Good To Know.

Though it sounds delicious, buttermilk is NOT the product of butter and milk.
It is the subtraction of butter from milk, leaving a thick non-buttery nearly rancid mostly dairy solution.

(Butter)*(Milk) = AWESOME
(Milk)-(Butter) = Not So Good ■

Now you know, and knowing is half the not-drinking-sour-paste.

• Buttermilk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now We've Gotta Move The Whole Damn Forbidden City.

Well that was a solid five months. That is, its been five months since I discovered Seeqpod and decided not to tell you.

• Daily Placebo: I'd have to kill you

It was a selfish move, and I knew it couldn't hold off the music industry hounds forever. But I like to think my hush-hush policy helped lengthen the brash little search/playlist site's lawsuit free phase. A phase I'm sad to say is over today. Somebody spilled the beans and Edgar Bronfman Jr is on the trail. Of course there's nothing technically illegal about what Seeqpod does, they just help people find music that someone else is hosting. But its definitely a service the music big-wigs wish was illegal. So they're headed to court to sort it all out.

It'll be interesting to see if the DMCA comes out on Warner Music's "protect the property" side or with the EFF and Seeqpod claiming the DMCA's safe harbor clause. In the mean time either Seeqpod will continue to serve up tune locations unmolested, or the users will flock to the next undiscovered haven. I'm starting to think the RIAA and cohorts are going to stalk us until there aren't any more domain names to hide under.

• Techdirt: Warner Music Sues Seeqpod: How Dare It Help People Find Stuff Warner Wishes Didn't Exist

Nothing Like A Long, Pointless Prank.

ohmyogdomygodohmygod... Who still uses a land line?

• Gadgets: Wrong Number Generator Makes Dialing Exciting

Three Little Pigs Gone Wrong.

Don't get me wrong- I like meat as well as... well anyone. But this makes me feel a little sick.

• Neatorama » Blog Archive » Meat House

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

I'd never watched any Battlestar Galactica.  I figured it was for those guys playing D&D in the basement of the freshmen dorm.  But as fate would have it I was cruising through Amazon Unbox's free downloads last Friday and there was a "The story so far" that I decided might be worth free.  So I watched a 3 season recap in about 45 mins.

Aww Crap.  I like space battles and explosions and robots.  And the production quality was way better than I thought it would be; I was imagining Dr Who in the mid 60's.  Now I think I'm gonna have to watch this show.  See what you're making me do, Writer's Guild?  You're broadening my horizons.  Damn you.  Of course I didn't want to start watching Arrested Development either; and that turned out to be the best show ever.  So you never know.  Anyway, if you think you'd like a Star-trek-matrix-terminator-apocalyptic-war show, or are desperate for new shows to watch, give it a chance.

I'm Watching You.

Holy crap I'm confused. This baby elephant is giving me the crazy eyes like he might want to kill and eat me. But he's also fuzzy. And look at his little trunk. Obviously you can see the conflict.

• DCist: National Zoo Can Has a Baby Elephant?

I'd Work Here.

If its gonna be an impervious surface, it might as well be a solar collector. A building being planned outside Paris is set to be the most energy efficient office ever. Its solar arrays will provide all the power needed to drive heating, cooling and lighting, with enough to spare some for the grid. Of course this isn't just brute solar-voltaic prowess here, the insulation and cooling techniques are novel too. And it looks like designers went with the classic layout of "stickman with another headless stickman for a head", renoun for its energy saving properties. The building will cost 25% more than a normal office park. But for self-sufficiency that seems pretty reasonable.

• The “Energy Plus” Building Produces All Its Own Power : MetaEfficient

Be Not Afraid.

I am scared of Taxis. Not like frightened of being hit by them, but I never know how much a fare will cost. Thats mostly a product of the odd zone system in place; although its getting changed to meters soon. So generally as a rule I don't take taxis unless I'm desperate and have 60 bucks in my wallet. Its not so bad most of the time but the Post has a pretty sweet GMaps mashup of taxi zones in DC. It calculates the fare in both systems so you have an idea how badly you're getting taken to the cleaners and how much better it'll be when we switch to meters. Whip out your iphone next time you're not quite sure that 4 block ride should really be 26 bucks.

• Taxi Fare Estimator (washingtonpost.com)

NY Times Blowing Up My Spot.

Yeah its too cold to exercise, why else wouldn't I be out there running right now? (note: I'm looking out the window at large sized snow flurries. Looks like someone is putting feather pillows into a wood chipper on the roof.) But the Times has to go and spoil it for everyone, calling out our most favorite winter time excuse. They maintain that the cold won't hurt you so long as you can keep moving and stay warm; which you'll have no trouble doing with a workout.

Although I know for a fact that I'm more susceptible to post workout cramping when the temp drops. (winter track sprints are a nice recipe) But that's nothing that careful stretching won't take care of; you just have to know they're coming.

Luckily I do have another excuse lined up: I'm a lazy sack of crap. Happy now?

• New York Times: Too cold to Exercise? Try Another Excuse.

Free Speach... Free Ball?

I remember the first time I saw a pair of truck nuts. It was a magical day. But a delegate in Virginia is trying to ban the display of suggestively placed plastic ornaments. And of course, its "for the children"... I'm pretty sure I've gone off on something like this recently. Ah yes, there is is. Clearly this gentleman has never heard of priorities.

• Jalopnik: Truck Nuts to be Banned?

This Just In...

Chimps not human.

Groundbreaking, I know. But activists in Germany have been trying to get a chimp declared human so that they can become its legal guardians. (note I didn't say his legal guardians.) Matthew (said chimp) would also be able to accept personal gifts were he afforded said status, and already has several patrons lined up to finance his chimp condominium, or whatever chimps would do with large sums of money.

I don't mean to sound condescending, but are you guys retarded? There is no way a chimp is a human! Its a freaking chimp. I understand what you're doing, but why don't you stop wasting everyone's time and set up a corporation for the care and well-being of Matthew. Corporations can have assets; animals, not-so-much.

• “Chimps Aren’t Humans” Rules Austrian Court : Environmental Graffiti - environmental news blog

Apple-rific.

Really? Wow apple, you just blew my mind at macworld yesterday. Yeah, that laptop is very thin and your apps work with a fluidity that can only be provided by wood nymfs in every box.

But honestly, you announce movie rentals and expect me to clap like a trained seal? I didn't know that itunes didn't do rentals until yesterday. This is where Amazon was with their video download service at launch. And I'm sure its very neat that you can put a flick on your ipod or iphone or itoothbrush but I can't really see myself watching a feature film that I paid 5 bucks to rent on a screen that small.

I haven't really read too much about what makes the new appletv different from the old one except that it'll stream content from apple's servers rather than just your home system, but I'm still glad I have a Tivo instead of that. The interface is probably better (which is saying something) but you have to pay for virtually every show you run through it unless you're "creative" about your content sources.

Also, did anyone notice that movie studio exec mention how a digital copy of the movie would be provided on new releases of DVDs or blueray? Do they not know that the movie is already on the disc? No, they're just planning on locking the feature up so tight in drm that they decided to include a second copy wrapped in apple's transferable drm. So... "We understand that you may want to back-up your purchase or even watch it on different devices. But we still don't trust you SOBs with our property. Remember kids, ripping media kills puppies!"

• Hands-on with iTunes movie rentals: quirky and restrictive, but dead easy - Engadget

The Right To Bear Eggs.

Yes! This is what has been missing from my eggs all this time. I mean, yeah I like eggs, but if they were shaped like weapons that'd really seal the deal. Sorry, if you don't know me- I can barely be bothered to spend the time to prepare my food, let alone shape it into various figures. What is wrong with egg-shaped eggs? Is the gun culture really so pervasive? What is the target demographic here? Am I sposed to serve up firearm shaped breakfast to my kid? Come on!

• Gun Egg Fryers, Cook Your Eggs in the Shape of Gun | Laughing Squid

I just got this VS.NET 2008 brochure/ tr

I just got this VS.NET 2008 brochure/ treasure map via interofice courrier. I'm almost as taken aback as when i found those super hero posters a while back.

Lost In Translation.

I haven't really been doing such a good job of reading about the Detroit auto show.  There's just so many posts its overwhelming.  But this one is worth a read.  The Chairman of a new Chinese hybrid company takes a Jalopnik on an unscheduled test drive around the convention center.  Fairly hilarious.

• Jalopnik: Detroit Auto Show: Surreal, Illegal Test Drive

Netflix Actually Becomes Net Flicks.

No longer just a mail order catalog, Netflix is loosing the spicket on their download service.  Unlimited video downloads, even if the term is a misnomer, is appealing.  Heck if I had a computer hooked to my tv, I'd definitely pay Netflix 15 bucks a month right now.  And actually I do have a computer hooked to my tv, its just called a Tivo.  So maybe Netflix needs to talk to them, or Amazon if they've got a no-compete contract.  I could see Amazon not liking someone else delivering unrestricted content while they're over there charging 4 bucks a rental. 

But I've got a secret for Amazon.  Sure, I'm very pleased with your download service, but there's no way I'm going to top 15 bucks a month renting digital movies from you.  I'll pay the 99 cent sale price to see films I don't much want to buy on DVD, but there's no way I'm going to rent one for 4 bucks.  And I don't care who gives me the movies, as long as they're easy to get and come straight to my Tivo box.  So you might as well throw a turnicate on that wound before the blood really starts flowing.  Develop your own all-you-can-eat download plan and keep your existing piecemeal customers from shopping around.  It'll be a guaranteed 15 bucks a month from me with minimal overhead increase, rather than losing the 4-7 dollars you get now .  You've got the content, the infrastructure, the hardware contracts, formatting... it all there just begging to be done.  And, added bonus,  I'll be on your site more often and be more tempted to buy all those things hanging around on my wishlist.

Do it...

• TechDirt: Netflix Tries An 'Unlimited' Strategy

Don't Look At My Ride.

Do you have the legal right to publicly display your car?  How about the right to sell pictures you've taken of your car?  Ford doesn't think so and in a bold move is trying to block a Mustang enthusiast club from selling a Mustang calendar.  After all, Ford did design the car, isn't that intellectual property?  Its kinda like that big jelly bean sculpture that tourists were banned from photographing in a public park because reproducing the art violated the artist's intellectual rights.  So too for Ford.

Heck if you buy a song on iTunes, you get to listen to the music, but you need to pay separate fees for public performance rights, don't you?  Did you think that performance rights came bundled into the purchase price of the car?  Come on!  The poor American automakers need to earn a living somehow, and it sure won't be by innovating in the automotive arena.  So they figured they'd try their luck breaking new ground in the court room.

Of course this will definately backfire for Ford.  At best they'll win this case and the Mustang group will follow through with their boycott of Ford products.  Although much more likely, the judge will curb his laughter just long enough to have the bailiff strike them roughly across the face and thrown down the courthouse steps.

• TechDirt: Ford Continues To Slap Down Enthusiast Calendars

Playing Through The Pain.

Ever Wonder what 110 consecutive holes of frisbee golf feels like?  Its not good.  In fact you might not even realize that you're still playing for the last half round.

I will say, I've never played 6 hours of golf before.  But that's probably because I've never played $5 a hole before either.  Skins is a brutal animal and I'm pretty sure we need to set up some limitations before we even attempt something like this again.  Like 3 rounds max.  Cause I agreed to 1 round at 5 bucks a hole;  maximum losses of 55 dollars.

But that's where gambling gets you.  I was down like 20 bucks after the first round so I obviously wanted to play again.  And even when you're winning you can't stop playing cause the other fellas want a chance to make some cash back.  And all of a sudden you find yourself on the course at 8 in the morning playing golf like some kind of hippy-zombie.

It was a lot of fun though, and during the course of 10 rounds you make some sweet shots.  I holed the bell tower.  I two'ed the shoe tree.  I hit that tough two shot over the parking lot on the second hole- on two consecutive rounds.  But eventually you have to pack it in, I mean I'm not some kind of frisbee machine.  Oddly enough none of us were in a state to compute the winnings.  It ended up 49, 38, 22.  Which comes out to 109 holes of golf.  (yeah that's one point short, but I think only missing one point after 6 hours is pretty good.  And I bet it was my point anyway, keeping me just shy of 50.)

Video? On The Intertubes?

When you've got a spare hour and a half, check out Wainy Days. Its a series of webisodes about David Wain (of Wet Hot American Summer fame) searching for love (or the physical analog) in the big city.  There are some nice reoccurring themes, like how he pushes random pedestrians to the ground or the constant string of cameos.  You can also see his sketch background shining through each of these little nuggets.  This is the best thing I've found on youtube since Peepshow.

Oh and there's apparently a movie called The Ten, that's similar(?) in style or something.  On DVD soon.

• My Damn Channel: Wainy Days

Show A Little Respect.

Check out the new Bond hottness. (No, not that hottness, the other kind.)

Which is, ironically enough, the old Bond hottness. No, I'm not talking about back in the day when Connery rolled in an Aston Martin. (Yes, it is a nod to the days of yore. But technically Connery had a DB5, and the DBS was Lazenby. Stop distracting me, that's not what I'm talking about.)

The car in the upcoming Bond film will be the same one as in Casino Royale. How about this time you do something with it other than shock 007 into coherence and then crash it in a field? Hell, I can crash a bicycle in a field. (The only thing impressive about that stunt was the difficulty they had in flipping the DBS over. They ended up driving it over a jump and using an air ram to spin it. So while that's technically an after market Bond gadget, I'm not sure 'the ability to crash' is an upgrade I'd shell out for.)

So, note to producers:
Actually drive the car somewhere. Don't just smash it immediately for shock value. If you need to, rent Ronin. They've got a pretty badass chase scene in there. I'm not saying it can't crash up; but come on, let the stud stretch its legs before you take it to the glue factory.

• Meet the New Bond Car: The Aston Martin DBS

Like Immitates Cartoons.

Looks like this dude has been watching too many of those Tom and Jerry cartoons that start off with a sack of kittens going over the side of a bridge.

Oh, sure blame everything on 70 year-old children's' entertainment. I watched more than a fair share of those things and I've never thrown a sack of anything over a bridge.

No, but its very sad. Although I'm gonna stick with the 'bad shit has always happened, we just have the technology to inform everyone immediately now' justification. The world is effed up, but its not getting sicker. Comforting, no?

• BBC NEWS | Americas | US children 'thrown off bridge'

My Hits Are The Same, So Suck It.

What? Didn't you hear?  There's a goram writer's strike on.  I can't post links without a teleprompter. 
And that's nothing compared to the snarkiness of my commentary.  Piss.  Poor.