yet, of late…strange noises are coming from the forest.
    As far as I can tell from my research, the movie could possibly end with…
More >>
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July 10 Grab Bag

Posted on July 10 2004 by Mickey
    I got my new Enermax power supply on Thursday night. It made no difference. I still could not start up Windows or even get a POST. I know I can take the machine in and get it diagnosed, but I’m really not interested in trying to resurrect it anymore. This enterprise is over. The dream is dead. The great computer building project is a bust. Instead, I’m going to save the hard drives for myself, divvy up the remaining parts between the relatives, and await the on-or-before July 30 arrival of a liquid-cooled dual-processor G5.
    Last weekend’s bout with constipation [there: I said it] turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I now weigh 201, which is down 6 pounds from a week ago and within arm’s reach of the good side of 200 (at last)! I should eat bad chicken more often.
    In food related news, I found a downriver Arby’s which still sells Jalapeño Bites! The one on Telegraph north of Goddard must be owned by the same franchisees as the one on Southfield Rd, but the restaurant on Eureka east of Middlebelt does indeed sell the Bites, and thus becomes my favorite Arby’s of all.
    On the lighter side, three cheers and a tip of the hat to South African Philip Rabinowitz, the fastest 100-year-old in the world. Story here. Photo here.
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No Turning Back Now!

Posted on July 9 2004 by Mickey
    Actually there technically is…but I won’t. My main computer, an IBM desktop PC running Windows XP and Windows 2000, has died. I can’t get a POST, I can’t a start-up screen. I thought it might be the power supply, so I ordered a new one. It came last night, I installed it, and there was no change. Still no POST, still no start-up screen. I’m pretty sure the drives are fine, but which means it might be the RAM, the processor, or the motherboard…which are all items I have no interest in re-buying.
    So it looks like I’m off to The Apple Store in Novi this weekend!
    Microsoft can kiss my rump — I’m ordering me a dual processor G5!!!!
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