I’m sitting at work, coding away, when my partner-in-crime notices that subscriptions to his daily readings are going through the roof (gotta love scripts that mail you things, push media style). So, this means a plod through log files. Sure enough, CNN is doing a story on Star Wars websites and his Find Your Star Wars Twin survey is linked directly from there (mmm… personality tests).
Yearly Archives: 2002
packet sniffing fun
Ooooh.. Raffi just posted a bitty note on using the packets that go across the ‘net to do interesting visualization/audiozation, creating the awareness for the general population. It reminds me of the silly things that i want to do… Take Social Network Fragments and start mapping out the entire population’s social network (since email headers are read by gov’t) and make people aware of what they know… I love the idea of packet-sniffing to create awareness/empowerment.
animation
I just went to a fun talk by Bob Sabiston (Media Lab alum who is a software designer for A Waking Life) – what great fun to see how the movie was made, to see the ease in which the animators can create that look & feel. I have to admit i’m such a sucker for seeing how animation techniques work; oh, how i crave to go to SIGGRAPH this year…
In my mail this morning, i also got a fun rendering from Karrie, using a basic edge detection technique. I think that i look better sketchy:
appreciating corporate updates
I have to admit, i’m psyched that Vanilla Coke is coming out… I’m a sucker for MNC soda – all that sugar and carbonation… now that they are adding Vanilla, i don’t have to restrict my Vanilla Cokes to homemade or TGIFriday’s versions… (Yes, i’m quite a sucker for modern culture, complete with its stripmalls.)
On a related note and since we are in sequel movie mode, i’m quite psyched to see the next Matrix preview. I remember when the first one came out… I was in Amsterdam and when i came back, one of my friends (who has horrible taste) told me that i must see The Matrix, so i ignored him. Well, for once, he was 100% right and when i finally got around to seeing the movie, i was utterly stunned, because i was expecting so little. Unfortunately, this time around, i’m expecting a bit more.
overboard adverts
Although i grew up embedded in advertising culture, i am sooo not thrilled with the various advertising tactics these days – on school buses, in the movies, everywhere…. I am a big fan of Pop-up Stopper but the silly advertisers are developing so many new mechanisms for forcing me to think about their product. Aside from being irritating, it’s offensive – constant interupts and crap. I really liked what George Ellenburg posted to politech (more inside)
seeking 1 stable emotion
Ok.. i need a stable emotion and mood. I am tired of living on the ultimate rollercoaster. It’s not doing me any good, or the people around me. I feel like an unchartered, unpredictable tornado, full of surprises, constantly shifting direction, grappling everything around me. Highs & lows, passive aggressive interactions, murderous desires, not healthy. I feel like i’m driving myself insane.
Luckily, tonite, there was temporary relief in the form of limited Jar-Jar for opening night – Yoda kicking ass (and hobbling off), atrociously acted love scenes, pretty CG (although terrible lighting and poorly done blue screening)… the works. And damnit, i want a purple light saber, like Monsieur Jackson had, although i’d prefer a few bible quotes… “And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my light saber upon thee.”
Jeopardy
Wow – Brad Rutter, one of my high school classmates just won $1,000,000 on the special 4000th tournament of Jeopardy. What an odd flash from the past…
Real Doll gone wrong
Thought that the was entertaining? Me too. But apparently, she didn’t satisfy everyone so someone had to go out and make a porn star version. And i can’t help but look at this version and think that this is the nastiest version of a sex doll i’ve ever seen; what’s with the pubic wigs?? The Erotic Computation Group has a lot of work to do!
clean vaginas
what every grrrl needs: a shower vibrator… ahem.. i mean a vagina washing anti-bacterial rod
random Ani fans
I definitely have a love/hate relationship with the random Ani fans who visit my site every day. They are the primary cause of my Klez.E irritation, but they also send me wonderful emails, like this one:
From: Carlos Munoz
…. anyway, came across this quote today and thought you’d like it: “in an age where mass media provide the basis of common experience, ‘Star Wars’ and a handful of other cultural icons may have become a kind of shorthand form of communication”
i’m sure you’ve thought about this, but maybe this quote has some un-congruent edges to your prev thoughts
I can’t help but think back to late nights when Jon and Danny and their friends had entire conversations in Monty Python quotes. Or how many ridiculous conversations emerged out of discussions over terrible 1980s fashion statements – Do you remember jelly shoes and all style Madonna or garbage pail kids or … And yes, the 80s come complete with a survey.
Mass media does wonders for a common language of communication…